Great weekend

Why was it great you ask? Simply because of Sunday.

First, the Tar Heels completed their best basketball week of the season with their best win of the season. Absent Rashad, they played two GREAT games, and I couldn't be more happy. I thought there was a fairly decent chance we'd go 0-2 WITH Rashad, so to pull out two tough road games to stay ahead in the ACC was crucial.

Moreover, while the State game was impressive for the steady, methodical way in which we cranked the vice and took the life out of them, the Maryland game (which featured much of the same) was incomprehensibly important for the confidence of this team. First of all we relinquished a lead (probably one we shouldn't have, but there were some fluke plays and the Terps hit some big shots). Then Jawad, senior leader, steps up and nails a giant three-pointer -- btw, how sweet has that play been with Rashad out? While it would have been nice to get a stop on the other end, we did force not the best shot, and just were victim to quite a tip-in. Then, Ray, consciously making amends for the dook game drives for a lay-up (see Ray? see? now remember that). And then of course, for the first time in a crucial game in recent memory (see dook, gt last year) we came up with a defensive stop, thanks to Mr. Dominant Sean May, who is making a late run at All-American or ACC POY (screw you, JJ) honors possibly.

So yeah, winning was amazing. The way we won perhaps excites me more, as it could come in crucial around tournament time.

Mad props to Jackie and David for two step-up, MAN games. David took some bad shots in the first half, but hit some critical 3-pointers and came up with some big plays overall. And Jackie was, well, Jackie -- but in super-Jackie form.

Melvin, Mr. Here Let Me Pass This Ball For No Reason Eight Feet To Your Left And See If You Can Get It Before It Goes Out Of Bounds, you suck. You play horrible defense, you can't make the shots that you are in to make, you make horrible decisions (thank god for the awful Fox Sports camera angles so I couldn't see exactly how THROWN you got on that awful shot), and you are more of a turnover-machine than a freaked out freshman walk-on point guard.

Marvin, we know you'll be back. Rashad, we pray you will be.


Also contributing to the greatness that was yesterday was the Lady Heels' magnificent display over in Durham, snapping a 33 home court winning streak en route to sweeping the Devils and capturing the No. 1 seed for the ACC tourney. Ivory Latta was huge, as was Erlana Larkins, and it was quite the surprise to see the Heels fluster the Devils so thoroughly. If this team can ever play a smart game at the right time (i.e. eliminate the totally boneheaded plays never before witnessed in the history of basketball), they could be an honest contender. ("I could've been a contender" -- sorry to digress, I've just never seen that movie.) They have all the talent, and all the heart, and at times the defense. Do they have the smarts? I've seen it at times, rare times, but it's enough of a glimmer to give me hope. But, hell, I'm overflowingly happy with a sweep of dook for once, and actually getting some basketball points in the Carlyle Cup for what seems like the first time ever, sadly.

Two wins and a path through home territory toward our first solo ACC championship in more than a decade and the women clinching a tie for first (even though they should win it outright) equals about as good a weekend as you can get.

except for maybe next weekend (notice the optimism).

And now that I said that, we're probably in for some serious disappointment (notice the pessimism -- I can't escape it.)