Syracuse Guard A Little Too Shove-y For His School's Taste

Anyone can get suspended by their college team, but it takes real talent to get kicked out of the university all on your own.

Syracuse University's Judicial Review Board (which is made up of students) has recommended that redshirt junior Eric Devendorf be suspended from school for the rest of the academic year, because of an incident involving a female student. The student—who knows most of the members of the basketball team—came upon a group of people walking down the street on Halloween night, while she was driving. She claims they surrounded her car and started kicking it. When she recognized some of the players in the group and got out to confront them, that's when Devendorf got all up ons and either hit or shoved her.

So why didn't the team do something about this before the school did? Coach Jim Boeheim seems to think that Devendorf was railroaded. He says three whole witnesses testified that there were no punches thrown, but "there was a push to the chest." Fair enough. Of course, those witnesses are also members of the basketball team and one of them claims to be the woman's ex-boyfriend. Jimmy B is also upset that Devendorf was suspended when other students have done far worse and received just a slap on the wrist—like fellow Orangeman Scoop Jardine. All he did was steal some food and maybe assault someone and he didn't get thrown out of school. See? Totally unfair.

On the other hand, Devendorf was already on probation for hitting some else in the spring semester. So clearly he has boundary issues.

Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim responds to suspension of Eric Devendorf [Syracuse.com] Eric Devendorf punished for punching woman, but not by the law [The Dagger]