Trainwrecks at UNCCH and MIZZOU… Am I “Alumni Zero”?

Trainwreck
BobLee
August30/ 2017

Am I Alumni Zero?… Trainwrecks at UNCCH versus MIZZOU

Two prominent state public universities have endured (are enduring) very high-profile “institutional trainwrecks” over the past five years – UNCCH of course and Univ of Missouri (i.e. MIZZOU… pronounced “Ms-Zoo”).

Yours truly matriculated at these two prominent public universities. Begging the question:

Am I “Alumni Zero”. Am I “the common factor” that infected both once-proud institutions… leading to their current plights?

Until forensic historians can complete their analysis of both institutional trainwrecks, I am a person-of-interest.

Yet another paragraph in my ever-lengthening eulogy.

…and, of course, who among us here today will ever forget that, thru the sheer dynamic of simply “being there” a few years, BobLee is credited with undermining the foundations of not one, but two, once-proud academic institutions… and, there was his classic response whenever he was approached on that subject – “aw shucks, I just seen my duty and I done it “

I appreciate that some of you reading this live inside a snow globe that only extends about 20 miles in diameter from the intersection of I-40 and Miami Boulevard. While an easily manageable universe it does limit one’s conversational perspective.

Here is a very recent article about “what happened at MIZZOU” two years ago. MIZZOU’s train wreck is, arguably, of even greater overall societal significance than “The Greatest Eligibility Scandal in NCAA History”. Not to belittle our beloved TGU.

MIZZOU’s Epic Institutional Trainwreck. – LINK

NOTE:  Apology that some of this article is behind the WSJ paywall.  But the gist of it is available.

Comparison of “trainwrecks” must begin with comparing the two institutions.

UNCCH is the quintessential “Southern Ivy”… an over-the-top, in-yo-face, bastion of everything repulsive about “a Liberal Arts UNC Old Wellinstitution”. Albeit… in a pretty setting amid lofty pine trees, dogwoods and azaleas.

It was not always so. It was not when we left our respective marks on each other multi-decades ago. It was a LibArts institution then too, of course, but had not over-developed all the repulsive aspects of being one… at the expense of developing truly admirable qualities.

Imagine a body-builder who only does 100s of bicep curls each day for thirty years. While he is proud of his huge arms… he “looks funny” and is “the source of scorn and ridicule” by all who know him.   Feel free to use that incredible analogy.   Really, it is incredibly applicable.

In its original intent in ancient Greece, a liberal arts education is a wonderful, life enhancing concept. It exposes young minds to all sorts of “just good cool stuff” learned just for the sake of knowing (and possibly one day appearing on Jeopardy). It is the ideal complement to developing marketable “make a living” skills. … But, alas, it got bastardized by pointy-headed lunatics who hated PE in Jr Hi… sigh.

One particularly repulsive aspect is that LibArts advocates ridicule all institutions not as singularly repulsive as they are… in particular those of the STEM/Agri persuasion… such as NCSU for example.

STEM schools, as a rule, rigorously prepare students to make meaningful contributions to society and reap the personal benefits of those contributions.  LibArts schools are shifting their emphasis more and more to producing constipated “mob fodder”.

MIZZOU is among a handful of institutions that COMBINE LibArts and STEM/Agri disciplines on the same campus. LibArts pinheads and redneck farmers and engineer wanna-bes occupy the same space. YIKES! Columns

Both schools have about the same % of Greek social influence.  Prior to the hostile take-over two years, MIZZOU had a more equitable gender ratio at least as involves the two primary genders.  UNCCH is, of course, becoming less and less “friendly” towards white, heterosexual males.  Where that leads should be “interesting” to follow.

Imagine putting NCSU / UNC faculty and student bodies inside the same campus bubble ??? In my 20+ years at/visiting MIZZOU I don’t recall any hostility / animosity between the various disciplines on any level.

The group that created MIZZOU’s train wreck two years ago did NOT come from the STEM/Agri faction… but rather from the LibArts side.

MIZZOU signature “school” was, for 100 years, it’s highly acclaimed J-School. It was “the first such” in America. That, alas, is now like bragging about we once made the very finest buggy whips. OUCH!

MIZZOU’s nearness (120 miles) to “Ferguson” was a definite factor in the AfAm anarchists’ successful overthrow of the administration. That and both the campus Chancellor and system Prez at the time were incredibly weak “leaders”. They “caved” in the first 24 hours.

The Missouri state legislature was as dysfunctional as all state legislatures are regardless of “majority”. When “fit hits the shan” all politicians crawl under their desks and into a fetal position… sticking their finger into the wind to see which direction it is blowing while calling their “campaign consultants” for what to do.  Meanwhile CHAOS reigns…

Missouri has a four-campus “system” versus UNC’s 17 campuses.

I attended both schools in my early 20s. Comparing the two institutions was easy on a superficial level. UNCCH was nowhere near as radical-left as it has become in just the past 15-20 years.

MIZZOU had far superior Football… UNCCH far superior Basketball. Both are in “college towns” where the school is the 500 lb gorilla that runs the economy and “Students Rule”.

I still have lifelong “friends” from UNCCH due in large part to being “back here” for 30 years. Had I opted to stay in the Midwest, my MIZZOU friends would dominate my adult Rolodex.

Does MIZZOU “cheat” in FB and MBB? ABSOLUTELY! They are now in the SEC for heaven’s sakes. Their latest MBB coach will have them in the NCAA’s crosshairs within two years max.

Their FB program under Gary Pinkel had LOTS AND LOTS of ongoing “character issues”.  LOTS!  And they had Michael Sam too. Sam was “gay” but not a thug.   Many of his teammates were very “thuggy”.   Pinkel’s discipline strategy was “hey guys, just try not to get caught. OK?” OUCH! His successor is a young assistant who has no clue.

They’ve had three ADs in the past four years. None of whom were named “Little Dickie”.

###

It might be argued successfully that my insatiable search for entertaining “column fodder” for this website is the root cause of countless socio-cultural trainwrecks over the past 18+ years.

Duke Lacrosse… John & Rielle… TGU… MIZZOU MESS… Obama… Trump… ESPN Embrace Debate… “Bully” Barber’s “80,000 maybe more”… “Queen Mary” Easley… “TrainWreck Fennebresque”… Young Marvin’s Tweet… TA’s knee… Roy “going Roy”… HB2… 9/11…

DAMN. That’s quite a list. Huh?

My only response would be as my eulogist’s notes…

“aw shucks… I just seen my duty and I done it.”

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FWIW…. AgentPierce’s EXPOSE on Kinston’s Global TransPark continues to draw attention with over 100 Reader Comments.  It is approaching the mythical “Did Carolina Marry A Stripper” viewer #s.  LINK

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