Hey Gang -
I set the next HeelsBlog podcast for today, but I'm pushing it back to Tuesday, so we can have a more complete show for you. We'll have recaps from the men's game against BC and at Florida State, and talk about the women's games at home against Maryland, at Wake Forest, and Monday night's game at Duke. Plus, we'll preview football signing day, which is Wednesday. And, we'll have a special guest. So thanks for your patience.

Nice win over Boston College last night. Ty Lawson's line for the last two games is amazing - 20 assists and one turnover. Deon Thompson played perhaps his best game as a Tar Heel, and Tyler Hansbrough was Tyler Hansbrough.

Will the team look past Florida State on Sunday? I don't think so. They might have if they had not lost to Maryland, but I think that game woke the team up. Toney Douglas will be tough to guard, but the guys can get it done.

North Carolina's football team is 1-4 right now. One win at the beginning of the season, and four straight losses since, with five and six staring them in the face as Miami and South Carolina come to Kenan. But three of those losses have been by a combined 12 points (with 7 of those being at Virginia Tech). North Carolina was 1-4 at this point last season, but the feeling is incredibly different.

In talking to players, coaches and football staff, it becomes apparent that the tide of this program is turning. We aren't yet seeing the results on the scoreboard, but look closely at this football team. They're hitting harder. They're making plays. They're building a program.

Certainly it's not all there yet. Certainly there are pieces that aren't yet in place. But North Carolina football under Butch Davis is turning around, and it is an exciting time to watch this football program.

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Carolina lost to East Carolina on Saturday. That much is certainly true. It was a heartbreaking, last-second defeat to the Pirates with plenty of missed opportunities that could have changed the outcome. I'm sure it was disappointing to the players, coaches and fans.

I fall into that third category: fans. And as a fan, there's something I've realized over the past few years: I can't do anything about what happens on the field. I don't have anything to do with it. I can get excited and cheer, get sad and discouraged, but ultimately, nothing I do will make a difference. Sure, there are times when the crowd can motivate (or de-motivate) a team, but really it's up to them to perform.

With this in mind, I've sort of taken a new approach to athletics, particularly wins and losses. I have made it my mission to enjoy the journey and not place so much value on the result. If my team loses a game, I used to forget about the beautiful plays that made me so excited in the course of a contest. Now, I try to appreciate the way I felt watching those plays, even after the score is decided.

So, while I still feel disappointment in losing, I recognize that nothing I could have done would have changed the outcome. I appreciate the opportunity to witness terrific athletic performances that, while they may not have resulted in a win, brought me such great joy in the moment.

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Thursday, TarHeelBlue ran a story of mine on the defensive line. Check it out. Also, don't forget to keep checking this page for my podcasts. Recent interviews include Johnny White, Durell Mapp, Hakeem Nicks and Greg Little. It seems like there is a lot of buzz around this program. The players appear to be excited, the coaches are passionate, and the fans suspect something's up in Chapel Hill. It's a great time to be a Tar Heel.

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Hey folks. Long time.

This fall, I am working an internship with TarHeelBlue.Com and Tar Heel Monthly magazine, so I've been quite busy. What I'll continue to do here is provide some analysis and also links to my work over there.

Since Friday, I've interviewed Zack Pianalto, Mike Paulus, Trimane Goddard, Hilee Taylor and Marvin Austin. Check out these audio interviews at the Training Camp Central section of TarHeelBlue.

I should have some feature stories coming as well as football season progresses. If I do, I'll let you know. In the meantime, Adam Lucas and Lauren Brownlow are doing some great stuff.

There is a lot of excitement around the UNC football program right now, and I'm lucky to be close to the action. Thanks for reading.

Turner

So yeah, we’re admittedly not “real” bloggers, because we left Heelsblog a little bare over the holidays and slightly beyond, but here’s to hoping you can forgive and move on.  But in case you missed it, here’s a slight wrap-up of what’s been going on since we last posted:

 

Football: Butch Davis officially introduced as coach of the UNC Tar Heels.  Everyone seems to be in love with this guy in Chapel Hill, and here’s to hoping the unrealistic expectations don’t lead to a complete meltdown, a la this year.  Plenty of takes on this one, but I think the most out there by far comes from Barry Saunders of the News and Observer, who tries to argue that Davis’ Native American heritage is a big step (actually, he uses the word “momentous”) toward the racial diversification of ACC coaches.  WHAT?? Really?? Seriously, talk about creating significance where there is none.  I get upset enough when the race card gets played in sports journalism all too often (hello, Scoop Jackson!), but this article actually seemed to accomplish the rare feat of having the potential to offend all parties involved: intelligent readers such as myself, and Native Americans who this guy is saying should be proud of a football coach who looks a lot more like General Custer than Geronimo to me. Thanks for that insightful piece of journalism, Barry.

 

Basketball: The Heels fall to Gonzaga, but still takes third in preseason NIT after a beatdown of still-overrated Tennessee.  Unfortunately there was not a Bruce-Pearl-sweating-through-his-neon-orange-jacket sighting.  Not much to say about those games other than “the Tar Heels ARE who we THOUGHT they were!”; a young team that won’t be hurt by a few early losses due to growing pains.  They still go twelve deep, and they’ll still probably be pretty much unbeatable at home, which I think they’ll show in the marquee matchup of the Big Ten-ACC challenge tonight: #6 UNC vs. #1 (or 3) Ohio State.  In case you hadn’t noticed, the ACC has been rather dominant thus far and I can’t see this going in OSU’s favor.  Not sure if Roy will play the card that the guys should get excited about knocking off the number 1 team in the country to get his boys excited tonight, but regardless they come in at home in a major TV matchup with something to show the national audience.  Personally, I’m hopeful that this will be a statement game for the Tar Heels; Kansas and Florida seemingly made the rest of the sports world forget about UNC with their unbelievable barn-burner in Las Vegas that has a lot of experts talking about them being the two best teams in college basketball far and away.

It’s time for us to enter back into the conversation.  Without Oden, I’m thinking this thing gets out of hand early and the Heels cruise.

Sorry for the delay in posting - been super busy. Thanks for bringing us back, Zeke.

So what does the Butch Davis hire mean for UNC football? Well, I can tell you what I think it means, as an alumnus and fan of Carolina football.

It's true that Butch Davis last coached in college when Carl Torbush led the Tar Heel squad. It's also true that he had a forgettable stint as head coach of the Cleveland Browns. What else is true? Well, that Butch Davis is a name coach. Butch Davis was by far the #1 choice, and I thought a longshot to come to North Carolina. But his name is on the dotted line, and he'll roam the sidelines (for at least a few seasons) as the head man for the Tar Heels.

People know Butch Davis' name, and it gives the program instant credibility. I'm thinking we're a national championship contender right away. I'm kidding, of course.

I don't know what's going to happen, but people are excited about the program for the first time in a while, definitely since the beginning of this season. Players are excited, recruits are excited, and it's going to be a lot of fun to watch.

What do you expect?

Carolina To Make Football Coaching Change For 2007 :: John Bunting will continue to coach the Tar Heels for the rest of this season.

Announced tonight by Baddour and Bunting.

I wanted a coaching change, but I can't say I feel great about it right now. John Bunting is a good guy who, like me, loves his alma mater. He just couldn't get it done on the field.

Coach, you gave us two of the greatest wins in Carolina football history. It wasn't always pretty, but it was clear you loved this University. Good luck.

Extra Points: A Long Night In Charlottesville :: Lee Pace on Thursday's loss at Virginia.

If you haven't read the above-linked article, do check it out. As you probably know, Lee Pace is the on-the-field analyst for the Tar Heel Sports Network. He's a writer for the school's official web site. He literally 'wrote the book' on John Bunting at Carolina. And now he's saying things like this:

The dislocations all around Bunting's program are staggering as the Tar Heels lurch into the second half of the season with a 1-6 record.

How does a coach with a reputation cast in granite over a playing and coaching career of discipline and focus continue to have issues like Garrett White making an inappropriate gesture to the Virginia fans, just one day after Bunting pointedly directed the Tar Heels to not be affected by the crowd? Bunting chewed out the sophomore linebacker after the pre-game incident and banished him to the sideline in street clothes, later saying the behavior was "unbecoming of any young person, certainly of this football program and this great university."

How does a coach who is forever talking about teamwork have a player like receiver Jesse Holley who stomps his feet and flails his arms after Dailey throws the ball elsewhere on one play in the third quarter and then drops a pass thrown to him on the very next snap?

Something's brewing folks, because Pace is usually right in line with Bunting and the University. Finally, it appears, he's had enough of having to pretend that there is a foundation being built. That foundation is crumbling.

Eddy Landreth of CarolinaBlue says a buyout is on the way for Bunting. Very interesting. Landreth says the decision on the next coach is above Dick Baddour and the chancellor. Still, I feel like this hire, moreso than even the Roy Williams hire, will ultimately be what defines Baddour's tenure as AD at Carolina.

Funny that yesterday WCHL 1360 was reporting that Bunting would resign soon at this page. They've changed the story now, and they've also changed the picture on their site.  The picture they currently have is located at http://www.wchl1360.com/images/bunting.jpg

The original picture that ran with their original story is now at http://www.wchl1360.com/images/bunting2.jpg

Where did they get the 'bunting2' picture? Why, HeelsBlog.Com! Thanks for noticing!

I took that picture myself in May 2005 at the Tar Heel Tour stop in Cary.

WCHL is the original and flagship station of the Tar Heel Sports Network. A fixture of news and talk radio in Chapel Hill. And they don't have a picture of John Bunting on file? Let's be honest: I'm not making any money off of HeelsBlog. I don't do this for a living; in fact I lose money on the site every month. I do it for love. But please, if you are the webmaster or whomever is responsible at WCHL, can't you just do your job, and not have to have me do it for you?

I emailed the station manager (very politely, if I do say so) and the picture came down not long after, but the whole thing is laughable. And they still have the picture on their server.