November 23, 2025
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” These boys will be on this campus 3-4 years. That will be their last contact with formal “education”. I just want them to be able to READ above a 5th grade level when they leave.”
– Mary “Whistleblower” Willingham
For that Mary was harrassed and run out of Chapel Hill. Mary now operates a basic reading clinic for underprivileged children in South Chicago.
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I haven’t spoken with Mary in a number of years. I wonder how she would equate a 19 y/o boy owning a $200,000 sports car to a 35 y/o man who can’t read?
For all of you born before 1970 or so … do you recall that BMOC Super-Jock in your high school getting “a scholarship” to play Football at a well-known University? How excited and proud everyone was for him … and the reflected glory he would surely bring to your town?
He might have been an all-around “good kid” – solid B student (or even National Honor Society) – OR maybe he got “social promotions” and “Coach” pressured teachers to “keep him eligible” for Friday nights. Some of both kind probably.
That the latter received “a SCHOLARship” might have generated a few snickers and wise cracks from classmates who knew he might be lots of things but “scholar” was not one of’em.
NOTE: My high school BB coach was the legendary Paul Jones – over 650 Wins and in the NC Sports Hall of Fame – … over his 35+ years as a highly successful high school coach he was often asked “Why don’t you coach “college”? His alma mater – ECU – would likely have hired him in a minute. He was a 40 y/o John Wooden.
In my trips back home, I took time to drop by to chat with “Coach”. We always enjoyed a laugh at his answer to that question.
Of the many players he coached that played college ball … one was NC State’s legendary, and late, Charles “Amphibious” Shackleford. Jimmy V recruited and signed Charles and he played well for State in the mid 80s along with Chris “475” Washburn. ….
“Charles was the DUMBEST kid I ever coached … not a “bad kid” but dumber than a box of rocks. That he got a “SCHOLARSHIP” to college convinced me that was a world I wanted no part of …”
______A friend of mine was on the Admissions Committee at UNC about the same time (mid 80s) as “Shack” played for State. The committee would review applicants to UNCCH who had “marginal” academic resumes.
He recalls a particular candidate – Kevin Madden – whose woeful application received a universal “Thumbs Down” from the board … until the Chairman added “Coach Smith REALLY wants this kid” …. and all thumbs flipped UP … except my friend’s who soon resigned from the board.
I relate those anecdotes to illustrate that the current tsunamic CHAOS in College Sports is not disspoiling a virgin system that was “purer than the driven snow”. Not by a looooong shot.
“Back in the day” getting a “full college scholarship” for one’s athletic prowess was a way for many boys to get a college education that otherwise their family could not have afforded. It was “a barter” involving “representing the school in sports” in exchange for a college education that would be a vital stepping stone to “success” in one’s adult life. “Playing professional sports” was an outside possibility but not a realistic one for 99% of college athletes.
It was also necessary that college athletes maintain an established GPA to be “eligible” to play their sports. Yes, there was some “finagling” that saw Ds magically become C- to stay eligible …. and nubile coeds writing term papers for athletes. And Yes … there were “$100 handshakes” and “loaner cars” and assorted other skullduggeries “back then”. And YES – Your School was guilty too!
ASIDE: A dear dear High School friend of mine for 60+ years was an outstanding basketball player -leading us to back-to-back state championships; but, admittedly a C student. He went to prep school to get his grades up where he was “Pistol Pete’s wingman”. Yes, that “Pistol Pete”. He earned a “basketball scholarship” to The Citadel … from there to the Army … retiring 35 years later as a full Colonel. Now he and his awesome wife live on a golf course from where he continues to be “a hail fellow well met” and a special friend. to all who know him. ……… That old system DID work.
At some point around the 70s, some anonymous Junior Assistant Provost at SomePlace A&M decided to change “scholarship to “grant-in-aid”. To this day no one has a clue what that means … but it was better than using the word “scholar” in any relation to the decidedly non-scholarly recipients.
WARNING: The following comments are likely to rankle a few folks … but I stand by them.
Also during the early / mid 70s college coaches noticed that black athletes – for whatever reason – demonstrated more athletic prowess in both Football and Basketball than their white classmates / teammates and were therefore more prized in recruiting.
Ergo my landmark commentary – Gladiators versus Spectators – began to manifest itself. Teams primarily composed of black athletes performing before audiences of primarily white alumni and fans.
For whatever reasons, black athletes as a whole proved to be even less-“scholarly” than their white teammates. Was this “genetic” OR a “failing of the public education system” across America to emphasize mastery of basic ‘readin’ writin’ rithmetic skills instead of “social promotions” for black students without such life skills ???
OK, BobLee … BUT WTH does all this have to do with Lamborghinis versus Diplomas?
When is the last time you heard a College Football Coach use the term “student athlete” – OR – read that XYZ player would be ineligible for The Big Game due to “academic issues” – OR – that XYZ 5-star recruit might not meet the rigid academic requirements to matriculate at AintWeSpecial Tech? … GULP!
If you are honest, its been too long for you to remember. Before the initials N-I-L and the term “The Portal” entered the sports lexicon … not with a wimper but with a BANG!
I periodically joke about UNC’s recruiting of Marvin Austin by “Black Santa” John Blake … imagining Marvin over lunch with the Dean of Kenan Flagler Business School regarding the academic path for Marv to become a Fortune 500 CEO some day. Wonder whatever became of Ol’ Marv ???
If Marv was not enticed to play for UNC (and “The Butcher”) by UNC’s extensive academic curriculae back in 2007 … do you honestly believe “the Marvins of 2025” give a damn about ANYTHING “academical” in Chapel Hill?
Does Bill Belichick (and/or JordOn) give a damn about anything “academical” in Chapel Hill? Coach Belichick was asked this week about the proliferation of speeding and reckless driving by his players around Chapel Hill. We’re talking “100 mph in a 45” level speeding.
He replied, borrowing a Kirby Smart line when Kirby is asked the same concern … “We tell’em not to do that ……” From a nearby cemetery, a caretaker swears he heard Kindly Ol’ Bill Friday weeping.
Forget Chapel Hill … does Lane Kiffen care about the “academics” at Ol’ Miss? …. Did Brian Kelly even know how to spell LSU? … Does Mike Elko know what A & M stands for? Do they care?
Folks … any 18-19-20 y/o being coerced / lured to a Power4 School cares more about how far it is to the nearest Exotic Car dealership than where “the school’s library” is or if there is one.
Those 6 (and 7) figure NIL deals do get “hot rides” and assorted bling to impress those impressed by bling … but for the 97% that do not “go to The League” those “toys” will be gone by their mid-20s or thereabouts … and they will face the next 50 years of “Life” with 5th grade reading comprehension … and bad knees.
Who is to blame … the coaches? … the players? … the NCAA? … ESPN? … Dr Pepper? … the board monkeys demanding their sleeping giant to wake up … ???????
Until Next Time ….
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