Jim Boeheim: I have coached this long because of NCAA investigation

Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim addressed the media on Thursday, and his main message was that he believes the sanctions that have been imposed against him and the university are “unduly harsh.”

Boeheim began his statement by admitting that even “one violation is one too many,” but he started throwing haymakers shortly thereafter. The 70-year-old coach made it clear that he believes the program is being punished for the actions of individuals who are no longer associated with Syracuse.

Boeheim, who is appealing the NCAA’s ruling, also claimed he would have retired from coaching by now if not for the investigation.

“When this started, obviously, there was a two- or three-year time frame,” he told reporters. “There would have been no way that I would ever run away from an investigation in progress. There was no way that I was going to ever leave this university after 53 years. Other than my family, this is the focus of my life. … I had no plans to coach this long. This investigation has made it imperative.”

While Syracuse announced on Wednesday that Boeheim plans to coach three more years, he said that is not set in stone.

“You can coach as long as you can be effective,” he said. “I thought I was effective this year. I don’t think I was as good as I would have liked to have been, but I thought I was effective. If I’m not effective after this coming year, I won’t coach.”

As for the questions about academic misconduct, Boeheim asserted that there is “a little racism involved” with some of the issues that have been raised. He used senior center Rakeem Christmas as a specific example.

“We have a senior center who was a little bit of an at-risk student,” Boeheim said, per Ryan Glasspiegel of The Big Lead. “So we shouldn’t have taken him? And we wouldn’t have had Rakeem Christmas here? Who graduated in three years, and has completed half of his masters program?”

You can see a summary of the sanctions the NCAA has levied against Syracuse here. When you read some of the stuff the school has been accused of, you get the feeling Boeheim feels his best defense is a good offense.

Video via College Basketball Talk