Dick Vitale says Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim 'was guilty of one thing: trust'
Syracuse, N.Y. — ESPN's Dick Vitale thinks the NCAA was too harsh on Jim Boeheim, saying the Syracuse basketball coach "was guilty of one thing: trust."
Vitale went on a spirited, nearly two-minute defense of Boeheim during the Virginia-Louisville game on Saturday night.
Boeheim was suspended for nine ACC games and was forced to vacate 108 of his wins in a ruling handed down by the NCAA on Friday.
Boeheim will be among those honored in May during the Dick Vitale Gala that raises money for pediatric cancer.
Some of the highlights from Vitale:
There's no question a coach has to be accountable for what happens within his program. However, Jim Boeheim was guilty of one thing: trust. He had trust in his people, trust in his boosters from the YMCA, and they really violated that trust. They laid cash on some players. Jim Boeheim was not aware they were getting cash. If he was, trust me, he would have done something. The same thing with the academic problems where they're getting academic favors. The director of operations is handling that. ...
I know Jim Boeheim, and people who label him a cheater, should be fired, absolutely is a joke. Jim Boeheim, what he has done for Syracuse has been unbelievable. I know the kind of person he is. ...
I think the NCAA was too harsh on Jim Boeheim. Syracuse deserved punishment — they definitely did for some of the things they did. But for what (the NCAA) did to Jim Boeheim, I think has really been sad, and I think you're going to see an appeal process by him. What about the millions he's raised for cancer? I don't want to hear it. I happen to be a big fan of Jim Boeheim as a human being and as a person.
Hit link for Video
http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...eim_guilty_of_one_thing_trust_ncaa_video.html
Syracuse, N.Y. — ESPN's Dick Vitale thinks the NCAA was too harsh on Jim Boeheim, saying the Syracuse basketball coach "was guilty of one thing: trust."
Vitale went on a spirited, nearly two-minute defense of Boeheim during the Virginia-Louisville game on Saturday night.
Boeheim was suspended for nine ACC games and was forced to vacate 108 of his wins in a ruling handed down by the NCAA on Friday.
Boeheim will be among those honored in May during the Dick Vitale Gala that raises money for pediatric cancer.
Some of the highlights from Vitale:
There's no question a coach has to be accountable for what happens within his program. However, Jim Boeheim was guilty of one thing: trust. He had trust in his people, trust in his boosters from the YMCA, and they really violated that trust. They laid cash on some players. Jim Boeheim was not aware they were getting cash. If he was, trust me, he would have done something. The same thing with the academic problems where they're getting academic favors. The director of operations is handling that. ...
I know Jim Boeheim, and people who label him a cheater, should be fired, absolutely is a joke. Jim Boeheim, what he has done for Syracuse has been unbelievable. I know the kind of person he is. ...
I think the NCAA was too harsh on Jim Boeheim. Syracuse deserved punishment — they definitely did for some of the things they did. But for what (the NCAA) did to Jim Boeheim, I think has really been sad, and I think you're going to see an appeal process by him. What about the millions he's raised for cancer? I don't want to hear it. I happen to be a big fan of Jim Boeheim as a human being and as a person.
Hit link for Video
http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...eim_guilty_of_one_thing_trust_ncaa_video.html
