What is the Big Picture in all of this? The t-shirt says, "Carolina Victory," and the wine compliments it. I like the Scuppernong whether anyone else does or not. Many of y'all are probably guessing that I drank the entire bottle, all by myself, after the Carolina game against Kentucky, on Sunday. Well for the record I did not! I did have one celebratory glass, however. Celebrate a Carolina exit from the NCAA Tournament, you ask? Yes, celebrating indeed, and here's why...
1. Doubt is a sin. Never allow a the haters and naysayers influence your faith!
2. It's a really great feeling to see your squad advance beyond the enemies camp. (We usually do, but in the rare occasions that we don't you can hear from the obnoxious camp that needs a moment to cheer.)
3. Reaching new heights, and doing the unexpected, so later you can say, "That's my family!" and "I told ya so!!" is just priceless!
UNC had a great season, period! They manifested the essence of what it is to be a Tar Heel! The displayed heart! Heart that makes a unit beat as one! Heart that thrives on being resilient, strong, and not willing to accept wearing the badge of failure. 2011 is not 2010, it is a new year with a new team, and a new outlook on whom it is they need to be, and whom it is that they represent. And represent they did! The 2011 team knew that they were better than an NIT team, even when the media and naysayers tried to ingurgitate the fear of last seasons mediocrity into them at the beginning of this season.
North Carolinian's are a proud people. We excel in the heat of the battle. We dig in, and we give our all. So let me go back in time a bit, and divulge where THE University gets its name from, and how the most fierce rivalry in all of sports got started...
In Colonial days, North Carolina was a heavy producer of tar, pitch, and turpentine. It was nearly a century later during the Civil War that a fellow from a Duke regiment asked of a fine but battle weary UNC regiment, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" Even in colonial times they talked trash, and tried to taunt us, and are not considered North Carolinian's just property holders.
A UNC man said unphased by his arrogance said, "Not a bit. Jeff Davis bought it all up."
The Dookie then asked, "How's that, what's he going to do with it?"
The UNC man replied with the final answer to the over confident and arrogant Dookie, "He's gonna put it on your heels to make you stick better in the next fight!"
Gerneral Lee, was so inspired by this story, that his said remark was: "God Bless the Tar Heel Boys."
When the non-believers taunted the Tar Heels this year, the Heels responded in a positive way unlike last seasons squad. Credit Coach Williams who made the appropriate changes, and saw his team turn a lackluster start into a marvelous season! The other kid (name unmentioned for obvious reasons) was given a chance to improve, and just was not the man to lead the point, so Coach Williams brought in Marshall law! So cut to the chase man! Why did you celebrate after the loss to Kentucky?
In a nutshell, a very good Kentucky team humbled, what will be not only, a good Carolina team, but if healthy and focused next season, will be a "great" Carolina team. The momentum swing and game changer for me was when the refs missed a travel call, and allowed John Henson to pick up his third foul at the end of that same play. Not to take anything away from Kentucky. But at that moment, I knew it was going to be a long day for my Heels. Kentucky won, no excuses, and our guys made a valiant effort to advance, we just came up a little short to a very good Kentucky team. Without questioning, Kentucky played well, they shot from the perimeter well. They hit key three point shots, and got the job done. Kentucky played the D they needed to, in order to win, and they did so in the round of the Elite Eight! And again cut to the chase and make your point please...
My point is: Carolina was there! Not only was Carolina there, in the NCAA Tournament, and not the NIT, they were there with a team that had two freshmen, and a Sophomore in the starting line up when only they felt like they belonged there! So, Mr. & Mrs. Naysayer from early November, how's your crow taste now! Well I have four words for you: "Get used to it," because Coach Williams and crew will have another batch ready for you this fall as well! GO HEELS!!!
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