Love, Hate, and Basketball

Today is that day that I wait all year long for. Another chapter in one of sports' most storied of stories. Tonight is the first of two North Carolina and Duke basketball games. The rivalry that consumes me. You love one and hate the other. And no matter where you grew up or where you went to college, you have a favorite. There is absolutely no way that you can be unbiased. With a rivalry like this, it's impossible not to be biased.

Everyone knows the team I love is North Carolina and the team I hate is Duke. If you are native to the state of North Carolina then this fate is decided before you're born. You are either born into a Tar Heel loving family or a Blue Devil family. I consider myself fortunate for the fate of my fanhood. See, the University of North Carolina is the pride of the people from small-towns across the state that are hard-working and proud of their Southern upbringing. Duke University, on the other hand, is the pride of the mostly Northern, prep-school type, riches.

They both have tradition, success, and prestige in the basketball world that they share. Both schools are considered to have one of the best basketball programs in the nation and it's rare if there's a year when at least one of these teams is not ranked within the top 25 teams in the nation. Actually, the last time that these two teams met and neither were ranked was 1955. Being as they play two times a year, sometimes three if they meet in the conference tournament or in the NCAA tournament, I'd have to argue that 55 years is pretty impressive.

The rivalry dates back to 89 years ago. The University of North Carolina is celebrating it's centenial year of basketball this year and that means, minus the first eleven years of the program's history, there has been bad blood with the neighboring school for almost all of it's 100 years. I guess with only eight miles of separation the intensity of this matchup is hard to withhold.

This year the odds are against me, however. The Tar Heels are struggling and very topsy-turvy. It's basically the worst stretch under Head Coach Roy Williams. Duke, is currently ranked seventh in the nation and is,obviously, the largely favored team to win tonight. Personally, this is a painful truth. But, I understand that a rebuilding year full of up's and down's was in store for us after we won the national championship last year. Still, I'd rather lose every other game of the year if it meant we could win the two games against Duke.

It's the only game that matters, really. Well this one and the second one against the Blue Devils. Tonight's showdown is in Chapel Hill at 'the Dean Dome' and maybe a little home court advantage will play a part and give Coach K and his squad a hostile environment. Lord knows when we play at their home it will be a hostile environment. As annoying as they are, their famous 'Cameron Crazies' really do make it a hard place to get the 'W'.

The outcome tonight? Who knows... I've seen upsets and I am very aware that a rivalry this intense has little to no regard for rankings and statistics. But, for what it's worth, and if statistics did mean anything to further enhance the epic proportion of this battle, then let me throw a few quick facts out there in attempt to cushion what could quite possibly be a very, very ugly game for my fellow Tar Heels.

• UNC leads the series 130-97
• UNC has won the last six of seven matchups
• For 4 consecutive years, UNC never lost at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium (this, in fact, is marvelous!)
• UNC lost 82% of their scoring from last year
• UNC has more wins, National Championship titles, Final Four appearances, Sweet 16 appearances, and tournament appearances than Duke

Ok, that makes me feel a little better now. I've witnessed a loss to Duke before and I know I will survive the excruciating heartache it causes me but I will still cling to any and all hope that Carolina surprises the nation tonight. If the 'Heels decide to start "gelling" at all this year, I really hope it's tonight.

Go Heels!

BJJ