Syracuse Assistant Investigated After Molestation Allegations

by David Cassilo / @dcassilo

As the scandal swirls at Penn State, a new one rocks the college basketball world at Syracuse. Two former Syracuse ball boys said they were molested by Orange assistant Bernie Fine from the late 1970s to the 1990s.

The abuse was first reported by one of the ball boys, Bobby Davis, back in 2003. His story, though, could not be corroborated at the time. In light of the allegations at Penn State, another former ball boy and stepbrother of the first accuser, Mike Lang, has come forward with similar allegations.

From ESPN.com:

One alleged victim, Bobby Davis, now 39, told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” that Fine molested him beginning in 1984, shortly before Davis entered the seventh grade. Davis, the team’s ball boy for six years beginning in 1984, said the abuse occurred at Fine’s home, at the Syracuse basketball facilities, and on road trips, including the 1987 Final Four.

The second alleged victim, Mike Lang, now 45, is Davis’ stepbrother and was also a ball boy for several years. He told “Outside the Lines” that Fine molested him starting when Lang was in fifth or sixth grade.

Syracuse fans are probably asking one question right now — will Jim Boeheim have a similar fate to Joe Paterno? At least according to early reports, Davis says Boeheim saw him in Fine’s hotel room but did not know about any of the allegations.

Police are very early in their investigation.