Where does it say that “Carolina basketball was so much better” in the past? Nowhere.

It says that in my opinion, the scheduling pattern in the past served the entire state better in terms of being able to attend games live, which is apparently something important to Roy, that people see the games live. It also says that I understand that people who live closer to Chapel Hill, in the Triangle area might like the current scheduling practice better.

These are matters that reasonable people can disagree on, but taking one position or the other, in no way means that Carolina basketball is necessarily better now or back then. One thing that is very different is that 99% of the games are broadcast now, as opposed to maybe 25% back in the 1970′s. I think most people would definitely prefer having virtually all of the games on television, but when you have that, obviously, it takes away some of the impact from being there live, especially today with HD television and surround sound.

One thing is clear. UNC has never won 2 titles in 5 years before and in that sense, UNC basketball certainly seems better now than it has ever been, at least in terms of on court success.

Thanks for reiterating your point that Carolina basketball was so much better in the past, where everyone dressed like they were going to the opera, while everyone curtsied and invited opposing fans over for tea after the game.

I’m sorry the current basketball environment has become to lowbrow for your taste and certain individuals in the basketball program have the audacity to question the loyalty of big important donors, who might have more important things to do versus other Carolina fans not of the same elk, and actually request these big wigs attend all the home games during a season or give their tickets to a Carolina fan to cheer in their stead.

The schedules for home games are published months and weeks in advance, you would think some of these big donors with important things to do could determine in advance when they might not be able to attend certain games and as a result find a suitable replacement. I know unforeseen circumstances arise, but it is funny that those same types of sudden circumstances never seem to arise for these important people during the big time games.

So try to get your facts straight. And obviously the policy about banners has been rescinded, just as I stated above, which you probably didn’t bother to read.

People talk about the Maryland game, the night of the storm when all the UNC students at the game were allowed to take the “rich” people’s seats and what a change that made in terms of noise and energy.

Unfortunately, students tend not to be able to afford expensive tickets. So instead, let’s just browbeat the “rich” people into not giving away their tickets ever and embarrass them when they do.

I do not think it is any of Roy Williams’ business who gave away their ticket to the allegedly drunken fan. Trying to embarrass adults in public for doing something Roy doesn’t like seems to me to be the height of arrogance. If I buy a ticket and I can’t use it, I will do with it as I deem fit.

When I was growing up, the UNC basketball team truly belonged to the entire state. They played several games each year, including conference games in Charlotte and also in Greensboro. This meant that often, in Chapel Hill, there might only be four or five home conference games, depending on the number of conference teams. I despise the fact that UNC rarely plays outside of Chapel Hill in-state anymore. I am sure that people living in the Triangle like the new policy, but it is difficult for me to see how it cultivates the entire state the way that the team did during the 60′s and 70′s and into the 80′s, where UNC was still playing home conference games in Greensboro and had the North-South doubleheaders in Charlotte.

UNC makes the schedule. They set the ticket policy and that should be that. Fans don’t need to be browbeaten anymore about not showing up. Remember, many of these people are doctors, lawyers and other professionals, of whom the University should be proud. Sometimes, the truly important things in life get in the way of going to a game, and I am not going to tell someone that they should eat an expensive ticket. Perhaps UNC should have a refund policy for people who can’t make it to certain games or a donation program for children to attend.

The other thing that always happens when we hit these prickly issues is that people attempt to defend a variety of things and refuse to stay on point. The first issue was whether or not Roy had any business pointing towards the stands.

ChuckHeel ignores this completely.

He prefers to focus on the alleged drunken state of the guy in question. I am sure there are tons of people who are over the legal driving limit at every game. If someone is interfering with the enjoyment of others in the sense of obstructing views and the like, certainly they should be removed, whether at the movie theater or at a basketball game. But that is not what instigated all this. What instigated it was the content of his speech. He may have been indeed drunk, but ChuckHeel you have no way of verifying an account from some guy on Yahoo Sports or whether that guy was even at the game.

The main issue here is whether or not Roy should continue to point out unruly fans during basketball games. Apparently, ChuckHeel and some of the others believe that he should.

I don’t think he should and I sincerely doubt Roy ever will again. Basketball should be about the players, primarily. Granted, it was a crummy game but Roy’s action ended up overshadowing completely the victory by his players.

Roy is a great coach and a great recruiter and for the most part, a great man, but lately we have been having some of these “Bill Belichik” type of eruptions which are overshadowing the mostly overwhelmingly positive aspects of his program and career.

A cynic would say, “well what do you expect, Roy has a book out to sell.” Controversy sells.

Some complain that a mountain is being made out of a molehill and that everyone should just get back to basketball.

I thoroughly agree and hope we won’t have another reason to have posts like the ones about Roe, and the incident at the Presbyterean game because they do indeed take the focus away from the players and the game.

Solid evidence, just as about as solid as “I was at home with my mother watching CSI”.

And yes, it was a big deal how the Redskins were treating their fans. Not only did they take banners. You neglect to state that they made people remove clothing and that they sued season ticketholders. They have attempted to prohibit fans from walking to games in order to force fans to pay parking fees of $40+ per car. They have alienated many of their supporters. I know, as a lifelong Redskins fan that the Ravens are starting to look more appealing than ever.

What is the big deal? I have never, never, in the history of sports, seen a coach who has engaged in this kind of behavior during a game. Coaches coach. Did Vince Lombardi point to the stands at Lambeau Field? Did Casey Stengel? Did Red Auerbach?

You know who did this kind of stuff? Richard Nixon. It needs to stop, here. Don’t even try to defend it, because you have no way to do so without placing any sort of reasonable limits on it. UNCGirl has been the only one who has given a decent defense.

And no, we don’t need big guys intimidating opposing fans.

I am ashamed that people from my university believe that it is fine to use physical force or intimidation to corral opposing fans. I certainly never learned approbation of such things at Carolina but then again, I guess I was a liberal A.B. student.

I seriously doubt Dean Smith believed or believes that people at Carmichael should intimidate opposing fans. Honestly, if this is where we are at, then I am very, very disappointed.

I always thought that UNC people were different. Some of the posters sound exactly like the WolfPack fans who applauded Gerald Henderson for protecting the lane against Tyler Hansbrough.

What kind of bothers me is the fact that this gentleman felt comfortable being loud during what is usually a quiet time (foul shooting). I am a big dude (not bragging here), and there is no way on earth you’d hear me in Cameron indoor stadium taunting or saying these things out of fear of facing the crowd or those around me. Again, I’d be scared to death, and thus would not do it.

For someone to feel comfortable and willing to do this makes me think we don’t have the home court advantage we need to have. I want our crowd to be boisterous and loud, and I definately want it to be an UNCOMFORTABLE circumstance for an opposing fan to be chanting during one of our players shooting foul shots. WE AS FANS need to be the checks-n-balances to this, NOT ROY!

The story I related above about the ACC Tournament is very real and also something to think about. It could have been fans from any school, but at the time it seemed to fit with the sort of UNC fans who went to the tournament.