Back to the blog...and Wainstein

The combination of the holiday break, #dcRising* and the looming snap elections in Greece have prompted me to blog again, for the the first time since the World Cup believe it or not.

Of course, in the ensuing six months the big story has been the Wainstein report and the embarrassing academic and athletic scandal at THE university of the people in Chapel Hill.  I drafted two blogs right after the report came out, neither of which were good enough even for the low standards of this blog. But my few quick takeaways are: 

• I've never been more embarrassed.  This scandal is deeper than just blaming football, though the timeline does correspond with FSU joining the ACC thus turning a basketball conference into another SEC wannabe.  How it could span 20 years is beyond me or any another UNC alum to comprehend
• The silver lining has been Chancellor Folt. I was predisposed to like her since she is an enviro and it's great to see Carolina hire a female chancellor, but her performance and dedication to transparency in this matter has been inspiring.  Moving forward I am confident that she and Carolina will get this right.
• Another silver lining has been, believe or not, Roy Williams. To his credit, when he took over from Matt Doherty he smelled something funny when he saw how many players were majoring in African-American studies (check out the 2005 national champs roster).  With Roy at the helm the basketball office started steering players away from that department in 2007, and there haven't been any Af-Am majors since.
• No one knows what the NCAA will do, but many of you may recall that I think it would be great for Carolina to self-police itself.  Academically that has already started to happen, as male athletes (has there EVER been an academic scandal involving female athletes?) have to constantly check in with academic counselors on home work assignments, tests, etc.

This scandal has so tarnished the University that I'd support radical steps such as dropping out to the ACC and having Carolina join the no-athletic scholarship Patriot League, and give out scholarships solely based on need similar to the Carolina Covenant program.  

Of course, that is not going to happen.   

I did email Chancellor Folt about Carolina dropping football for a year, and surprisingly received a personal email back on that topic.  It was a nice reply, pasted below, and though we will not drop football I am confident about her oversight of our athletic program and the African-American department.  Go Heels (to class, that is)!

On Nov 9, 2014, at 2:56 PM, Chancellor Folt wrote:

Dear Mr. Manuel,

Thank you for your email.  I apologize for my delay in responding.  

What is revealed in Mr. Wainstein's report was difficult for all of us to hear. I am deeply disappointed by the duration and extent of the wrongdoing and the lack of oversight that could have identified and corrected these wrongdoings much sooner and saved you and our entire community so much anguish and embarrassment.

I understand your concerns about big time college football and the role of athletics at a great public university. Without question, our core mission as an institution is academics.  However, I believe we can offer strong academics and a successful athletic program.  In fact, I believe that athletics advances our academic mission.

That being said, we must do a better job of integrating academics and athletics. Moving forward, faculty will be involved more directly in reviewing our student-athletes’ eligibility and progress toward degree. We also are enhancing our efforts to align and enrich existing advising and support programs for student-athletes, and integrate them more fully with advising programs across campus.  Further, athletics director Bubba Cunningham began over two years ago to execute a plan to bolster integrity and accountability throughout the Athletics organization

This has been a very painful time for Carolina, but we have accepted responsibility and our leadership is united in moving forward with meaningful, long-term reforms.  You can learn more about the reforms we have implemented and the new initiatives just announced by visiting Carolinacommitment.unc.edu.  

Those who know our university best understand that this most unpleasant chapter does not define Carolina.  Our remarkable service to our state, nation, and world will continue to thrive.  

Please keep your faith in Carolina.  We pledge to do better and to make the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill even stronger. 

Best,

Chancellor Carol Folt

Febra Copa de Mundo

Well, I certainly didn't see it coming, but with Greece and the US in the knock out round of 16 I've got World Cup fever.  How did I come to this diagnosis?  Consider:

• the title for this blog post is in Portageez
• I'm wearing a Nederlands Robin Van Persie #9 tee shirt
• I'm listening to Jazz Samba, by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz, as I blog
• I just emailed my παρεα about a Greece vs. Costa Rica viewing party at Public Tenley tomorrow
• I'm likely to watch Brazil versus Chile today at noon though I have no rooting interest in that game (outside of my friend Myke having done his Mormon mission there, and I want to vacation in Chile one day)
• and finally I filled out a new World Cup bracket!

Yes, I took out a pen and filled in the bracket in today's Post... for the World Cup.  Though there are NO Tar Heels playing (that I know of) in the World Cup I filled out a bracket.

The bracket got me even more excited.  There are some interested match ups, etc.

Host Brazil is still the favorite to win it all, and should make the final four after beating Chile and Uruguay, who I think will upset Colombia (insert Suarez joke here: take a bite our of the Cafeterios, etc.).

Germany and France will match up in the other bracket after relatively easy wins over Algeria and Nigeria, respectively.  Though they have arguably ruined Europe 3 times in the  last century I have to admit the Germans looked fantastic against us on Thursday.  If they defeat France is a battle between the two founding nations of the European Union their final four match up against Brazil will be epic.  Those two teams have been the class of the World Cup so far.

The other side of the bracket is intriguing, too, featuring three of the world's top four countries.  

Greece, the number two country in the Athan Manuel Top Four Countries list, will have to take on Netherlands, the number three country on the AMT4, if both advance.  I see Greece taking down Costa Rica, but the Dutch will be much tougher.   Then again, no one saw us winning the 2004 Euro either, so you never know.  If that happens, we could play us in the final four.

It's not that much easier for US, though.  But bet on an upset of a very hot Belgium team. Our reward? Taking on Messi and Argentina. Though they wear Carolina blue, I see us upsetting them, too.

So out of a final four of Brazil, Germany, Netherlands and US, I see the US losing to Brazil in the final.  

But I like OUR chances, too, and Brazil may choke on the pressure to win on their home soil.  Either way, I have the fever.  

USA USA USA

Ελλας clap clap clap Ελλας

Ellas, the Spurs and the World Cup

I don't expect Greece to win the World Cup - I'd obviously rather see the US win; the irony of a nation winning a world championship in a sport it doesn't REALLY care about is too good of a story - but it's amazing how dismissive 'football' commentators are about the Εθνικη's chances.

Greece is certainly not the most glamorous or exciting team, but besides my obvious ethnic bias this team should be taken seriously simply because they work!  

Guys like George Karagounis and Dimitri Salpingidis are grinders, and best of all instead of Greek fatalists they are American-style 'never give up' types.  

I don't think this team is as TALENTED as the Spurs, but they resemble Danny Green's team is that they are talented, team-oriented and above all workers at their craft. 

As we've seen with San Antonio, it's very easy to dismiss grinders - but you overlook them at your own peril.  

Greece 2 Columbia 0.

Not THAT sad of a day

What is the best way to start a blog about one of the saddest days of the year, the day when the Tar Heels stop playing basketball?

It should not be just about one game, the final game of the season, but I suppose one has to start there. Oddly enough, it does not feel that bad, reviewing the loss to Iowa State.  The Heels played well, rebounded much better in the second half, and made shots.

Though it was a tough loss, that game contained many of the things that made this year's squad interesting and fun to watch, and also likeable.  What's not to like about a team that beats Michigan State IN East Lansing, beats the defending national champs, and smites all of our main rivals - Duke, NC State and Kentucky - in one season?

Sunday's game was a microcosm of the entire season.  It had J.P. Tokoto spinning and dunking, with a few steals, mid-range jumpers, even a bad turnover; Kennedy Meeks at his Little Sean May/taking down Louisville AND Michigan State best; Leslie McDonald finally getting to play and contributing - even Jackson Simmons taking a charge.*

It featured James Michael McAdoo keeping his head up, his persistence finally being rewarded as his drives to the basket resulted in points late.  It was JMM displaying the calm and leadership we sometimes take for granted, and then having the toughness to hit 2 big free throws.

And it featured Marcus Paige. There are plenty of adjectives to choose from in describing his play on Sunday and this year.  The best one is Tar Heel.

There are but a handful of Tar Heels who are extra special for their innate toughness, tenacity, brains, leadership - an understanding of the values stamped on Carolina basketball by Dean Smith. It is a short list: Bobby Jones, Phil Ford, Jimmy Black, George Lynch and David Noel.  Many others, like Kendall Marshall and Ademola Okulaja to name a few, come close. But it's a short list.

Marcus Paige is already one of those all time Tar Heels.

One reason so many of us care so much about Carolina basketball is that it ties us to the University we love.  The reason basketball is so central to our connection, again, is Dean.  His humility, wisdom and excellence are what we think of when we think of Carolina.

Not Carolina basketball - Carolina.

For me, Marcus Paige evokes the same thing. He is the personification of all of Dean's Carolina values. At a time when the athletic program is doing all it can to embarrass the University, Paige - an Academic and athletic All-American - restored the values that make Carolina CAROLINA.

He led the comeback, once again, against Iowa State, but his turnover late may have cost Carolina the game (though ISU's incredible shooting, and our spotty transition defense that left too many shooters too open, had more to do with it).

But can we - do we - really blame Paige for not being perfect, after the season he had, after the plays he made, and more importantly the way he carried himself, the way he epitomized why we love Carolina basketball and Carolina?  No.

Marcus Paige, Tar Heel.

GO HEELS!

* The game also did NOT feature Brice Johnson.  More on that next blog.  I will also look at ahead at next year, which looks very bright since Marcus Paige just tweeted that he is returning next year.

Opening Round

In the words of Larry David, the first week of games in the NCAA tournament have been 'pretty, pretty good.'  I'd like to espouse on the entire week - NC State beating Xavier, the other 12 seeds ALL winning, etc. - but of course my twin poles* are Carolina's scintillating win and Duke's equally scintillating loss.

As a basketball game the UNC-Providence tilt was a great one. Both teams made shots and made plays all game. It's not unusual to see ugly games this time of year, with games that are filled with mistakes and missed shots; this was not one of those. Both teams played hard and played well.

For my money, despite my love for Marcus Paige and as great as he was late, this game was won by Brice Johnson.  He competed on both ends of the floor, and in this one his defense matched his always reliable offense. Brice did it all well.  He hit his array of half hooks and put backs, and made two big free throws down the stretch.

On D, he had two massive blocked shots after Bryce "Second coming of Harold The Show Arceneaux" Cotton had willed Providence to a 5 point lead.  And Johnson excelled throughout in executing one of THE cornerstones of Carolina basketball - the wall on defense.  Carolina started playing Cotton to drive, and on the times we did stop him it was often Johnson providing the back line defense.

As great as Cotton was Johnson turned out to be the best Bryce/Brice on the floor.

For a few minutes there thanks to Cotton and Mercer Carolina fans had to confront reliving two of the worst days in our hoops history - the loss to Arceneaux and Weber State in the first round in 1999, and 1979's Black Friday when the Tar Heels and the Devils both lost in the first round.** 

It was a head-scratching display by the Devils, as an ACC team coached by a Hall of Famer looked nervous and scared down the stretch. Conversely, Mercer looked confident and consistently made shots and plays. The body language from Rodney Hood after he was called for traveling said it all.  

This Devils team was weak at the point and down low all season, and both flaws were certainly exposed by the Bears. When Quinn Cook is the brains of the operation, you are in trouble. 

That is probably an overly harsh assessment of Cook.*** Hood and Jabari Parker both played nervously and badly, and when that happens this Devils team is going to lose, simple as that.

Still, kudos to Krzyzewski for his classy visit to the Mercer locker room to congratulate the Bears on their win. It takes a confident and centered man to do that, and I'm sure the players and staff from Mercer were touched by his words and visit.  A very Dean-like mover from a blue Devil.

Some more March Madness Musings
    
I still love Carolina's chances to win 5 more games. They had to play tough and smart to beat Providence, and did.  GO HEELS!

If the Heels don't win it all I hope that Virginia does. If the Hoos do not, I would happily root for Wichita State, where Eddie Fogler used to coach. Their coach, Greg Marshall, seems far too happy with himself (the greatest sin to the ancient Greeks) but it would be a great story.

Here are my round of 32 picks BTW: 
Florida - Pitt will give them a game though, thanks to their new-found offense
Stephen F Austin - riding a winning streak AND the mojo of that four-point play
Syracuse - Dayton will run out of gas
Kansas - Ho hum; Stanford can't hang with Jayhawks
Virginia - Scare from Coastal Carolina will make them better
Michigan State - Ho hum
Carolina - Marcus Paige is GOD
Villanova - No comment on this game
Arizona - See Villanova comment
ND State - These guys our pretty good, SD State untested
Creighton - A little bit better than Baylor
Wisconsin - Much better than Oregon
Wichita State - Chip on their shoulder leads them to win over Kentucky blue bloods
Louisville - They are much better than the team they are playing
Mercer - Call them butter because they are on a roll!
Michigan - This will be a great game that the Wolverines will win late          

*  I can not believe the CBS play-by-play guy used the word 'pollack' to describe Gonzaga's Polish-born center - and to do so while calling the game with Mike GMINSKI! Kudos to the G-man, who is one of the best color commentators in America, for immediately calling him out.

** Who knows, if this was 2019 maybe we would have lost. Or Carolina fans should play 19 in the lottery?

*** I think it's safe to say that Cook easily joins Laettner, Wojo, and Redick on the list of most loathesome Devils of all time.  That guys loves himself and his fellow right-wing boobs from Durham WAY too much, and thus he makes that dubious list.

GO HEELS!