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By Charlie K.
SouthernPigskin.com National Columnist
SouthernPigskin.com National Columnist Charlie K. shares his thoughts on the on-going UNC investigation and calls for a NCAA commission to consult with prospective student athletes considering the Tar Heels. Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin. Become a fan of us on Facebook at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page
Judging by the message board universe, the national websites and even regional blogs, it's apparent there is some sort of misguided excitement in the air regarding the current NCAA investigation going on at North Carolina.
Even today, news broke of Florida investigating themselves and a current South Carolina player being interviewed by the NCAA in regards to UNC's investigation. It's almost scary reading some of the headlines on websites and the threads in various forums. Frankly, it's alarming.
Now before I go any further, I'm not attempting make excuses for anyone or any university. But the bottom line is controlling over a hundred 18-21 year old students is a handful for anyone. Just ask your school's compliance department how difficult that task is.
When you figure in the various NCAA rules and regulations that each of these compliance departments are required to use as guidelines it's almost impossible. And that's with school lawyers being employed as compliance officers. The compliance folks pass down their information to the head coaches who meet and discuss continually new guidelines and even old rules with their staff's.
In my opinion those are all reasonable statements. Nothing earth shaking.
Most people know the rules which colleges and universities must adhere to are a changing dynamic. And if you don't, it's out of control.
What's okay today or this year is likely to not be okay next year. Compliance people literally spend hours each day trying to first figure out what is legal, then the rest of their day figuring out if of all their coaches know about the rules and the rule changes. Then wake up in the middle of the night from nightmares that a coach, a player or a recruit has either inadvertently broke a rule because they didn't understand.
In regards to North Carolina, we only know what we've read. And in most cases those are half truths or not facts. Bottom line, it's rumor. And now, over the next several days and weeks, the same can be said about Florida or even South Carolina. And perhaps on some level who ever is next in line.
The news broke quickly about Florida and most specifically Maurkice Pouncey accepting money from an agent. The Gators are internally investigating what sources described as an allegation that a representative of an agent paid Pouncey $100,000 between the Gators' loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game to Alabama and their season-ending Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati. Florida reported to the NCAA of the allegation after it became aware of it.
By reading the headlines we all should prepare for the downfall of Carolina football. Players getting jewelry, cars, grades and even wonderful vacations in South Beach; all paid for by agents and boosters. Again, however, these aren't the facts. These are rumors, nothing more, nothing less and should be taken that way. Certainly the situation in Gainesville will be similar.
Because the NCAA shuts down universities from commenting on on-going investigations, all of us have to sit and read inflammatory headlines begging for the reader to read more. The headlines reel you in into whoever is writing the article that is wrapped in half truths, writer's opinion and the story they hope in some cases to be true. But most of all, they are hoping to get you to take a look. Writers and editors want impressions, or folks reading their sites.
There is nothing like a huge news story to generate viewers or impressions. Impressions drive advertisers and, as we all know all too well, advertisers bring money. The more impressions, the more money.
The bottom line is the NCAA has leveled an investigation at North Carolina on the brink of perhaps their most talented team in recent memory. The UNC fans were counting down the days to the kickoff this season. Excitement was perhaps at an all-time high around the Tar Heel program. With so many returning starters coming back, a big out of conference game early against LSU and a young quarterback who might actually be able to win a game at some point through his arm strength and athleticism has had UNC fans just waiting to flex.
Whether the NCAA finds anything is to be determined, however the allegations or investigation itself is enough to put a dark cloud around a program that a week ago was enjoying one of the most exciting times in recent Tar Heel football history. As two weeks ago there was excitement in the air, the reality is today and the weeks to come could be considered North Carolina's darkest hour.
Without question, in my opinion, the ones who will be hurt the most when all this comes to a conclusion are the young prospective student athletes. The recruits.
UNC had just finished a stunning week of getting verbal commitments from a few of the nation's best recruits. Not just good players, but great ones. And unlike it was a few years ago when highly rated players would announce their intentions at press conferences in January or even February, these big time commitments the Tar Heels have accepted announced in June and July. And perhaps most importantly some of them plan on enrolling in January, likely well before anything is officially announced by UNC or the NCAA.
Imagine being a young high school kid entering your senior year and having your pick of colleges. You take the summer and travel around checking out camps and college towns. In other words you do your homework and come to a conclusion that after thought, your heart decides on North Carolina. As a recruit you are as excited that you picked UNC that you are that the whole recruiting process is over and now you can concentrate on your senior year and having fun with you friends as you finish high school knowing the biggest decision you might ever have to make has been made and you're happy with it. Then the news breaks of the investigation.
From the recruits' perspective, the only place to get answers is the university itself since the NCAA won't comment. In most cases, however, the coaches only know what they have been told which isn't much. Remember the NCAA doesn't want anything related to the investigation released. Not even to the coaches in most cases.
If you're a coach and your school has just gone under investigation and your newly committed big time recruit asks you what's going on, what else can the coach say but things will be fine? He doesn't know and like everyone else he would only be speculating by saying anything else. It's his job to present the best case scenario. Without question it's a tough spot for a coach. Most coaches develop relationships with their recruits. They certainly want what's best for the recruit and his family. However, the coach only knows what he knows which isn't much.
So as a recruit, you're committed to a program that headlines are indicating is heading for major infractions. And, most importantly you can't find out what is going on or even when some decision will come down. The recruit and his family, his high school coach are all in the dark. It's a problematic situation for the coaches and most specifically the recruits.
Meanwhile the NCAA stands silent and won't comment.
Perhaps it's time the NCAA puts together a commission that deals directly with this type of situation. With North Carolina under investigation and certainly with Florida following suit and perhaps even South Carolina, there couldn't be a better time. How would they do it who knows? But it needs done.
There needs to be a third party in place that prospective student athletes and their families can go to when they are considering a program under investigation. By doing so such a recruit will be dealt the facts or at least some of the facts and not have to rely on headlines. Headlines that are designed to sell newspapers and magazines and grow impressions on websites. The NCAA is in place to regulate players and universities and most importantly prospective student athlete's recruitment.
If a school is cheating, bust them out. Hammer them. Why in the heck are the young recruits and their families being the one's who get worst end of it, however?
As mentioned, it's almost certain nothing will be announced by these schools or the NCAA for months. Meanwhile, with the season basically here, January is right around the corner when several recruits will enroll early in hopes of getting a jump on their futures. Before they leave the house, their parents make one more call to the coach to make sure everything is going to be okay. The coach does his job, tells them so far so good.
Imagine enrolling, going through spring practice then finding out your new team, new home is losing scholarships and can't play in bowl games. And to leave you have to sit out a year to be eligible.
The system is broken and needs fixed.
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