Jim Boeheim walked through the Barnes Center on Saturday afternoon wanting to show his support for protesters. He had pizza, after all.

What he didn’t know was the weight of his words three days prior.

After a game against Colgate on Wednesday, Boeheim spoke at length about the first of 10 reported hate crimes or bias-related incidents in the last two weeks — when racist graffiti was found on two floors in Day Hall targeted toward black and Asian people.

“What happened in that situation, that could be one complete moron, could be a non-student, right?” the men’s basketball head coach said on Wednesday. “We don’t know. We can’t go and blame the whole university for what could be one or two people that are obviously not the kind of people that should be here.”

Three days later, one protester asked a crowd of almost 50 people if they were hurt by Boeheim’s statement. More than half of the students in the Barnes Center lobby raised their hand.

“I need to know what I said,” Boeheim told the crowd.

“I don’t understand what I said.”

Since Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m., students in the #NotAgainSU movement have protested in the form of a sit-in at the Barnes Center at The Arch, an estimated $50 million gym complex on campus that opened this semester. Protesters were there when Boeheim’s comments reached social media last Wednesday. And they berated him with questions on Saturday around 3 p.m. when he showed up promptly and spoke candidly to the crowd.

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Boeheim was confronted by Liam McMonagle, a #NotAgainSU protester and former Recognize Us participant, who asked the 44-year head coach question after question.

Behind them were Elijah Hughes and Buddy Boeheim, who watched quietly. The Orange were scheduled to play Seattle four hours later in the Carrier Dome, but before, Boeheim asked the two if they wanted to tag along.

“I went there kind of not having a floor to say what was going on,” Hughes said Saturday night. “But just trying to go in there … I support them 100%.”

Members of the #NotAgainSU movement wanted to give Boeheim a list of demands during his visit, but he said he’d already seen them. Protesters then informed him the list was revised after numerous other hate crimes were reported over the past week. There have been 10 hate crimes or bias-related incidents on or near the SU campus reported in the last 10 days, directed toward black, Asian and Jewish people.

Boeheim took a revised copy of the #NotAgainSU’s demands and skimmed it over. So did Hughes and Buddy.

“First of all, I 100% support this group,” Boeheim told the crowd. “I don’t like the word ‘demands.’ I like ‘Let’s talk about it.’”

The SU head coach told students multiple times that this isn’t the first time he’s been to protests around campus. Twice, he qualified his statements by saying, “I’ve been here for 57 years.” Boeheim attended SU as an undergraduate and graduate student and worked as an assistant coach.

Boeheim voiced his support for Chancellor Kent Syverud, who had a one-hour question-and-answer session with protesters Friday afternoon. That came after Syverud said he “had to leave” on Tuesday, after addressing students for a couple of minutes.

“Do I think he will listen? Yes,” Boeheim said of Syverud. “Will it be perfect? That’s going to take time.”

Hughes and Buddy remained quiet behind their head coach. When asked if they’re allowed to talk, Boeheim said, “If they want to support this movement or any other movement, they are free.”

#NotAgainSU organizers have not left the Barnes Center in three days. Corey Henry | Photo Editor

His answers were sometimes cut off — by McMonagle or other members of the crowd. At one point, a protester said they appreciated him coming and showing his support while apologizing for some of the questions they asked.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything you’re doing,” Boeheim said. “What you’re doing is what you’re doing. This is how you invoke change.”

But they didn’t want this to just be a photo opportunity. McMonagle asked, “How do we know this wasn’t a PR stunt?”

“You don’t know me if (you think) I do PR,” Boeheim said. “I may be the worst PR guy in the country.”

Boeheim brought the group of protesters boxes of pizza. With his recent comments and his Wednesday statement in mind, the group voted if they would accept his gift.

They turned the pizza down, opting to donate it elsewhere.

After Syracuse defeated Seattle in the Carrier Dome, Boeheim was asked what inspired his trip to the Barnes Center. He’d gone on a three-minute tirade on Wednesday, prompting a mixed reaction. Boeheim would do the same on Saturday night, commending the group despite their abrasive interaction.

“I did not want to say anything that would in any way hurt their feelings or what they’re trying to do,” Boeheim said. “Because they have every right to feel that they need to do certain things.

“Change. That’s what universities do.”

— Senior staff writer Michael McCleary contributed reporting to this story

Published on November 16, 2019 at 4:13 pm

Contact KJ: kjedelma@syr.edu | @KJEdelman