I really don’t understand anyone — Carolina fan or otherwise — who acts surprised by any of the things we’ve learned over the last two years regarding academics and athletics at UNC.
Now that Holden Thorp is stepping down, I think he should call the bluff of the blowhards. I want to see him get in front of the media, aiming squarely at the News & Observer, and tell everyone, “Hell yeah, athletes have it easier.”
I mean, we’re talking about big-time sports here. We loved watching Julius Peppers on the field and the court, but no one ever wondered why he wasn’t featured with paragraph-long quotes in game summaries in the paper. Holden needs to remind everyone that we want players who thrill and teams that win, and there is not a single thing that sports fans do to demand academic excellence besides talk about it.
Therein lies the rub, and therein lies why State fans are having so much fun rubbing Carolina noses in it. Now that we can look in the mirror, we have to admit that the belief that Carolina was somehow different from other schools is a conceit. Carolina fans want to believe that their team is somehow superior in every conceivable way. I guess it was never good enough to be athletic-superior when we could also win the war for the moral high ground.
But we’re far, far from alone in that. And that’s why I’d like an unburdened Chancellor to call it out. Tell the people every major athletic program makes special accommodations to help students academically, but we don’t do it for the players; we do it for the fans, for the consumers. It’s a business.
And every Carolina-hater throwing stones…lives in a glass house.
Listen to Graig’s commentary as it aired on 97.9 FM WCHL:
Related Stories
‹

Orange County Representative: Momentum Possible for Bipartisanship NC Budget in 2021North Carolina’s General Assembly returns for its first sessions of 2021 on January 13. In addition to addressing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and relief for residents, the legislature has an opportunity to work on a long-standing stagnant item: a new budget. The state has operated off of a budget approved in 2018 after two years […]

NC Legislature Considering Ways for Schools to Finish, Track Academic YearMany schools across North Carolina have been using online instruction methods for weeks now. But many questions still surround how remote learning will impact students’ grades, ability to retain information and growth. Orange County state representative Graig Meyer is on North Carolina’s House Education Committee. He recently shared an update from the group’s virtual meeting […]

Mack Brown, Julius Peppers Among Inductees For NC Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020A trio of Tar Heel legends are among the 12 inductees for the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020, as Mack Brown, Julius Peppers and former UNC track coach Dennis Craddock will be enshrined during the 57th annual banquet on May 1 at the Raleigh Convention Center. The entire class consists of Debbie Antonelli, Muggsy Bogues, Brown, […]

Rep. Meyer Preparing for Re-Election Campaign, Urges Other Democratic Candidates to RunOn the day filing opened for state house and senate representatives, House District 50 representative Graig Meyer filed for re-election to his fifth term. Meyer, who represents most of Orange County except for Chapel Hill and Carrboro, has been in North Carolina’s House of Representatives since 2013. He says he’s motivated by his hope to […]

Lawrence Taylor Named to NFL's All-Time TeamIn celebration of the league’s 100th season this year, the NFL has begun the release of its All-Time Team recognizing its greatest players ever. On Friday, it was revealed that former UNC linebacker Lawrence Taylor was voted to the roster unanimously by a panel of 26 league executives, coaches, players and team personnel. Another former […]
![]()
Redistricting Changes Still Ahead for North Carolina Before 2020 ElectionsNorth Carolina’s legislative district maps, which have been subject to many lawsuits since being drawn in 2011, saw their most recent update upheld by a three-judge panel in Superior Court on Monday. The panel ruled the Republican lawmakers’ recent remapping efforts correctly followed the guidelines set after the panel rejected their previous designs in September. […]

Julius Peppers Selected as Part of 2019 ACC Legends ClassThe ACC revealed its 2019 Legends Class for football on Wednesday, with UNC represented this year by one of the greatest to ever hone their craft in Chapel Hill–defensive end Julius Peppers. Peppers played at UNC from 1999-2001 and was a unanimous First Team All-American as a junior. He also won the Chuck Bednarik Award as […]
![]()
Gov. Cooper Wants Compromise on State Budget, Republicans Wait to OverrideThe state budget is still in limbo following Governor Roy Cooper’s veto last month. Republicans delayed an override vote earlier this week, attempting to build enough support. Differences between the two parties over health insurance may lead to a longer stalemate – but there are signs of a developing compromise. Cooper spoke to the media […]

Roy Williams on Julius Peppers: 'I Thought He Was Magnificent'Former UNC star Julius Peppers announced his retirement on Friday after 17 years playing professional football. Peppers, who played the majority of his career with the Carolina Panthers, was a two-sport athlete in Chapel Hill. He forged a career on the football field as a dominant pass rusher, but was also a walk-on with the […]
![]()
Dem's Voter ID Bill a Message to North Carolina VotersLocal House Representative Graig Meyer, along with a coalition of Democratic lawmakers, introduced a bill to expand voter rights in the state earlier this month. Meyer said he knew when introducing the bill that it would not move in the current General Assembly. “We know this isn’t going to get through, and we know that […]
›
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines