Posted: 12/3/2009 by David Walker
Ooooooooohhhhhhh Carolina fans, what do you do with that one? That was the type of game where afterwards, you are flooded with texts, calls, and emails from State fans you probably haven't heard from all year. You probably haven't heard from most of them for a lot longer than that. Some communications may have been from friends, but if not, perhaps they were from the worst kind of people. The kind of fans that weren't even sure what time the Wolfpack was playing on most Saturdays. These fans rank right up there with people who go to games and wear the jersey of a team not even involved in the contest. But guess what, you had to take it.
And God bless you if you were actually at Carter Finley Stadium when the gun sounded on N.C. State's 28-27 come from behind upset victory. There's no telling what kind of colorful word play was rained down upon you. But worse than that, unless someone tried to get in a fight with your mother, wife, or girlfriend, was what you had to live with walking out of there. Three in a row.
"Three-in-a-row" is this year's "41-10."
None of these descriptions are meant to slander N.C. State or it's fans. For the record, State has jerks. Carolina has jerks. State has incompetent fans. Carolina has incompetent fans. State has good fans. Carolina has good fans.
For every Tar Heel fan with a horror story about visiting Raleigh on a fall Saturday decked out in Carolina blue, there's an equally repulsive story about a State fan in Chapel Hill so maybe we can put that portion of the rivalry to bed, but I doubt it. And that's okay.
(What's not okay however is the booing of quarterback T.J. Yates, at a football game much less at the Michigan State basketball game. Man, that is weak. When people talk about bad Carolina fans, they're usually talking about those people.)
Because that's what makes rivalries like this one fun. Yes, the two teams hate each other. The two fan bases hate each other, probably even more.
And that's what makes this most recent loss sting so much for Tar Heels fans. More so than seeing Tom O'Brien clear the ground like Phil Mickelson and celebrate on the sidelines with his team as Yates' final pass was picked off. More so than Yates' final pass being picked off. It's the chatter, the smiles, the points, the remarks that (no doubt were coming fast and furious Monday morning if not well before) will be in the back pocket of every State fan for the next 300+ days.
For Tar Heel fans, it's not okay that Carolina lost to State. Carolina had no business losing that game. It also had no business losing to Virginia. It had no business losing to Florida State either.
However, it could be argued the Heels had no business winning in Blacksburg this year. That's Butch Davis' signature win for right now. And I think he will have more than a few more big wins in Chapel Hill. The downside (if you can even classify it that way) to having a coach as even keel and level-headed as Davis is that maybe some games (and apparently every Virgina game) slip by you. It's horrible, I know. And it is disconcerting that Davis is a combine 0-6 against State and Virginia.
But keep in mind Davis is still building in Chapel Hill, literally (I'm sure you're aware of the "Blue Zone") and figuratively. He's still getting the pieces in place, but look at the imprint he's already left on his side of the ball, the defense.
Nine Tar Heels (Eight on defense and place kicker Casey Barth) were named All-ACC this year. Davis' first year? Three second-teamers, no one of the first team. Last year? Five, two first-teamers. No Tar Heels from the offensive side of the ball were honored this year. Imagine what this team will look like when you've got, an All-ACC lineman or two, an All-ACC wide receiver again, or (gasp!) an All-ACC quarterback! (I know, let's not go crazy).
There is plenty for Tar Heel fans to be steaming hot about. Three points in the second half is atrocious and the defense (the calling card for this team all year) could not make one play when it needed to. Just one! And for a lot of those would-be plays, the defense was in place and a man was in position, but the play was not made.
State's players made more plays than Carolina's did. In particular, State's dynamic player (Russel Wilson) made the plays he had to. And Carolina didn't have an answer. Yates played a nice game (13-19 for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception), and he did enough to lead his team to a win. The running game was non-existent, except for a big end-around by Johnny White, and costly...costly...penalties hurt the Heels big time.
As much as it pains Carolina fans to lose that game, and get knocked around to whatever bowl the Heels end up playing, there should be a little solace taken in the fact that you are in that bowl conversation for the second year in a row. This staff led the team out of the pits of futility to a shot at a 10-win season.
It is extremely frustrating because it does feel like this is a place Carolina keeps ending up, middle of the pack in the ACC. No real threat to take a trip to the title game. A successful season as a whole that doesn't quite satisfy and has many close calls and what-ifs.
What if Johnny White hadn't fumbled on the goal line? What if Zach Pianalto hadn't gotten flagged for two big holding penalties? What if Yates put a little more air under that ball to Erik Highsmith in the fourth quarter? What if the defense could have held it's ground one time against State? What if the defense could have held it's ground against Florida State? What if the Carolina offense could have grown up in the first half of the season? What if the injuries to the offensive line hasn't kept piling? What if the depth chart at running back hadn't been reduced to one?
But what if Carolina had won but was 4-7? Would you feel better about things?
See, there is reason to feel good about this season. Not about the last game, but the season.
It wasn't perfect obviously but you had more ups than downs. And don't let this bowl selection process (which makes as much sense and is as predictable as a game of Plinko) get you too discombobulated.
In August, I thought Davis had to beat State for Carolina to have a successful season. But seasons are not played in a vacuum. What is at the start of the season can change from week to week, from quarter to quarter. After struggling with inexperience and spotty offensive play the Carolina team really hit its stride down the stretch of the season and to have the possibility of nine wins is amazing. The reality of it if though, could be truly satisfying. But I know, he's got to beat State next year.
David Walker
david@thebigtailgate.com