xtcian

A couple of comments: I want Chip's job.

Right before game time, I ran out to a local restaurant to get some chips and ranch just like they serve at Ham's to make it feel like I was watching in Chapel Hill. That was great and I guess now for good luck will have to become a tradition.

Uncharacteristically, I never lost faith in the Heels last night knowing we had the depth to bring home a win.

This morning when I was telling my six year old about the game, it became clear that he has the words rival and virus mixed up. So that if you ask him today, "Who is Carolina's virus?" His answer will be "Dook."

One more thing: It was unbelievable when Billy Packer announced towards the end of the game, "Duke is trying to foul Carolina and the refs won't call the foul." Did it really take him 39 minutes of basketball to figure out that the refs weren't calling fouls on Duke?

Not the prettiest game in the world, but definitely happy to get out of there with a 'w' .. duke played a great game - they were clearly fatigued down the stretch though. Scheyer missing those two freebies was a turning point. And despite the fact that Wright led the Heels in scoring, I think Lawson was the real difference - particularly late in the game. Duke just didn't have anyone that could stay in front of him. And for that matter, the minutes that Bobby/Q got were important as well, as that enabled Ty to be fresh in the closing minutes.

Overall, not as dramatic a win as last season's win, but damn it's fun to beat those guys in their own house!

I still haven't warmed up to this year's team. I'm with Roy about the whole "fat and happy" attitude. I wish we rebounded. I wish we played 40 minutes of defense like last year's team. I wish Reyshawn was a smarter senior leader. I wish we didn't rely on freshmen to bail us out.

But at least I can say that last night's game was the first one this season where we pulled out a close game, and one that we were down for most of. That's a big improvement.

Now, win at BC and I'll stop withholding my love.

Emma,

I think your son has it exactly right.

Is Hamm's still in existence?

Eric - I haven't corrected him yet. Probably won't.

Ham's is still in CH and is actually popping up all over NC. There is one in Greenville and New Bern. You actually see them all over now.

Ian, the Dook Chronicle blogged about your DTH column (and reprinted it in what I assume was a violation of the DTH's copyright). You might be pleased to know they called you the "enemy."

http://blog.dukechronicle.com/sports/2007/02/07/one-enemys-opinion/

Also, I thought my 2 year old was doing great in saying (when prompted) "Tyler Hansbrough" and "Go Heels" and ocassionally dunking a mini UNC basketball in his mini UNC hoop. I see from Lucy's example that we have some work to do.

I wish I could say something witty about the win, but all that ever comes to mind is "Ha ha, bitchez."

That said, this morning I was thinking about K calling his players "kids." Now that I have two, I can't get as into making fun of Scheyer and McSoberts as I used to. It must kinda suck to be that scrutinized at such a young age. OTOH, McBob is such a dick...

Nuance doesn't lend itself to a rivalry like this, sadly. Somehow it was more fun just a couple of years ago when a truly obnoxious Dookie I know offered to piss on my hat right before the Marvin putback game at the Dean Dome. Maybe that's what's missing--asshole Dookies in my life.

But that can only be a good thing.

Rey Rules!

OK, first of all, FIRST of all, Who Could Be Cuter Than Lucy Kent Blake-Williams Trying To Offer Tyler A Moist Towelette Through The TV!?!? NO ONE, that's who....

Secondly, I just want to say that our team won DESPITE the EGREGIOUS FAVORITISM shown to Duke by the refs, and Billy Packer should never be the commentator for a Carolina basketball game.

Thirdly, I wholeheartedly agree with Dave about Ty, he was the star of the game with his hustle and flow in the crucial turnaround minutes....but I quibble with Pete: I felt that Reyshawn's solid stretch of rebounds played a major part in turning the game around, and I felt that he did show leadership in getting the ball back down the court. He made a few sloppy errors (seems like the whole team was doing that at first) but overall he was so on top of those rebounds, I just wanted to hug him.

Fourthly, OMG, could McBob be any more of an embarrassment?!? I mean, I'm embarrassed for a team I freakin' hate! Because he is such a CHILD! Ugh, I'm throwing up.

Fifthly, when the camera panned across the Kameron, uh, Krazies at game's end, I was reminded of Ian's recognition that dook's Koach would throw his own players under the bus without batting an eye. You could see the same thing in the garishly painted faces of the crestfallen dook fans: their team had lost, suddenly and unexpectedly, and though they had loved the team at the beginning of the game when they were winning, now THEY HATED THEM.

What a sweet, sweet victory it was...Go Heels!

this scene was played out in millions of tar heel loving households all over the world last night (don't act like i'm not talking about y'all):

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=6e92e509-0da7-4eb4-9c06-2693826d9dcc&f=06/64&fg=email

One more comment on last night's win .. as much as I'd love to have beaten those uppity jerks by 30+, I think it'll be good for the team later on to have won a close game in a hostile environment. I really believe we took duke's best shot and came out on top, which is encouraging.

It has got to KILL Coach HypoKrite that the missed so many free throws. That was basically the difference in the game.

Nice to see our boys come out of the game with all their body parts. The uncalled hacking and bloody UNC faces are becoming all too regular.

Hats off to Scheyer and Paulus. They played their asses off and made it a game.

I was in cameron last night (working) and here's some highlights:

- Seeing the UNC team bus arrive. The freshmen helped the managers carry the equipment bags into the gym. Brandan Wright may be a millionaire next year, but this year he's carrying Tylers' bag into Cameron. Saw various player parents. Several of Tyler's relatives got driven up to the arena in a golf cart because one of them was on crutches. They were all wearing Carolina gear, and the crowd started chanting "Go to Hell Carolina" at them".

- I don't think our team is used to the intensity you face when you are the best team in the ACC on the road. We aren't prepared to be everyone's Super Bowl yet. I think this especially affected the freshmen at Duke, and I think it got us at VaTech and State. When Roy put Bobby, Wes, and Marcus in to play the perimeter in the 2nd half, they just were more poised.


- Duke was triple teaming Tyler in the first half. Tyler takes a lot of abuse. He does give it back, though, and was very physical with McRoberts.

- Pretty huge that Roy was able to outrecruit K for Brandan Wright. Wright was the most gifted player on the floor.

- When Coach K and Roy shook hands before the game, there were dozens of photographers and cameramen recording the moment. It looked like two heads of state. Neither coach seemed to work the refs that much. I do remember one ref telling K to get back when K was trying to give him an earful as the ref ran back up court.

- Reyshawn, Wes and Marcus Ginyard were the vocal Heels with their teammates. Marcus screamed "boxout" at some teammate as they were coming back to the bench for a timeout.

- Maybe its' because I was wearing a headset, but I didn't think their crowd was as mythic as portrayed. They were loud, but they seemed to be reacting to Duke's team rather than trying to prop them up, particularly late in the 2nd half when Duke could have used the help. I didn't pick out any audible cheers.

- In the first half, it seemed like Duke had 3 or 4 three pointers that were half way down and came out. We got lucky there because we sure as well weren't near the shooter on any of them.

- I always remember the sweet silence of the Duke crowd at the end of that game.