'The Rats are Leaving the Ship': UNC Assistants are Reportedly Talking to Other Programs About Postseason Jobs Amid Violations and Locker Room Fights

You'd think the greatest mind in the history of the greatest sport being rumored to be searching for the emergency exits just five games into his college career would be the biggest story of the day. But nope.

All this talk of exit strategies and buyouts is child's play compared to what's unfolded since. Here's a thread that begins with the contract talks and hits the accelerator:

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I'll interrupt here to point out Belichick might have gone radio silent over the bye week because he was busy on Nantucket:

Now back to the narrative:

And speaking of kids being fucked up, there's another nugget from the same journo who provided all the reporting on this story:

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This in the wake of this reporter saying there are two sets of standards on the team. One for the guys who were on the team Mack Brown took to a bowl last season, and another for the 70 players Belichick and Michael Lombardi recruited. Presumably, that rift in the locker room was what caused the beef Tuesday. I mean, that's just speculation, but it's impossible to see the dots here and connect them to look like any other picture.

And if even 10% of this is true, then it means the most buttoned up, disciplined, in charge, organized, demanding captain of the tightest ship in the history of the game has run it aground in a matter of a few months. Coaches abandoning that ship. The captain AWOL on shore leave on some island. Players in mutiny. A school ready to court martial him. And the rats abandoning it. 

The metaphor is all too perfect.

The next few days are going to be fascinating to watch. And if Belichick is able to somehow survive all this and get the Tar Heels program back on course, it's going to right up there with winning eight rings on his list of career accomplishments. Stay tuned.