Sadly, there are no winners in investigation of Gators basketball coach Todd Golden | Commentary

When it comes right down to it, we all know that sports are all about winning and losing. Every game we talk about and nearly every issue we debate are based upon the basic premise of who was the winner and who was the loser.

It’s a very simple process: All we have to do is look up at the scoreboard at the end of game to declare a winner and loser.

But this is not a game we’re talking about now; it’s lives and careers and families and reputations. It’s a saga involving one of the hottest young coaches in college basketball — the University of Florida’s Todd Golden — and an investigation into a series of anonymous allegations of stalking, sexual harassment and other lascivious charges.

Earlier this week, the university closed its four-month Title IX probe into the allegations against Golden, essentially clearing him of any wrongdoing in the case. The university says the investigation, conducted by an independent outside firm, found “no evidence” that Golden was guilty of any of the accusations leveled against him.

Still, Todd Golden loses. His image has been badly tarnished and his reputation besmirched. He has been called a “pervert” and a “creep” and a “stalker” and a “Peeping Todd” by opposing fans and Internet assassins.

And the stigma will linger.

As for his accusers? They lose, too. They are now being portrayed as deceitful and vindictive. And, if you believe Golden’s attorney William Shepherd, they have tried to cook up a scheme and leak information in a presumed attempt to smear the coach of the fifth-ranked basketball team in the country.

“Coach Golden and I have respected the process throughout while actively engaging with the university, However, there were many who did not respect the investigative process,” Shepherd fumed in a statement. “Instead, they sought to target Coach Golden and drive their agenda and this investigation for their own self-interest. Some leaked confidential material to the media; falsely posed as a UF lawyer in an effort to intimidate; harassed UF students and parents to try to generate a false narrative; and harassed my client, his family, and his friends.”

Who are we supposed to believe in this bizarre case of he-said, she-said? We all know that there has to be apparatus in place to protect women from men in powerful positions who sometimes do bad things. We also know that there have been high-profile instances of false accusations against men, including the infamous Duke Lacrosse Scandal and the more recent case of Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza, who lost his job after he was wrongly accused of sexual assault.

And, of course, we have seen disgraceful examples in the past where big-time universities have tried to bury allegations against their star athletes or coaches (see FSU’s initial response to the sexual assault accusations against Jameis Winston, Baylor attempting to sweep its rape scandal under the rug and Penn State’s reaction to the Jerry Sandusky debacle).

One could argue that such institutional shenanigans are nearly impossible in today’s social media-driven world where nothing is private. And given the increased legal oversight and the prevalence of lawsuits aimed at holding universities accountable, the University of Florida would be foolish to conduct a sham investigation.

I actually believe UF officials who say they conducted a thorough, above-board investigation and essentially came up with nothing. Which is one reason this case seems so confusing and conflicting.

The original Title IX complaint accused Golden of a variety of sordid charges, including allegations that the coach sent photos and videos of his genitalia, made unwanted sexual advances on Instagram and requested sexual favors. There also were alleged stalking incidents in which Golden was accused of taking photos of women while walking or driving and sending those pictures to the subjects involved or showing up to locations where he knew the women would be.

Yet UF says there is no evidence to corroborate the charges. Not even a single text message or screen grab or digital footprint.

The original complaint also said Golden’s alleged transgressions involved multiple UF students, but there apparently is no corroboration of those charges either. The only two complainants who have been identified (but not named) thus far were included in a recent ESPN.com story. One of those was a student at another college while the other was not a student at all and said she knew Golden socially.

So who and what are we supposed to believe?

He said.

She said.

Is he guilty of aberrant behavior or is she fabricating a story that could ruin a career? Is he a predator or a target? Is she a victim or a liar?

False accusations are rare, but they do happen. At the same time, sexual transgressions against women are underreported, and victims often struggle to prove their cases. This dichotomy creates a perfect storm where both sides can claim injustice, and the truth is left adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

The media, too, is complicit. We rush to report allegations without full context, framing the narrative before all the facts are known. This can lead to trial by media, where the court of public opinion renders a verdict long before the investigation is complete.

There are no champions in this battle of perceptions.

Only casualties.

There are no winners in this case.

Only losers.

Email me at moc.lenitnesodnalro@ihcnaibm. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen