Night Crawlers, Ball Boys, and Uncle G

Where do these night crawlers come from?

It appears they slither out of the cold, damp, dark earth and morph into human beings. They walk among us for years, seemingly perfectly normal, all the while the electrical circuits of their brains are mis-firing in terrible ways. Their fantasies bubble and ooze within them like black sludge escaping from a cracked sewer line. Then, finally, they act on these grotesque urges and somehow, some way, they get away with it for years on end. Psyche's are irreparably damaged, lives are destroyed. We are left stunned, appalled, and vengeful. Casualties are many, denial is rampant, at least at first, then the torch carrying mobs take to the streets. As always it is too late for the victims, as always journalists and public alike end up acting as if lynching is the only solution.

Bernie Fine was hired by Jim Boeheim to be an assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University in 1976, Boeheim's first year at the helm. In 1982 the alleged molestation of Syracuse ball boy, Mike Lang started. Two years later the alleged abuse of ball boy, Bobby Davis began. At least that is according to both Lang and Davis.

By 1990 Davis says he was having sex with Fine's wife of five years, Laurie. By 1998 he claims he was performing sex acts with Fine once more for a payment of several thousand dollars. Caligula apparently had nothing on this crowd.

In 2002 Davis contacted the Syracuse Police but was told the statute of limitations had run out on these alleged crimes. The chief at the time was former Syracuse basketball player, Dennis Duval.

Later that year Davis called up Laurie Fine and recorded the call secretly. During the conversation she admitted she knew of the abuse.

It took until this year for the excrement to hit the fan, not coincidentally shortly after former Penn St. coach Jerry Sandusky was indicted for similar crimes.

Boeheim has so far escaped the Paterno solution, but he has to feel the earth shifting beneath his feet. While there is absolutely no evidence he had heard of any of this monstrous folly, he initially called Bobby Davis a liar in public. Then when ESPN aired the call to Mrs. Fine he began to do an edgy two step shuffle. When Fine was fired by Syracuse on the 27th of November the head coach agreed with the decision while "regretting" his previous statement. It is unknown as to whether the bus was in gear when Boeheim threw his former assistant squarely under it.

Locally, Kimberly Crain, an elementary school teacher in McCloud, Oklahoma, was charged with possession of child pornography and lewd acts with a minor. Ms. Crain apparently had a pizza party at her house for several of her female students aged seven to nine. While there and decorating a Christmas Tree Crain allegedly had the girls undress, then pose for photos and videos in Christmas themed bras and under ware. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Beyond the Christmas party Crain is accused of taking pictures of students in provocative poses in her classroom and having them chat via Skype with a mysterious man known only as "Uncle G." No doubt at this very moment, Uncle G. is frantically wiping hard drives clean and disposing of all manner of electronic images.

This has all become far too familiar. It seems each new day brings more sickening revelations of depravity and pedophilia run completely amok. We don't want to think about it. We don't want to admit that the local youth basketball coach, when home alone, might be Uncle G. We try to look away for a variety of reasons.

There is no curing this, we can only try to contain it and isolate it. Witch hunts are ugly things, but someone needs to start asking some questions when there are accusations. No one wants to purge an innocent man, or woman because of an ugly rumor, or a spiteful individual. However it is better to investigate before there are other victims, before the fourth estate and the masses begin to howl for heads.

Justice will be better served if we do.

12-2-11