Some Odd Comments

J. Adam Lucas, who recently wrote a piece for Go Heels.com saying, in
essence, that Ed Cota wasn't really a Tar Heel, has
a piece up about what it means to be a UNC fan.  (Incidentally, Cota has been upgraded from the Anti-Heel to a "survivor").

Or something like that anyway.  Not content to revel in his own team's
late, startling success, he takes a few potshots which are worth mentioning:

• “This is another semifinal loss in the Final Four, this time not to classy squads
  like Kansas or Arizona, but at the hands of a program that smells slightly dirty."
  

This would be Florida, of course, the implication being that Florida cheats
(or possibly referring to  the agent questions which surfaced last week), a
suggestion which has been made, but for which there is no evidence.  This
would be like Florida losing and saying that UNC smells slightly dirty because
Ed Cota and Terrence Newby played all season with unresolved criminal charges -
as opposed to speculative rumors - hanging over their heads.  As several
UNC fans asked us to point out, they haven't been convicted and may actually be
found innocent.  Absolutely correct. But they have been charged. Florida
hasn't been charged with anything, except beating UNC unfairly. Sour grapes?

• "This is the season that you and your buddies spent around the water cooler talking about how Duke’s program had clearly surpassed Carolina’s. This is the season that Duke flamed out early in the NCAA’s once again, because their
  coach leaves All-Americans on the bench and then complains of being “tired,” their point guard wouldn’t know a good shot if it bit him on the buttocks, and
  they are too reliant on the three-pointer."

Last time we looked, Duke's bench had as many All-Americans as UNC's does -
one, Casey Sanders. UNC's is Max Owens. Casey Sanders is a 7 foot guy who came
into the season at just over 200 pounds, or at least 30 less than he really
needs at that size. Max Owens is a junior who has yet to learn to play defense
and who has, clearly, been passed over in favor of Joe Forte.  As far as
Jason Williams shot selection goes, he is a freshman and it'll get better. 
As a fair counterpoint, Ed Cota went through a four year career and, to the best
of our knowledge, never took a charge. We'll take Jason every time. At least he
plays on both ends. 

As far as "flaming out" goes, it's a funny
comment coming from a fan whose team lost last season in the first game and
which couldn't find the pilot light until after the ACC tournament. And we'd
just like to point out that Krzyzewski has gotten his teams to the Final Four in
86, 88, 89,90,91,92, 94, and 99. In 96 both starting guards were hurt. In 97,
Duke was upset by Providence. In 98, they lost to the eventual national
champions in the regional semis. In 86, 90, 91, 92, 94, and 99, they played for
the National Championship, meaning that they only came up short of the Final
game (after making the Final Four) twice out of eight attempts. In 89, they were
up 20 or so on Seton Hall when Robert Brickey was injured and had to leave the
game. 

In their last three trips to the Final Four, UNC hasn't been close to the
championship game.

• But this is also the season you learned to appreciate being a Carolina basketball
  fan.

Ummm....what does it take to appreciate being a UNC fan?? Second most
successful program ever, most winning coach ever, Michael Jordan's alma mater -
we don't like them, but it's hard not to appreciate the accomplishments. Does it
really take a mediocre season to understand how strong this program has been?