Dennis Dodd discusses North Carolina Academic Fraud Cheating Scandal & if NCAA will drop the hammer

[Franisdaman]

North Carolina and the NCAA are in the eighth year of what some have called the biggest academic fraud case in history.

Why does North Carolina keep pushing back against the NCAA? Ultimately, they are trying to protect their prized jewel, UNC men's basketball.

It would be a first for men’s basketball if the NCAA took down one or both North Carolina championship banners in 2005 and/or 2009. But even if those titles remain, the ultimate intent of major penalties is to impact a team’s ability to compete.

That could take many forms – scholarships, postseason bans, vacating wins. At the least it’s bad publicity. That wave of bad pub has already been used against Roy Williams in recruiting.

The coach said he landed 26 McDonald’s All-Americans in his first 10 years at North Carolina. In the last three seasons, he has one.

Meanwhile, the NCAA model itself is at stake in this case. Many think if North Carolina goes unpunished or relatively unpunished the question needs to be asked: What’s the use of NCAA enforcement anyway?

Watch the discussion here: www.espn.com/video/clip?id=19069162

Dodd's column is here: http://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...his-may-be-only-national-title-shot-they-get/

 

[ichawk24]

Odds of hammer dropping: zero point zero zero zero zero zero.

 

[Vbeachawk]

No hammer for UNC. They are not Minnesota or some other schmoe who is irrelevant in college sports. The biggies never get their just reward. They can cheat in any way they want and get away with it..

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Will figure out some slap on the wrist, but NC A&T and NC Central better watch out for the hammer.

 

[DodgerHawki]

North Carolina and the NCAA are in the eighth year of what some have called the biggest academic fraud case in history.

Why does North Carolina keep pushing back against the NCAA? Ultimately, they are trying to protect their prized jewel, UNC men's basketball.

It would be a first for men’s basketball if the NCAA took down one or both North Carolina championship banners in 2005 and/or 2009. But even if those titles remain, the ultimate intent of major penalties is to impact a team’s ability to compete.

That could take many forms – scholarships, postseason bans, vacating wins. At the least it’s bad publicity. That wave of bad pub has already been used against Roy Williams in recruiting.

The coach said he landed 26 McDonald’s All-Americans in his first 10 years at North Carolina. In the last three seasons, he has one.

Meanwhile, the NCAA model itself is at stake in this case. Many think if North Carolina goes unpunished or relatively unpunished the question needs to be asked: What’s the use of NCAA enforcement anyway?

Watch the discussion here: www.espn.com/video/clip?id=19069162

Dodd's column is here: http://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...his-may-be-only-national-title-shot-they-get/

It will be interesting to see what happens. In a weird way, what UNC is accused of doing is so fundamentally bad that the school has argued that the NCAA has no jurisdiction over penalizing them. The school set up classes that many athletes used to get easy A's without much if any work. It goes to to the very core of what a school is about. UNC prides itself on being a good academic institution (and I suppose that is is in many areas). The university's own investigation showed over 18 years more than 3,100 students took non-existent classes.

I get the argument that the current coaches and players had nothing to do with it. But it doesn't absolve the school from blame. UNC marketed itself all these years as a place where academics are taken seriously in recruiting. That was a lie. If ever there was a case for lack of institutional control, this was it. All of the current players could be allowed to transfer immediately to other schools, schools taking in those players could be given a one year roster exemption to handle an additional transferring player. If there is no punishment to the school, the message is basically "it's okay to cheat just make sure you can delay the punishment for as long as possible."

 

[jdv77]

First, the NCAA would have to find its hammer. It seems to have been misplaced.

 

[Franisdaman]

It will be interesting to see what happens. In a weird way, what UNC is accused of doing is so fundamentally bad that the school has argued that the NCAA has no jurisdiction over penalizing them. The school set up classes that many athletes used to get easy A's without much if any work. It goes to to the very core of what a school is about. UNC prides itself on being a good academic institution (and I suppose that is is in many areas). The university's own investigation showed over 18 years more than 3,100 students took non-existent classes.

I get the argument that the current coaches and players had nothing to do with it. But it doesn't absolve the school from blame. UNC marketed itself all these years as a place where academics are taken seriously in recruiting. That was a lie. If ever there was a case for lack of institutional control, this was it. All of the current players could be allowed to transfer immediately to other schools, schools taking in those players could be given a one year roster exemption to handle an additional transferring player. If there is no punishment to the school, the message is basically "it's okay to cheat just make sure you can delay the punishment for as long as possible."

its crazy how this "investigation" has been going on for 8 years now; makes me want Gonzaga to win all that much more tonight

if the fraud occurred during championship seasons, it will be interesting to see if North Carolina has to vacate those (NCAA and ACC) championships; they claim 5 national championships at the moment

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Its a disgrace that the NCAA will not punish the likes of NC and KS.

 

[markfromj]

Its a disgrace that the NCAA will not punish the likes of NC and KS.

They will.

 

[Franisdaman]

Its a disgrace that the NCAA will not punish the likes of NC and KS.

i really have struggled on whether i want to watch tonight's game. North Carolina playing for a national championship for the 2nd year in a row is not right. i agree with the previous poster; the NCAA needs to come down hard, reduce scholarships, allow players to leave if they want to, etc. Wins and championships going back to 1993 (or earlier) need to be vacated. A 4 year post season ban would be fitting, too.

 

[spiderland]

The coach said he landed 26 McDonald’s All-Americans in his first 10 years at North Carolina. In the last three seasons, he has one.

Cry me a river for poor Roy not being able to recruit his McDonalds blue-chippers. What a sham of a "legend" coach. The guy should be denied the HOF just for his '98 flame-out with LaFrentz and Pierce in the round of 32 alone.

 

[DanL53]

Here is what I want and why.

For every player, and every year, that a scholarship athlete on the basketball team took a bogus class? ONE LESS SCHOLARSHIP! Add 'em up, penalize immediately. I don't care if it means no basketball for one year or five. Of course vacate the wins as well.

Why? It's fair.

And, don't give me the penalizing current players crud. Every one of 'em knew what they were risking and still chose to play for North Carolina. Maybe they shouldn't have been so quick to play for a program that cheated. Let 'em keep their scholarships and keep going to class, or transfer and play somewhere else...no special dispensation.

Maybe in the future schools will think twice about cheating? Maybe players will appreciate clean programs?

 

[rufus-hawk]

Cry me a river for poor Roy not being able to recruit his McDonalds blue-chippers. What a sham of a "legend" coach. The guy should be denied the HOF just for his '98 flame-out with LaFrentz and Pierce in the round of 32 alone.

Yes, we're supposed to feel sorry that the investigation has taken so long. BS! The school's lawyers are hoping to drag it out long enough for them to win a title. Man, do I want Gonzaga to win.

 

[Franisdaman]

cheating pays, folks.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

It will be interesting to see what happens. In a weird way, what UNC is accused of doing is so fundamentally bad that the school has argued that the NCAA has no jurisdiction over penalizing them. The school set up classes that many athletes used to get easy A's without much if any work. It goes to to the very core of what a school is about. UNC prides itself on being a good academic institution (and I suppose that is is in many areas). The university's own investigation showed over 18 years more than 3,100 students took non-existent classes.

I get the argument that the current coaches and players had nothing to do with it. But it doesn't absolve the school from blame. UNC marketed itself all these years as a place where academics are taken seriously in recruiting. That was a lie. If ever there was a case for lack of institutional control, this was it. All of the current players could be allowed to transfer immediately to other schools, schools taking in those players could be given a one year roster exemption to handle an additional transferring player. If there is no punishment to the school, the message is basically "it's okay to cheat just make sure you can delay the punishment for as long as possible."

Wait, current coaches had nothing to do with it? Is Roy Williams not the current coach?

 

[ScoutRefugee]

i really have struggled on whether i want to watch tonight's game. North Carolina playing for a national championship for the 2nd year in a row is not right. i agree with the previous poster; the NCAA needs to come down hard, reduce scholarships, allow players to leave if they want to, etc. Wins and championships going back to 1993 (or earlier) need to be vacated. A 4 year post season ban would be fitting, too.

I didn't watch it.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Not Ole Roy. He wouldn't do anything like that.

 

[K OKeefe]

Wait, current coaches had nothing to do with it? Is Roy Williams not the current coach?

View embedded media

Roy Williams response, "Dadgumit I was busy getting McDonalds."

 

[ScoutRefugee]

“Our track record is pretty doggone good,” Williams told a Charlotte radio station on Aug. 15, 2012. “And our track record has been pretty doggone good for 15 years at Kansas, nine years at North Carolina. And we know how much we emphasize the academic side in the basketball office. We know what our guys are majoring in. We know – every day we’re in touch with those kids. So it’s something, again, that I’m very proud of.”

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/unc-scandal/article10122626.html#storylink=cpy