I can’t believe I found another moron posing as a sports writer. This one goes by the moniker Sportz Assassin. In his post titled “Tar Heels Looking At Easy Road To Final Four“, SA gives reasons why UNC will cake walk to the Final Four. Let me lay them out for you briefly:
1) Schedule is “travel-friendly as the season winds down”
2) The ACC tournament will be held in Charlotte
3) One of the ‘pod sites’ for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament is Raleigh, NC
4) The East Regional semifinals and finals of the NCAA tournament will be played in Charlotte
OK, let’s rebut these points.
1) What makes the schedule “travel friendly” according to this guy? He says, “roadies to both Raleigh and Durham to face NC State and Duke, respectively.” HUH? At DUKE and at STATE? Travel friendly? What a misinformed rationale this guy has. He thinks games at UNC’s 2biggest rivals are benefits due to proximity? Wrong.
2) SA argues, “UNC will have played at Bobcats Arena before as they open their regular season there against Davidson. That trip is just two hours down the road driving and much less than an hour flying.” I don’t even feel I should respond to this. It’ll be about the same drive for NCSU, Duke, Wake Forest, and Clemson. And only about, what, 5 hours for GT? This is one of the great advantages that will lead the Tarholes to the Final Four? Survey says, XX.
3) Just b/c the Holes might play in Raleigh, doesn’t mean it will be a favorable environment.
4) This is actually the most legit point, but could apply to any number of teams in our area.
All in all, I am suspect of this person’s knowledge of ACC hoops, especially in the state of North Carolina.
March 10, 2008 at 3:14 am
Hello. I was the “moron” who wrote the above piece.
1*Yes, UNC traveling to Raleigh and Durham are very “travel friendly”. Sleeping at home, getting on a bus and limited time in the enemies’ home is extremely travel friendly.
2*The quick trip to Charlotte has ALWAYS been an advantage to UNC. Note that the Heels are 21-1 lifetime in NCAA tournament games played in the state of North Carolina. No matter who else is playing there, the Heels would have more of the crowd.
3*Yes, because the Heels play in Raleigh, it will be a favorable environment. Who else will be there: State fan? When both UNC and Duke fans were in Charlotte during the 2005 tournament, they outdid the Blue Devils fans.
4*The only team in the area that may have a shot at that is Duke.
As for my knowledge of hoops in the state of North Carolina, I’ve lived most of my life in Charlotte, watched guys like Antawn Jamison, Jeff McInnis and Jerry Stackhouse play as high schoolers … and went to high school with NC State’s own Todd Fuller (he graduated from CC, but went to Independence HS first).