In strongly worded comments, former North Carolina football coach John Bunting said in a radio interview Thursday that the athletics staff at the school needs to "pick it up" in light of the NCAA's investigation of the football program.
Since July, the NCAA has been investigating impermissible benefits and academic misconduct on the Tar Heel football team. Fourteen players missed at least one game, and seven missed the entire season. The NCAA has not announced whether there will be penalties for the school.
Bunting was fired and replaced following the 2006 season by current coach Butch Davis. On 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh, host Adam Gold asked Bunting how he felt about the situation. Bunting's reply is 5 minutes, 30 seconds into this file:
"I don’t feel good about it at all," Bunting said. "Those are things that we prided ourselves in, in the six years that I was there, and I think every other coach that’s been there has prided themselves, and every other coach in every sport has felt the same way. But it is what it is, and that’s a great cliché to use at this point in time. They’ve got to go forward.
"Hopefully they learn from all this, those people who either may have been asleep at the wheel or those who are in charge. They need to pick it up. And hopefully they’ll grow from this. I’m a big, big believer in turning bad into good. So maybe some good things can happen because of a very, very serious situation."
Bunting was asked about recent NCAA investigations in general at schools such as Ohio State, Auburn and Michigan, where the penalties have been criticized by many fans and media members as being too soft.
"I’m absolutely amazed at what the NCAA’s stance has been on all kinds of these different cases. Why investigate if you’re not going to take a hard stand on these issues? Because it’s setting a bad precedent. It’s setting a bad example for what we Americans have come to believe is true.
"Greed and doing things wrong and pushing the envelope beyond the rules to make things more successful, and that’s not the right thing to do. They’ve got to come to grips with some of this stuff and really start to quit slapping people on the wrist and make things happen."
Ken Tysiac
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Bunting says UNC needs to 'pick it up'
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
45 comments:
Bunting is jealous cause he sucked as a coach. he needs to go whine to the NCAAA about OSU and letting them crook con-artist play ball. Davis is a great coach and every college in the country cheats and lies...its part of the programs. GO HEELS
Bunting is right on about right and wrong and the NCAA making a mockery of it through its recent rulings. I think he is being charitable about the current UNC administration and coaches when he says "step it up" - all I have seen are major attempts at CYA from Davis, Baddour and Thorp. "Step it up"? I say "clean it out." UNC '82
The first Anonymous post says "
Davis is a great coach and every college in the country cheats and lies...its part of the programs. GO HEELS"
That is the typical Tarheel response, but every college does not cheat. Clearly the Heels do and fans try to justify the slime by that attitude.
Davis is NOT a great coach, but keep dreaming that and the Heels will always be second rate.
hahahah you must of been deferred by carolina......it's okay I'm sure we're currently paying your wages.
The only thing a UNC-CHEAT fan says to a fan of another school is, " can I take your order?"
just wondering-did the first poster attend UNC?
You are full of SH*T if you don't think there are cheaters on every campus in the USA whether it is in sports or general population. I don't know how you define cheating as far as UNC is concern because the only cheating is that of a few athletes with the tutor. NONE of the other situations had anything to do with cheating because UNC gain absolutely nothing from their actions. Stop being the tool that you are. Those players were guilty of breaking rules (NOT CHEATING). In the most severe case those players clearly knew that what they were doing was against the rules while some of the others were extreme borderline an overkill. Nevertheless, regardless of how you ABCers are trying to put your own stamp on the situation, UNC HANDLED the players, guilty or not, like very few other universities would have. They went above and beyond what any other school would have done. Questioning UNC's integrity is LAUGHABLE. The school is TOP-NOTCH and a few bad apples on the football team won't change that. UNC's reputation wasn't built around sports and won't be ruined by sports. UNC can exist as a major university without sport because the academics are proven and TOP-NOTCH. Can you whiners say the same about the school which you root? Remember, education is suppose to enhance your quality of life, not make you more stupid.
Tony,
You might want to adjust your tinfoil hat. Clearly you are delusional.
HAHA.The funniest thing about unc cheating is they still sucked lol.At least auburn,ohio st,oklahoma,miami,usc etc won when they cheated.UNC SUX haha.
Tony...you said "the only cheating is that of a few athletes with the tutor" and seem to act like that's no big deal.
I guess I differ from you in thinking that having a tutor write papers for you goes to one's integrity...and clearly those upstanding top-notch players have no integrity since they chose to cheat. And we all know Davis claims he knows nothing like he knows nothing about Blake. Gimme a break. If he is telling the truth, then congrats on your dumb as a post coach leading the athletes at your top-notch school.
I fully agree with your last statement "Remember, education is suppose to enhance your quality of life, not make you more stupid.", so based on what you ranted, good luck on getting that GED.
Bunting is right. After UNC failed to get rid fo college football, they expanded their stadium and tried to be the best overnight. Why did 2 UNC system presidents go to UNC Charlotte and talk about football lacking in integrity and was nothing more than entertainment? The greed in college sports is out of UNC Chapel Hill who is making mega bucks for their second largest banking industry in Charlotte, NC. They went rogue whe they failed at reducing college football down to an 8 team playoff after they asked UGa president Michael Adams to join the NCAA Knight Commission and propose such a playoff....which failed.
<<... every college in the country cheats and lies...its part of the programs. GO HEELS>>
Then what is "The Carolina Way" myth?
I love how none of you will sign your comments, except Tony, and he's right.
A small handful of student athletes cheated, yes cheated, and they were dealt with in accordance with UNC policy that covers all students when academic misconduct is discovered.
The athletes that took gifts were dealt with by the NCAA and UNC; remember, UNC pulled them off the field, which is required by NCAA rules until a determination is made by the NCAA.
The most severe benefits transgressions resulted in permanent ineligibility.
The NCAA will send UNC a notice of allegations/infractions and will hold a hearing. Based on the content, UNC has the option to defend against those allegations/infractions or just accept them.
At least Tony owns his comments, as I do mine.
Bunting is right in the fact that UNC needs to clean up their act but it is probably also tinged with pettiness due in part to Bunting getting fired by his alma mater.
If I'm not mistaken, Chris Hawkins one of the ex UNC Runner/Agents who was a key figure in the probe, played for Bunting and not Davis. Because he was a ex-player he was allowed to come and go, using the weight room facilities as he pleased. Since that time UNC has slammed this door shut. So Bunting needs to be careful when taking the "Holier than Thour" attitude. Had he known how to win, this could have very well happened to him.
What I meant to say is that UNC pulled the athletes that took benefits off the field which IS NOT REQUIRED by the NCAA until they make a ruling/determination.
UNC did the right thing.
The ABC'rs hatred of UNC ignores facts, which is typical of persons who won't own their comments.
Follow the facts...the NCAA will notfiy UNC soon of its findings.
If sanctions are justified, then so be it; I don't see more than a small handful of scholarships and no bowl game/ACC championship for a year.
The coach involved was fired immediately and players were suspended.
There will be some sanctions and UNC will move forward.
Bunting just can't come to terms with the fact that he was a good recruiter but lousy coach. I'm sure some of his "athletes" probably cheated academically as well.
A lot of students cheat at all schools, including athletes. The UNC kids got caught (which is a good thing)!
True comment Anon 7:57AM, Hawkins was a Bunting recruit and player.
I'll say it again...Bunting was a lousy coach.
Apparently, he was a lousy judge of character as well.
I like Hakeen Nicks, but apparently he was involved with providing benefits also. Who recruited Nicks?
Bunting did....
Gee Bunting, there's nothing quite like piling on, huh? Thanks for your support. Oh, and thanks for the glory years too...
FINALLY, a UNC Alum and program insider speaks the TRUTH! Bunting is passionate about his school, the FB program and knows more of the inner workings of this situation than 99% of us. He is also correct about the NCAA inconsistency. Wake up people.
Terrelle Pryor receives improper benefits and sells swag and plays in a bowl game.
Cam Newton's family goes all Jinwright and Cam wins the Heisman and goes to the title game.
Urban Meyer watches TWENTY SEVEN of his players get ARRESTED but gets slobbered by ESPN and wins two nattys.
Compare this to the UNC situation and there is obviously a good-ol-boy network protecting the MAFIA of NCAA football (Big Ten and SEC).
Allen,
"Signing" your name to your comments doesn't lend any more credibility to your opinions than to an anonymous poster.
That's evident when anyone reads them.
First, Dick Cheney critiques President Obama, and now John Bunting criticizes Butch Davis. What is next... Bobby Knight teaching a class on anger management??
Funny to see all the UNC fans STILL in denial about an investigation thats been going on for OVER SIX MONTHS with no current resolution. Auburn? Quick resolution. Ohio State? Quick resolution. UNC? Still no resolution. Yet UNC fans think "oh it was just a couple students who made some bad choices." You guys' continuous denial is hilarious. Oh and Allen, notice I'm "signing my comment, so I own it," whatever that means.
704Champ- very well said. I am a proud UNC alum and I'm tired of the so-called UNC fans, most of whom have never set foot on campus, minimizing the gravity of what took place by saying "everyone does it".
Personally, I feel the penalties will be severe, and maybe they should be. Our coaching and university leadership should be embarrassed by their ineptitude in this whole mess.
While some want to hold UNC to some superior standard, I know that UNC is a great school, but no better than many others. This fiasco will do nothing to enhance that image, sad to say.
Thanks for all the tweets Marv! UNC-CHeat: The most corrupt admin and athletics department in the NCAA. CONgratulations!
The NCAA is a freaking Joke...but then again, so is Baddour.
EVERY football program has the same things(players taking money/gifts,extra help with course work). THIS GOES ON EVERY YEAR AT EVERY BIG TIME PROGRAM. Its just so happen that this year UNC got caught b/c of all the preseason hype and extra attention becuase of their expectations.
People wake up on both sides! YES - this stuff did happen at a proud university that thinks it didn't. AND YES - this stuff happens(happened) just about everywhere. Seems to me having no dog in the fight that there is a lot of denial on both sided of the ABC fence...
704Chimp,
Auburn got resolved quickly 'cause the NCAA pampers the SEC and didn't want TCU in their championship game.
Kansas State loses a bowl game because of a salute, meanwhile SEC pets Tennessee do multiple salutes and their crybaby QB does two throat slashes and nothing gets called.
If the NCAA cared about integrity, Florida wouldn't even have a team with all their arrests. Oh wait, Florida is SEC.
The once proud Carolina way is no more. This is unacceptable! Clean house of these criminals in order to restore some dignity to what was once the Carolina way!
You're right Anonymous 1:05, the NCAA plays favorites to the SEC. This is all a conspiracy pitting the entire world against innocent old UNC. It clearly has nothing to do with UNC players cheating on schoolwork and accepting improper benefits from agents.
Nope. The NCAA is just out to get UNC. UNC is completely innocent of everything. I've seen the light.
The saddest part is you try to buy big time football, and can't do any better than an 8-win season. LOL.
Bunting is an f-ing idiot. He can go jump in a lake. Go Heels.
every college in the country cheats and lies...its part of the programs. GO HEELS
All this requisite cheating and lying has yet to Chief Cheater and Liar Butch Davis a singe victory over NC State. Enjoy your little carolina way
Most of you all are just plain stupid on this blog. The head of the NCAA is the former athletic director of the University of Miami(FL), Butch Davis left the job at his university after winning a national title and he was fired within 3 years. I sense some resentment.
Questioning Davis' coaching talent is just plain retarded, 3 straight bowl games at Carolina, a national title at Miami, the man took the CLEVELAND BROWNS TO THEIR ONLY NFL PLAYOFFS SINCE THE TEAM LEFT TO BECOME THE BALTIMORE RAVENS! If you can win with the Cleveland Browns, you can win with anything.
The academic misconduct charge wasn't warranted, nothing came from it, yes the players got some jewelery and trips from former graduates, big deal!
Bunting has no room to talk about anyone's coaching, he had a future NFL allstar and 2 time Super Bowl Champ running sitting on his bench and he didn't see the field once his senior year. He knows jack diddly squat about success on the football field.
I'm sure most of you went to State where you sit on your high horse and think you are all big and bad, when you never win anything anymore. Get over yourselves.
Oh and the comments about UNC graduates serving you food are just retarded, most of us are successful business persons, lawyers, doctors, pharmacists and journalists for example. Don't kid yourself, you're the one who is working at McDonalds.
Annonymous at 4:08,
No we didn't beat State, congrats!
The school celebrates like they won a national title everytime they beat Carolina, but we have bigger things to worry about, like winning national titles in basketball and contending in football every year! Winning one measly conference game isn't nearly as important to us as it is to yall, and State isn't Carolina's biggest rival, more like its redheaded stepchild.
Mike,
Speaking of stupid, your comment qualifies on many levels, not the least of which is that Davis never won a natty champ at Miami. He left for Cleveland after lying to everyone and his successor Larry Coker won the title the next season.
William T: You are exactly right. Thanks for one of the more insightful comments on here.
Last annonymous,
He might have just as well won, it was his team, Larry Coker got fired maybe 3 years after that. My mistake. It is what it is. Bottom line of the story, Bunting is jealous of what Davis has accomplished, his 5 year win total is almost the same as what Butch has done this year.
Yo Mike - again - might want to take your nose out of Butch's bum and realize that Bunting - as crappy as he was - still won 27 games and went to 2 bowl games - heck, even winning one. So let's just relax with how "great" Butchy is.
"3 straight bowl games at Carolina"
...with a 1-2 bowl record, both of the losses basically being home games, and the only one you won, you somehow got away with having 18 men on the field on the 2nd-to-last play of regulation. But a bowl win is a win. Congratulations on the Tar Heels' 2nd bowl win this century. UNC is truly becoming a football powerhouse.
Bunting is a tool.
How do you get a State College grad off your front porch?
Answer: Pay for the pizza !!
Mike-
One little thing about Butch and his tenure at UM(coming from someone who lived in Miami during his and Coker's tenure). His vision was to turn the Canes into a power running team, like the Oklahoma Sooners in their glory years. They had a qb named Kenny Kelly and were training him to run the option. Coker had to beg and plead with Davis that they should play the pro set and actually throw the ball. Coker had to twist his arm to recruit Ken Dorsey. Yes, Butch cleaned up the program, but lots of folks there have their doubts that the Canes would have won the championship had Butch stayed.
Hey all you abcers please tell which UNC player cheated and was rewarded by getting playing time.
Post a Comment