The truth: Those who love UNC should want to hear truth about athletes

Let's not pretend it doesn't happen.

There are plenty of athletes at any big name -- or small name -- school who are not academically performing as they should.

It has been that way for decades -- everywhere. Experts say that if a school has not been cited for academic misconduct, no one has looked hard enough yet.

So while the information being released about the reading skills of its athletes might be embarrassing, those who care about the University of North Carolina should want to hear the good, the bad and the ugly.

Trotting out "graduates" and students who are in academic good standing would be a great defense against the findings, except for the recent discovery of the fake academic program.

So, instead, perhaps now is the time to dig deeper, to address the issue honestly and to see what the answer really is.

It might require a whole new view of college and college athletics. And UNC could be brave enough to lead the way.

That is, if we take what we are learning from the analysis and then do the work to fix it.

Published in Editorials on January 17, 2014 10:13 AM