Interview Kenneth Wainstein

Last Thursday, the day after the Wainstein Report was released to the public, chief investigator Kenneth Wainstein was interviewed during a PBS News Hour segment about the report. Co-anchor and managing editor Gwen Ifill hosted the piece and conducted the interview,

I thought I'd have some fun and whimsically take Ms. Ifill's place and pretend like Minding the Coach was asking the questions.  After reading the report and skimming the voluminous supplemental exhibits, I'd relish the chance to ask him some questions of my own. I'd have a lot more than these.

(I've paraphrased the questions in some places, and in others taken Gwen Ifill's words verbatim. Not trying to alter the context of Mr. Wainstein's answers. Just playing along with the fantasy of conducting the interview.)

Q: Thank you, Mr. Wainstein, for being with us here today. Could you first describe for us the scope of the fraud as you learned from your investigation?

 


MindingtheCoach: Looking just at the student-athlete aspect of this, what this designed to keep them eligible to play?

 


MindingtheCoach: Describe what you mean by "paper classes?" How did this "shadow curriculum" work?

 


MindingtheCoach: How did this go on for so long? How was it allowed?

 


MindingtheCoach: Along the way, did any of the sports coaches, professors, or anyone object?

 


MindingtheCoach: Certainly, UNC is not alone in this sort of thing. In your opinion, isn't the term "student-athlete" backwards at this point?

 


MindingtheCoach: Thank you for being with us today, Mr. Wainstein.