By now, everyone knows of the allegations of sexual abuse by former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and University of Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine. While there is plenty to be disgusted and shocked about, I was especially appalled by the actions and comments made by Syracuse’s head basketball coach Jim Boeheim when word first surfaced about the allegations against Fine. And keep in mind this was after the Penn State scandal had rocked the public for weeks.
One would think Boeheim might tread carefully following this horrific string of media reports. Instead, Boeheim’s ego and 45 year friendship with Fine prevented that from happening. For days, Boeheim painted the accusers as liars and actually dismissed the allegations as “a bunch of a thousand lies.”
He also told the Syracuse Post-Standard: “The Penn State thing came out and the kid behind this is trying to get money. He’s tried before. And now he’s trying again. If he gets this, he’s going to sue the university and Bernie. What do you think is going to happen at Penn State? You know how much money is going to be involved in civil suits? I’d say about $50 million. That’s what this is about. Money.”
Boeheim also proclaimed, “I am not Joe Paterno,” – meaning he did not know anything or aid in a cover-up (unlike Paterno). As the story continued to unfold, he acknowledged that he did not have all the facts of the case; yet that did not slow his dismissal of the accusations.
As a PR professional, I find this last statement especially interesting for several reasons. In the time of a crisis (which this qualifies in my opinion), immediately obtaining all the facts is paramount. Without them, you are doomed and have zero credibility moving forward. Regardless of how fast the crisis evolved, the university and Boeheim needed to roll-up their sleeves, dig deep for information, get the messaging right and then brief the media and public. After that, additional statements or briefings could occur on a case-by-case basis, if at all (due to the ongoing investigation).
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim reacts after apologizing for statements he made earlier about the Bernie Fine sexual abuse case – Source AP
Plus, why did the university give Boeheim carte blanche to run his media relations campaign? By not reigning in Boeheim and having him apologize right away for his statements, they only dug their collective PR hole deeper. His statements not only backed him into a dire situation, but it damaged the university’s brand and reputation.
Boeheim has since apologized for his comments and announced his intention to take a more active role in the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center in Syracuse. This is after Boeheim and his wife Juli reportedly gave more than $20,000 to the advocacy center this past summer and where she serves as the co-chair for the center’s fundraising campaign. Given his alleged prior involvement with the organization, one would think Boeheim would have been more cautious and sensitive with his remarks about the accusers.
Suffice to say, Boeheim has to deliver a concerted, genuine effort to recapture his credibility and the respect of many, and based on his prior actions it will be interesting to see what happens as the story unfolds. Boeheim might not be Joe Paterno – like he claimed – but his insensitive, egotistical comments nearly landed in the same place as Paterno – fired.
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I’d beg to disagree! Boeheim was not almost fired – Chancellor Nancy Cantor came out and said, “Boeheim is our coach,” almost immediately. The fact of the matter is that Boeheim should not be compared to Joe Paterno at all. Paterno knew about everything that was going on and covered it up. Boeheim reacted the way most people would — by defending a friend of 35+ years.
Listening to the radio this morning I heard an interview with the brother of the suspect in the murder case of 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera. He said he could never imagine his brother doing such a horrible thing. And isn’t that true for all of us? We would never expect the people we love and care about to be capable of committing crimes, especially crimes against children.
I sincerely doubt Boeheim’s legacy will be tarnished by this scandal. While the story is tragic, Boeheim was not involved! He’ll be criticized for a while for his salty comments, sure, but will his legacy suffer? I don’t think so.
As a native Syracusan, I have the utmost respect for Jim Boeheim. His quick, insensitive comments have gotten him into trouble before. He walks that line constantly. Yes, he is egotistical…but that’s part of what I like about him! Boeheim is not just the Syracuse basketball coach. Boeheim is loved and revered throughout all of the great state of New York. He and his family care deeply for the Syracuse community; they attend charitable events all the time. He is a strong advocate for Coaches Against Cancer.
Yes, Syracuse has a crisis to deal with. Yes, Boeheim should be more careful about his comments (though I don’t think that will ever change…). And yes, the facts should have been thoroughly assessed before statements were made. But doesn’t it work the other way around too? Just as we shouldn’t slam the alleged victims, we shouldn’t accuse people of crimes before the investigation is complete and/or they are tried in a court of law. And we shouldn’t harangue people for defending close friends (but I do agree with you that Boeheim took it a bit too far).
Interesting comments; thanks. However, I would like to address a few of your points.
First, you stated, “Chancellor Nancy Cantor came out and said, ‘Boeheim is our coach,’ almost immediately.” She did say that – in the beginning. However, the media, child advocacy groups and others wanted him to step down, as Boeheim kept running his mouth and digging his hole deeper. I personally don’t agree that he should have resigned – unless he became more outlandish with his statements or evidence pointed to his knowledge of what happened. And based on yesterday afternoon’s developments, it looks like Boeheim will survive the scandal. (For those that don’t know, the district attorney said the statute of limitations expired on the two most credible accusers, but there was possible evidence of sexual abuse. See story here – http://bit.ly/vlIwnb).
You also said, “The fact of the matter is that Boeheim should not be compared to Joe Paterno at all.” True. However, in the several stories I read, Boeheim kept bringing up Paterno. More importantly, if he kept lashing out and drawing more public scrutiny, he might have ended up in the place as Paterno – fired.
Defending a friend is one thing, but publicly lambasting the accusers when you are a major contributor to a child advocacy center and without knowing all the facts (which he admitted) was absurd. He is the head coach of one of the most storied basketball programs ever. Emotional outbursts and sarcastic comments during a crisis didn’t translate well for me (and evidently many others.)
His legacy as a basketball coach will not be tarnished. Let’s face it; the guy is great at what he does. However, as a person; it took some considerable, public damage. That’s not to say he can’t build it back – which he is already doing.