One of the things I love about being a Tar Heel fan is the fact that the players actually do love the university. The respect the school, the program and the iconic coaches.
One of the things that I enjoy is the alumni game. It is former Carolina players coming back to Chapel Hill and competing in a scrimmage. It's open to the public for $20 a ticket. It's a highlight of the offseason and just a joy to witness.
This year, the teams look like this:
Blue Team: Shammond Williams, Ed Cota, Ty Lawson, Vince Carter, Dante Calabria, Jawad Williams, Wayne Ellington, Rashad McCants, Brandan Wright and Sean May
White Team: Brendan Haywood, Raymond Felton, Bobby Frasor, Jackie Manuel, Jeff McInnis, Danny Green, Marvin Williams, Rasheed Wallace, Antawn Jamison and Jerry Stackhouse.
My money is on the white team. They have size with Haywood, Sheed and Jamison. They also have tough the defensive might of both Danny Green and Jackie Manuel and the athleticism of Stackhouse (well, did) and Marvin Williams.
Still, the blue team is no slouch. People forget that Cota is third all-time in assists in NCAA history. Also, Shammond Williams, Ellington, Calabria and McCants bring long range gunners that can counter the White's size. The key will be if Wright and May can look like their college selves or their disappointing NBA selves.
The matchup I want to watch in at point. Raymond Felton vs Ty Lawson. Awesome!
There actually was a draft (by Phil Ford and Pat Sullivan) to disperse the players. The overall No. 1 pick???? Antawn Jamison.
All these names aren't the only ones that will be there. During the past couple of days, those stars have been playing pickup games with the current Tar Heels ... including incoming freshmen John Henson and The Wear Twins. And you never know what kind of retired alums may show up.
The beauty of it all is that these guys get to go back. Most didn't enjoy the typical Senior Day moment that used to be a part of a college player's career. Guys like Ty Lawson, Vince Carter, Wayne Ellington, Rashad McCants, Brandan Wright, Sean May, Raymond Felton, Marvin Williams, Rasheed Wallace, Antawn Jamison and Jerry Stackhouse left before their senior year and didn't get that last love-in to cap their careers. They will all get that tonight.
Current UNC senior said it best. "I don't think any other place could come close to having this kind of weekend," Ginyard said. "There's a lot of things about Carolina you just don't find anywhere else."
Oh, and the 2009 National Championship banner will be unveiled tonight. There also will be a tribute to Dean Smith. Ho-hum. All this opens up the 100th year of Carolina basketball which the school ... and this blog ... will touch on quite a bit over the next several months.
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