North Carolina
UNC investigation tarnishes college sports ideal for some
Published: 2011-10-12 16:36:00
Updated: 2011-10-12 19:10:48
Oct 12, 2011
Raleigh, N.C. — A high school senior and a former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice agreed Wednesday that scandals have tarnished the ideal of college sports. Both spoke at the weekly luncheon of the Raleigh Sports Club.
Evan McNeil, senior quarterback for Fuquay-Varina High School, was recognized as the club’s Student-Athlete of the Week. Attorney Robert Orr, former state Supreme Court Justice and current head of the North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law, was the group’s guest speaker.
McNeil said he looks up to college football players and was disappointed by the year-long NCAA investigation into athletics at the University of North Carolina.
“It’s kind of sad to hear about how all of these schools and athletes are getting into trouble and affecting the game that we all love to watch,” McNeil said.
Orr said the real scandal is how college athletics operate in this country.
“Start looking at real reform instead of these Band-Aid approaches,” Orr said.
Orr said the football players being blamed for wrong-doing at UNC are scapegoats of a corrupt system.
“We can take these kids and literally use them to make huge amounts of money and entertain all of us, and then say, but they don’t have any rights,” Orr said.
Orr has been a vocal critic of the NCAA's treatment of former UNC football player Michael McAdoo, who was declared permanently ineligible for academic misconduct. McAdoo is suing the NCAA and UNC saying he was ruled ineligible based on inaccurate information.
"A major problem with the NCAA disciplinary system is it consistently denies students basic due process rights," Orr said. "In addition to a lack of legal representation, in the NCAA system, the student is presumed guilty until proven innocent and is compelled to cooperate under threat of future penalty.
McNeil said he just wants to enjoy playing football and not worry about money. He said he would love to play college football at a place like North Carolina State University.
For him, the UNC investigation serves as a reminder to play by the rules on and off the field.
UNC is set to meet with the NCAA committee on infractions in Indianapolis on Oct. 28 to respond to allegations that players received preferential treatment and accepted impermissible benefits, a former assistant coach was too chummy with an agent and a tutor gave too much academic help to select players.
- Reporter: Amanda Lamb
- Photographer: Terry Cantrell
- Web Editor: Kathy Hanrahan
Copyright 2013 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Most Recent Comments
RE: UNC investigation tarnishes college sports ideal for some
I don't care if you're a Carolina fan, a State fan, a Duke fan, or a Watoosie fan, I can guarantee you a professional athlete, at some time or another, from your school, got in trouble with the law. Get over it.
I feel sorry for the kids on the team that are innocent. This is something that's going to follow them around forever just because they were on the team at the time.
- Posted by warcraft27513
Exactly. There were many times more who did nothing wrong than there were one who did. The current team has no "stain" on it.
Not yet. But keep in mind, pretty much ALL these recruits are Butch Davis recruits. So it's more than likely just a matter of time.
Sorry TBK, but I can't agree with you on that. Accusing these kids just because they were recruited by Butch Davis isn't fair to them. I'm willing to lay guilt where guilt is due, but that's stretching blame just a bit far.
I'm not accusing them of anything. I'm saying, keep an eye on them. Butch brought in some GREAT recruits. Problem is, they're in it for themselves and will probably end up doing something else stupid.
I said a long time ago that a three year probation may as well be the death penalty. Because I don't think Butch recruits can stay out of trouble that long. Good thing they put a lockdown on their Twitter accounts. :)
RE: UNC investigation tarnishes college sports ideal for some
I thought we were talking about the athletics programs and NCAA rules, not what people do AFTER college.
But if you want to go that route, we can. But trust me on this, if you're a Carolina fan, you don't WANT to go down that particular road.
http://tinyurl.com/5gk93p
I don't care if you're a Carolina fan, a State fan, a Duke fan, or a Watoosie fan, I can guarantee you a professional athlete, at some time or another, from your school, got in trouble with the law. Get over it.
I feel sorry for the kids on the team that are innocent. This is something that's going to follow them around forever just because they were on the team at the time.
Exactly. There were many times more who did nothing wrong than there were one who did. The current team has no "stain" on it.
Not yet. But keep in mind, pretty much ALL these recruits are Butch Davis recruits. So it's more than likely just a matter of time.
Sorry TBK, but I can't agree with you on that. Accusing these kids just because they were recruited by Butch Davis isn't fair to them. I'm willing to lay guilt where guilt is due, but that's stretching blame just a bit far.
RE: UNC investigation tarnishes college sports ideal for some
It should be tarnished! College sports has taken a position in higher education than academia. We are so far away from what college athletics should be I think they should be eliminated!
RE: UNC investigation tarnishes college sports ideal for some
I bet Evan would love to play for NC State. Just curious, what scholarship offers does he currently have to play D1 football? I couldn't find ANYTHING about him on the scout prospect search.
RE: UNC investigation tarnishes college sports ideal for some
You have had a number of players in multiple sports arrested for felonies. Is that the State way?
- Posted by Krzyzewskiectomy
I thought we were talking about the athletics programs and NCAA rules, not what people do AFTER college.
But if you want to go that route, we can. But trust me on this, if you're a Carolina fan, you don't WANT to go down that particular road.
http://tinyurl.com/5gk93p
I don't care if you're a Carolina fan, a State fan, a Duke fan, or a Watoosie fan, I can guarantee you a professional athlete, at some time or another, from your school, got in trouble with the law. Get over it.
I feel sorry for the kids on the team that are innocent. This is something that's going to follow them around forever just because they were on the team at the time.
Exactly. There were many times more who did nothing wrong than there were one who did. The current team has no "stain" on it.
Not yet. But keep in mind, pretty much ALL these recruits are Butch Davis recruits. So it's more than likely just a matter of time.
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