Just between you and me? I cannot decide if Mickey Mouse is just some fun loving kids character or a cult leader. That castle at the Magic Kingdom looks like it could be a temple.
A huge thank you to all of you for holding the fort down on the open thread while I was gone.
Anyway, I was most pleased to pull up the ACC scores when I arrived home and see that Duke bought it against Michigan. I wonder where all those folks who were out there proclaiming Duke was a possible title contender Wednesday morning are at now? Duke is good, but I have asked it once and I will ask it again: How are they better than last season conisdering they lost Demarcus Nelson?
As for the Heels. What an awesome display of firepower against UNC Asheville and again versus Michigan State. I know we are not supposed to consider the thrashing of the western sister school anything to hang your hat on but it was important for one reason: The Heels were expected to completely dismantle the Bulldogs and they did. No let down from Maui. No poor execution. Yes, UNCA was missing Kenny George and was not the same team as last season but it was last season UNCA actually gave the Heels problems. The way UNC took the Bulldogs apart is reminiscent of what the 2005 team did to the lesser teams on their schedule.
The win over Michigan State was a shock to me. Not the actual W but rather the level of destruction the Heels leveled. Seriously, I called a seven point win, would not have been surprised with a double digit win and got an 35 point thrashing. The Heels are clicking and when you consider Louisville lost to Western Kentucky, UConn almost lost to Buffalo and the aforementioned Duke loss to Michigan, I loved the position UNC is in right now. The Heels are living up to the hype and while there is a ton of work to do, I think the Heels are at a good place. You always expect a team to get better as the season proceeds. The same should be true of UNC and when Marcus Ginyard gets meshed into the rotation the depth, experience and defense gets upgraded. If UNC can get better than they are now, you are talking about an incredible level of play. The dangers? Relapse of bad defense or a general loss of focus considering how well they are playing. There is also the injury bug which hopefully is done inflicting harm in Chapel Hill. And yes, Ty Lawson is awesome. Insanely so. I mean, 6.11 A/TO ratio? Really? Only nine turnovers in eight games? 55% shooting percentage and 55% from three point range? Yeah. I dare say Lawson has arrived.
This was also a good point for UNC to get a 10 day break. Hopefully Hansbrough will stop being questionable for every game after the time off. UNC gets to run through a schedule of cupcakes which includes two games away from Chapel Hill. Perhaps Ginyard can get back soon and they can work out all the kinks before heading into ACC play.
On the football side it looks like the Car Care Bowl which probably is more about the bowls wanting sure crowds in a weak economy than anything else. The opponent is likely to be West Virginia which would afford UNC a chance to go 3-0 versus the Big East this season.