Wife of former UNC coach criticizes Wainstein report

Marcia Mount Shoop’s husband, John Shoop, was the Tar Heels offensive coordinator under Butch Davis from 2007 to 2011, during the midst of the academic fraud scandal.

She said Tuesday that she sat in during her husband's interview for the Wainstein report, a 131-page document that details an independent investigation into the scandal that has rocked the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mount Shoop – a theologian who has written a book on the culture of big-time sports – said the report is not comprehensive and that her husband’s testimony was “highly redacted.”

She said the investigators should have interviewed more people and delved into the issue of race and privilege.

“There were cases and conditions that give rise to the existence of those classes,” she said, referring to the no-show paper classes that many student athletes were funneled into so they could earn a high grade and stay eligible to play.

She said the problem stems from the NCAA's system of eligibility.

“It's not just that athlete trying to cut corners. There are a lot of people invested,” Mount Shoop said. “So then, it's more than just about grades. It's about dollars. It's about revenue. It's about protecting your investment.”

Mount Shoop said it's time to stop treating revenue-producing athletes differently than other students.

“You’re asking us to deny them their due process rights,” she said. “You’re asking us to deny them the right to benefit from their labor.”

Mount Shoop said she doesn’t have an ax to grind with the school because of what happened to her husband.

“Getting fired is a part of football,” she said. “My issue is not that they fired my husband; my issue is how they treated the players.”

Mount Shoop said her husband, now the offensive coordinator at Purdue University, shares her views.

“I’m speaking up and John is speaking up because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” she said.