Baddour “researched” past cases: Butch tells recruits no scholarship reductions or bowl bans are coming, other odds and ends (Day 202)

Hey everybody!  I have been slammed at work and therefore unable to write as much as I would like.  My apologies.  Three recent developments warrant comment — so here we go, “Bytes” style.

First, let’s go over some comments made by Sylvester Williams, a UNC-CH signee.  This Charlotte Observer article posted today explains that Coach Davis explained to Sylvester that UNC-CH would suffer no scholarship reductions or bowl bans as a result of the ongoing multi-pronged NCAA investigation:

Sylvester Williams, a junior college signee who already has enrolled at North Carolina, said he trusted Davis.

“He just told me they weren’t going to lose any bowl games or any scholarships,” Williams said. “… Because obviously that’s everybody’s main focus, is are you going to be able to play in a bowl game. And he told me that wasn’t going to be a problem.”

I think it is super that Davis knows so much and is so confident.  I wonder why he hasn’t come out and said this to the press.  Another passage in the same article seems to explan the basis for Butch’s predictions:

North Carolina officials have said they don’t know how or when the NCAA will rule on possible sanctions for the program. But Davis said athletics director Dick Baddour researched cases from the past and what the sanctions were, and shared his findings with parents of prospects who were concerned.

“We were always honest with the kids we recruited,” Davis said. “We told them exactly what transpired during August and September. We told them absolutely everything we knew that transpired. And we never tried to paint a picture of something that wasn’t realistic.”

Has Baddour come out and shared this research regarding sanctions in past cases?  If so I have missed it.  Also, did he find a past case in which an Associate Head Coach was on an agent’s payroll? One in which a tutor was let go by a University for transgressions only to be hired by the Head Coach on a private basis — and provided improper tutoring services for football players while privatly employed by the Head Coach?  Apparently yes!   Butch and/or Baddour have found examples of sanctions handed down in these types of cases and talked to recruits’ parents about the sanctions UNC-CH expects.  Why wouldn’t he similarly educate the press and public?

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Next, the DTH recently posted this article reporting that UNC-CH football player A.J. Blue was arrested early Sunday morning in Burlington.  Honestly this is not very interesting to me.  I only include this item because I find this paragraph funny:

Linebacker Quan Sturdivant was cited for marijuana possession in July. Defensive lineman Jared McAdoo picked up a misdemeanor weapons charge when he had a BB gun on campus.

A BB gun?!  How old is he, 10?  What in the world is a fully-grown college student doing even owning a BB gun?

9:40 Update.  This article has a lot more detail about the arrest if anyone is interested.  Shockingly, marajuana and other illegal substances were found in the car, along with Dwight Jones’ very uncooperative sister.

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Lastly, the National Football Post posted this article today, reporting that former USC tight end and Marvin Austin bff Weslye Saunders is ineligible for the NFL draft and upcoming NFL draft combine because he failed to file the required paperwork:

Because former University of South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders has been declared ineligible for the NFL draft due to a paperwork issue, he’s also ineligible to participate in the NFL scouting combine.

League sources with knowledge of the situation have informed National Football Post that Saunders had been invited to the combine, but now that invitation has been rescinded.

What happened?

According to sources, Saunders and his representatives didn’t petition the NFL to be included in the draft eligible list to be given special eligibility. Saunders was a senior, but didn’t play for the Gamecocks last season due to an NCAA inquiry and violations of team rules.

How funny is that!?  What else did Weslye have to do that he got so busy that he forgot to get his paperwork together?  I think I am correct in saying that the combine might be especially important for Weslye given that he missed the entire 2010 season and should have valued the combine as an opportunity to catch the attention of NFL scouts.  I am guessing that Saunders and his “representatives” were attending so many Mensa meetings that the draft slipped their  minds.

You might be asking yourself what Weslye Saunders has to do with the UNC-CH scandals — well, alert readers will remember that Weslye and Austin were apparently in a hotel room in DC together last year (even though Marvin’s family lived in DC). 

When Weslye fell asleep during this trip, Marvin snapped a picture and posted it on Twitter, along with a cool (and I think somewhat flirty) message:

Apparently Weslye was in a similar posture when the NFL draft’s filing deadline elapsed!  Great job!