Oh Jay Bilas... come on now... have some integrity.

[Lord Ash]

What on earth...

http://chapelboro.com/news/unc/jay-b...-roy-williams/

Okay... I just don't understand. Does Jay REALLY think that the head coach of one of the biggest and most valuable programs in the nation doesn't know that his players are benefiting from a huge and corrupt system? Does he REALLY think they were all just AFAM majors by accident, and that they were going from Fs to As instantly? Does he REALLY believe Roy when Roy says he isn't in the classroom so he doesn't REALLY know, but nothing happened? Does he REALLY believe that all those players sitting behind Roy who won't talk on camera and who won the 2005 title after taking something like 52 fake classes were on the up-and-up and Roy didn't know? The same Roy who brought over Wayne Walden, who Roy said was essential to his program and who suddenly disappeared off the map once it seemed the gig might be up?

I am a bit stunned that Jay Bilas would say this when no one with an ounce of intelligence would possibly believe that somehow this work of rogue chancellors and agents and athletes and athletic directors and tutors and department chairs somehow went unknown the head coach of the team, who is the final authority of that team short of the AD.

I am a big Jay fan, but holy cow, at this point I am stunned at what seems to be a real lack of integrity in his willingness to swallow this nonsense, and his apparent unwillingness, as a sports reporter, to look into the issue at all.

Blech.

[Duvall]

I am a big Jay fan, but holy cow, at this point I am stunned at what seems to be a real lack of integrity in his willingness to swallow this nonsense, and his apparent unwillingness, as a sports reporter, to look into the issue at all.

Bilas isn't a sports reporter, he's a sports personality. His job is not to uncover news stories, it's to promote the brands that make up ESPN's programming. Expecting him to look into an issue would be like expecting one of his costumed Disney co-workers to talk to visitors about the working conditions at Disneyland.

[Lord Ash]

Hm. Okay, I suppose I always thought of him as a reporter. I guess as a "talking head" it is less likely he'll be honest.

Just blows me away. I would hope that someone who played for K would be a big believer in honesty and things being done the right way. It is clear that is not what happened at UNC, and the idea that the head coach, who is like a god when it comes to programs, would be ignorant of an athletic/academic scheme that permeated every level of the organization (including into the very building Roy's office is in) is just mindblowing.

*sigh*

[BigWayne]

August 2012:

“No question about it,’’ Williams told “The Drive.” “Our track record is pretty doggone good. And our track record has been pretty doggone good for 15 years at Kansas, nine years at North Carolina. And we know how much we emphasize the academic side in the basketball office. We know what our guys are majoring in. We know -- every day we’re in touch with those kids. So it’s something, again, that I’m very proud of.

http://espn.go.com/blog/north-caroli...y-afam-scandal

So which is it Roy? You track them every day or you are totally in the dark?

[cato]

Jay Bilas is also a human being, and a member of a very select fraternity. He probably honestly admires Roy Williams, and thinks less highly of McCants. Many people in that situation tend to give the benefit of the doubt to their well-respected buddy instead of the possibly disgruntled outsider.

That said, I'm disappointed that Jay isn't being a little more skeptical of the UNC stuff after all of his talk about schools exploiting players. He doesn't have to bury UNC, but why add his voice/personality to support Roy when he doesn't know any better what happened than you or I?

[OldPhiKap]

Jay is a smart guy and is entitled to his opinion. No reason to hate on him for that.

And again, the issue of whether Roy knew or not is secondary. Did someone, anyone switch the timing of Rashad's classes? If so, he was academically ineligible and the games won thereafter (including the NC) should be vacated. Alternatively, if no one did this and Rashad is wrong, it's the end of the story.

The key here is a very focused inquiry, and one that is provably true or false.

[Edouble]

Jay Bilas is a Duke guy.

Any whistle-blowing he does with regard to UNC will not be taken seriously.

I don't think that if he shows skepticism, or if he asks the players backing up Roy to show their transcripts that the masses will follow and up the pressure. In fact, I think people would just see it as a Duke guy taking a cut at the UNC program. It would probably just be another ingredient to throw into the pot of distractions that UNC has been cooking up.

[johnb]

Jay Bilas is also a human being, and a member of a very select fraternity. He probably honestly admires Roy Williams, and thinks less highly of McCants. Many people in that situation tend to give the benefit of the doubt to their well-respected buddy instead of the possibly disgruntled outsider.

That said, I'm disappointed that Jay isn't being a little more skeptical of the UNC stuff after all of his talk about schools exploiting players. He doesn't have to bury UNC, but why add his voice/personality to support Roy when he doesn't know any better what happened than you or I?

If McCants was essentially gone for that spring semester after having decided to to go pro, then how did he make 4 A's? It boggles the mind that any bright observer wouldn't think something wasn't going on--and that the coaching staff had to know.

I think you have it right that Jay is a member of a select fraternity--and has been since the late 1970's when he was being identified as an elite player. He has always seemed likable and is obviously sharp, but on this issue, he seems to have a blindspot. And perhaps that blindspot relates to the extent to which elite athletes are afforded all sorts of privileges that aren't even on the horizon for the rest of us. Perhaps it's the price we pay for having the NCAA function as a semi-pro farm system, but it does remind me that dozens of Duke-related players and coaches have banked millions of dollars and have gotten many perks for being elite athletes. And Jay is one of the more visible examples.

[lotusland]

Jay is a smart guy and is entitled to his opinion. No reason to hate on him for that.

And again, the issue of whether Roy knew or not is secondary. Did someone, anyone switch the timing of Rashad's classes? If so, he was academically ineligible and the games won thereafter (including the NC) should be vacated. Alternatively, if no one did this and Rashad is wrong, it's the end of the story.

The key here is a very focused inquiry, and one that is provably true or false.

Yes Jay is a smart guy entitled to his opinion. No one expects him to be a total Duke homer but he just tries a little to hard. IC is full of praise for Jay and he get's much kudos on Cat's pause too. It seems if you are a UK or Tar Heel fan every media personality other than Jay Bilas is jealously conspiring to take down your program. Fortunately Jay is always there to provide the real truth about those 2 hallowed programs.

Sorry but if UK fans consider you the paragon of truth and impartiality you're just trying to hard not to be a Dukie.

[Henderson]

And again, the issue of whether Roy knew or not is secondary.

Secondary yes. But still important. UNC's institutional integrity is at stake with possible NCAA action (ha ha), but Roy's personal situation is under scrutiny too. Roy could go down, and/or the university could be sanctioned. Either would sit well with me, and I'm hoping for both.

Jay's entitled to his opinion regarding his friend's truthfulness. OK, great Jay. But as cato pointed out, he doesn't know more than any of us do, so what is that opinion worth? More in the public eye, because he's Jay Bilas. And he knows that. That bugs me.

Jay (whom I like a lot as a basketball commentator) may be wiping some egg off his face later, muttering about the importance of standing up for friends.

I know he's a "commentator" and not a "reporter" so the guidelines regarding objectivity are a little different. But can you imagine the hubbub if he had come out saying, "I don't believe Roy"? People would be attacking his journalistic integrity, not championing his right to his opinion.

[johnb]

S... But can you imagine the hubbub if he had come out saying, "I don't believe Roy"? People would be attacking his journalistic integrity, not championing his right to his opinion.

I'm sure Bilas knows of plenty of coaches who are problematic, and--like all the rest of the sports personalities--he is quite discrete. If Jay didn't believe Roy, he'd keep his opinion to himself.

Saying he DOES believe Roy may just mean, "Roy's my friend, and he has never lied to me, and I back my friends." Given the stakes (compromised educations and institutional lack of control) and the almost impossible contortion of logic for Roy to truly not have seen what was going on, it makes me think Jay messed up. Not so much in regards to tactics but in regards to understanding what should be going into the role of the coaching staff and university administration. And maybe that's a philosophical difference: Jay is a professional/rich athlete, and we're not.

And I again focus on the adults. Yeah, sure, guys like McCants know they're doing something wrong, but they entered the university basically unable to do the work. Sure, a small fraction of guys (athletes or not) are able to step up and overcome such obstacles, but it's not much different from inserting the average Duke humanities major into a med-level physical chemistry class at Caltech while working and traveling as part of a near-professional sports team. And failure isn't just inconvenient but humiliating and a slap at your team which needs your skills. Under those circumstances, a few laughably easy courses would be a nice break from a schedule of classes that might be hard to pass even without the sports responsibilities. I say this, again, not to completely excuse guys like McCants, but I don't think it's as straightforward as their wanting to laze around.

[arnie]

If McCants was essentially gone for that spring semester after having decided to to go pro, then how did he make 4 A's? It boggles the mind that any bright observer wouldn't think something wasn't going on--and that the coaching staff had to know.

I think you have it right that Jay is a member of a select fraternity--and has been since the late 1970's when he was being identified as an elite player. He has always seemed likable and is obviously sharp, but on this issue, he seems to have a blindspot. And perhaps that blindspot relates to the extent to which elite athletes are afforded all sorts of privileges that aren't even on the horizon for the rest of us. Perhaps it's the price we pay for having the NCAA function as a semi-pro farm system, but it does remind me that dozens of Duke-related players and coaches have banked millions of dollars and have gotten many perks for being elite athletes. And Jay is one of the more visible examples.

Great summation. Jay is all about paying athletes and NCAA corruption- all else must be trivial to him.

[Duke79UNLV77]

I generally like Bilas and recognize him as smart, though at times too impressed with himself and in love with his own arguments. Obviously, he has had a personal relationship with Ole Roy for a long time and probably wants to believe Roy, and may see a potential common enemy in the NCAA. But, Art Chansky couldn't have done a softer puff piece. A journalist would at least have asked some real questions like:

McCants' transcript shows that in 2004 and 2005 he had a 3.8 GPA in 9 AFAM/SWAH classes and a 0.5 GPA in 4 other classes. Did that not seem odd?

Julius Peppers' transcript looked very similar. Did that not seem odd?

Nine players on the 05 team majored in AFAM. Did you notice that? Do you notice any similar general pattern in their transcripts?

UNC has found X number of fraudulent classes in the AFAM department. Did you notice that your players were enrolled in a large number of classes that never met?

You've said before that you know what your players are majoring in, if they're going to class, and what their grades are. Is that accurate or not? If yes, how did you not notice and what did you do about it? If no, do you not care and isn't that part of your job?

Sean May has said he switched majors so he would not have to go to class as much. Did you discuss that with him?

Emails show the academic support for athletes directly asked the AFAM department head to add classes and expressed frustration when some fraternity members learned of the classes availability. Did you have any knowledge of that?

Why do you think your APR score has declined significantly since the AFAM department has changed? If Hairston hadn't finished the semester before being banned, couldn't UNC be on academic probation? Did you need Graves to come back? What did he pay to live in your house, and what did he do to be paid by the athletic department?

Car rental and parking ticket records show that P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald drove a series of rental cars that he parked at the UNC athletic facilities. Did you never notice that?

When you were at Kansas, DeShawn Stevenson traveled from California to North Carolina to re-take the SAT and his score improved by 700 points. Did you not find that odd?

Etc. Instead, not one leading question. He was like an attorney asking leading softball questions to his own client.

[Reilly]

Jay is nothing if not rational. You really think he's going to criticize a man who publicly expresses a desire to shoot those he does not like in the behind with a BB gun?

One minute you're sharing a good cry with the masseuse, and the next you're hunting behind, just another day in the life ...

[gumbomoop]

Without tag-quoting Duke79UNLV77's superb post #13 above ^, I think the title of that post -- "definitely not a journalist this time" -- is spot on.

Anyone -- whatever your view of JB's work as analyst, commentator, NCAA critic -- disagree with 79-77's post title? Anyone?

[DevilHorse]

JB is not detached from the UNC situation.

If I recall correctly, he spent several years sitting next to Hubert Davis at the ESPN studios. They hit it off on-screen pretty well.
I imagine that Jay could on one hand:

- consider getting inside information from Hubert, if he were to desire to be more of a reporter, but on the other hand,
- have an interest in not seeing his friend's job be emperiled by asking too many questions on things that will come out anyway

A lawyer might keep his microphone outside the "Police tape", ask the usual questions, and not use his best resources. I don't see Jay burning bridges, or applying much heat, to get to the heart of this story.

Larry
DevilHorse

[Faison1]

Without tag-quoting Duke79UNLV77's superb post #13 above ^, I think the title of that post -- "definitely not a journalist this time" -- is spot on.

Anyone -- whatever your view of JB's work as analyst, commentator, NCAA critic -- disagree with 79-77's post title? Anyone?

Without a doubt, Jay did this as a fan and a friend. Not as a serious journalist. 79-77's post is excellent, and I totally agree with everything he's written.

I'm not happy Jay pulled this stunt, but at the same time, I am going to assume Jay is putting friendship above everything else in this situation. That's the only way I can continue to respect him.

[Wander]

Great summation. Jay is all about paying athletes and NCAA corruption- all else must be trivial to him.

Yeah, the problem is this whole UNC mess doesn't neatly fit into his narrative about college athletes supposedly being treated unfairly. Maybe if the other UNC players hadn't come out in support of Roy, his take would be different.

This goes to the heart of the problem with ESPN - like cable news networks, they're attempting a troublesome blend of information with entertainment. Honestly, I think Jay's employment there detracts a lot from his messages regarding the NCAA and athletes. Bilas is a smart guy and a good basketball analyst, but that's not the same thing as being a good journalist, and we need to be skeptical of any journalism that comes from ESPN in general.

[Duvall]

Without tag-quoting Duke79UNLV77's superb post #13 above ^, I think the title of that post -- "definitely not a journalist this time" -- is spot on.

Anyone -- whatever your view of JB's work as analyst, commentator, NCAA critic -- disagree with 79-77's post title? Anyone?

Well, I disagree with the "this time." I don't think Bilas *ever* works as a journalist - he's an entertainer, reading copy to push the narratives and counter-narratives ESPN has selected for that day.

[alteran]

Great summation. Jay is all about paying athletes and NCAA corruption- all else must be trivial to him.

That's what so irritating about this. This is right in his wheelhouse.

Athletes are being exploited. The NCAA is burying and ignoring corruption. The big school is getting away with it.

Jay harangued the NCAA at length for something much less than what he's giving UNC a puff piece and cover for. Hell, UNC could actually face real consequences for what they've done with some actual journalism here.

Clearly Jay won't be doing that journalism. The only thing that surprises me is that I'm surprised.

I eagerly await Jay's next series of hard-hitting tweets over a t-shirt.