A Perspective on Perspective
With Virginia's bubble maintaining performance tonight - and an on-fire Cavalier team visiting Chapel next week will not be fun - tomorrow's Tar Heel matchup becomes #2 vs. #3 in the conference. For one set of fans, this team makes or breaks the season. And for the other...
Eh. I want the team to win. I'll cheer in victory and revel in the schadenfreud of Wolfpack dissapointment with the bluest of 'em. Three years working for a company founded and populated by numerous State grads would have put me in that state of mind even if five years in the elementary school lunchroom hadn't already done so. But will this game make or break a season?
No.
And not just because UNC is outpacing expectations this year. I can't think of any year where an N.C. State loss would ruin a season. I can't think of a year where a single Duke loss ruined a seaon, and there have been significantly more of the latter in my postgraduate career. Seasons fall apart cumulatively. A poor showing in the weeks leading up to the tournament. A deep hole early on that cannot be overcome. Preseason potential that arrives in March unrealized.
But one game in February? Even two against a rival, spread across two months? That alone won't break me as a fan. Which is why when the two teams hit the floor tomorrow, only one coach will be in a pressure cooker. Only on team will have expectations hanging over their head. Two teams will be trying their hardest to win, but only one will be able to enjoy the game as it's being played.
And I've got to say, my gut is to go with the team with the only weight on its shoulders being a cotton jersey. UNC by 8.
(And if this holistic psychobabble is less than convincing, the News and Observer has a nice little rundown of the Heels' more impressive stats of late. It's a bit easier to win if you're outrebounding your opponent and cutting back on turnovers.)
Eh. I want the team to win. I'll cheer in victory and revel in the schadenfreud of Wolfpack dissapointment with the bluest of 'em. Three years working for a company founded and populated by numerous State grads would have put me in that state of mind even if five years in the elementary school lunchroom hadn't already done so. But will this game make or break a season?
No.
And not just because UNC is outpacing expectations this year. I can't think of any year where an N.C. State loss would ruin a season. I can't think of a year where a single Duke loss ruined a seaon, and there have been significantly more of the latter in my postgraduate career. Seasons fall apart cumulatively. A poor showing in the weeks leading up to the tournament. A deep hole early on that cannot be overcome. Preseason potential that arrives in March unrealized.
But one game in February? Even two against a rival, spread across two months? That alone won't break me as a fan. Which is why when the two teams hit the floor tomorrow, only one coach will be in a pressure cooker. Only on team will have expectations hanging over their head. Two teams will be trying their hardest to win, but only one will be able to enjoy the game as it's being played.
And I've got to say, my gut is to go with the team with the only weight on its shoulders being a cotton jersey. UNC by 8.
(And if this holistic psychobabble is less than convincing, the News and Observer has a nice little rundown of the Heels' more impressive stats of late. It's a bit easier to win if you're outrebounding your opponent and cutting back on turnovers.)
--T.H. Wednesday, February 22, 2006
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