Breaking News: Tarheel Football

No you're right about nothing being a fireable offense for Blake yet. But I was looking at it more from the perspective of, UNC thinks very highly of itself, they always claim to do everything the "right' way. I've read before that some of the older boosters/faculty already dont like the amount of money being spent on Butch, etc (could be completely wrong about that). --If this causes enough embarrassment I could see UNC forcing Blake out even if nothing can be pinned on him.

Then again we are all just guessing.

Hell, even ECU had an issue earlier this summer but luckily they handled it well. (special teams coach watching a workout before he was technically supposed to). He was either fired or forced to resign immediately.

 

eh, the older crowd (most older people don't get it) aren't happy with the amount of money spent on football. they're the same people that would rather stick to being a basketball school and don't like football too.

it's already caused enough embarrassment IMO

 

You were saying?

 

Good post, I agree.

 

Exactly....

 

So is he out for the LSU game? I wouldn't want to risk further sanctions in an appeal process.

 

I still think that's funny.

There are some interesting rumors in Chapel Hill today.

 

Balmer's trade adds to UNC-NCAA mystery


BY CAULTON TUDOR - Staff Writer

A trade from the San Francisco 49ers to the Seattle Seahawks can't qualify as a catastrophic blow to Kentwan Balmer's NFL career, but it does rate as the latest strange twist relating to the NCAA's investigation of North Carolina's football program.

Balmer, a 2008 first-round draft pick out of UNC, once was seen as a key in 49ers coach Mike Singletary's defensive line rebuilding project.

Those plans changed quickly when Balmer did not report to preseason camp after being linked to the Carolina probe.

Cam Thomas, a 2009 Tar Heels defensive line star, said last week that he and current defensive lineman Marvin Austin were treated to trips to California by Balmer last summer. The team went on to an eight-win season and a bowl trip.

Balmer's agent, Gary Wichard, is a good friend of Carolina associate head coach John Blake.

Balmer's trade Monday came after an early-morning report by The Sacramento Bee in which Singletary made it clear that he was at wit's end with the player holding out.

"I talked to Kentwan. And as simple as I can put it, I asked him to be here," Singletary said in the report. "He's not here. ... He is under contract, and the fact that he's not here, that speaks to me.

"What it says, I really don't know to him, but to us, all I know is that he's not here. Fine. We're practicing - we're doing what we have to do."

News of the trade to Seattle surfaced less than two hours later.

Efforts to reach Balmer for comment Monday were unsuccessful.

Assuming Balmer attends practice with the Seahawks and makes favorable impressions on head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Casey Bradley, the trade could have a positive impact.

But the player's holdout to date has only added to the mystery surrounding the NCAA investigation.

To be fair, Balmer has not been accused by the NCAA of any wrongdoing. The same goes for Wichard, Blake, Austin, Thomas, Tar Heels receiver Greg Little, other team members, Carolina head coach Butch Davis or the school itself.

But if all of this is simply a chain of coincidences, there certainly are closely related links.

Balmer, who played high school ball in Weldon and came across as a likeable, team-first performer during his years in Chapel Hill, is flirting with professional disaster.

With the 49ers, he went AWOL at a time when not only was he under contract but coming off a shoulder injury that kept him out of the final few games of his second pro season.

The rookie 315-pounder never cracked the starting lineup on a weak team in 2008, didn't start in any of his 11 games last season and still doesn't have a quarterback sack after 27 NFL games.

The last thing a young player with that sort of performance record needs to be doing is ticking off coaches, general managers and player personnel directors.

The fact that Balmer was traded to a division rival for a mid-round pick means the Seahawks have such a minimal investment that he's already dealing with a thin margin for error.

Financially, Balmer should be set for life. His salary this season is almost $600,000, and he's already been paid more than $3 million by the 49ers. But the contract ends after the 2012 season, and according to the NFL players union, defensive linemen average less than five full seasons in the league.

Balmer is lucky. He's getting paid a fortune to play football. Unless there's an injury problem, he would be smart to start drawing those paychecks again.

 

lol another early August "nothing else is going on" article trying to connect dots that aren't on the same page. Balmer got into it with Singletary about playing time and schemes (like alot of the 49ers players have, and very similar to Haynesworth in the 3-4) except this time he acted like a bitch and forced a trade. He isn't that good anyway, why they used a first round pick on him anyway is beyond me.

 

UNC to hold news conference on NCAA probe


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 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.


Officials from North Carolina uncovered the academic issues in its own review, pertaining to a tutor, and self-reported the findings to the NCAA.

Sources report the various players involved were relegated to the scout team at practice on Wednesday.

At this point in time, no other details have been given, nor have the names of the players involved. Undoubtedly, that will come sometime soon, as the local media simply cannot ignore this third line of inquiry by the NCAA into problems with the UNC football program – even if the Carolina reported itself.

Also, while rogue players interacting against NCAA rules is one thing, or an assistant coach’s potentially rule-breaking recruiting is another, this matter simply has to strike at the heart of the dreaded phrase: “lack of institutional control.” After all, the heart of all academic institutions is not athletics, it is, well, academics, right?

Taken individually, the problems with the football program at UNC may seem small and inconsequential. If one looks holistically, however, it certainly seems that the Tar Heel football program is operating outside the lines. Whether or not the NCAA agrees, whenever it releases its findings, remains to be seen.