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Would UNC actually take the most expedient way out?
A detailed story by WRAL News, quoting players and a few disgruntled parents anonymously, may actually be forcing Carolina into serious meetings about what to do with Bill Belichick.
It is clearly a lack of talent, exacerbated by Belichick coaching and leading a program the only way he knows how, that could turn the so-called greatest hire in the history of college football into historic embarrassment for the oldest university in the nation.
But in college athletics, the fastest way for a coach to get fired is to have parents learn about coaching disrespect. That’s partly how former UNC women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell, who was under fire for years, lost her job when player families started sharing what they were hearing from their kids.
In most organizations, what is deemed incurable toxicity often results in a management decision to move as quickly as possible. Instead of suffering through what appears to be a protracted controversy, going in another direction is usually the choice that is made.
If that’s the decision here, the quicker it happens the sooner recovery can begin. Belichick, his girlfriend and maybe even Michael Lombardi would leave town and UNC would have to figure out how to endure the fallout.
The WRAL story has sources that talk about favoritism for some of Belichick’s players over the UNC leftovers by a staff already tinged with nepotism. That Steve and Brian Belichick are current assistant coaches makes it even more complicated.
Some alumni, fans and donors would be furious, but the university has to make a hard decision on what is best for its future. Belichick may be able to schmooze the upper crust, but so far he looks like a bad fit for an athletic department whose foundation is family, communication and on-field excellence.
If a move is made, there will be plenty of blame to go around and more of it is on South Building than a future Hall of Fame coach who was hired so quickly by a group without a true football mind present to ask the right questions.
UNC apparently has the money to invest $30 million on a new football coach, so if it’s for the greater good they will surely negotiate or come up with enough for a buyout that could be as much as $20 million. Would this actually be worth it five games in?
If UNC went ahead, with another bye week before the October 17th game at Cal, this would be the best time to do it. If so, the first call for help should go to Jeff Saturday, the beloved alumnus who served as an interim coach for his former NFL Colts team.
It would bring all of the national media about Belichick to a crescendo, but then UNC would not be in the news every day for the next year as it tries to move forward.
Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
