The Delvon Simmons ‘mystery’ widens

UNC Scandal25

Late Tuesday we told you that top UNC-CH recruit Delvon Simmons had asked out of his letter of intent — and that this move seemed possibly connected to former UNC-CH coach Brian Baker’s quick exit after signing day.  Today the press is getting around to covering this story and causing interesting (and incongruous) facts to surface. 

For example, before today we did not know that Butch and three UNC-CH assistants recently flew in to visit Simmons, who remained steadfast in his desire to not play for UNC-CH.  The Pittsburgh paper today had a story with this and other details:

University of North Carolina football coach Butch Davis and three of his assistant coaches came to McKeesport last Friday and met with recruit Delvon Simmons and McKeesport coach Jim Ward, but Simmons still doesn’t want to play for the Tar Heels.

…

Ward also said one of the reasons Simmons had a change of heart about the Tar Heels was because Brian Baker left to become an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys.

We know that Butch did not visit Simmons prior to signing with UNC-CH and that Simmons never took an official visit to UNC-CH.  But now Butch visits Simmons (for the first time?)  AFTER Simmons signs, and Simmons wants out.  Do I have that right?

The News and Observer story on this subject contains this hilarious exchange:

McKeesport coach Jim Ward said Simmons, ranked as the 15th-best prospect in the country by Scout.com, said the 6-5, 265-pound defensive tackle asked for a release from his Letter of Intent almost a month ago.

A UNC spokesman said Wednesday the school has not received Simmons’ official request.

“That’s not accurate,” Ward said. “Technically he asked for his release three and a half weeks ago.”

What? How dare someone question the position of the great Wizard!! Obviously Coach Ward does not know what the local media and clones in the Carolina army know — you do not question or challenge the ‘reality’ that is mandated from the all powerful UNC-Chapel Hill!!! Shame on Coach Ward!!!

On Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s Heather Dinich further confused me with this blog entry, in which she explains UNC-CH’s side of the story – that Baker really didn’t recruit Simmons that much after all:

Three important facts to remember, according to a source at UNC:

  • Former defensive line coach Brian Baker, who was on the coaching staff on signing day but left after one month to return to the NFL, never met Simmons. They only spoke by phone.
  • Simmons never took an official visit to UNC, and the staff never made a home visit.
  • North Carolina has never said it won’t release Simmons. In fact, Ward told me Simmons will be released

 

Dinich continued:
Considering the lack of contact between the UNC staff and Simmons, it’s surprising Simmons committed to Carolina in the first place, and it doesn’t make sense that his reasoning would be Baker’s departure.
Now I am really baffled.  We just heard from Simmons’ coach today in the Pttsburgh paper that Baker leaving was a reason for Delvon’s retraction of the LOI.  Furthermore, multiple sources credited Baker as Simmons’ primary recruiter, including WRAL back in February and this cool graphic from Rivals — look for the red/orange arrow in the bottom right corner:
Today UNC-CH seems to be downplaying Baker’s role in the Simmons signing — contradicting lots of evidence and common sense.  If Simmons’ signing wasn’t due to Baker, then why did he sign with UNC-CH in the first place?  Why is UNC-CH now quibbling with facts that explain things?
Last time I ended with a puzzling statement from Coach Ward, so I will do so again — as quoted by Dinich here is Ward talking about why Simmons asked out of the LOI:
“That’s all I can really say at the time. I don’t want to get into why. … I’m not the kind of coach who favors these kind of things, when kids get out of their commitments. I don’t even want them out of verbal commitments, but it’s justifiable, very justifiable him wanting to get the release and I support him.”
UNC Scandal

25 Responses to The Delvon Simmons ‘mystery’ widens

  1. wufpup76 03/10/2011 at 10:22 PM #

    This will all be over by Friday.

  2. PackCoT07 03/10/2011 at 10:28 PM #

    ^lol

  3. tuckerdorm1983 03/10/2011 at 10:32 PM #

    lmao

  4. bradleyb123 03/10/2011 at 10:33 PM #

    I feel like I’m probably missing something obvious, but what did you mean by that, pup?

  5. Old MacDonald 03/10/2011 at 10:37 PM #

    This Simmons stuff is a bizarre scandal tangent — I swear I don’t understand it at all.

  6. wufpup76 03/10/2011 at 10:44 PM #

    ^I’m never gonna let go of Dick Baddour maintaining how the “review” would be over by each and every Friday when it first started.

    So, for every BS action such as this, though not necessarily ‘scandal’ related, it will always “Be over by Friday.” Wink wink.

    It goes more to the point of the Hole admins sweeping everything away with contradictory statements when it is obvious there is more to the story or they are flat out lying every time their mouths open.

    They’re so full of sh*t. The sad part is that nothing will probably come of anything and Simmons will probably wind up at the Hole anyway – even though “it’s justifiable, very justifiable him wanting to get the release”.

  7. TAEdisonHokie 03/10/2011 at 10:45 PM #

    Okay…try this hypothesis:

    * Baker recruits Simmons to UNC using one or more of John Blake’s time-honored recruitment tactics (who needs to be face-to-face to make and accept illicit promises?)

    * Baker leaves UNC to go back to the NFL and Simmons is left with none of the promises made by Baker because nobody else was in that loop

    * Simmons gets pissed and asks to be released from his LOI

    Plausible, isn’t it?

  8. Old MacDonald 03/10/2011 at 10:49 PM #

    I guess, but why wouldn’t UNC honor Baker’s “promises” after he left in order to keep Delvon? Certainly their ethics would not get in the way.

  9. bradleyb123 03/10/2011 at 10:54 PM #

    wufpup, gotcha. I thought something was going down on Friday that I wasn’t aware of.

    Yes, the Holes will no doubt continue their campaign of denial and deflection over this.

  10. TAEdisonHokie 03/10/2011 at 11:16 PM #

    I don’t know…maybe Butch and the Chapel Hill Gang are just trying to keep things on the down-low since they’re already in trouble.

  11. redwolf87 03/10/2011 at 11:57 PM #

    They (as in UNX) think they are UNTOUCHABLE. They honestly do not think (as mentally unstable as it seems) that they will get any kind of meaningful punishment from the last set of transgressions. Seriously, I think the rank-and-file of them don’t think they will get squat.

    This is why I will be through with college athletics if they don’t get some sort of probation. If there will be no penalties for UNC for doing what SEC schools, etc. have done for ages, then it is obvious that we have been and always will be toiling under a system that is more about MONEY than honestly and truthfulness.

    I’ll also lose a couple of friendships of UNC alumni.

  12. PackerInRussia 03/11/2011 at 7:39 AM #

    “They honestly do not think…”

    There was no reason to finish that statement. It was fine leaving it just like that.

  13. section2chuck 03/11/2011 at 8:26 AM #

    As much as I want those sumbitches to get nailed by the NCAA, can you guys quit putting these UNC football scandel stories on the frontpage?

    It just proves our neighbors are right about State fans having “Carolina Envy” , and always worrying about them….

    Let’s not talk about them at all, and start talking about the upcoming coaching search….

  14. Texpack 03/11/2011 at 8:56 AM #

    This is one of those situations where an intelligent group would release this kid as quickly and quietly as possible. This is not the kind of recruiting situation you want played out in the media over multiple weeks. You have a phone conversation with the kid, try to address his concerns and then release him if he still wants out. Two days max.

  15. novawolf 03/11/2011 at 9:59 AM #

    I don’t see them as thinking they’re untouchable. More like they’re in total denial. They absolutely/positively/truly do not believe they have done anything wrong. Some think there are no violations, some think everybody does everything that they’re doing, but mostly it’s a combination of the above. They’ll go from one of those positions to the other in the space of a single breath. It’s amazing. They’ll talk about Tressel’s issues at Ohio State and think he should be fired in a heartbeat, while not seeing that what they’ve done is infinitely worse. They’ll talk about Cam Newton and throwing the book at him and stripping Auburn of a national title, without a thought that they’re being investigated. It’s such incredible self-denial. I don’t think they’ll see anything that they’ve done wrong until the sanctions come. And unlike many here, I think the NCAA is really going to nail them… Carolina basketball is a brand. Carolina football is not. The NCAA has no reason to protect or coddle Carolina football.

  16. Hungwolf 03/11/2011 at 10:28 AM #

    With the NCAA circling the program, NC District attorney interviewing people, Attorneys invovled, closed door recruiting tatics, and Admin and coaches denying any knowledge. Why would any kid with any integrity even consider going to UNX to hopefully get on the field?

    What i rarely hear out of recruits is “I really want to play for Coach Davis, he comes off as such man of character!” If anyone would really investigated the program, I think the smell and dirty tatics that are going on would disgust everyone!

  17. packalum44 03/11/2011 at 10:52 AM #

    UNC leaders attempt to define business ethics:

  18. wolfbuff 03/11/2011 at 11:26 AM #

    They’re winning because they have tiger blood and Adonis DNA! They’re frickin rock stars from Mars!

  19. packof81 03/11/2011 at 11:43 AM #

    So far, UNC practically has been untouchable. I don’t know whether they think they are or not. But they act as though they are untouchable. Considering the transgressions, the NCAA sure has handled them gingerly. If the NCAA is going to do anything more than they’ve done, what are they waiting for?

  20. Wpack222 03/11/2011 at 11:45 AM #

    Smells like a “blue herring” to me…

  21. Master 03/11/2011 at 12:26 PM #

    Valvano and State burned for less than Tressel and tOSU have done. No need to believe UNC will get anything more than a slap on the hand with a multitude of props for being so helpful in the investigation. I’m so convinced of it that I wish it would disappear so we don’t have to hear them laugh when they get away with it.

  22. WolftownVA81 03/11/2011 at 1:00 PM #

    You know what happens when you get too many prongs on your pitch-fork? It becomes a broom. The boys in blue have been sweeping away since last summer. Lets hope the NCAA lifts the rug and takes a peek at the piles of dirt under it.

  23. novawolf 03/11/2011 at 1:08 PM #

    Personally I like to see the bad guy take a good whipping before he gets locked up. I have no problem with the NCAA letting baby blue get beat up for awhile longer before they assess sanctions.

  24. Wolfy__79 03/11/2011 at 3:52 PM #

    until i see it, i can’t even come close to believing it. i have to agree most with MASTER. and i would go even further to say that they are already laughing at the ncaa’s. and for whatever reason.. maybe they have not only infiltrated the acc’s governing.. but they are probably in everybody’s pocket concerning nc2a.

    the unc alumni i know believe they’ve done nothing wrong and nothing will come of this.

  25. coach13 03/12/2011 at 8:29 PM #

    UNC is twisted & corrupt. You have to have a devious mind to understand what they are doing.

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