The Old North Hate

UNC vs. LSU (Atlanta, GA)

2010-09-03T08:31:00.003-04:00

LJ: The weekend is finally here. In July, it couldn't come fast enough. A top rated defense, a more experienced offense, and numerous NFL prospects lead many (including myself) to believe this could be the most exciting football season since Mack Brown's last appearance in Chapel Hill around 1997.

Then, Marvin Austin's decision to show the world he's an idiot started a rapid decline in football season enthusiasm. Seriously, was Honest Abe any more correct when he said, "Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." This moron's twitter account isn't his only problem, so Mr. Austin will be spending this weekend in Chapel Hill indefinitely suspended from the team.

I guess stupidity like misery loves company because Greg Little, he of the first down erasing unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, decided to follow MA off the cliff. The offense will miss Little's athleticism but his attitude and "leadership" might define the term "addition by subtraction."

Then, after the NCAA/UNC internal investigation was sorting out "agentgate", they uncovered an academic scandal involving the majority of the starting defense. A scandal so deeply intertwined that one of the major suspects actually worked directly for the coach. Awesome! Nice knowing you Kendrick Burney and Charles Brown.

Now it's rumored up to 16 players are questionable for Saturday's game, so there's a big turd in the middle of your tailgate. With all the legitimate academic support staff, required study halls, and resources at these players' fingertips, I have no sympathy for the guilty parties. What is their excuse? They had to practice Tweeting? What were they doing?

So how do we predict this game without knowing who is playing? Simple. LSU's preparation was solely on the Tar Heels. The Tar Heels' preparation is fragmented between agentgate, alleged cheating scandals, and an ever-evolving depth chart. Advantage LSU. LSU will win and possibly win big. Where do you think MA and company will watch the game?

I Didn't Know Wal-Mart Offered Face Tats

2010-08-06T11:01:00.005-04:00

LJ: UNC has a reputation for having many fans that have no affiliation with the school. Generally, my reaction is to welcome them, accept their fervor (even if sometimes unguided), and tink an aluminum cheers to the respective event.

However, for those who prefer to brand their loyalty in ink on their face, I might suggest staying away from endeavors where it is used to identify you to the police.

Donald Black's Arrest in the "Gas House"

So Donald, in the future should you choose to deal drugs, attempt a robbery, or a combination of the two, please wear a mask and attempt a "Wolfpack Clap" to at least confuse them...

Brett Farve Still Sucks

2010-08-04T12:15:00.007-04:00

LJ: There is little surprise surrounding Brett Farve's most recent announcement. It's time again for him to stomp in the corner and hold his breath until ESPN acknowledges him. Yawn. Let him pass out, let the season begin, and let's forget he ever existed. Wouldn't that be great. A sure-fire hall of famer ruins his admission by being a brat (or do I mean Brett)? If only...

Because Farve is not worth this much time again...

We're Coming Back

2010-07-15T08:25:00.006-04:00

Lawrence Jordan: Nope. Last year was not a banner year for the schools comprising the Old North State's educational system. Aside from the University of New Jersey at Durham - who was handed a basketball trophy by the NCAA seeding committee - all other schools performed at an underwhelming level at best reaching mediocrity.

Prior to the 2009 football season, expectations were high and the mood at The ONH was very positive. Until the season played out.

No North Carolina ACC school posted a winning in-conference record, with UNC topping the charts with a less than inspirational 4-4 record. UNC did finish with 8 wins and went bowling...in Charlotte...and lost...again. The fireworks show expected at the beginning of the year ended up being the neighborhood kids playing with snap pops. Hooray.

Prior to the 2009-2010 basketball season, expectations were high and the mood at The ONH was positive. The national community of basketball fans, The ONH included, expected UNC and Duke to battle it out for first place in the conference, WFU to scare people with their athleticism, and NCSU to bide their time until 2010-2011.

Parts of this prediction was correct. Duke ended up on top and NCSU rounded out the bottom conference tier. But...UNC collapsed during Roy Williams' worst coaching job of his career that resulted in a big blemish on his record. WFU wrestled another mediocre season out of future NBA talent that resulted in Gaudio posting his resume on CoachingLadders.com. All that is evil marched to an ACC Title and National Title. Great. After the season I felt like I did when I watched the movie Seven for the first time. The season grew increasingly grotesque and at the end, the worst case scenario was delivered in a box.

Prior to the 2010 baseball season...wait. We never acknowledged the baseball season. UNC was coming off another College World Series trip. The ACC was projected to be one of the strongest baseball conferences in the Nation. BUT the ONH was so disillusioned that the posts dried up in February. Our bad. To recap, the ACC performed admirably producing 6 top 25 teams including the overall #1 team, UVA. But then the ACC sent only one team to Omaha...and they lost to their in-state SEC rival. Crap.

2009-2010 was The ONH's rookie year. We suffered some bumps and bruises. We learned some humbling lessons. We now resent each other a little more. Overall, the state of North Carolina was pretty much out-performed and out-classed. It was a weird year, hell South Carolina won a national title at something, so we'll shake this one off and prepare for 2010-2011. Sophomore slump? We think not.

Who Gives a Crap Bowl Vol. I

2010-02-12T16:25:00.000-05:00

Philip Thompson: Honest question, is either fan base excited for the showdown in Chapel Hill pitting UNC vs NC State. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to win this game, but motivation is hard to come by. On one hand you have the worst Tarheel team in nearly 10 years. On the other hand, you have a Wolfpack program that seems to be stuck in mediocrity or lower for the past 25 years. The Tarheels have won one of their last seven games, but that win did come against the Wolfpack.

In my opinion, the Pack’s only real shot is if UNC is still feeling the effects of an ‘all or nothing’ crushing home loss to Duke less than 72 hours earlier. Also, having Ed Davis out of the game should help a State team that is really in a free-fall currently.

Prediction:
UNC 69
NC State 58

Why Beating NC State Never Gets Old

2010-02-12T13:15:00.002-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: Some Tar Heels love to claim the Wolfpack are not rivals just to irritate the irrational bunch down I-40. I am not one of those Tar Heels. NC State is a rival. Beating the Wolfpack certainly means something to me, even if it's just avoiding their mooing after one of their few and far between victories.

It means bragging rights wherever I roam within North Carolina (people outside of North Carolina know little about the Pack). It means knowing the success and basketball tradition that is synonymous with being a Tar Heel is still out of reach in Raleigh.

You see, NC State wants desperately to be relevant, and this need for relevancy drives their irrationality. Sure the Wolfpack can talk about Everett Case and their Southern Conference history. They can talk about David Thompson and 1974. They can talk about a broken-play air-ball that turned into a National Championship in 1983. But what do they have to talk about in the 27 years since 1983?

By the Numbers:

The overall series record: UNC 141-75
Series Record in Deam Dome: 18-5
NCAA Basketball Championships: UNC 5 NCSU 2
NCAA Basketball Championships since 1983: UNC 3 NCSU 0
ACC Tournament Championships: UNC 17 NCSU 10
ACC Tournaments since 1983: UNC 7 NCSU 1
ACC Reg. Season Champ: UNC 27 NCSU 7
ACC Reg. Season Champ since 1983: UNC 11 NCSU 2

Why Beating NC State Never Gets Old:

UNC is 12-1 over past 13 games souring a lot of Big Red Blazers...
Reading the ensuing referee/ACC/NCAA conspiracy theories is always entertaining.
There is a fine line between love and hate in Raleigh: Wins against the Heels: Valvano 6 Sendek 5.
At the end of the day they are always happier when UNC loses than when NCSU wins. (Are they even relevant to themselves then...?)
The ACC Tournament play-in game is named after them: The Les Robinson Invitational
They all claim they were accepted at UNC yet chose to go to NCSU. (UNC acceptance rate 34% / NCSU acceptance rate 59%) If they worked a little harder...
They are so preposterously optimistic before every season and/or game. Reminiscent of Lloyd Christmas: "Mary Swanson: More like one in a million. / Lloyd Christmas: So you're saying there's a chance!"
They fight/bicker about the "agricultural" or "technical" school labels, yet they show up to games in overalls, boots, corn straw hats, etc.
They are all "engineers"...
They don't know how to win gracefully. The term "act like you've been there before" does not apply. It's been too long. They've forgotten.
They attend MD/Duke games in place of watching UNC/NCSU games. This is the result of a desperate progression to try and root for a winner...(cough - PT - cough)
It's the only time you'll see their players. The NBA is a rare option after NCSU...
"Wait 'til next year/football/etc..."

The Value of Experience

2010-02-12T12:00:00.006-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: Many people confuse the terms "youth" and "inexperience." Youth simply refers to age. Freshman are generally 18-19 years old, so they are considered "young" in relation to their collegiate peers. A senior, at say 22-23 years old, is considered "old" by the same population sample. Easy enough.

But who is more experienced? Experience is more complicated. Experience refers to someone being familiar with the expectations of the position they currently hold. Experience is not only minutes played, but the role demanded during those minutes. Being the 4th or 5th scoring option is much different than being the 1st or 2nd.

Inexperience is why North Carolina is suffering through one of its worst seasons since the Doherty years and the dreaded 8-20 season. They have many young players, true, but their older players are in positions they've never held before. Former role players and now expected to produce at a higher level, and lead the team during tenuous moments. They are simply inexperienced with their current responsibilities.

"Found some humor yesterday listening to a Tar Heel fan talk about how ‘young’ their team is. I wonder if he realized they are starting a (1) fifth year senior, (1) senior, (1) junior, and (2) sophomores. In this era, that is a pretty experienced group." - Philip Thompson

This is a prime example of failing to understand inexperience versus youth (or in this case class eligibility). Noted Statistician Ken Pomeroy ranks the experience of each Div. 1 team. His "experience" calculation uses eligibility class weighted by minutes played. A freshman has no years experience, a sophomore has one year experience, etc. He ranks the Tar Heels at 290 out of 347 teams or the bottom 16%.

As many people know, the Heels lost four starters to the NBA along with an experienced senior guard. Roy Williams lined up a top recruiting class to supposedly fill the void, so many expected the team to pick up where it left off. Hence, the Tar Heels were preseason ranked #4.

The oversight, of course, was the inexperience of the '09-'10 team. While several upperclassmen returned, they were nothing more than role players on a talented roster who were now thrust into a starring role. And...two of those players were now asked to start after sitting out the majority of the '08-'09 season.

To put things into perspective, let's compare the '09-'10 Tar Heels to the '01-'02 squad.

'09-'10 Tar Heels

Players Lost: Hansbrough, Ellington, Lawson, Green, Frasor
Starts Lost: 76% (148/190): 4 of 5 usual starters
Minutes Lost: 69% (5 of top 7 minute earners)
Point Lost: 69% (Top 4 scorers)
Freshman (5): Henson, Strickland, McDonald, D Wear, T Wear
PPG: -12% (78.9/89.8)
APG: -7% (16.7/18)
TOPG: +29% (16/12.4)

'01-'02 Tar Heels

Players Lost: Haywood, Forte, Peppers, Curry, Owens
Starts Lost: 58% (95/155): 3 of 5 usual starters
Minutes Lost: 61% (121.4/200) 5 of top 7 minute earners
Points Lost: 60% (5 of top 7 scorers)
Freshman (3): Williams, Manuel, Scott
PPG: -9% (72.2/79.1)
APG: -3% (17/17.5)
TOPG: +5% (16.3/15.5)

Observations:

Each of these teams lost five players that played heavy minutes the prior year. Each of these teams forced a sophmore PG into a starting role (Boone/Drew II).
Each of these teams had role playing returning starters forced into a "starring" role (Capel & Lang / Ginyard & Thompson).
Each of these teams saw significant drops in points and assists while seeing an increase in turnovers.
The '09-'10 Tar Heels only return on true starter from the previous year, as Ginyard and Graves did not play the majority of the year.

Youth is not the problem on the '09-'10 team; inexperience is the problem. Combine that with injuries and poor coaching decisions (player rotations, offensive/defensive schemes, stubbornness) and the result is not as surprising as it might seem.

ACC Standings Related to Experience

2010-02-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: Here are the current conference standing versus the experience ranking provided by Ken Pomeroy. For the most part, the teams with more experience have seen more success in conference play. The obvious anomalies being teams with highly talented underclassmen: FSU (Alabi, Singleton, Snaer) & GT (Shumpert & Favors). BC being the counter, an experienced team without much talent.

Conference Standings (Experience Ranking - 1 being highest):

Duke (86)
MD (76)
WFU (123)
VT (217)
UVA (190)
FSU (299)
Clemson (226)
GT (301)
Miami (214)
BC (140)
UNC (290)
NCSU (275)

Sad Night for The ONH Bloggers:

2010-02-12T07:58:00.001-05:00

Philip Thompson:

There is no doubt that this NC State team has hit a wall. Sadly I watched very little of the game, but there is no excuse to lose by 20 at home to Virginia Tech
To win in the ACC you need quality guard play. Look no further than Maryland being tied for the lead in the conference. Hayes and Vasquez are four year starters who are seasoned in conference play. The Wolfpack are severely lacking in this area.
I think the best case scenario for the Pack, would be to steal two more conference wins somewhere along the way. I feel the ceiling for them is 4-12 conference record.
Is it sad that State losses do not bother nearly as much as they use to? I am so accustomed to crushing defeats, that I now feel immune to games like last night.
Who would have ever thought that the game on Saturday between UNC and NC State would be for the right to play in next years ACC/Big 10 Challenge?
The Tarheels have no player who can create there own shot at crunch time. With the score tied, everyone knew Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, or Jon Scheyer would have the ball in their hands creating opportunities. Not So much for the Tarheels. Last season, Ty Lawson took over in these situations.
Great move by Coach K last night when Duke was down 4 points, when he played Singer at power forward. That forced Deon Thompson to have to guard Singler out on the wing. A couple of easy baskets and the Devils were back in the lead.
I wonder if Roy will complain this season that the ACC Tournament is a giant ‘cocktail party.’ The way I see it, that is their only way to make it to the Big Dance
Found some humor yesterday listening to a Tarheel fan talk about how ‘young’ their team is. I wonder if he realized they are starting a (1) fifth year senior, (1) senior, (1) junior, and (2) sophomores. In this era, that is a pretty experienced group.
For the first time in my life on Saturday, I might miss a portion of State/UNC, as I will be joining my wife to attend the battle of 1st place in the ACC between Duke and Maryland. As a State fan, I feel I have earned the right to watch a decent game.

UNC vs NCSU: Game Observations

2010-01-28T08:31:00.002-05:00

Philip Thompson:

I am very disappointed we lost the game last evening. However, it was very apparent that the better team won
If the Wolfpack is going to be a team as talented as the Tar Heels, then they must shoot better than last evening. There were way too many missed open jumpers, and mainly from Scott Wood and Dennis Horner
The talent drain in UNC could not be further from the truth. The heels had 6 McDonalds All Americans dress last night. The talent gap between the two teams is still very wide
State really needs a point guard to initiate their offense. To many time they were left scrambling for a shot late in the clock. Javi did a great job scoring the ball, but could never seem to get the offense in flow
All season the key for the Pack is to keep Tracy Smith out of foul trouble. Last night when he left the game after picking up his third foul, the Pack was up 10. When he reentered a few minutes later, they were trailing by 6
What has happened Marcus Ginyard? He might have been the worst player on the court last night. He seems to turn the ball over way too much for a senior
If State does not shoot the ball much better in Chapel Hill next month, then we will be in for a replay of last nights game.

Game Day: UNC vs NCSU: Raleigh, NC

2010-01-26T07:39:00.007-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: The Tar Heels make the short trip to Raleigh this evening for its yearly visit to NC State, but there is a different feeling in the air this year. This isn't the preseason top ranked Tar Heel squad the "experts" predicted. This isn't the talentless, rebuidling NCSU squad many foresaw. This is a Pack team that soundly defeated Duke, their last home opponent, and has a chance to defeat both Duke and UNC for the first time since 2003.

Not to be overlooked, this is also a Pack team that just suffered a 24 point road loss at Maryland. This inconsistency has been a recurring problem for Sidney Lowe during the '09-'10 season. The Pack will turn in a losing performance against Northwestern and barely beat Elon, but will win at FSU, beat Duke in Raleigh, and hang tight with Clemson. Rivalry games mean everything in the state of North Carolina, especially home rivalry games, so I predict the Pack's performance against Duke is similar to the team that will surface this evening.

Inconsistency is not the proper term to describe the Heels. The Tar Heels have been consistent of late, consistently bad. The Tar Heels, losers of 4 of their last 5 games, are limping into Raleigh this year. Their roster, stacked with accomplished high school stars and seasoned role players from Championship Teams, has not performed up to expectations this year.

What's the problem? Injuries? Yes, Davis, Zeller, Ginyard, Strickland, and McDonald have all missed games this year. Inexperience? Yes, the Tar Heels 5 freshman log major minutes. Leadership? Yes, Ginyard, at times, has been more of a liability than the senior leader many predicted. Thompson has lacked scoring and rebounding tenacity many thought they would see. Talent? Yes, the Tar Heel backcourt has been consistently out-performed this year, defensively and offensively. Coaching? Dare I say, YES! Williams seems to be forcing square pegs into round holes this year. The pace of play may be too quick with the lack of backcourt talent. The stock of "talented" players may be confined to unnatural positions and undefined roles. The "teaching" techniques perviously used on experienced teams may not resonate with this roster.

The Tar Heels and Williams had six days to prepare for the Wolfpack. If Williams is finally ready to game plan around this year's players abilities, it should be tonight. If Williams spent his time pouting because the UNC fan-base is daring to question his coaching (or his pinky's) coaching decisions it could be another long night for the Tar Heel faithful.

Keys to the Game:

Punchy Paint Play: Davis is questionable for the Heels tonight. The Tar Heels track record shows they back down when hit in the mouth. Who will establish the toughest paint presence?
Perimeter Shooting: Open perimeter shots will be available this evening. The Tar Heels traditionally give up open perimeter shots and this year seems to be an extreme. Tar Heel opponents pack in the defense and dare the UNC guards to shoot. Who will hit the open threes?
Hustle Plays: As cliche as it sounds, who is going to pick up the loose balls? Who is going to tip out a rebound and reset the offense? Who is going to strip the ball away in the interior?

Game Prediction:
Williams will have the team motivated and ready to play and will have some snide remarks for his doubters at the press conference. It will be an all around entertaining evening:
UNC 80
NCSU 78

Interesting look at UNC's struggles this year: LINK

Oh What a Night: Pack Wins 88-74

2010-01-21T11:58:00.001-05:00

Philip Thompson: Honest to God, it would be hard to diagram a better evening if you are a Wolfpack fan. First off, anytime we are able to beat Duke, it should be celebrated. Games like last night give the Pack faithful hope for the future. As I stated yesterday, the key to a Wolfpack victory was having Tracy Smith dominate the paint (which he did by owning the Plumlee dorks all night.) What a great sight it was to see Coach K scowling and yelling at his big men to play better defense, but at the same time knowing they were too uncoordinated and slow to stop Smith and the rest of the Pack. Victories like this have been few and far between in recent years, so Wolfpack Nation has every reason to be happy.

I would like to dedicate last night’s victory to my lovely wife, who just happens to be a die hard Duke fan. Dear, the sight of watching you storm up the stairs with more than eight minutes left was the perfect ending to the evening.

Then, when I thought I could not ask for more, the Tar Heels once again got run out of the gym. That is now 3 losses in a row for Ol’ Roy and company. Obviously being down to only 5 McDonald's All American had the heels at a major disadvantage.

To recap, UNC gets blown out at home, and State dominates Duke. It really does not get any better than this.

Disparity of Talent - Heels Lose Again (L: WFU 82 UNC 69)

2010-01-21T08:17:00.008-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: As WFU was widening their lead in the second half, the NBA commentators Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were discussing the difference in talent on the floor during the game. The superior team, obviously, being the Deacs. How often has this happened under Roy Williams at UNC? UNC just lost its third straight game, a first under Williams, so does that answer the question?

Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller, combined averaging 25 points and 15 rebounds, sat on the sideline as Al-Farouq Aminu, Chas Macfarland, and Tony Woods pushed, banged, out-muscled, and out-rebounded Deon Thompson and the freshman Heels in the paint. But this wasn't the biggest discrepancy...

No. Once again, the Heels backcourt was over-matched. WFU's Ish Smith, CJ Harris, and Ari Stewart dominated the perimeter with their shooting and penetration. The Heels guards were unable to slow down the trio who combined for 51 points. What made the difference? Experience? No, Smith is a Senior but Harris and Stewart are freshman.

That leaves the explanation to a disparity in talent. Yet again the Heels' backcourt is their Achilles Heel, defensively and offensively. Zeller and Davis would have helped on the interior, but their return would not have guaranteed a victory. Until the Heels protect the ball and knock down open shots the losses will continue to mount and set unseen records in futility under Roy Williams.

Big Night for the Big 4

2010-01-20T16:05:00.003-05:00

Wake Forest @ UNC:
Philip Thompson: This is a huge game for the Tarheels and their 7 McDonalds Americans tonight. Coming off two consecutive losses, Wake Forest may not be the ideal opponent to travel to Chapel Hill. The Deacs have the size and strength to match the Tar Heels down low, and Ish Smith is the veteran type of point guard who should give Larry Drew trouble (although currently all point guards give him trouble). The Tar Heels are young, but this is a game they really need to win. Also, has there ever been a team ranked with 6 losses in mid January? Final Score:
Wake Forest 82 UNC 75

Lawrence Jordan: The Demon Deacons roll in from Winston Salem after a rather demoralizing loss to Duke last Sunday. The Heels are rolling off one of their worst ACC weeks ever after losing at Clemson and at home to Georgia Tech. This is a pivotal early game in the ACC season. If the Heels spot the Deacs an early first half lead, watch for the wheels to come flying off. Ole' Roy will have to answer more questions than ever... Final Score: UNC 89 Wake Forest 79

Duke @ NC State:
Philip Thompson: The Pack will need a few breaks tonight if they are to pull off an upset. First off, the have to make their open jump shots. With the recent emergence of Scott Wood, that could give Tracy Smith more room to operate down low. Another key is for Smith to stay out of foul trouble (that itself can be very challenging against Duke in a game with ACC officials). Finally, the Pack may have caught a break with Kyle Singler hurting his wrist late in Duke’s win Sundays against Wake Forest. Duke only has three legitimate options on offence and if Singler struggles than so will the Devils. Final Score: Duke 73 NC State 75 (It is about time we win a close one)

Lawrence Jordan: I'm not surprised NCSU fans, including Philip Thompson, don't know what it feels like or what it takes to be ranked. Their days of being ranked along with their last winning conference record were hired away to Arizona State, who currently sit atop the Pac10 conference standings. Duke walks through Raleigh tonight and hands the Pack their 4th conference loss. Wolfpack clap? Final Score: Duke 88 NC State 65

Ranked Opponent? Rinse. Wash. Repeat. (L: Georgia Tech 73-71)

2010-01-18T08:19:00.004-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: Ever read the instructions on the back of a shampoo bottle? The Tar Heels might as well be following the instructions, because the same formula had the same result Saturday in Chapel Hill.

Once again, the North Carolina Tar Heels faced a ranked opponent, spotted them a big first half lead and was forced to play from behind. Once again, the Tar Heels fell short 73-71.

The only difference? It was the Heels first home loss this year, and the first loss in Chapel Hill to Georgia Tech since 1996. Yes, that streak included the transition years and 8-20.

Shrug...another poor, underwhelming performance in what is turning out to be a disappointing, prideless year.

Game Notes:

Talent Mismatch: Iman Shumpert proved just how easily a talented guard can shred the mediocre Tar Heel front court when he tallied 30 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. In contrast Larry Drew has 2 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Senior leader Marcus Ginyard tallied 2 points, 1 assist and 2 turnovers.
Turovers: Yet again, the Tar Heels were throwing the ball all over the court and totaled more turnovers than the competition. LDII highlights included throwing the ball behind an open, cutting John Henson, and bouncing an ill advised pass of Williams Graves chest giving Iman Shumpert an open dunk extending a dwindling 3 point lead to a 5 point lead. How important were those two points? Scoreboard.
Toughness: The Tar Heels lack it. Prime example, Lawal taking the ball away from Ed Davis at half court following a UNC timeout with about a minute left. How does this happen?
Player Rotations?: Where was Dexter Strickland? Why did he only play 10 minutes? Why was LDII's desperate, contested drive/floating lay-up the best option at the end of the game? (No, I don't count the Will Graves heave from half court the last shot...game decided the possession before.)
Positives: Williams Graves finally stepped up and decided to attempt to carry a leaderless Tar Heels. Without his clutch shooting the Tar Heels aren't even close. Leslie McDonald came off the bench and played some productive minutes.

Thoughts of the Week . . .

2010-01-14T17:14:00.002-05:00

Philip Thompson: (Lawrence Jordan)

NC State Hoops- As good as it feels to have upset Florida St on Tuesday, it is still hard to get over the painful loss to Virginia last Saturday. This season is showing that the Pack has the ability to hang in the game with anyone in the conference, and then lay an egg in less than 24 hours. By the way, Sidney’s whistling has somehow gotten louder this season. (Losing to woeful UVA and beating a good FSU team...sounds like the ACC this year. It will be nothing if not entertaining.)
Lane Kiffin – Did I miss something? What is the big deal about a coach who was 7-6 last season leaving a school? Was he such a good coach that students needed to riot and burn their mattresses in the middle of campus? Imagine if he had actually beat Alabama or Florida. Lets be honest, would you rather coach at the fifth best job (at best) in the SEC and live in the Tennessee mountains, or control the west coast and live in sunny Southern California. I thought so. (UT football is a religion in eastern to middle Tennesse so I am not surprised the zealots are uprising. Kiffin's career has thrived because he's not afraid to put on a show. Perfect for Southern California.)
Mark McGwire – First off he needs to send Lane Kiffin a bottle of Champaign for taking the spotlight off him. This was a classic case of a story that really was not one. Is there any one in America that thought that he was clean? Just look at him. What is next, OJ admitting he murdered Nicole? (Worst kept secret ever? McGwire is old news. Sosa is old news...err Sosa's HR's are old news. His current skin is still an oddity.)
Gilbert Areanas – Has there ever been an athlete quite like him who just doesn’t get it? He apologizes one day and the next he is making the hand pistols in the pregame introduction. I wonder what it feels like to know that you contract with over $90 million left on it is about to be voided. (Stupid is as stupid does...)
Roy Williams vs the State of South Carolina - I bet Roy is a fan of South Carolina flying the Confederate Flag over its state capitol. The NCAA has stated the as long as the state continues to do so, no NCAA Tournament game will be played in South Carolina. And after what has happened in the last two weeks against College of Charleston and Clemson, Roy must be elated about that. (Where's Darrin Horn's call? Surely this is the year for the Palmetto State to challenge the Heels. Roy's got some rethinking to do with the '09-'10 team. Harrison Barnes isn't coming to town for awhile.)

Did Roy's Peers Read His Book?

2010-01-14T08:49:00.005-05:00

Roy Williams release his book, 'Hard Work," in 2009 and it appears his coaching peers were paying attention. These statements, taken directly from his book, seem to hint or explain current problems facing the '09-'10 team.

"...If I'm better than you are, the more possessions we play, the more likely it is that I'm going to beat you..." (When the Heels are being out-performed Williams has been unable to make the necessary in game adjustments. Is it possible Williams is overestimating the talent on the team this year?)
"We always try to do what we want to do, not what the other team wants us to do...My thinking is, 'This is the way we're going to play, so what will you do to stop it.'" (If the opposing team beats the Heels at their own transition game, they've proven they are unable to stop it...or adjust.)
"Coach Smith always said, 'Let's be the actors and let them react'..." (What about equally talented teams?)
"I've always hoarded time outs. I've said that when I die, I'm going to have more timeouts left than any other ooach...In the second half, I start checking the score once the clock gets down to the eight-minute mark because by that time we have tow opponents: the clock and the other team..." (To Roy's credit he did call a timeout in the first half against Clemson, but the game was long over when the 8 minute mark flashed on the second half scoreboard)
"After the game (vs. Kansas '08) I was criticized for not calling more timouts when we fell way behind in the first half, but there were six timeouts in that half, and after each one, when we would leave the huddle, our guys did the exact opposite of what I'd just asked them to do...In fact, after one timeout when went out and made the same mistake I'd just been yelling about, I remember turning to on e of my assistants and saying, 'Boy, what good does it do us to have a timeout if they're not going to listen to us.'" (I want Roy to call timeouts. But if Roy is unable to communicate the proper adjustments or set up an effective play during a timeout, maybe Tar Heels fans should be content to let Roy continue to add to his own self-important total?)

Roy's philosophies seem to assume he has the better talent on his team. His reputation as the NCAA's top recruiter has earned him that right. But what about teams like the '09-'10 Tar Heels? There seems to be plenty of talent, be it mostly young talent, with a mixture of veteran players. How can he mold his philosophies to better fit his current players?

Getting Run Out of the Gym

2010-01-14T08:38:00.002-05:00

North Carolina inability to counter opponents offensive runs has been a consistent problem all year. Syracuse, Kentucky, Texas, and Clemson amounted such big runs that the Tar Heels were forced to play "catch up" the remainder of the game.

In fact, North Carolina has even given up large runs to inferior opponents where their talent carried them through to victory...that is until they traveled to College of Charleston.

Runs by ranked teams in '09-'10:

Syracuse 22-1 (L: 87-71)
Kentucky 28-2 (L: 68-66)
Texas 23-7 (L: 103-90)
Clemson 35-12 (L: 83-64)

Runs by unranked team in '09-'10:

College of Charleston 11-1 (L: 82-79)
Nevada 20-10 (W: 80-73)
Albany 22-1 (W: 87-70)
Rutgers 13-4 (W: 81-67)

UNC vs Clemson: L (Clemson 83-64)

2010-01-13T23:18:00.005-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: Clemson punished the tentative Tar Heels last night at Little John Colesium, 83-64. No Tar Heel in the starting five scored in double digits and three starters turned the ball over 5 times apiece. Dexter Strickland led the team with 17 points, the only player to reach double figures. Boxscore.

The starters were so bad at the beginning of the second half, a relative term considering the play in the first half, that Roy Williams pulled all five starters and inserted all five freshman. While Williams had his back to the game, the freshman consistently broke the Clemson press and were actually able to reduce Clemson's lead.

So what does Roy do? Without any regard for the increased level of play currently on the floor Williams substitutes all five under-performing starters back in the game. Result: several immediate turnovers by the returning starters.

The end result was predictable after the first 9 minutes. Clemson ran away from this game in an embarrassing performance by the coach and team. Williams is determined to run his system, understandably after resulting in 2 National Championships in 5 years, but he needs to figure out a way to make the square pegs on this team fit the predetermined round holes in his game plan.

The frustration is mounting due to the fact that the same issues plague the '09-'10 Tar Heels currently that were evident at the beginning of the season. Turnovers, lack of composure, erratic shooting, and no real leadership on defense or offense were as visible in game 1 as they were in game 17. If team meetings, exhaustive practices, and traditional coaching motivators are not improving the team's overall play - might it be time to switch up the line-up?

Wish List for the New Year

2010-01-06T17:13:00.004-05:00

Philip Thompson:

NC State Basketball to Return to Relevance - So far, this season’s edition of Wolfpack basketball seems to play with much more passion and drive, however, there is still a severe lack of talent on the team. With next year’s recruiting class looking strong on paper, hopefully the Pack will be in store for big things in the future.
Phil Mickelson to Continue on His Strong Finish - Nobody on the PGA had a stronger final two months of the season than Mickelson. He seemed confident in his putting stroke, and with no idea of what will become of Tiger Woods (STD’s anyone?), this is Phil’s golden opportunity to win many tournaments and possibly claim the world #1 ranking.
St. Louis Cardinals Make Deep Playoff Run – With yesterdays signing of Matt Holiday, the Cards have again position themselves to be a true contender for the World Series. They certainly have the front loaded starting pitching to be a tough out.
Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers to Win the Super Bowl - The Chargers certainly enter the playoffs on a roll. They have to be happy that the Steelers did not qualify for the playoffs and they have struggles against Pittsburg in the past. Also, one key to remember is that San Diego has taken 4 of the last 5 games against the #1 seeded Colt.
Wolfpack Football to Avoid Injuries and Develop a Defense - The Wolfpack’s season was really over before it started. If they want to be any factor in next years ACC race, they must get better on the defensive side of the ball.
John Fox to Return as Panthers Coach - What the Panthers accomplished at the end of the season says a lot to me about Coach Fox. His team really had nothing to play for at the end of the season, yet he kept them motivated and they will enter next season with some much needed momentum.
Dallas to lose Saturday night - I love the fact they have not won a playoff game in over 12 seasons. As great as they have looked over the past three weeks would only make their fall better if they Eagles won on Saturday evening.
Have the Chicago Cubs not Win the World Series - Hey, at least I know one of my wishes will come true!

The Tumbling Tar Heels: UNC vs C of C: L (C of C 82-79)

2010-01-05T08:51:00.000-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: I feel like a bad fan. I completely forgot about the College of Charleston (C of C) game last night. There is no excuse. Until my phone started buzzing with text messages I was unaware of the outcome of the game. But, you know what? I am glad I didn't watch. I've seen enough games this year that perusing the box score told me the story.

Poor defensive intensity resulting in wild opponent scoring run? (12-1 run to end regulation) Check. Lack of perimeter defense? (13 made 3pts for C of C) Check. Poor shot selection? (27-71: 38%) Check. Terrible 3 point shooting? (1-6: 17%) Check. Missed layups? (See: 27-71: 38%) Check. More turnovers than the opponent? (UNC 13: C of C 10) Check. Roy hoarding time outs? (Only two 30 second timeouts called in regulation) Check.

The numbers don't lie. Despite out-rebounding C of C by 20 (52-32) and taking 28 more attempts from the FT line (34-6) the Tar Heels lost the game. What? How? Well the 38% FG percentage doesn't help, but the Heels also only totaled 13 assists on 27 FGs.

Until this team becomes a cohesive unit utilizing spacing, protecting the ball, making the extra pass, and knocking down the open shot, every game will be a struggle. Every team has a chance to go on a scoring run against the Heels. C of C took advantage and got the win. Congratulations to Bobby Cremins and the College of Charleston. You've joined the growing list of teams to out-coach and out-play the University of North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2009-2010 season.

The Tar Heels seem to get motivated enough for top competition, enough to hang relatively close, but have been making the same mistakes for the entire season. The worst part? There is no the improvement.

The 2006 season will be remembered for one of Coach Williams' best coaching jobs after losing so much talent to the NBA after the 2005 National Championship. The 2009 season could be remembered as one of Coach Williams' worst coaching performances after "reloading" but under-utilizing the freshman and existing talent.

Young teams need coaching during games not just in practice. Call a dadgum timeout during tense moments in the games. Coach. Emphasize the goals. Encourage. Refusing to adapt to the needs of the team is a sign of arrogance and stubborness, not hard work.

Tar Heel Holiday Season in Review

2010-01-05T08:36:00.004-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: I owe the readers at The ONH an apology. There have been some events that occurred over the Holidays that should have been covered but I was unable to devote the time. Let's take a quick look back at what transpired:

12/22/09: Basketball vs. Marshall: After hanging close in the first half, the taller Tar Heels blow open the game in the second half. Win big 98-61 despite shooting less than 50% from the floor.
12/26/09: Football vs. Pitt: The Heels lose 19-17 on a last minute FG. A microcosm of the entire football season: untimely turnovers or inept offense leads to either short field opportunities for Pitt or blown scoring chances for Heels. Yates goal-line interception and inability to avoid rush stalls offense. Overly conservative play calling at its finest and lack of talent at quarterback leave the Heels at 8-5, when 10-3 or even 11-2 was attainable. Can the Heels win in Charlotte (or against the Pack for that matter)? Butch Davis has some questions to answer.
12/28/09: Basketball vs. Rutgers: After hanging close in the first half, the Tar Heels hold on for the win despite a valiant second half run by Rutgers. Another sub 50% FG performance. Heels win 81-67.
12/30/09: Basketball vs Albany: The Tar Heels go up big in the first half and extend the lead to 38 points in the second half. Albany mounts a run and plays the Heels even in the second half. The Heels shoot 17-27 (63%) from the FT line and barely out-rebound the undermanned Albany team, but finally shoot 50% from the floor. Heels win 87-70.

It's been an underwhelming Holiday Season for the UNC athletic department. There are many more questions now than when the seasons began for the UNC revenue sports. Tar Heel fans shouldn't let the names and reputations of their coaches exempt them from answering tough questions about poor performances.

UNC vs Texas: L (Texas 103-90)

2009-12-21T13:00:00.008-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: Texas out-coached and out-played the overwhelmed Tar Heels in Dallas this weekend. It was as ugly as it was frustrating. All of the Tar Heels' weaknesses and flaws were on display against a talent Texas team well deserving on the win and its top 3 ranking.

What are the weaknesses? Let's take a look:

Coaching: "Coaching?" you may ask. Yes. Against top ranked teams this year (all losses) there is a 5 to 6 minute span in the first half where the Heels lose their composure and bleed points. UT ended the half on a 23-7 run that ultimately put the game away. If you add this run with the UK (22-2) and Syracuse (19-2) it adds up to a 64-11(!) deficit. Call a time out and coach, Roy! This team is not experienced enough to manage these runs and its costing games.
Toughness: Hansbrough's grittiness inside is lacking. Thompson's line of 8 points on 3-12 shooting and 7 rebounds will not suffice against top tier teams. The Heels were out-rebounded by 20, but also outshot at the FT line by 15 attempts. If the philosophy is to pound the ball inside - hit the lay-ups or get to the FT line.
Unreliable guard play: Despite Roy allowing his team to fall into another big hole, the Heels had the lead down to 4 points after making some defensive stops with a little over 6 minutes left to play. The resulting offensive play was Larry Drew firing a fall-away three point air ball with lots of time on the shot clock that was converted to a three pointer on the other end. Not a smart shot. Ginyard and Drew combined for 9 turnovers.
Unproductive freshman: With the exception of Strickland (12 points, 3 assists) the other freshman combined for 8 points and 5 rebounds in 37 minutes. What was Henson doing during his 12 minutes?
Free throw shooting: Really? 11 of 19 on Saturday. The Heels are .645 for the season - giving away points and possessions at every turn.

I was amazed most by the rebounding differential. During the game I was complaining about the amount of airballs their team shot that happened to fall into their big men's hands. In retrospect, why did their players have such good position on our talented front line?

This was one of the more frustrating game to watch, because the game was a clumination of all the problems the Tar Heels have had all season. Roy stubborn refusal to change his coaching style to adapt to his team's needs is astounding. Some talented opponents will not allow you to run over them, and it's at these times when Roy needs to make game adjustments before it's too late.

Roy is the Tar Heels HOF coach and there is nobody better for the position, but if Roy is going to ask his teams to constantly improve over the season he should also ask the same of himself and his system. So far this season, equally talented teams and coaches have the upper hand.

ACC Conference Predictions: UNC (11-5)

2009-12-21T12:06:00.005-05:00

Lawrence Jordan: The media picked the Tar Heels to finish atop the ACC once again this year due to their incoming freshmen class and returning big men. I hate to anger my Tar Heel brethren, but I think this is too lofty a prediction.

Everyone knows the losses, due to graduation and NBA entry, the Heels faced over the offseason. For the Heels to succeed they need:

Upperclassmen leadership: Ed Davis and Deon Thompson are leading the way in the front court, and Marcus Ginyard's shooting percentage has increased from the outside (as has his arch). Davis or Thompson needs to step up and be the "go to" scorer in crunch time. I support Davis...
Freshman production: Not one freshman is among the top six scorers on the team. TOs are up. Lost defensive match-ups are up. Their playing time is down. Henson is the biggest disappointment so far, as he appears to be struggling at learning his new position.
Solid guard play: Larry Drew currently leads the ACC in assists per game, but he is also averaging more than 3 TOs per game. The guards need to protect the ball and hit the open perimeter shot. Both areas need improvement.
Hit open shots: The team will have to take points that are given to them: open outside shots and FTs. Both areas have been a struggle this season.

The talent on this years Tar Heel team is blatantly obvious, but so is the lack of experience. The imbalance of talent, heavily favoring the front court, will be abused by other ACC team. UNC will finish in the top 3 in the ACC, but significant improvement is needed to contend for the title.

Schedule Notes:

No Clemson in Chapel Hill this year - yearly unbeaten steak automatically extended. Feels kind of dirty since they field a good team.
No FSU game in Tallahassee - I'm going to miss seeing brews served at college game on television.
UNC's 4 game win streak in Durham falls.

Games:
VT: W
@ CLEM: L
GT: W
WAKE: W
@ NCST: W
UVA: W
@ VT: L
@ MD: L
DUKE: W
NCST: W
@ GT: L
@ BC: W
FSU: W
@ WAKE: W
MIA: W
@ DUKE: L

ACC Conference Predictions: NC State (7-9)

2009-12-21T11:56:00.004-05:00

Philip Thompson: I realize that this seems like a very optimistic number of wins, but for some odd reason I feel like the Pack has a chance to reach this lofty total. I would like to say this team could easily finish the season with a (3-13) conference record.

The reason for the new found confidence is that this team seems to play much better together and it putting forth much better effort than the last few seasons. Coach Lowe’s team has already won a few games this season that no doubt would have been losses in the past.

For this season to continue to be a success, State must keep Tracy Smith out of foul trouble and keep the tempo of games at a comfortable pace. If both of these happen, then the Wolfpack should be competitive in most games.

@ Wake Forest: L
Virginia: W
@ Florida St: L
Clemson: L
Duke: L
@ Maryland L
UNC L
@ Virginia: W
@ Georgia Tech: L
Virginia Tech: W
@ UNC: L
Maryland: W
Wake Forest: W
@ Miami: W
@ Virginia Tech: L
Boston College: W