The Week That Was

If that picture looks a little fuzzy it isn't because the AP hired a 7-year old to take the picture. It is because it is a live shot from Saturday's Maryland/North Carolina game at Comcast Center. For those that don't know today is my birthday and on Saturday my girlfriend surprised me with tickets to the game. I am a huge North Carolina fan and this was my first chance to see them live and in person.

Upon first finding out that I would be attending the game my excitement was slightly tempered by anxiety. Maryland fans don't have the best reputations and I planned on proudly wearing my North Carolina Michael Jordan jersey in enemy territory.

My hatred for Maryland basketball grew a few years ago when I was attending the BB&T Classic. George Mason was in the field as was Maryland. This was pre Final Four for Mason so no one really knew who we were at the time. Unfortunately for me I was sitting next to an obnoxious Maryland fan who took great joy in denigrating Mason for hours, while pumping up his Terps. There wasn't much I could say, Maryland was just a few years removed from a national title and Mason was just a lowly CAA school. I got some minor retribution later that night when Maryland lost to George Washington, but otherwise it was an argument I couldn't win.

The last few years the tide has shifted, Mason made their run to the Final Four and Maryland has become an almost yearly competitor in the NIT. I think of that guy often and how fun it would be to talk to him now about the state of the Maryland and Mason basketball programs.

I am getting off topic though, back to the game. As much as I would like to I can't hate on Comcast Center. It is a very nice building and the atmosphere for Saturday's game was off the charts. Our seats were near the top, which was fine, could see everything perfect, plus I was surrounded by Carolina fans. There was one Maryland fan sitting close to us and he despised Tyler Hansbrough. Every time Hansbrough screwed up, which was often in this game, he would go on and on about how Hansbrough won't be a good pro. I can't say I disagree with him but it really wasn't relevant to the game we were watching, as I really don't care whether Hansbrough is good or not in the NBA. Plus, I wanted to ask this Maryland fan how many current Maryland players were even going to make a pro team, but him being about 100 pounds heavier than me dissuaded me from that.

The first half went exactly as I hoped as Carolina pretty much dominated. I was nervous that Grievis Vasquez was having such a good game. As I pointed out in the Alley-Oop Friday, he had to have an amazing game for Maryland to have any chance. Vasquez scored their first sixteen points and it was a sign that Carolina would have no answer for him on this day.

In the second half the Tar Heels extended their lead to 16 and the Comcast Center was pretty dead. Maryland began cutting away at the lead but I never lost confidence that Carolina would hold on to win the game. Carolina was still up six with a minute to go when everything imploded for them. They started turning the ball over, rushed possessions for no reason, considering they were up and the clock was their friend at this point, and Vasquez couldn't miss from three point land. Before I knew it, the game was tied and we were going to overtime.

Maryland had all the momentum at that point and it was becoming increasingly obvious that they were going to spring the upset. Carolina didn't help themselves when down by one late, they allowed Maryland to take the clock from 35 to 11 seconds as Carolina seemed to be trying to foul one of Maryland's bad foul shooters. A good idea in theory but once it was obvious they weren't going to be able to do that, they should have just fouled anyone. It become even worse when they ended up fouling Vasquez anyway.

Down three, Carolina had one last chance to force a second overtime but couldn't get off a shot and their chance to be #1 in the nation evaporated. I sat there shell shocked, oblivious to the fact that a girl behind us, who was actually a pretty obnoxious Carolina fan, was getting into a fight with the Maryland fan I mentioned before. I hate to see Carolina lose, but losing to Maryland, at the one chance I had to see them live was an especially bitter pill to swallow.

All in all the Maryland fans I encountered weren't too bad. I actually didn't receive much grief from any of them, even after the loss, when frankly they had every right to give me crap. However, don't get me wrong, I still hate Maryland just as much.

On this one day the Terps were better. However, come March, when Carolina is a number one seed and the Terps are playing in the NIT, the sting of this loss won't hurt anymore.