Paging Mark Emmert…
By Danielle
The national media has spoken. But where is the NCAA on the academic scandal that is going on at the University of North Carolina?
They have been silent. Too silent.
Now that North Carolina Tar Heels coach Roy Williams has spoken, maybe it’s time for the NCAA to get involved in the matter. This is not a time for the NCAA to be silent. We are talking about the possibility that national championship banners from 2005 and 2009 will have to be vacated in college basketball. Those charges are not to be taken lightly.
Williams appeared yesterday on “The Drive,” a show that airs on 610 AM in Charlotte, hosted by Taylor Zarzour and Marc James.
“Yeah, everybody wants my opinion, I don’t want to give it,” UNC coach Roy Williams said during the interview. “This is the good thing about America. You know, I’m bothered by a lot of stuff. I’m bothered by some sensationalism that’s going on. I’m bothered by problems that we have. I’m bothered by mistakes that we have made. But you know, I think in my own opinion it’s best for me to keep my mouth shut and let our administrative people take care of it.
“We’re trying to do a lot of research on our end of it, and the things that we are in control of. We’re going to continue trying to do that. But it’s something that I am bothered by it. I am worried about it. A little discouraged about it to say the least. But the bottom line is, there’s nothing I can do about it. And I do think, I have some very strong opinions and yet as soon as I make some strong opinions or anything, then everybody decides to take their bow and arrow and a shotgun and a machine gun and the bazooka and everything out. But for me, I’m going to wait and see what happens at the end, and let those people that are supposed to be taking care of it, take care of it.
“But it’s not something that I’m enjoying, I can tell you that.”
There you have it. Straight from Roy Williams’ mouth.
As CBS Sports columnist Gregg Doyel notes, this is worse than what happened to Florida State. Doyel goes as far as calling it ” the ugliest academic scandal in NCAA history.”
UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp addressed members of the UNC community. UNC is now bringing in former North Carolina governor James G. Martin and Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP, which is “a national management consulting firm with extensive experience in academic performance audit procedures and controls.” This review will include classes that were prior to 2007. After this review is completed, UNC will bring in Hunter Rawlings, president of the Association of American Universities, to “examine the appropriate future relationship between academics and athletics at the University.”
How the NCAA has missed this is beyond me. It’s time they start investigating as well.