Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim: “I’m Not Joe Paterno”
Syracuse head basketball coach Jim Boeheim doesn’t believe the child molestation allegations levied against his long-time assistant coach Bernie Fine and he said that he’s not covering up for a friend.
“I’m not Joe Paterno,” Boeheim said. “Somebody didn’t come and tell me Bernie Fine did something and I’m hiding it. I know nothing. If I saw some reason not to support Bernie, I would not support him. If somebody showed me a reason, proved that reason, I would not support him. But until then, I’ll support him until the day I die.”
Thirty-nine-year-old Bobby Davis told ESPN that Fine molested him starting in 1984 and that the sexual contact continued until he was around 27 years old.
Davis, a former ball boy, said that the abuse occurred at Fine’s home, at Syracuse basketball facilities and on team road trips, including the 1987 Final Four.
Davis’ stepbrother, Mike Lang, 45, who was also a ball boy, said Fine molested him starting while he was in fifth or sixth grade.
Fine, who has been placed on administrative leave, calls the allegations “patiently false.” He asked for a quick review and said he would be vindicated.
“Sadly, we live in an allegation-based society and an internet age where in a matter of minutes one’s lifelong reputation can be severely damaged,” Fine said in a statement. “I am confident that, as in the past, a review of these allegations will be discredited and restore my reputation. I hope the latest review of these allegations will be conducted expeditiously.”
Syracuse said it conducted an internal investigation when Davis originally made the allegations back in 2005 but closed the case after determining the charges could not be corroborated.
Meantime, the university is being criticized for failing to notify the district attorney’s office or law enforcement other than the campus police. University officials had said that Davis had already gone to the police.
The allegations against Fine come as the NCAA and law enforcement authorities dig deeper into the child sex abuse allegations into former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
[...] not Joe Paterno,” Boeheim said. “Somebody didn’t come and tell me Bernie Fine did something and I’m hiding it. I know [...]
Boheim, you classless jerk. You are sure right. You are no Joe Paterno. You would never think about raising millions for a library and coaching for a salary far below market value. Stick to what you know, which is apparently very little!
Boheim is classless? You have to be kidding right? The police have already rejected this guys allegations one time, the school did an investigation and vindicated him, two seperate investigations cleared him, while on the other end your guy at Penn State got neutered…. your coach knew what was going on… I am from Fulton New York…. Just North of Syracuse and let me tell you if Boheim is standing by this guy it is because he firmly believes he is innocent. He could have thrown him to the wolves, don’t you get that? The guy himself even said that “He never went to Boheim” and said he had been touched. Did it ever occur to you that this is right after the Penn State case and this guy might just be after some cash? Have you seen this guy on TV? I did….. this guy is lying threw his teeth…. but lets play devils advocate for a moment… lets just say for the moment that the assistant coach did do it…. would not the coach be the first man you would tell about it to get it to stop? This guy says it went on well into his 20′s well if that is true, after 21 was it not consentual? I mean all the guy had to do was stay away from him and yet he continued to be around him until his late 20′s???????? Yet he says that no where along the way did he take that information to coach Boheim…. now what does this mean…. it means that even if it is true by the guys own admission Boheim knew nothing…. so what it boils down to is this, Boheim is sticking up for a guy he believes… He has placed his head on the chopping block to do this…. now if the guy did it i say shoot the guy, but anyone can claim that anyuone did anything these days and with the media the way it is we are all guilty till proven innocent in the public eye…. has anyone ever thought what it must be like to be an innocent man charged with this? No one will ever look at you the same, people will not want you around their kids and even if they do you will be scared to be around them as someone might lie about you…. I think the guy is innocent… and I think two cuz’s want to split a big payday…. nuff said
Hey Guys,
Get off of Coach Boeheim’s back. Stand up and take the blame Penn State fans papa joe & sandusky are all in this togeather. Just wait till it all comes out.The only classless thing here is the cover up by Penn State This is only going to get bigger. Just watch and see and see how ugly this thing is going to get. You have SEEN NOTHING YET!!!!!!
Send Sandusky to jail wher he belongs. Pig
Boeheim..when did Coach Paterno become part of the Syracuse story? When you opened your classless mouth. You are correct about not being Coach Paterno. The man has more class and is a better man than you will ever image you are. Boeheim you have no compassion for anyone else,just looking to save your ass. You are quite the man.