The University of North Carolina will hold a news conference at 7:30 p.m. today at the Kenan Football Center to update the media on the NCAA's investigation of the school's football program, athletic department spokesman Steve Kirschner said.
Chancellor Holden Thorp, athletic director Dick Baddour and coach Butch Davis will speak at the news conference. Kirschner declined further comment.
Davis' regularly scheduled pre-practice briefing with the media was suddenly canceled. The early portion of practice, which was scheduled to be open to the media, was closed.
For about two months, the NCAA and the school have been investigating a possible improper relationship with sports agents in the school's football program. An undisclosed number of players were interviewed when NCAA investigators visited campus July 12 and 13, and investigators conducted more interviews during a return trip earlier this month.
Defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little were among the players interviewed. The investigation also involves associate head coach John Blake.
One potential violation of NCAA rules occurred when former North Carolina defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer paid for Austin and then Tar Heel defensive tackle Cam Thomas to train in California in the summer of 2009. Thomas confirmed that Balmer paid for the trip, which may be construed as an extra benefit by the NCAA.
Thomas and Austin trained at Proactive Sports Performance in Westlake Village, Calif. That facility is where clients of California-based agent Gary Wichard of Pro Tect Management train for the NFL draft.
Blake, the North Carolina assistant coach, is a former Pro Tect vice president and a longtime associate of Wichard, who also is Balmer's agent.
Since Austin and Thomas trained at Pro Tect and then played for the Tar Heels in 2009, there is a chance North Carolina will have to vacate its records from the 2009 season.
Austin also was connected with the NCAA's investigation at the University of South Carolina, where the NCAA also has interviewed multiple players. Tight end Weslye Saunders was asked about his friendship with Austin, his online interaction with Austin on the social media site Twitter, and a trip to Washington, D.C., according to Barry Saunders, Weslye's father.
Saunders is a metro columnist for the News & Observer.
Comments
9 players
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 14:36 — gvillegatrhow can someone do NINE peoples work for them!
Is there enough time in the day!? ...
recruits
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:16 — gvillegatrwhat does this do for the recruits? Adios amigo? or still coming?
you have to think adios amigo.
Still coming
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:52 — SurferToo early to tell at this point in time, but as things stand today, I have to think they are still coming (hola).
I would imagine that once
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 14:13 — mad_maxI would imagine that once these recruits (the elite ones) realize that they will have to be writing their own term papers at Carolina, then they will start looking to play somewhere a little farther south.
Ouch
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 12:19 — SurferThis is huge and very painful. The high expectations for this season are now certainly readjusted. However, if poor academic performance would have kept some of these players off of the field anyway, then those high expectations would have been null and void.
I imagine this will take some time to sort out and the usual excitement for Fall FB has gone out the window. I am making no excusses and see this as a great embarassment for the University. My hope is that these issues will be corrected quickly.
The true haters are having a field day. The mature ones will recognize the pain.
Surfer
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:08 — unc098Great comment
We will all have to watch this unfold and wince with every new revelation.
The fact of the matter is that the University will move on from this and those of us who are fans will continue to support our teams as we always have.
As for the haters; Who has time for them.
Good post
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 12:24 — Heels20That pretty much puts it all in perspective.
Update
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 11:16 — Heels20Rumor is that Kendric and Charles have gotten the boot. Deunta Williams and Shaun Draughn are also being questioned. Quinn is only being questioned, not sure about him yet.
If true...Stick a fork in
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 11:54 — unc098If true...Stick a fork in this season.
I agree with your comment about heart. Lets see if Butch can coach under these circumstances.
If all this goes down in the worst case scenario Butch and company will be out of here before the end of the season and possibly Baddour too.
Football Question
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 10:11 — willncsu34If the D gets completely gutted, how many games does UNC win this year? I had them at 8 before all of this. I am thinking 4-5 now.
Though talented the second
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 10:47 — unc098Though talented the second string with little experience and no depth and with this schedule I would say 4-7
My original 6-6 prediction
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 10:45 — mad_maxMy original 6-6 prediction isn't looking so crazy now, is it?
2 birds with 1 stone
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 11:08 — Heels20I'll respond to both of your posts. Max, it goes without saying that your prediction is definitely reasonable now. Many would argue that it is an optimistic one.
willncsu, if these guys are dismissed, that will be the question of the season. We still have plenty of talent on D, but minimal experience and little-to-no depth. With the possibility that we lose all these players, Rutgers now has a shot against us. NC State would jump from heavy underdog to favorite. ECU could now legitimately put a target on us as their big win. I think 5-7 or 6-6 would make sense. Tough to say, though. I guess we'll have to find out how much heart these guys have.
Smart Tutor
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 22:50 — bobmac9 players per ESPN. How many term papers did she write? The tutor (Nanny to Butch) must be one smart cookie: wow- 9 in one semester! If you have ever written one, you know how complicated and time consuming it can be. Of course, the tutor probably only wrote one but she sold the original and 8 copies.. After all, look at her customer list. Austin will probably recieve an A and the rest will have to write 100 times, "I must not copy Marvin's paper!"
clank
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:55 — gvillegatrthat was the other shoe finally falling. Couldn't hardly work all afternoon or early evening b/c I couldn't leave my car for the radio.
whats the worse case scenario for UNC football? this was athletic dept wide at Free Shoes University and I believe most of the football guys just got a couple of games or something?
I could preach about this going on at other schools with the emphasis on non scholarship students (the hypocrites), but it would be pointless.
The argument, "this goes on
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 22:07 — mad_maxThe argument, "this goes on at other schools" has been used by State fans like myself for years, in regard to State's NCAA violations of the past, but it doesn't justify anything when you get busted breaking the rules. It's tough, just gotta deal with it though. As much as I want this current UNC program to crash and burn, I also would like to see their athletic department cleaned up. Furthermore, I would like to see athletic departments all over the country (including right here in the triangle) cleaned up to a respectable level...and not just relative to what everybody else is doing. Big time college sports have become more and more corrupt with time, and I doubt it will be fixed any time soon.
For us life long fans of UNC
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:23 — unc098For us life long fans of UNC ( I was born in Chapel Hill )this is strange, bizarre and extremely disappointing. I am quite certain that academic improprieties will be handled with severity on the part of chancellor Thorp. I hope so anyway.
This may be the end of the Butch Davis era.
The win at all costs philosophy has infected Blue Heaven.
I am one disappointed fan for our football program but I will be even more so if this situation is not dealt with appropriately.
For all other fans; if you think this sort of thing doesn't go on at your school you have your head in the sand. I seem to recall the Duke MBA scandal a few years back and that had nothing to do with sports. This is sadly endemic throughout our hyped up competitive, win at all cost, society and is in evidence in all strata of our culture. Just look at our economic disaster.
What ever happened to Integrity.
Today
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:50 — Heels20will go down as one of the saddest days in the history of UNC athletics. During a year in which Favre fell short of another Super Bowl, Dook won a national title and Kyle Busch swept Bristol, this is still unquesitonably the most upset I have been with sports. While we still do not know the details, we do know that no news is good news, and more news is popping up. All we can do is move on and support our team as they pick up the pieces.
I'll be here
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:03 — YAR8packI'll gladly be around and happy to join in if you feel like you need to vent on kryle doosh. If only Brad K would've backed up his prerace yapping.
Busch and Keselowski
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:17 — Heels20We'd all be better off if NASCAR would just allow Carl Edwards to wreck them every race with no consequences.
Not that it matters
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 09:39 — YAR8packA rather hot topic of discussion on the ESPN boards is whether or not any of this would have ever come to light had Marvin Austin not been brash and excessive with his "tweets." What's your take on that, H20?
Also, didn't mind Carl Edwards so much when he came into Cup. But more and more he's falling into the Kurt Busch mold of trying to appease many fans but at the same time piss all of those fans off. Oh well. I'll always appreciate what he did during and after the fall 2008 Bristol race to one kryle doosh.
Oiy!!!!!
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 09:52 — unc098Tweeting !!!!!!!The downfall of the mighty.
The sad thing is he will go on to make millions in the NFL with no consequences to himself and leaves the program in shambles.
Everyone responsible should lose their job and players should be kicked off the team and dismissed from school.
100%
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 11:03 — Heels20Agreed
A few things
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 09:48 — Heels20Agree 100% on Austin. Had he not been stupid, all of this would have been covered up. However, if they've got people writing their papers, then this needs to be cleaned up. It sucks, but I don't want a dirty program.
I've always liked Edwards, but the Bristol race was what won me over. It's true he may be somewhat dirty, but he's an eye for an eye kind of guy. He won't let anyone push him around on the track.
Just an update on what I've gathered. Until this is sorted out, you can expect Austin, Little, Quinn, Sturdivant, Carter, Burney, Searcy, Charles Brown and Michael McAdoo to all be sitting. Deunta Williams also may miss the game, but that is only because of injury.
I would be surprised, and
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:17 — TDiddytI would be surprised, and disappointed, if Deunta Williams was involved in this mess.
covered up
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:13 — gvillegatror simply never discovered?
I lean towards never discovered.
Ouch
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 17:09 — PuddentainWhile I'm well know for twisting the dagger in unc fans, the fact remains that like unc and I like most unc fans I know. I even attended unc for a short while before I found a school that was a little more intellectually challenging. It's the walmart fans and the ones drinking the koolaide that I like to torture.
That said, this isn't good for the area, or the ACC or unc.
For my good friends who pull for unc, you have my sympathies. I hate it for you. (and Heels20, I consider you one of the good guys).
I appreciate the sympathy
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 17:27 — Heels20This is truly embarrassing and unbelievably detrimental to what was such a clean program just a couple years ago. I hope that, no matter what the outcome, we learn from this.
At least you are finally
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:25 — TDiddytAt least you are finally opening your eyes... we've been telling you for some time it's more than just a couple guys talking to agents.
And this little acedmic problem ain't the end of it either. Now even ESPN is getting in on it, reporting the 'tutor' was Butch's nanny. Oops. Hmm... Isn't Butch's youngest a teenage boy? Does he really need a nanny?
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5501067
If I recall
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:27 — Heels20You never mentioned anything about academics, which seems to be the primary issue right now, so don't go pulling that childish "I told you so" card. We'll find out soon what it is all about, but you classless, immature post is just an illustration of how many State fans' only hope is for Carolina to come down because the Pack doesn't appear to be going up.
Wow. Bitter, are we? My
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:33 — TDiddytWow. Bitter, are we? My post was not "classless" or "immature". It was intended as consilatory. Glad that you were finally opening your eyes.
I think many were telling you it went much further and much more involed than agentgate. I believed I even referenced the investigation could last years and reach into other programs, if, if, the NCAA was objective and dug deep enough.
That would obviously imply there's more to it than agentgate.
But believe what you will. Carolina fans, the Elin Nordegren of college football.
post of the year
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 01:03 — izzykareem"elin nordegren" hahaha. Genius comment
Your post
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:36 — Heels20was a cheap attempt at "I was right and you were wrong." You didn't mention anything about academic issues which seems to be the major issue here. Glad you think you're so smart, though.
... and what would have been
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:12 — TDiddyt... and what would have been the point? What would have been your reaction had anyone questioned the academic purity of your beloved ivory tower institution of clay foundations?
Does it matter?
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:45 — Heels20You never said so. All you've done is put words in my mouth. What would you have said 3 years ago if I questioned whether or not your tennis players perform fellatio on one another?
And...
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 01:24 — Heels20Crickets.
Ive never commented as to my
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:55 — TDiddytIve never commented as to my opinion of my own IQ.
I've written very little that wouldn't be at least a reasonable possibility to anyone who didn't have their head buried deep in Carolina blue sand.
But you and gatr seem to 'know' full well the limited scope of all these problems... that is, until you are proven wrong. But I know, I know... it's all the fault of evil State fans and George Bush.
Starting to remind me of just about every episode of Scooby Doo I saw as a kid. "Darn, and I would've gotten away with if if not for those darn kids"
Maybe you should go back and read some of your own posts from back when the UNC/NCAA thing first broke.
You keep having to retrack and retreat from your statements as time passes.
You know
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:01 — Heels20This is like arguing with someone who says the sky is red. You're so wrong that it's hard to go about figuring out how to respond. All I ever said was that nothing had been proven. You came up with all of these far-fetched theories about Blake and recruiting issues that would come about. I have yet to see any of that. I never said that we weren't going to be in trouble, or that these issues are minor. So keep on putting words in my mouth. It only further advertises your ignorance.
BTW, when did anyone ever blame NCSU for this?
But I know, I know... it's
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:53 — TDiddytBut I know, I know... it's all the fault of evil State fans and George Bush.
Ha
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:16 — Heels20You obviously haven't read many of my posts. I may be the most conservative person on this blog. Nice try, Alice.
Chill . I know you are
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 23:54 — TDiddytChill. Relax. Losen up the sphincter muscles. I know you are conservative. It is obvious. IT WAS A JOKE... directly more towards the, dare I use the phrase, "lunatic fringe" aspect of your fan base. Chapel Hill = Berkeley of the East = liberal elitism. GW = enemy of the left, of whom they blame EVERYTHING. NC State fans = enemy of UNC fans. Thus, carrying out and marrying the reasoning... it must all be GW and those rascally NC State fans fault.
IT WAS A JOKE.
I just found it funny that you questioned the NC State fan part of the joke, and let the GW part go.
Did you hear about Mr. Shaun "Public Ivy" Draugh's eloquent tweet today? Classic.
I'll part with this gem:
A source has also told CBSSports.com that two players, cornerbacks Charles Brown and Kendrick Burney, have already been kicked off of the football team.
Additionally, the same source told CBSSports.com that "four players have been cleared and the rest are toast" — meaning four of the defensive starters on Carolina’s team.
Erin Summers of WRAL in Raleigh also reported that "it’s all but four players on the starting defense who are involved in the academic infractions."
http://tinyurl.com/2v58jv6
It's gonna be difficult for Biff and Buffy to keep their collective nose raised in that superior pose, but I'm sure they'll put forth their best effort to keep up the facade.
Ha
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 01:23 — Heels20Can't rely on every source. Otherwise, Brett Favre sends out weiner pics and Troy Aikmen is gay. Let this unfold officially before you jump to conclusions. Saddest part about it is that our 2nd string D is better than State's starters. Have a good night. Sleep good knowing that your last meaningful championship came before "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal was recorded.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:14 — TDiddytHa ha ha ha ha ha ha... Good stuff, this is.
Saddest part about it is that our 2nd string D is better than State's starters.
I disagree, but guess what?... Unfortunately for you, you're gonna find out. Your 2nd string D just became your starters. Ha ha ha...
You are so cool
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 13:23 — Heels20You are so cool
With all the flames over in
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 17:19 — TDiddytWith all the flames over in Chapel Hill these days, all of us in Raleigh are sitting relatively cool.
Don't get to smug over
Sat, 08/28/2010 - 11:02 — unc098Don't get to smug over there. NCSU has had plenty of scandal lately to keep the N&O in ad revenues and profit for quite some time. Who is Mary Easley????. And history has a way of repeating its self because human beings haven't changed much since before the plague of 1342.
Again
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 18:49 — Heels20Check your tennis team.
Where are mhm and GoHeels
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 16:47 — ProwlingWoofieWhere are mhm and GoHeels 1984 ?
Taking them entirely too long to come up with a rationalization/excuse for this 'biased accusation'. Baddour better flush the entire staff if he wants to save his neck...
C'mon
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 17:25 — mad_maxYou know those cowards won't show their faces in the midst of this latest news. Guess we'll just have to "wait until bball season" to hear from them again.
More Cheating By The Tarheels
Thu, 08/26/2010 - 16:14 — keihinWhat an embarrassment. This program laid down with dogs and stood up with fleas. The administration needs to clean house and put an end to this. Part of that process is a full confession to the NCAA, acceptance of whatever sanctions are handed down, and complete cooperation with any ongoing investigation.