The calls and e-mails came pouring in no sooner than Monday’s newspaper had hit the
streets.“You Carolina
lovers!” hollered one guy.
“Duke is the No. 1 team in
the nation,” said a lady, who then asked, “Do you realize that?”
“You outta change your name
to the Daily Tar Heel,” bellowed another.
At first, I thought they were my
friends, simply cajoling me. That is, until the one fellow called with an update on the
number of photos for Duke and Carolina over the past two weeks.
When somebody does that, you know
he’s serious about his Tobacco Road rivalries.
In the Thursday-through-Monday
editions during the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, I was informed that Duke had 12
pictures to North Carolina’s one.
“And that one was of Terrence
Newby!” he exclaimed. “You couldn’t find somebody else?”
Then, the fan perked up. “It
was 15-13 this past week. You did better.”
n
No, actually, North Carolina did
better.
The Tar Heels were playing so
badly going into the tournament that their two South Regional victories in Birmingham were
totally unexpected. Therefore, they became the biggest story in the NCAA Tournament,
whether you work for the Salisbury Post or the New York Post.
Everybody was writing about North
Carolina.
And that’s the problem for
every ABCer out there. When you want to read about “anybody but Carolina” it is
painful to pick up the paper and see North Carolina photos and stories.
But that’s exactly what
happened. Suddenly, Duke, that No. 1 team in the nation — see, we know that —
was taking a backseat.
Why? Because the Blue Devils won
two games they were supposed to win. Nothing earth-shattering.
Of course, had Duke fallen to
Kansas last week, it would’ve been the bigger story and would’ve gotten the
bigger headlines.
And that would’ve brought the
e-mails ripping us for making Duke look bad.
n
Speaking of e-mails, there is one
I must share with you readers.
We’ll dissect it as we go.
The writer signed his name B.D.
(does that stand for Blue Devil?) Lyerly, an obvious Duke fan and ABCer.
B.D. — “I just wanted to
say that I’m sick and tired of all this Carolina hype. Why are you constantly posting
big pictures and headlines about an obvious NIT team?
(It’s not hype, B.D. It was a
great story. And last time I checked, North Carolina was in the NCAA Tournament. But I
know where you’re coming from).
B.D. — “If not for a
bunch of liberals in the Editorial department, it has been a bunch of Carolina fans in the
sportsroom.”
(First of all, I stay away from
the Editorial department. Those people are smarter than I am. And as far as being Carolina
fans, there’s something you should have gathered by now if you’ve read the Post
at all.
Mike London, who is covering North
Carolina, went to that Chapel Hill school but grew up a Duke fan. Away from this office,
he still is.
Steve Hanf who is covering Duke,
went to the University of Illinois. Therefore, he didn’t have the pleasure of growing
up on Tobacco Road and getting inspired by this Duke-Carolina feud. He has no allegiances.
And me? People think I’m the
nuttiest of all. I root for both teams. Both teams, B.D.! Am I wacky or what)?
B.D.— So Carolina is in the
Sweet 16. Whoopty-freakin-doo.!!!
(Can you say
“Whoopty-freakin-doo” in the newspaper)?
B.D. — Why don’t
ya’ll go on to Chapel Hill and get jobs?
(Too much wine and cheese for me.
I’ll stay here and drink iced tea and eat barbecue, thank you very much.)
B.D. — I’d rather have
coverage of local sports or the syncronized underwater basket- weaving team.
(Oh great. Just what we need,
another minor sport. I can imagine that first phone call from an underwater basket-weaving
mother. “The underwater basket-weavers deserve more coverage. We work just as hard as
the football team.”).
B.D. — “Hopefully, Duke
and Carolina will meet in the Final Four and put all this to rest ... at least for the
remainder of the season anyways.”
(Are you actually hoping North
Carolina makes the Final Four)?
B.D. — “I have grown up
reading the Salisbury Post but I give up.”
(Don’t give up,baby.
Don’t ever give up).
n
I don’t know B.D. Lyerly or
if he even exists. But if there is such a person, I need to take this guy out to lunch
— on the Post, of course. And I’ll applaud him. He is the reason this is the
greatest basketball state in the country.
Hoops means something here. Where
else are there rivalries between teams, mascots, cheerleaders and radio announcers?
Where else can a neighbor on one
side of you be a diehard Tar Heel and a neighbor on the other side be a diehard Dookie and
two neighbor across the street be Wolfpackers and Deacons?
n
Tonight, North Carolina plays
Tennessee and Duke plays Florida.
B.D. Lyerly probably won’t
like this but if both North Carolina and Duke win, North Carolina will still be the
biggest story for the same reason as last week.
Duke is supposed to be here.
North Carolina ain’t.
It’s enough to give me
butterflies when I think about sitting down tommorrow morning to lay out the paper?
I think I’ll call in sick.
n
Ronnie Gallagher is the sports
editor of the Post — and, don’t forget, a fan of UNC and Duke. |
Ronnie