UNC Scandal: Another Twist

Dan Kane is back with another look at the UNC scandal, but this time with a new angle: what exactly did UNC basketball staffer Eric Hoots know?

Hoots has worked for UNC basketball in various capacities including as student manager, video assistant, video coordinator and, currently, assistant to the athletic director and director of player development. He’s also the program’s academic coordinator.

Kane focuses on an intriguing e-mail exchange where Hoots e-mailed Deborah Crowder, the woman at the heart of the scandal, saying “Thanks for the help. I will see you soon...”

A second e-mail is even more interesting. The sender, presumably a student-athlete (the name is redacted), says this: “Hey Eric. You dont (sic) realize how much I owe you for this. I’m gonna be the one that pays for lunch from here on out or something. And I just put those papers as an attachment.”

The obvious question is pretty straightforward: what did he owe him for? What exactly did Hoots do?

As we’ve seen all along, UNC has no intention of being candid or cooperating with any investigation of the empire.

And it’s worth mentioning that, while he has taken it off of his UNC bio, Hoots claimed a bachelor’s degree in African studies (and also communications).

It’s not clear whether or not Hoots actually took any bogus classes and he won’t comment.

Again, nothing surprising, given the university’s reluctance to be forthcoming about these issues.