A Baby Boomer's perspective on ACC college basketball

As long as I can remember I've always been a basketball fan.  Maybe it's because I was a cheerleader and got the chance to really understand the game.

Being from the Midwest, I was always partial to the Big Ten.  Besides, a good friend and high school classmate of mine (Phil Hubbard) went on to play for Michigan.  Even though I graduated from a MAC school, my loyalties were still with the Big Ten.  Even though I lived in New England for several years and learned to love the Big East, my heart was still with the Big Ten.

And then I moved to North Carolina---where the skies are always blue.  That's where Duke and Carolina reign and they dare anyone to come into their territory and dethrone them.  I immediately developed a disliking for both teams because of what I saw as arrogance and racism.  I've heard the stories from fellow boomers who told me how they were never permitted to enter the gym to watch a Carolina game "back in the day" because of their race.  I have seen first-hand the special treatment the black athletes receive while the black students on campus are constantly discriminated against.   I have also witnessed the special treatment Duke & Carolina seem to get from the referees when they're playing on their respective home courts.

I witnessed such actions tonight as my #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes took on #6 ranked Carolina in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge.  I wanted to believe the game would be played fairly---that OSU would be given the respect of a #1 ranked team.  But that was not to be the case.  As the game clock ticked away, questionable calls got in the way and NO CALLS became evident.  Carolina, as expected, got the win but I tell you, had the game been played in Ohio the outcome would've probably been different.  And even if Carolina did win on OSU's home court, I would've felt OK about it because at least I would believe it was FAIR.

OK...so here we go...another season of college basketball where I am, once again, a southern fried YANKEE and PROUD OF IT!!!