Syracuse University Assistant Basketball Coach Fired Due to Allegations He Molested Boys

No matter what the final outcome about the veracity of these allegations, if you add the news that Syracuse University has fired its respected Assistant Basketball Coach Bernie Fine amid allegations that he molested several boys, college coaches will now be looked at with a bit of suspicion and paranoia. Coming on the heels of the Penn State scandal involving Jerry Sandusky you can just see the extra scrutiny in the future coming:

Syracuse University tonight fired longtime assistant men’s basketball coach Bernie Fine amid accusations he molested several boys.

In a one sentence statement, SU’s senior vice president for public affairs Kevin Quinn announced the termination at 7:39 p.m.

“At the direction of Chancellor (Nancy) Cantor, Bernie Fine’s employment with Syracuse University has been terminated, effective immediately.”

This likely means they’ve looked at the initial case and feel they can’t stick their necks out backing him on this one. And it gets worse for Fine:

Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim released a statement supporting the firing of his longtime assistant.

“The allegations that have come forth today are disturbing and deeply troubling,” he wrote in a statement. “I am personally very shocked because I have never witnessed any of the activities that have been alleged. I believe the university took the appropriate step tonight.

“What is most important is that this matter be fully investigated and that anyone with information be supported to come forward so that the truth can be found. I deeply regret any statements I made that might have inhibited that from occurring or been insensitive to victims of abuse.”

Cantor released a statement around 8:40 p.m. to the faculty, staff and students.

“Frankly, the events of the past week have shaken us all,” the chancellor said in an e-mail. “The taped phone call that ESPN revealed today was not provided to the university by Mr. Davis during the 2005 investigation by our legal counsel.”

And the taped phone call is indeed devastating. The MailOnline headlines say it all:

Syracuse fires sex abuse scandal coach as tapes ‘reveal his wife watched husband molest boy in their home… and seduced another victim years later’

Three men say Bernie Fine molested them when they were boys
Bobby Davis taped a phone call with Laurie Fine in bid to prove abuse
Police and ESPN had tapes for ten years but didn’t do anything
Federal agents raid Mr Fine’s house after third victim comes forward
Coach Jim Boeheim supports decision and apologises for being ‘insensitive’
Accuser Zach Tomaselli says Penn State scandal made him come forward

Details HERE.

One of the issues that will arise here are allegations that police and ESPN had tapes for 10 years but didn’t act. The argument will be that they didn’t have enough back up evidence. But this will increase pressure for quicker action, tougher investigations, and make it more likely that an allegation will be far closer to an actual legal charge in the public eye. If there is litigation over this aspect of this case, then look for quicker suspensions of individuals in organizations that deal with youths when allegations are made.
The pity is that most coaches truly care about the kids they coach and their lives. The same kind of scandals have hit the Catholic Church (where most priests care about kids), Big Brothers (where most Big Brothers care about kids), the teaching profession (where most teachers care about kids) and the Boy Scouts (where most scout leaders care about their kids).

High profile scandals mean that extra precautions are put in place to put more distance between the adults and young people, protect the young people, and decrease chances for litigation.

Smart coaches will now take special care — and those who aren’t smart and abuse kids may find the days when they were able abuse without consquences are now over. They now join the usual list of suspects which expands with each decade.
As does the victims list.