Uncovering Revolving Issues Around Syracuse Basketball Program

How much does Jim Boeheim know of the allegations on Bernie Fine?

When you think of the city, Syracuse, the first thing that comes to mind is Jim Boeheim. He has been a presence as head coach and for the city since the 1960s. Boeheim dedicated his life to a school he cherishes, and a city that has shown support throughout it all.

The Carrier Dome’s basketball court is even named after him.

Boeheim, 66, knows the clock is running out for him as head coach. He does not know when he will retire, but says that time is coming soon. Does the basketball program have one more great run in it?

Over the last ten years, Syracuse basketball has remained one of the better teams in the country, winning year after year. Scheduling properly has always been a priority of Boeheim's, but you could say a few teams fizzled too early come tournament time.

People will question Jim Boeheim’s zone defense, but maybe there are other issues that have been kept out of the light. Issues with student athletes always circle a program, but Syracuse has had an abnormal amount over the last five years.

Instead of discussing anything regarding the Bernie Fine allegations, this is a focus on the Syracuse program as a whole.

In 2010, the Syracuse men’s basketball team was below the required score of 925 for Academic Progress Rate. Only one other school in the country fell below this, and Syracuse was penalized and had two scholarships taken away.

Let's flashback to a Syracuse team that was in stride from Game One, all the way until the Big East tournament—a 2009 team that had no expectations to be a formidable contender. An early season tournament in which they destroyed California and North Carolina changed views instantly.

Everything looked great, until senior big man, Arinze Onuaku went down with a “quad injury”—a label that Boeheim dodged the media on. He stated that Onuaku might be ready past the first weekend of the tournament.

That gave Syracuse fans great hope. Many think it led to Syracuse still getting a No. 1 seeding. In actuality, Onuaku’s last game as an Orange was that fall, with an image of him screaming in pain against Georgetown. He ended up needing surgery to repair a tear in his quad.

It was a serious injury that took Arinze almost a full year to recover. He spent a large portion of 2010 still in Syracuse rehabbing. Boeheim knew 100 percent that Onuaku had zero chance of returning.

Scoop Jardine

In 2007, he was caught stealing another Syracuse student’s lunch card, which he used to get meals. Boeheim’s disciplinary action was a two game suspension.

Also that year, Jardine, Jonny Flynn and Rick Jackson were accused of sexual assault by a woman. Though they were cleared, they were required to attend counseling and community service.

Eric Devendorf

Devendorf was suspended for a portion of the 2008 season by the university for abuse charges. He returned for the Big East stretch and was a catalyst in the Big East and NCAA tournament.

NBA Draft 2008

In one of the strangest stories following the 2008 NCAA tournament, headlines flashed across sports tickers that Paul Harris, Eric Devendorf and Jonny Flynn would be entering the NBA Draft.

Not one of them had mentioned it, and did not know how the report even surfaced. All would end up leaving the program several weeks later.

Donte Greene

In 2009, Yahoo Sports broke a story about Greene’s uncle getting a line of credit for $50,000 from a sports agency. Though there was never any follow ups to the story, Greene was a one in done player in 2007 that clearly was not ready. He slipped to the bottom part of the first round in 2008.

Fab Melo

Just this offseason, Melo has faced charges and court appearances for yanking his girlfriend’s windshield wiper off her car. This followed other issues that prompted Syracuse to suspend him for two games in February.

Dion Waiters

A “me” first player in 2010, Waiters and Boeheim clashed. It got to the point that Boeheim almost did not welcome back the McDonald’s All-American for the 2011 season. To start this year though, Waiters looks much more mature and is one of the best players on the team.

So what does Jim Boeheim know about his longtime friend Bernie Fine? Probably more than discussed.

But Boeheim's attention needs to be on straightening out his basketball program off the court.