The Univ. of North Carolina’s football program has been approached by the College Sports Commission a few “potential investigation,” with football GM Michael Lombardi’s actions “believed to be of interest,” in accordance with sources cited by Russo & Marks of THE ATHLETIC. Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave Monday in a transfer that reportedly stems from an HR criticism. Sources mentioned that resulting from “on-field struggles with a roster ill-equipped for ACC play — plus off-field headlines that the 67-year-old has generated, such as declaring UNC the 33rd NFL team” — there was an “appetite by some within UNC’s athletic department to move on from Lombardi.” The CSC is a year-old enforcement physique arrange by the ability conferences that “looks into potential violations of name, image and likeness and revenue-sharing rules and approves third-party deals with athletes.” Failure to report offers can “trigger action from CSC, but it doesn’t necessarily lead straight to sanctions.” The CSC will “often notify schools when they spot possible irregularities and ask for information.” In some instances, athletes “might be given the opportunity to submit deals for approval, or re-submit deals that may have been initially rejected” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/27). Investigative journalist Pablo Torre mentioned that the investigation was “‘in addition’ to the Lombardi matter, but details on why UNC is being investigated have not been reported” (SPORTING NEWS, 7/27).
LOSING PATIENCE: ESPN.com’s Dan Wetzel wrote the “big debate around Carolina football is about what has proved more embarrassing thus far: the on-field losses or the off-field soap opera?” Wetzel: “The focus and scope of the Lombardi investigation are unknown. It might be serious. It might be an exoneration. Generally, putting a highly paid, high-profile employee on leave, a move sure to generate negative attention, isn’t done lightly.” As of now, the season approaches with the GM on depart, “bad headlines again fresh and the schedule front-loaded for a team lacking experienced performers.” Wetzel: “To say patience is wearing thin at UNC is an understatement” (ESPN.com, 7/27).
PENALTY OF LEADERSHIP: USA TODAY’s Matt Hayes writes that is “what happens when you get academia blowhards involved in the hiring and firing of coaches.” They “deal in fandom, not an athletic director’s real world, nut-cutting reality of this hire could get me fired.” Hayes notes the “blame” falls on UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts and former UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees Chair John Preyer, who resigned in January. Hayes: “These two stalwarts of academia pushed aside North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham — who wanted to hire then-Iowa State coach Matt Campbell — and declared they were running the show. … This is what they got for their fandom” (USA TODAY, 7/28).
THE LOMBARDI PROBLEM: The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman mentioned Lombardi is “without question the worst general manager in college sports.” Feldman, showing on “The Audible,” added football coach Bill Belichick trusted him to “have the most important job of anybody he could hire, and it has blown up in his face and North Carolina’s face spectacularly.” The Athletic’s Ralph Russo mentioned when speaking with individuals who examined what went flawed for UNC final 12 months on the gridiron, so much of individuals “pointed right directly to Lombardi,” and it was “also interesting that very few people felt compelled to hold back on him.” Russo mentioned the sense he will get is that few individuals at UNC are “in his corner other than Belichick” (“The Audible,” The Athletic, 7/27). SI’s Pat Forde, on “Others Receiving Votes,” mentioned he has heard that the “biggest single problem with the Belichick era to date has been Michael Lombardi.” SI’s Bryan Fischer added Lombardi was a “bad hire, who doesn’t get the college game, who’s run roughshod to a degree.” Forde: “There was no shortage of arrogance that accompanied the arrival of the Belichick program, and Lombardi personified a lot of that” (“Others Receiving Votes,” SI.com, 7/27). TarHeel247’s Andrew Jones famous there are some in various positions of management who’ve “never really been a big fan” of Lombardi as GM from his public presentation. Jones, on “Ovies & Giglio,” added Lombardi’s downside is that he “created a lot of messaging that didn’t add up, and messaging is so important in college sports.” He mentioned Lombardi has been “difficult to work with because of lack of accountability” (“Ovies & Giglio,” 7/27).