Baddour & Butch hold presser, confirm Blake involved in NCAA investigation [2:40pm Update]

UNC Scandal44

Question: If a press conference is held where nothing is said…has a press conference really been held at all?

I don’t have a lot of time today so I can’t have my normal commentary right now. But, on the heels of this absolutely fantastic discussion, the ‘leadership’ at UNC-CH broke their public silence and held a press conference this afternoon! 

What did they say?  Apparently not very much 

If you followed our Twitter feed during the presser then you saw some real-time comments from @ArmstrongWTVD. Some highlights apparently included adroit reporter J.P. Giglio pressing Butch Davis on John Blake. 

Also, Baddour gave this fantastic quote regarding the NCAA investigation:

“UNC is expected to make players and staff available for all meeting and interview requests, gather necessary records, tell the truth and most importantly not talk publicly.”

So according to Baddour “not talking publically” is more important than telling the truth to the NCAA investigators!?  Wow!  Such candor from UNC-CH is nearly unprecedented.

For a more enlightening ‘newsy’ view of the press conference you can read Giglio’s post at the N&O by clicking here.

Davis answered one question about Blake and then declined further comment about his recruiting coordinator.

Davis said he hired Blake in Dec. 2006 because “he was a very good teacher, a good defensive line coach.”

Asked if there was any question or concern about Blake’s relationship with Wichard, an NFL agent who represents former UNC defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer, Davis said: “No.”

Davis then added: “I’m not talking about any of the things that have anything to do with this review.”

Here’s a transcript of the questions about Blake and Davis’ response from today’s press conference:

Q: What was the primary reason that you hired John Blake?

Davis: “He was a very good teacher, a good defensive line coach.”

Q: Was there any question in your mind about his relationship with Gary Wichard? Any concern?

Davis: “Any question in my mind? No. … I’m not talking about any of the things that have anything to do with this review.”

Q: Just to be clear, you’re saying that the assistant coach is involved in the review?

Davis: “Just to be clear, I said we’re not going to talk about the review.”

Q: I didn’t ask you about the review, I asked you about a coach.

Davis: “I know you did and I told you that anything that has anything to do with any kind of investigation or any kind of review, we’re not going to talk about it. I’d be happy to talk all you want about football.”

The SFN team will update this entry as more details emerge throughout the afternoon.

UNC Scandal

44 Responses to Baddour & Butch hold presser, confirm Blake involved in NCAA investigation [2:40pm Update]

  1. choppack1 08/12/2010 at 1:47 PM #

    Good catch.

    I mentioned earlier about a comment on the “changing nature of the investigation.”

    To me, aside from the freudian slip about “keeping quiet” – that was pretty big news.

    Remember, per IC – there was supposed to be a conclusion to this investigation tomorrow.

  2. StateFans 08/12/2010 at 1:56 PM #

    ^ IC really stubbed their toe with credibility with their ‘report’.

    They all are SUCH big homers that they are willing to ‘report’ what they wish was the fact set as opposed to the truth.

  3. TAEdisonHokie 08/12/2010 at 2:24 PM #

    I had to laugh really hard at IC and WRAL for reporting that the NCAA was going to conclude their UNC investigation tomorrow. They even had Little cleared and Austin suspended for one game.

    Here’s another comment attributed to Baddour today: “Says that the review is ‘complicated, detailed, and will take a lot of time.'” That doesn’t sound remotely like “over on Friday”, does it?

    Baddour also stated earlier today that he had no idea where the idea that the NCAA investigation would be concluded on Friday…he has no timeline from the NCAA.

  4. choppack1 08/12/2010 at 2:30 PM #

    Wow – great exchange between Butch and Giglio..were any other reporters present asking any kind of questions?

  5. Plz2BStateFan 08/12/2010 at 2:38 PM #

    Seriously. I will never hate on Giglio again.

    Question:

    What would you rather have happen.

    BD leaves for a different coaching job after year 2 leaving UNC football dead in the water or at the very least starting over again.

    or

    BD potentially stays at UNC but UNC suffers the NCAA investigation and ends up being sanctioned.

    Subquestion,

    does BD have the ability to survive sanctions even if they do not point directly to him?

  6. Prowling Woofie 08/12/2010 at 2:53 PM #

    Answer to the subquestion depends on how strong the ‘win at all costs contingent that hired Butchie in the first place despite his questionable past’ is.

    If it was a slight margin back then, he may not survive at UNC. If it wasn’t close, he may.

    Winning is awfully important at UNC, you know…Doing so ethically – not so much.

  7. packalum44 08/12/2010 at 2:53 PM #

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fCqg92qks

    Since Butch unwittingly botched the objective of the silence policy he has now been instructed to immediately play this clip whenever asked about the investigation. Apparently it works 90 percent of the time every time.

  8. wolfbuff 08/12/2010 at 3:13 PM #

    Wow. Stop the presses. Is there really a point to a press conference for something that is already known? Just to prevent any more whiny “you’re not spoon-feeding us” columns by Caulton Tudor?

  9. RegularExpression 08/12/2010 at 3:19 PM #

    UNC’s carefully crafted image makes the outcome of all this interesting. On one hand, I can see them trying to quarantine the damage by getting rid of Blake and the players involved and trying to paint Butch as innocent. Getting rid of Butch would mean admitting that he is dirty, and having a dirty head coach is too close to having a dirty institution because his hiring is reviewed by the chancellor and the BOT.

    But if Butch is implicated even in the slightest I don’t see how they can keep him. Either way, I’d be shocked if he is still at UNC in 2 years. The microscope that he will be under from the academic set at UNC and the media will be too much for him to be successful.

  10. GAWolf 08/12/2010 at 3:36 PM #

    And all the while our football team is practicing hard in preseason camp with few distractions….

  11. elvislives 08/12/2010 at 3:42 PM #

    They didn’t wheel Dean Smith out for the press conference? They must be saving that ace up their sleeve for later. Well played UNC.

  12. old13 08/12/2010 at 3:51 PM #

    The way this is playing out, not only could BD be a short-timer, but Little Dicky Baddour may be in danger of being an ex-AD!:

    http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/letter-to-agents-names-six-unc-players

  13. packof81 08/12/2010 at 3:52 PM #

    Wolfbuff says, “Is there really a point to a press conference for something that is already known? Just to prevent any more whiny “you’re not spoon-feeding us” columns by Caulton Tudor?”

    Yeah, damage control. They are in damage control mode over there big time.

  14. Old MacDonald 08/12/2010 at 3:55 PM #

    ^ But what damage did they control today with that goofy Gong Show press conference? All they did was put it back on the front page and gave reporters an opportunity to ask damaging questions.

  15. packof81 08/12/2010 at 3:59 PM #

    I didn’t say their damage control attempts were effective. Usually when things progress to this point, there ain’t much anyone can say to mitigate it. But they will try because they feel they must.

  16. ppack3 08/12/2010 at 4:21 PM #

    “does BD have the ability to survive sanctions even if they do not point directly to him?”

    ^ My guess is, no. I was also thinking about the pile of rubble where the Field House at Keenan used to sit. Does anyone know if the proposed upgrades at Keenan are paid for, already. If there ends up being wide spread ramifications from these investigations, would UNC be able to raise the necessary funding and/or support for the continued expansion? If Butch and Co., as well as current players and future players end up having to relocate, and UNC has to play the ‘safe hire’ game, how many UNC Football fans will there be?

    This slippery slope eerily parallels our own run in with the NCAA. Say, the NCAA finds minimal violations… I don’t know that the Admin in UNC-CH can continue to defend Butch. I think that they are increasingly embarrassed by this situation. They hate to be made out to be fools, and the University’s name has continually been drug through the muddy headlines, on a national level. So, how do they retain Butch’s services? Plus, I’m sure they just want the Investigators out of Chapel Hill, at this point. They need to stop the hemorrhaging, before this spills over into the Basketball Program!

    I guess Thomas/Baumer and John Blake could be scapegoats in all of this, as well as Marvin Austin. But, there are starting to be more goats than you can shake a stick at! How many people can you blame before the Administration and the NCAA forces Butch to look in the mirror?

    Best off-season ever…

  17. PackisRolling 08/12/2010 at 4:29 PM #

    i’d bet they can raise the money and do the project but it will just be a nicer emptier Kenan Stadium.

  18. MatSci94 08/12/2010 at 4:36 PM #

    ‘Asked if there was any question or concern about Blake’s relationship with Wichard, an NFL agent who represents former UNC defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer, Davis said: “No.”’

    Translation – No, we knew exactly what we were getting.

  19. bradleyb123 08/12/2010 at 4:39 PM #

    SFN, thanks for all the information you guys keep providing on this subject. You truly are doing the N&O’s and WRAL’s jobs for them, and THEY are supposed to be doing investigative journalism. I guess they only do that when State is under the microscope. Or parking in a handicapped spot.

  20. highstick 08/12/2010 at 4:51 PM #

    Alert to the NCAA, it sure would make sense to take a look at that basketball program while you’re over there. There sure are a lot of unanswered questions that need to be addressed…just saying…All you got to do is take a look at the web and follow up!!!Too many pro alumni hang around in the gym over there during the summer???

  21. wolf_at_my_door 08/12/2010 at 4:55 PM #

    I think what Baddour meant by “most importantly not talk publicly” is that “Widemouth Marvin” brought all this on by running his yap in public. If WM had not used Twitter to brag about how great his life has become maybe none of this would have happened. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad he ran his mouth.

    Baddour’s damage control might be a little too late though.

    On another note, I wonder if Spurrier has anything to say “privately” to the NCAA? His public statement about coaches’ reputations (Blake) indicates to me that he might want to talk about Black Santa.

    This investigation will take a while to complete. I’m hoping for suspensions this season followed by UNC getting nail to the wall in 2011 or 2012.

  22. highstick 08/12/2010 at 5:08 PM #

    First topic on the Panther’s pre game show tonight has been about the NCAA football investigation. I’m not sure who they are talking to yet though since I wasn’t paying too much attention…..will not post this until I can figure out who it is…Dennis “somebody”…

  23. gcpack 08/12/2010 at 5:10 PM #

    Per VaWolf’s suggestion yesterday I will repeat the statement:

    What an ass David Glenn is!

  24. tjfoose1 08/12/2010 at 5:14 PM #

    “Translation – No, we knew exactly what we were getting.”

    I thought the very same thing. The question was poorly worded or should have been accompanied with a more on point follow up question.

  25. tractor57 08/12/2010 at 5:55 PM #

    Anyone remember SMU?

    I seriously doubt thing will get to that point but the longer the investigation lingers the closer to that outcome they get.

    If they are dirty I think they should be severely punished. I would think the same if the ‘Pack presented such. Sure looks like they are dirty and not just a rogue assistant coach and a couple of players.

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