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It's a very long college season, several games longer than when I was young and dinosaurs roamed the earth. Teams are going to have trouble maintaining intensity over that long a period of time, and I think that is what happened to them on the road at Virginia Tech. But they have the luxury of going nine deep with talented players and that will mean fresher legs going into the NCAA's.

I have to disagree with the statement about their "heart". I'd substitute "experience". In any case, they mounted a furious rally against Tech and that didn't look like a team without heart.

I'm not a Carolina basketball fan (I have the misfortune of pulling for Virginia) but I've had to come to accept that some things are inevitable. Death, taxes, and UNC in the Sweet 16. This year shouldn't be any different.

Dudley, maybe I am too hard on the Heels. But I still suggest that a leader or leaders need to emerge or this team won't fulfill its potential.
Also, when this team loses, it's not the poor shooting that has ultimately done it in. It's defense. And defense is mostly about heart.
This team is too deep and too talented not to play better defenss.
That's one thing I truly respect about Duke. Even on those rare occasions when the talent is lacking, they work really hard on defense.
Carolina does not, and I think it drives Roy crazy.

allen,

Yes, that's a pretty harsh indictment of a team that starts one senior, one spohomore, and three freshmen, and is 15-2. They lose to a pretty good team in Virginia Tech, and suddenly, they are a team without heart? Your comments about some of their deficiencies have merit, as they are a young team learning to play together in a tough conference. But, to accuse them of lacking heart at this stage in the season is totally unnecessary. Why have't you commented upon Duke's struggles? Do they lack heart as well? You can comment about a team's performance, or lack thereof, in a game, but when you say that they have no heart, you are denigrating their character. And, that is just wrong. It seems that you jumped on the bandwagon a little early here. I guess with one more loss, you'll start the call to have Ole Roy fired.

Glaring typo. You left the "o" out of "home." You lack heart and leadership.

And I can't claim youth as an excuse, either.

Just leave my Heels alone, AJ. I know a guy who knows a guy who'll bust up your lobes good and make sure you never form another opinion again.

Allen,

The Eagles lost a tough game to the Saints last night. They had a good season, but ran into a very good team in the Saints. They could have won the game, except for some lapses on defense at times. I guess by your standard that the Eagles don't have heart, either.

I've seen them once in person this year, but it was against Rutgers on the night their two best players were held out for academic problems. I guess that has skewed my impression of their defense, because on that night they forced Rutgers offense out a good 6~8 feet on were very tenacious.

So I looked up their defensive stats for this year and I was surprised they are giving up a good field goal percentage and their turnovers weren't among the country's best. So maybe I have to give you that one.

It's getting harder to judge the best teams because they have players go out to the NBA early and you don't see team defenses develop like they did back in the Dean Smith-Lefty Driesell days. It's a shame, because if UNC kept those guys for four years they would have a powerhouse.

Sorry; notwithstanding outside factors like hitting the NBA draft early, I'm with Allen on this one. Where's the George Lynch-like player who will pick the team up and carry it on his shoulders until everyone else wakes up? To some extent, I think being nine or 10 deep lulls the team into a false confidence.

This team has a legitimate shot at The National Championship and that is all most Carolina faithful ask. We are half way through the season and only just beginning the ACC. The reports of UNC's death are somewhat premature in my humble opinion. Perhaps a lack of heart and/or leadership will be their downfall. We shall see. That is why we play em folks. BTW George Lynch didnt play for the 2005 National Championship team now did he?

But David Noel was clearly the team leader last season and Raymond Felton stepped up in 2005.

Have seriously and half not, why are the big guys never considered leaders? Hansborough ought, by virtue of his importance to the team, to be considered a leader. But it appears that the leader mantle is reserved for point guards or defensive specialists without much offense.

In spite of being cowardly lions, having no on-court leadership, and playing NBA-syle defense, the Boys in Blue blew-out the ranked Clemson Tigers last night, on the Tigers' home court. Imagine what they would be capable of if they had heart, leadership, and played good defense? One can only imagine.

Check out Coach Williams' postgame remarks. He said as much about defense and intensity in the Virginia Tech game.
The Heels still were sloppy and out-of-control down the stretch against Clemson.

Hey, Allen, you likin' the Heels a little better this morning? I know I am, though I'm still not worry-free.

BTW George Lynch didnt play for the 2005 National Championship team now did he?

No, Mick, as you well know, he played for the '93 championship, and I'm guessing from your tone that you weren't around then. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but do so politely.

why are the big guys never considered leaders? Hansborough ought, by virtue of his importance to the team, to be considered a leader. But it appears that the leader mantle is reserved for point guards or defensive specialists without much offense.

That's actually an interesting question, Dudley. For one thing, although I think the metaphor is overused, good point guards do function in basketball much as good quarterbacks do in football, for a logical reason: They both have the ball in their hands most of the time when a play starts (the snap in football, which is purely routine except when it isn't, notwithstanding). What they do next, and therefore cause to happen, determines a great deal. Particularly with a point guard, the freedom to choose from a wide range of options and to deviate from set plays to take advantage on the fly of any openings or weaknesses he sees contributes to the role.

Shooting guards have functioned as leaders, too, although even the best is subject to the odd cold streak.

But why don't big men become leaders more often? Maybe someone else here knows, but I'm gonna have to think on it a bit more.

You would indeed be wrong. Third Floor, Suite 3?? (cant remember), Hinton James dorm, Chapel Hill NC 1978-1980. Ive, actually seen games at Carmichael! Ive stolen sweatshirts from the then new Fetzer Gym! FG gear was highly sought after you know. Sadly, the university asked me not to return. An issue with grades or somethingorother. Maybe too many games? No matter now. Oh well thats just spolied milk under the bridge.

I am quite sure I was the first person in the world to scream for a Technical Foul when the CW of the Fab Five requested one time out too many. I believe my then 3 week old daughter was immediately the second. Though her screams were a bit unintelligible (you know for a 3 week old).

As far as big men as leaders.... Yon-Bud-ko baby! Chris Brust a distant second.

Nice enough? My point was ... The Heels are good enough. I do agree a true leader would make them a better team. Time will tell as to wether either, both or neither will become truth.

Late
You RINO you.