Thankful to be a Tar Heels fan

As I sit here stuffed from turkey, mashed potatoes, and a second helping of pumpkin pie, I can’t help but look back on this Thanksgiving holiday and think of all the things that I am thankful for in my life.

One of the things that I am most thankful for, other than my family and friends of course, is getting my degree from the University of North Carolina. I, like others, am a proud alumnus and fan, and the Tar Heels are a big part of my life (whether that is a good thing or not can certainly be argued).

So, on this Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to stick with tradition and share a few of the things that I am most thankful for, as a Tar Heel fan.

I am thankful for many of the UNC teams being active in the Chapel Hill community. Whether we are talking about over a hundred student-athletes from various teams helping out with Habitat for Humanity or the tennis team giving an honorary scholarship to a 5-year old who is battling neuroblastoma, it is great to see UNC athletes giving their time and helping out in the community in which they go to school.

I am thankful for Mama Dip’s Restaurant (which I promise is not sponsoring my articles, I’m just a big fan). I am not only thankful for the delicious food (like the cornbread you see being made in the video below), but I am thankful for the memories of sharing dinners with my dad when he would come to visit while I was in college.

I am thankful for the color Carolina blue, as there is just no better color in the crayon box, it makes up 90 percent of my entire wardrobe.

I am thankful for UNC re-branding their Nike uniforms for all of their teams. I love how each of the teams finally uses the same blue and that each of them incorporates the argyle into their uniform design.

I am thankful for being a part of a group of alumni that are so proud of their university. No matter where you go, whether overseas or to a big city like New York City, you will most likely run into a fellow Tar Heel who is more than willing to talk about their time in Chapel Hill and what a special place it is.

I am thankful for what looks to be shaping up as another successful basketball season.

I am thankful for not having a team full of one-and-done players.

I am thankful for all of the Olympic sports at UNC, the coaches, and that most of the teams are successful on a national level. I love supporting a well-rounded athletic program that doesn’t just specialize or have success in one sport.

I am thankful for the most beautiful campus in the country, which is picturesque no matter the season.

I am thankful for Vince Carter.

I am thankful for the new ACC Network and all of the GoHeels TV productions. I love being able to watch and follow many of the Olympic sports on television, watch Blue Dawn videos in the summer, and go behind the scenes with the basketball team after a big victory.

I am thankful for having offenses in football and basketball that are fun and exciting to watch. Even though at times they are successful, I couldn’t imagine following teams, like Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

I am thankful for the 16 Seniors on this year’s football team, who were Larry Fedora’s first recruiting class. This group has helped to change the culture, expectations, and mentality of Tar Heel football.

I am thankful for Dean Smith and the Carolina family. I love the stories of players coming back over the summer to compete in battles on the court. I love seeing current and former NBA players, who were Tar Heels, come together to support current Tar Heels in National Championships. I love seeing football players support the softball team, the basketball players support the lacrosse team, and baseball players support the soccer team.

I am thankful for Kenan Stadium and being able to watch football games among the pines.

I am thankful for the chimes from the Bell Tower that welcome all of us Tar Heels home.

I am thankful for being given the opportunity to host a podcast and chat with the fellow writers of Tar Heel Blog. This is definitely a shameless plug for the podcast, and I encourage you to listen to The Weekly Tar Heel Podcast each week.

I am thankful for having the opportunity to write for Tar Heel Blog and being given the opportunity to share my thoughts, observations, and opinions about a university and athletic program that I love.

I am thankful for all of the readers of the Tar Heel Blog website. I hope you and your families have had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

What are you thankful for, as a Tar Heel fan? Leave your thoughts and what I may have missed in the comment section below.