Comments on: THF Countdown #3: 1993

By: Steve the State Fan

Steve the State Fan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:09:42 +0000

It’s not like I can claim to “like” any of these teams and keep my fanhood card, but for me, the 1993 team was one of the least dis-likable Carolina teams in my lifetime. Looking at that roster, there aren’t any names that make me impulsively screw up my face in disgust. I really liked Donald Williams and George Lynch, and except for Calabria’s hair (and Montross’s lack thereof), I can’t remember anything worth making fun of. It’s never fun to see a rival win a championship if you have to live amongst their fans, but this one was surprisingly easy to take.

By: TxTarheel

TxTarheel — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:59:20 +0000

It takes great talent / luck to win national titles, yet I think this championship perhaps more than 1982 showed the depth of Smith’s genius. While the team included highly-touted players from high school, you can’t confuse much of the pieces with those from 1982 or even 2005 (several high NBA draft picks on both titlists).

I recall the Donald being on fire for 2 weekends in a row…particularly the OT session over Cincinatti.

By: Santiago

Santiago — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:47:00 +0000

I’m thinking #2 has got to be ‘05, since the ‘82 team won the ACCT. Of course, “way too many folks among the ABC crowd have wasted countless hours of their life attempting to delegitamize [sic] the [1982] title by saying UNC got a fluke break from” Fred Brown’s pass to James Worthy, so maybe it is a coin toss.

Selfishly, I wish the ‘Heels had won it all in ‘91–instead of Duke–but they couldn’t do it ’til the year after I graduated. In one of the biggest regrets of my life, I watched the game about 100 miles from Chapel Hill, but didn’t head west to join the fracas on Franklin after the win. To add salt to the wound, I asked my then girlfriend, who was a senior at UNC, to get me a t-shirt. Of course, she gets me the one that said, “I was on Franklin Street” on the back. , very .

By: Johnny

Johnny — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:37:56 +0000

The Donald remains my favorite Heel for his play that season. There was nothing better than watching him sprint up court on a fast break and then screech to a halt at the three-point line and nail a cold-hearted dagger of a three.

By: The Great Buntino

The Great Buntino — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:30:58 +0000

It’s all relative, but I would have had this team first in my countdown. Hard to argue with 1982 or 2005 though.

By: BrooksJ

BrooksJ — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:40:50 +0000

I also listened to Woody Durham with my dad and the TV muted. Good Times! Woody Durham is the man!

By: keithunc

keithunc — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:25:15 +0000

I remember that after the travel by Webber that I screamed myself out of the room and only to be brought back by the screaming of “He called a timeout”, which in my mind made him the player of the game. Boy was Donald hot for two games.

By: JBowling

JBowling — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:37:18 +0000

George Lynch’s hard-nosed play will always be remembered! We sure could have used a Donald Williams type of shooting performance in the Kansas game. I don’t think we have had such type of shooting in the ncaa tournaments since him. McCants did a nice job in 05 though. I am waiting for a Donald Williams performance out of Ellington in the tournament this upcoming year, and I have confidence in him to do so.

By: Asheville Heel

Asheville Heel — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:22:13 +0000

Was there ever a better end of game coach than Dean? I remember the end of regulation in the Cincy game when Reese missed the shot. During the timeout to set-up the play, Dean told the team that Reese “would” be open for the shot at the front of the rim. But, he told Reese that there would not be time to dunk the ball and that he would only have time to lay it over the rim in one motion before the buzzer. As we all know, Reese tried to tomahawk the ball and missed it. Thank God we won it in overtime! Also, with all of the shooting flame-outs we’ve had in final fours, I’ll always remember Donald Williams being nearly unconcious from outside. Finally, George Lynch was a man and a warrior! I have to go all the way back in the memory banks to Larry Miller to find a player that had that much toughness mentally and physically.

By: Wilf

Wilf — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:59:22 +0000

I agree, there is very little difference in the three championship teams, I love them all.

Here’s my two cents worth:

‘82 was special because it gets the monkey off Coaches back.

2005 is our return to the top after a “little dip” in the program, and the third new coach in 4 years.

And ‘93 just felt good, I’m glad we faced the Fab Five. I was so happy with the way this entire team worked so hard, and I credit Lynch for a lot of that. Also, to win in New Orleans again was really special.