WRAL Sports Fan

UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

http://bustingbrackets.com/2012/08/14/unc-academic-scandal-may-be-turning-off-basketball-recruits/

Although independent people I spoke with close to the recruiting process downplayed North Carolina's chances to snatch the Briarcrest star-one insider insisted that even if Nichols spurned the hometown Tigers and in-state Vols for the Old North State, Austin would choose Duke before UNC-North Carolina's sudden disappearance from Nichols' list is quite the mystery.
So what caused this swift change? College recruitments, by their nature, are fluid, fickle and fast-evolving. But that doesn't begin to explain why a school that had put on the full-court press for Nichols, second only to its pursuit of Julius Randle, failed to earn at least a spot among Nichols' final six. Nichols found a spot for SEC doormat Auburn, but couldn't find one for UNC? Really?
Nichols' apparent change of heart over the last several weeks conveniently coincides with an outpouring of long overdue media coverage regarding the North Carolina academic scandal that embroiled the football program and may or may not have extended to the basketball program as well. Though this would hardly be enough evidence to stand in court, it's certainly conceivable that Nichols' feelings towards North Carolina soured as more information pertaining to the fallout at UNC became known.
If Nichols was indeed turned off by the academic fraud case at Carolina (and at this point, I have nothing but speculation and circumstantial evidence to base this upon), he wouldn't be the first.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

One high-level recruit North Carolina is still targeting (not Nichols) texted this to a recruiting source with whom I spoke over the weekend: "I dunno [sic] if I can put up with this kinda stuff man," referring to all the baggage UNC has been shouldering over the last several weeks. It's a vague statement to say the least, one I wouldn't deign to put much stock into. But it does show a growing leeriness, at least demonstrated by one major recruit, in light of the academic scandal at Carolina.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

Funny. The guy says multiple times he has no evidence, only speculation, mentions how vague things are, then concludes it must be true.

Nice.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

Funny. The guy says multiple times he has no evidence, only speculation, mentions how vague things are, then concludes it must be true.

Nice.  

- Posted by forautumn

hey, look on the bright side.... at least YOU don't believe him!!!

Bahahhahhahahhaaa!!!

-braces for- "meh, another red rager wrote an article disparaging the flagship, no big whoop".

EVERY article written about the pastel pansies overt CHEATING, in EVERY NATIONAL or local publication is or has been written by a "red rager"... or, so the pansies would have you believe.

"sad", truly doesn't do justice to just how ruined this bunch (the PPs) is at this point.

Love
it!

LOL

Dear Napoleon,

POUND SAND!

regards,

Mr. Nichols

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

Funny. The guy says multiple times he has no evidence, only speculation, mentions how vague things are, then concludes it must be true.

Nice.  

- Posted by forautumn

hey, look on the bright side.... at least YOU don't believe him!!!

Bahahhahhahahhaaa!!!

-braces for- "meh, another red rager wrote an article disparaging the flagship, no big whoop".

EVERY article written about the pastel pansies overt CHEATING, in EVERY NATIONAL or local publication is or has been written by a "red rager"... or, so the pansies would have you believe.

"sad", truly doesn't do justice to just how ruined this bunch (the PPs) is at this point.

Love
it! 

- Posted by WolfpackInDaHouseV.13

Sorry, Farkus, I don't recall that I mentioned "red ragers" in my post about this article. I'm sure it was just an oversight you made.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

It is mysterious why Nichols, who's father listed UNC as one of the top 3 schools pursuing him the hardest just 2 weeks ago, suddenly drops them from his final list of 6. The fact that he had a spot for AUBURN but not UNC is extremely odd. Who knows if the scandal actually effected his decision, but it's conceivable that if the NCAA re-investigates, it is going to be an issue for future recruits. If the team is put on probation or has to cut scholarships it would be an even bigger blow to the program.

Autumn, we all know that you think UNC can do no wrong, but at some point it would be wise for you to take the blinders off and realize what is going on at UNC. When a recruits father goes to ESPN.com and sees "UNC's Academic Scandal" on the frontpage, do you really think it has no bearing in his son's decision? C'mon, man.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

Autumn, we all know that you think UNC can do no wrong, but at some point it would be wise for you to take the blinders off and realize what is going on at UNC. When a recruits father goes to ESPN.com and sees "UNC's Academic Scandal" on the frontpage, do you really think it has no bearing in his son's decision? C'mon, man. 

I'm sorry, I never said they "could do no wrong". At all. All I said was that the "story" is full of speculation and opinion, nothing based in fact. You said it yourself...who knows why he dropped UNC. The fact that UNC was pursuing hard does not necessariy mean that the kid was equally as interested.

I'm sure recruits' parents are going to be interested in what is going on. But I seriously doubt the extent of their investigation is going to stop at the front page of ESPN. If so, that is pretty irresponsible of the parents.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

"As I said before, this thing could be devastating, it could involve multiple athletic programs and as wide scale a case of academic fraud in NCAA history. It could involve everyone from the University President all the way down to the coaching staff, advisers, professors and the guy cleaning the bathrooms."

-- Keeping it Heel

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

You're right, Autumn. It is all speculation at this point and until the NCAA gets involved (if they do), then we won't know the real truth. Heck, we may never know the real truth. It is nice to converse with open UNC fans such as yourself, though.

RE: UNC Academic Scandal May Be Turning Off Basketball Recruits

"As I said before, this thing could be devastating, it could involve multiple athletic programs and as wide scale a case of academic fraud in NCAA history. It could involve everyone from the University President all the way down to the coaching staff, advisers, professors and the guy cleaning the bathrooms."

-- Keeping it Heel 

- Posted by BlueDevils00

Yep. UNC's strategy of trying to pin all of this on a scapegoat at a time failed. First, the tutor, then Blake, ...., most recently Professor Swahili. It pretty clearly was a systematic tragedy no one ever could have imagined.