Another Casualty Of The UNC Football Scandal- Art Chansky Fired

[Newton_14]

This is bizarre. Long time Heel writer and supporter has been fired by Tar Heel Sports Properties, the company that own's and manages all multi-media for UNC. His sin? He wrote a lengthy email to Holden Thorpe outlining contingency plans he felt the University should take enlight of the Football Scandal to help restore their image.

Below is the link to the WRAL article. http://www.wralsportsfan.com/unc/story/8783527/

Here is the link to the email:
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/asset/colleges/unc/2010/12/15/8783603/chansky.pdf

[Duvall]

This is bizarre. Long time Heel writer and supporter has been fired by Tar Heel Sports Properties, the company that own's and manages all multi-media for UNC. His sin? He wrote a lengthy email to Holden Thorpe outlining contingency plans he felt the University should take enlight of the Football Scandal to help restore their image.

Below is the link to the WRAL article. I will post a link to the email as soon as I locate it. It has been released to the media
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/unc/story/8783527/

E-mail (http://dig.abclocal.go.com/wtvd/docs/chanskyemail_121510.pdf).

It's pretty crazy. Chansky proposes calling in the commissioner of the Big Ten to help UNC quietly line up a new coach.

[Newton_14]

E-mail (http://dig.abclocal.go.com/wtvd/docs/chanskyemail_121510.pdf).

It's pretty crazy. Chansky proposes calling in the commissioner of the Big Ten to help UNC quietly line up a new coach.

Him and Eddie Fogler who is a one man search team these days. "So that the AD or Prez can truly say they have not spoken with the prospective coach"

Still, they hung Chansky out to dry here. I guess he gets to take a seat beside Matt Doherty.

[Devilsfan]

Hey Art now you know what loyalty means to a heel or "you can have a rattle snake for a pet but some day you're going to get bit".

[77devil]

Chansky should have known better and used his personal email account, but hardly grounds for dismissal. This strikes me as a situation where the employer had other reasons for wanting to part ways and used the email as an opportunity to pull the trigger.

[jdj4duke]

Still, they hung Chansky out to dry here. I guess he gets to take a seat beside Matt Doherty.


Another fine example of the Carolina Way. They never forget one of their own little Stepford kids.

[DevilHorns]

If he would have sent this from a yahoo or gmail account would he have been fired? In other words, did his company fire him because he sent this email using their email stem?

[Newton_14]

If he would have sent this from a yahoo or gmail account would he have been fired? In other words, did his company fire him because he sent this email using their email stem?

That is supposedly the issue yes which is a crock. There has to be something else to this. I always thought the guy was like a worshiped hero over there 2nd only to Dean, but apparently not.

[OldPhiKap]

Another fine example of the Carolina Way.

You took the words right off of my keyboard.

What a sham.

[roywhite]

Beware of the buses in Chapel Hill.

Players and even writers get thrown under buses there.

[CameronBlue]

Art Chansky fired? Folks this is serious and the episode seems to confirm at least one presumption, that a severe schism has developed among the Carolina faithful between those that really do care about the University's reputation and those that only care about "success" on the football field. Carolina is fighting for its soul and for the moment, to borrow from Harry Potter, it looks like the Deatheaters are winning.

[CameronBornAndBred]

So much for the highest degree of confidentiality.

[CameronBornAndBred]

So much for the highest degree of confidentiality.
That was only after reading the first line. It's amazing how much of this email was written in private confidence that is now going to come back and bite Chansky. He might be a tarheel supporter, but it seems grossly unfair to him that this has been made public..he isn't going to be a popular figure amongst some friends tomorrow, through no real fault of his own. He was only trying to help them out, and now he'll be scapegoated for his efforts.

[-jk]

I don't have much sympathy for Chansky - regardless of how I've thought of him through the years.

He was a journalist for too long to not understand freedom of information requirements. There is no expectation of confidentiality in written communication with public officials, except in some narrowly defined areas. A private email account wouldn't have kept it confidential.

And pretty much every company who has thought about it has a policy that emails that originate from the company belong to the company, and there should be no expectation of privacy. Companies have a duty to protect their interests.

If Art had wanted to keep it confidential, he should have taken him to lunch.

-jk

[budwom]

I don't have much sympathy for Chansky - regardless of how I've thought of him through the years.

He was a journalist for too long to not understand freedom of information requirements. There is no expectation of confidentiality in written communication with public officials, except in some narrowly defined areas. A private email account wouldn't have kept it confidential.

And pretty much every company who has thought about it has a policy that emails that originate from the company belong to the company, and there should be no expectation of privacy. Companies have a duty to protect their interests.

If Art had wanted to keep it confidential, he should have taken him to lunch.

-jk

It couldn't have happened to a "nicer" guy. Au revoir.

[weezie]

Carolina is fighting for its soul...

It's what? Soul?

[devildeac]

It couldn't have happened to a "nicer" guy. Au revoir.

I was wondering if someone would express these sentiments...

http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/clap.gif

[sagegrouse]

I guess Chansky is a man of the written word, but this was clearly the subject of a phone call not an e-mail. And if Holden Thorp won't return his calls, then all the more reason not to write a letter.

sagegrouse
'Just think how the memo will look printed on the front page of the Washington Post -- old Pentagon saying'

[BD80]

Beware of the buses in Chapel Hill.

Players and even writers get thrown under buses there.

True dat!

I would think that GM, Ford and Toyota would be falling all over themselves trying to get the right to use the trademark "tar heel" for busses and other off road vehicles. Imagine the potential commercials, showing the tar heel brand bus running over body after body, even piles of bodies, with the voice over "Over one hundred years and still rolling, nothing slows these busses down." You could have ol' roy smiling for the camera as he walks down a line of players in carolina uniforms pushing each in front of the bus rolling along beside him - I envision choreography like an Esther Williams syncronized dive into the swimming pool - think of the nuns in the Inquisition scene in "History of the World Part II".

[CameronBornAndBred]

think of the nuns in the Inquisition scene in "History of the World Part II".
Just a quick note...there was only HOTW Part 1.
It was announced on April 1st of last year that he will finally be making a sequel. ;)
http://www.dorkgasm.com/node/863

[Duvall]

Art Chansky fired? Folks this is serious and the episode seems to confirm at least one presumption, that a severe schism has developed among the Carolina faithful between those that really do care about the University's reputation and those that only care about "success" on the football field. Carolina is fighting for its soul and for the moment, to borrow from Harry Potter, it looks like the Deatheaters are winning.

Not sure I would put it that way. It's more of a struggle between those that would seek to perpetuate the myth of UNC athletics as somehow purer than those of other schools, and those that would rather see UNC acknowledge that it has become just another big-time athletics factory, and have little use for bloviation about "the Carolina Way." Do we really want to see delusion win out over reality?

[devildeac]

True dat!

I would think that GM, Ford and Toyota would be falling all over themselves trying to get the right to use the trademark "tar heel" for busses and other off road vehicles. Imagine the potential commercials, showing the tar heel brand bus running over body after body, even piles of bodies, with the voice over "Over one hundred years and still rolling, nothing slows these busses down." You could have ol' roy smiling for the camera as he walks down a line of players in carolina uniforms pushing each in front of the bus rolling along beside him - I envision choreography like an Esther Williams syncronized dive into the swimming pool - think of the nuns in the Inquisition scene in "History of the World Part II".


Just a quick note...there was only HOTW Part 1.
It was announced on April 1st of last year that he will finally be making a sequel. ;)
http://www.dorkgasm.com/node/863

Or maybe even the Spanish Inquisition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uprjmoSMJ-o

[Indoor66]

It couldn't have happened to a "nicer" guy. Au revoir.

Chansky was a jerk with the Herald and Sun; a jerk with The Poop Sheet, and is still a jerk. He is receiving his just reward. That said, I have no strong feelings on the issue.

[Hectors Grease Fire]

I've known Art for close to 30 years. Every time I think I got him figured out, he throws in a new wrinkle. Reading his email, I'm not even sure whether it was inspired more about his concern for UNC's reputation or his desire to earn some fees for his fraternity brother/wedding best man.

I wish Art the best and have no doubt he will land on his feet.

[CameronBlue]

Not sure I would put it that way. It's more of a struggle between those that would seek to perpetuate the myth of UNC athletics as somehow purer than those of other schools, and those that would rather see UNC acknowledge that it has become just another big-time athletics factory, and have little use for bloviation about "the Carolina Way." Do we really want to see delusion win out over reality?

I’m not sure we’re arguing the same point, respective to divisions within the Carolina family anyway. No one who purports to speak for Carolina will admit that Carolina has succumbed to the “big-time athletics factory” mentality—yet. No one I’ve heard has fallen on that sword though certainly the perception exists externally.

As to Chansky I don’t think his logic is all that nuanced. However bombastic those that trumpet “the Carolina Way” are, inferring from his email, it’s a privilege the faithful takes from the school simply following the rules. He may not recognize the grandiloquence of the label but he does recognize there’s a risk to the school as a reputable public university when it’s caught cheating in athletics. Definitely don't want to see delusion win out over reality but we're talking about BCS athletics here, where success is frequently built on the talents of academic exceptions and where delusions abound, from the subtle to the grotesque.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Chansky was a jerk with the Herald and Sun; a jerk with The Poop Sheet, and is still a jerk. He is receiving his just reward. That said, I have no strong feelings on the issue.

Chansky is a jerk. PERIOD.

I thought he can canned because he had a public view which did not match his private view, and now that everyone knows, he has no credibility.

SoCal

[superdave]

I've known Art for close to 30 years. Every time I think I got him figured out, he throws in a new wrinkle. Reading his email, I'm not even sure whether it was inspired more about his concern for UNC's reputation or his desire to earn some fees for his fraternity brother/wedding best man.

I wish Art the best and have no doubt he will land on his feet.

I worked with Chansky a number of times about 10 years ago. He was nice enough to me and I thought he was pretty good at what he did. I get why Duke fans dont like him - he's a complete homer and NOT a journalist, at least not anymore. The guy sells ads for Tar hole radio/tv/print media and happens to write on the side. But he's no more of a jerk than a Duke homer is to Unc fans.

What he did was not wise, but given the community of insiders involved with UNC athletics this sort of email is not surprising and does not seem to be an offense worth firing someone over. I'd bet that's probably the tenth or twelfth "insider" who has approached Holden Thorpe in a similar fashion because there's little chance Chansky was the first or last to share this sentiment. Seems to indicate to me that Butch Davis' days are numbered and that Baddour may also be knee-capped over there.

[johnb]

One take-home message is the importance of back-room, fratboy politics in regards to hiring, which is specifically what African-American coaches complain about.

[Duvall]

I worked with Chansky a number of times about 10 years ago. He was nice enough to me and I thought he was pretty good at what he did. I get why Duke fans dont like him - he's a complete homer and NOT a journalist, at least not anymore. The guy sells ads for Tar hole radio/tv/print media and happens to write on the side. But he's no more of a jerk than a Duke homer is to Unc fans.

Not sure I agree. I still haven't forgiven him for arguing that Duke fans weren't culturally equipped to appreciate the natural expressiveness of Makhtar N'daiye.

[hq2]

That's kind of hard to believe. Art has been a die-hard Carolina booster for more than 40 years. I can't believe they'd treat him that shabbily. If so, the Carolina folks need to stop and think about where their program is headed; it doesn't appear any place good.

[oldnavy]

That's kind of hard to believe. Art has been a die-hard Carolina booster for more than 40 years. I can't believe they'd treat him that shabbily. If so, the Carolina folks need to stop and think about where their program is headed; it doesn't appear any place good.

Not headed... arrived and unpacking their bags!

[captmojo]

That was only after reading the first line. It's amazing how much of this email was written in private confidence that is now going to come back and bite Chansky.

I believe Chansky's total honesty shines forth in the third sentence.

"What to say for the good of the university in the short run and the long run are tough words to craft."

Exactly. Where to use proper punctuation markings are tough, as well. The sentiment is on target. :cool:

[sagegrouse]

That's kind of hard to believe. Art has been a die-hard Carolina booster for more than 40 years. I can't believe they'd treat him that shabbily. If so, the Carolina folks need to stop and think about where their program is headed; it doesn't appear any place good.

Heres' the Web site description of Chansky's former employer:


Tar Heel Sports Properties (THSP), a property of Learfield Sports, owns and manages the multimedia rights for the University of North Carolina Athletics. THSP offers one-stop shopping for businesses and corporations looking for advertising, marketing or association with the Carolina program. THSP has something for everyone's commercial or advertising needs including radio, television, signage, promotions, corporate hospitality, print and Internet.

Do you think that THSP is utterly and totally dependent for busines on being in the good graces of the UNC athletic department? Do you think that one word from Baddour, or even a raised eyebrow, would be sufficient for the boss there to conclude that THSP was in deep doodoo with UNC Athletics? Professional services providers (law firms, consultants, ad agencies) are pretty darn tuned to the customer's attitudes and would sever relationships in a heartbeat. Now typically the firm would assign an out-of-favor account rep to a new account, which really isn't feasible for a Tarheel like Chansky.

The only other explanation I can come up with is that the guys at THSP and Learfield really couldn't stand Chansky, and the e-mail became a good excuse to send him packing.

Or maybe a combination of the two factors.

sagegrouse

[RelativeWays]

I'll say this: Cam Newton was the best thing to happen to UNC Football this year.

[alteran]

But he's no more of a jerk than a Duke homer is to Unc fans.

A UNC homer who was the friggin' sports editor of Duke's home paper and seemingly used it to make things hard on Duke-- culminating with writing a nasty editorial to specifically fire up the Tar Heels before a game against the Blue Devils.

Big difference between that and being some random fanboy. That's where the bitterness comes from.

Aside from that, I don't know anything about the man. And don't need to.


Seems to indicate to me that Butch Davis' days are numbered and that Baddour may also be knee-capped over there.

I see that, but I appears more to me that what they want to squelch is talk of the nastiness of the scandal or the fact the people want Davis gone. I saw it as a defensive action, and indicating an inclination to keep Butch if only they can make this story go away.

[Devilsfan]

Watch out heel fans are now eating their own. They will most probably get indigestion from old Chansky.