A picture can be worth a thousand words. But it doesn’t always tell the full story. It doesn’t whisper the specter of scandal. The agony of yesterday. The hope of tomorrow.
But there is today. There is the light of a team that has driven darkness from this campus. There is Roy’s backward hat and sheepish grin. Brice’s post-dunk roar and crowd-rousing antics. Marcus’ raw intelligence and yearning for more than numbers. Justin’s quiet nature and fierce determination. Joel Berry’s biceps and Joel James’ boyishness. Kennedy’s laugh. Isaiah’s drives through the lane ending with soaring dunks. Nate’s subtle ferocity. Theo’s ... Theo. Where does it end? I’ve simply run out of words.
And the beautiful thing is, I think it’s OK.
We’ll gather together and watch those boys in Carolina Blue play one more game, and another one if they’re clicking on all cylinders. We might even get to see them cut down another pair of nets. Maybe this time Roy won’t cut his finger. He’s had a little bit of practice, after all.
Some moments just don’t need confirmation. They will stand alone in our memories forever. It will be 20 years later, and we will tell the tales of where we were when Joel James became an internet sensation. Or when Theo busted into a press conference with the widest of grins.
We’ve laughed with this team. We’ve jumped and shouted with this team. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve shed a few tears with this team.
The early season loss to Northern Iowa. The last-minute defeat at the hands of Duke. At times this season, it felt like playing in late March would remain a fantasy, a goal left unfulfilled for this senior class.
But here they are. Two games away from eternal glory.
Maybe the Tar Heels will pull out two more wins and Franklin Street will be filled with feral bodies, leaping through fires. Maybe this team will lose this weekend, and Chapel Hill will be filled with fans who feel like they’ve been punched in the stomach.
