Kerry has Tar Heel Fever (Hoop, there it is!)

Jack McArthur, left, Ben Wilde and Kevin Sitko celebrate a Tar Heels' basket against Michigan State in the first half at Bub O'Malley's bar in Chapel Hill.
© NEWS OBSERVER - STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN ROCCO

In my previous post, I commented about starting to catch the college basketball culture a bit, rooting for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels - albeit cautiously – but I decided to live amongst the natives and live happily ever after…

My friend Michael, a UNC alumnus and college basketball fan patiently extolled the virtues of college basketball vs. the NBA. Plus watching the incredible tournament games with the double overtimes and all with my son Gary and having lunch with my family at Champs Restaurant with rabid fans (sneaking away on a two hour lunch break from work) in the midst of the Sweet Sixteen tournament play was contagious!

Well, here it is – I’m getting caught up in the spectacular UNC 87, Michigan State 71 victory – and watching the local news when thousands of UNC fans flooded the streets with great celebration. And thank God for those UNC fans on their best behavior - building bonfires out of pallets versus trashing police cars, burning stores down and pillaging villages is so much more civilized!

Today at church, I’m talking UNC basketball with my men’s Bible study group that meets on Monday – “We are going to get done by nine pm, right?”

It's not the Hype, It's the Hoop!

Not that my priorities are misplaced – that famous coach John Wooden who led the UCLA Bruins to 10 national championships, including seven in a row (1966-73) said - "I always tried to make clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere."

I am looking forward to hanging out Monday night with my newhope church Follow The Rabbi men’s group, digging into the Word and then at 9 pm, rooting for the TarHeels! Maybe then, I may hop in the car and celebrate on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill with fifteen thousand fans as well!

Alley Oop to the Hoop!




A fan celebrates the Tar Heels' win over Michigan State by jumping over a bonfire on Franklin Street.
© NEWS OBSERVER - STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN ROCCO