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Now is the time for the NCAA to step up and squash UNC
- NotOstertag
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Now that UNC was thankfully heartbroken last night, their 'title run' is no long an impediment for the seemingly fully corrupt NCAA to finalize the UNC punishment. According to reports, in the next few weeks, the hammer will fall. Deputy Dog feels that they'll get a pass since "no allegations specifically name the basketball program." I haven't heard that kind of word mincing since a former president questioned the meaning of "is".
The facts are clear. UNC cheated heavily in both football and basketball. Specifically with basketball, it started under Dean Smith who can no longer be punished for this. It continued under Matt Dougherty, and continued for at least 2 years under Roy. Roy specifically asked about the African American Studies classes and yet it continued for over a year, which tells me that either Roy knew or Roy intentionally kept himself in the dark (IMHO, willful ignorance is the same as guilt).
If the NCAA has any credibility whatsoever, they'll lower the boom and punish them proportionally to the crime...which should make the punishment the most severe in history. Somehow I doubt that'll happen. The fact that UNC gamed the system and that "the system" (the NCAA) allowed themselves to be gamed so that UNC could complete its season is disgusting enough. Now it's time to act.
While I have my doubts that justice will be adequately served, I also think it's time to re-look at how we punish these guys.
The main question here is why is it possible for a coach to escape the punishments, leaving his former employer and players to hold the bag. Is there any reason why a guy like Calipari should be in coaching? Is it fair that Williams could likely retire from coaching if UNC gets nailed, and then waltz into an NBA gig or announcer job?
I think at the very least, whatever sanction hits the university should apply to the coach wherever he may be. So if the SCHOOL gets reduced scholarships for a number of years, the COACH should have reduced scholarships follow him if he goes elsewhere.
Anyway, last night's dagger at the buzzer was a good dose of karma for the scumbags from Durham. Glad that the basketball gods were able to act when the NCAA isn't.
"When I was a freshman, I remember Coach Naismith telling us how important it was to play good defense." - Mitch Lightfoot
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- konza63
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www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball-new...ation-academic-fraud
I like the piece, but I think he unnecessarily softens his position by choosing less piercing vocabulary in key instances. I won't parse that here, but even the title underscores what I mean: instead of it being "Lack of sanctions COULD be blow to NCAA justice system," he should unequivocally state that this WOULD be a blow to the system. There isn't a shred of doubt on that score--it would be a comedic farce!
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Best lines:
Given how long we’ve been hearing about the academic shenanigans at UNC, how detailed the reports have been by the Raleigh News & Observer, by the school’s multiple self-examinations and by the initial NCAA notice of allegations sent to the school last spring, it’s easy to imagine schools that have been recently punished by the NCAA, or those that have committed themselves to abiding by the rules, would be somewhat agitated to see Carolina basketball receive nothing more than a pat on the head by the infractions committee.
But also there was this:
“The AFRI/AFAM department created anomalous courses that went unchecked for 18 years,” during which time there were “special arrangements to maintain the eligibility of academically at-risk student-athletes, particularly in the sports of football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. Although the general student body also had access to the anomalous AFRI/AFAM courses, student-athletes received preferential access to these anomalous courses, enrolled in these anomalous courses at a disproportionate rate to that of the general student body and received other impermissible benefits not available to the general student body in connection with these courses.”
(Bolded text mine, for emphasis)So the charge was not leveled against the basketball program, but rather the university and its academic support service for athletes in regards to, in some instances, men’s basketball players. SMU just was booted from the 2016 postseason primarily over an academic fraud case involving one specific player. The NCAA does not appear to be dealing in the singular in regards to Carolina basketball.
...this has been in the court of public opinion longer than the O.J. trial and the mini-series about the O.J. trial combined. Choosing not to punish the Tar Heels “any way at all” will lead to a lot of “personal opinions” that NCAA justice is not just blind, but also dumb.
Good stuff. Particularly the part about the duality/hypocrisy of the SMU punishment vs. the insanely more egregious UNC case. It shines a bright light on the NCAA's potentially hyper-hypocritical behavior as the corrupt overlord--squash the smaller programs like a defenseless small bug while letting the killer predator walk away scot-free.
While I like the piece and am glad he wrote it, his closing line is REALLY weak, IMO, which is my only beef with it. (No, Mike, it isn't just "personal opinions" that will come into play, it's evidence-based FACT and the shock from the hypocrisy of the NCAA that would come into play. The corrupt farce that is the NCAA would be on full, neon display.)
It's almost like he really, really wants to slam UNC and the NCAA hard--and justifiably so--as a prominent observer of the game, yet he then remembers that this is mighty UNC, and they have lots of clout and alums like Jordan, et al., who might not be so nice to him as a journalist going forward. I wish he would've went full-bore with the truth of his convictions, because you can tell he sees this the way just about anyone not wearing Carolina blue sees it.
“With kindest regards to Dr. Forrest C. Allen, the father of basketball coaching, from the father of the game.”
1936 inscription on the portrait of Dr. Naismith, displayed above Phog Allen's office desk at KU.
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- NotOstertag
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"When I was a freshman, I remember Coach Naismith telling us how important it was to play good defense." - Mitch Lightfoot
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