UNC's Football Future, Sports Media Awards and the Crystal Ball Run
We've been pretty heavy on the Butch Davis situation and with good reason; the rest of the college football world has been pretty stagnant as the kids get ready to come to camp. Here's the Friday afternoon radio spot that discusses the biggest issue for the Heels: What path is the future of the football program at UNC going to take?
If the widget doesn't work click here to grab the podcast.
Update: Here's a link to a guy I consider a personal hero of sorts, a man who pulls no punches and truly, truly cares about UNC football; Deems May.
As we start to move towards the season here is another great article on the Chancellor Thorp and UNC situation discussing the approach taken by Thorp. Highlights some of the issues pretty well. Another issue has been the rising football vs basketball debate that outsiders are having on North Carolina's behalf.
Let me make this point clear; UNC does not have a basketball vs football war going on at the administrative or Board of Trustees level. Yes, there are fans battles and factions of pro football vs pro basketball or better put "basketball only" fans. That is not the issue here, this is a commit to football vs not commit to football problem that does not involve those guys down in the Dean Dome.
If you don't understand all the pieces at work here that's ok. Don't pretend to. The fact is there is a strong academic community that, for lack of a better term, loathes the influence and power weilded by the athletic arm of the university. That's the issue. Football is far easier to paint as the bad guy for a myriad of reasons; 85 players on full scholarship, more than triple most other rosters, huge budgets, large coaching staffs paid quite handsomely and of course now the NCAA investigation and academic fraud issues.
Painting it as a football vs basketball issue is not fair to those guys down the hill.
On a more positive note, we're always looking for the best writers, websites and podcasts and thanks to the new media there are so many great people out there writing and talking that there is truly "something for everyone" to enjoy. Unfortunately a lot of that hard work and success goes unnoticed in the mainstream, what with their ink stained fingers and syndicated radio.
Well the folks over at Blogs With Balls, who have really just done so much for everyone in our "new media" space, have sought to rectify that with the Untitled Sports Media Awards Project. Go check out the link and vote for your favorite writer, site, podcast, athlete, twitterer and more. Give the people out there banging away at the laptop a little props. It is the least you can do considering the entertainment they give you daily while you sit harnessed to the cubicle slaving away for the man.
Yeah, vote for us if you like. Or don't.
In the mean time be sure to check out the newest bookmark you'll need for the college football season; The Crystal Ball Run. A new project from Bloguin that unites some guys you've heard here many times on the podcast; Allen Kenney of Blatant Homerism, Aaron Torres from Aaron Torres Sports, Kevin McGuire from No 2 Minute Warning and Tom Perry from Eye and Eer. Great cast of writers, a lot of new content and it should be a fun venture this season. Add it to your feed, check it when you get up and we'll have things rolling for you err'day all day for the season!
If you're on the G+ be sure to add me ( "+Michael Felder") as we creep closer to the season, it is the easiest way to keep up with the site, the podcast and everything I'm doing over at Onside Kick, The Crystal Ball Run and the radio spots that have been coming.
As always get your twitter fix as well.
