The nagging questions persist like Brett Favre's career. How will UNC recover from the loss of its three top wideouts? What will the Tar Heels do without the man who wears 4XL size gloves? Who on the team will be able to catch a pass?
It's not every day that an NBA legend compares himself to a league rookie. But that's exactly what happened with Tyler Hansbrough. After being selected as the 13th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft last Thursday Hansbrough found himself face to face with Indiana Pacers president and now his boss Larry Bird at an introductory conference for the team's fans.
I've accepted the fact that soccer might never catch on in the U.S. I've accepted that by screaming at Jozy Altidore to do something other than jogging he will henceforth begin walking. I've even accepted that the only time I will see Freddy Adu on camera is during a quick pan of the bench. But I cannot accept that the U.S. national team lost the Confederations Cup final to Brazil 3-2.
It ended as it seemingly always had. For the past three seasons North Carolina had reached the pinnacle of college baseball. Crept so close to that ultimate yet elusive goal of a national championship. But on each successive try fate had other plans. So UNC would leave Omaha once more" empty-handed.
It wasn't supposed to be this easy. Hyped as one of the top Super Regionals in the country the North Carolina-East Carolina series seemed bound to bring the drama.Instead the only thing many fans saw Sunday were curtain calls in a 9-3 UNC victory. There was one for ACC Player of the Year Dustin Ackley. Another for third baseman Kyle Seager. Two more for seniors Adam Warren and Garrett Gore.
The top of the third inning on Saturday started as uneventfully as it gets. With UNC holding a 2-0 lead against Coastal Carolina all-ACC pitcher Alex White toed the rubber. The first batter he faced grounded out to third. And although he allowed a single right after the junior produced a flyout for out No. 2.
Rewind past the stunning win against Maryland in the Final Four. Skip over the two March victories against top-five opponents. Look past the unlucky weather that quite possibly cost UNC an early-season win against No.1 Northwestern.
TOWSON Md. — They didn't know what to say. Coach Jenny Levy knelt on the sideline. Goalkeeper Logan Ripley turned and faced away from the field. Senior Amber Falcone walked back to the midfield circle. None of them could ever have fathomed that this would occur. That in the pinnacle of women's lacrosse the NCAA Championship they would match the worst loss in UNC history — a margin of 14.
Amber Falcone wanted — heck expected — to be playing in Maryland again. After a second-half collapse in April against Maryland the All-American defender — along with the rest of the North Carolina team — was looking for redemption.
CHARLOTTE — So it was only the third inning. And granted it is the regular season. But the three outs seen in the bottom of the frame were about as dramatic as they come.
