Hubert Davis is different in his own special way. Thursday was Hubert’s first “sponsor luncheon,” and I didn’t expect much because he was doing so many interviews and speaking engagements, he must be tired of them. I was wrong, dead wrong. Hubert didn’t do it, in fact, doesn’t do it like other coaches because he […]

Five and dive is the catchphrase for a popular coaching philosophy. At UNC, alumni and fans may not be familiar with coaches leaving after they have achieved a certain level of success. Dean Smith was here for 36 years as head coach, Roy Williams 18 seasons after 15 at Kansas, Mack Brown spent 10 years […]

For Carolina Football, it turned out to be addition by subtraction. The Duke’s Mayo Bowl is the big winner by matching two 6-6 teams with fan bases an easy drive to Bank of America Stadium. Who figured the two Carolinas would wind up in such a game? When the Tar Heels lost to N.C. State, […]

ESPN, Tar Heel Nation forgives you. Well, maybe. The cable network screwed up big-time when UNC’s ACC opener at Georgia Tech, scheduled on ESPN2 at 3 p.m., kept showing unbearably boring interviews from Formula 1 racing in Saudi Arabia. Whaaat! The bulletin at the bottom of the screen said the game was streaming on the […]

It felt like Carolina Basketball was back after a long absence. With the largest home crowd of the season against the biggest opponent, the Tar Heels played a spectacular second half to run away from No. 24 Michigan and boost their resume with a quality 72-51 win. The near-full Smith Center, which had at least […]

Who out there went to bed at halftime of the Duke game? The good news is the top-ranked Blue Devils are not invincible. They played a putrid second half at Ohio State and lost a double-digit lead, shooting 22 percent in the last 20 minutes. Duke didn’t look physical at the end, supposedly its difference-maker […]

The football coaching carousel has local ties and/or interests. Lincoln Riley, the former East Carolina coach, left Oklahoma for Southern Cal, and the money involved is astronomical. USC President Carol Folt had to approve the school’s board of directors paying Riley’s buyout of $4.5 million and a salary that must be close to $10 million. […]

Unfriendly foes are singing a swoon song for UNC Athletics. Carolina has arguably one of the best athletic programs in all of collegiate sports, a regular high-finisher in the annual Learfield Directors Cup. The Tar Heels have long been representative in football and a powerhouse in basketball. But their highest regard comes mostly from dominating […]

If the Tar Heels win the first half, they will win the game. The pattern is pretty clear for the seven ACC games Carolina has played so far this season. Second quarter has been the Achilles Heel for the team, even in two games they won. Overall, the Heels have been outscored 97-53 in the […]

Tar Heels have eight days to take a bigger step forward. After a four-hour practice led by an intense head coach, Carolina came back with a predictable win against an overmatched opponent. Playing better team defense and sharing the basketball more, call it a small step forward. Next Wednesday, the Heels will need a much […]