news-record.com

The news in Chapel Hill last week was so startling that Chancellor Holden Thorp began his explanation with an apology. "To everyone who loves this university, I'm sorry about what I have to tell you," he said.

Sitting next to football coach Butch Davis and Athletics Director Dick Baddour, Thorp revealed that investigations into potential violations had taken a much more serious turn. They weren't just about whether a couple of players received improper attention from professional agents. Rather, information surfaced about "possible academic misconduct." An undisclosed number of athletes and at least one undergraduate tutor were involved.

Thorp probably loves his university as much as anyone. He's a first-class academician and an enthusiastic sports fan who blogged once about taking his son on a road trip with the Tar Heel football team. His grim countenance at last week's press conference signaled intense disappointment. UNC's reputation for high academic standards and integrity in its athletics program suddenly stands in jeopardy.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association launched a probe into the relationships between some players and agents. The university itself is looking into academic issues. If players weren't completing course work themselves, their status as "student-athletes" would be a sham -- and severe sanctions could and should result.

All this comes when the Tar Heels were preparing to kick off what many fans expected to be their most successful season in years. Davis, with head coaching experience at the University of Miami and in the National Football League, was brought in to produce a winning program. He and his assistants are very well paid, and Kenan Stadium has been upgraded at a cost of about $70 million in donated funds.

Everything suddenly is overshadowed by the worst fears: that the wrong priorities were set, rules were broken, penalties will be imposed, people will be fired and the football team won't be winning many games for a very long time.

Thorp vowed to get to the bottom of these problems and "straighten this out." He added: "Academic achievement and fairness are at the heart of the University of North Carolina and our department of athletics."

There can be no mistake about that, and no compromising of principles -- not even for the hope of competing for national championships in football, basketball or any sport. The reputation of the university is far more important and valuable. The harm done would be more devastating than losing every game, even to Duke.

An apology for a poor football team is one thing; for a loss of integrity, sorry wouldn't begin to say enough.