Jason Whitlock Right to Vilify ESPN for 'Breaking' Syracuse Scandal

ESPN is taking a lot of heat after Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock bashed reporter Mark Schwarz and producer Arty Berko for running with a story that never should have been run.

ESPN, who was openly criticized for its handling of the Penn State scandal earlier this month, ran a story on Outside the Lines earlier this week that Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine sexually abused former Syracuse ball boys Bobby Davis and Mike Lang in the 1970s, '80s and ‘90s.

The problem was that the story, which led to a police investigation and Fine being placed on administrative leave, was based on just two accounts.

Those accounts?

Davis and Lang.

Now, it could be these allegations are true; no one knows for certain yet.

But that's not the point. Whitlock, as well as many across the nation, are blasting Schwarz and Berko for running the story way too soon, when there wasn't a great deal of in-depth reporting that took place.

The Penn State scandal was entirely different.

That news broke after a three-year investigation into the accused Jerry Sandusky, a grand jury indictment, an arrest and a public statement by the Pennsylvania state police condemning Joe Paterno and Mike McQueary for turning a blind eye to Sandusky's alleged doings.

While none of that means Sandusky is guilty yet, it's undoubtedly reason to run a story.

Schwarz had only two interviews with the accused, and that was all.

Also, as Whitlock points out, there was bad history between Fine and Davis.

In 2001, Davis reportedly said Fine choked him over a $5,000 debt. This came a year before he told police that Fine sexually molested him from age 12 to 27.

Also, Lang was a ball boy years before Davis. So Davis decided to be a ball boy for Syracuse with Fine still on the coaching staff?

There is not enough evidence to corroborate the alleged victims' claims, but Schwarz decided to report it anyway, and Berko decided to air it on national television.

Of course, viewers have blasted Outside the Lines in waves, particularly evident on the show's Facebook page.

Wrote one reader, adapting a famous line from the Adam Sandler movie Billy Madison:

"

Mr. Schwarz, what you've just reported is one of the most insanely one sided things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent "report" were you even close to anything that could be considered balanced. Everyone in the world is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

"

And another:

"

Hey ESPN, can you give me contact info for Mark Schwarz? I need his help. No one believes that I saw Bigfoot and Elvis out drinking once when I was in college, despite the fact that my story has remained consistent for the past 10 years. I mean, that means it HAS to be true, right? Help me Marky Mark Schwarz, you're my only hope.

"

In this "Information Age," everybody's rushing to be the first to break a story.

Unfortunately, this can sometimes get in the way of good judgement.