This column is my first from my tree stand. I was waiting for a deer to come by and thinking about the Texas-UNC game later…and I decided to see if there was a decent Blackberry app for doing blog posts. I discovered that there are several such apps, so I can now share my atypical thoughts on the first ever basketball game played in Cowboys Stadium.
First of all, let me tell you that I am an unashamed dyed-in-the-wool Tar Heels fan. I read a biography of Dean Smith when I was 8 years old (summer of 1976). I followed the 1976-1677 Tar Heels team with great enthusiasm and cried my 9-year-old eyes out when Al Maguire and his Marquette team beat Carolina in the final. As a West Pointer, I get a little conflicted, and I am sure that most of my fellow Carolina fans would say that my hatred for Coach K lacks the proper amount of vitriol, but I just can’t go all in. My buddy Brian’s dad was Coach K’s roommate at West Point…and Brian went to Duke…and Coach K let Brian brings girls to dinner at his house as a first date. After hearing that Coach K served as a wing man for a kid half his age, based on a long friendship started at my alma mater, I can’t hate him as much as some of my brethern. My buddy Kinky, who has an entire basement full of Carolina gear and memorabilia, including some beautiful carolina blue seats from Carmichael Auditorium, can’t understand, or even fathom, this.
So about the game – as anyone that was reading my stuff back in March will tell you, I do not like Rick Barnes at all…and I am not crazy about Roy Williams, either.
Here is my main problem with both these guys, and lots of other guys as well – they almost never win a game they are supposed to lose. To me, that should be the single most important factor when measuring greatness in a college basketball coach. Anyway, Barnes and Williams are horrible at it. They win most of the games they are supposed to win, but that is it. On very few occasions have they ever inspired a team to rise up and beat a better team. By the way, other current coaches on this list include Calipari, Pitino, Donovan, Howland, Weber, and about 100 more I don’t have time to name.
Something historically special might happen during this game. Do not miss it.
You have one coach (Williams) that is notorious for losing every game he is supposed to lose, and another coach who has a horrible track record coaching in big games. Did I mention that both teams are ranked in the top 10 and that the game is taking place in Jerry Jones’ new football stadium?
It’s tough for me to say, but I think Williams’ near 100% success rate at losing when he is the underdog will supercede Barnes’ penchant for losing big games.
But you definitely want to be watching this one. These are two really good teams that should get up for the challenge and show their skill. Then, when you account for the fact that both coaches might be trying to give the game away, it should be riveting right until the end.
I think there are only 2 options: Carolina in a squeaker, or Texas in a route. You know Barnes will absolutely self destruct trying to coach his way to winning a tight game with this much hype around it. But I think Texas just has some freakishly good athletes and they are going to physically bully Carolina…I mean “knock them down and take their lunch money” kind of a bully. Games like this should go a long way toward toughening up Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller, so it’s not all bad news for my fellow Tar Heels fans. If those two guys can keep progressing and both stay in school, there might be another historically great team wearing Carolina Blue in the next couple of years.
When you factor in 2005 and 2009, that would have to be just about the best 10-year span in college hoops history that did not involve John Wooden, right?
Enjoy your day. I am hunting in a snowstorm, just about my favorite thing in the world that does not involve my wife and/or kids, so I know I will enjoy mine.
Since I might not get to blog about it beforehand, here is tonight’s NFL pick. Gimme Dallas at +8 …and they won’t need any of the 8. Just a hunch – Dallas wins outright.
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