TO THE EDITOR:
The other night I went for a run to relieve some stress after our gut-wrenching loss to Duke. I’ll admit it — I was angry, frustrated, even grieving. The Duke game is like a holiday, marked on the calendar months in advance, and the Heels — our Heels — had just let a huge lead slip away to some unfortunate-looking college kids from Durham. I couldn’t help but imagine the elation Duke students were experiencing.
It started out like any other run, but it didn’t take long for that to change. Upon reaching Cameron Avenue, out of the hundreds of songs on my iPod, James Taylor’s “Carolina in my Mind” began to play. As I was about to pass the Old Well, I decided to stop and reflect on my soon-to-be four years at UNC.
Then, it hit me.
This place is about more than basketball. It’s about more than top-notch students, budget cuts or even Franklin Street. This place is about family, tradition, learning to deal with adversity, creativity and excellence. It’s about the Old Well, the Bell Tower, the Pit. It’s about thousands of students banding together as one to support a group of basketball players who battled with every ounce of effort they had.
Losing to Duke might cut my heart out, but at least I bleed Carolina blue. That’s a feeling those folks down the road will never have.
Chris Howerton
Senior
Public Relations
