March 17, 2004
hark the silence
3/17/04
Roy Williams - coach of the University of North Carolina men's hoops team - had the entire squad over for some of Wanda's dessert while they watched the seedings of the March Madness tournament on Sunday. Apparently when Carolina's name was announced, Roy started jumping up and down and yelling for joy - then stopped, as he noticed the team was stone-faced, drowsy, and his words, "asleep."
The unsubstantiated rumor I've heard from my unnamed sources is that the team is ready for the season to be over, that they still have a hangover from the 3-year Coach Doherty debacle, and that new blood is needed in the program desperately.
To which I say ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING? If my own basketball team doesn't care that they're in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three seasons, why the hell should I? These guys have got to understand that they aren't Carolina, they are custodians of a bigger concept. When they put on the blue and white, they aren't just playing for themselves, they are playing for the 17-year-old acne-ridden, psychotic brat named ME in 1985. They are playing for the living legend of Dean Smith, and the changes he brought to basketball and the state of North Carolina. They are merely functionaries in a much bigger religion than themselves, one that has brought me - and so many others - so much joy over the last century.
Bagwell and me, Umstead Park 1991
Yeah, so I'm not on the team. I'm not the one sweating in practice four hours a day. Big fucking deal. We all contributed to the brotherhood of UNC in some way. I wrote a column for four years. Chip help start a credit union. Tessa was Billy Crudup's first director. Andy Bagwell wrote television shows and my brother Sean wrote his wife's papers for her. We've done the work.
I know this sounds moronic and insane to those of you who went to William & Mary or Colgate or something, but in lieu of a functioning, moral universe, I have turned to basketball to give me life's deeper mysteries and meaning, and when my own team turns to me and says they don't really care, then they can all join the Zagreb Mitten Hounds Yugoslavian team for all I care. Give me fifteen Poli Sci majors who can't make a layup, and I'll cheer for them instead.
Thus, I have decided to censure my own team. I am en route to Colorado right now, and I was prepared to drive seven round-trip hours out of my way to scalp tickets for Carolina's first tourney game in Denver, but now I'm staying put in Aspen. Will the lack of my screaming voice make a difference? I guess we'll never know. I'll go back to caring after this game, and be just as much of a wreck as always. But they can do without me tomorrow night.
Posted by irw at March 17, 2004 11:42 PMHi Ian.. whilst in Aspen look for my friend Stu. He does A/V for lots of events in the area. He can take you to some snowboard sites. k
I still picked UNC to win the whole thing in my bracket pool, even though they could easily lose tonight.GO HEELS!!!
Ian Darling,
I sincerely hope your source for this tidbit of info was WRONG. Eeesh. I am the eternal optimist (for the most part, heh), and am therefore convinced that these boys DO have it in them to show up and play. We certainly have the talent, I don't think anyone will deny that. It's a matter of whether these guys can play as a team.(So I'm wondering if Roy is secretly wishing he could push some magical "fast forward" button and graduate some of the attitude problems and get his own team in there. One he completely recruited without any "inheritances." *flipping through T's Unabridged Dictionary, locating word in the i's section*)
I doubt that we'll win the whole thing, but would gladly eat my words later. In the meantime, don't be THAT FAN that pouts when things don't go their way. Go there and scream your head off for the very same reasons you've just said: the 17-year-old acne-ridden, psychotic brat, Dean Smith, LaurieFromManlyDorm, Dave Manuli, Chris Brown, Jay Holland, Brad Evans, Sharon Hall, the girlfriend from freshman English, ME, and all the rest of the screaming, raging Carolina fans who ARE thankful that we finally give a damn about paying $5 and filling out a bracket again...
Their reaction doesn't surprise me when you see the lack of emotion most of the time's we've played this year. We've got our Atlanta Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tickets on the mantle hoping for the need to use them.
FYI, a MD fan has a site out:
www.truthaboutduke.com
sums it all up
That source is definitely wrong. He is Captain Negative and would bitch even if we won the national title. Get in your Prius and get your ass to Denver. These guys need you. They are not jumping up and down because they are pissed off. They are going to drop the hammer in this tournament.
It doesn't matter who wins or loses, as long as someone beats Duke. Of course, I'm going to scream like a drunken fool for Maryland, but lets not give up on ANY of the teams that deserve the title more than the snobby Blue Devils and J.J.
And this picture is after the MD-Duke game on Sunday:
http://william_squirrel.home.comcast.net/wahdukekid.jpg
(I don't like to see kids crying, but I'll accept it this once.)
Ian, may your bite your tongue while you say it isn't so. Don't be down on the boys in blue. The last thing we should do is yearn for new blood; these guys are still way too young to be restless and ready to move on. Roy's new boys will challenge these guys next year to even out playing time and deepen us for sure, but I for one hope nobody (save the seniors) is gone prematurely. That would only prove a certain level of team and individual immaturity. I think they're up for the tourney, a mile high to be exact and miles better than last year's group. Roy is old school though ain't he, "Rashad, you better thank Wanda for that banana pudding twice or I'll chew you a new ass tomorrow.
If melvin scott can manage to HIT A FUCKIN' SHOT and other cylinders click, we'll be okay.
The wah duke kid is precious.
Ian--
Years of plans and propoganda have come into fruition, and now this??? For my birthday, I recieved the only gift that I asked for--a UNC Jerry Stackhouse jersey. It is gigantic--big enough to fit on my dad, but every day that UNC plays I proudly wear it, no matter how dirty it is. I might not be attending UNC, but this is as close as you could have brought me. Are you willing to tell me that these years of grooming you have given me are all a waste, that me yelling at every stupid fuckhole who wears a Duke Tshirt that I see on the street, the HOURS of arguments with roommates, all whom rooted for Air Force today just to spite me.... ALL of that is a waste??? I don't care what fucking rumor you heard, for me you are the UNC mentor, the Tar Heel Master, do not betray your cause quite yet. Texas is a test, but that matchup with Duke in the Elite 8 is too inticing. Get your ass to Denver and use your incredibly ability to join cursing and basketball all of us have grown to love to cheer for the Heels. Because of Steve Alford, Iowa didn't give a real season this year, don't deny me a proper conclusion to a UNC season too.
First, regarding the picutre, let me say that while it LOOKS like you are about to swat my stuff to Carrboro, the next picture in the sequence would show that I "janked in your mug".
And don't believe the hype about what you heard regarding the players reactions on Sunday. That was Roy-speak and a motivation tactic for the players. All year long, he's been talking about getting these guys to play with a sense of urgency and he's pulling out all the stops.
I have the benefit of typing this on Friday having watched us pull out the victory, but I think was exactly the type of matchup we needed to start the tournament. If we don't do all the little things in this game (offensive rebounds, solid D, smart offense, diving for loose balls, etc.) we lose. That is exactly what has killed us in the close games all year long.
Texas will be a TOUGH matchup, but I really feel that if we can win Saturday, it will give us the momentum and confidence to make it to San Antonio.
LOVE the crying Dook kid - somebody find his name and let's send him a Tar Heel care package - or else he could end up the next BeeGeeWeeGee (see the Maryland boards for more info)
Ian - WTF! Roy said it at the beginning of the year - if you don't hear it from his mouth, don't believe it. I tried for 3 days to get a plane ticket from Vermont to Denver for under $700 and couldn't find it, so I'm stuck listening to the games on the net as CBS thinks somebody cares about Seton Hall - and I'm working on Hotlanta airfare now.
These are kids turned into TV stars - so if they don't pump their fists enough, WHO CARES - with Roy's system, at the end of the night if you have any energy left then you've failed. These kids have been put in a really tough place with all the politics of the last 3 years and have come out in an enviable place thanks to their hard work. Seeing Ray and Rashad smiling during some of the games has been most excellent.
Sheesh.
Andy Bagwell,
Are you from Marion, NC?