Tar Heel Born

On the way home from school about a month ago, LJ asked me, "Mom, who is Coach Shoo-crew-skee?"

"You mean Duke's coach?" I asked.

"Yeah ... him," sneered LJ. "I can't stand that guy!"

LJ can't pronounce his name, but at age 8, he already has a healthy disrespect for Coach K and his team.

I don't think LJ could even pick Coach K out of a lineup with Sidney Lowe and Roy Williams, but that's beside the point.

LJ is what I call a Tar Heel born.

I, on the other hand, am a Tar Heel bred.

I was a big-time Tar Heel hater as a kid -- even through my early teenage years. Once, I actually cheered for Russia over UNC in an exhibition game.

And that was all because of my older brother, TJ. At some point in my childhood, TJ came home from school announced that he wanted us to be N.C. State fans. His reason? Because everyone else at school was a Carolina fan.

So I too grew up as an avid Wolfpack fan ... one of my first sports memories is running through our house screaming with joy when the Cardiac Pack capped their miracle run in 1983.

It wasn't until I decided to go to college at UNC that I began to bleed a different color.

It took me nearly 18 years to become a Tar Heel, so I wasn't taking any chances with LJ and Julianna. There was no doubt that my kids would be Tar Heels from the day they were born -- like it or not.

Jack and I started brainwashing the kids while they were still confined to the crib. LJ's first bedtime story was The Dean's List. Julianna's first teddy bear was adorned with the UNC logo.

And little known fact ... but the "J" in LJ actually stands for "Jordan."

Whatever we did in the early days, it seems to have worked like magic.

As evidenced from our home videos, Julianna is well on her way to being a Tar Heel cheerleader. And LJ takes to heart every Carolina loss (football, basketball, fencing ... it doesn't matter).

In LJ's closest hangs a mint condition UNC t-shirt from last year's Final Four. Even though he insisted that we buy it for him, he refuses to put it on.

When I finally asked him why he wouldn't wear it, he folded his arms and frowned.

"That shirt is embarrassing, Mom, and I am not wearing it," he said.

"What are you talking about?" I responded. "It was a huge accomplishment to make it that far. Going to the Final Four is not embarrassing."

"But UNC didn't actually win the Final Four," said LJ. "So I am not wearing that. I'm only wearing a National Championship shirt."

Point taken.

Now that's what I call a fan.















Raising 'em up.