Right up until close to the end, Mack Brown proved to be the consummate salesman at North Carolina. Always pitching, always marketing, sometimes even closing. But not enough. Not nearly enough, lately. His latest sales job was perhaps his most difficult of ...

Brown as recently as Monday said he planned to return next season, but Bubba Cunningham, the UNC athletic director, informed Brown later Monday that “he will not return as head coach.”

North Carolina announced Tuesday it is letting the veteran coach go. As potential replacements weigh the merits of the job, it’s worth examining why the Tar Heels haven’t had more success.