NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Mommy, why is the sky blue?"
"Because God is a Tar Heel fan Baily, you know that."


Today is the day. The sky is blue. Carolina blue in fact. Why? Mama always said life is like a box of chocolates... just kidding, but seriously, Mama always said because God was a Carolina fan. I believer her now more than ever, because like I've annoyingly repeated in my previous posts, he sure has aligned the stars that way. Not only is the sky blue, but there's more....

In 2005, we lost in the ACC Tournament semi-finals. I also went to Key West that year, and Carolina took home the NCAA Championship Trophy from St. Louis, Missouri. People spit in the Mississippi River, as they had in 1993 and 1982 Championship years as to play their part in the Carolina superstituous tradition. We went through turmoil with Raymond Felton sitting out because of playing in an unsanctioned summer league, and poor little Rashad McCants had the flu at the most inconvenient time - the Tobacco Road Rivalry game. Hansbroughs sat through games on the injured list, and Ty Lawson has a faulty toe. Even more astonishing is the fact that Lawson was just awarded the Cousy Award in which Felton earned the same honors in 2005. Carolina beat Michigan State in the Final Four in 2005 to advance to the title game, and here we meet again, Mr. Izzo. But it hasn't been too long Tommy Boy, we met at Ford Field back in December for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, remember?

If the stars weren't aligned before, and they were slightly out of order, then right now those stars are as straight as the rafters that hold our already FIVE National Championship banners who anxiously await the arrival of their sixth.

So we all know about our semi-final tournament loss to Florida State, we all know where I sucked down raw oysters and slurped banana daiquiris on the beach last month, and Ty Lawson most deservingly follows the footsteps of Raymond Felton.

I'm talking, those stars are so stick and straight aligned that they may just stay that way and the weirdo astrologists of the world can name a whole new constellation. In which, every horoscope would read: Today you will win and accomplish greatness that adds to an already accomplished and great tradition, and at the end of today you will constantly sing the basketball lover's favorite song - "One Shining Moment."

Finally putting my superstition aside, I honestly think with the talent, depth, coaching, tradition, history, experience, freshness, and well, what doesn't Carolina have? That we need no new constellation, the star's alignment doesn't mean anything, and I've never been one to read a horoscope.

It's the truth that backs up my prediction that Carolina brings another one home to Chapel Hill tonight: 18 Final Fours, most tournament wins in history, a dynasty, and sending Michigan State back home from the same place five months ago.

My point this even is that in a matter of hours I, along with all my fellow Tar Heel faithful, will get to experience one of the greatest feelings of all time. It's my love, my passion, my heart that pumps Carolina blue blood, my pride and my glory, and my faith. They will all be exuberated in the highest fashion when I get to experience for the third time in my life (1993 and 2005 so far) the ultimate feeling of victory and prestige: winning the big dance.

Because without that feeling and without basketball, March wouldn't be mad. A Cinderella Story would just be a fairy tale. String music would just be part of a band. And pageantry would just be beauty queens and catwalks.

So this is it. It ends here for Psycho-T's college career, and I trust that he's leaving it ALL on the court tonight. He's already one of the all-time greatest players in Carolina history, but tonight on Ford Field, I believe he'll become one of the all-time greatest leaders. It's his last game in a white and blue #50 jersey. After tonight, it'll be blood-stain free amongst the jerseys of past greats, so no matter what the outcome of tonight is, we can all consider ourselves lucky for witnessing the testimonies of Roy Williams and his players that they portray each night on the hardwood.

As always, GO HEELS & Roll Tide!

P.S. I hope somewhere in Detroit, Michigan are two crazy middle-aged women in Ram's Head hats cheering on the Heels. For then, my superstition would amount to everything.