March 19, 2025
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Oh come on … You knew I’d have to comment on MY FRIEND “BUBBA Cunningham” and his latest latest Global Headline grab.
I have been abundantly clear on numerous occasions that Bubba is a personal friend of mine …. and remains so thru just about anything he might do …. OK, short of telling me he voted for Kackles and “Tampon Timmy”. There ARE limits.
NOTE: I have no clue who Bubba voted for … just using that as the ultimate sin. I have two lifelong friends who DID vote for Kackles and Timmy …. I don’t need a third.
Our friendship began at his introductory press conference / reception 10+ years ago at, as I recall, Top Of The Hill on fabled Franklin Street. A sorta kinda mutual friend was the original connection. We have maintained a sporadic on-line relationship with 4-5 Bubba / BobLee lunch meetings sprinkled over the decade.
We did NOT communicate directly during his recent knock-down, drag-out, no-holds-bared bar fight with the UNC BOT … AKA “Johnny Preyer’s Gang of Silverspoons” – The Belichick Thing. But I did receive an encrypted message that he (Bubba) enjoyed my several commentaries on that Affaire de Ridiculum.
Likewise, we have not communicated directly on this most recent BUBBA DID WHAT that has established Mr and Mrs Cunningham’s son as THE Most Infamous “Bubba” in the history of Intercollegiate Basketball.
I did send him the following – also encrypted – e-message several days ago.
BC: Q: What do Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Bubba Cunningham have in common? …… A: All three have had one Helluva first three months of 2025. And all three WILL ultimately prevail.
Hang in there, my friend.
BobLee
One final proof of my bona fides as a solid friend of Bubba’s for all those bloodthirsty, goggle-eyed, spittle–spewing board monkeys, pundits, pundit wanna-bees and Governors of West Virginia who had never heard of “Bubba Cunningham” two weeks ago….
How come a grown man who wears an Alexander Julian suit and does not drive a pick-up truck goes by “Bubba”? His for-real name is Richard Cunningham … and “Richie” Cunningham would be as much of a burden to bear as “Bubba” … almost.
OK … having established that WHATEVER Bubba did or did not do relative to Team Hubert being the final team to make this year’s March Madness … I stand by my friend.
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I have no idea what went on in The Selection Room that fateful Sunday … or in the hallway outside the meeting room … or in conversations before / after the selections … or how many, if any, of the committee knew Bubba had an incentive bonus clause in his contract involving UNC Mens Basketball … or how many other Power4 ADs have similar clauses. “Most” if not all, I betcha.
Did “the bonus clause” have ANYTHING to do with UNC’s being selected? I GUARANTEE You it DID NOT. Bubba makes a salary of $1.2M totally consistent with other Power4 ADs in 2025 … he is a man of modest life style … who exhibits zero interest in lavishness.
Bubba has turned down AT LEAST two Power4 AD gigs in the past three years that offered 30-50% salary increases … to stay at UNC.
If $$$ was a factor in Bubba’s decision-making, he would already be long gone from Chapel Hill.
When the “bonus clause” hit the internet, I suspect it was the first he had thought about it. Bubba is NOT a man prone to profanity at all … but I suspect an “Awww s***” might have crossed his mind knowing that it was not going to play well in the court of public opinion. It hasn’t.
T’was a cruel twist of Fate that had Bubba as Chairman of the Selection Committee in the one year that UNC would be a “bubble team”. There is a process in place to be “Chairman” that had Bubba in place for this year several years ago. Next year’s Chairman is already known.
Raise your hand if you know how much “influence” the Selection Commmittee Chairman actually has over the selections by a group of 12 of his peers. Does he count the votes in secret? … Does he threaten his peers if they don’t vote “his way”? …. Does he not allow them restrooms breaks until he gets “his way” …. ??? …. Did Bubba campaign – subtly or aggressively – for UNC’s inclusion in ANY way, shape, form or fashion? …………. And you know all this, how?
I suppose I must insert here that 99.999% of the clueless nimrods and dimwits that have castigated Bubba don’t know “jack-**** about the NCAA selection process. That includes pretty much all of those 8,000,000,000 Chinese we always poll on such matters. How does one pronounce “F U Bubba” in Mandarin?
Did Bubba realize as soon as UNC was announced as the final team …. that he was from that moment on THE Most Infamous “Bubba” in the history of Intercollegiate Basketball. It likely crossed his mind. It certainly crossed MY mind … but I am an expert on the certified INSANITY of sports fans.
Bubba’s friend NC State’s AD Boo Corrigan was one man who could truly “feel his pain”. Boo was chair of the CFP committee that supposedly “screwed Florida State” two years agho,
Did Mrs Bubba and their children realize their lives would be forever changed in that moment? Assuming he has other loyal friends besides me, did they realize it.
Did former Notre Dame AD – and Bubba’s mentor – Jack Swarbrick think “Oh Bubba … you just turned loose the Hounds of Hate!”
When it comes to convoluted conspiracy theories and “get a rope” on-line lynch mobs … No sub-faction of the human species can match “sports fans”. Just ask NFL refs and Taylor Swift and Florida State football fans two years ago.
Trump/Elon Derangement Syndrome (TEDS) sickos come darn close.
I understand why the fans of “the other bubble teams” – Indiana. West Virginia, et al are disappointed … and angry. Personally, I would have had no problem whatsoever if one of them had been selected instead of UNCCH.
There was no “defining reason” that ANYONE can state that proves UNC was more deserving than the 4-5 spurned teams that have posted a bounty on Bubba’s head.
When one is told “you have cancer” and then goes thru a year of “chemo” … who does / does not get selected for a freakin’ basketball tournament does not register on ANY list … short or long. Other than knowing how it would affect a friend of mine.
Is it just me but had you ever heard the term “Quad 1” six months ago. Who makes up these names ???
If the UNC player – “Davis” is the only UNC player I can name. It wasn’t him – that committed “the lane violation” versus Duke” had not done so and UNC HAD managed to beat Duke … UNC’s selection would have had enough semi-sorta justification to keep “Bubba” from being being March Madness’ version of Pontius Pilate. ….. a pivotal figure in a Can’t Win Decision that has little ol’ grandmas cussin’ his name.
If Duke had maintained its halftime blowout of UNC in the ACCT instead of it becoming a nailbiter … I betcha UNC does NOT make the cut.
Like others of life’s kidney stones… this too will pass. What will the future hold for my friend? I don’t know …
The job tenure of School Superintendents, City Managers, Baptist preachers, Football “coordinators” … and major college ADs is tenuous … and has a “time to move on”. Bubba’s 10+ years at UNC exceeds the average.
I’m still on record that Bubba should be Commissioner of the PGA Tour.
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The Best of BobLee ……. Go Here
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