Syracuse University fired assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine on Sunday, ending his 35-year run at the school.
But that's the least of his problems.
Fine was placed on administrative leave two weeks ago after ESPN reported allegations that he sexually abused a pair of former ball boys. Coach Jim Boheim and former Syracuse players such as Rony Seikaly rushed to Fine's defense, suggesting that accusers Bobby Davis and Mark Long — now adults — were lying in hopes of a financial reward.
Fine issued a statement, claiming that the charges are "patently false in every aspect."
Apparently not. Boheim, Seikaly and everyone else who denigrated the accusers need to apologize. Because Fine's wife, Laurie Fine, essentially confessed her husband's acts in a secretly taped phone call nine years ago.
"I know everything that went on, you know," Laurie Fine said during her conversation with Davis. "I know everything that went on with him … Bernie has issues, maybe that he's not aware of, but he has issues … And you trusted somebody you shouldn't have trusted."
Boheim infuriated child advocates for stating "Bernie has my full support" when Fine was placed on leave. The swift and unequivocal defense was reminiscent of now-former Penn State President Graham Spanier's "unconditional support" of two officials who apparently oversaw a sex-abuse cover-up.
Accusing sexual-abuse victims of lying victimizes them a second time and gives pause to others who are reluctant to come forward. That's why advocacy groups like the New York Coalition to Protect Children jump in and take sides right away. They immediately called for Boheim to apologize for calling Davis and Lang liars and intimidating other possible victims.
"So we want the intimidation to stop, we want the tone to stop, and we want the university community to rally around these two men who have courageously stepped forward and risked a lot in their lives to make this issue known," the Rev. Robert Joatson told reporters last week.
A third accuser surfaced Sunday.
The takeaway for Syracuse — and the Penn State case — is that you never really know. You can't determine if someone's a pedophile by their looks. You can only be shocked, stunned and speechless upon finding out it's true. No matter how well you (think you) know a person, there's actually no telling what goes on behind closed doors.
It's distressing that accusations alone cause irreparable damage to the accused's reputation. But institutions and their leaders must take them seriously. Boheim failed to do so, and now his own job is in question.
Equally sad is the fact that Laurie Fine knew what her husband was up to and failed to stop him.
Turns out that she's part monster, too.