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.

Anatomy of a Bad Sports Weekend

On Saturday night, at about 11 p.m., as Peyton Manning was sacked on a 3rd and 2 deep in Colts' territory, the fog began to lift ... it was not looking good for Indy. Hunter Smith had struggled punting all night, and even with a decent punt, the Chargers were probably going to be just yards from the game-tying field goal.

8,000 Indy defensive penalties later, the Colts lost in OT, 23-17, to San Diego. They bowed out to a team that somehow overcame Ed Hochuli's early-season hatchet-job and managed to claw its way into the playoffs as a division winner at 8-8.

Just like that, the nine-game winning streak and Manning's MVP season was done.

I should have seen it coming. Like a freight train. But I didn't.

Instead, as the Chargers celebrated their victory, I muttered the 10 words I would come to regret just 24 hours later...

"At least we have a Carolina basketball game tomorrow night."

You all know what happened next. Boston College handed the top-ranked, undefeated Heels their first loss of the season and did so in convincing fashion. The Eagles whooped us on our home court, and it was never really in doubt. They deserved the victory.

Before Carolina lost to BC, I had already sworn off the NFL Network, which is a staple in our house. I just couldn't bear to watch any more highlights of that Sproules guy running all over the Indy D.

Now, with UNC losing, I couldn't even turn on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, or ESPN News... they were running highlights and news flashes of the game every few minutes.

I was in sports television purgatory. And then everyone else chimed in ...

... text messages to my iPhone "alerting" me that mighty UNC had lost to lowly BC
... red-lettered headlines on all the local news Web sites and ESPN.com
... headlines and feature after feature about the game in the N&O

And then, the ultimate insult piled on to the already painful injury.

I received no less than 4 "condolences" on my team's demise at work today. Mind you, they were all from N.C. State and Duke fans.

I am starting to get over it now -- both losses. At least I can watch the pointless Fiesta Bowl and not have to see looping footage of the Indy and UNC games.

Besides... there's always Carolina women's soccer.