By Zach Lowe

Following last night’s much anticipated Jim Boeheim press conference, Yahoo! sports columnist Pat Forde once again took to the web to write about the still-unfolding Bernie Fine saga.  After reading it, I was left scratching my head. A Missouri grad, maybe he’s envious of our superior journalism school.  Tellingly, a couple years back, he left Syracuse and its intense basketball rivalry with Georgetown off his hottest college basketball rivalry list (the season after a classic 98-94 OT game at the Carrier Dome) in favor of Seton Hall-Rutgers. Maybe he just doesn’t like Syracuse.

But something must be up since once again, Forde posted a column critical of Boeheim and his response to the Bernie Fine situation. And just as I found his first column unfair to Syracuse University, I find this one unfair to Boeheim. Let’s go through Forde’s piece, starting at the beginning.

Headline: Boeheim out of touch with severity of scandal

Really?  Do you really believe Boeheim doesn’t know the seriousness of the situation and the impact it has on the University he has served for more than a generation? He just held a press conference where he answered tough questions about a difficult situation for 20 minutes.  He understands that there are a lot of questions and he made himself available to answer those he could.

“This is the first time I’ve been in the press room where there’s more people here than at the game,” he quipped. “Is there something special going on tonight?”

That was classic Boeheim – a wisenheimer of the highest order. Much of the time, that act is entertaining. This time, it was completely the wrong tone to take in the current context.

This is where I agree that Forde has a point. Some will take issue with Boeheim’s demeanor while others will say that’s just Boeheim and his sarcasm is his way of dealing with the issue. I totally respect those who would prefer a completely serious approach from Boeheim.  But his style doesn’t mean he doesn’t “get it” – it means he’s going to deal with the situation as Jim Boeheim would deal with any situation.

As a matter of fact, Jim, there is something special going on at Syracuse University right now. Something especially disturbing. Something that demands a more serious manner from a guy that a good portion of the nation would love to see fired right now.

Here is where Forde begins to show he doesn’t get it.  He thinks that Boeheim must change his ways because some people may want him fired – as if keeping his job is paramount.  But as Boeheim said in the presser, he hasn’t worried about his job in 36 years.  His job is to lead young men on the basketball court, sustain a successful and clean basketball program and compete for the national championship. During his tenure, Boeheim has maintained a pretty consistent and unique approach to that job (which ESPN’s Andy Katz wonderfully chronicled this week, I might add). That approach, and the results it has delivered, has won him the respect of the University, the alumni and the city of Syracuse.

Why should he change that approach for “a good portion of the nation” who really don’t know the details behind this situation? Is Forde suggesting Boeheim should change his ways for those carrying torches and pitchforks regardless of the truth?

You apologized in a statement Sunday, saying, “I deeply regret any statements I made that might have … been insensitive to victims of abuse.” But Tuesday night, here and now, you needed to turn that stated regret into a living, breathing, believable emotion at the podium.

This is mind boggling.  People have been piling on Boeheim for his emotional and, as many would agree, insensitive comments toward Bobby Davis and Mike Lang when this story first broke.  Forde himself asked during the press conference whether Boeheim would not have made those comments if he were able to do it over.  Boeheim responded by saying he was defending a friend of 50 years.  It is understandable if not forgivable that his insensitive comments were made when that fact was at the forefront of his mind.  But now that he has had a chance to step back and think about it, Forde suggests now is the time he should be more emotional?

During the press conference, Boeheim stated that there was an investigation underway, which he fully supports and that he is looking forward to a time when we can talk about what has happened.  Boeheim wants the facts to come out.  Forde, it seems, wants him to rush to a conclusion – a mistake for which he has already been criticized by Forde and others.

On this night, he sounded like another icon coach caught in a moment he can’t quite decipher, facing criticism he can’t quite fathom, failing to understand that a lifetime of having all the answers in a sporting context doesn’t mean you have all the answers in the greater realm. He sounded like a guy who doesn’t get it.

Ok, a man’s close friend of 50 years has been accused of unspeakable acts.  Can any of us imagine ourselves in that position, and if so, how we would react?  Not exactly easy stuff “to get.” And also, not sure if anyone – Forde included – has all the answers “in the greater realm.” So I guess none of us really “get it.”

He clearly believes there has been a lot of unfair criticism aimed his way, and he’s right to a degree. In the world of hanging judges on Twitter, plenty of people seem inconvenienced by waiting for the legal proceedings to play out…

Thank you.  Maybe that should be your column.

But Boeheim’s repeated assertion that after 36 years at Syracuse he’s little more than a glorified blue-collar employee rings false.

“I have zero say in who’s hired, fired, assigned,” he said. “Period. I have a say in who starts and what plays we run.”

He does not wield the power of Joe Paterno at Penn State – nobody does – but neither does he have zero say around here. Just ask his point guard, Scoop Jardine.

“Why wouldn’t he [have a say in major decisions at Syracuse]?” Jardine said. “He’s been here, what, 36 years?”

Seriously, Pat?  Scoop Jardine – or any player for that matter – is among the small group of people that Boeheim DOES have influence over.  From their perspective, of course Boeheim has say.

I have already taken issue with Forde’s approach to this situation so I probably won’t be doing a lot more of it.  I just find it terribly irritating for him to criticize Boeheim for saying one thing before the facts were known and then criticize him for not saying something else before the facts are known.

As Boeheim said, when this is all done, we’ll see what happened on his watch.  And while the pundit-ocracy has deadlines to meet, all we can do is just that – wait and see.

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