G.O.A.T.

For those who don’t know what a goat is, it refers to the “Greatest Of All Time.” The following is a clip from a book on the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

Walton’s Whiskers, by John Wooden

There was a rule against facial hair on UCLA basketball teams. One day, star player Bill Walton came to practice after a 10-day break wearing a beard. I asked him, “Bill, have you forgotten something?”

Walton replied, “Coach, if you mean the beard, I think I should be allowed to wear it, it’s my right.”

I asked, “Do you believe in that strongly?”

Walton answered, “Yes, I do, coach. Very much!”

I looked at him and said politely, “Bill, I have a great respect for individuals who stand up for those things in which they believe. I really do. And the teams is going to miss you.”

Bill went to the locker room and shaved the beard off before practice began. There were no hard feelings. I was not angry, and he wasn’t mad. He understood the choice was between his own desires and the good of the team, and Bill was a team player.

I think if I had given in to him, I would have lost control not only of Bill but of his teammates.

End of story. I sure miss the old “Goat.” John Wooden, that is.

— Charles Sloop, “Hatman”
Mt. Ulla

Presidential race is reminiscent of Nixon era

Don’t we remember a president we had in 1974 who was a disgrace to the presidency? Watergate comes to my mind, am I the only one that remembers the agony this country went through before he finally resigned? A tyrant, crook and blatant liar. All presidents have had faults but I don’t remember any who were so unfit for the highest office in this country. If you don’t remember him, I think we as a nation are going down the same road again. I am so sorry.

— Dale Borland
Salisbury

Interim chancellor of UNC is not partisan, but his critics are

As I have read the criticism of the appointment of Lee Roberts as the interim chancellor of UNC-CH from some of the news media and the UNC partisans, I have wondered if any of his critics have ever met him, much less had a conversation with him. I have and he is not the partisan some would portray him to be.  Yes, he is a conservative which is a breath of fresh air for the liberal-dominated UNC-CH. I find it refreshing that conservatives are finally bringing some political balance to the university. As Gov. Martin recently wrote, “The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill does not belong to the liberals and Democrats. It belongs to all of us.”

The old governance model for leading a university is changing. No longer does the top person need to be an educator, but he or she does need to appreciate and value education. Lee Roberts does.  The provost or chief academic officer adds the educators’ voice and experience to the leadership team. Above all, he or she needs to be a good listener and Lee Roberts fits that bill. The leader must be firm, but fair and Lee Roberts is.

I would point out that Tar Heel partisans who whine about Lee Roberts’ appointment as interim chancellor on the grounds that he is a graduate of Duke have short memories. Former UNC Chancellor Paul Hardin has two degrees from Duke and taught in the Duke Law School for 10 years! Their hypocrisy and double standard is not surprising….after all, Hardin was a liberal Democrat. And most would say he turned out to be a pretty good chancellor despite his Duke pedigree. In thinking about this, I realized that the overwhelming number of college presidents and university chancellors are not graduates of the school they are leading!

I am surprised at how few know that Lee Roberts is the son of the revered late Cokie Roberts and Steve Roberts, a journalist and instructor at George Washington University, and who writes a weekly column which is published in the Salisbury Post.

If UNC gives him a “fair chance,” he will be named the permanent chancellor.

— Phil Kirk
Kirk is a native of Rowan County now living in Raleigh.

Secure our border, Ukraine funding needs accountability

No surprise Mitch McConnell and his so-called leadership team are working to give Biden and Chuck Schumer another win courtesy of taxpayers. The current ongoing battle is for more billions to be sent to corrupt Ukraine and its president with no accountability on how it’s being spent, just like the other insane amounts already given. Adding insult to injury is the fact our own senator, Thom Tillis, is in McConnell and Schumer’s camp. Biden has sent money we don’t have to help Ukraine with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile, our border is wide open with untold millions roaming our country with free education, cell phones, medical coverage and housing. Anyone recall Tillis holding a town hall with us — the voters — for our input? …Crickets.

Tillis quickly worked to become part of the D.C. establishment while ignoring folks back home. He needs to be voted out.

— Floyd Prophet
Kannapolis