Longtime Syracuse assistant coach Bernie Fine stands accused of molesting two boys associated with the program in the 70s and 80s, ESPN's Outside the Lines is reporting. According to the two accusers, Fine molested them for years starting in the late 70s when they were working as ball boys for the Orangemen basketball program. The alleged abuse took place at Syracuse basketball facilities, at Fine's home, and on road trips, including the 1987 Final Four.
According to a statement issued by Syracuse's senior vice president for public affairs, the university was made aware of the allegations in 2005 after police declined to pursue the matter, as the statute of limitations had passed. The university conducted its own investigation at that time, interviewing a number of people the accuser said would corroborate his story. None did. The university went on to say that Fine would have been fired and reported to the police if there were any evidence to support the accusations.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was a bit more vehement in his response, telling The New York Times, "I believe they are looking for money. I believe they saw what happened at Penn State, and they are using ESPN to get money. That is what I believe."
University chancellor Nancy Cantor issued another statement to Syracuse students, faculty and staff, saying that Fine has been placed on administrative leave pending a new investigation by police.
I'll reserve judgment on Fine and the allegations until more information becomes available - at this point, it seems best to let the police conduct their investigation. That said, one thing doesn't really add up. In New York, there is no statute of limitations for first degree sexual conduct against a child - a crime defined as engaging in at least two acts of sexual conduct with a child under age 13 in a span of at least three months. The allegations, as reported, would seem to fall into that classification.
(For lesser crimes, the statute of limitations is five years, starting from the victim's 18th birthday.)
Another bothersome point - ESPN notes that Dennis Duval, Syracuse's chief of police when the initial report was made - played basketball for the Orangemen from 1971-74. Jim Boeheim was an assistant coach with the team at the time. Seems reasonable to suspect that any allegations of a cover-up will begin there.
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