March 27, 2007...5:52 am
On NIT, UNC and tragedy
A little bit of randomness before I decide to head off and get ready for a day that includes count it four legislative meetings. Perhaps Thomas Paine was also thinking of my schedule when he said “These are the days that try men’s souls.”
But at the end of the day includes West Virginia taking on Mississippi State in the semifinals of the NIT. I don’t know a thing about Mississippi State other than UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough’s brother plays for the Bulldogs. So I’m guessing there will be a lot of missed travel calls in the paint today. I’ll be watching the game on tape delay. There are some things that are more important than watching WVU basketball live, believe it or not.
Speaking of Tyler Hansbrough, what kind of collapse was that on Sunday? Give me 24 shots, I’m going to make at least 2. UNC could barely make one and that came during garbage time in overtime. UNC had this game in control and let it slip away with questionable timing decisions and poor shot selections. Again, as I said a few weeks ago, UNC’s inability in the regular season to close out games came back to haunt them. The USC game aside, UNC had a hard time closing out games when teams were on a hot streak at the end of the game. That is a mental toughness issue.
But, your heart has to go out to UNC this day. Not for the play of UNC in the Elite 8, but the death of Jason Ray, the student who portrayed the school’s mascot. From all accounts, Ray was an excellent student and an even better person. Prayers for the family of not only Ray, but also the family of the driver who hit him in New Jersey. Such a sad story from all sides.
Local blogger and columnist Bob Lee Swagger his the story perfectly in his own style. He says:
Was Jason Ray a super all-around great young man because he was hit by a car in a freak accident ….. or because he went to Carolina …. or because he has been “the kid in the Rameses suit”? No. Jason Ray was a great young man because of his family, his friends and maybe mostly because of his own determination and self-discipline to be “an all-around outstanding young man”. In today’s world, that’s a 24/7 job. If he had not been hit by that car, 99.9% of TarHeelNation would not have a clue about him. Or Stephen Gates. Remember him?
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