<p>jonri – I will rephrase a sentence in order not to cloud the issue with a focus on the Ivy League. My intention was not to call out that conference (I have nothing but respect for the academic excellence of those universities) but rather to say that problems are pervasive in college football. Besides, if I were inclined to take a jab at any school, it would be Duke (and warblersrule and SomeOldGuy are two of my favorite posters), but I will be the first to say that, as far as anyone can tell, Duke’s football coach is a decent, good man who runs a very clean football program.</p>
<p>So, here is a rephrased sentence: From the horrors at Penn State to schools that have players admitted as academic exceptions to play football and who are given grades that they do not deserve so that they can continue doing so, NCAA football is a morass of ethical problems.</p>
<p>mini – UNC is an outstanding academic institution. The atmosphere on campus is intellectual and energetic. Many, if not most, of the very brightest students from all over North Carolina aspire to go either to UNC or, for engineering, NC State. I have known students who turned down HYPS schools to come to UNC (often Moreheads), and those students are highly motivated to succeed and did not choose UNC so they could party.</p>
<p>Yes, UNC is a big sports school. The alcohol problems are no better and no worse than at most other colleges – and we know that alcohol problems are pervasive in nearly all types of colleges and universities, from the top to the bottom. My family and I are all nondrinkers who do not care for college drinking culture at all, so I am no defender of that. I would not pay for a child to go to a school to “work hard and play hard”. However, I would pay for a child to get a fine education, and UNC provides that.</p>
<p>Even the brightest, otherwise most healthy person can get cancer, and that is how I see the football scandal. It is like a malignancy that needs to be removed – now. It’s not at Stage 4 yet, but it doesn’t need to go there. While I will defend UNC’s overall academic reputation, I will not and never will defend UNC on this point. As I said before, I would at least suspend the football program, if not do away with it entirely.</p>
<p>I have extensive connections with both UNC students and alumni, and I assure you that there is a lot of outrage over the football situation. Admittedly, many of these people are not football fans anyway. Will football fans stop attending games? I wish they would, and I know some people who have stopped buying tickets. However, there are plenty of fans (many who are not students or alumni) who would gladly fill their seats. I think of Penn State. What a horrible situation that outraged every Penn State fan with a soul. Did they all stop attending football games? Has the stadium been empty yet? For that matter, how many people would gladly vote for a law to prevent paparazzi hounding of celebrities yet would click on an Internet link to see a picture (taken by, who else?, the paparazzi) of Angelina Jolie with one of her children? Does that indicate a lack of outrage, hypocrisy, or just plain human nature?</p>