Jim Boeheim faces media for 1st time since release of NCAA report, retirement announcement
Spencer Bodian | Staff Photographer
Jim Boeheim had been talking for 42 minutes, reaching into the last 10 years of Syracuse basketball, speaking in a mix of anecdotes and NCAA jargon and repeatedly sipping from a water bottle.
After finishing up an answer on how he expects Syracuse to perform in the three years that will lead into his planned 2018 retirement, SU Athletics spokeswoman Sue Edson started to say that there would be two more questions.
“I’ll answer as many questions as people want to ask,” Boeheim interrupted.
So the press conference rolled on, eclipsing an hour and ending with applause from SU Athletics staff and Orange supporters in the back of the room. In the press conference — which came the morning after Chancellor Kent Syverud announced that Boeheim plans to retire in three years — Boeheim touched on what he disagreed with in the 94-page NCAA report, the infractions related to Fab Melo, the violations of the program’s self-written drug policy and SU assistant coach Mike Hopkins as his potential successor.
Boeheim also confirmed that he will appeal parts of the nine-game suspension handed to him by the NCAA, discussed why he plans on a three-year retirement window and expressed displeasure and confusion on why the SU basketball program was treated much more harshly than its football program by the NCAA.
It was the first time Boeheim spoke with the media since the NCAA’s report came out on March 6, and he started with a near 18-minute opening statement while glancing at papers on the podium in front of him.
In full, Boeheim accepted the blame for violations within the program but rebutted many of the findings in the NCAA report. And on top of saying that he is responsible for what goes on with his program, Boeheim made sure to emphasize that he does not make final decisions or rule over the school or university, like he thinks many people assume he does.
“Again, I fully accept as the head coach of the men’s basketball program that I am responsible for the conduct of everyone within our program,” Boeheim said. “And I deeply regret that any violation in our program because one violation is one too many.”
With that, Boeheim held one finger in the air before raising his voice and continuing.
“However given the circumstance, I believe that the penalties imposed on the university as a whole and me individually are unduly harsh,” he said. “And I feel that the NCAA is punishing current and future student-athletes for the conduct of a few individuals who are no longer associated in any way with Syracuse University.”
Published on March 19, 2015 at 12:17 pm
Contact Jesse: jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse