My initial reaction, upon reading the news on the ticker about a week and a half ago, showing allegations that Syracuse assistant head coach Bernie Fine molested 2 boys was to gag. Literally, gag, like I was on the front end of hurling in front of my TV. I immediately fired up my laptop and read that ESPN had this news back in 2003, but chose to do nothing with it.
Then I got mad. I wanted to cancel my ESPN.com and magazine subscription. It was shitty journalism at its worst. The Syracuse police and the university came out with statements that they had done investigations and nothing could be found, and they dismissed the allegations.
To me, and to a well-known former ESPN employee Jason Whitlock, it looked like ESPN was involved in nothing better than a witch hunt. Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim stood up for his friend of 50 some years and called the allegations bogus and a hunt for money.
And now Bernie Fine has been fired from the university after a taped phone conversation has been let out. It's disturbing, I've read it. The conversation is between the first accuser and Fine's wife. I admit, it doesn't look good for Fine....until the end, when you read that the accuser and Mrs. Fine had an affair. Wait, WHAT??!!
I just want to throw it out there, we now have 3 men accusing Bernie Fine of something completely disgusting. However, I'm pointing this out, too, about those accusing this man, of the following:
Accuser #1-seemed eager to go on TV only after the Penn State debauchery (and by debauchery, I mean how royally screwed up that situation is, I'm not making light of it)
Accuser #2-is Accuser #1's stepbrother.
Accuser #3-this man's father said he was never on the trip in which the alleged incident happened.
And now, we have a man's wife allowing a conversation to be recorded where she admits infidelity. I'm no lawyer, but doesn't any of this scream "REASONABLE DOUBT" to you?
Full disclosure-I love Syracuse. I was accepted but couldn't afford it. Had I figured out a way to attend there is a very good chance I would be in some form of sports communication, be it in TV or radio, or heck, even writing. I have loved the football, lacrosse and especially the basketball program since 1986, Sherman Douglas will always have a special place in my heart, as well as Lawrence Moten, Billy Owens, Dave Johnson, John Wallace, Red Autry, Otis Hill, Terrance Roberts, Rick Jackson and so many more that I could spend all day talking about them. We're talking 26 years of my life, every time Da 'Cuse was on TV, I was in front of it. It, for lack of a better phrase, is my squad.
These allegations disgust me. You know what else disgusts me? That I'm hearing about it now. I'm not blaming victims, or potential victims. I want some answers, but I'm truthfully terrified to ask the questions. I love that coach Boeheim stood up for his friend, and chastised the media for not letting the process run its course. It's what friends do. Until they find out that they themselves have been betrayed, like when The Col. James was behind prison glass trying to explain his behavior to Jack Horner in 'Boogie Nights', eventually you'd be forced to walk away by your own moral compass. I'm not sure what I will do if Fine is found to have done any of these things. Do I toss out all my stuff, burn it in effigy?
However, I believe we have another villain in this mess. That would be Mrs. Fine. She's no better than Joe Paterno at Penn State. If this is true, and she knew about it and did nothing, then she is culpable.
Something stinks, I don't know what it is, but I am willing to let the process run its course. I know the media won't, but I will check in every day or anytime some other allegation props up.
I hope this isn't true, that's what I hope. But I have a bad feeling about what is on the other side.
Special notice on this post needs to go to:
Jason Whitlock
Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
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