Al's latest column

[ACCHoopsFan1]

We all tend to become overly sentimental of the past and occasionally allow that to cloud what the best decisions should be for the future.

I get the whole historic rivalry situation and Al had a long piece about State and UNC. But he left out something, while he pointed out that Duke-Maryland wasn't as big a rivalry beyond the brief early 00's since Duke has dominated the series before and after he failed to bring it up when trying to make the case on keeping UNC/NCSU preserved. Al, let's pull back the curtains and look at the UNC-State rivalry, it's become bad comedy. 34 of 42 meetings have gone to UNC and 17 of the last 18 and many aren't even close. The Tar Heels have developed a psychological stranglehood on N.C. State and it has continued throughout several classes of State players. State simply doesn't believe it can beat UNC anymore, the games are all but over before the two teams tip off at mid-court. It has become what Duke/UNC is in Football.

Why keep a series together that allows for two automatic UNC victories per year? Case, Sloan and Valvano are 22, 32, and 46 years ago when the men last coached at State. I understand the sentiment, but it's time for these "old rivals" to part ways at this point and only play once a year.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

We all tend to become overly sentimental of the past and occasionally allow that to cloud what the best decisions should be for the future.

I get the whole historic rivalry situation and Al had a long piece about State and UNC. But he left out something, while he pointed out that Duke-Maryland wasn't as big a rivalry beyond the brief early 00's since Duke has dominated the series before and after he failed to bring it up when trying to make the case on keeping UNC/NCSU preserved. Al, let's pull back the curtains and look at the UNC-State rivalry, it's become bad comedy. 34 of 42 meetings have gone to UNC and 17 of the last 18 and many aren't even close. The Tar Heels have developed a psychological stranglehood on N.C. State and it has continued throughout several classes of State players. State simply doesn't believe it can beat UNC anymore, the games are all but over before the two teams tip off at mid-court. It has become what Duke/UNC is in Football.

Why keep a series together that allows for two automatic UNC victories per year? Case, Sloan and Valvano are 22, 32, and 46 years ago when the men last coached at State. I understand the sentiment, but it's time for these "old rivals" to part ways at this point and only play once a year.
If that sort of reasoning were applied to scheduling rivals in football, Carolina could make a case for not playing Duke at all. Maybe it's not about the outcomes so much as it is about the relationships over time.;)

[ACCHoopsFan1]

If that sort of reasoning were applied to scheduling rivals in football, Carolina could make a case for not playing Duke at all. Maybe it's not about the outcomes so much as it is about the relationships over time.;)

And they would be right.

[roywhite]

We all tend to become overly sentimental of the past and occasionally allow that to cloud what the best decisions should be for the future.

I get the whole historic rivalry situation and Al had a long piece about State and UNC. But he left out something, while he pointed out that Duke-Maryland wasn't as big a rivalry beyond the brief early 00's since Duke has dominated the series before and after he failed to bring it up when trying to make the case on keeping UNC/NCSU preserved. Al, let's pull back the curtains and look at the UNC-State rivalry, it's become bad comedy. 34 of 42 meetings have gone to UNC and 17 of the last 18 and many aren't even close. The Tar Heels have developed a psychological stranglehood on N.C. State and it has continued throughout several classes of State players. State simply doesn't believe it can beat UNC anymore, the games are all but over before the two teams tip off at mid-court. It has become what Duke/UNC is in Football.

Why keep a series together that allows for two automatic UNC victories per year? Case, Sloan and Valvano are 22, 32, and 46 years ago when the men last coached at State. I understand the sentiment, but it's time for these "old rivals" to part ways at this point and only play once a year.

Competitive balance is important in a rivalry, but it's probably less of a factor than:
geographical proximity
alums who come in frequent contact with alums of the opposing school
strong feelings from alums and students toward that other school
tradition on the playing field that may go back a long ways.

On those factors, the UNC/NC State rivalry is very legitimate.
Time spent around UNC and NC State alums indicates to me at least that they still feel strongly about the other school.

By the way, I see the NC State basketball program on the rise with a new coach and improved recruiting (look at this year's McDonald's All-America team to see the strong Wolfpack representation)
And NC State has owned the Heels on the football field.
So I'd say it is a rivalry and going to one game per year is a step backwards, that of course needs to be weighed with other schedule considerations.

[airowe]

Should we get rid of the Duke/UNC "primary partnership" because Duke has won 6 out of the last 7 and 22 of the last 32?

[ACCHoopsFan1]

Should we get rid of the Duke/UNC "primary partnership" because Duke has won 6 out of the last 7 and 22 of the last 32?

UNC cleaned our clocks in Chapel Hill last year and swept Duke in 2007 and 2009. I'd hardly compare it to UNC-State, I was a fetus the last time I can recall a State win over UNC. lol

[Jderf]

Should we get rid of the Duke/UNC "primary partnership" because Duke has won 6 out of the last 7 and 22 of the last 32?

HAHA YES!! Can we just put them out of their misery already? It's getting pathetic.

[oldnavy]

Competitive balance is important in a rivalry, but it's probably less of a factor than:
geographical proximity
alums who come in frequent contact with alums of the opposing school
strong feelings from alums and students toward that other school
tradition on the playing field that may go back a long ways.

On those factors, the UNC/NC State rivalry is very legitimate.
Time spent around UNC and NC State alums indicates to me at least that they still feel strongly about the other school.

By the way, I see the NC State basketball program on the rise with a new coach and improved recruiting (look at this year's McDonald's All-America team to see the strong Wolfpack representation)
And NC State has owned the Heels on the football field.
So I'd say it is a rivalry and going to one game per year is a step backwards, that of course needs to be weighed with other schedule considerations.

I agree. Plus, there is no guarantee that UNC, or Duke will continue to be top tier programs going forward or that NCSU will not get back to the same level it was. I suspect that both UNC and Duke will maintain excellence, but when Roy leaves and K leaves (sorry but it will happen one day) the sucessor(s) will have BIG BIG shoes to fill and that ain't easy.