I think the 2005 Heels had zero desire to play Duke again a week later when they were still trying to get McCants back into the line-up. 1993 shows the dangers of trying too hard in the ACC tourney where we lost Phelps in the Semi’s but luckily he was back for the NCAA tourney.

Dean tended not to focus on the tournament, which he said made Carolina’s defeat in 1987 to NC State in the finals so heartbreaking, because he said, “we were emphasizing the ACC tournament this year.”

Some years, like 1997, 1998, and 2007, an ACC tourney win was needed for a number one seed and the Heels came through great. Other years, like 1984, 1987, 1993, 2005, and 2008, the Heels obviously had the seed wrapped up and generally didn’t do so well in the ACC tourney.

Why should we care very much about the ACC tourney most of these years where it is essentially meaningless if Roy and Dean don’t? Try to win it but don’t dive for balls or do anything dangerous, and if you win, great. Unfortunately, this year, we might need to win it to get a number one or two seed.

The 1982 team only lost one game with its line-up intact, but it was a whopper where they got killed by Virginia. They also had to go to overtime to beat Penn State, who was not a basketball power.

The 2005 lost to the national runners-up, GIT, in a somewhat meaningless game and also on the road against two top five teams. The Santa Clara game defies comprehension, even without Felton.

In 1993, both of the losses to Wake and Duke were avenged in easy wins. Once again, the loss that year to GIT was somewhat meaningless.

I follow basketball as much as anyone and I tend to forget the absurd results that Carolina teams have had through the years: the loss to William & Mary by one of Phil Ford’s teams; the almost invariable losses to mediocre Wake teams in the early 70′s.

In 1967, UNC went to the Final Four. On February 17th they played South Carolina in Charlotte and torched them 80-55. Only two weeks later they played them in Columbia, and lost 70-57. What the heck happened there? You can find very similar types of things all through out their history. Perhaps there is just so much more coverage of things that we lose perspective.

The media monster truly has two heads now, Duke and UNC and I am sure that some fans get tired of hearing about us.

On the other hand, I think in every sport, whether it is the Celtics and Lakers, or the Yankees and Red Sox or the Cowboys and whoever else is good in their division that year, dynasties and rivalries create intense interest in the sport. People tune in just to see Duke or UNC lose and it is an obvious compliment to our program and Duke’s program.

One thing that I will say to the Wake fans, that I am stealing from Duke fans who chant it when they play Maryland, or at least they used to when Maryland was really good:

“You are not our rivals!”

That nearly put diet coke all over my monitor!
Well said C. Michael.

It has been a frustrating 7-8 days of the season, but I’m keeping the faith in Roy and the boys to move forward and finish the season strong. GO HEELS!