What: Coaches vs Cancer Classic
When: Monday, November 9th, 7:00 PM
Where: Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
TV: ESPNU
Records: Opener for both teams.
Remember Al Wood!
That is all I have. Seriously, as much as Roy Williams has talked to the media about getting seven fewer practices than last season, UNC faces possibly two of the worst teams in all of Division I right out of the gate. If playing Belmont-Abbey is a glorified practice then this game and the next one on Wednesday versus NC Central are pretty much the same thing right? Basically UNC’s first real game will be on Sunday versus Valparaiso. In the meantime the Heels will chew on these two cupcakes while getting further acclimated to playing with each other, especially on the offense end. Roy will probably get a little closer to some semblance of a rotation unless he decides to time warp back to 2007 and play anyone with a pulse at least 10 mins per game.
The only noteworthy aspect of FIU is they are coached by former Indiana Hoosier Isiah Thomas, whom the Heels owe a massive whipping for beating UNC in the 1981 NCAA title game and for being a reprehensible human being in general. FIU has very little talent and is being coached by a guy who has zero experience on a college bench anywhere. Think Sidney Lowe but worse. Yeah, I think Thomas will be that bad.
UNC will roll in spectacular fashion which will not be nearly as entertaining as Ed Davis and the team broadcasting live on UStream at 5 PM today. Be sure to check it out.
UNC 101 FIU 55
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Best wishes to Isiah Thomas and his mother, who had a heart attack this weekend.
So tonight and Wednesday are the regional games of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament but win or lose, UNC, Syracuse, Ohio St., and Cal will all be going to the semis at MSG. To me that is kind of a joke; if you are going to have a tournament, make it a REAL tournament. If Albany beats Syracuse, which I think is possible (Will Harris and Tim Ambrose can flat out play), then there is no reason why they shouldn’t move on.
Real drama will be whether this year’s reserves can hold their own for 5 minutes and put the score into triple digits. I wouldn’t be surprised to see (well, I won’t “see” because it’s on ESPNU) some 3-guard lineups late in the game to try to get experience and see who can play without turnovers. This is going to be The Cupcake Massacre, but it’s going to be huge for Justin Watts and others who might convince the coach to play them important minutes during the season.
I read somewhere FIU has two junior college transfers. One of them led the JC ranks in scoring last year, the other was #2 scorer on that same team. Of course, all that doesn’t add up to much when you consider Carolina’s talent, but at least Thomas realized what he was taking on with this team and tried to quickly get some help. All that said I still hate isiah, the detroit pistons and indiana u and wish them the worst……
“So tonight and Wednesday are the regional games of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament”
Incorrect, it is the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer CLASSIC not tournament. Therefore, the 4 pre-determined participants (UNC, OSU, Cal, and Cuse) will play an additional 2 games as part of the Classic prior to moving on to the actual tournament in New York, while the other participants will move to 2 other tournaments at alternative host sites (FIU is one). This allows more teams outside of the big name schools to play in an exempt tournament for additional exposure or games, while not jeopardizing the marquee draw the sponsors would like showing up in New York. It is basically a Win, Win for all parties involved. The smaller schools get exposure against the bigger named schools, along with a sponsored tournament against its D-I peers, the marquee schools get an exempt tournament that allows them to play more games, and the sponsor gets the match ups it would like to see in the actual tournament in New York.
scl11,
I understand the concept, it’s just the whole thing seems a little contrived.
A classic, by definition, is a group of games played at one location, with no elimination rounds, and everyone playing the same # of games. This is what the smaller schools will be playing November 20 – 23.
A tournament is self-explanatory, and is what the big 4 will be playing in NYC.
The first two games don’t really fit into either definition.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised: the NCAA rulebook has more loopholes than there are skeletons in John Calipari’s coaching closet…
Top UNC Recruiting Classes (last 20 years):
1990: Montross, Rozier, Reese, Phelps, Sullivan
- 5 Players in the Top 60
- 1 Top-10 (Montross)
- 4 McD All-Americans
- At UNC: 2 FF, 1 NC
2002: Felton, McCants, May, Grant, Sanders, Noel
- 3 Players in the Top 60
- 3 Top-10 (Felton, McCants, May)
- 3 McD All-Americans
- At UNC: 1 FF, 1 NC
2006: Wright, Lawson, Ellington, Thompson, Stepheson, Graves
- 6 Players in the Top 80
- 3 Top-10 (Wright, Lawson, Ellington)
- 3 McD All-Americans
- At UNC: 2 FF, 1 NC
2009: Henson, Strickland, McDonald, D. Wear, T. Wear
- 5 Players in the Top 60
- 1 Top-10 (Henson)
- 4 McD All-Americans
- At UNC: ?
The 2006 class, IMO, was a once in a lifetime class. To get 6 players that highly regarded, and then have them meet (or exceed) expectations is really remarkable (and they aren’t done yet!)
It will be neat to watch how the 2009 class pans out…
The whole thing evolves around the mighty dollar. The NCAA most likely approached the tournament sponsored events and told them they need to include some of the lesser named schools every once in a while in order to keep exempt status. The sponsors wanted to ensure they could control what teams participated in their main events.
And most likely what we see now is a compromise between the two.
And if Roy had his way he could do without these first two games preferring the extra week of straight practice he could spend in teaching mode rather than doing game prep twice which is generally lighter in nature.
I agree. I love college basketball. I consider myself a true junkie and am thrilled to be able to watch it starting tonight, but this is REALLY (and probably too) early to be starting the season.
#1 reason to watch tonight: UNC in throwback unis. Other than that, this will be a blowout. I don’t expect fans to boo Isaiah, especially since his mother just had a heart attack, but they will relish the victory.
Let’s get this season rolling! Unfortunately I will miss part of the game because I’m going to my grandmother’s 90th birthday party. Go Heels!
Forwarded message from uncgrandmother90:
There’s a TV! Lets stop this wheelchair from rolling. I am not missing a UNC game just because its my birthday. Go Heels! Have a nice time at my party uncgirl, save me some cake.
Actually we had cupcakes…
So did the heels!