Impolite questions from Bob Lee Swagger regarding UNC’s new chancellor. But I liked this rundown on the man already dubbed Doogie the best of Swagger’s observations:

Your entire life since age 18 has been in a college campus environment. That, Doogie, is like living in Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disney World. It ain’t real Doogie. It is fine when you are dealing with the dwarfs, munchkins, and assorted campus characters inside your collegiate theme park …. but as “The Chancellor” you must be able to relate to the great unwashed …. the untermensch …. the 100,000s of alums …. the Tar Heel lunatic fans …. the cold-bloodied thugs who kill the Eve Carsons …. the Jimmy Sextons …. the retirees that moved to Chapel Hill and hate “football game day traffic” …. the angry parents who’s Eagle Scout/Valedictorian son gets turned down by Admissions simply because of his race/gender – Caucasian male …. Oh and you must deal with “people who don’t see America thru your eyes” but aren’t bad, just different. That last category likely “be me” Doog. …. will you actually solve problems or just “hold candlelight vigils”?

Brutal, but true. Thorp is taking office at a very delicate time in the history of both the UNC system and the Chapel Hill campus. Let’s see how he does.