NCAA not following its own rules in North Carolina investigation

No matter whether the NCAA eventually uncovers wrongdoing within the North Carolina football program - agent-related, academic or otherwise - there's one conclusion that can be drawn right now about the investigation of the North Carolina football program.

The NCAA messed it up.

By allowing Marcus Wilson, a former North Carolina football player who is now an NCAA investigator, to interview South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders as part of the probe into potential illegal contact with agents, the NCAA forever called into question the integrity and legitimacy of its probe.

Wilson may not have been involved in the on-campus interviews in Chapel Hill, but it is now clear that he is inextricably part of the NCAA team conducting an investigation that appears to focus on North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin despite an obvious conflict of interest that should have precluded his participation in any aspect of the operation.

The NCAA's own rules, as provided to The (Raleigh) News & Observer, would seem to proscribe Wilson's involvement: "Any enforcement staff member who has or had a personal relationship or institutional affiliation that reasonably would result in the appearance of prejudice should refrain from participating in any manner in the processing of the involved institution's or individual's infractions case."

Hard to get much clearer than "in any manner."

Saunders' father Barry, an N&O metro columnist, said Wednesday that Wilson interviewed Weslye twice, asking him about his relationship with Austin among other topics. Meanwhile, an NCAA spokesperson told The N&O that Wilson was not involved with "a UNC investigation."

"The NCAA cannot comment on current, pending or potential investigations or confirm the line of questioning," NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn said via e-mail Thursday in response to a request for clarification. "The NCAA is dedicated to ensuring the conflict of interest rule is adhered to, and we stand by our original statement."

Yet interviewing Saunders about a North Carolina football player is no less a conflict of interest than interviewing the Tar Heels themselves. His very presence on the NCAA's team calls into question the entire investigation, and someone at the NCAA, if not Wilson, should have been smarter than this.

There is no implication that Wilson is anything but a selfless and diligent worker on behalf of his employer, utterly committed to fairness and justice.

It's as simple as this: Having someone with such unquestioned connections to the Tar Heels as a part of an investigation focusing on the Tar Heels, even peripherally, is a violation of the NCAA's own policy, not to mention common sense.

Wilson may be the best investigator the NCAA has in the area of agents and amateurism, but under no circumstances should he be involved in a probe that includes his alma mater in any way, let alone one with the Tar Heels at the epicenter.

The university is taking the lead on the new investigation of potential academic misconduct, but the NCAA is still in charge when it comes to agents. No matter how good a job the NCAA does in that investigation, no matter how many legitimate issues it raises, no matter what malfeasance it uncovers - or fails to uncover - at North Carolina or elsewhere, the conclusions drawn will be forever tainted by the presence of a former UNC football player on the team doing the investigating.

If Austin or Greg Little or John Blake did something wrong, the NCAA will make them pay. What are the consequences for the NCAA if it can't or won't follow its own rules?