Davis: 'I'm sorry that I trusted John Blake'

Mr. Blake, meet Mr. Bus.

Now, finally, the last refuge for a guy whose seat just got a whole lot hotter.  The mud-slinging has begun.

Funny, though:  No denials from the Blake camp.  What we could expect here, if Butch were actively involved in either of the two ongoing investigations, would be for the wounded John Blake to sell his old buddy out in response to Butch's very public comments about firing Blake "if he had known" of Blake's apparent involvement.

But we haven't heard anything - yet, anyway - of Blake pointing the finger at Butch.  Does this mean Butch is "innocent"?  Not necessarily, but you would expect that Blake would point the finger in response - if he knew Butch was knowledgeable of, or participated in any way in, the activities the players & Blake are accused of.  So, I guess it's just possible that Blake was a rogue assistant amidst a staff of do-it-the-right-way kind of guys. 

I'll stick by my belief that Davis' job is safe - unless the spotlight turns directly on him - until the season's end.  If anything comes out tying Davis directly to any of the alleged improper activities, then Butch will be vaporized.  Instantly gone. 

I do believe he's done at season's end, regardless.  Carolina can't have him hanging around as a reminder of this fiasco, a lightning rod for the media & all the ABC'ers out there.  With Butch around, the Nightmare on Franklin Street will never end.

It probably should have happened already, but in the end, the captain will go down with the ship.  2011 will bring in yet another "new era" in Carolina football. 

Carolina fans should pray it's not a repeat of the decade-long, post-Mack Brown debacle - or worse. 

Upon reflection, I am just feeling terrible for the kids who are knocking themselves out every week to salvage something of their season and their college football careers. The coaching staff has done a great job keeping them focused and playing hard. 

This story and comment by Davis can only be described as a distraction perpetrated by Davis, whether intentionally or not, and the only reason I can see to keep him for the remainder of the season is to help these kids become as successful as they can be. If indeed this is the thinking on the part of the administration it would be truly in the best interest of the student athletes who are doing it the right way.

For a different spin go to the UNC athletic site and click on the story referencing Matt Merletti's dad etc.....

Sorry, but Butch Davis knew exactly what he was getting when he hired John Blake.  Everyone knew about the relationship with the agent.  That is one reason he was fired by Oklahoma.  Callahan knew about it when he hired him at Nebraska. 

Butch has known Blake longer than anyone in the business.  To throw him under the bus to save his rear end is despicable, but very typical of Davis.

UNC knew on 8/31 that Blake had taken money from Wichard according to earlier N&O story.  Yet they let him coach against LSU on 9/4.   But Butch says today that if he had know about the ties to Wichard he would have fired Blake.  Well he did know and did not fire him.  UNC let him coach and then let him resign and even paid him $75,000.   Sorry if I don't believe you coach.  

Then you have the whole deal with the tutor.  UNC did not renew her contract because of concerns with her getting "too close" with some of the players.   Butch keeps her employed personally for his son for almost another entire year after that.  Then he says he did not know that she wasn't still working for the university.  Come on, really??  If the university let her go because of those concerns, you don't think they would have informed the head football coach of those concerns?   Butch Davis... if his lips are moving, he is lying. 

I am incensed that John Blake didn't think enough of NCSU players to try to drag them into this!  (That we know of so far). He jumped right over the "sister school" to go to Alabama and S. Carolina for their potential high draftees.

Just more bias agin' the Pack. What else is new? It gets old, but it doesn't help to lose one's cool.

But don't let it hurt your feelings, Pack fans.  Our football program can do just fine without Santa.  Just forget it, Blake!

Pirate is still upset about his team getting whipped by the UNC 2nd stringers the other day.  LOL

Butch was a COMPLETE bust as the Cleveland Browns coach. A guy he knew for 30 years not only surprised him, but completely pulled the wool over his eyes and helped tarnish the reputation of an elite institution? C'mon, man!!! Perhaps he can be a coordinator or position coach where his judgement in friends/coworkers is somewhat less critical. Anyone who hires this guy to run an NFL or major college team deserve whatever happens--or doesn't happen to them.

Given the amount of time in this relationship , Butch , you have a pretty good idea about someone's character and integrity . To continue to act as though you have been blind sided are insulting. The numerous infractions show you are either incompetent in your oversight of the program or a cowboy who was willing to roll the dice. Regardless, this does not turn out too well for your image or collegiate career aspirations . I could expect this type of behavior at THUG U. ( Miami) !  

I was starting to feel sympathetic for Butch Davis lately, but not after reading this. He is completely bailing out on John Blake to save himself. Okay, maybe we'd all do it, maybe not. But it is really ugly now in Tar Heel nation and operation "Hold the Fort" looks like it's about to crumble. I could be very surprised before this is over -- and that seems a long time from now -- but it appears to me that UNC has no choice but to force Butch Davis's resignation or fire him. After that, I don't see how Dick Baddour survives this either. The spotlight is on Holden Thorp and the Board of Trustees and all Carolina is watching.

What a shame. How about scaling back the "New Kenan" plans and putting a hold on dreams of a football national championship? Let's leave that to the Alabama, Texas, and Boise St., and just let Carolina be what I think most faculty, students, and alumni want it to be -- a great university that emphasizes academics, integrity, and excellence without the compromises that come with running a professional football program.

"If we would have never known that any of these allegations were absolutely true, coach Blake would have been dismissed,"

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Would one of those UNC@Chapel Hill journalists please grammar this up for me?

I asked how people would react to this news. I can tell from the first two posters it's exactly as I expected. Oh well, it's like chevy vs. ford. If you like one the other just sucks. There's no changing that. Fortunately, I drive a Toyota truck.

Time to setup damage control, eh? I guess one way to keep the heat of of himself is to say he didn't know then blame it all on Blake.