CHAPEL HILL — Three North Carolina-related things to think about on this gray morning from Chapel Hill:
First …
Without even doing much of anything, really, you could make an argument that North Carolina further separated itself from the rest of the ACC over the weekend. The No. 3 Tar Heels coasted to an 83-60 victory against Boston College on Saturday. If anything, the 23-point margin of victory was less than most would have expected.
But look around the rest of the conference: Georgia Tech has been one of the worst teams in the ACC and has lost this season against Mercer and Fordham. But the Yellow Jackets gave Duke all it could handle in Atlanta. Florida State, which many thought would be one of the best teams in the ACC, lost by 20 at Clemson, which hasn't played well all season. And Virginia, off to its best start since the Ralph Sampson era, barely held on for a 52-51 victory at home against Miami.
Parity has been the norm in the ACC for a while now and the league’s coaches have successfully attributed that to the fact that there have been lots of good teams with good players. But that explanation won't hold up this season. Let’s face it: Some of the conference’s teams have been awful. Georgia Tech loses to Mercer and Fordham, but has a chance to beat Duke? Clemson loses to a bad Hawaii team, and a bad South Carolina team, among others, but beats Florida State by 20?
After one weekend of ACC play, you have to be even more convinced than you might have been before that UNC should dominate the league. The question isn’t when the Tar Heels might lose, but when they might fail to win an ACC game by double-digits.
Second …
In case you missed it, the NCAA over the weekend granted UNC fullback Devon Ramsay a hardship waiver that gives him another year of eligibility. Ramsay was one of many Tar Heels football players who found themselves ensnared in the NCAA investigation into academic fraud and impermissible benefits.
He missed the final nine games of the 2010 season after the NCAA declared him permanently ineligible for receiving help on a paper from the tutor Jennifer Wiley. Then, last February, the NCAA cleared him of wrong doing. Ramsay returned only to suffer a season-ending knee injury in the Tar Heels’ first game of the 2011 season.
Without being around to cover this story from start to finish, this seems like the right call. Ramsay missed more than 75 percent of the 2010 season after the NCAA incorrectly declared him permanently ineligible.
Third …
If you were at the basketball game on Saturday, you probably noticed the halftime ceremony when UNC officials honored former athletic director Dick Baddour. Before heading to the locker room, Roy Williams took the microphone and said some nice things about Baddour – a nice gesture.
But what about Holden Thorp being booed? Yes, when the UNC chancellor was introduced to the crowd at the start of the ceremony for Baddour, the crowd booed Thorp. It wasn’t overwhelming. It didn’t last long. But it was definitely noticeable.
Obviously, people are still upset with Thorp because he fired Butch Davis. But he also helped hire Bubba Cunningham, who hired Larry Fedora. UNC’s new football coach, Fedora has the difficult task of moving the football program out of the scandal-marred Davis era. Isn’t it time the fan base moves on, too?
Comments
Tell me guys...
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 20:06 — UNC1998Now that there's a link to UNC only stories, do any UNC guys visit the old site? I do not. Why? I don't care about Duke, NCSU, WF, Kansas, etc.... I care about UNC. I know it's tough to swallow for some, but UNC has done pretty well over the years with it's athletic programs. They are doing pretty well this year in the Learfield Cup.
Regarding Baddour, I think he's been good for UNC in the dollars and cents dept. He's had a few misses with coaches, but the way he went out tells me he is of high character. I am a graduate of UNC. I donate. I don't scream at coaches or boo AD's, etc..
I can only say Thorp just hasn't filled his role. I don't think he considered the possibility of having to be this involved in athletics, and he is out of his element. I truly am not convinced he is the best person for the university to have as it's leader. I don't dislike him as a person, but the fact that he's commited an NCAA infraction, and Davis has not kind of sums it up.
Other sites
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 12:13 — JPDOhioAlthough I am not a UNC guy, I visit all the sites because there is no opportunity for watercooler talk up here. So this is it for me. And I am not particularly interested in just the Pack perspective. I enjoy reading all the opinions, reasoned or not.
What I like most is that the addition of the specific sites suggests a renewed emphasis by the N&O to support the blog sites. For a while, it seemed like ACCNOW was the bastard child being shunted aside until it could quietly disappear. That would have been a shame. This format allows for more articles to be posted and has already generated more activity (although the start of conference hoops probably has more to do with that).
You know me
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 22:50 — gvillegatrI go looking for trouble so I peruse the state site. Nobody goes to the Dook site, so I may drop in there once every other day.
I'm a travelin' man. Besides
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 10:02 — unc098I'm a travelin' man. Besides we have to much fun with Max.
Good to know..
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 23:47 — UNC1998Maybe I'll check out some other posts, maybe not.
Troll
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 18:37 — AlanBollerPiss poor job? He skillfully convinced Roy Williams to leave a promising Kansas program for a very unstable UNC program. Also just because he didn't hire the coaches for those successful teams doesn't not mean he did not have a hand in their success. He was a dedicated Tar Heel and traveled across the country for every team with no bias. He spent 45 years with the school and did an excellent job not only with sports but with the leadership program at the school. He also was the one who convinced boosters to provide the money for all the renovations across campus which included about eight or nine different fields. No, I do not have a personal relationship with him but I wish I did so I could tell him that there are real UNC fans who appreciated what he did for the school and help him realize that he was unlucky to have a fanbase that is the majority stuck up a-holes. Also, no I am done making fun of your school. Just admitting that you went there is insult enough.
Troll. That's a good one
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 22:43 — gvillegatrI've got more Tar Heel knowledge running through my veins than 95% of the humans who went there. Maybe more.
But enough of that pissing contest.
Are you one of those folks who like to revise history ? A revisionist ?
Let me toss out a name to you: BOB FREDERICK
Does that name ring a bell ?
He was Coach Wiliams AD at KU, but that was just 1/1,000,000,000 of what that man meant to Coach Williams. these guys were almost like brothers. Heck, some probably thought they were.
Oddly enough, my brother and I were driving through the Sunflower State on a road trip across America when Coach said, "thank you, but no thank you" the first time. One reason and one reason only kept Coach at KU then, Bob Frederick. He didn't want to let him down more than anything bc he had taken a chance on him when no one else had so far.
The loyalty and friendship had grown and blossomed and had grown roots so deep nothing was gonna bring him "home."
A couple of years pass (and some days we'd just soon never remember again as Tar Heel fans) and UNC knocks on Coach Williams door again. Well, we know how the second time plays out. He comes "home."
You say the great Dicky Baddour was responsible for this as he (your words) skillfully convinced Roy Williams to leave a promising Kansas program ...
Two things
1.) Kansas wasn't some promising basketball school. They WERE a basketball school and still are and had been.
2.) Bob Frederick was gone from KU and Coach Williams didn't get along with the new AD.
It was an easy decision sans the kids in his program.
It had absolutely nothing to do with Dicky Baddour and he'd admit it to your face if you asked him. Coach being the guy he is, will give all credit to Dicky as he's in his corner and wears it on his sleeve. But this was a foregone conclusion. Tarzan's ape could have been the AD in Chapel Hill and Coach was coming back "home." he just had to do the song and dance to make it look good is all.
Now go put that in your pipe and smoke it and don't you ever forget it.
Go Heels
Allan
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 20:58 — gvillegatrNot going to respond to the post ? :o)
Duke looked pretty average
Tue, 01/10/2012 - 15:47 — Andrew_Carter (author)Duke looked pretty average against a bad GT team. Virginia struggled to beat Miami. Florida State was blown out by Clemson. Virginia Tech lost at Wake.
The teams that appeared to be the best teams in the league, after UNC, didn't look all that great in the first weekend of ACC play. That's why I argue that UNC further separated itself.
It didn't have much (or anything, really) to do with the win over BC. The separation is a result of what the rest of the teams in the conference did (or, rather, what they didn't do) on the opening weekend.
UNC defeats 253rd best team in NCAA; Duke defeats 155th
Tue, 01/10/2012 - 02:35 — peetiepupHow can it be said that UNC separated itself from the rest of the ACC, when they beat a very poor Boston College team that is rated #253 in the nation? That #253 is accd. to computer power ratings (out of about 345 teams in the country, including teams like Campbell [#143] and UNC-W, #107).
I know. It your newspaper. You can say anything you want. Duke is rated #2 in the computer rankings, and UNC either #15 or #22, depending on which computer ranking you choose. Not bad at all, but it seems you forgot about Duke, which beat the #155 team in the country - GA Tech. One game isn't much of a trend, although there is every reason to think UNC will have a very good year.
Polls only rank the top 25. Computer strength indexes rank all the teams in the country. Other ACC team computer rankings are as follows:
Virginia #39, VA Tech #40, NCSU #51, Mia #61, FL St. U. #88, Wake Forest #89, Maryland #102, Clemson#166.
Would you call GT #155..
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 12:01 — UNC1998after they came to town and beat the NCSU Wolfpack?
First point
Tue, 01/10/2012 - 00:38 — JPDOhioThis is nitpicking, but it is too early to predict a sweep through the ACC schedule. They are clearly better than anyone else, including Duke. But the ups and downs that we have seen this year (including the several examples you present) are indicative of the current state of college hoops.
That is, many teams have at least a couple of really good players. On a given night, with the right support, they can beat an outstanding team, like UNC. I think the ACC has 6 to 8 teams that fall in this category and that UNC will have a tough time maintaining the intensity level over a sixteen game schedule necessary to go undefeated.
My prediction: 13-3, still at least 2 games ahead of the second place team, which may or may not be Duke.
I agree. I predict UNC 14-2.
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 11:21 — unc098I agree. I predict UNC 14-2. I do believe that the integration of Hairston and McAdoo will make UNC much stronger as the season continues. The upside is this team will be much better as the season progresses. There are a lot of horses and if Williams can get their heads around playing stiffling defense this team will take the NC.
1,2 and 3
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 14:38 — gvillegatrFirst.) thx for re-writing my post in this blog from a few days ago. No one in this conference will give UNC trouble enough to the point where UNC loses.
Second.) The NCAA finally got one right. Too bad Ramsay can't do enough for it to matter in the W/L column.
Third.) the fine folks in the Dean E Smith Center didn't boo because Thwerp fired BD persay, but how he handled the entire process from the word go. It was embarrassing enough to be in the situation, but Thorp made it worse.
Ramsay
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 14:46 — Andrew_Carter (author)Thanks for the comments ... It's also unfortunate that Ramsay will find himself next season in a spread offense that really doesn't match his skill set. But at least he does have an extra season.
And he isn't the only one
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 14:51 — unc098And he isn't the only one whose skill set isn't compatible with Fedora's scheme. It will take some time before Fedora will be able to recruit players that fit into said scheme. Will the Carolina fickle be patient for 4-5 years and allow him to build a new program?
Didn't Fedora
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 12:05 — UNC1998get a 7 year contract? That tells me UNC is counting on him to guide the program through whatever the folks behind the curtain of the NCAA give them and bring them out competitive on the other side. I realize the players might have to adjust, but how many high schools run a true pro set offense. Some things will be new, and others will bring back memories. I'd say it might be a thin two years, partly because of adjustment, and partly because of the recruiting setback formed by the timing of the staff's hiring. By thin I don't mean like M. Brown's first two years, but also not 9-10 win seasons.
Good question. Folks are
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 14:53 — Andrew_Carter (author)Good question. Folks are definitely going to need to be patient. There are some parts to work with, but not necessarily ones that fit into Fedora's protypical offense. What I'm interested to see, too, is how Fedora adapts his system to fit what he's going to have next season. That's part of the equation, too.
I think the true measure of
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 15:04 — unc098I think the true measure of Fedora's coaching ability will be the assimilation of the existing players going forward for the next two years. He has made a lot of promises to the fans about creating exciting, aggressive teams on both sides of the ball.
If the NCAA puts the hammer down, Fedora will have some time to regenerate. If UNC gets a slap on the wrist there will be more pressure to produce quickly. At the very least it will be interesting.
Never been a Baddour
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 14:46 — unc098Never been a Baddour fan.....and I blame him for the debacle with the football program. It was his program to oversee and he didn't do it....good riddance. He has set this program back 5 years.
UNC Crowds
Mon, 01/09/2012 - 13:53 — aa0022I wasn't there but if they booed the chancelor instead of Baddour they got it all wrong. He was a disaster during his whole tenure as AD. Ole Roy can try and cover it with honey all he wants but the record speaks for itself. And as to the "knowledgeable" Tar Heel basketball crowd, wonder how they feel about disrepecting a current NFL starting quarterback a few years back at the Dean Dome. Shameful.
They shouldn't have booed
Tue, 01/10/2012 - 23:12 — AlanBollerThey shouldn't have booed anyone in the first place. Why do the booster members think that since they have the money they should be in charge of what goes on at the school? The entire department tried to do what they thought best and some big-headed bigots in chapel hill with deep pockets got their feelings hurt. Boo f$%*in Hoo. Baddour and Thorp have done their best and Baddour has done an amazing job. Look at how many national championships and acc championships the school has won in every sport while Baddour has been with the school, especially this year after hiring a first-year Men's Soccer coach who goes and wins a National Championship in his first season. get your facts straight before you go trash talking and hiding behind a member name and subjecting this little whine party you are having as "UNC CROWDS", as if you speak for the entire group of unc fans. it should say UNC COWARD/(closet duke fan)
You have no clue, do you ?
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 10:13 — gvillegatrFirst off, folks have been getting booed for any reason for many, many years. Doesn't matter whether they're on the field of play or in the audience.
"Baddour has done an amazing job."
Really !? You're in the vast minority here.
He's personally responsible for the ineptness of the Post Mack Brown Era hiring and firing of Carl Torbush (twice) and then going with John Bunting. UNC had more football momentum going for them in the conference after the '97 season outside of Free Shoes and he personally f'ed it up.
The hire of Matt Dohrtey was another debacle ... on and off the court.
Mike Roberts anybody ?
Let's get down to the bare bones of all these NCAA championships you are talking about. Outside of basketball, he's directly responsible for one NCAA title and that was just a few months ago in men's soccer. How long was he at UNC ?
The guy was not fit to run UNC athletics and the ony reason Coach Williams loved him and was outspoken about him was because he was his personal lackey. Period. Damn John Swofford and his lofty ambitions. :)
You obviously have a personal relationship on some level with Dicky Baddour. Go buy him a drink this afternoon and show him this post.
Sounds like someone is whining....
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 12:07 — AlanBollerW,AAAAAH sounds like you just have a case of the "im sad at myself because ecu is the only state school I could get into". Ok outside of basketball there is only one NCAA championship? I think not.
Field Hockey: 1996,1997,2007,2009
Women's Soccer: 1996,1997,1999,2000,2003,2006,2009
These are just actual NCAA championships, not counting basketball or men's soccer. Not to mention ACC Championships and post-season appearances. Not only did Dicky make this possible with the overseeing the program's coaching staff, he also initiated numerous renovation projects around the school. Kenan Stadium, Carmichael Auditorium, Boshamer Stadium just to name a few. So go spit your ignorance in a G-vegas alley somewhere, maybe if you're lucky someone will try and rob it.
Not getting it
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 12:48 — gvillegatrSwofford hired Anson Dorrance; not Dicky.
Karen Shelton has been at the helm of field hockey since '83 .. Another Swofford hire.
UNC is a machine with lots of money. Any monkey could have directed the influx of money to rebuild or add on to any athletic facility ... With the blessing of the school, of course.
The fact of the matter is Dicky has done a piss poor job of hiring coaches where it matters.
You got anything else other than to disparage where I went to school ?
No, you're not getting it.
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 23:49 — AlanBollerPiss poor job? Obviously you haven't really been paying attention. While he might not have hired those coaches that doesn't mean that he had nothing to do with their success. His leadership program as well as his ability to influence boosters to pay for all the projects that needed to be done around the school showed his true dedication. He would travel around the country for every team without bias from women's field hockey to men's golf. He never gave up the fight for Roy Williams after being denied multiple times and finally his diligence paid off. No I do not have a personal relationship with him but I wish I did so I could tell him what a great job he did and not to listen to idiots who get on the internet just to complain. Also, I am done making fun of your school. You're the one that admitted you go there, thats shameful enough.
He would travel around the country without bias ...
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 10:17 — gvillegatrNo sh#t. That's his job. You make it sound like its terrible to travel around the country or outside of it to support your school. Every AD has done this. Especially where the big time budget allowed.
You haven't given one piece of proof why Dicky was a great AD.
There's no getting through to you. I didn't say Dicky was a bad person, all I'm saying is he was an ineffective AD at UNC. There's tons of proof for my assertion. Not to mention, I have the opinion of about 95% of the people who care about UNC athletics. He fouled up multiple head coaching hires in football. Totally botched the hire in baskets after Gut had left and has three national championships over a 28 sport span in fourteen years to call his own if he wishes. Two of them being in a sport that would have won no matter who was AD (baskets). But I have to give him credit. To do otherwise would be to step down to your level of idiocy.
The bottom line is if he hadn't been a lifer at UNC, he would have been fired/let go some time ago.