Firstly, I would like to apologize for not posting a blog for, like, a month. That comes down to a combination of no time and no inspiration. I will do my best to keep to my (admittedly rough) weekly schedule from now on. My writer's block has finally been broken, however, because something amazing is going to happen. Something terribly, wonderfully interesting. I only dread it a little bit.
The Carolina Tar Heels are going to be playing the Syracuse Orange in the Final Four.
What.
That's right, my undergrad and my current grad school are playing each other for a spot in the championship game of this year's NCAA Men's Basketball tournament.
Last week, I watched Syracuse (a 10-seed team) scrape out a win against Virginia (a 1-seed team), while following the UNC game on my phone (UNC beat Indiana by 15 points in a definitive victory). I was wearing Carolina colors that night, but no one cared because the games were at the same time and every TV was on the SU game.
This Saturday is going to be different.
I never thought that this would happen because, frankly, no one really expected Syracuse to make it to the tournament based on their early regular-season play. Between missing their coach for 9 games due to suspension and general losing, it didn't seem likely that they would be able to count this season for much. And yet, here they are.
Wow.
While I am currently a student at Syracuse, surrounded by Syracuse fans, I am a Tar Heel. I will be cheering for UNC (which is going to make for an interesting night).
But, honestly, how could I NOT root for Carolina?
I spent for years on that campus. I drank from the Old Well. I sang the alma mater countless times. I survived 8 full semesters (and 1 summer session) at one of the most rigorous public schools in the country. I had innumerable lunches in Lenoir and Ram's Head dining halls. I sat out on the quad on sunny days and watched the world go by. I wrote papers in the Undergraduate Library, looked out over the campus from the 7th floor of Davis (that was my favorite floor because it's where the Shakespeare books are), and sat in the Student Union during my breaks.
I ate at Alpine Bagel, Buns, Top of the Hill, Suttons, Bandido's, Jamba Juice and Freshens, Carabou Coffee and Cosmic Cantina, and, especially, Bski's.
I've laughed, cried, and cheered over more life events at UNC than I can count.
I watched the Duke game where Austin Rivers won with a buzzer-beating 3 pointer. I watched the State game where Marcus Paige won it all with a last-second layup during his sophomore year. I mourned with my school after Dean Smith's death, and kept up with every game I couldn't actually watch on Twitter.
After all of that, how could I not root for UNC?
No matter what, it's going to be an interesting game. Tears will be shed. Blood will be spilled (metaphorically, I hope). The call and response of "TAR" and "HEELS" will ring out, opposite "LET'S GO ORANGE." Orange and Carolina Blue will clash in the stands.
Roy Williams and Jim Boeheim will meet in Texas with their teams to play a game that means a LOT to me.
It's going to be an interesting night.
End Log.
(P.S. GO HEELS)