At Least Two Tar Heels Had a Good Weekend

Amid UNC falling to pieces at FSU and T.J. Yates’ less than stellar effort against Baltimore in the AFC Divisional Playoff game(though overall, I think Yates showed promise in his stint as a starter) there were two Tar Heels who had outstanding weekends.

Former UNC WR Hakeem Nicks continued his beast mode playoff performance from last week with another two touchdown performance to lead the New York Giants over the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 37-20. Like last week against Atlanta, Nicks had another big catch and run for a touchdown, this one going for 66-yards. Nicks ended up with seven receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Besides the big run, Nicks also caught a Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half because he is a freaking big receiver with hands that are capable of crushing small animals. Nicks has come up huge in two games during these playoffs. Can he do it at San Francisco next week and get the Giants to the Super Bowl?

On Saturday, former Tar Heel cross country and track star Shalan Flanagan won the US Olympic trials marathon in Houston to secure a place in the 2012 Olympics in London. Flanagan finished in 2 hours 25 mins and 38 seconds which eclipsed her previous personal best from the New York Marathon by three minutes. This was Flanagan’s second marathon after having spent most of her post-UNC career running 5000 and 10000 meters and cross country. Flanagan won bronze at 10000 meters in the 2008 Beijing Olympics but after than began to mix in marathon and half marathon races with cross country and 10,000 meters with a possible eye on running the marathon in the London Olympics.

Go Heels! Go America!

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