Jim Boeheim’s Exit From Syracuse Draws Strong Take From Dick Vitale

Boeheim retired after nearly 50 years at the helm of the Orange.

Jim Boeheim’s decades-long tenure as the Syracuse men’s basketball coach came to an end on Wednesday following the Orange’s 77–74 defeat against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament.

The nature of his departure was a bit bizarre, as the 78-year-old had told reporters after the loss that it was "up to the university" whether or not he’d remain at the helm. Hours later, it was announced that Adrian Autry would be replacing Boeheim.

Dick Vitale was among those to voice their opinion on Boeheim’s departure, indicating he felt a lack of love “between all parties involved.”

“I wish there was a better finish than what I witnessed concerning the JIM BOEHEIM announcement. I would've liked to see more LOVE between all parties involved including the Administration & Jim. It seemed like a very COLD ending for a man that bled ORANGE for 6 decades,” wrote Vitale on Twitter on Wednesday evening. 

Boeheim had served as the coach at Syracuse since 1976, a remarkable 47-year run. He played for the Orange during his college days, starting back in 1962, and later was a graduate assistant for the program. He coached 1,556 games for the university with a winning percentage of .717. In his time at the helm, the program reached five Final Fours and won a single national title, in 2003.

Considering he spent six decades with the University, Vitale didn’t seem to think Boeheim got the sendoff someone of his stature warranted, and made note of the overall “cold” nature of his departure.