FanPost

An observation on NC sports talk radio, from an outsider Terp fan (ACC stuff mostly)

I'm in NC due to a family health emergency, and through various driving around I heard a good bit of local sports talk radio. Yesterday it was a lively discussion about why / not NC doesn't produce more top quality football programs as a State. More on that later, I'm burying the lede. That would be: The sports talk radio host interview of the UNC "voice." I have no clue of this dude's name, I'm guessing he's the radio guy. The host led off with a question about the annual incidents with athletes and suspensions. I was impressed by interviewer's fairly aggressive question. The UNC "voice" was not. And he wasn't having it. He immediately stated, something to the effect of, "No no, let me correct you now, they were not suspended for hazing!" exclamation added by me, but implied by voice intonation. "They were suspended for violating 'team rules,' that's what happened." I nearly drove off the road. WOW. It's widely known and reported about what happened. But I guess UNC has to smoke screen this with "team rules." Who knows. The other big debate yesterday (Wednesday) was about why the State of NC doesn't have one top-tier football program (editor's note: and never has as far as I know). There were valid points made. But to me, in a weird way, it was almost like how we Terp fans kvetch about MD sports, and why we aren't better. But it was about an entire state. So it felt like home to an extent. The good arguments were about how varied the sports they produce athletes in (soccer, baseball, etc). But then they'd contradict themselves by saying they are the 8th most populace state (is that due more to relocated retirees?), but also have "5" top tier football schools. Yes, they included ECU. But shouldn't being the likes of other super populace states mean they can retain their football athletes? I guess not. Clearly. (other editor's note: my semi-local Terps fanatic father says the best football players in southern NC go to fake USC. Westerners go to Tennessee. Maybe not fact, but interesting to hear anecdotally. They also said it was "harder" for private schools like Duke and Wake to get good quality football players. I've always heard private schools have it easier as they don't have to adhere to State policies and can make up their own "special" athlete standards. But maybe the standards of State School admissions in NC are in fact high? Several callers thought so. It was an interesting insight into some sort of vaguely familiar past. Not that I can recall it...

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