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The NCAA put the slap on Roy Williams' advantage for the relief of Hurricane Florence. (Gerry Broome / Associated Press)
Cindy Boren
Reporter covering sports, with a focus on politics and national stories
Never let it be said that the NCAA is not following its rules. This time, however, North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he was "stunned" by the governing body of university sport.
Last week, the NCAA refused a waiver that would have allowed North Carolina and South Carolina to play a game of basketball with exposure to Hurricane Florence. A decision that Williams confessed left him incredulous.
"I was stunned when the waiver was not granted," Williams told reporters at the team's media day in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The problem is that the NCAA allows schools to play two exhibition games, an audience and a "secret" (in an unrelated closed gym, with no coaching recognition and no statistics). The NCAA had approved several hurricane relief matches last season and a Clemson-North Carolina-Wilmington match this year. But South Carolina is already hosting Augusta University in an exhibition match later this month and will face Virginia Tech in its "closed match". North Carolina plays Mount Olive in an exhibition next month and his secret match takes place later this month in Villanova. Neither school wanted to change its plans, which meant that a waiver was needed for a third match.
It was not the only charity game the NCAA organized for good, for the same reason. Kentucky and Notre Dame will not be able to play a third game, Jeff Goodman of ESPN reported. Kentucky already has two exhibitions planned. Last year, the NCAA granted Kentucky a waiver for a third charity match and the Kentucky Cares Classic. against Morehead State raised nearly $ 450,000.
"Our state and South Carolina have gone through a terrible tragedy, a terrible storm has passed through, no matter how you want to call it," Williams said (via the Observer). "And I called [Gamecocks Coach] Franc [Martin] to see if he would be interested in playing a game [in Charlotte].
"I called him and said, 'No one has been hurt as badly as we, North Carolina and South Carolina, with Florence. And we asked for a waiver to see if we could play. I'm not trying to get an advantage over anyone, I do not think we can get an advantage over anyone, but we were ready to face each other.
"I wanted to bring that to Charlotte because it would be closer between the two schools, play a game and give all the money – all the money – to [charity]. "
Williams even had a powerful and persuasive asset: a potential involvement of Michael Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Hornets and former star of UNC. "I was going to try to convince a guy I know pretty well and who owns the building in Charlotte to give us a good price," he said.
Now, coaches of all levels and all sports are known to look for any competitive advantage, but Williams swears it was not his motivation.
"If you can convince me how this would help the North Carolina or South Carolina basketball team to another person, then I will listen to it, but that was not the intention.
"When you see scenes of things on the street, you want to do something. And that's unfortunately what we saw. We have seen so many situations, people losing everything that they have. And we had what I thought was one of the few good ideas I have ever had.
Fifty-one people lost their lives when Florence, a Category 1 storm, caused devastating floods in the area in mid-September. Residents of flooded neighborhoods are still struggling and Hurricane Michael is expected to face more severe winds and floods this week.
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