Man oh man, crazy stuff going on in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The "Tar Heels" of course are one of the group of, I don't know three?, bluest blooded programs in scholarly basketball. I don't know how many national championships they've won but they have been elite since at least the 1950's. Started this season elite also. They were 5-0 and ranked sixth in the country on November 28 when they were upset by unranked Michigan. Beat then #11 Oregon and got back up to seventh but then got buried by #6 Ohio State 74-49. The number seven team in the country does not lose 74-49 to the number six team, or to any team. That was the bellwether that this season was not to be like so many others in Chapel Hill. They lost their next three, including to Wofford. North Carolina does not lose to Wofford. But the Wofford Debacle was sandwiched between losses to #5 Virginia and #2 Gonzaga. They were well-beaten in all three games but not eviscerated as they were against OSU and both Virginia and Gonzaga were away. I'm looking for slight positives there. They won their next two, over UCLA and Yale, slight positives, but then...Jeezy peezy, home to Georgia Tech, 96-83 L, home to Pitt, 73-65 L, home to Clemson, who hadn't beaten UNC in Chapel Hill in fifty-nine gaammeezzz, 79-76 L, and then today in Pittsburgh 66-52 L. "Panthers" led at halftime 43-23. Blink, raise jaw, 43-23.
Understand Pitt is just recovering from near-death basketball illness, they caught the disease late in Jamie Dixon's tenure and Kevin Stallings put them in basketball hospital where they were given their last rites. Ex-Duke blueblood Jeff Capel had the "Panthers" take a few unaided steps last year and has them taking a few more this year. This was not one of them though, that is the point. Beating North Carolina twice in ten days suddenly is no big deal. I can't believe I wrote that. I can't believe that what I wrote is true. The game made no headlines, beating UNC suddenly is not news. It’s not. The "Tar Heels" are 8-9, losers of 8 of their last 10, I'm getting nauseous... Look, I carry no brief for UNC, I don't give a shit about UNC generally, it just makes me borderline ill to see an elite program for decades, a great coach like Roy Williams, suddenly and inexplicably get Khem Birch disease or whatever it is and prostrated. I didn't understand what happened to Pitt the year they had Khem Birch, Jamie Dixon's highest rated recruit ever, for like five games before he transferred, but something happened and Pitt has never gotten back to where it was pre-K. And I don't know what the hell is going on in Chapel Hill this year but something, and not good. Congratulations to my Beloved Pitt Panthers, any win is a great win and they are 12-6 now (!) but, you know, it's just not the same as wins over North Carolina once were, it's just not.
Understand Pitt is just recovering from near-death basketball illness, they caught the disease late in Jamie Dixon's tenure and Kevin Stallings put them in basketball hospital where they were given their last rites. Ex-Duke blueblood Jeff Capel had the "Panthers" take a few unaided steps last year and has them taking a few more this year. This was not one of them though, that is the point. Beating North Carolina twice in ten days suddenly is no big deal. I can't believe I wrote that. I can't believe that what I wrote is true. The game made no headlines, beating UNC suddenly is not news. It’s not. The "Tar Heels" are 8-9, losers of 8 of their last 10, I'm getting nauseous... Look, I carry no brief for UNC, I don't give a shit about UNC generally, it just makes me borderline ill to see an elite program for decades, a great coach like Roy Williams, suddenly and inexplicably get Khem Birch disease or whatever it is and prostrated. I didn't understand what happened to Pitt the year they had Khem Birch, Jamie Dixon's highest rated recruit ever, for like five games before he transferred, but something happened and Pitt has never gotten back to where it was pre-K. And I don't know what the hell is going on in Chapel Hill this year but something, and not good. Congratulations to my Beloved Pitt Panthers, any win is a great win and they are 12-6 now (!) but, you know, it's just not the same as wins over North Carolina once were, it's just not.
