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Tez Walker may be the most famous UNC football player who never plays for the Tar Heels.

The university came out with a three-gun blast at the NCAA for denying Walker’s appeal to play this season, to the point where Walker has no choice but to get a lawyer and go to court to try to get his eligibility back.

Head coach Mack Brown was the first to react, releasing a 442-word statement ripping the NCAA for its decision that ended with “Shame on you, NCAA. SHAME ON YOU!”

Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham followed eight minutes later saying the NCAA had “eight different occasions” to do the right thing by Walker, whose appeal was denied even though he could not be a two-time transfer if he only played for one school prior to coming to Chapel Hill. Bubba used only 283 words but six bullet points outlining Walker’s plight.

Then Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz chimed in an hour later, using only 75 words to make the official objection, offering “there is a time when organizations need to be flexible enough to do the right thing in unique circumstances to best serve the welfare of the people they serve.”

The decision by the so-called NCAA independent “appeals committee” will only get worse when the wild-west elements of the media get a hold of it. Imagine Charles Barkley, the self-proclaimed critic of all things sports on all levels, sounding off on this whenever someone sticks a microphone in his mug.

Hundreds, maybe thousands, of fans will be wearing Tez’s No. 9 jersey at the Appalachian State game Saturday, when the Mounties have ZERO chance against a fired up and superior opponent in its home opener.

Walker is already a second rounder on an NFL mock draft board, so whether or not he ever dons a Carolina uni is likely to get drafted next February. It won’t be a sentimental pick either because pro scouts can still see him practice. And Carolina’s loss will be some NFL team’s gain.

The transfer toothpaste may be out of the oversized tube these days, but Walker will become the poster child for how screwed up is the NCAA, which lost its last chance to make a first impression with this decision.

How about this for an example? JT Daniels, who is in his sixth college season, is now the Rice quarterback after transferring from Southern Cal, Georgia and West Virginia.

Sure, the “new” NCAA wants to get it right, but started by getting it wrong. Way wrong.

 

Featured image via The News & Observer

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