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.
Ken Tysiac
Thursday, August 26, 2010
UNC to update media on NCAA probe
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25 comments:
I thought the presser was regarding the accademic violations they self reported today ...
They're sorry people about what happened and getting caught. Let's let bygones be bygones and suspend the boys who took compensation for a quarter of the first game, that sounds just about right. This won't happen again, Butch says so.
Justin Bieber said their program is on probation for the season.
Per Joe Schad - UNC is investigating if approximately 9 players including standouts had papers written by a former tutor
8-10 players, mainly on the defense out for most if not all of the season. What a way to kill the most promising season in decades. One has to wonder how the focus of this whole investigation landed in Chapel Hill and not Florida, Texas, USC, Bama, or the real heavyweights where this stuff is commonplace.
Just making excuses for when State whips their @$$ again!
this article is wrong - presser tonight has nothing to do with the ACC investigation other than the fact that the school found about these violations during NCAA investigation and self reported themselves. Good reporting
Also per joe schad - Marvin Austin has said that Vontae Davis helped fund some of his South Florida expenditures
Wow, this is getting ugly. The tarholes sold their soul to try to get a "big-time" football program. Unfortunatley, the devil you sold it to isn't very good at not getting caught.
Masterful use of the double negative Mr. or Miss. Devil.
Criticizing my grammar doesn't change the fact that UNC-CHeat is in major trouble, and it looks like things are getting worse.
I bet they announce the new uniforms for this year's team. I heard it is a deeper shade of blue, but not as deep as Duke's. Word is that Alexander Julian is the mastermind and it won't have argyles like the BB uniforms years ago. About time we got some refreshing news from Chapel Hill. Thanks Dick & Butch!
I have two words to describe the overall situation that is UNC football: Grease. Fire.
Funny....nothing but crickets from the Heels fans.
From Joe Schad:
"UNC is investigating if approximately 9 players including standouts had papers written by a former tutor."
"UNC put standout players on scout team on Wednesday as UNC inquiry expands beyond agents and parties."
"Marvin Austin has said that Vontae Davis helped fund some of his South Florida expenditures."
"Butch Davis' woes leading into the LSU game are now critical in nature."
"Among the players involved in UNC's tutor investigation: Marvin Austin, Bruce Carter and Robert Quinn."
"I do not believe that any UNC players will be suspended as of tonight; I believe the school will let the investigations run course."
Ouch.
I like how UNC fans paint UNC in a positive light for "self reporting" these violations.
You think they would've self reported them if the NCAA wasn't already on campus snooping around?
Seems like its more of a case of "aww shucks, we're in trouble, hey lets self report some stuff to make ourselves look better"
I'm sure tonight's press conference will be studied by UNC communications and public relations students for years to come. The spin machine will be working overtime tonight.
This just in... UNC contacted the White House for speech tips. Butch wants to know how to speak for 10 minutes without saying anything at all. Spin Control 101 tonight...new drinking game: Take a shot every time "no comment" is said (assuming they have the big ones to take questions)
UNC-CH. THe most corrupt athletics department in the NATION!
As an alum, I'm done with Butch Davis. If this is what it takes to have a big time athletics program, I'm happy to go 8-4 every year and attend the Meineke Muffler Bowl.
From Joe Schad:
"The tutor in the middle of UNC's academic impropriety allegations was also Butch Davis' nanny"
WOOOOOOW!!
Anon @5:57 -
If you're an alum, you're an idiot who knows nothing about football! Butch Davis has always run a clean program, and enjoyed success at higher levels doing so. He was brought into a Miami program that was put on probation bc of the previous staff and how loose they ran things. He straightened things up, and built a team that would win the National Championship the year he left to coach the Browns in the NFL. Anyone who has ever worked with, or played for Coach Davis will tell you he's a guy who plays by the rules.
"Butch Davis has always run a clean program"
Exactly.
There is nothing cleaner than getting your nanny to write papers for your football players' classes.
Seriously though, I hope you stay in denial for as long as possible. Then when the fit hits the shan, it will make your inevitable breakdown all the more powerful.
Also:
- Davis was at Miami as a defensive line coach in the mid-late 80s, while The U was cheating.
- Davis returned to Miami before the NCAA ever found any violations against the program. To claim he was brought in to clean up the program is a joke.
Thats like saying Lane Kiffin went to USC to clean up the program, even though he was an assistant while Carroll's boosters were buying Reggie Bush's family a half a million dollar house.
c mon theses guys dont do any of their papers
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