The past two years, Carolina has gone 8-5 with a 4-4 record in the ACC. Compared to years before, this is an impressive statistic. The 0nly problem is that the Heels don’t finish up the year strong. They lost the Car Care Bowl to West Virginia in 2008 and to Pittsburgh in 2009. Both respectable losses to very good teams, but Carolina had a chance to win both games but gave the game up towards the end. My other pet peeve is that Carolina cannot beat NC State for some reason. The Wolfpack are never more talented than UNC, but always manages to beat us.

Carolina is an upcoming college football team. They beat a very good Virginia Tech team on the road last year, they have an outstanding defense, and they have a great coach in Butch Davis. I have no doubt in my mind that Carolina will be in the top 25 next year. The Heels might even get into the top, but that is a huge maybe. All that UNC needs is a consistent offensive attack. If Carolina can get a quarterback to make better decisions, then I think that Carolina has a realistic chance at the ACC championship next year. Very hopeful thoughts from a faithful Tarheel fan.

For the first time this season, the Tarheels should that they can battle adversity. In the second half, the Wolfpack opened with a 10 to 1 run. Carolina answered with a 15-0 run of their own. Carolina’s defense was phenominal. NC State didn’t score for like 8 minutes in the second half. I loved the way Henson played. He might not be worth anything offensively, but he can create a lot of problems in the paint with his long wingspan. Roy Williams challenged them to do better and play with heart. The players answered and earned their first true road game victory.

Don’t be worried about Carolina and the NCAA tournament. They’ll make it. They already beat a good Ohio State team on a neutral court, and they beat Michigan State, a team in the top 5 currently. Carolina’s strength of schedule is definitely in the top 5. They’ve played both Texas and Kentucky, both of which were number one at point in the year. Roy William’s team will not die. They will not give up. For now, I say they are about a 7 seed. It doesn’t bother me. As long as they get an invitation to the dance.

1. Ty Lawson

Team-Denver Nuggets

points per game-9.6

assists per game-3.8

salary-$1,438,680

Ty Lawson has done really well for himself in the NBA.  He got really lucky by being drafted by a great team in the Nuggets. He even has a good teacher and mentor in Chauncey Billups. I believe that Lawson even started a few games when Billups was injured. What’s really helped Lawson in the NBA is his quickness. He can easily get by older guards such as Derek Fisher. Lawson even got a highlight dunk earlier in the season. Teams are kicking themselves for not grabbing Lawson eariler. He will be a starting point guard in the NBA in the years to come.

2. Tyler Hansbrough

Team-Indiana Pacers

points per game-8.5

rebounds per game-4.8

salary-$1,859,160

I’m happy for Hansbrough and his success as an NBA players. All these skeptics saying that he will amount to nothing in the NBA are becoming less confident in their previous predictions. It all started when Hansbrough was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. Nobody, not even me, saw that coming. He found a good place in the Pacers. Not a flashy organization or a team that makes the headlines, an absolutely perfect scenario for Hansbrough. Less pressure for him to perform. He can quietly pick up his stats and make a name for himself later in his career. Will he ever be a great NBA player? I don’t think so, but he can become a good role player.

3. Wayne Ellingtion

Team-Minnesota Timberwolves

points per game-6.3

assists per game-1.0

salary-$1,003,560

Wayne Ellington was drafted by a very young team. Not a lot of experience. That’s why the Timerberwolves record is 9-33, but this is also a good scenario for Ellington. He gets plenty of playing time which is vital for a first  year NBA player. He can get a feel for the NBA style of play without having to carry the team by shooting threes all of the time. It’s also good because he can practice and get better at other parts of his game, like maybe posting up sometimes. He is 6 foot 4 I think  he can hold his own if he tries.  His stats were pretty much expected. Like Hansbrough, Ellington has the potential to become a good role player in the future.

4.Danny Green

Team-Cleveland Cavaliers

points per game-1.7

.333 3 point %

salary-$457,588

I can see Green’s position in a positive way and a negative way. For the negative, he is a part of Lebron Jamese’s team. He can never get playing time to help out his NBA career. Currently he is a bench warmer and that is all he will ever be unless he gets traded or Lebron leaves for New York. The positive is that Green out of all the other Tarheels, landed with the best team. The Cavaliers can contend for an NBA championship. Green also gets to dance with Shaq and Lebron on the sidelines.  But if Danny Green wants to become a decent player in the NBA he will have to switch teams because he will never be heard of as a Cavalier.

They were hard to find, but there are some bright spots I saw in the Carolina vs. Clemson game last night.

                            1. Dexter Strickland is the best freshman on the team and he showed it last night. While the whole team was struggling, Strickland never lost his edge. He put in 17 points for the Heels. The next  highest scorer had nine points. It is clear to me that Strickland deserves the starting spot of Larry Drew. They both make poor decisions, but Strickland is lesser of two evils.

                             2. Roy Williams is a great coach. He literally turned his back for 5 minutes of the game, trying to get his starters mind right. He pulled all of his starters and put in 5 freshman. How many coaches would have enough confidence and trust in his young players to put five (like Dick Vitale says) diaper dandies in? Like I previously stated, he didn’t even watch them, and you know what? The youngsters were doing excellent for time they were in. Actually they performed better than the starters. Williams should have kept the freshman in, because the starting 5 turned the ball over instantly after they came back in.

   Usually I hear college basketball analysts say “Carolina doesn’t rebuild, they reload”. This year, they are wrong. Carolina lost 75 percent of their scoring last year. I saw that statistic several times toward the beginning of the year, because I didn’t think it meant anything. I believed that the freshman would bring youth and quickness. I also thought that Larry Drew practiced hard during the summer to prepare for filling Lawson’s shoes. I’m glad that the Heels have size, but the guards can’t get the ball to them without turning it over. I guess we Carolina fans just have to take our frustration one game at a time.

                              January 6 2008: North Carolina 90 Clemson 88 F/OT- I probably paced back and forth at least a mile while watching this game. The score was 87 to 88 with Clemson on top.  05.4 seconds to go Hansbrough inbounds to Lawson he dribbles passes it to Ellington for the three and SWISH; with .004 left. One of the happiest moments of my tarheel fan life……..probably top ten. What made it so much better was looking at the stunned faces of the Clemson fans. I loved it.

                            February 10 2008: North Carolina 103 Clemson 93 F/2OT- Carolina was down for the most part of regulation. Halfway throught the second half they decide to play some basketball. Later in the 2nd half both teams exchange some threes and Clinton Thomas, of all people, drives into the lane with the game tying layup to send the game into overtime. In overtime Clinton Thomas sinks to clutch free throws to send the game into the second overtime. (One of Clinton Thomas’s best performances)  So in the second overtime North Carolina starts to pull away, thus the score being 103 to 93. A very huge scare, but like before, the Heels survived

                            March 16 2008: North Carolina 86 Clemson 81 (ACC Championship)- Fresh off a game winning shot by Hansbrough against Virgina Tech, the Tarheels faced of versus the Tigers for a third time. It was either the Tigers or play Duke for a third time. So it didn’t really matter who the Heels faced I would have been equally as nervous. The game was close all the way through. Clemson  had a three point halftime lead, but gave it up in the second half to Carolina. The Heels win the ACC, but go on to get demolished by Kansas in the Final Four. Anyways……..

This Carolina team is full of youngsters. They are nowhere near the best of their ability. The team turns the ball over way to much, terrible free throw shooting, and not enough three point field goals to take away the zone defense that Carolina can never seem to figure out, but I have seen shots of brilliance in this team. They beat a very good Ohio State team, a well coached Michigan State team looking for revenge, and almost beat a spectacular Kentucky team. What do I expect? A very close game. Will the Heels pull it out. I have no idea. I just know that my palms are sweaty with anticipation just thinking of tonight’s game.

So what’s next for Tar Heel Football?  Well, UNC was ranked 24 going into the game, but sinc they lost, they will most likely drop out of the top 25.  They are still bowl eligble, so stay tuned to see where they get the invite.

The defending champion men’s basketball team, got a win sunday night against a Nevada team that will surely be dancing come March.  I was concerned about this game, because it is sandwiched in their with Carolina’s tough games coming up against Michigan State, Kentucky, and Texas…all Top 10 teams.  It’s a good thing they won, but it took a little bit of work.  Nevada had two pre-season WAC Player of the Years on their team in Armon Johnson and Luke Babbitt, and they did all they could to challenge the Heels.  The first half, in my opinion, went as planned, with UNC playing well enough to have a decent lead.  The second-half though was where I think UNC will lose a few games they shouldn’t this season.  The youth and inexperience of this team was evident, when they allowed Nevada to get right back into the game and at one point regain the lead.  But just like in the football game on Saturday, somewhere around the five minute mark, the game changed…this time in the Heels favor.  A stout defensive performance during this time, and good shooting by point guard Larry Drew II allowed the Heels to go on a big run and seal up the victory with a score of 80-73.

So, what now?  Well, it gets a lot tougher for UNC Basketball.  Tommorow, they play #2 Michigan State in a Championship rematch.  On December 5th, the Heels play #5 Kentucky, then later in the month play #3 Texas.  Get through this stretch with a one or two wins, and fans might be able to get excited about the opportunity this team has in ACC play.  One thing is for sure though, keep the turnovers down and this team could be something to work with come tourny time.