The Delvon Simmons ‘mystery’ widens
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
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.
“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.”
25 Responses to “The Delvon Simmons ‘mystery’ widens”
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This will all be over by Friday.
^lol
lmao
I feel like I’m probably missing something obvious, but what did you mean by that, pup?
This Simmons stuff is a bizarre scandal tangent — I swear I don’t understand it at all.
^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”.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
“They honestly do not think…”
There was no reason to finish that statement. It was fine leaving it just like that.
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….
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.
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.
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!
UNC leaders attempt to define business ethics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRT62J80iyI
They’re winning because they have tiger blood and Adonis DNA! They’re frickin rock stars from Mars!
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?
Smells like a “blue herring” to me…
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.
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.
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.
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.
UNC is twisted & corrupt. You have to have a devious mind to understand what they are doing.