A disturbing story with plot lines potentially similar to the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky investigation just became more compelling.
Bernie Fine - Pedophile? |
Bernie Fine, a long-time assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University, and close friend of head coach Jim Boeheim, was recently fired in the wake of recent allegations by at least one former Syracuse ball boy, Bobby Davis, that he had molested them over a period of years. Two other men have come forward with similar allegations, although neither worked as Syracuse ball boys.
Bobby Davis Had History of Making Complaints Against Fine
This is a particularly strange story for a number of reasons. One, Davis has been making these allegations for years, going back as far as 2002, but was never taken seriously until ESPN recently investigated the story after Davis resurfaced following the emergence of the PSU scandal. This has led some to conclude (as Jim Boeheim did initially - he has since changed his tune) that Davis is simply crying wolf again, in a search for money. Others have concluded that this scandal is the product of an overzealous and misplaced investigation by ESPN.
Yet....
Laurie Fine All But Admits Bernie Fine a Pedophile in Taped Phone Call With Bobby Davis
Laurie Fine All But Admits Bernie Fine a Pedophile in Taped Phone Call With Bobby Davis
Laurie Fine: Strange |
This tape was provided by Davis to ESPN and a Syracuse newspaper 8 years ago. It is unclear what they did with it.
Click Here to hear Laurie Fine's conversation with Bobby Davis.
Click Here for a full written transcript of the conversation between Laurie Fine and Bobby Davis.
Oh, and did I mention that Davis claims that he slept with Mrs. Fine, and that when he told Bernie Fine about the liaison, he simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "who cares" ?
Evidence Seems Clear Davis Traveled With Syracuse While a Ball Boy
Then, we have the traveling ball boy issue.
The 'Cuse - Not Unlike PSU? |
Based upon the way in which these early stories were reported, there seemed to be no debate about whether or not Davis traveled with the team - only about the implications of such practice where Jim Boeheim was concerned. Surely, Boeheim heard that Davis's claims that he traveled with he team were corroborated by his contemporaries...
Or maybe not.
Jim Boeheim Denies Ball Boys Ever Traveled With Syracuse Basketball Team
Boeheim: Will Ball Boy Denial Cost His Job? |
Why Did Jim Boeheim Deny Ball Boys Traveled With Syracuse Basketball Team?
Here is what I think. Boeheim has been so firmly entrenched at Syracuse for so long that he believes he is untouchable. He apparently believed, though, that his stewardship could be jeopardized if it was determined that Davis traveled with the team. Why, I don't know - but I have a guess: he realized that this practice is so unheard of that its existence would call into question why he was not suspicious or, in a worst scenario, that he was suspicious and did nothing. So, despite the clear evidence provided by Davis and his fellow ball boys, despite knowing that if, indeed, Davis could prove he traveled with the team (plane tickets, hotel reservations, pictures, testimony from players and staff, etc.), he has taken the position that Davis did not travel with the team.
In doing so, he has in my mind cast suspicion upon himself that did not exist, for me, until today.
We will keep an eye on this story.
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