TO THE EDITOR:
Taking off the jersey is a harsh reality. I’ve been a Carolina fan my whole life. But in my 21 years on this Earth there have only been two athletes that challenged me to be a better student, athlete and person.
David Noel is one, as he was the leader of an overachieving 2006 UNC team. Marcus Paige is the other. Wins are a big part of being a Tar Heel, there is no escaping the quest for excellence on the court.
But there is pride in how our players represent this university.
Marcus, you can and will be the rightful face of Carolina basketball, and even UNC as a whole, for many years to come.
In your first year, the team had to read and watch countless reports about the academic scandals you had nothing to do with. I, personally, had lost a bit of faith.
Had the NCAA money changed Carolina?
But, Marcus, you brought me back to Blue Heaven. You renewed my faith in UNC basketball. You showed what a student-athlete, a leader and a Tar Heel should be. On the court, off the court, in a sea of turmoil and uncertainty surrounding UNC, you made me proud to be a Tar Heel.
The jersey may come off, but we will all wear it as a reminder of how a Tar Heel should act. Although I’ve never met you, I say thank you for challenging me to be a better Tar Heel.
