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Here is a series of articles, presented in no particular order, from the past two weeks or so concerning one or more of the ongoing UNC-CH football scandals. Time constraints prevent me from full discussions and proper transitions, so please feel free to add well-developed and flawlessly-written commentary and analysis in the comments section. For example, a smart-assed comment on the above picture likening Holden to Nero would be a good place to start.
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Saunders says he lied to the NCAA. I don’t think this is much of a newsflash.
The NCAA was mostly interested in two summer trips Saunders took, he said, one to Atlanta and one to Washington, D.C. Austin was on at least one of those trips, Saunders said. Austin and Saunders were barred from talking to each other during the investigation, Saunders said.
Saunders said a friend, whom he did not name, paid for his trip to Washington, D.C.
“All the other trips, I paid my own ticket,†he said.
Saunders said he stayed at a W Hotel on one of the trips and a Radisson on another. A room at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C., starts at $489 a night, according to the hotel’s website.
“I guess it looks bad,†he said. “A college player is not supposed to make trips on the weekend, I guess.â€
Yeah, that’s it, Weslye, keep up that attitude. Here is a picture that Marvin apparently took of Weslye at the W and then tweeted.
 Also, remember that D.C. is Marvin’s hometown. Why do they need a hotel at all?
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Mandel says that UNC is next on the chopping block.
Connecticut basketball learned its fate Tuesday. North Carolina football will be next on the chopping block.
Simmons does not have the same options. He is the victim of a bait-and-switch: signing with UNC because of Baker but never getting a chance to work with him. There have been no comments from Simmons about Baker’s move to the Cowboys after signing day and whether and earlier announcement would have affected his thinking.
Interesting that disinterested observers draw conclusions and articulate concepts seemingly beyond the grasp of our local quote-unquote reporters.
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Little says he caused the whole thing.
“It was tough to know that essentially I started the whole investigation. That was one of the things that was very hard to deal with,” Little said Friday. “It was something that will haunt me forever to know that my team could have won the national championship [had] I played along with them.”
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As far as I know, Little (0-3 lifetime against the Wolfpack), is giving himself way too much credit. I contend that Marvin’s tweets started the whole thing.  I will admit that the hilarious picture of Greg and Marvin at one of the Miami parties was an early “smoking gun” that forced even the local UNC shills to admit that something big was afoot.
“I went from being one of the top players and prospects in the nation to being a guy that is not even talked about. And it was a tough situation having to sit back and watch all the other defensive linemen go out and play and perform and not be able to do anything. It made you put things in perspective a lot more.”
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And he makes a vague assertion about an undefined conspiracy.
Austin’s expensive travels came to the NCAA’s attention through his Twitter account, which he later shut down.
Austin doesn’t believe that, though.
“That’s the rumor, that’s what’s been said, that it started from a tweet, but I don’t believe that,” Austin said. “The NCAA came and they had like 15 guys in the room and so you know it didn’t just all come from a tweet.”
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The Charlotte Observer’s Panthers blog  said that Blake was fired over the scandal. What is his source? That’s a new one.
Little said former UNC assistant John Blake, who was fired for his role in the scandal, was not involved in any of his issues.
Asked if there was anything more UNC could have done to educate its players, Little said: “If you don’t know, ask. And that would have alleviated a lot of problems.â€
Well I don’t know what the hell Little means by that statement, so I guess a reporter should ask.
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Finally, An NFL coach said that UNC should have played for a National Title last year. I would love to hear this coach comment on Butch’s gameday coaching ability.
Everywhere you turned at the NFL combine in Indianapolis this weekend, you seemed to spot a North Carolina Tar Heels football player. In fact, UNC players almost outnumbered ESPN staffers in the media room, which is saying something. In all, Butch Davis’ program had 12 guys at the combine, by far the most representatives of any school.
Trouble is when you have more players at the combine than you do victories the previous year and have four more players invited to Indy than the two BCS National Championship Game participants combined, it’s usually the mark of a disappointing year. And there is little question that the 2010 season qualifies as a major disappointment for UNC.
“They should’ve been playing for the national title with the talent they had,” said one NFL coach this weekend. “Their defensive personnel was [expletive] sick. They looked more like an SEC team than any SEC team last year because they had freak D-linemen inside and out, linebackers who can outrun running backs and playmakers in the secondary. No one had talent like that. Not even close. If anyone could’ve shut down Auburn this year, this would’ve been the bunch that could’ve done it.”
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