Hit up TarheelDaily, or scroll on down to the article. After you check it out, if you want to discuss my opinions, email me. I will also appear on WXYC FM 89.3 Chapel Hill for Sunday Night SportsRap during the Spring of 2005 on Sunday Nights between 9-10PM. Also, be sure to check out my weekly music show, 'Fifteen Feet and In' which can be heard at www.wxyc.org. Enjoy the article.....BD

"It's 'On the Table' Nowl"

The legions of the Tar Heel Nation have had their wishes granted for one bright Monday night. Bret Dougerty answers some questions that are on and off the table, with this evening's NCAA championship game hanging in the balance....Get ready to roll that dice!.

April 4 , 2005

Choppers, sirens, reams of toilet paper, bonfires, roman candles burning...Ahhhh, another Final Four Weekend in a new decade in Chapel Hill...

'57, '68, '77, '81, '82, '93?the UNC Basketball nation knows that the dice can either roll like a mudslide or glide like a Cadillac on a country roll. Here are a few things to ponder while the Tar Heel nation is waiting for the magic number or for the snake eyes...

Who will Deron Williams guard? - A lot of pundits are waiting for the match-up of Dee Brown and Raymond Felton, and this particular blogga' was one of those pundits waiting for the speed trial during the '03 ACC/Big Ten pre-season match-up at the Greensboro Coliseum. However, those speed freaks were left high and dry match-up wise, when Deron Williams and Raymond Felton checked up against each other throughout most of the game.

Look for this match-up to be a major key again in determining who's walking away from the table with a festive entourage in tow.

Williams is arguably the most highly recognized defender in the Final Four since Patrick Ewing and from his stunning defensive performances that have held Arizona's Salim Stoudamire to 2-13 FGM/FGA and Louisville's 'Cisco Garcia to 2/10 FGA/FGM. With that said, it is highly likely that you'll see Williams glued upon Raymond Felton throughout the game in an effort to stop Carolina's offense and the now respectable jumper that Felton has developed this season.

Although the speed of Dee Brown is just a few steps short of Maurice Greene and it would seem highly obvious that Felton and Brown would be matched up for size and speed, followers of tonight's game may want to bank upon Williams pairing up against Felton. Williams not only is the guard that brings the ball upcourt, but also Carolina would be wise to have Felton expend his energy chasing Dee Brown around in a precise motion offense that doesn't see Brown penetrating often to the basket.

For those who would argue that Williams would be better off guarding Rashad McCants, please remember. Felton is the command control center to Carolina's offense. With his abilities to penetrate the lane, to set up the Carolina offense, and to feed the post to Sean May and Marvin Williams, Illinois has to keep pressure on Felton from executing Carolina's speed and free-lance offense. Following Williams' stonewall shutdowns of Stoudamire and Garcia and with the memories still fresh of last year's highly anticipated match-up that didn't occur, look for Bruce Weber to place Williams on Felton again.'

What 'evs?? - Throughout the weekend, the basketball media has been piping the question of whether or not the pressure should be on Roy Williams tonight. Already the riverhounds are working their storylines in case the Heels drop tonight's game for the burdensome 'hump' and to question 'Can he do it?' Here's the answer?What eva'.

How easily do they forget that the UNC basketball revitalization project is not only about a year ahead of schedule, but also how many other coaches have had similar bumpy roads in Final games before attaining the ultimate success of "getting over the hump."

For followers of college basketball that think the game started with the creation of 'Big Monday' on ESPN, how quick it is to forget that Dean Smith had his "hump" for about a span of five years after UNC's 1977 loss, and forget the NCAA Final Four drops for Denny Crum at Louisville before the arrival of his gold ring in '80. It's also easy for them to forget the comparisons to the Denver Broncos in the late 80s and early 90s that were heaped upon Mike Krzyzewski.

Although the argument can be held up to Williams for not bringing home gold with unbelievable NBA caliber talent at Kansas, Coach Williams has headed up two major elite reconstructions, and he has now guided three teams down the path to the NCAA Basketball Championship Game that is one of the most difficult journeys in team sports. So, whatever happens in tonight's game, he should be recognized for it?After all, the guy is going to his third NCAA Final with two different programs.

Throughout the weekend, Williams has referred back to the conversation on the floor after Coach Smith's first title victory in '82. Smith stated. "I'm not that much of a better coach than I was two hours ago." If the Tar Heels fall, Williams' critics should keep that quote in mind and should back off from the table?Their breath is bumpin'.

Seen in the Hill: Hey you!...Yeah, you hairy beast, you! We know that you're not living in Chapel Hill, and we know that you want your own reality show. But if we win tonight, stay off of the trees on Franklin Street?Seriously, they didn't do any thing to you. So, if you're tearing the trees out of the planterns, the curse of Tommy LaGarde's broken leg shall be bestowed upon you?Be easy.

'D-Up',

BD

Bret Dougherty is a UNC-Chapel Hill alum and current graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill. Bret is a host of WXYC FM 89.3 SportsRap, and hosts a music show on WXYC called 'Fifteen Feet and In'. Check in at his website, www.bretdougherty.com, and feel free to contact him at bret.dougherty@gmail.com.

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