Originally Posted by
UrinalCake
No way is this worse than Harrison Barnes. I made a joke about it earlier, but this isn't even on the same planet. I know you remember the details, but for anyone who does not, when Barnes committed to the CHeats in the fall of 2009:
- UNC had just won the title, their second in five years, and had another loaded team for the upcoming season. They were on top of the world.
- We had just gotten blown out in embarrasing fashion by Villanova, had not made a final four since 2004 and hadn't even really been close.
- Head to head we were getting dominated by the CHeats, it literally felt to me like we might never beat them again (which was an overreaction, but a reasonable emotion at the time)
- Gerald Henderson had recently announced he was leaving early (not a huge surprise, but still a major bummer)
- Elliot Williams unexpectedly transferred, citing family health concerns. He was expected to play a major role in the upcoming season
- Olek Cyzk announced he would also transfer, leaving us with two scholarship guards on the roster
- Our only glimmer of hope was that we had Kyrie Irving committed for the following season (we didn't even know at the time exactly HOW good he would be) and we were the heavy favorites for Barnes. Having those two would at least give us a puncher's chance at beating the CHeats.
- Unsubstantiated rumors were flying around that Barnes had already verbally committed to us. This was before Twitter and such, but excitement was building for the 2010-2011 season. It was already assumed that 2009-2010 would be a throwaway season, I recall one prominent article in the local paper that suggested we should "tank" the season and play the younger guys in preparation for the following season when we might actually have a chance at doing something.
- Barnes's commitment was one of the most hyped announcements ever up until that time. He got to the podium and announced that he would attend the school whose coach he was about to Skype (which most people didn't even know of). Then we see Ol' Roy's ugly mug and his whole team in that ugly blue, smiling and grinning and knowing he'd just swindled us.
My blood pressure rises just thinking about that moment. But the rest, as they say, is history...
Compared to missing out on Kessler, we already have three five-stars committed, we have plenty of time to regroup and target another center (the recruiting cycle is much shorter now than it was in 2009), and our program as a whole is in terrific shape. We'll be fine.