Sports

Syracuse coach Boeheim blemished by drug report

Say it ain’t so.

Say it ain’t so that a Hall of Fame coach like Jim Boeheim — a Hall of Fame gentleman like Jim Boeheim — could have hidden elements of the university’s drug policy from the NCAA inside his 2-3 zone.

Boeheim is one of my favorite people in the sports arena, and I hope like hell there is no raging Orange fire where there is this unsightly smoke.

But if the Joe Paterno tragedy taught us one thing, it is this: There are no Mother Teresas coaching our sports teams anymore.

Not when the stakes are so high. Not when money is indeed the root of all evil. Not when NCAA rules are meant to be broken in the rush to keep up with the Joneses.

If Bountygate in New Orleans has taught us another thing, it is this: Integrity and righteousness too often take a holiday.

I have always considered Boeheim above reproach. So he is innocent until proven guilty.

In the meantime: Welcome to Syr-Accuse.

Again.

What should have been a celebration of this mighty Syracuse basketball team is in danger of becoming a scandalous eyesore for Boeheim and for a Big East Conference and tournament still reeling from the upcoming departure of the Orange for the riches of ACC football.

First the Bernie Fine mess that came on the heels of the Joe Paterno-Jerry Sandusky Penn State tragedy.

Now this: A Yahoo! Sports report charging that at least 10 Syracuse players since 2001 have tested positive for a banned recreational substance, and all 10 were allowed to practice and play at times when they should have been suspended by the athletic department, including instances when some players may not have known of their own ineligibility. The report states that Syracuse failed to properly count positive tests.

Although the school claims no members of the current team are involved, the report places Boeheim’s 2002-03 national championship team, led by a freshman named Carmelo Anthony, under scrutiny.

So instead of Boeheim solely fielding questions about his 30-1 powerhouse and undeniable No. 1 seed in the Big Dance, he will be forced to swat away inquiries as if he were Derrick Coleman in the paint, while preparing his team for Thursday’s quarterfinal at the Garden.

In fact, the rejections already have begun.

The good news — if you can call it good news— is the NCAA said last night that Syracuse had self-reported possible violations months ago.

Boeheim committed a turnover when he told Yahoo!: “I don’t know anything about it.”

Because he obviously did, and does.

“I would not comment on anything like that,” he added. “Good luck with your story.”

Of course, he is the one who will now need the luck. Asked if he had any knowledge of an NCAA investigation, Boeheim said: “Obviously, I’m not going to talk about anything at all.”

The report claims at least one Syracuse player continued to play after failing four drug tests and another played after failing three. The NCAA could slap Syracuse with sanctions and lack of institutional control if the school knowingly violated its own drug policies.

Hardly anyone, it seems, is immune from NCAA wrath anymore.

To wit: UConn Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun was suspended by the NCAA for three games last season for recruiting violations, for failing to create an atmosphere of compliance within his program.

I never bought into the notion Boeheim was little more than a great recruiter back in the 1980s. Neither did legendary St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca.

“Hey,” Carnesecca was saying over the telephone yesterday, before the story broke, “how’d you win 900 games, all right? That’s baloney. That ain’t all luck.”

You win 886 games with great players and that great 2-3 zone.

“He did it so nice and quietly,” Carnesecca said.

Asked what made Boeheim a Hall of Fame peer, Carnesecca said: “His ability to handle all types of different teams and win, in all kinds of competition.”

Calhoun survived the hit to his reputation. And Boeheim will survive this.

But we should be talking today about Scoop Jardine. About C.J. Fair, Kris Joseph, Dion Waiters and Fab Melo. About how selfless a team this is. About Boeheim chasing another national title in New Orleans.

It’s Syr-Accuse instead.