Wednesday January 21, 2009

UNC Preview

UNC Preview
I think of the Clemson-North Carolina basketball series different than anyone else that I know. First, I could not care less about the streak. Until this morning I could not remember the exact number. I knew it was 50-something but I had to be told it was 0-53. I can quote football stats and scores from the 1970s but that series number is not important to me.

I want to win the game tonight but it has nothing to do with the streak. To me there is not a whole lot of difference between 1-53 and 0-54.

I want to win tonight because of what it would mean for the 2008-09 Tigers. A win means this team stays in the top ten and defeats a top ten team. A win would mean everything to this team and would not help ease the pain for any player who had not beaten the Tar Heels before.

Tonight’s game is a chance and an opportunity, not a burden. The pressure in these types of streaks is on the winning team. Clemson’s players get a chance to break a streak and do something that has never been done before. There is no burden on Clemson. The pressure is on the Tar Heels here. If they beat Clemson they have done nothing more than any other UNC squad. However, they do not want to be the first to lose to the Tigers.

In 53 losses to the Tar Heels, UNC has been the better team in about 50 of those games. Even if Clemson would have upset the Tar Heels then it would have only been that. Clemson would have most likely just gone back to being the doormat of the ACC. It would have meant the Tigers would have gone 6-10 instead of 5-11 in the league.

However, a win now against North Carolina means something because now the Tigers can compete against the Heels. They played three overtimes in three games a year ago and battled the Heels for the ACC Championship. A win this season would mean Clemson is ready to compete with the Tar Heels even in Chapel Hill. It would mean this team is ready to compete for the regular season title, tournament titles and seeding in the NCAA tournament.

A loss tonight is not the end of the world. The ACC race is a marathon and the next home game Sunday night against Georgia Tech is just as important to this team. Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina and Clemson all have a chance to win the league and be a national seed in the NCAA tournament but remember tonight is only one game and the calendar still says January.

I want the Tigers to win tonight but all I really ask for is a fair shake. Those are few and far between though. Last season in Chapel Hill the Tar Heels shot 36 free throws and Clemson shot seven. Clemson did not play in the Dean Dome in 2007 but in 2006 the Tar Heels had 29 free throws to Clemson’s 9. In 2005 the Tigers did get a chance to go to the line 29 times but UNC went 47 times. In the last three trips to North Carolina, Clemson has shot 45 free throws and UNC shot 112. In the last two games in the Dean Dome Clemson shot 16 free throws and the Tar Heels shot 65.

If the Tigers lose tonight but get a fair shake from the officials then I am fine with that and can admit the best team won. That is what happened Saturday. Both teams got a fair chance from the officials and Wake was simply better than Clemson so they won the game. They played better and won.

Last year in the overtime game at Clemson and in the ACC finals the officiating was very fair. Fouls were about even and both teams shot about the same amount of three throws. North Carolina was better than Clemson and played better on those nights so they deserved to win. However, in Chapel Hill last year Clemson outplayed North Carolina and did not win because the officials did not give the Tigers a fair chance.

The streak is not the issue. Clemson has defeated North Carolina in Clemson and on neutral courts in ACC tournaments. They have beaten them when North Carolina was the home team in the North-South tournament in North Carolina. So technically, Clemson has beaten North Carolina in North Carolina when the Heels were the home team. However, the Tigers have not won in Chapel Hill.

One final point about tonight’s contest that is a factor to me—UNC is a 15-point favorite. I refuse to believe that Clemson should be a 15-point underdog to any team in America on any court in America. However, Vegas does take into account everything and they know how the game will be officiated tonight. North Carolina might be better than Clemson at every position tonight but they are not 15 point better going into the game. Also, after watching both teams several times this season and watching all three contest last year, I can honestly tell you that my days of fearing the Tar Heels are over. Clemson has proven they can play with North Carolina.

The Tigers have earned more respect every year under coach Purnell and this year is the best example of that. Also the Tigers may get beat by much more than 15 points tonight but to go into the game as a 15-point underdog is a tremendous lack of respect for this squad.

A win tonight would be monumental for this team not Clemson history. This is the team that can beat North Carolina tonight….wait…….Foul on Trevor Booker.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover-was born Wednesday, January 14 several weeks pre-mature and was 2 lbs. 15 ounces. She is doing well but like all pre-mature babies she will have to get through several issues over the next few weeks.

Mrs. Kathleen Bowers

Larry in Naples, FL. Larry is currently being kept sedated in ICU and has acute pancreatitis. Larry is going to be transferred this week to Shands in Gainesville, FL for surgery on his pancreas. The doctors are saying that there is a 40% mortality rate with this surgery and if successful, there will still be a very long recovery. Larry is a great guy and a wonderful husband/father. Larry is 32 years old.

RTG-Pawsitive Tiger

Kaitlyn L-4 year old girl in TN who has seizures and a brain lesion that may be a slow-growing tumor. She will likely have a biopsy in February.

Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter)

Sandy Wright

Jo Ann Bachman

Frank Taylor

Kenneth Bryant

Pruitt Martin

Got igers and his family

David Rowland

Leonard Gillespie and his family

Jim S

Christine Hepfer

Daniel Rosborough-4-year old Inman, SC who will have a kidney transplant 1/14/09 in Charleston

Special Prayer Request from Peggy Lesley at Brookwood Church .

I am starting a signing for my son's best friend who has cancer (Hodgkin's Lymphoma). He is 11 years old and is not doing well at all. He was diagnosed with this cancer 2 weeks ago and the tumor is next to his jugular vein and entwined in it...has moved his wind pipe over a inch making it hard for him to breathe. The tumor is the size of a large eggplant and is sitting right above his heart. This little boy needs all the prayer he can get. I would like you to sign this and pass it on to as many people as you can. Once we get to a thousand people can you please send this back to me at: 1volsgirl@bellsouth.net When I get the 1000 people that have signed it...I am going to print this up for my sons best friend and show him how many people care and how many people are praying for him to get better. If you have a heart at all, you will all do this for me. I love this child as though he is my own and we really need all the prayers!

Thank you,
Peggy

Amy Murphey - diagnosed with ALS, pray for healing

Jack Huffman

Nancy Winkler