An interesting tidbit for your slow summer news cycle.
Former UNC walk-0n basketbal player Travis Stephenson caught a 652 lb marlin on the first day of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament off Morehead City, NC. The catch was good enough to put the boat he was on, Double B, in the lead for the tournament.
So you might be asking. Why are we talking about a former UNC player catching a big fish off the NC coast?
Well, as it turns out I know Travis. I attended church with him for several years down in Johnston County and was well acquainted with his family. His first cousin was one of my best friends in high school and we played basketball at the Stephenson's house on evenings in the summer on a clay court wiith halogen lights mounted on three trees which surrounded the playing surface.
Travis was on the UNC baskeball team in 1992 and 1993 getting a ring when the Heels won the title versus Michigan. At the beginning of that season he gave his cousin(my best friend) a pair of tickets to the now defunct Blue-White Game. We went to the game and afterward went back to the locker room where we met Eric Montross with whom Travis was good friends. Montross actually came to church several times with Travis. Anyway, we exited the locker room and went up this stairway to leave the Dean Dome and as we are ascending the steps the door at the top opens. I look up to see Dean Smith coming down the stairs. He said hello to us while I tried my best, as an 17 year old kid, not to completely wet myself for being that close to Dean.
So congratulations to Travis. Here is hoping the catch holds up.