On Duke-UNC

I'm by no means the biggest college basketball fan. Yeah, the college game has a certain energy to it and (relative to the NBA) remains untainted, but NBA players are infinitely more talented. Given the choice between this ever-present 'energy' and passion that college players have. and talent, I'll take talent every time. Minor league baseball players may be more passionate than their major league counterparts, but would you rather watch them over the game's top players? - didn't think so. I generally don't start watching college games until the tournament starts, with the possible exception of a few Big 5 games if they're on TV. That being said, I felt like I had to watch the Duke - UNC game last night.
There's something about the Duke-UNC rivalry that's just awesome. We really don't have anything like it in any other sport. It's that nameless quality that makes every game seem special (similar to when your team's playing on MNF). I guess you could make a case for Yankees - Red Sox, but that just doesn't have the same feel to it. Plus that so-called rivalry always seems to be one-sided. Either the Yankees or dominating or the Sox are. Duke - UNC was a more even match-up (Duke being ranked 5 and UNC 1). If I had to pick one college game to go to every year, it would definitely be the Duke - UNC match-up. Yes, I'd take it over the NCAA title game. Why? Atmosphere my friend. Now with most college games this isn't enough to make up for the poor quality of the game, but with two teams like Duke and UNC that generally isn't an issue. The atmosphere at every Duke - UNC game just looks electric. Both fan bases are totally into it and giving their all. They're living and dying with every basket. It truly means something to both sides. With tournament games, you're on a neutral court with a lot of neutral fans. Just doesn't have the same feel. (Now some may wonder how I could not choose a game at the Palestra, seeing my alma mater Penn play Princeton or another such team for the ivy league title. Well honestly, we don't deserve the Palestra. The place is usually half-empty for most games and though Penn's a great school to get an education at, it's not a great school as far as school spirit goes. Half the student body spends all their free time doing preppy things, leaving no time for basketball, while the other half spends all their free time talking about how the preppiness of the first half utterly disgusts them. And honestly, we play in the freaking ivy league. There's no conference tournament and we don't give out scholarships. Not exactly the highest level of play.)
Duke - UNC has history and some of the highest level of college ball played in the country. You get Coach K, fans painted blue, and Dick Vitale's head ready to explode. You get kids living in tents for months on end, fans screaming every time the opposing team has the ball, and even a guy in a speedo distracting Tar Heel players when they shoot free throws. Now that's atmosphere. That's passion.
To truly experience the Duke - UNC rivalry I believe you'd really need to attend one of the schools; but if you don't wanna go to school in North Carolina, then going to one of the games is the next best thing. For the true fan, the experience is all about the passion of the other fans around you, and I'm not sure if you'll find a more passionate arena than the one on the day when Duke is playing UNC.

Okay, another reason I watched the Duke - UNC game... Erin Andrews. She is awesome. She likes sports, works for ESPN and is damned hot. I'm also going to say that she's extremely smart, has a great sense of humor, enjoys making out with other girls, and saves burning orphans in her free time (all facts in the previous sentence are unconfirmed but believed to be true). I mean c'mon, she likes sports and (possibly) saves orphans! You can't beat that. Erin, if you're reading this, I will marry you immediately. Now if that comes off as a bit too strong, I'm also up for simply dating, being a booty call, a friend with benefits or even a love slave. I'm not picky...