I just read the shocking news. Shocking from my end. I speak for no other person in this regard.

I know Jim Boeheim. A good man. The penalties against him are an insult to him personally and to his illustrious career. So there is no misunderstanding, I am saying that the suspension and 108 games vacated unfairly impact him.

Boeheim was convicted (it is a conviction) per the NCAA rule requiring head coaches to be responsible for violations in a school’s program. In a nutshell, Syracuse failed to police itself with regard to sports activities. Under the rules, someone must bear responsibility. That person is the head coach. Boeheim in this instance.

Severe! Unreasonable! Impossible of compliance! If each division I school were scrutinized, each would be guilty of some infraction(s). Some minor. Miniscule. Is each head coach to be punished since he bears responsibility as head coach for any NCAA violations?

Boeheim is two seasons away from 1,000 career victories. The NCAA vacation of 108 Syracuse wins effectively makes reaching that goal impossible.

Additionally, holding Boeheim personally responsible as head coach is a non sensical approach to maintaining the integrity of the game. Someone has to pay is the cry. A head must fall. The head coach the victim.

Boeheim said that a “…..coach can’t be responsible for everything.” I agree with him.

There are two things which are part of the mix. The Syracuse investigation took eight years. Unheard of. Unprecedented. The other is that Syracuse self-reported itself when it became aware of certain violations.

The process has improperly penalized a stand up guy with a distinguished record. Boeheim is 70  years old. Concededly in the twilight of his career. A tough way to go out.

Paterno and Penn State were charged with far more serious offenses. Paterno was summarily executed. He died believing his life’s work was tarnished. Now, we find out that the Penn State wins vacated have been reinstated. It is further expected that Paterno’s statue will in the next year be returned to its place of prominence on campus.

Boeheim’s reputation has been placed in jeopardy by the foolish and unfair NCAA rule making the head coach responsible for all wrongdoing. I hope he sees the wrong done him rectified in this life rather than thereafter as in Paterno’s case.