Tobacco Road Rivalries

Tobacco Road Rivalries Has Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 4 Oct 2013 20:28:00 -0400

Please visit our new page at tobaccoroadrivalries.com

Am I Following My Resolutions for the Tar Heels and the College Football Season?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 4 Oct 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Life as we know it revolves around our favorite sports teams. SHHHHHH, do not tell anyone's spouse because they believe it revolves around them and the family. Tailgating and visiting the local shops are just our rouge to get us into the stadium on those Saturday or Sunday afternoons depending on your poison. Before you read on I must warn you I am about to break man law, and I do not want to take anyone down with me. If you are woman you need to stop reading here, but I doubt you will since nobody listens to me anyway.

I wrote this prior to the 2013 college football season and am going to grade myself on how well I am doing in each of these categories by putting a small comment beside each resolution.

Resolution Number One: No profanity (F- .... See UNC versus ECU game score 55-31)

This year I am going to refrain from calling the quarterback a bum or worse, the offensive coordinator dumber than dirt, and I will compliment an official at least twice for every time I yell at them. Every time I slip in this my daughter shall receive a quarter. I will either hold my end or go broke trying.

Resolution Number Two: I will be a good sport if my team loses (D. I did go to dinner with my wife though) .

I promise there will be no more temper tantrums or yelling we were cheated at the television. The other team did not cheat to recruit players that beat us and no everyone else's does not feed their linemen steroids for breakfast. This may be a difficult task to keep.

Resolution Number Three: I will not game plan each weeks opponent on PS3's NCAA college football and fax my research to Coach Fedora. Although had the UNC coaching staff looked at my report we may not have lost FIVE FREAKING STRAIGHT TIMES TO NC STATE. Look I know i just broke rule two, but I have not finished this post so it is not in effect yet. (Fax sent during 1st quarter of ECU Game)

Resolution Number Four: I will not sit with my laptop tweeting during the games. That is just rude to begin with so instead of sitting with my laptop I will now be able to tweet with my new Iphone. It will look like I am texting a friend, but in reality I am screaming via text about how that play called sucked or how the other team cheated. (A+)

Wait resolution four violates rule one and two, but oh well did you actually expect me to live up to these rules. Seriously it is not as if you haven't proclaimed to go to the gym on New Years Day just to see that YMCA membership collect dust all year.

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Four Corners: Wake Forest is Bzdelik or Bust

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 4 Oct 2013 13:00:00 -0400

If you are 11-42 in conference play after three seasons in the ACC you typically are in studio with a TV analyst discussing the AC game of the week except if you coach for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and your name is Jeff Bzdelik. Apparently #winning gets you fired in Winton and if you disagree with that just ask Dino Gaudio.

Ron Wellman has been an excellent AD at Wake Forest however I cannot understand this loyalty to Bzdelik. He fired a coach who made two straight NCAA tournaments for what we have seen in Winston Salem the past three years. If he had cut ties last year people could understand however his stubbornness to see this through is going to end one of two ways. If this trend continues at Wake Forest not only will they need a new basketball coach, they will be creating a search committee for a new athletic director.

Who is going to replace the scoring of CJ Harris in the lineup for the Deacs? Looking at the roster I cannot say who is going to be the person to create their shot when the time is needed. This team could certainly use a Randolph Childress.

Speaking a the ACC tournament record holder, Randolph Childress was promoted to Assistant Coach after last season. If only Bzdelik could suit up the former all ACC point guard the world in Winston Salem would be right again.

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Four Corners: Will the NC State Wolfpack's "Cat" Be too Quick?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 1 Oct 2013 18:00:00 -0400

Anthony "Cat" Barber shined in the McDonald's all American game with a flash of speed and athleticism that will excite Wolfpack fans and terrify defenses. The question will be is the "Cat" too quick for his own good? Anthony Barber will have to slow down and be efficient in the half court offense to have an impact in the ACC. Many young guards can play fast in transition, but when the games turn into half court slug fest is when they have a tendency to struggle.

How will NC State utilize sophomore Tyler Lewis? Life as a freshman point guard is never easy, and Cat Barber has the skills to be an elite guard in this league. However to ease his transition into college basketball Gottfried may use Barber and Lewis in the back court at the same time. Lewis was very efficient with the basketball will called upon last season and limiting turnovers is an area the Wolpack will need to be very good.

TJ Warren is a legitimate contender for the player of the year in the ACC. Everyone worried about the departure of Rodney Purvis will soon be able to lean on the fact NC State has one of the best pure scorers in the country.

Mark Gottfried will be a role where the Wolfpack are the hunters again this year with expectation outside the program being low. If NC State can stay in the top half of the league and be near the cusp of earning a NCAA bid Gottfried will have coached his way into a position for ACC coach of the year.

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Beyond The Endzone: UNC Football Expectations Were Too High in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 1 Oct 2013 06:30:00 -0400

The Tar Heels are 1-3 to start the 2013 football season, but are the Tar Heels a bad team? If we are being honest with ourselves North Carolina over achieved last year with the help of first round pick Gio Bernard and a veteran offense that could score with most teams. The defense was not good last year and lost team leaders Kevin Reddick and Sylvester Williams to the NFL draft.

So why were Tar Heel fans thinking with three new starters on the offensive line, a new running back, and a defense that made a Maryland linebacker look as if he were all ACC last year that this would be the year of Carolina Football? That combined with pre-season injuries and a few less scholarships to give was the writing on the wall rational sports fans needed to see this year would be a struggle.

When you have a returning senior quarterback who put up numbers as Bryn Renner did last season one might expect he could carry a team past any short comings they may have. However the offensive line has not protected well not helped provide a steady running game to lean on. AJ Blue and Romar Morris showed flashes they could carry the load last season in a reserve role behind Gio Bernard. Their inability to establish a running game points to the youth up front with three new starters in the offensive line.

James Hurst and Russell Bodine are two of the best at their position however Travis Bond, Brennan Williams, and first round pick Jonathan Cooper were part of a line last year that ranked 11th in the nation in sacks allowed as well as leading an excellent running game that produced 28 touchdowns. The Tar Heels after four games in 2013 have only four rushing touchdowns and are averaging 3.0 yards per carry compared to 5.1 in 2012.

With a running game not producing the Tar Heels are having to turn to the air more often and are actually completing two more passes a game (24) than they did in 2012. This does not represent the offensive balance Larry Fedora desires to have in his offense.

The Tar Heels defense had its issues in 2012 and many pointed to the new scheme and that players needed to adjust to how it works. Losing Kevin Reddick and Sylvester Williams to graduation was like taking the eggs out of cake mix and expecting it to taste good. The Tar Heel defensive unit needs athleticism and perphaps more importantly bodies to go in it. With injuries to Shakeel Reed and Tommy Heffernan the Tar Heel defense had to turn to a walk on at middle linebacker. Jeff Shoettmer has played well at times, but the lack of depth is hurting along the defensive front.

Looking back upon the 2012 season and the pieces North Carolina had to replace I am certain my Carolina Blue goggles jumped in the way of me truly evaluating this team and what I could realistically expect in 2013. This is not to say North Carolina will not turn it around and win enough games to be bowl eligible but the chances of them winning the coastal were about as real as the Coastal Championship rings that were bought for the Tar heels last year.

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Tobacco Road Rivalries: USC Football: Fast Lane Kiffin Firing Was Not Justified?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 21:30:00 -0400

Yesterday we discussed The Firing of Lane Kiffin: and how this took place in the airport parking lot early on Sunday. Now as much as we like to poke fun at Kiffin and his character from the Raiders to Tennessee at USC he was in a no win situation. Pat Haden will come off clean in this situation regardless of how the Trojans finish the season however USC still has recruiting restriction and Lane Kiffin had 55 scholarship players on his roster during the loss to Arizona State.

How is Lane Kiffin or any coach supposed to win a conference championship with those restrictions? The program that is USC needs to realize that until a coach has a full load of players or at least more than are allowed at FBS schools (65) then they will be a marginal team out west. Pete Carroll built a national powerhouse using the traditions and recruiting base in California without any stigma that has come from the violations that ocured under Carroll's watch.

What Coach in the country right now could take 56 scholarships and compete for a national title? I am not aware of any. Remember when Alabama had its scholarships reduced heavily? It took the Tide years to overcome those issue and only until Nick Saban rolled into town was Alabama a contender again.

Lane Kiffin may deserve ridicule and he may deserve the criticism he gets for past actions however USC backing down to its fan base based on winning after praising Kiffin for handling the adversity that came with the sanctions. If Pat Haden believed in Lane Kiffin's character just a month ago how can today be any different? Isn't it the concept of #winning what found USC in trouble in the first place?

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Four Corners: Can Carolina Cope Without Hairston?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 18:55:00 -0400

The Tar Heels started the season with PJ Hairston practicing however the return of the junior shooting guard is uncertain at this time. Who will step and take the scoring role to ease UNC through this transition. If Leslie McDonald has NBA aspirations he can make them or break them in the games Hairston is not in the line up. The senior from Memphis will have every chance to show NBA scouts he can be a force from downtown.

Marcus Paige is poised to step up is leadership in 2013 as Kendall Marshall did during his sophomore year. The question will be if Nate Britt can be a legitimate back up during his rookie season. Roy Williams has typically relied on one guy at the point, but Britt's change of pace allowing Paige to slide over to the two at times could be another answer to a missing PJ Hairston.

Brice Johnson showed flashes of the player he can be at North Carolina during his rookie campaign and with added weight his defensive effectiveness should be improved. The area I plan to watch early is his patience on the block. At times he would rush his post move which would effect his shot, a year in the ACC as well as summer workouts should slow him down just enough to increase his efficiency.

James Michael McAdoo has received little attention this off season with Hairston's off court troubles and frankly that McAdoo did not have a great season in 2012-13 from a statistical point of view. If McAdoo can find one go to move in the post to compliment his ability to finish in transition Tar Heel fans will see why NBA scouts were ready to draft him out of high school again.

Giants 0-4 for First Time Since 1987

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 10:00:00 -0400

Last time Giants were 0-4 it was during a strike-shortened season in '87 and were using replacement players and went on to finish the season 6-9. Other than that it was in '79 and started i believe 0-5 and finished 6-10. So where do i start? For now, let's take note that Nicks isn't doing much at all in the passing game. He looks like a guy that the leg injuries have taken a major toll. He can't get away from defenders the way he used to, and he had a couple of bad drops. His chances of scoring that big free-agent contract next spring are not looking good at all.

The issues with the offensive line and with the overall blocking are crippling the Giants' offense. Right before Dexter's punt-return touchdown, they elected not to go for it on fourth-and-1 because they can't trust their line to get any push. There was a third-and-1 run by Wilson to the right side on which they got no outside blocking at all. Eli and the offense can't establish anything offensively because they can't trust that they'll have time and space in which to operate.

The Giants will host the Eagles next week at 1 p.m. The Eagles are 8-3 against the Giants the past five years but are obviously under new management with Kelly having replaced Reid as head coach.

USC Football: Fast Lane Kiffin Left Standing in a Parking Lot after Firing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 19:29:00 -0400

Lane Kiffin's firing in the airport parking lot earlier today is not a normal occurrance in college athletics. Typically these decisions are made after the year or near the end of it allowing the coach to finish the season out. We have seen this in Chapel Hill with Coach John Bunting who also was given a head coaching job after serving as a co defensive coordinator, but primarily coached linebackers in St. Louis.

In 2005 Lane Kiffin took over as offensive coordinator at USC replacing legend Norm Chow. Kiffin had an abundant of talent and the vantage of picking the brain of current Washington Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian who returned to USC the same year. With Sarkisian and Kiffin working together they utilized Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Lendell White and Dwayne Jarrett to set offensive records at USC averaging 49 points and 580 yards per game. Kiffin would guide this group to a 23-3 record as an offensive coordinator..

Following the 2006 season the Oakland Raiders targeted former Raider assistant coach Steve Sarkisian to become their next head coach. During this process Sarkisian pulled his name out and owner Al Davis became enamored with smooth talking Lane Kiffin who displayed the "swagger" that the Oakland owner disparately wanted as an image of his beloved Raiders. The relationship between Davis and Kiffin soured quickly as Kiffin was vehemently opposed to drafting Jamarcus Russell. After a 4-12 record Al Davis wanted Lane Kiffin to resign and eventually fired him in September during his second season with the Raiders.

In January the Tennessee Volunteers fell for Kiffins song and dance as the Volunteers hired the 33 year old coach to restore the pride Tennessee was missing in Phillip Fulmers final years. Kiffin stay in Knoxville lasted one year before the young coach bolted for the land of Troy during the middle of recruiting season. His abrupt departure did not endear him to Volunteer fans who most likely had a slight grin hearing he was fired today.

Lane Kiffins return to USC has been tumultuous at best with the Trojans losing in a variety of embarrassing ways since he arrived. Last nights debacle was just the icing on the cake leaving Pat Haden no choice but to make a change. For someone who has been living in the coaching fast lane the past eight years it is ironic he could not even get on the team bus to ride home after being fired in the parking lot.

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Cover Four: Pirates Plunder and Wolfpack Wonder

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 13:00:00 -0400

One: Going into the season Wolfpack fans were wondering how competitive hey would be instead of thinking about NC State being the best team in North Carolina? With a 3-1 start and a promising performance against Clemson the Wolfpack under Dave Doeren are headed for winning season and bowl in his first season. Regardless of how ECU does the rest of the way in NC State defeats North Carolina I am buying stock in "This is Our state" yard signs. After yesterdays debacle in Chapel Hill I should probably go ahead and roll the dice.

Two: Speaking of North Carolina how in the world do you give up 55 points at home whilr looking like you have no energy? Under Larry "Red Bull" Fedora the Tar Heels were supposed to play Smart, Fast and Physical. The fans in the stand may have broken more of a sweat than the Tar Heel defense. They kept themselves cool by whiffing blocks all afternoon.

Three: Wake Forest is back to being well Wake Forest. Headed toward their fifth straight losing season the Demon Deacons show no signs of returning the ways of their ACC championship days that now seem so far away. The Deacs helped Tajh Boyd look Heisman like again and their offense may have set football back a few decades. Dont worry Deacon fans Jeff Bizdelik and the basketball season is only a month away.

Four: The Men of Troy fired their football coach Lane Kiffin after losing to Duke...Wait rewind....I apologize Duke played the men of Troy from Alabama holding them at bay for a final of 38-31. Duke is 3-2 but have only played one conference game. The offense looks to be on all cylinders however the defense is taking a page out of North Carolina's playbook of missed assignments and tackles.

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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels Need Leslie McDonald to Step up this Season

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 10:00:00 -0400

With the departures of Dexter Strickland and Reggie Bullock from last season's roster, North Carolina will be thin on the perimeter this season. Adding to those departures will be the absence of P.J. Hairston, the teams leading scorer last season for an unspecified amount of time. To put things lightly, the pressure is on Leslie McDonald to perform.

McDonald is expected to start alongside sophomore J.P. Tokoto while Hairston sits out his suspension and will need to carry a unit that went from a huge strength last season to a huge unknown this year. The Tar Heels roster is deep inside the paint and finally have security at the point guard position with incoming freshman Nate Britt joining sophomore Marcus Paige. While those are nice things to have, to run Roy Williams' offense effectively, this team needs significant contributions from their perimeter players, none more than McDonald.

McDonald is a career 5.8 points per game scorer shooting a mere 35.6% from the field (34.2% from beyond the arc). If UNC is going to contend in the ACC this season, Leslie needs to double his point production at the very least.

McDonald is an extremely talented player who came into Chapel Hill as a four star prospect out of Memphis TN. He has been one of the teams best shooters and anyone that has watched him in pregame warm-ups knows, one of their most talented athletes as well (not to mention dancer). This is the season he needs to put it all together and become a multifaceted offensive threat.

I am a big believer in the talents of Leslie McDonald and feel like this is the opportunity his game has needed to explode and see the full scale of his talents on display. McDonald has been apart of some very talented Tar Heel teams and has always found himself buried on the bench behind the likes of Hairston, Strickland, Bullock and Harrison Barnes averaging just 14.5 minutes per game over his career.

This season, McDonald's senior year, obstacles are out of the way and he's staring pressure in the face and I for one think he will rise to the occasion and star for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

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Clemson versus Wake Forest: Demon Deacons Destroyed in Death Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 08:42:00 -0400

Visiting Death Valley is never an easy task for a team let alone facing a Clemson Tiger offense that was hungry to get back on track after a lackluster performance at NC State nine days prior. The Clemson Tigers came out slinging the football around and continued to do so all afternoon rolling up 507 total yards with over 400 coming through the air in route to a 56-7 win over the Demon Deacons.

Heading into this game Wake Forest had to be great on third down from both an offensive and defensive standpoint. Unfortunately for the Demon Deacons they converted merely 20% of their own third downs while allowing Clemson to earn a first down 47% of the time. The Tigers made everything look easy with Wake Forest having no answer.

The Demon Deacons have experienced four straight losing seasons under head coach Jim Grobe and unless a miraculous turnaround happens this will turn into number five. Grobe has had success in Winston Salem and we have seen how stubborn AD Ron Wellman can be when you analyze the Demon Deacon basketball plight. Grobe's loyalty to Wake Forest in the end may not be the best move he could have made. With job offers to bigger more established football cultures Grobe could have took his success and rode off in the sunset however by choosing to stay in Winston Salem the fans may be the ones who put him on the horse to ride out of town.

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Other Game Notes:

Tajh Boyd with his three touchdown passes surpassed 100 touchdowns in career giving him a total of 102.

Sammy Watkins eclipsed 100 yards for the second time this season showing signs of the player the nation grew to love watching his freshman year..

Wake forest quarterbacks completed 66% of their passes. They average only 5.4 yards per attempt to Clemsons 11.4 yards per attempt.

Pirates Plunder Chapel Hill and Seize A Win from North Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The East Carolina Pirates devastated the North Carolina defense Saturday in a 55-31 victory in in Chapel Hill. The Pirates dictated this game from the beginning scoring a touchdown on the opening drive in a manner that would become routine for the rest of the afternoon. North Carolina attempted a second half come back, but each time the Tar Heels scored a touchdown the Pirate offense responded with at least a field goal each time.

Where is the discipline that Larry Fedora talks about routinely? The Tar Heels were penalized nine times for ninety seven yards. It does not take a genius to see that when you give up over 600 yards to your opponent you cannot add on close to 100 more free yards especially ones that keep drives alive. We praised Norkeithus Otis coming into this game for stepping up his play however the junior Bandit is costing the Heels with penalties that are not necessary.

The ECU offensive passing attack was a concern going into the game however most believed the Tar Heel unit had been improving even with the loss to Georgia Tech. ECU exposed every weakness they from North Carolina. At the end of the day East Carolina had managed over 600 yards in offense and opened a plethora of questions surrounding UNC.

What is next for North Carolina? The Tar Heels take their act on the road and for a season that started with Coastal Division Championship aspirations it appears the Tar Heels may struggle to become bowl eligible.

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Tobacco Road Rivalries on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:34:00 -0400

Tobacco Road Rivalries invites you to like our Facebook Page where we are interacting with Duke, NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest fans in a variety of ways.

Post by Tobacco Road Rivalries.

What Was Larry Fedora Thinking about While Answering Questions After a 55-31 Loss to ECU?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 21:25:00 -0400

Will Joel James to Have a Breakout Year Similar to a Former Tar Heel NBA Player?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Tyler Zeller did not receive enough credit for how good he was at the five position until North Carolina fans saw what a struggle it was last year trying to replace his production with freshmen. Bryce Johnson was not physically mature enough to be a force down, Desmond Hubert's inability to score made it tougher on the perimeter players and Joel James looked at time as if controlling his body was an issue. How will the 2013-2014 season be may different you may be asking? If we dive into the Tar Vault we will find an answer that could be a light of hope for everyone at UNC.

In his freshman season Joel James according to espn averaged 9 minutes, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 pints a night for North Carolina. James was clumsy on the court trying to control his body which caused him to pick up silly fouls, but he showed a deft touch around the basket giving you hope for future years to come.

What can we point to substantiate our belief he can make a noticeable impact in his sophomore season?

In 1997 North Carolina had a talented seven footer step on campus who needed to work on controlling his body but the future was bright this young an. As a freshman Brendan Haywood averaged 8 minutes, 2.4 rebounds and 2.9 points per contest. The future NBA center's highest jump in statistics at North Carolina came between his freshman and sophomore year where he played 30 minutes, grabbed 7 rebounds, scored 12 points and blocked 2 shots on average. He also shot 64% from the floor making him an efficient center on the block.

Joel James may not have the career that Brendan Haywood has experienced in the NBA, but the two Tar Heels could have more similarities if the player Roy Williams likes to call the "Big Fella" can be a productive center for this years Tar Heel basketball team.

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East vs. North: An NC State perspective on UNC versus ECU

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 11:00:00 -0400

The battle that is going to occur on Saturday afternoon is one that makes my head shake and my anger grow. The hatred for those two teams is so immense but I find myself having to pull for the purple of ECU. The arrogance that is UNC and how they think that tall trees and empty aluminum bleachers makes for a fantastic game day experience just makes me mad thinking about it. However, the Pirates fans are close to being as aggravating. UNC should have this game the same weekend as Midnight Madness for Basketball...since everyone in attendance at the football game is a Tar Heel Basketball fan.

Pirate fans probably couldn't even find the basketball arena if they had too. UConn will be dumbfounded when they have to travel to this top notch arena for a basketball game. When I see this game being played I just think bad thoughts! Luckily for UNC they do not have any academic standards or regulations so keeping players eligible to play is not an issue. As documented over the last couple years, fake classes, changed grades, tutors doing papers and paying off parking tickets from illegal rental cars have led fan bases to hate them even more. I guess since all of the people at the stadium, purple and light blue, are Roy fans, that Coach Williams will not have visions of taking a BB gun to the behinds of all of the 'guests' from Greenville.

I know that I will be watching that game from my tailgate at Carter Finley and hoping that Jesse Helms dream comes true quickly and we put a fence up around Chapel Hill. It pains me to say 'Aaarrgggghhhhh' but I will be hopefully saying it repeatedly and the holes will be embarrassed by a lower tiered team who will always dream of being in the ACC but will be stuck in the AAC. On the bright side Pirates....alphabetically your conference is located ahead of the ACC. Lets Go Pirates...and Go to Hell UNC.... I HATE YOU BOTH!! Bald Clapper

The Bald Clapper

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What a Loss to ECU Would Mean for UNC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 09:00:00 -0400

The term "must win" is an over used word in sports to increase the drama and ratings around a sporting event. In essence every game is viewed as a must win for the players and coaches that have invested the time and energy in their season. With a 1-2 start North Carolina knows there is an urgency to get back on the winning path Saturday. Last year after beginning 1-2 the Tar Heels went 7-2 over their last nine games finishing in a tie for 1st place in the Coastal division.

The 2013 version of the North Carolina Tar Heels is much different than the team Larry Fedora inherited in 2012. With an experienced offensive line and the multi talented Gio Bernard North Carolina was headed in a positive direction offensively even after it's 1-2 start in 2012. The 2013 Tar Heels are at a different place and a loss to ECU would be more difficult to overcome than it would have been just twelve months ago.

This team has a confidence issue and the only solution for that is positive experiences within the game. Bryn Renner looks less comfortable in the pocket specifically on third down. At times it appears as if he is pressing to make a play instead of taking the easy play to move the chains. His receivers have not been his best friend at times dropping some passes that should have been caught. The offense needs a successful day to springboard the tar heels into conference play. With Georgia Tech losing to Virginia Tech the Coastal division could be wide open just as it was a year ago.

North Carolina plays ECU at home Saturday and then travels to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech. North Carolina needs some momentum heading into the bulk of their league play as winning on the road in the Hokies back yard will not be easy particularly after the way UNC demolished Bud Foster's defense last season. If the Tar Heels cannot ignite the offense versus the Pirates then Tar Heel fans could be in for a long road during the remainder of the 2013 season.

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Tweet #TRR

Five Things You Wont Hear in The North Carolina Student Section

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 08:00:00 -0400

Here five random things you would never hear in the Tar Heel student section.

Five: Coach K is a better coach than Dean Smith

Four: Why can't our players slap the floor?

Three: I am glad Gio went pro

Two: Hey man the fraternities beat us to the game!

One: Man I wish I could have got into NC State

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Former UNC Player Jason Capel Accuses NC State with Tampering

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 00:29:00 -0400

Jason Capel played for the University of North Carolina from 1998 to 2001 and is currently the head coach at Appalachian State University. Capel signed Raleigh's Broughton High school star Devonte Graham last September, but the point guard had a change of heart asking to be released from his letter of intent half way through his senior year. Capel has denied releasing Graham from his LOI believing there was improper recruiting being conducted to sway Graham to change his mind. The program he believes tampered with this prospects recruitment according to ESPN is none other than NC State.

Capel had these comments to say about the situation: "Due to our concerns that these rules were not followed and the fact that we had turned away all other potential student-athletes that could have capably filled his spot on the roster, we denied his request for a release from his binding letter of intent. We also made the NCAA aware of our concerns." Mark Gottfried has already denied any wrong doing with Grahams recruitment. Gottfried's son played with Graham at Broughton, but Gottfried says he did not have any contact.

This is a situation where the early signing period hurt this player. Graham had a great senior season and his play drew interest from bigger schools however by signing his LOI his options were already closed. Whether or not NC State tampered with this prospect is something we will need to wait and allow the investigation to unfold. I am not sure if Capel has real information or if he is just upset that a kid his staff worked hard to sign is now backing out on him. Replacing a player of Graham's talent is something that can be expedited as John Calipari does in Lexington.

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Ten Players from the Atlantic Coast Conference Worth the Price of Admission

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 22:00:00 -0400

Before some of you old timers start bashing me for not listing Lennie Rosenbluth, David Thompsom, John Lucas, Mike Gimenski, or any other player who was great while playing in the A.C.C. on this list. Phil Ford who may be the best player ever while at UNC is not listed simply because I never watched him. Let me preface this piece with the disclaimer that I am formulating this list based on Players I have watched over the years. Feel free to chime in later and let me know which players you think deserve to be added or removed. One of my colleagues asked me to write something a little controversial and I am positive there will plenty of you calling me a moron for the players I choose as well as leave off. There have been many to play in the ACC that are great, but some of them you just looked forward to watching a little bit more.

Honorable Mention: Chris Corchiani, Mark Price, Jerry Stackhouse, Tom Gugliotta , Harold Dean, Sam Cassell, Tyler Hansbrough , Ty Lawson, Grant Hill, Rashad McCants, Ray Felton, Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, Julius Hodge, Antwan Jamison, Shane Battier, Shammond Williams, Vince Carter, Elton Brand, Sean Singletary, Joe Smith, Bob Sura, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty, Walt Williams

10. Juan Dixon : Dont let the size of this competitor fool you. Juan Dixon was one of those most electric players in the ACC. Undersized he utilized screens to get open for threes and could destroy you with dribble penetration. Dixon averaged over 18ppg his last three years at Maryland highlighting his career with a National Championship over Indiana.

9. Randolph Childress The ACC tournament in 1995 solidified this Deamon Deacon with one of the greatest weekend performances in the leagues history.

8. J.J. Reddick The most dislike player possibly ever in the ACC, I would definitely want him lining up for my team.

7. Jason Williams

6. Bobby Hurley

5. Rodney Monroe

4. Kenny Anderson

3. Christian Laetner

2. Michael Jordan:

1. Len Bias Such a trajedy that we did not get to see how great he could have been.

The players in the top ten by coincidence were play makers who did not necessarily need a teammate to feed them the ball to be successful. Reflecting on the list you will see a lack of big men. Perhaps next week we can look at the top post players in the ACC from the last thirty years.

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Remembering NC State's Reynolds Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 17:39:00 -0400

Say what you want to about the place whether it is old, does not hold enough people or that is just not that new shiny facility that schools desire to drive in money and demonstrate a commitment to basketball. Reynolds Coliseum is one of the meccas of college basketball and today the Wolfpack are traveling back in time to host a game in Reynolds. Dick Vitale has hyped Cameron Indoor stadium to be the place for hoops, with the students on the floor and their choreographed cheers and the home court advantage that Duke has when visiting teams step into Cameron.

NC State once had Everett Case, Norm Sloan and Jim Valvano work the sidelines in Reynolds. Unfortunately the Les Robinson era along with a tightened leash on who he could recruit was imposed and NC State faltered which in some theories lead the boom in Duke basketball. Even in the Robinson era Reynolds could be the loudest place in the country to watch a game. I have experience many great college venues and NC State was vile, loud, rude, passionate and a crowd that knew good basketball when they watched it.

The PNC center is full of red and white, but the aura of Reynolds has not taken over in that environment. Perhaps with Mark Gottfried he can help turn the PNC into a place that visiting teams and fans dread coming to, but for today Coach Gottfried and the young players of the pack are taking a trip down memory lane, a place that gave me and many others some fabulous moments in ACC basketball history. Today will come and go, but the memory of Reynolds Coliseum and what it means to the ACC will last forever.

As always feel free to compliment or complain about my post in 140 characters or less on twitter at @mandmsportshow

Five things You Need to Know When North Carolina Hosts East Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 13:00:00 -0400

North Carolina has struggled with establishing their running game in the first three games of the season. Igniting it against the ECU Pirates may be a little easier with the announcement that junior Nose tackle Terry Williams has been suspended. The match up inside will be interesting to watch Saturday as Blake Anderson is sure to try an establish a running game.

Quinshad Davis has been missing in action on the stat sheet this season as the Sophomore is averaging only three catches per game. Davis is far too talented for this trend to continue however the sign of a truly great receiver is one who can produce even when being double teamed. Look for Renner to try and find some chemistry reverting back to player we saw at the end of the 2012 season.

A Homerun hitter in the passing game is something North Carolina is needing and Ryan Switzer showed a flash of his explosiveness on an 82 yard touchdown that was called back on an unnecessary holding penalty. We have heard raves about Switzer all through camp and the Yellow Jackets got a small dose of things to come in Chapel Hill.

Can North Carolina's offense sustain drives? The UNC offense held the ball for only eighteen minutes in Atlanta forcing the defensive unit to be on the field a long time. The up tempo offense is not going to benefit UNC unless they can build drives that wears a defense out. The Tar heels have not been good on third down and part of that is due to their inconsistency in the running game on early downs. Renner and company need to stay ahead of the chains putting themselves in manageable second and third down situations.

Pressure will be a theme Saturday meaning will North Carolina apply it and can they be successful rushing the ECU quarterback. The Pirates love to air it out and North Carolina has to be able to force ECU into some bad throws that will help them get off the field on third downs as well as leading to some turnovers.

How Many Games Will PJ Hairston Sit out For UNC in the 2013-2014 Season?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 06:30:00 -0400

The most frequent question fans in the triangle are asking is how many games will PJ Hairston sit out during the 2013-2014 Season? The Tar Heel's leading returning scorer will be practicing with team on Friday however the time frame for his return is yet to be established. The consensus among basketball fans in the area even those who support a darker shade of blue is Hairston will sit ten games for his off the field issues from this past summer.

If the ruling is for Hairston to miss ten regular season games that would include both the Texas and Kentucky games before hostimg Davidson on December 21st. North Carolina fans want to win each of these games however who really remembers the teams that win before Christmas? Playing without Hairston is going to force Leslie McDonald to step up his play and JP Tokoto hopefully has made progress between his freshman and sophomore year.

Ultimately the scoring responsibilities are going to be in the hands of sophomore point guard Marcus Paige. Paige's maturation as a point last year was key to North Carolina's late season where the Tar Heels won ten out of thirteen games with an appearance in the ACC championship game. Paige will be looked to for his scoring ability and to help manufacture easy points for big men James Michael McAdoo and Brice Johnson.

Playing without Hairston will force some young players to mature quicker than Roy Williams may have planned however if it pays off in March no one will remember that Hairston parked the North Carolina basketball season into a state of turmoil.

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Cover Four: Military Appreciation Day at UNC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:00:00 -0400

1. Saturday in Chapel Hill is military appreciation day when North Carolina hosts the East Carolina Pirates. This is a special day for my family as I have two stepsons in the Marine Corp. The University showing respect for the troops is appreciated and it becomes a better event every year. Watching the basketball team play on the Carrier a couple years ago was one of the coolest events I have ever watched and college sports trying to incorporate the armed forces into events is a tradition that needs to stay.

@Tar_Heels_Turf working hard to get the field ready for Military Appreciation Day. #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/BiB3XDvhCP
— Jason Freeman (@UNCFootball) September 25, 2013

2. Duke hosts the men of Troy this week however these are the boys from Alabama as opposed to the school out west best known for Heisman trophy winners and BCS Championships. Duke is coming off a loss that saw the Blue Devils score 55 points only only to have their defense give up 58.

3. Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price is completing 55% of his passes this season and if this continues Saturday Death Valley is not going to be just a catchy name for the stadium that hosts the Clemson Tigers. Price must be good especially on third down to keep the explosive Tiger offense off the field.

4. Jim Grobe has been successful at Wake Forest, but the Deamon Deacobs have experience four losing seasons in a row. Grobes philosophy of redshirting kids and growing them in the program has worked in the past however the league is improving making it even more difficult to have the success Wake Forest had with Riley Skinner at quarterback.