University of North Carolina Basketball
1993-Present
This selection will surprise some and maybe even shock a few. I'll start by saying I am a BIG Kentucky basketball fan. This doesn't make sense already does it? Well, I've lived in North Caroina now for 15 years. Needless to say, I have A LOT of friends who LOVE Carolina Basketball. (Shout-out J.D. !) I HATE Duke. Living in North Carolina you are drawn to one side or the other in the Carolina/Duke rivalry and I choose the Heels. Easy decision really. Starting to make sense now? Besides, Kentucky still holds the record for all-time NCAA basketball wins and NCAA basketball tournament wins . . . for now anyway. Carolina holds the all-time edge head-to-head 20-10.
I do like tradition, especially when it comes to collegiate sports. Carolina basketball is blessed with rich tradition. I respect that. They are certainly in the top 10 most prestigious college basketball programs of all-time which also should include UCLA, Kansas, Indiana, Duke and of course Kentucky. I get more coverage on the Heels than I probably care to hear but as long as they beat Duke, I'm O.K. with that too.
I first found myself pulling for the Heels during their NCAA championship season of 1993. I of course wanted a finals match-up of Kentucky and Carolina but when Kentucky lost to Michigan 81-78 in the Final Four I switched allegiance to Tar Heel Blue out of respect for my best friend John. Carolina went on to victory with the help of Chris Webber's gaffe by the score of 77-71. (Chris Webber recruiting violations by Michigan resulted in the university vacating all wins in this tournament and the return of the NCAA runner-up trophy. Kentucky should have played Carolina in the final after all!) I also met Eric Montross at a restaurant that year for a little bit of a personal connection.
The list of Carolina basketball luminaries is quite lengthy including Larry Brown, Vince Carter, Rick Fox, Billy Cunningham, Brad Daugherty, Phil Ford, Jerry Stackhouse, George Karl, Bob McAdoo, Julius Peppers, Roy Williams, Rasheed Wallace (my least favorite Tar Heel), Michael Jordan, James Worthy, J.R. Reid (my favorite Tar Heel), Antawn Jamison and 4-time National Coach of the Year, the legendary and distinguished Dean Smith.
Carolina basketball players have won the National Player of the Year a total of 9 times including twice by Jordan and the most recent by Tyler Hansbrough.
The Tar Heels have won 4 National Championships including 1957 (32-0), 1982 (32-2), 1993 (34-4) and 2005 (33-4) and should be the early favorites heading into the 2008-09 season.
North Carolina vs. Kentucky history here.
Some would say it's impossible to pull for Carolina when you are a Kentucky fan so I'm sure this is quite an oddity. I would say that I tolerate them more than I like them but out of all the A.C.C. schools this is really the only one I follow from a basketball standpoint and I don't mind seeing some of my best friends teams fare well, just not at my expense. It does make for a fun rivalry though. Billy Gillispie will have UK headed in the right direction in no time.
Favorite Team Profile
Years: 16
Record: 414-139
Conference Champions: 6
Conference Tournament Champions: 5
NCAA Tournaments: 14
Final Four: 7
NCAA Champions: 2
Fan Rating: 5/10
Notes: Kentucky visits the Dean Dome on 11/18/2008 having lost 4 straight to the Heels. Carolina is sure to be the pre-season #1 pick with what could arguably be one of their best teams (at least on paper) ever. 2008 recruiting classes: Carolina #7, Kentucky #19.
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