The O List

Two Messes: Daytona And The NBA All-Star Game

2010-02-15T09:01:00.002-05:00

Observations on an off-kilter sports weekend:

1. Is It Over Yet?

The Daytona 500 lasted longer than some marriages and don't you know somebody important was screaming about the pothole that kept tearing apart, treating the 200,000 in attendance and all the others watching on television to road crew work.

Was it a great Daytona 500? It would have been if Dale Jr. had won but the conspiracy theories would have been thicker than the chatter between Joe Biden and Dick Cheney.

It was definitely interesting and if you thought Jamie McMurray was going to win, your nose is growing.

2. Is It Over Yet, Part 2?

There's a word for the NBA All-Star Game: Unwatchable.

3. At Least We Know...

Duke is going to win the ACC regular-season race, unless something really weird happens like potholes at the foul line in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils' emphatic win over Maryland Saturday confirmed the suspicion that Duke is the league's best team.

4. Myrtle Beach Days

Dustin Johnson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for the second straight year on Sunday, putting the Myrtle Beach resident into position to play his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team later this fall.

In the golf equivalent of "the big one" at Daytona, leader Paul Goydos made a nine on the par-5 14th hole to ruin his weekend. How'd he make the nine? He holed a three-footer.

5. There's Snow At Beech Mountain

Maybe the Olympics can move the men's and women's downhill events there. I know Mother Nature can be capricious but if you're going to host the Winter Olympics, don't you make certain there's going to be snow on the mountain for the skiing?

Valentine's Weekend -- The Sports Way

2010-02-12T08:54:00.001-05:00

Five reasons to be excited about this weekend – besides the fact it’s Valentine’s Day. You remembered that didn’t you?

1. Boogity, Boogity, Boogity

It’s the Great American Race as the TV folks like to call the Daytona 500 and, for one week anyway, everybody is even with four-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

Even Dale Jr.

2. Danica, Part 2

She showed some driving chops in her ARCA debut last weekend. Now she puts herself on the track in the Nationwide Series, a big step in her heavy-footed learning curve.

One thing’s for certain –she’ll make it interesting.

3. “And From The Charlotte Bobcats…”

Those of us who’ve been watching Gerald Wallace play these last few years know how good he is. For those who haven’t noticed, Wallace becomes the first Bobcat to play in the NBA All-Star Game where the whole world can pay attention.

4. Everybody Loves Raymond And Andy Garcia and Tom Brady And…

It’s the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where you get to watch famous people play not so famous looking golf at Pebble Beach and courses in one of Mother Nature’s nicest neighborhoods.

There will be lots of average-looking putts and cashmere sweaters and Bill Murray. It might get old if they did this all the time but for a cold February weekend, it’s not a bad way to spend some time with your television.

5. The Battle For Last Place

Strangely – or not – that’s what’s at stake in the N.C. State-North Carolina game Saturday in Chapel Hill.

Not exactly what Tobacco Road is known for.

Five Questions About The ACC Race

2010-02-11T08:45:00.002-05:00

After a busy Wednesday night and in advance of another active weekend, here are five issues awaiting a resolution in the muddled ACC basketball race:

1. Could North Carolina finish last?

Absolutely. That doesn't mean it's going to happen 0r that it's likely to happen but if the Tar Heels lose at home Saturday to N.C. State, they'll be in the cellar with three weeks left in the regular season. And they still have to visit Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Duke.

2. Will North Carolina Play In The NIT?

Unless they win out or run the table in the ACC tournament, it's going to be their only post-season option. Would the Tar Heels take it? Their fans will say no. The administration may say otherwise.

3. If Lance Thomas Is Out, What Happens To Duke?

It doesn't help, that's for sure. Thomas is one of those players whose value can't be measured by the stat sheet. He gives Duke a strong interior defensive presence and if Duke is without him for a while, it won't be as good. Freshman Mason Plumlee will have to play a more prominent role and he's getting better as the season goes on.

The Blue Devils are built around the trio of Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith and this will only increase the burden on them.

4. Which Teams Will Get First-Round ACC Tournament Byes?

Barring a total collapse, Duke will have Thursday off in Greensboro. Maryland will probably get one of those byes, as well. From there, it's still wide open. Right now, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech are the best bets.

5. How Many NCAA Teams Will The ACC Get?

It's getting to that point where the barometer reading changes with every game. With nine teams at 17-7 or better, the records look good enough but some of that is fool's gold. Miami hasn't beaten enough good teams to get in. Florida State is in its usual iffy position, probably outside looking in. Clemson needs to find some consistency and Georgia Tech runs hot and cold.

Right now, it looks like five.

Five Favorites From Duke and North Carolina

2010-02-10T08:35:00.004-05:00

With Duke and North Carolina squaring off tonight in Chapel Hill, let's skip the negative and get to the positive. As someone who has been watching the Tar Heels and Blue Devils more longer than he'd care to admit, here are staff writer Ron Green Jr.'s five favorite players from both programs.

DUKE

1. Bobby Hurley

I loved the way he played. He wasn't always the prettiest but he was the grittiest. And the 3-pointer he hit late in the NCAA tournament win over UNLV was among the biggest shots in school history.

2. Grant Hill

He was so good and so stylish that even North Carolina fans admired him.

3. J.J. Redick

I still haven't figured out why he was so disliked. Maybe because he was that good.

4. Gene Banks

We're going back a few years with this one but Tinkerbell had style. Upon being introduced for his final game in Cameron Indoor Stadium, he threw roses to the crowd -- then hit a late jumper to beat the Tar Heels.

5. Kenny Dennard

They don't make them like Dennard any more. He was tough, relentless and great fun.

NORTH CAROLINA

1. Larry Miller

I know he played more than 40 years ago but he had style, charisma and game. If he played today, he'd be an enormous star and he's still the most important recruit in Dean Smith's career.

2. Michael Jordan

You know why he's on the list.

3. Phil Ford

There's a good argument to be made that there's never been a better point guard in the ACC than Ford. Next to Jordan, he may still be the most beloved Tar Heel.

4. Charlie Scott

I know the game has changed since he played but if he were 20 again, he'd be the best player in the ACC right now and maybe the best in the country.

5. Mike O'Koren

Okay, I've gone entirely old school with the Tar Heels. It's a generational thing, I suppose. It's no slap at the more recent Tar Heels, just one guy's list of his favorite players.

Five Reasons To Feel Hoop-ful

2010-02-09T08:31:00.001-05:00

While finishing off the leftovers from the Super Bowl party, let's take a quick look at five college basketball games around the area this week that will have more than a few hearts thumping:

1. Charlotte at Dayton, Wednesday night: The 49ers are atop the Atlantic-10 standings but they're not awarding banners or NCAA tournament bids just yet. Bobby Lutz's team keeps finding ways to win -- that was a nice escape at Fordham last weekend to avoid a potentially nasty loss -- and a victory over the 16-6 Flyers in Dayton would be large.

2. Davidson at Appalachian State Thursday night: It's been a season of adjustment for both programs. The Wildcats are learning about life after Stephen Curry while the Mountaineers are in their first year under new/old coach Buzz Peterson. The Southern Conference tournament is getting closer and this is all about getting position for a good seed.

3. Duke at North Carolina, Wednesday night: This isn't the juiciest match-up of these old rivals but that won't matter once they get on the floor together. For the Tar Heels, it's desperation time.

4 Georgia Tech at Wake Forest, Saturday night: If the Deacons can beat Boston College at home tonight, a win over the Yellow Jackets would keep them near the ACC lead. Georgia Tech is dangerous at home but needs to show it can win on the road.

5. Maryland at Duke, Saturday afternoon: Greivis Vasquez plays his last game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. How can that not be fun?

(BONUS GAME): N.C. State at North Carolina, Saturday afternoon: Forget where they are in the ACC standings. It's the Wolfpack against the Tar Heels.

What About Manning's Brett Favre Moment?

2010-02-08T09:02:00.002-05:00

Five observations from a sports weekend that was better for most of us than it was for Warren Sapp:

1. Playing To Win Even if you were pulling for the Indianapolis Colts (which put you among about 15 percent of fans, it seems), you had to admire the way the Saints went about winning the Super Bowl. They didn't play the odds. They played to win. Fans will take that every time. Almost.

2. Peyton's Brett Favre Moment

You know what the reaction would be had Brett Favre thrown the Super Bowl-losing pick-six that Peyton Manning threw Sunday night. There would be outrage and cries for his guaranteed spot in the Hall of Fame to be taken away.

But how will Manning be treated?

There was all that pre-game talk about how he would study the Saints' defense, figure it out and be at his best late in the game. It didn't happen that way.

The Saints' on-side kick to start the second half was stunning but not much more than the Peyton pick that essentially ended the game.

3. It's Duke-North Carolina Week One side is very excited about Wednesday night in Chapel Hill. You can probably figure out which one.

4. Maybe They'll Change The Name To DANICAR
Danica Patrick, who has never finished worse than sixth in her stock car racing career, will make her NASCAR debut Saturday in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona. You'll probably hear a little more about that this week.

5. The Best Golfer In The World Not Named Tiger Woods
That would be Steve Stricker.

In winning the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles on Sunday, Stricker -- perhaps the nicest man in professional sports -- jumped Phil Mickelson to take over the second spot in the world golf rankings. That means Stricker is now the best active professional golfer in the world.

A Super Weekend -- And Football, Too

2010-02-05T08:30:00.002-05:00

Since it looks like golf is out here this weekend, here are five things to fill up a sports weekend:

1. The Last Football Game

You may have heard about this -- the Colts versus the Saints Sunday night in South Florida. After the Super Bowl, football goes on hiatus until mid-summer when training camps start. There is the NFL draft to look forward to if you're really into it and your team has a first-round pick.

The Colts are five-point favorites but the Saints are the sentimental choice. It's a safe bet there will be plenty of points scored. Here's hoping you have the right squares in the Super Bowl pool.

2. Welcome Home

After nearly two weeks on the road, the Charlotte Bobcats are back home Saturday night to face the New Orleans Hornets, who used to call Charlotte home.

It would be nice if Chris Paul were playing, since the Hornets only visit once a season, but with him coming off ankle surgery, that's one serious problem the Bobcats won't have to deal with.

3. The ACC Schedule -- Maybe

With heavy snow forecast for Virginia and Washington, D.C., a handful of games could be in jeopardy. The Wake Forest-Virginia game in Charlottesville has been shifted to a 4 p.m. start (from noon) and will be shown on a tape-delayed basis at 6:30 p.m. so if you really care about that one, stay away from the computer tomorrow afternoon.

Clemson is scheduled to play at Virginia Tech Saturday and North Carolina will try to get to Maryland for a Sunday afternoon game that could put a final nail in its NCAA tournament chances.

4. Going North

The Charlotte 49ers are on the road this weekend to play at Fordham, taking their six-game winning streak with them. It may not be the most attractive game on their schedule but every win counts.

5. It's Daytona, Baby

They're racing Saturday night in Daytona, running the annual limited-field Shootout which is like a Cheez-Whiz appetizer before the big meal next week. Danica Patrick is not in the field for the Shootout but she will be still be the most talked-about driver down there.

Five Reasons Not To Expand The NCAA Tournament

2010-02-04T09:27:00.002-05:00

With growing discussion about the possibility of the men's NCAA basketball championship tournament being expanded to perhaps more than 90 teams, here are five reasons why it's the worst idea since the abolition of jump balls:

1. There's Nothing Wrong With The Tournament Now

You've probably heard this before -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

2. Northwestern Might Get In

The Wildcats have never qualified for the tournament in the 70 years it has been played and, while it probably makes the Chicago winter feel even colder, there's something to be said for putting a value on playing your way in. Don't lower the bar.

3. What About Football?

They can't find a way to create a football playoff but can add another set of games to the men's basketball tournament? What about all the class time that will be missed (wink, wink)? What about the fans (as if that has ever mattered?).

Until there is a real football playoff, the men's basketball tournament should be off limits to tinkering.

4. Forget Cinderella

Proponents of the expanded tournament like to talk about the potential for smaller programs to steal the nation's heart with their run through March. It's not going to happen. Cinderellas in the tournament are two things -- rare and overrated.

5. Office Pools

It's already enough trouble filling out the bracket the way it is. Adding games just adds to the process. Do we really want to look up Fordham or Sam Houston State when we're making our picks? Spare us.

Five Things You Won't Hear On Signing Day

2010-02-03T10:11:00.005-05:00

This being national signing day for college football programs, here are five things we're not likely to hear amid all the optimistic talk at programs across the country:

1. "We only signed him because his daddy's given us millions and coach likes to use his private jet for recruiting trips and weekend getaways to Cabo."

2. "I don't know where the experts have rated this class but it's too high. Heck, Prairie View has a better class than we do."

3. "Dartmouth is the new Boise State."

4. "That Nick Saban is a funny guy. If he ever quits coaching, he has a future in comedy."

5. "The ACC is poised to dominate college football."

Five Questions For Super Bowl Media Day

2010-02-02T08:33:00.002-05:00

With today being media day at the Super Bowl -- in truth every day is media day at the Super Bowl -- here are five questions that may be asked of either the New Orleans Saints, the Indianapolis Colts or someone in south Florida:

1. Hey, Are You Going To Sign Julius Peppers?

It's clear he's going to land someplace other than with the Carolina Panthers. The Saints are doing fine without him but what if Pep signs with another NFC South team and spends the rest of his career playing like he's worth $20 million a season?

2. Is That David Caruso?

Can't be. He's not wearing sunglasses.

3. Are All The Beautiful People At South Beach This Week?

No, not all. Just most of them.

4. How Many Times Will TV Show Us Kim Kardasian On Sunday?

According to Vegas odds (there will actually be some people who bet on this), the over-under on shots of Reggie Bush's photogenic girlfriend is set at 2.5. And you thought people just watched the game for the commericials.

5. Has It Really Been Six Years Since The Panthers Were In The Super Bowl?

Yes. It just seems longer.

Observations from a good, not great, weekend

2010-02-01T08:22:00.001-05:00

Five slightly iced over observations from a sports weekend that was good but not necessarily great:

1. How Good Are The Bobcats?

They’re 3-1 so far on what was seen a potentially season-defining West Coast road trip. One night it’s Stephen Jackson, the next night it’s Gerald Wallace.

With games left at Portland and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Bobcats may not be done winning on this road trip.

2. The Hottest College Team In The State

That has to be the Charlotte 49ers, who are plowing through the Atlantic-10 these days.

They keep finding a way to answer whatever question comes their way. That’s what good teams do.

3. Is North Carolina NIT-Bound?

If you laughed off that notion before, don’t laugh now. As Virginia showed Sunday night, the Tar Heels have serious issues that aren’t going to be solved overnight. And if you haven’t looked, the Tar Heels are just getting into the tough part of their schedule.

4. It’s That Time Again

The Daytona 500 is still nearly two weeks away but the NASCAR season gets going later this week with the Daytona Shootout Saturday night. Does that get your motor running?

5. It’s February

That means Valentine’s Day is two weeks away. It comes right after the Super Bowl, so don't forget.

A Five-Part Weekend Sports Planner

2010-01-29T08:40:00.003-05:00

A five-part planner for your sports weekend while waiting for winter to say hello:

1. A Dash of Curry

The Charlotte Bobcats are at Golden State tonight where they'll square off against the Warriors and rookie Stephen Curry, who's made himself right at home in the NBA. It won't have the same feeling as when Curry and his teammates visit Charlotte later this season but considering how little the local audience has seen of Curry since he's been in the NBA, tonight's a chance to get a good look at him and the Bobcats.

2. Almost Football

The NFL, which does so many things well, insists on playing the Pro Bowl despite the fact no one cares, especially the players. It happens Sunday night in Miami and while it's a nice honor for players who earn their spots, the game is unnecessary.

The league is hoping that by playing it a week before the Super Bowl it will create more interest. Instead, the Colts and Saints players who qualified can't play and a lot of other big names such as Tom Brady and Brett Favre have politely declined to play, citing various injuries.

For Panthers Julius Peppers, DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Kalil, it's a well-deserved recognition of their good seasons.

3. The Dangerous Part

After taking down No. 15 Temple on Wednesday night and earning a bit of national attention, the Charlotte 49ers play at Massachusetts on Saturday in what can be considered a trap game.

The Niners are on a nice roll and the trip to UMass is one of those games Charlotte is expected to win. But coming off an emotional win and playing on the road against a team looking for a big win is a dangerous combination.

4. A March Preview

In the middle of conference play, Duke steps outside Saturday to play at Georgetown in a game that should give us a taste of things to come in March. It's the kind of game we see often early in the season but happens infrequently once teams get into league play.

On Sunday night, North Carolina hosts Virginia in a game that coudl tell us a lot about both teams. There was reason for optimism around Chapel Hill after the win over N.C. State but no one's getting carried away just yet. As for Virginia, the Cavaliers are still around the top of the ACC standings but that may be a function of their early schedule as much as anything. Sunday night will answer more questions.

5. Enjoy The Weather

Okay, so maybe it's a lousy weekend for golf or tennis but if we get the predicted mess of winter stuff, just let it happen -- as if you can do anything about it anyway.

But enough with the jokes about running to the grocery store for bread and milk. Those are so tired.

You may want to stock up on beer and chips, though.

NIners take Temple by storm

2010-01-28T08:33:00.005-05:00

Five things to consider while wishing you were on the golf course on this 60-degree day:

1. The Niners

Their victory over Temple Wednesday night put them in a tie for first place in the Atlantic-10 standings and, perhaps more importantly, demonstrated they're capable of winning big games. It's always more fun around here during basketball season when the Niners are winning.

But storming the court Wednesday night? Really?

2. The Ish Man

It's an important night for Wake Forest which visits No. 22 Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. in Atlanta. The Deacons are one of a handful of ACC teams that look like they could stay in the regular-season race for a while.

But they need to win games like the one tonight. Atlanta is where the Deacons began to tumble last year. The way point guard Ish Smith has been playing, Wake Forest is dangerous.

3. Tebow Talk

If Tim Tebow is available when the Panthers finally get a draft pick in April, would you take him?

The NFL combine is all about measuring muscles and speed and jumping ability. It has a harder time judging guys who know how to win.

Whichever team takes Tebow will be glad it did.

4. Roger, Down Under

Keeping up with the Australian Open is tricky because of the time difference but the storyline is familiar -- Roger Federer is about to win another big one.

This stat speaks to how great he's been -- this is the 23rd straight Grand Slam event in which Federer has reached the semifinals. That's almost six years worth of Grand Slam events.

5. The Super Bowl Countdown

The big game is still more than a week away so we're in that in between time when it's too early to think about where you're going to watch the game and what you're going to eat.

Two things haven't changed since last Sunday -- the Colts are stil favored over the Saints and Brett Favre still hasn't decided if he's going to play next season or not.

It's Not All About John Wall

2010-01-27T08:57:00.003-05:00

Five things we learned from a busy Tuesday night of hoops:

1. It's Not All About John Wall

South Carolina guard Devan Downey has operated below the national radar most of this season because the Gamecocks have been the definition of mediocre until their upset of No. 1 Kentucky Tuesday night. Downey isn't below the radar any more.

For all the understandable chatter about how good Kentucky's John Wall is, Downey was the star last night. Suddenly, he's in the mix for SEC player of the year -- Downey that is.

2. Jack It Up

If you didn't see the final few minutes of the Bobcats' overtime win at Phoenix, you missed seeing Stephen Jackson just will a tying 3-pointer in near the end of regulation. It was the kind of almost arrogant play the Bobcats have lacked through the years and a shining example of how Jackson has transformed this team. It was a big time bucket.

3. Feeling Blue ... In A Good Way

Was North Carolina's win at N.C. State a season-saver? It may be too soon to call it that but the Tar Heels' victory stopped the bleeding and eased some very worried minds around Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels are still limited -- they could use a spot-up 3-pointer shooter to take pressure off their inside guys -- but they responded to a big moment by winning in Raleigh.

4. There's More To Come

Tonight, the Charlotte 49ers host 15th-ranked Temple at Halton Arena in a game that could go a long way toward defining the 49ers' season. A win and Charlotte is in position to make a run at the Atlantic-10 regular-season championship and a return to the NCAA tournament. It's been a while since the Niners have had a game like this one.

5. Then There's Duke

The Blue Devils are home tonight against Florida State at 9 p.m. The Seminoles may have picked a bad time to visit Durham.

Who wins the N.C. State-UNC game?

2010-01-26T08:41:00.005-05:00

A five-point primer for tonight's North Carolina-N.C. State basketball game:

1. The Red Coat

Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe (above) is almost guaranteed to wear his snappy red sport coat on the sideline tonight. It’s fair to assume his counterpart, Roy Williams (right), doesn’t own a red sports coat. But considering how his Tar Heels have played recently, Williams might consider wearing one if it would help.

2. If N.C. State wins…

There will be justifiable excitement on Hillsborough Street considering the modest expectations for this Wolfpack team and the dearth of victories against the Tar Heels in recent years. Someone might actually mention the prospect of a post-season tournament appearance for the Pack.

3. If North Carolina wins…

A late-night breeze will blow across the state as Tar Heel fans let loose a giant sigh of relief. The Tar Heels won the national championship 10 months ago, but it seems a distant memory.

4. Why It Matters So Much

If you don’t think there’s a difference in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina, you haven’t lived in both. It’s the same with N.C. State and North Carolina. They’re neighbors and part of the same educational system but they’re as different as Rush Limbaugh and Keith Olberman.

5. Who Wins?

North Carolina 71, N.C. State 67

Super Bowl, super bowling to start your day

2010-01-25T09:28:00.008-05:00

A five-point way to start your day while wondering how long it will be before Brett Favre makes his retirement official -- again:

1. Start Your Wagers

The early line has Indianapolis as a four-point favorite over the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl though that's likely to wiggle some, especially early.

That's purely about football. On the emotional side, the Saints will be the overwhelming favorite (and the certain pick of those above) given their history and what happened in New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina. Get ready to hear a lot -- a whole lot -- about that.

Can't decide? You have time. The game is Feb. 7.

2. Who's League Is it?

After a busy weekend of ACC basketball, the new week begins with Virginia and Maryland (and coach Gary Williams, below) tied for the lead with matching 3-1 records. Not exactly the way most of us saw it shaking it out -- but it's still relatively early.

3. Say Hello To Carmelo

Their six-game winning streak behind them, the Bobcats start a long western swing tonight in Denver dragging a two-game losing streak with them. It doesn't help that the trip starts against one of the NBA's hottest teams, featuring Carmelo Anthony, and in the mile-high atmosphere of Denver. It's on SportsSouth starting at 9 p.m.

4. Bill's Big Day?

Charlotte native Bill Haas (right) starts the final round of the rain-delayed Bob Hope Classic one shot behind co-leaders Alex Prugh and Bubba Watson. Haas, son of Jay, is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory.

Want to watch? It's on the Golf Channel, with coverage starting at 3 p.m.

5. Want To Go Bowling?

On Sunday, Kelli Kulick (left) became the first woman to ever win a PBA event, naturally raising the question of whether it will spark new interest in bowling. Given the weather around here recently, bowling beats most of the outdoor alternatives.

-- Ron Green Jr.

Five questions for the weekend

2010-01-22T09:47:00.007-05:00

Five sports-related questions to ponder as the weekend arrives:

1. Who's going to the Super Bowl?

Vegas says it's the Colts and the Saints. Jets coach Rex Ryan says he'll be shocked if his team doesn't go to the Super Bowl. And if the Vikings lose, the will he or won't he return questions will start immediately about Brett Favre.

The prospect of Drew Brees (right) and Favre flinging it Sunday night (6:30 p.m., FOX, WCCB-TV channel 18) with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line is more exciting than free shrimp.

The Colts play the upstart New York Jets in the warmup. (3 p.m., CBS, WBTV channel 3).

2. Can Duke win on the road?

So far, the Blue Devils are 0-3 in true road games this season and they're in Littlejohn Coliseum Saturday night to meet Clemson. It doesn't get the recognition of Cameron Indoor Stadium or some other arenas but there aren't many tougher places to play than Littlejohn when the place is full and the crowd is engaged. It'll be roaring Saturday. There may even be a Danny Ford sighting in the building.

3. Will tonight be lucky No. 7 for the Bobcats?

They're in Atlanta tonight (7 p.m., SportsSouth) where they'll put their six-game winning streak on the line against the Hawks. They come back home Saturday night to host Orlando (click here to buy tickets) before hitting the road for two weeks.

4. Is Virginia for real?

The Cavaliers are the only unbeaten team in ACC play but they'll face a tough test Saturday afternoon at Wake Forest. For the Deacons and coach Dino Gaudio (right), it's the kind of game they need to win if they're serious about being an NCAA tournament team in March.

5. Will the Tar Heels lose another one this weekend?

No chance.

They have the weekend off.

Hot: Bobcats, Nicklaus. Not: Heels, Devils

2010-01-21T13:37:00.007-05:00

While trying to make sense of the ACC men’s basketball season, here are five things to consider:

1. Get Outta Town

Maybe that’s what it will take to slow down the Charlotte Bobcats.

After blowing through a perfect 6-0 homestand and climbing into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, the Bobcats head next to Atlanta for a Friday night game.

But don’t hurry. Enjoy this moment.

2. A New ACC World Order

In case you hadn’t noticed, the ACC world doesn’t revolve around Duke and North Carolina right now.

It wasn’t a shock that North Carolina lost to Wake Forest – the Deacons are dangerous – but seeing the Blue Devils get handled at N.C. State on the same night raised some questions about whether Duke really is the ACC’s best team this season.

If nothing else, it’s made things much more interesting this season.

3. Happy Birthday, Jack

Today is Jack Nicklaus’s 70th birthday. He’s spending it fishing on the far side of the world. Funny how his record looks more impressive than ever these days.

4. It’s Kobe vs. LeBron

The NBA’s two biggest stars go at it tonight in Cleveland. It doesn’t happen but twice during the regular season so you might want to pay attention.

5. It’s Still January But…

The Charlotte 49ers have put themselves in good position in the Atlantic 10 race with their 13-5 start. Next up: A game at LaSalle on Saturday.

Tobacco Road in all its glory

2010-01-20T08:07:00.003-05:00

Here's a quick look at what's coming on a Wednesday sports day in January. All in all, not a bad line-up:

1. Smells Like Tobacco Road
-- Wake Forest at North Carolina, 7 p.m.

-- Duke at N.C. State, 9 p.m.

It doesn’t get a whole lot better than that around here if you’re into college hoops. Which team has the most pressing questions to answer?

That would be the Tar Heels.

2. A Six Pack Night

The Bobcats are going for a sixth straight win tonight when the Miami Heat visit. It’s the final game in a so-far-perfect homestand for the Bobcats.

Gerald Wallace is nursing a tender ankle but it didn’t stop him Monday against Sacramento. Still no word, though, on when Tyson Chandler might be back.

3. The Catamounts Are Coming

Coach Larry Hunter is quietly doing an outstanding job of rebuilding the Western Carolina basketball program. The Catamounts are 14-3 overall and leading the Southern Conference North Division with a 4-1 record entering their game tonight at Davidson. If Hunter’s name sounds familiar, he was a long-time assistant coach to Herb Sendek at N.C. State.

4. On To Richmond

That’s where the Charlotte 49ers play tonight. A Charlotte victory would put the Niners in third place in the Atlantic-10 race at this still-early point in the season.

5. Still Turning Left

The NASCAR media tour continues today with more talk from the various teams about how excited they are about the new season that starts next month at Daytona. There's been talk this week about how to make racing more interesting and competitive.

The answer seems pretty obvious -- figure out how to slow down Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 car.

Hot: Bobcats, Clemson, Petty, rivalries site

2010-01-19T10:25:00.010-05:00

Five things you need to know while contemplating Gerald Wallace's ankle:

1. Heat Alert

There’s not a hotter team in the NBA right now than the Charlotte Bobcats, who have spent the past week getting fat on Western Conference teams that have rolled through town.

Next up – the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade (right) on Wednesday night. (To buy tickets, click here.)

2. ACC Hoops, southern style

Clemson’s visit to Georgia Tech tonight has become a big game in league play, especially for the Tigers, who need to demonstrate they can win on the road. The Tigers squeaked past N.C. State in Raleigh last Saturday and a win in Atlanta tonight would go a long way toward establishing them as one of the league’s top teams.

3. Racing noise

It’s the second day of the NASCAR media tour meaning there will be more preseason chatter about the 2010 season. Today’s featured team: Richard Petty Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing.

4. Tiger Woods update

He may in a clinic in Hattiesburg, Miss. Then again, he may not. The Hattiesburg story has become the hot one though no one has been found who can say definitively they have seen Tiger in Brett Favre’s neighborhood.

It’s a good bet another half-dozen rumors/stories will pop up today.

Over the weekend, Tiger’s buddy, tennis great Roger Federer was quoted saying he’s spoken to Woods recently (he didn’t say where Tiger was at the time) and expects his friend to return to golf “soon.”

What “soon” means is anyone’s guess.

5. Head to Head

That’s the name of the website devoted to the Duke-North Carolina basketball rivalry that goes live today. There’s a clock counting down to the first regular-season meeting between the college basketball bluebloods, special features each day and places where you can chime in – regardless of which shade of blue you prefer.

-- Ron Green Jr.

Coaching chases dominate weekend

2010-01-15T09:58:00.007-05:00

As sports weekends go, this one's busier than the line of football coaches updating their resumes at Kinko's. Here are five things to keep our eyes on:

1. Who's next -- and where?

Now that Skip Holtz has left East Carolina for South Florida, the search is on for the Pirates' next football coach. Athletic director Terry Holland will hold a news conference at 4:30 this afternoon to talk about the process.

Among the names being thrown around between the barbecue and hush puppies in Greenville are Temple's Al Golden, former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, Virginia Tech defensive whiz Bud Foster and former Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski.

For what it's worth, here's a little Tommy Bowden (right) tidbit -- he ranks third on the ACC's all-time list of bowl wins by a coach.

2. And what about Duke?

Well, just when it seemed David Cutcliffe was going to leave Durham to become the the new Tennessee football coach, he announced this morning that he's staying.

Don't you know they're in minor panic mode in Knoxville about now.

3. The Big Fundamental

Tim Duncan, one of the all-time greats, is in town with his San Antonio Spurs teammates tonight to meet the Charlotte Bobcats.

No word on whether Tony Parker's wife, actress Eva Longoria made the trip.

It's the first of back-to-back home games for the Bobcats, who host Phoenix Saturday night.

4. A weekend Dick Vitale must love

The college hoops schedule is packed around these parts. The biggest ACC game may be Wake Forest at Duke Sunday but there are plenty of others. North Carolina hosts Georgia Tech in what feels like a must-win game for the Tar Heels. After thumping the Heels on Wednesday, Clemson tries not to backslide at N.C. State.

Charlotte hosts Saint Louis in an A-10 battle while Davidson hits the road for a game at Wofford.

5. A run on tee times

WIth temperatures expected to approach 60 today, look out for traffic tie-ups around local golf courses. It's one of the first decent golf days in weeks around here.

Of Clemson, and ugly orange doings

2010-01-14T09:38:00.007-05:00

Taking stock of the sports day while wondering if the party has stopped in Clemson:

1. It wasn't a shock

OK, maybe the margin of Clemson's victory over North Carolina Wednesday night was surprising and the way the Tar Heels had that deer in the headlights look about them at time was surprising but the Tigers' victory was no fluke.

Despite that 12-point first half at Duke a while back, Clemson is expected to be among the ACC's better teams. Given there's a clear void behind Duke, the league's clear No. 1, it could be a spot the Tigers fill.

North Carolina, meanwhile, looked like a mess in Tigertown. What's more concerning to Tar Heel fans is it may not be a quick fix.

2. That's our Tony Bennett

You remember the former Charlotte Hornets' back-up guard, who spent a lot of time watching Muggsy Bogues play. Now he's in his first season as head coach at Virginia and he has the Cavaliers in an unlikely spot -- 2-0 and leading the ACC after wins over N.C. State and Georgia Tech.

Bennett, taking a page from his father's successful coaching career, has taken the Cavaliers back to their old style of tough, grinding defense and working the clock on offense. Next up for the Cavs: A home game Saturday against Miami.

3. Fashion Alert

John Daly -- generously called a "golf icon" in recent Golf Channel promos -- makes his PGA Tour debut today in the Sony Open at Hawaii, the first full-field event of the year. That means even in the land of colorful aloha shirts, Daly (right, in Wednesday's practice round) will be wearing something that will make your eyes water.

Charlotte's Johnson Wagner and Brendon de Jonge also start their 2010 tour seasons today in Hawaii. (Read a Q&A with them here.)

4. Looking forward

Charlotte's 86-74 loss at Xavier Wednesday night left the Niners 11-5 overall, 1-1 in the Atlantic 10 and square in the middle of the conference pack. Most teams lose at Xavier. The key will be beating Saint Louis Sunday at home.

5. "I know the orange is ugly but..."

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton is scrambling to find a permanent replacement for Lane Kiffin, whose name may be considered offensive in the land of Rocky Top. With national signing day approaching, the race is on to get a coach in a hurry.

Two local names have been mentioned -- Duke's David Cutcliffe (right) and East Carolina's Skip Holtz, who's been rumored for every job opening but the CEO position at Bank of America. Both seem like long shots but funny things happen in the coaching business.
-- Ron Green Jr.

Wolfpack a surprise, Clemson should not be

2010-01-13T10:39:00.007-05:00

Setting the table on another sports day while listening to the screaming coming from Tennessee football fans:

1. You Say Wolf …

Just when it seemed N.C. State might be down for the count in mid-January, the Wolfpack went to Florida State Tuesday night and beat the Seminoles. Maybe it doesn’t have the panache of beating Duke or North Carolina but winning is Tallahassee is tough for several reasons – the ‘Noles are pretty good and it’s a tough place to play. Nobody is putting the Pack in the NCAA tournament but freshman Scott Wood (left) turned some heads.

2. Orange alert

It won’t be a surprise if Clemson beats North Carolina tonight in Littlejohn Coliseum though many will still see it that way. The Tar Heels can be very inconsistent but have flashes when it all comes together. The same with Clemson, though the Tigers will have the advantage of a juiced up crowd. If you haven’t been to a big game at Clemson, your ears should thank you.

3. The X-factor

The Charlotte 49ers are in the other Queen City tonight and not just for some Cincinnati chili. The Niners face Xavier in an A-10 game that could be huge for them if they win. They had a chance to beat Georgia Tech at home and missed an opportunity at Tennessee (though the undermanned followed up beating Charlotte by bumping off No. 1 Kansas). If they can beat Xavier – no easy thing – it could be big in March.

4. Calling Kyle Singler

Duke hosts Boston College tonight and needs a bounce back game from Singler, who struggled in the Blue Devils’ loss at Georgia Tech on Saturday. Singler was 2-for-13 from the field against the Yellow Jackets. BC, on the other hand, has its own issues, getting off to a surprisingly slow 10-6 start.

5. Bobcats won’t win tonight

That’s because they have the next two days off before San Antonio and Phoenix roll into town for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. It’s asking a lot but if the Bobcats win both of those games, they’d be back at .500 for the season. Impressive.

Terps, twerps highlight Tuesday in sports

2010-01-12T09:31:00.009-05:00

Here's a five-part cheat sheet to help with your sports day while wondering what 'American Idol' life will be like without Paula Abdul:

1. It's the Greivis and Gary Show

The Maryland Terrapins visit Wake Forest at 8 tonight for what could be an interesting ACC basketball game. Just watching Gary Williams work the Maryland bench is entertainment enough but the Terps have an extra bit of sauce with Greivis Vasquez (above), who's not shy. This is a big one for the Deacons, who need to protect their homecourt if they're going to be an upper-division team in the ACC.

2. Hurricane warning

The Miami Hurricanes are 15-1 but how good are they? N.C. State finds out tonight. The way things look right now, the 'Canes are probably better than the Wolfpack, which seems destined for a double-digit finish (10th to 12th) in the ACC this season.

3. The Rockets' red glare

The Houston Rockets are in town to play the surging Bobcats tonight, missing the often-injured Yao Ming. It could have been a chance for a special NBA experience -- to see Houston's Tracy McGrady unhappy despite making $23 million this season -- but he's not with the team while it tries to trade him.

4. Mark McGwire is still sorry

Wait, that may not sound quite right. He admitted Monday to using steroids during his career -- now there's a surprise -- and we can expect to hear a chorus of voices chiming in about his admission today. Barry Bonds is not expected to do any chiming in, himself.

5. Simon Cowell is back

He's reason enough to watch 'American Idol,' which returns tonight. Cowell (left) would make a great umpire.

Five things to consider on this Monday

2010-01-11T08:51:00.005-05:00

Five things to consider while wondering whatever happened to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots:

1. ACC lesson: What did we learn?

The first full weekend of conference hoops play didn't clarify much, if anything. We know that North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland have something in common -- they're the only ACC teams without a league loss on Jan. 11. But give each of them time.

Maryland faces a tough test at Wake Forest Tuesday night and the hot-and-cold running Tar Heels make a dangerous visit to Clemson on Wednesday night.

2. Get a room

If you're a Bobcats fan, you should ask if there are rooms to rent at Time Warner Cable Arena this week as the team plays three games there in five days. There's a Western Conference theme to the homestand. Houston comes in Tuesday, San Antonio and the great Tim Duncan (right) are here Friday and Phoenix comes in Saturday for a rare weekend home doubleheader for the suddenly surging Bobcats.

3. Moving day

Pete Carroll has resigned as the head ball coach at Southern Cal and the official announcement of his hiring as the Seattle Seahawks' potential saviour should come sometime today. He's 0-for-2 in the NFL so far but seemed a perfect fit for the Trojans. Maybe the third time is the charm.

4. 2013 is getting closer

Chancellor Philip Dubois (left) said he is encouraged by the support from the UNC Board of Trustees for Charlotte's proposed football program, making it even more likely the 49ers will be playing football in 2013. He would probably be more excited if sales of 49er Seat Licenses (FSLs) picked up.

5. For entertainment purposes only

If you're interested, here are the early lines on the four NFL playoff games this weekend:

New Orleans is a 7-point favorite over Arizona (hmmm...);

The Colts are 6 1/2-point favorites over Baltimore (Peyton Manning covers);

Minnesota and Brett Favre (bottom) are 2 1/2-point favorites over Dallas (take the underdog);

And, San Diego is an 8-point favorite over the New York Jets (sounds about right).

To do list for your sports weekend

2010-01-08T09:58:00.009-05:00

With the weekend at hand, here’s a five-item to-do list while wondering how the national championship game would have been different if Texas quarterback Colt McCoy hadn’t gotten hurt:

1. It’s finally college hoops season

Now that the clutter of bowl season is behind us, college basketball finally kicks into gear. After too many games that don’t really matter, conference play takes over now.

It’s a full-out assault in the ACC. Just look at Saturday’s schedule: Virginia visits N.C. State; Duke has a potentially monster game at Georgia Tech; Boston College visits Clemson; and, Wake Forest goes to Miami.

And on Sunday, the North Carolina roller-coaster gets back to business hosting Virginia Tech.

2. Hey, that guy looks familiar

That’s because it’s Buzz Peterson, the former Appalachian State basketball coach who is again the Appalachian State basketball coach.

Peterson brings his Appalachian State Mountaineers to Davidson for a 2 p.m. game Saturday. The Buzzer can swing by home while he’s here. Peterson, who spent the previous two years as director of player personnel for the Charlotte Bobcats, still has a home in Charlotte where his wife and children are still living.

3. Memphis has an NBA team?

No one’s saying the Bobcats are at the top of the NBA’s most recognizable teams list but they’re probably ahead of the, uh, Grizzlies, who visit Saturday night. At least one question will be answered, though. Whatever happened to Hasheem Thabeet?

Allen Iverson was briefly with the Grizzlies this season until he realized the franchise was rebuilding – again. That apparently took A.I. by surprise. He’s the only one who was surprised.

4. It’s playoff time

It’s rematch weekend in the NFL as the playoffs start. The good news is we can sit inside and watch games without having to worry about sitting in the cold to see one here.

Best match-up of the four games? Gotta be Philadelphia-Dallas, Part 3. But only if the Eagles and Donovan McNabb are better than they were last Sunday.

5. It just screams A-10 hoops

After a disappointing loss to undermanned Tennessee that almost made coach Bobby Lutz pop a vein earlier this week, the Charlotte 49ers return home Saturday night to host St. Bonaventure. Sounds like a nice way to bounce back from a loss.

-- Ron Green Jr.

Texas-Alabama: Worth the wait?

2010-01-07T09:54:00.008-05:00

All rise for tonight's long-awaited (too long?) national championship game between Mack Brown's Texas Longhorns and the supposedly more talented Alabama Crimson Tide.

Five things to start your sports day while waiting to hear ‘The Eyes of Texas’ tonight (8 p.m., WSOC-TV channel 9):

1. It still doesn’t justify the BCS

Roughly five weeks after their last game, Texas and Alabama play for college football’s so-called national championship tonight, though the good people of Boise no doubt will argue the point.

Add these complaints to the BCS format:

It takes too long to get to the national championship. Five weeks? That’s longer that pre-season practice.

By spreading the major bowls out over several days, they lost their bang. Was that the Orange Bowl Tuesday night?

2. Say it’s Knotts so

The news that Tom Knotts is leaving Independence High for Dutch Fork High near Columbia has the impact of a sledgehammer on high school football in this area. You can’t blame Knotts for going someplace where he can make more money and he sounds like a man thrilled at the prospect of moving.

It’s the end of an era here, no doubt.

The good news is by moving south, Knotts can still wear shorts on the sideline all season. But he and his shorts are outta here.

3. Start spreading the news

The Bobcats are in New York tonight to face the Knicks. OK, so it doesn’t get back-page treatment in the tabloids like a visit from LeBron or Kobe might -- Gerald Wallace (right) is about as close as Charlotte can come -- but the Bobcats have won three in a row and with a six-game homestand looming, they’re on a nice roll. Did someone say playoffs?

4. What cold? It’s golf season

The 2010 PGA Tour season begins today in Kapalua, where there’s no chance of snow flurries and the wind chill factor may make it feel like the temperature is in the upper 70s. Tough life.

Twenty-eight winners from 2009 are in the field this week. Tiger Woods, you may have heard, is not one of them. But hey, Jeff Ogilvy (putting, above) is there.

5. It’s 34 days until the first Duke-North Carolina men’s basketball game this season.

We'll let you write your own caption on this one.

-- Ron Green Jr.

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What's important in your sports world today, or this week, or this month? Post your picks in the comments section, and you could see our thoughts on them in a future edition of the revamped O List.

Five big NFL draft boo-boos

2009-04-25T10:59:00.000-04:00

Here's a list of NFL draft busts that should make every general manager nervous when the league's draft gets underway today:

1. QB RYAN LEAF: He was considered to be at least the equal of Peyton Manning when they entered the 1998 draft. Washington State's Leaf went to the Chargers with the second overall pick and immediately flamed out, throwing 33 interceptions and 13 touchdowns. Colts breathing sigh of relief ever since after taking Manning with the top pick.

2. QB HEATH SHULER: Had a great career at Tennessee, but was a flop with the Redskins after they took him with the third overall pick in 1994. An injured shoulder and rookie-season holdout didn't help him. He came back, though: He's now a U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 11th district.

3. LB BRIAN BOSWORTH: “The Boz” entered the league in 1987 overhyped and overinflated (he had steroid issues at Oklahoma). Taken by Seattle in the first round of the supplemental draft out of Oklahoma, he's best remembered as a pro for being run over by Bo Jackson on Monday Night Football.

4. OT TONY MANDARICH: Taken No.2 overall by the Packers in 1989, he has since admitted that he, too, took steroids at Michigan State and in his early days in the NFL. Had an up-and-down (mostly down) career with Green Bay and Indianapolis.

5. QB TIM COUCH: Left school after his junior season at Kentucky and was taken No.1 overall in 1999 by Cleveland. That's as good as it got for Couch, who threw 64 touchdowns and had 67 interceptions for the Browns (he also fumbled 37 times).

-- David Scott

5 must-see NFL games this season

2009-04-15T01:42:00.001-04:00

CHICAGO AT GREEN BAY, SEPT. 13: The Jay Cutler era begins for the Bears at Lambeau Field

NEW YORK GIANTS AT DALLAS, SEPT. 20: Talk about hype. Dallas opens its new flashy stadium against the Giants on a Sunday night, prime-time game (Panthers will be there the next week).

CAROLINA AT ATLANTA, SEPT. 20: These were two of the league's surprise teams in 2008, making the NFC South one of the NFL's tougher divisions. They split – each team winning at home – last season in a rivalry that has definitely taken shape.

INDIANAPOLIS AT ARIZONA, SEPT. 27: Two future hall-of-fame QBs – Colts' Peyton Manning and Cardinals' Kurt Warner – face off.

PITTSBURGH AT BALTIMORE, NOV. 29: This ferocious rivalry went to new heights when the eventual Super Bowl-champ Steelers beat the Ravens in last season's AFC Championship game. This season they don't play until late November, then again four weeks later in Pittsburgh.

-- David Scott

Best-ever Tar Heels: SFs and post players

2009-04-03T08:44:00.003-04:00

Is James Worthy, of Gastonia, the top post player in Tar Heels history?

With North Carolina in the Final Four again, we thought it would be a good time to list our choices for the Tar Heels’ top five players at small forward and post players: Point guards and shooting guards were in Thursday's O List.

Small Forwards

5. JERRY STACKHOUSE (1993-95): Unfair pressure from those who expected the Next Michael Jordan, but a spectacular player nonetheless. Stackhouse was a consensus all-American in 1995, specializing in magnificent dunks, and he also was a proficient three-point shooter.

4. AL WOOD (1977-81): One of the purest shooters to ever wear Carolina Blue, and remembered largely for scoring 39 on Virginia and Ralph Sampson in the 1981 Final Four semifinals. But Wood was smooth and consistent. Fifth on the school scoring list with 2,015 points.

3. LENNIE ROSENBLUTH (1953-57): Led the most magical Tar Heels’ season ever, when North Carolina went 32-0 and won the 1957 national championship. That season was the Year of Lennie. Rosenbluth, a prolific scorer and tenacious rebounder, was named NCAA National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, ACC tournament MVP, and NCAA regional MVP.

2. LARRY MILLER (1965-69): Just 6-foot-4, Miller still managed to dominate at the college level. He was a tremendous banger inside and a driver who also had an on-target jumper from the wing or the corner. He led the Tar Heels to Dean Smith’s first two Final Fours. And he was twice named ACC Player of the Year, in 1967 and ’68. By the way, he scored an ABA-record 67 points in one game as a Carolina Cougar.

1. BILLY CUNNINGHAM (1962-65): The Kangaroo Kid – check this out – led the ACC in scoring in both 1964 and ’65, and averaged 24.8 points and 15.4 rebounds for his career. A great leaper, Cunningham is UNC’s all-time leading rebounder despite standing 6-foot-6, and the 1965 ACC Player of the Year was named one of the league’s 50 best players. Also starred for years in the NBA and ABA.

Post Players

5. ANTAWN JAMISON (1995-98): Led UNC to Final Fours in 1997 and ’98, and in the latter season he was the unanimous national player of the year. He also became the first UNC player in 22 seasons to average double figures in points (22.2) and rebounds (10.5). A quick leaper with a deft touch inside that carried over into the NBA.

4. SEAN MAY (2002-05): OK, so you’re not happy about his weight as a Charlotte Bobcat. We’re talking college here, where he got better and better (and in better shape) until he was Final Four MVP in UNC’s 2005 national title run. May was a combination of finesse and power inside, with some of the best hands ever given a big man.

3. SAM PERKINS (1980-84): North Carolina’s all-time leading rebounder (1,167) helped the program to three straight regular-season ACC titles. Perkins was so quick and smooth that his play seemed effortless, and he seemed to do everything well. Somewhat overshadowed by Michael Jordan and James Worthy, he was still a three-time first-team all-America.

2. JAMES WORTHY (1979-82): Gastonia’s own “Big Game James” was exactly that. Remember him at 6-foot-9, taking the ball right at Georgetown’s 7-foot Patrick Ewing in the 1982 national title game? Worthy and the Tar Heels won (he scored 28), and he was named national player of the year. He would become a member of both the top 50 ACC players and top 50 NBA players.

1. TYLER HANSBROUGH (2005-09): Relentless inside, always working, always hustling. Some folks get tired of hearing that, but it’s said so often because it’s true. The leading scorer in ACC history and a four-time consensus all-American. He returned for his senior year to put the last notch in his resume, a national title. Hansbrough might not have as good an NBA career as others on this list, but a more effective college player is hard to find. Stan Olson

Disagree with any of the choices? Remind us who we left out in the comments section below. No matter how much you beg, though, Pete Budko doesn’t make it.

Best-ever Tar Heels: PGs and SGs

2009-04-02T09:56:00.003-04:00

With North Carolina in the Final Four again, we thought it would be a good time to list our choices for the Tar Heels’ top five players at these positions: Point guards and shooting guards, which are below, and small forwards and post players, in Friday’s O List.

Point Guards

5. LARRY BROWN (1960-63): The current coach of the Charlotte Bobcats is better known for his long and here-there-and-everywhere career, but Brown had game. He was All-ACC in 1963, and would go on to win a gold medal with the 1964 Olympic team.

4. KENNY SMITH (1984-87): Lithe and lean, Smith led the Tar Heels to 14-0 ACC regular-season marks both as a freshman and a senior. A consensus All-American in 1987, he dropped a career-high 41 points on Clemson that year. Smith left North Carolina with then-school records of 768 career assists and 195 steals.

3. RAYMOND FELTON (2002-05): A blur of a point guard who brought Roy Williams’ feared transition game to peak efficiency, Felton guided the Tar Heels to the 2005 national crown. The only North Carolina player to finish his career with more than 1,000 points, 600 assists, 300 rebounds, 100 steals and 100 3-pointers.

2. TY LAWSON (2006-): If Lawson, the deserved ACC player of the year, can push the Tar Heels to the national championship, he can make a legitimate case for the No..1 spot on this list. The quickest player in school history; just try to slow him on the break.

1. PHIL FORD (1974-78): The master of Dean Smith’s Four Corners delay offense; you simply could not take the ball away from him as he dribbled away the clock to protect a lead. When he helped the Tar Heels upset David Thompson and N.C. State in the 1975 ACC tournament final as a freshman, it was just a taste of what was to come. In ’78, he would be the national player of the year.

Shooting Guards

5. DONALD WILLIAMS (1991-95): Suffice it to say that without his sweet jumper, the Tar Heels would not have won the 1993 national championship. He played the best basketball of his career at exactly the right time.

4. RASHAD McCANTS (2002-05): He was up and down as a player, but when he wanted to impress, he was almost unstoppable. He knocked in 221 3-pointers at North Carolina and was a key to its 2005 title run.

3. WALTER DAVIS (1973-77): Davis, from Charlotte and South Mecklenburg High, played more SF with the Tar Heels. He was called “Sweet D” for his smooth and sleek game. The master of the difficult mid-range jumper, he was also an excellent passer, decent rebounder and tough defender. And he made “The Shot,” that 30-footer that capped the Tar Heels’ incredible eight-points-in-17-seconds comeback against Duke in 1974.

2. CHARLIE SCOTT (1966-70): North Carolina’s first black varsity basketball player could score inside and out, and had the ability to carry a team. A quick example; in the 1969 ACC tournament final, he torched Duke for 40 points, 28 in the second half on 12-of-13 shooting as North Carolina wiped out overcame a nine-point halftime deficit.

1. MICHAEL JORDAN (1981-84): Do we really need to explain this? While the accepted wisdom is that Jordan really didn’t explode until he reached the pros, he was a two-time consensus all-American in Chapel Hill, and national player of the year in 1984. Then he went on to be the best basketball player of all time.

-- Stan Olson

Disagree with any of the choices? Remind us who we left in the comments section below. No matter how much you beg, though, Rich Yonakor doesn’t make it.

Replacing a basketball coaching icon

2009-04-01T07:23:00.002-04:00

Restoring - or at least maintaining - glory at some of college basketball's most successful programs isn't easy. After firing Billy Gillespie last week, Kentucky is reportedly hiring Memphis' John Calipari as its sixth coach since legendary Adolph Rupp retired in 1972. Here's how five programs have fared after their iconic coaches retired:

5. NORTH CAROLINA: Dean Smith coached the Tar Heels for 36 seasons, winning two NCAA championships and retiring as college basketball's all-time winningest coach (a record since broken) in 1997. North Carolina returned to the Final Four twice under coach Bill Guthridge, but then had two rough seasons (including 8-20 in 2002) with Matt Doherty in charge. Roy Williams has the program back at Smith-like levels.

4. UCLA: Coach John Wooden took the Bruins to 10 national championships before retiring in 1975. UCLA won another title in 1995 under Jim Harrick, but continued to churn through coaches for the next decade until Ben Howland arrived in 2003 as the Bruins' eighth coach since Wooden. Under Howland, UCLA went to the Final Four for three straight seasons (2006-08).

3. KENTUCKY: Whomever gets this job, it's going to be difficult to satisfy the Wildcats' often-irrational fan base. Rupp's teams won four NCAA championships, but Kentucky has also since won national titles under Joe B. Hall, Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith. That still has never seemed to be good enough in Kentucky.

2. INDIANA: The Hoosiers were beginning to slip before Bob Knight left in 2000 after 29 seasons and three NCAA titles (failing to advance past the second round of the national tournament for six consecutive seasons). Although Knight's successor, Mike Davis, took Indiana to the 2002 national championship game, the program fell into disrepute under Kelvin Sampson. Indiana won just six games this season under Tom Crean, but has an excellent recruiting class coming in.

1. ST. JOHN'S: Under coach Lou Carnesecca, the Red Storm made the postseason 24 straight seasons, including the 1985 Final Four. Since Carnesecca retired in 1992, St. John's has slid into obscurity under five different coaches. The Red Storm finished 13th in the Big East this season.

-- David Scott

Five most hated/loved sports teams in N.C.

2009-03-31T07:11:00.002-04:00

With the Lakers in town to face the Bobcats tonight, we got to thinking; which sports teams inspire the strongest feelings among fans across North Carolina? We’re talking about those that make your gut churn — with enthusiasm or bile. The five most loved/hated squads in the North Carolina. (In South Carolina, of course, either the Clemson Tigers or South Carolina Gamecocks are at the top of this list, depending on your point of view.):

5. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Start with Kobe Bryant; he chased off Shaq, right? And then there was that deal back in Colorado. But he also may be the best hoops player in the world, and that in itself creates a fan base. The franchise has the most wins and the most NBA Finals appearances (29) ever, which means they always — ALWAYS —seem to be in your face when you flip on the TV.

4. DUKE: OK, let’s be honest; the Blue Devils don’t come close to making this list without Coach K. Football has been a disaster, and nobody hates bad football teams. But K — that’s all we need here — gets Duke on the list by himself, for two reasons: the basketball program is really, really good, making for a big bandwagon effect and prompting intense dislike from UNC fans. And K can appear smug and arrogant at times, depending on your point of view.

3. NORTH CAROLINA: The Tar Heels have the most fans of any school in the state by a wide margin, but then there’s that ABC Club — Anybody But Carolina. UNC’s success, particularly in basketball, is a burr in the hides of all those ABCers. As one prominent college coach once told me, “I’d pull for the Russians before I’d pull for Carolina.” You can probably blame a lot of that on Dean Smith. If Butch Davis makes the Heels good in football, they could be tops on this list.

2. DALLAS COWBOYS: The NFL’s version of our No. 1 team. The whole arrogance of the “America’s Team” concept gets under your skin unless you happen to be a fan, and there are many. And if you love ‘em — from Dandy Don Meredith and Roger Staubach down through Emmitt Smith and Tony Romo — you love ‘em with a remarkable passion, one that irritates your friends and prompts you to wear a Cowboys jersey into a bar full of Panthers’ fans.

1. NEW YORK YANKEES: Can there be any doubt? You either love ‘em or hate ‘em, and you don’t even have to be a baseball fan to appreciate their wretched excesses. And yet they are the most successful franchise in sports — try 26 World Championships. They have had the most recognizable symbol (that classy interlocking NY), stadium (but of course they replaced it) player (the Babe) and owner (George Steinbrenner). They are American Sport, for better AND for worse.

--Stan Olson

Top 5 national champs from N.C.

2009-03-30T08:13:00.000-04:00

Since 1957, Triangle-area ACC teams have won eight national basketball championships, each carving its own place in history. Here's one look at how the best of those teams rank against each other:

1. N.C. State, 1974: With David Thompson, Tommy Burleson and Monte Towe, the Wolfpack took down the UCLA dynasty while Thompson proved to be a player for the ages.

2. North Carolina, 1982: With Michael Jordan introducing himself to the world, the Tar Heels with James Worthy and Sam Perkins finally delivered Dean Smith a national championship.

3: Duke, 1992: Living with enormous expectations, Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill answered every challenge -- and threw in a miracle against Kentucky in the process.

4. Duke, 2001: A great example of team basketball with Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer.

5. North Carolina, 2005: With Sean May, Raymond Felton and Marvin Williams, the Tar Heels made Roy Williams' return to Chapel Hill complete.

-- Ron Green Jr.

Top 5 N.C.-native baseball stars

2009-03-29T10:11:00.001-04:00

North Carolina has a long and interesting baseball history, producing many great players along the way. We think these are the best five to ever come from the Tar Heel state. Feel free to argue otherwise.

5. BUCK LEONARD: Born in Rocky Mount, Leonard was known as the “Black Lou Gehrig,” since he played first base and batted behind Josh Gibson, the “Black Babe Ruth” in the lineup of the legendary Homestead Grays of the Negro National League. He played from 1933-52, and is in the Hall of Fame.

4. JIM “CATFISH” HUNTER: The Hertford native won 224 games from 1965-79, picking up a Cy Young Award along the way. A Hall of Famer, Catfish played in five World Series with Oakland and the Yankees, and appeared in eight all-star games.

3. LUKE APPLING: The High Point native was a career .310 hitter as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox (1930-50). He won two American League batting titles, once with a mark of .388, and was an all-star seven times. A Hall of Famer.

2. GAYLORD PERRY: He came out of Williamston to win 314 games from 1962-83. He collected two Cy Young Awards and was a five-time all-star, but Perry was most famous for throwing the best illegal spitball in the game, and getting away with it. Also in the Hall of Fame.

1. HOYT WILHELM: Born in Huntersville, Wilhelm went on to revolutionize relief pitching, becoming one of the first pitchers to specialize in closing out games. His 124 victories in relief is still the record. His money pitch was the knuckleball, and he may have thrown it better than anyone. He also had success as a starter, once throwing a no-hitter. He pitched in the majors from 1952-72, until he was almost 50, and appeared in more than 1,000 games.

--Cliff Mehrtens and Stan Olson

Biggest NCAA tournament disappointments

2009-03-27T15:55:00.003-04:00

This has been a disappointing NCAA tournament for many area basketball fans. Here are the top five disappointments of the tournament so far, from bearable to gut-wrenching:

5. DUKE: The Blue Devils fans were starting to believe after 10 wins in 11 games. Coach K seemed to have righted the ship, and then it all fell apart Thursday night against Villanova.

4. CLEMSON/FLORIDA STATE: You guys lost to Michigan and Wisconsin, and both in the first round. Whatever happened to that domination of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge? And where were the Tigers who beat Duke by 27 points?

3. MEMPHIS: The Tigers had been crying about a lack of respect when they received a No.2 seed instead of a top spot. They also seem to believe that Conference USA should be considered one of the country’s top leagues. Yeah, and pigs can fly. Missouri quickly silenced all that blather.

2. WAKE FOREST: Dino Gaudio’s Deacons had three players consistently ranked in the top 15 in NBA mock drafts. The talent was overwhelming; the poise and coaching were not. For this bunch, a first-round loss to the no-names of Cleveland State is not only unacceptable, it’s ridiculous.

1. THE ACC: All year, fans of the league kept drumming into us how the ACC was the best in the country. I believed it. So seven league schools received bids. Four lost in the first round. Maryland lost in the second. Only Duke and UNC made the Sweet 16.

Meanwhile, the Big East has four -- that’s right, four -- teams still playing.

--Stan Olson

Fore! Anthony Kim's NCAA title favorites

2009-03-25T08:17:00.002-04:00

Anthony Kim (left), who will defend his title at the Quail Hollow Championship April 27-May 3, is a basketball junkie. He likes to play and he’s an avid fan. During his visit to Charlotte this week, Kim took a moment to pick his five favorites to win the NCAA championship. It’s worth remembering that Kim attended Oklahoma for three years.

1. Oklahoma. I’m not saying they’re the most likely to win but I want them to win the most. I have to go with my heart there. (Blake Griffin, top) is a monster.

2. Louisville. They’re tough to beat. Terrence Williams is ridiculous and Clark is coming into his own.

3. Memphis. They’re just so athletic, it’s unbelievable. And if they have more people like (Maryland’s) Greivis Vasquez popping off, they seem pretty motivated.

4. North Carolina. I did win here so I’ll with North Carolina…if (Ty) Lawson’s healthy. He didn’t have a great game (against LSU). He made an impact but he didn’t have a great game.

5. Missouri. They’re my sleeper, not really a sleeper but their press is ridiculous. Marquette tried to press them and that didn’t really pan out even though the game was closer than I thought it would be.

-- Ron Green Jr.

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OK, you tell us: Is Kim nuts? Who'd he leave off that you would include? Should he just stick to golf? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.

Davidson's Stephen Curry: Stay or go?

2009-03-23T08:58:00.000-04:00

Should Davidson all-American guard Stephen Curry, now a junior, stay or should he go? The NBA will make him a certain first-round selection if he decides to take the money following this season, and that will mean millions of dollars. So we thought we would list the pros and cons of leaving early:

Five Reasons He Should Stay

5. No chance to play Furman in the NBA.

4. Could end up pushing his school-record points total to one zillion.

3. Davidson an easier commute for Mom and Dad than Sacramento or Portland.

2. Will miss the melodious tones of Coach Bob McKillop’s practice screams.

1. These are the best years of your life; just ask Adam Morrison, Sean May and J.J. Redick.

--Stan Olson

Five Reasons He Should Go

5. Five-star hotels, not college apartments.

4. No need to play point guard and shooting guard.

3. Mom and dad can upgrade to watching opponents better than Southern Conference teams.

2. Mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money.

1. Hanging with LeBron.

--Cliff Mehrtens

Top 5 modern-era television comedies

2009-03-20T06:43:00.000-04:00

Following Thursday's list of old-school television comedies (and anticipating some of you need another laugh after your NCAA bracket imploded), today we bring you the top five of the modern era. We had a hard time leaving off perhaps the most underrated of the recent shows, “King of Queens.” If you never saw it, watch the reruns.

5. 'Frazier': Frazier Crane is the pompous Seattle radio host who was spun off so successfully from “Cheers.” Most of the shows found him having his ego popped—many laughs at his expense—and learning lessons from it. Strong supporting cast. This one edged out “Murphy Brown.”

4. 'The Simpsons': The funniest animated serious of all time, and one of the funniest of any kind. It has stayed hilarious and topical through the better part of two decades. I’ve heard people say, “It’s just a cartoon.” To that, I respond with a hearty, “Doh!”

3. 'Cheers': The best thing about the place where everybody knew your name was the wide range of characters that supported bartender Sam “Mayday” Malone. Norm and Cliff, Carla and Woody, Frazier and Coach and Diane and Rebecca. They were a slice of very funny life, and we did indeed know all their names.

2. 'The Office'/'30 Rock': I made them a combined entry because they make up the best current hour (9 p.m., Thursday, NBC) on TV. I love the subtle expressions The Office characters are always giving the cameras of the unacknowledged and never-ending documentary makers that are filming Dunder-Mifflin. Pam is the prototypical girl next door, and on 30 Rock, Tina Fey is the Mary Tyler Moore of this decade.

1. 'Seinfeld': Comedy has never been done better; the show about nothing, as both fans and the unimpressed liked to call it, was really about everything. And, unfortunately, there’s a little bit of George in all of us.

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Disagree? Post your starting five in the comments section.

—Stan Olson

Top 5 old-school TV comedies

2009-03-19T07:32:00.004-04:00

Today, a debate while you wait for NCAA tournament games to begin -- top five old-school television comedies.

5. 'The Andy Griffith Show': Is it possible to turn on your TV and not find Andy and the gang carrying on in Mayberry on some channel? A classic show about another time that holds up well largely because Barney was the best comedic sidekick in the history of TV (sorry, George).

4. 'The Dick Van Dyke Show': Start with the obvious; Mary Tyler Moore, who played Rob Petrie’s wife Laura, was the hottest babe of the ‘60s. And Van Dyke was outstanding at physical comedy (remember his trip-over-the-ottoman entrance) as well as a deft main character. Just plain funny, and still funny, even though the married Rob and Laura slept in twin beds.

3. 'M*A*S*H': Humorous and serious and tragic at the same time, passing along its messages about war and death with wry twists that usually made you think. Hawkeye made Alan Alda an icon. Don’t you bet the guy who played Trapper John (uh, that was Wayne Rogers) is sorry he ever left the show?

2. 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show': You get a show named after you, you’ve made it, at least temporarily. Then you’ve got to be consistently funny. Moore and her cast did that, bringing their Minneapolis TV newsroom to entertaining life. Mary wanted to make it on her own and did, in a big way.

1. 'All in the Family': The first program to really add bite to comedy, taking pokes at topics ranging from racism, sexism, everything-ism. Archie Bunker was the little man launching malapropisms, raging against the machine and on the wrong side of history in almost every area. But, over time, he still managed to learn a few things and make us laugh in the process.

I’m sorry but “I Love Lucy” and “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” haven’t held up all that well, although Lucy still has her moments. The sleeper that just missed was “The Bob Newhart Show.” You may have other ideas, so give us your list.

Comedies of the modern era come tomorrow.

—Stan Olson

Top 5 announcers for an NCAA upset

2009-03-18T07:34:00.000-04:00

Sports announcers you'd want to call an NCAA tournament upset:

1. Gus Johnson: This Howard U grad got his start in D.C. area TV and we’ll forgive him for the over-the-top calls of Kimbo Slice in MMA fighting. No TV guy captures the excitement and emotion of a big upset like Gus. Dude’s got to be hoarse after every game.

2. Dickie V: A shame he doesn’t get to call tournament games anymore since CBS runs the show. Vitale is the best college basketball color guy ever. I love his passion and his knowledge and how he lets everybody have a little fun -- even at his expense.

3. Kevin Harlan: I’ve never heard somebody get so many words and catch-phrases into one sentence or one breath. And -- other than Johnson -- few can match his exuberance or energy. Plus, Harlan’s really clever, too. We like clever.

4. Bill Raftery: One word: “Onions!”

5. Ian Eagle: A veteran whose done high-level tennis and football, Eagle was formerly “the voice” of the Syracuse Orangemen. And with all these screamers around, you need someone to keep it calm.

-- Langston Wertz Jr.

Top 5 all-time NCAA tournament performances

2009-03-17T07:02:00.000-04:00

He would not let them lose ...

He carried the team on his back ...

This tournament has become his personal showcase ...

He has a date with destiny, and her parents are away for the weekend ...

Seems like we never run out of cliches to describe dominating basketball players.

With the first round of the NCAAs fast approaching, it's time to weigh in on who took over an entire tourney, not just a single game.

Mere game-winning shots need not apply (sorry, MJ).

Our list tilts toward the stars of title teams, but there are plenty of others who came up short but will be long remembered.

Lew Alcindor (UCLA, 1968 champions): We'll take 1968 over his just-as-impressive 1967 or 1969, and here's why -- Alcindor and the Bruins avenged their one loss of the season, to Houston and Elvin Hayes, by beating the Cougars 101-69 in a Final Four rematch. Oh, and dunking had been banned before the season because of Alcindor's singular dominance.

Bill Bradley (Princeton, 1965 Final Four): Ivy League legend made believers of everyone, scoring 58 points in the third-place consolation game. Later became a U.S. senator, but don't hold that against him.

Christian Laettner (Duke, 1992 champions): When he wasn't using the chest of Kentucky's Aminu Timberlake as a welcome mat, he was putting up 31 points in what some folks call The. Best. Game. Ever. And that was just the East Regional final. (Something about a big basket at the end, too. Can't remember the details.)

Bill Walton (UCLA, 1973 champions): 44 points in the finals against Memphis State. Still found time during his college days to protest the Vietnam War (getting arrested in the process) and call for the impeachment of Richard Nixon. Whatta guy.

James Worthy (UNC, 1982 champions): Of all the horses in that final game -- Perkins, Jordan, Ewing, Sleepy Floyd -- it was Gastonia's own who stole the show (and the pass from Georgetown's Fred Brown) with a 28-point performance.

So there you have it. Who stands out? Who's missing?

Step right up. Post your comment. Fire away. Make your case. See the blog. Be the blog.

-- Trent Roberts

Bob McKillop's five potential NCAA Cinderellas

2009-03-16T06:35:00.001-04:00

Last season, Davidson coach Bob McKillop’s Wildcats were the surprise team of the NCAA Tournament, not expected to win a game in the 64-team field but winning three and advancing to the Elite Eight. With Davidson not a participant this year, who better to ask for an O List of possible Davidson-type surprises than McKillop (right)?

His choices:

5. Butler: Well-coached and unselfish, but it could be difficult for them because they’re so young and going through an NCAA tournament the first time with youth is always a new experience.

4. Syracuse: I like Syracuse because to fight through what they’ve fought through, to have a point guard like they have in Jonny Flynn (above), and to have been there before, they might do pretty well.

3. Cleveland State: I know (coach) Gary Waters; he’s tough as nails. He’s physical, his teams defend.

2. Virginia Commonwealth: With (guard) Eric Maynor (above) and with (forward) Larry Sanders they have that inside-outside attack, and Anthony Grant is a marvelous coach.

1. Siena: They were there last year and they won and advanced last year, so they got a taste of it. It’s not going to be a new experience for them. (Coach) Fran McCaffery (above left) has been in the tournament on several occasions; he’s been there as an assistant, as a player, as a coach. I think he understands the dynamic of getting a team ready.

All-time ACC starting fives: The Index

2009-03-12T17:39:00.002-04:00

An index of the O List's All-time ACC starting fives:

Boston College

Clemson

Duke

Florida State

Georgia Tech

Maryland

Miami

North Carolina

N.C. State

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

All-time starting five: Wake Forest

2009-03-12T17:00:00.002-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Wake Forest basketball:

Tim Duncan (1994-97): Helped Deacons to four straight 20-win seasons, including two consecutive ACC championships. Duncan (above) is ACC's career blocked-shots leader with 481.

Len Chappell (1960-62): The only 30-points-per-game scorer (30.1 in 1962) in ACC history. Key member of Wake Forest's only Final Four team (1962), Chappell (above) is school's third all-time leading scorer.

Dickie Hemric (1952-55): Still the ACC's all-time leading rebounder (1,802) and third on scoring list (2,587). Hemric (above) won the ACC's first two player-of-the-year awards and had career scoring average of 24.9.

Charlie Davis (1969-71): Shooting guard who was a scoring machine, Davis averaged 24.9 points in his three-year career. That's the sixth-highest average in ACC history. Scored 51 points against American in 1969, school's highest point total. Made 87.3 percent of his free throws, third best in ACC history.

Skip Brown (1974-77): Do-everything guard who ranks fifth in team history in scoring (2,034), second in assists (579) and fourth in steals (195). Once made 43 consecutive free throws.

-- David Scott

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Duke

2009-03-12T17:00:00.001-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Duke basketball:

Johnny Dawkins (1983-86): Mike Krzyzewski’s first big-time recruit was named national player of the year in 1986, when he led the Blue Devils to the NCAA championship game as a senior. Dawkins (above) also was a first-team All-American as a junior and is the school’s second-leading career scorer with 2,556 points.

Jason Williams (2000-02): In his third and final season in 2002, Williams (above) was the consensus national player of the year and led the Blue Devils to an NCAA title. He scored 2,079 points in just three seasons.

Art Heyman (1961-63): His best season included national player of the year and most outstanding player at the Final Four honors in 1963, followed by a No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Heyman (right) averaged 25.1 points per game over three seasons.

Christian Laettner (1989-92): A member of four Final Four teams, including two NCAA champions, Laettner is the NCAA Tournament’s career scoring leader with 407 points. Laettner (left) was the national player of the year in 1992.

Mike Gminski (1977-80): Named ACC player of the year as a junior and first-team All-American as a senior. He led Duke to the NCAA championship game as a sophomore.

-- Ken Tysiac

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: North Carolina

2009-03-12T16:00:00.002-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for North Carolina basketball:

Phil Ford (1974-78): Probably the best pure point guard ever in the ACC, Ford (above) earned an important place in history when he led the Tar Heels to a win over N.C. State and David Thompson in the 1975 league championship game at Greensboro. It’s often forgotten that he was the 1979 NBA rookie of the year.

Michael Jordan (1981-84): The skinny freshman who first was referred to as “Mike” in 1982 later that season hit the winning shot against Georgetown in New Orleans to help Dean Smith secure his first NCAA championship. In the pros, of course, Jordan (above) went to become one of the most storied players in hoops history.

James Worthy (1979-82): “Big Game” James may forever rank as Carolina’s consummate warrior and best on-court, off-court leader. His epic battles against Virginia’s Ralph Sampson and Maryland’s Buck Williams will be included in highlight films years into the future. Later, he starred on some of the Los Angeles Lakers’ best teams.

Lennie Rosenbluth (1954-57): Arguably the most important player in Carolina and ACC history, Rosie’s 1957 season cemented college basketball as a fixture in the state’s social fabric. He averaged 28 ppg on a 32-0 team that beat Michigan State and Kansas in back-to-back triple-overtime games at the Final Four.

Tyler Hansbrough (2005-present): On the verge of passing former Duke star J.J. Redick as the ACC’s all-time career scorer, Hansbrough (above), the guy they call “Pyscho T,” has turned production of jersey No. 50 into a cottage industry. All that’s left for his resume is the one thing he wants most, a national championship ring.

— Caulton Tudor

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Florida State

2009-03-12T16:00:00.001-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Florida State basketball:

Bob Sura (1991-95): Sura (above) is the Seminoles' all-time leading scorer and played with a dynamic style that made him one of the program's most entertaining players ever.

Sam Cassell (1991-93): A junior college transfer, he had an enormous impact at both ends of the floor and with his personality. He gets credit for the famous "wine and cheese crowd' line about crowds at the Smith Center.

Dave Cowens (1967-70): Considered the best player in Florida State history and it's hard to argue, considering he made the NBA's list of the 50 best players of all time.

Ron King (1970-73): Holds the school's individual game scoring record with 46 and he did something more impressive -- led the Seminoles to their only Final Four.

Al Thornton (2003-07): An exceptional talent, Thornton (above) finished second in ACC player of the year voting in 2007 while earning first-team All-ACC and All-American honors.

—Ron Green Jr.

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Virginia

2009-03-12T13:49:00.002-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Virginia basketball:

Sean Singletary (2004-08): The three-time team captain and all-ACC pick ran the offense and was its best weapon. Singletary (above) led the Cavaliers in assists, steals and scoring three years in a row.

Jeff Lamp (1977-81): Tremendous in the clutch, the 6-6 Lamp tied or won 14 games in the final minute of play. A rare four-time all-ACC pick, he finished with 2,317 career points.

Barry Parkhill (1970-73): Great at either guard position, the 6-4 Parkhill was Virginia's first ACC Player of the Year in 1972. A two-time all-American, he was named to the league's 50th anniversary team.

Bryant Stith (1989-92): Versatile swingman was a scoring machine who led Virginia to four straight 20-win seasons and three NCAA appearances. A great clutch player, Stith was a three-time all-ACC selection.

Ralph Sampson (1980-84): Despite roaming the perimeter too often, the 7-foot-4 Sampson (above) was simply the most dominant player in the sport during his era. A two-time national player of the year.

-- Stan Olson

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Boston College

2009-03-12T13:40:00.001-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Boston College basketball:

John Austin (1963-66): The Eagles' all-time scoring average leader with a career average of 27.1 points per game, including a 29.2 average as a sophomore.

Michael Adams (1981-85): Was the school's fifth-leading all-time scorer when he retired. Adams went on to have a long professional career as a dangerous 3-point shooter.

Craig Smith (2002-06): Big and burly, Smith (top) finished his BC career as the program's second all-time scorer and the all-time leading rebounder.

Jared Dudley (2003-07): With a game built on strong fundamentals, Dudley (above) was chosen the ACC player of the year in his senior season when he averaged 19 points per game and shot 56 percent from the field.

Terry Driscoll (1966-69): Led the team to the 1969 NIT finals where he was named the tournament's MVP. Was the fourth player selected in the 1969 NBA draft.
-- Ron Green Jr.

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All time starting five: N.C. State

2009-03-12T11:30:00.001-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for N.C. State basketball:

Chris Corchiani (1988-91): Point guard ended his senior season as the NCAA’s career assist leader with 1,038. He ranks third in ACC history with 328 career steals.

Julius Hodge (2002-05): The 2004 ACC player of the year, Hodge (above) led N.C. State to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. He finished his career ranked third in school history in scoring and first in minutes played.

Sammy Ranzino (1948-51): Averaged 20.8 points as a senior to become one of two consensus first-team All-Americans in school history. Helped N.C. State win four straight Southern Conference titles.

David Thompson (1973-75): Considered by many to be the greatest player in ACC history, Thompson (above) was The Associated Press’ national player of the year in 1974 and 1975. He led the Wolfpack to the 1974 NCAA title and averaged 26.8 points per game over his career.

Ronnie Shavlik (1954-56): A two-time second-team All-American, Shavlik is N.C. State’s career leader with 1,598 rebounds. He was the ACC player of the year in 1956, when he led the Wolfpack to the ACC title.

-- Ken Tysiac

All-time starting five: Maryland

2009-03-12T11:27:00.001-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Maryland basketball:

John Lucas (1973-76): The consensus pick as best point G in school history, Lucas, a three-time all-America, led the Terps to AP Top Ten finishes in three straight season. Still the No.4 assist man and No.5 scorer in school history.

Juan Dixon (1999-2002): A two-time all-American who led Maryland to the national title in 2002. Winningest Terp ever (110 victories), the 2002 ACC Player of the Year led his team in scoring and steals three straight seasons.

Len Bias (1983-86): The ACC's Player of the Year in both 1985 and '86, Bias (right) was a magical player whose pro career ended before it began with a drug overdose. He was 6-8 and agile, a good outside shooter, both quick and powerful in the paint.

Buck Williams (1978-81): In just three seasons, wound up fourth-leading rebounder in school history. A 6-8 powerhouse inside, Williams was a 1981 all-America who went on to play 18 pro seasons.

Len Elmore (1972-74): A 6-9 force on the glass, with an Afro that occasionally made him appear 6-11. Elmore (left) was a three-time all-ACC pick who holds Maryland records for rebounding in a season (14.7 pg) and career (12.2).

-- Stan Olson

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Clemson

2009-03-12T09:54:00.000-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Clemson basketball:

Terrell McIntyre (1995-99): Considered the best point guard in Clemson history. Nicknamed 'Boogie,' McIntyre (above) is the school's career leader in multiple categories.

Jim Sutherland (1964-67): He was the key player in the '60s when the Tigers had consecutive winning seasons in ACC play, something they didn't do again until the past two seasons.

Horace Grant (1983-87): Consensus ACC player of the the year in '86-87 when he led the league in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. Grant (left) was named to the ACC's top 50 athletes of all time.

Dale Davis (1987-1991): The first basketball player inducted into Clemson's Ring of Honor. Also, Davis (above left) is one of three ACC players with at least 1,500 points, 1,200 rebounds and 200 blocked shots (joining Mike Gminski and Ralph Sampson).

Tree Rollins (1973-77): He was one of the league's dominant big men whose mere presence on the court changed the game. Still ranks as the ACC's fifth-leading rebounder of all time.

-- Ron Green Jr.

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Georgia Tech

2009-03-12T09:52:00.000-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Georgia Tech basketball:

Mark Price G (1982-86): Tremendous shooter with the all-around game to go with it. Price (above), just 6-1, was a three-time all-ACC choice and the 1985 league’s top player. Averaged 36.5 minutes per game.

Roger Kaiser (1958-61): We’re going old school here, because Kaiser finished his career as a two-time all-American who owned 18 of GT’s 25 hoops records. A remarkable shooter who was ’61 SEC top player.

Dennis Scott (1987-90): The lynchpin of Lethal Weapon III, Scott (above) could fill it up from outside despite his 6-8 height. He was the 1990 ACC Player of the Year after averaging 27.7 ppg.

Matt Harpring (1994-98): At 6-8 and 225 pounds, Harpring (above) could score from the perimeter and bull around inside. Three-time all-ACC pick averaged 17.9 points and 8.0 rebounds for his career.

Rich Yunkus (1968-71): At 6-9, one of the early mobile centers. Yunkus could score at will on you, and finished his career with a 26.6 average, still the Yellow Jackets’ record.

—Stan Olson

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Think the O List is crazy for leaving someone out? Tell us who you'd add, and, just to make it interesting, who you would replace from our list. Put your thoughts in the comments section below.

All-time starting five: Miami

2009-03-12T07:38:00.001-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Miami basketball:

Rick Barry (1962-65): School's all-time leading scorer (29.8 ppg) and rebounder (16.5 rpg). Went on to become a legend in the ABA (above right) and NBA, too, making the underhand free-throw style famous.

Jack McClinton (2006-present): Hurricanes' first-ever All-ACC first-team pick in 2007-08, he repeated that as a senior this season. He's the ACC's all-time leader in 3-point percentage (44.3) and second in free-throw percentage (90.0). Transferred from Siena.

Tim James (1995-99): Two-time All-Big East player, also made some All-American teams as a senior. James, a bruising inside player, had career averages of 14.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg.

Don Cornutt (1967-70): Second-team All-American in 1970, Cornutt is Hurricanes' third all-time leading scorer behind Barry and Eric Brown. Averaged 26.1 points in three seasons.

Darius Rice (2000-04): Another long-range sharpshooter who made 260 3-point baskets in his career. His 1,865 points is fourth on the school's career list.

-- David Scott

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All-time starting five: Virginia Tech

2009-03-12T07:37:00.002-04:00

The O List's all-time starting five for Virginia Tech basketball:

Bimbo Coles (1986-90): Probably the most prolific basketball player in
school history, the speedy Coles finished his career with a 21.6
scoring average and 4.8 assists in 115 games.

Dell Curry (1982-86): Later an NBA fixture in Charlotte, Curry (above) left Blacksburg
in 1986 as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,389 points. He
also averaged 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals.

Allan Bristow (1969-73): A star in the days before freshman eligibility, his
23.1 scoring average in 78 varsity games still is the best ever for a
Hokie. Bristow (above, as a coach with the Charlotte Hornets) was the key player on the 1973 NIT title team.

Bill Matthews (1952-56): In the mid 1950s, the versatile Matthews was one of
the nation’s best and most durable players, averaging 16.5 points and
13.8 rebounds.

Ace Custis (1993-97): It’s too bad that ACC fans never had the chance to see
much of Custis (above), who led Bill Foster’s 1996 team to a 23-6 record. Over 124 games, he averaged 13.7 points and 9.5 rebounds.

—Caulton Tudor

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All-time starting five: Charlotte

2009-03-11T13:39:00.005-04:00

The O List's its all-time starting five for Charlotte basketball:

Cedric Maxwell (1973-77): Was named the Mideast Regional most valuable player during the 49ers' 1977 Final Four run. Charlotte was 58-0 in home games during his career, during which he amassed 1,824 points, 1,117 rebounds and 94 blocks. Maxwell (above) played 11 seasons in the NBA, getting drafted by the Boston Celtics.

Eddie Basden (2001-05): During his career with the 49ers he was named Conference USA Player of the Year in 2005, and the league's defensive player of the year in 2004 and 2005. In his senior season, several national college basketball analysts tapped Basden (above) as the national defensive player of the year.

DeMarco Johnson (1994-98): The 1998 C-USA Player of the Year played on three NCAA Tournament teams, helping two (1997 and 1998) advance to the second round. One of just four players in school history to surpass 2,000 career points. He averaged 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds during his career.

Byron Dinkins (1985-89): The former East Mecklenburg High star was the first recruit of the Jeff Mullins era. In 1988 he led the 49ers to their first Sun Belt regular season and tournament championships and the school's first NCAA bid since the 1977 Final Four.

Henry Williams (1988-92): One of the best 3-point shooters in Charlotte history, he is the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,383 points, including 308 long-range shots. Williams (left) produced a record 65 games of at least 20 points. In 1992, he led Charlotte to the Metro Conference tournament championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

--Jim Utter

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: NASCAR in S.C.

2009-03-11T00:02:00.000-04:00

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller sliceh. Today, the Mount Rushmore of NASCAR for South Carolina.

David Pearson: "The Silver Fox" won 105 races and won the championship pretty much every time he really tried. Pearson (above) and Richard Petty had the greatest rivalry in NASCAR history and one of the all-time greatest in all sports.

Cale Yarborough: Drove every lap like his car was on fire and he needed to find water. He was the first driver to win three straight titles. Nobody ever drove with more determination that Yarborough (above).

Harold Brasington: People openly mocked the idea of building a 1.3-mile paved track in 1950. Brasington (above) didn't care. He built it anyway and made Darlington a synonym for racing. His track is still one of the best tests of a driver's skill.

Buck Baker: Although Charlotte was considered his racing hometown, Baker (above) was born in Richburg, S.C. One of the sport's first great champion, his grit and determination also helped foster a great career for his son Buddy.

-- David Poole

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: NASCAR in N.C.

2009-03-10T07:57:00.001-04:00

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today we give you the Mount Rushmore of NASCAR in North Carolina.

Richard Petty: They don't call him "The King" for nothing. He won 200 Cup races and seven championships and signed more autographs than you could count. He represents Lee, Kyle, Adam and the whole Petty clan.

Dale Earnhardt: One part John Wayne, one part Elvis and one part everyman. Earnhardt won seven championships, but as importantly he defined the sport in his era.

Junior Johnson: Won 50 races as a driver and six championships as a team owner. Johnson is also an icon, "The Last American Hero" as writer Thomas Wolfe once called the bootlegger turned land baron.

Ned Jarrett (left): A three-time champion who also became one of the sport's most respected ambassadors as a radio and television broadcaster. Also the father of a Cup champion, Dale Jarrett.

--David Poole

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Pro basketball

2009-03-09T03:34:00.001-04:00

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of pro basketball in the Carolinas.

Carl Scheer, Carolina Cougars, Charlotte Hornets: Back in a time when the general manager did everything (business and basketball decisions), Scheer was an innovator, creating the slam-dunk contest in the ABA. He was long-gone from Charlotte when the Hornets’ relationship with the city deteriorated. Now he’s back in town, a Bobcats season-ticket holder.

Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets’ first All-Star, Johnson (above) was an iconic player struck down by a back injury. We say that bust on top of the mountain has to picture him as “Grandmama’’ of sneaker-selling fame (left).

Muggsy Bogues, Charlotte Hornets: The shortest player in NBA history at 5-3, Bogues (above) attacked the game with a frenetic energy anyone could appreciate. Former Hornets coach Allan Bristow put it best: There’d be another Larry Bird before there’s another Muggsy Bogues.

Larry Brown, Cougars player and coach, Bobcats coach: Brown’s Hall of Fame coaching career started in the Carolinas and will likely end here, too. In-between, Brown (above) became the only coach to win a title in the NCAA (Kansas, 1988) and NBA (Detroit Pistons, 2004).

-- Rick Bonnell

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Top 5 performances in the Garden

2009-03-07T08:11:00.004-05:00

Tonight, the Charlotte Bobcats visit Madison Square Garden, where in the space of 48 hours earlier in February, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James gave the two signature performances of the NBA season to date. That got us to thinking of the five best all-time NBA performances in the Garden (and wondering if Gerald Wallace has 50 in him tonight). Here's our list:

5. Kobe Bryant, (2009): The man (above) made all 20 of his free throws and scored a Garden record 61 points, but he appears last on the list because he got no rebounds. He did have three assists.

4. Bernard King (1984): In 1984, King averaged 33 points per game. He scored 50 against San Antonio and 50 more against Dallas on back-to-back nights that season, but on Christmas Day, he put up 60, a Garden record, on the rival Nets at the Garden. Later that same season, King scored 44 points in deciding Game 5 playoff win over Detroit, playing with two dislocated fingers and a 102-degree fever. Sadly, the next season, he blew out his knee and was never the same player.

3. Reggie Miller (1994): Miller’s Indiana Pacers were down 2-0 to the Knicks in the best-of 7 Eastern Conference finals but rallied to tie the series at two. In Game 5, the Pacers were down 12 going into the fourth quarter, but Miller made five 3-pointers in the quarter, scoring 25 points overall. Indiana won 93-86. Miller had 25 points in the quarter and 39 for the game, chatting with filmmaker (and huge Knick fan) Spike Lee all the way through it.

2. LeBron James (2009): Two nights after Kobe went off for 61, King James ran up his 21st career triple double -- 52 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Only he and Michael Jordan have multiple 50-point games in the Garden, and James was the first NBA player to score 50 points and have a triple double since Kareem Abdul Jabbar in 1975. "The sad thing,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said, “is that I'm sure LeBron said that it's no big deal to get 61 points. I’ll just get a triple-double. (Kobe) didn't do that.'' (The NBA took away the triple-double after the game, saying James was credited for a rebound he didn't get)

1. Michael Jordan (1995): Jordan’s 1986 performance probably should make the list, when he went off for 50 points in Chicago’s first game of the year and his first back from a broken foot that cost him 64 games the prior season. But on March 28, 1995, Jordan came to the Garden wearing No. 45. It was his fifth game back after a 17-month retirement. Chicago beat New York 113-111 and Jordan scored 55 points, setting up the game-winner and making 21-of-37 shots. Dejected again in a big game, Spike Lee famously said “Mike dropped a double-nickel on us.”

-- Langston Wertz Jr.

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Think we missed a great performance in the Garden? Want to tell your story about one of these five? Or do you have a list of top five performances at some other venue? Post your comments below.

Carolinas Mount Rushmore: North Carolina

2009-03-06T07:20:00.001-05:00

Tenth of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of University of North Carolina athletics.

Dean Smith, basketball: After 36 years, the 'Dean' of college basketball retired from North Carolina in 1997 with 879 wins, then the most for a Div. I men's basketball coach. His career included two national championships. The Tar Heels play in the arena named after him -- the Dean E. Smith Center.

Charlie 'Choo-Choo' Justice, football: An All-American in 1948 and 1949 at North Carolina, Justice ran or threw for 64 touchdowns and set a team total-offense record of 4,883 yards during his college career. He was a two-time runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, and went on to play in the NFL for the Washington Redskins.

Michael Jordan, basketball: Considered by many the best basketball player of all time, Jordan was known as "Mike" when he first arrived on UNC's campus. Jordan made the game-winning jump shot in the in the 1982 championship game against Georgetown. He averaged 17.7 ppg on 54 percent shooting in his three years as a Tar Heel.

Mia Hamm, soccer: Before she retired from women's soccer in 2004, Hamm won four national championships at UNC and scored 158 goals for the U.S. Women's Soccer team. In so doing, she became one of the most popular women's athletes in the world -- and a role model for little girls who wanted to become athletes, too.

— Robbi Pickeral

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Vote in our Poll! Which school has the more impressive O List "Mount Rushmore," Duke or North Carolina?

Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Duke

2009-03-06T07:19:00.001-05:00

Ninth of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Duke athletics.

Eddie Cameron, men’s basketball/football: Coached Duke to three Southern Conference titles in basketball and three more in football when Wallace Wade was serving in the military during World War II. In 1940, Cameron (above) coached the first game in the basketball arena that bears his name.

Christian Laettner, basketball: All-time leading scorer in NCAA tournament history, Laettner (above) played in four Final Fours and led Duke to NCAA titles in 1991 and 1992.

Mike Krzyzewski, basketball: Coach (above) has won three NCAA titles in 10 Final Four appearances and has more than 750 wins in 29 seasons at Duke.

Wallace Wade, football: After leaving Alabama to coach at Duke in 1931, Wade (above) coached the Blue Devils to two Rose Bowl appearances with a 110—36-7 record in 16 seasons, establishing the Blue Devils as a regional power.

--Ken Tysiac

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Disagree? Think we left someone out? Tell us in the comments below who you'd add, and which of our picks yours should replace.

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Vote in our Poll! Which school has the more impressive O List "Mount Rushmore," Duke or North Carolina?

Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Appalachian State

2009-03-05T07:03:00.001-05:00

Eighth of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Appalachian State athletics.

Jerry Moore, football: The Southern Conference's all-time winningest coach, Moore (above) put Appalachian State on national stage with three NCAA titles and a stunning upset at Michigan. He's coached the Mountaineers for two decades.

Armanti Edwards, football: The Walter Payton Award winner, Edwards (above) will end his career next season as arguably the school's greatest player, and certainly the flashiest. Bigger schools didn't think he could play QB, so he went to Boone and proved them wrong.

Bobby Cremins, basketball: Cremins (above) revived basketball on a football-crazed campus, leading ASU to its first Southern Conference title and first of the school's two NCAA tournament appearances in his 1975-81 tenure.

Thompson Usiyan, soccer: A three-time Southern Conference Player of the Year and still Division I soccer's all-time leading scorer with 109 goals, Usiyan (left) played at the school from 1977 through 1980.

--Harry Pickett

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Johnson C. Smith

2009-03-04T07:01:00.002-05:00

Seventh of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Johnson C. Smith athletics.

Curly Neal, men's basketball: Greensboro Dudley High product (above) starred at Smith and went onto world fame as the bald-headed ball-handler for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Steve Joyner, men's basketball: Came to J.C. Smith as a star point guard in the late '60s from Winston-Salem Atkins High. Joyner (above) stayed to become J.C. Smith's most successful men's basketball coach and is now atheltics director.

Columbus "Green Light" Parker, men's basketball: The nickname came because he always had the green light to shoot. He's the all-time leading scorer at Smith, with 2,586 points.

Pettis Norman, football: Former Golden Bulls star became a Dallas Cowboy and San Diego Charger. The school still gives out an athletic award in his honor annually.

--Langston Wertz Jr.

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: N.C. State

2009-03-03T06:08:00.001-05:00

Sixth of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of N.C. State athletics.

Ted Brown, football: Thiry-one years after he set it, his ACC career rushing record of 4,602 yards still stands.

Everett Case, basketball: Legendary former Indiana high school coach came to N.C. State in 1946 and helped establish college basketball’s stranglehold on the entire Triangle area.

David Thompson, basketball: Incomparable athlete who led N.C. State to the 1974 NCAA title and might have been the best basketball player in ACC history.

Kay Yow, women’s basketball: Hall of Famer had 680 coaching wins at N.C. State. She was a pioneer in her sport in her early years and a bold crusader against breast cancer in her later years.

--Ken Tysiac

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: South Carolina

2009-03-02T06:59:00.000-05:00

Fifth of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of South Carolina athletics.

Frank McGuire, basketball: He spent 16 seasons as the Gamecocks' men's basketball coach, defining the program and shaping it into a national power. McGuire was a three-time national coach of the year and led the Gamecocks to six consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins. McGuire (283-142 at South Carolina) is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Alex English, basketball: He remains the school's second-leading scorer in basketball after a spectacular career. English, with his silky style and explosive scoring ability, is the only player in school history to start every career game, 111 of them in his case. His number 22 is retired by the school. As a pro, English was a perennial All-Star and led the NBA in scoring in 1983. He's a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

George Rogers, football: He's the only Heisman Trophy winner from a Carolinas school and is the most honored player in South Carolina's football history. Rogers gained at least 1,000 yards in his last three seasons and with 1,781 yards as a senior. he won the Heisman Trophy, beating Pittsburgh's Hugh Green and Georgia's Herschel Walker. Rogers went to a successful NFL career in which he scored 54 touchdowns.

Dan Reeves, football: He was quarterback for the Gamecocks from 1962 through 1964 where he was a productive player. His greater fame would come later, however. Reeves played running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 1965 through 1972. When he was named head coach of the Denver Broncos in 1983, Reeves was only 31 years old. He eventually took four teams to the Super Bowl including the Atlanta Falcons.

--Ron Green Jr.

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Davidson

2009-03-01T00:05:00.001-05:00

Fourth of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Davidson athletics.

Lefty Driesell, basketball: The old Lefthander (above) took a tiny school with no basketball tradition and led it to the upper levels of the sport. He posted a record of 176-65 in nine remarkable seasons, taking Davidson games from Friends & Family outings to the place to be in Charlotte. In 1968 and '69, his Wildcats reached the NCAA Regional finals, just missing trips to the Final Four each time.

Bob McKillop, basketball: When McKillop (above) arrived at the school two decades ago, the Wildcats' time in college basketball's sun appeared done. Slowly, patiently and the right way, he resurrected the program. He now sports a record of 363-231, and took Davidson to the Elite Eight last season. His kids get it as well; they graduate.

Mike Maloy, basketball: He didn't just break the color barrier at Davidson, he smashed it. Maloy (above), a 6-foot-7 post player with long arms and great instincts, was a three-time all-American and twice named the Southern Conference Player of the Year. He led Driesell's Elite Eight teams, and remains the Wildcats' all-time leading rebounder.

Stephen Curry, basketball: You knew this was coming. Curry (above) will wind up his career as Davidson's leading scorer, but more important was that magical run last season, when he led the Wildcats past three heavily favored opponents and to within a basket of the Final Four. One of the few players capable of simply taking over a game, and of graciously handling all the publicity that comes with that ability.

-- Stan Olson

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Charlotte

2009-02-28T06:11:00.001-05:00

Third of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Charlotte athletics.

Cedric Maxwell, basketball: Maxwell (above) is perhaps the most famous face of Charlotte 49ers athletics. He was a star forward for the 49ers on their 1977 team which reached the NCAA Final Four. Maxwell ranks sixth all-time in points scored and has had his jersey retired after his storied career with Charlotte. He was the 12th overall pick in the 1977 NBA draft. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics, where he played for eight of his 11 NBA seasons.

Jeff Mullins, basketball: Mullins (above) , a native of Lexington, Ky., is a former basketball star at Duke and with the NBA's Golden State Warriors who was hired as the school's men's basketball program in 1985. He is credited with resurrecting the program, earning an NCAA berth in 1988 - the first since the school had been in the Final Four. His actions helped shape the development of the program as it moved to from the Sun Belt Conference to the Metro Conference and eventually Conference USA.

Chris Haney, baseball: Haney (right) was an All-Sun Belt selection in both 1989 and 1990 as a pitcher for the 49ers and remains the program's leader with 20 complete games. In 1990, he was chosen 40th overall in the Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos and reached the majors the next year at age 22. He pitched for six teams during an 11-year MLB career.

Judy Rose, administration: Rose (above) has been part of the Charlotte 49ers athletic programs since 1975 when she was hired as women's basketball coach and tennis coach. In 1990, Rose was promoted to AD. She was the first woman on NCAA Men's Basketball Committee. She is leading a fundraising drive to start a football program.

-- Jim Utter

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Clemson

2009-02-27T06:59:00.001-05:00

Second of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Clemson athletics.

Banks McFadden, football, basketball, track: He's generally considered the greatest athlete in school history and for good reason. He was a three-time letterman in three sports -- football, basketball and track. McFadden (above) was a two-time All-American in basketball, leading the Tigers to their only postseason tournament championship (the Southern Conference tournament in 1939). He was also a triple-threat in football, running, passing and kicking his way into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Frank Howard, football: There's a reason the Tigers play their football games on Frank Howard Field. He spent almost 65 years at Clemson, 30 of them as the head football coach, cultivating a program that has defined the school's athletic success. Howard (above) was a great character, known for telling colorful stories in his own unique style. As head coach, Howard posted a 165-118-12 record and players still rub 'Howard's Rock' before kickoff at Clemson.

Barbara Kennedy, basketball: She is the most accomplished women's athlete in Clemson history, nearly three decades after playing her last basketball game. In the early 1980s, Kennedy (left) was the face of women's basketball in the ACC, helping to elevate the sport in the public consciousness. All these years later, Kennedy remains the ACC's all-time leading scorer and rebounder after a career in which was a three-time first-team All-ACC player and two-time All-American.

Danny Ford, football: During the decade of the '80s, Ford (above) oversaw the Clemson football program and led it to unprecedented -- and unmatched -- heights. He made his head coaching debut as a 30-year old in the Gator Bowl against legendary Woody Hayes, leading the Tigers to a 17-15 victory in 1978. In 1981, Ford led the Tigers to a 12-0 record and the national championship, part a three-year run in which the Tigers posted a 30-2-2 record. Ford, still a hugely popular figure today, left Clemson with a 96-29-4 career record.

-- Ron Green Jr.

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Carolinas Mount Rushmore: Wake Forest

2009-02-26T07:08:00.002-05:00

First of a series.

ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice, using it for some of our area schools and giving you the four faces our beat writers believe should be honored from each institution. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Wake Forest athletics.

Arnold Palmer, golf: Two-time NCAA champ and ACC’s first golf champion, Palmer (above) went on to become one of his sport’s icons.

Dickie Hemric, basketball: Deacons’ star of mid-1950s remains ACC’s career rebounding leader. Hemric (above) was second on league’s scoring list until being passed by North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough this season.

Tim Duncan, basketball: Recruiting find from Virgin Islands blossomed into best shot blocker in ACC history. Duncan (above) led Wake Forest to two straight league titles.

Jim Grobe, football: Is presiding over the golden age of Deacons football. Under Grobe (above), Wake Forest has have played in three consecutive bowl games and won the ACC championship in 2006, playing in the BCS’s Orange Bowl that season.

– David Scott

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Top 5 all-time CIAA basketball players

2009-02-25T07:58:00.003-05:00

The CIAA tournament is coming to town again and there’s plenty of talent coming. Let’s look at the best ever CIAA players:

5. Earl Lloyd, West Virginia State: Lloyd (above) led his college to CIAA titles in 1948 and ’49 and was a three-time all-conference pick. In 1950, he became the first black player to play in an NBA game, playing for the Washington Capitols, who drafted him in the ninth round. He scored 731 points in the 1954-55 season helping the Syracuse Nationals win the Eastern Division title. In 1968, he became the first black assistant in the league, working with Detroit. He’s in the Virginia hall of fame and Feb. 9, 2001 was named Earl Lloyd Day by Virginia’s governor.

4. Cleo Hill, Winston-Salem State: Averaged 25.4 points during four-year career and 26.7 during senior season, when he led the Rams to the CIAA title. Has 2,488 career points and is in the CIAA Hall of Fame.

3. Charles Oakley, Virginia Union: In 1985, Sports Illustrated called Division II Union the best team in Virginia and called the 6-9 Oakley (above) “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth as far as Division II basketball goes.” In the CIAA Tournament that year, Oakley averaged 27 points and 18.3 rebounds, about his season average. Cleveland selected him ninth in the 1985 NBA draft but traded him to Chicago.

2. Sam Jones, N.C. Central: College career at then N.C. College was interrupted because he had two years of military service. Jones (left) was a three-time all-conference pick who averaged 18.6 points and 10.7 rebounds his senior year. He’s an NAIA and Naismith Hall Of Famer. Later, Jones was a pretty good player for the Boston Celtics. Maybe you remember him.

1. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Winston-Salem State: In 1967, Monroe (above) played for coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines and helped his team win the Division-II national title. He averaged 41.5 points that season. Monroe went onto a long NBA career and was later voted one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1996.

-- Langston Wertz Jr.

CIAA women’s starting five

The CIAA’s women’s basketball history isn’t as rich as the men’s, but here are five players who made their marks:

-- LaKisha Phifer, Saint Paul’s (1996-99): The greatest shot blocker in women’s college basketball history, Phifer’s averages of 7.0 (career) and 8.8 (season) are the best ever in the NCAA’s record book. The 6-foot-1 Phifer, who is from Charlotte and played at Independence High, once blocked 20 shots against Virginia Union, still an NCAA record. She also had 25 rebounds in a CIAA tournament game.

-- Kim Brewington, Johnson C. Smith (1988-91): Scored 64 points against Livingstone in 1990, second highest scoring game in Division II history. She also had 50 that same season against Livingstone. Her 32.4 point average in 1990 is third highest in Division II history.

-- Jackie Dolberry, Hampton (1986-89): At 6-1, she could play every position on the floor. The state of Virginia’s all-time leading scorer, Dolberry scored 52 points once against N.C. Central and had 2,645 in her career.

-- Norma Knight, Norfolk State (1982-83): She played just two seasons for the Spartans, but remains NCAA Division II’s all-time rebounding leader with an 18.4 average.

-- Celeste Trahan, Elizabeth City State (2005-08): The only player in Division II history to score at least 2,000 points and grab 1,500 rebounds in a career. Was the nation’s leading rebounder (15.9) and No. 2 scorer (23.7) in 2008.

– David Scott

Top 5 all-time athletes from Mecklenburg County

2009-02-24T07:06:00.000-05:00

The O List gets a heaping helping of hometown flavor, with the best five athletes to come out of Mecklenburg County — ever. Should Stephen Curry be on this list? Hey, give him some time. Feel free to throw in your choices in the comments section below. These are my five:

5. JIM BEATTY, Charlotte Central High: The first man to run a sub-4 minute mile indoors, clicking off a 3:58.9 effort in 1962, covered live on “Wide World of Sports. That year he broke 11 American and three world distance running records. Beatty (above, in USA sweats) was a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team and an all-American at North Carolina.

4. FLOYD “CHUNK” SIMMONS, Charlotte Central High: A sports everyman who won bronze medals in the decathlon in both the 1948 and ’52 Olympics. Simmons (above) also played tailback for North Carolina and even had an acting career, including a part in the 1958 musical “South Pacific.” Simmons was still competing in Masters field events into his 80s.

3. RAY DURHAM, Harding High: A remarkable second baseman who has spent 14 seasons in the major leagues. Durham (above), also a prep football star, was quick and fast and had surprising pop for a 5-foot-8 player. Normally a leadoff hitter in his prime, he hit as many as 26 home runs in a season and stole at least 20 bases for eight straight years. Not a great fielder, but good at getting on base. He’s a two-time all-star with a .277 lifetime batting average.

2. BOBBY JONES, South Meck High: Ironically, No.2 on our list played on the same Sabres’ team as No.1, and won a state title. Jones (above), who was 6-9 but mobile and quick, went on to star at North Carolina and then become a professional defensive whiz, a selfless passer and the NBA’s best sixth man for many years. In a 12-year pro career, Jones was an eight-time all-defensive team pick and a four-time all-star.

1. WALTER DAVIS, South Meck High: The purest baseline jumper you will ever see. Davis (above), a 6-6 swing man, followed Jones to North Carolina after playing for two prep state champions, then almost helped the Tar Heels to the 1977 national crown. He was the 1978 NBA Rookie of the Year with Phoenix, and went on to make six all-star teams and to average more than 20 points in six different seasons. Over a 15-year career, he averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds.

— Stan Olson

Top 5 reasons to check out the CIAA tournament

2009-02-23T06:23:00.002-05:00

Are you ready for the CIAA Tournament? The “C-I” is in town Feb. 24-28. Many think it’s the best sporting/entertainment in town all year. Still not convinced? Here are five reasons you should get tickets now.

Johnson C. Smith’s offense: The Bulls, located right here in Charlotte, lead the league in scoring, averaging 77.1 points per game. The Bulls make nearly 50 percent of their shots as a team and really run up and down the floor, playing ball the way Roy Williams would like.

Cheerleaders: These aren’t what you’ll find in the ACC or SEC. CIAA cheerleaders do battle with each other all game, much like the pep bands do. It’s high-level choreography as well suited to basketball as a Janet Jackson video.

Anthony Hilliard: Elizabeth City’s star player is the league's top scorer at 23.2 points per game and its leading rebounder (11.1). He’s clearly the league’s best player this year and the 6-4 senior from Fayetteville is the second player in school history to get 1,000 career rebounds. Oscar Smith was the first -- way back in 1961.

Mr CIAA: There’s this guy who wears these sharp, bright colored suits and strolls down the aisles with a matching cane, changing several times a game. He gets some of the biggest cheers of the week and is one of my all-time favorites.

The Parties: The basketball, on the men’s and women’s side, is great, but there’s no social event like the CIAA. Alumni from these 10 NCAA Division II historically black colleges annually get together and catch up in one big family reunion. And they invite everyone to come join them, too.

-- Langston Wertz Jr.

Top 5 irritating trends in sports

2009-02-21T09:07:00.001-05:00

Five irritating trends in sports that need to change quickly, before I throw the remote control through the wall:

1. Basketball timeouts. Does each team get about 12 or so? Each half? Must every final minute be possession, time out, free throw, time out, time out? It kills crescendo.

2. Halftime interviews in college football. Wake me when a coach leaving the field doesn't utter about nine cliches strung together.

3. Football pregame crowd. Do networks really need five guys "analyzing"? One good one would suffice.

4. High-fiving after a missed free throw. Hey, I'm all for encouragement, but slap the guy's hand when he MAKES one. It's cheapening the dap.

5. Fans complaining about TV times. Starts too late. Ends in the wee hours. They cut it short because of rain. Stop whining, the networks pay big money and have control. Admit it, if it's a sport you love, you'll watch it whenever.

-- Cliff Mehrtens

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What things about sports irritate you? Post your thoughts in the comments section below. Don't irritate us by saying the O List. We know who you are ...

Five most disliked Charlotte sports figures

2009-02-19T12:58:00.012-05:00

The Hornets' Derrick Coleman (above) leads off the list of Charlotte's most disliked sports figures. (Jeff Siner, file photo)

We’re always writing about the best this, the most popular that. So we’re changing it up a bit, particularly in light of all those fans who now feel betrayed by the Carolina Panthers’ Julius Peppers. Who have been the most disliked, despised, yes, even hated sports figures in Charlotte history? We ran it by the sports staff, but I’m sure we’re forgetting someone, so feel free to chime in with individuals or lists of your own. And Julius doesn’t even make the Top 5.

5. Jerry Reese: I'm sorry, but when one man messes with the will of the people by filing frivolous lawsuit after frivolous lawsuit, he's got to make this list. If not for Reese, Charlotte would be well on its way to having an uptown minor league baseball stadium, the Knights suddenly within easy reach of the entire city. We might even be seeing baseball here this summer. Not with the hardheaded Reese being a human roadblock, though.

4. Derrick Coleman: He’s long gone now, but his picture is next to fat, slow and lazy in most Charlotte dictionaries. Coleman’s days as a power forward (the emphasis is not on power here) with the basketball Charlotte Hornets were mostly known for stays on the disabled list and the fact that the team’s record was much better when he didn’t play than when he did.

3. Bruton Smith: He has done lots of good things through the years, but the bottom line is that he held the town of Concord hostage when he threatened to move his speedway somewhere else. Concord, a struggling town desperate to hold on to speedway-generated revenue and jobs, folded and made huge monetary concessions to a billionaire. Smith punished the little people because he could, and many have not forgiven him.

2. Bob Johnson: I’m sorry Bob, when you own a basketball team, occasionally act like you care about the people who come to watch them. Johnson rolled into town, raised ticket prices his first year even though the team was still playing in the old coliseum, and put the Bobcats on a TV station that he hoped would create revenue for, uh, Bob Johnson. Problem was, no one could watch it and no loyalty to the new guys was built as a result. Johnson wants first and foremost to make money on this team. Sorry Bob, it’s the NBA.

1. George Shinn: The man who brought major league sports to Charlotte with the Hornets owned this city to start with, and there was talk of him running for governor. Then he began to slowly chip away at all that good will. Eventually, after a huge number of wrong turns against public opinion, he took our first big league team to New Orleans. By then, most Charlotteans were simply happy to be rid of him.

—Stan Olson

Top 5 all-time Charlotte television sportscasters

2009-02-19T07:25:00.001-05:00

Our list of the top television sportscasters in Charlotte history:

5. Mike Solarte, News 14: The best thing going right now. Solarte does a 30-minute sports show almost daily -- and effectively -- like an N.C. “SportsCenter.”

4. Chuck Howard, WCNC: Came in from Buffalo and was a local whiz kid. He was polished and knowledgeable and broke a lot of news. He was major network good.

3. Jim Thacker, WBTV: I remember him as much for calling ACC basketball with Billy Packer as I do the local sports, but he was awful good at both.

2. Paul Cameron, WBTV: Fair and balanced, Cameron came across like your favorite uncle. His “Football Friday Night” high school show is one of the best local TV creations of all time.

1. Harold Johnson, WSOC: He was once as a big a celebrity locally as many of the people he interviewed. His “Big Guy” persona was ESPN before there was ESPN.

-- Langston Wertz Jr.

Top 5 ACC football matchups for 2009

2009-02-18T07:01:00.001-05:00

The Nov. 28 rematch of N.C. State's 41-10 thrashing of North Carolina is one to watch for 2009.

Basketball season isn't even over yet, and spring practice is still a month away, but the ACC schedule came out last week, which means it isn't too early to start talking about football.

Despite the overflow of games against Division I-AA -- sorry, FCS -- opponents (Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State will play two each, Wake Forest one) there are still plenty of intriguing games on next season's schedule -- the top five:

5. BOSTON COLLEGE AT NOTRE DAME, OCT. 24: The Eagles had an offseason of unexpected coaching turmoil, while the Irish expected coaching turmoil but had none. This battle of Catholic football powers always means something.

4. CLEMSON AT GEORGIA TECH, SEPT. 10: Two questions will be answered, in part, this one: Can Clemson bounce back from a miserable season? And: Will Georgia Tech's option offense work a second time through the ACC?

3. MIAMI AT FLORIDA STATE, SEPT. 7: For the third time in four years, Florida State and Miami will open the season against each other on Labor Day. Both programs may be a shadow of their former selves, but they will both be undefeated for this one.

2. NORTH CAROLINA AT N.C. STATE, NOV. 28: Two programs on the upswing close out the season against each other after last fall's Wolfpack win in Chapel Hill. If both teams are improved, there could be a lot on the line.

1. VIRGINIA TECH VS. ALABAMA IN ATLANTA, SEPT. 5: Division favorite Clemson was exposed by the Crimson Tide to open last season, and the ACC spent the rest of the year repairing its reputation. The Hokies have a chance to salvage some ACC pride.

Is there another game on the schedule that catches your eye? Add your choices below.
-- Luke DeCock

A-Rod's top 5 excuses for steroid use

2009-02-17T07:07:00.000-05:00

With apologies to David Letterman, the O-List looks at Alex Rodriguez’s top five excuses for using steroids:

5. Trainer told him they were Flintstones Chewable Vitamins.

4. Watched “Pumping Iron” and wanted to inflate his “skinny little arms.”

3. Barry said, “You’ll never catch me, wimp.”

2. Couldn’t resist the chance for a trip to Washington on the taxpayer’s dime.

1. Looking around for a healthier snack than Georgia peanut butter.

—Stan Olson

Top 5 Charlotte sports radio personalities

2009-02-16T06:55:00.004-05:00

Charlotte’s best sports radio personalities ever:

5. Matt Pinto: I don’t think we ever had a sports talker as knowledgeable as Pinto, who was also the radio voice of the Charlotte Hornets in the '90s. He was smart on so many topics, and his presentation was much different than what we hear today, when so many guys sound alike - and rant alike.

4. Gerry Vaillancourt: He was on WFNZ and later on WBT radio, whose 50,000 watt signal reached up and down the East Coast. A former coach, he really knew basketball and could talk it about as well as anyone in the country. He had a tendency to go overboard, but we enjoyed his passion. He teamed with Pinto and with Michelle Tafoya (Mickey Conley), and that was sports-radio magic.

3. Mark Packer (left): He’s created a brand at WFNZ right now around his afternoon show and his “Southern Fried Football” packages. Packer’s rolodex is amazing and the guests he gets make his show.

2. Gary Williams: Since he left for a satellite radio gig, there’s been a big hole in Charlotte’s current sports talk universe. Williams was knowledgeable and down to earth. He did great research and more than many sports talk guys, he almost always had a few facts to back up his opinions.

1. John Kilgo: The guy has incredible local history and has seen so much. He also has an opinion and a strong one at that. Kilgo makes you take sides, but he always makes you listen. He’s one of the best things, still, on local radio, doing guest spots on Packer’s show.
- Langston Wertz Jr.

Ranking the pro sports all-star games

2009-02-15T09:30:00.001-05:00

For too many years and with too little reason, All-Star games have been a part of the professional sports landscape. They really don't mean anything, though baseball has now attached home-field advantage in the World Series to the outcome of its summer showcase. Otherwise, All-Star games tend to meaningless exercises in selling commercial time on television.

With the NBA's All-Star weekend approaching, here's one view of how the extravaganzas rank with the caveat that almost every sport would be better off without one.

5. The NFL Pro Bowl. It's almost as bad as the uniforms the players are forced to wear. It comes after the season has ended, managing to further dilute a meaningless game. The best that can be said for it is that it's been played in Hawaii so the players get that treat. Now, even that's about to change.

4. The NHL All-Star Game. I've heard there's such a thing but have found no evidence it exists.

3. The NBA All-Star Game. It was a sweet moment when Magic Johnson came back and played after his AIDS admission years ago. Otherwise, it's less filling than cotton candy. And the dunk contest, please….

2. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Maybe baseball just lends itself better to an All-Star game, even if Bud Selig calls them a draw when it gets late. It's worth watching, at least the early innings when the starters are playing. And if they want to give the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series, well, at least they're playing for something.

1. The Nextel All-Star Race. It's the best race on the circuit, even if it doesn't count in the points race. Something unusual always seems to happen and, except for the pre-race introductions, it doesn’t take all night to complete. It's relatively short, to the point and usually fun. Even when Mark Martin wins.

-- Ron Green Jr.

Top 5 dunkers of all time

2009-02-14T10:10:00.002-05:00

This weekend is the 25th anniversary of the NBA Dunk Contest, which happens tonight during All-Star Saturday. The idea was hatched by Charlotte resident Carl Scheer, who as general manager of the ABA Denver Nuggets, teamed with ABA marketing director Jim Bukata to unveil the contest at the 1976 ABA All-Star Game. Scheer, a consultant for the Charlotte Checkers, has been in sports management and seen dunkers for nearly 40 years. The Observer's Cliff Mehrtens asked for Scheer’s top five all-time dunkers, and his comments:

1. Julius Erving: “He was the grandfather of all dunkers. He was fluid, he was long and he made you gasp. He played in the 1970’s and 80s, and was an innovator for playing above the rim.”

2. David Thompson: “He had a 44-inch vertical leap. He was as creative dunking as Julius was majestic. Incredible talent.”

3. Michael Jordan: “He took the contest to another level after Irving and Thompson. He was so confident and had such control of his body. He could plan a dunk, change his mind three times as he was beginning, and then do something spectacular.”

4. Dwight Howard: “His size and strength make him a candidate for the hall of fame of dunkers. Not as fluid as the guys ahead of him on the list, but certainly a top 5.”

5. Jason Richardson: “Explosive, and very creative for a guy his size (6-foot-6). He’s won the NBA contest twice.”

Disagree with Scheer's list? Post your substitutes, or your comments, or your very own list, in the comments section below.

Top 5 drivers in Daytona 500 history

2009-02-13T06:59:00.003-05:00

As the NASCAR season get set for its official kickoff with Sunday's Daytona 500, it's a good time to consider who may be the best drivers to ever compete in the Daytona 500. Do you base it on wins? On how many events the drivers competed in? Best overall finish? There are many factors to consider. Here is our top five drivers to compete in the Daytona 500 and how we came to our judgment. Feel free to offer your own.

5. Dale Earnhardt

Earnhardt only won one Daytona 500 but his career-long effort to win NASCAR's biggest race make up some of the best storylines associated with the race. For nearly his entire career, the 500 trophy was the only thing missing from his extensive NASCAR resume, which includes a record-tying seven Cup series championships. The 2001 Daytona 500, ironically, was also where his career ended, as he was killed in a last-lap crash while a car he owned, driven by Michael Waltrip, won the race.

4. Dale Jarrett

Jarrett won the 1993 Daytona 500 over Earnhardt - often referred to as "The Dale and Dale Show" - in a race called in the broadcast TV booth by his father and former NASCAR champion, Ned Jarrett. Dale Jarrett also won the 500 in 1996 and 2000. His 1996 victory also came with Earnhardt as runner-up but it wasn't easy as Jarrett held off Earnhardt's advances over the final 24 laps.

3. Bobby Allison

Allison was no stranger to success at Daytona and managed three 500 victories, including his final career Cup series win in the 1988 season. That race also featured the first one-two father/son finish, with his son Davey Allison coming in second. Bobby Allison was also the oldest driver (50 years gold) to ever win 500. Bobby also was involved in the notorious infield fight in the 1979 500 involving himself, his brother, Donnie, and Cale Yarborough.

2. Cale Yarborough

Yarborough won the Daytona 500 four times - his first win coming in 1968 for the Wood Brothers, the second in 1977 for Junior Johnson, and back-to-back wins in 1983 and 1984. His 1984 victory came on the heels of an impressive qualifying effort as Yarborough became the first driver to qualify for the 500 with a speed of more than 200 mph.

1. Richard Petty

Petty holds so many NASCAR records it shouldn't be a surprise he also has the most 500 victories (seven). His most memorable 500 may be one he lost. In the 1976 race, he and David Pearson wrecked just yards from the finish line. Pearson was able to restart his engine, drove through the infield grass around Petty's wrecked car, and was declared the winner.

--- Jim Utter

Top 5 SI swimsuit covers

2009-02-12T06:36:00.001-05:00

It’s that time of the year again — the often-imitated, never-duplicated Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has arrived in mailboxes across the country this week, brightening dreary February days. It will produce indignant letters to the editor (“Girls in tiny bathing suits! Cancel my subscription!”) from people who somehow missed the last 45 years of swimsuits. Please, cancel their subscriptions. And renew mine.

The Top Five SI swimsuit covers of all time. You can certainly disagree with one or two or all five, so post your picks in the comment section. For research purposes only, find all the previous swimsuit covers here. It’s actually pretty tough to make a poor choice with this group:

5. 2009: Is it inevitable that the most recent (i.e. freshest) makes the list? I like to think it’s more of a credit to 23-year-old first time cover girl Bar Refaeli, who will now be known for more than just being Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend. SI sorted through 90,000 photos to pick the cover winner…and got it right.

4. 1994: The Dream Team, and three’s company, alright. Where else can you find Elle Macpherson, Kathy Ireland and Rachel Hunter together, and all of them smiling at you?

3. 1984. The issue’s title was “Here Comes The Sun,” with Paulina Porizkova kneeling on some exotic beach at sunrise. Here comes the sun, indeed.

2. 1987: When it comes to Elle Macpherson, take your pick — the 6-foot-tall Girl Next Door from the Land Down Under was on the cover a record five times. My favorite though, was ‘87’s offering. No way she could look any sweeter—or hotter.

1. 2006: The “Beach Party” cover featured eight pretty young things, and in this situation, eight is always better than one. Beautiful smiles, and the fact that they all forgot the upper portions of their suits has nothing to do with it.

— Stan Olson

Top 5 North Carolina wins over Duke

2009-02-11T07:02:00.002-05:00

With North Carolina and Duke set to renew their rivalry tonight in Cameron Indoor Stadium, here’s how staff writer Ron Green Jr. ranks the five biggest Tar Heel victories in the long series (following Tuesday's list of the biggest Duke victories):

5. North Carolina 75, Duke 73, Feb. 5, 1992, Smith Center

Top-ranked Duke, the defending national champions, brought a 23-game winning streak into the showdown with North Carolina in a thunderously loud arena. It is most memorable for the image of North Carolina center Eric Montross, who had an open gash on his head and another beneath his left eye from the physical game. The Tar Heels held Christian Laettner to 12 points and when it was over, Montross said of Duke, “I was tired of them.”

4. North Carolina 75, Duke 73, March 6, 2005, Smith Center

On Senior Day, the second-ranked Tar Heels trailed No. 6 Duke by nine points with three minutes remaining before storming back to beat the Blue Devils in Roy Williams’ second season as head coach. Marvin Williams’ three-point play with 17 seconds remaining made the difference as the Tar Heels beat Duke for only the third time in 18 games. Afterward, Roy Williams let his players cut down the nets inside the Smith Center.

3. North Carolina 96, Duke 92 (OT), March 2, 1974, Carmichael Auditorium

Eight points, 17 seconds. It was one of the most famous comebacks in sports history when the fourth-ranked Tar Heels rallied from eight down with 17 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime when Walter Davis banked in a 35-foot shot at the buzzer. Duke’s Pete Kramer missed a free throw with four seconds remaining and Duke leading by two, setting in motion the famous shot by Davis. “Some of us believe we can always come back,” North Carolina coach Dean Smith said afterward.

2. North Carolina 77, Duke 74, March 12, 1989, Atlanta

It was a basketball game – the ACC tournament final – but it looked and felt like an alley fight. “Nasty,” is how Duke’s Quin Snyder would describe it. It was a game full of elbows and fouls, its emotional and physical intensity surpassing its artistry. At one point, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina’s Dean Smith got into a shouting match with each other. After four players fouled out and five others finished with four fouls, North Carolina prevailed – but only when Danny Ferry’s three-quarter court shot bounced off the rim.

1. North Carolina 65, Duke 62, Jan. 9, 1965, Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Three nights earlier, North Carolina’s team bus had arrived back in Chapel Hill after a 107-85 loss to Wake Forest to find fourth-year coach Dean Smith being burned in effigy. Going to face the eighth-ranked Blue Devils, Smith had lost all seven meetings with Duke and coach Vic Bubas but it all changed on Jan. 9. With Billy Cunningham (who had pulled down the burning effigy) scoring 22 points and Bob Lewis adding 21, the Tar Heels ended Duke’s 28-game ACC winning streak while holding the Blue Devils 35 points below their average. The Tar Heels closed the season by winning nine of their last 11 games to tie for second in the ACC regular-season race and Dean Smith’s career had taken off.

Think another game belongs on the list, or want to offer a Top 5 of your own? Let us know in the comments section below.

Top 5 college basketball rivalries

2009-02-10T11:20:00.001-05:00

Baseball has Yankees-Red Sox. The NFL has Cowboys-Redskins. The NHL has Colorado-Detroit and Toronto-Montreal. The NBA once had Lakers-Celtics, and now has it again. College football has a trophy up for grabs almost every Saturday, from the Apple Cup to the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

And college basketball has North Carolina and Duke. Of course, the Tar Heels and Blue Devils aren’t alone as they face off for the 226th time Wednesday, but they most certainly top the list of college basketball’s best rivalries, Tuesday’s Top Five:

5. Indiana-Purdue — This may have lost a little bit of its luster with Indiana rebuilding this season, but the Hoosiers have won six of the past seven. To get a sense of the heat this game can provoke, consider this: When Bobby Knight threw a chair onto the court 24 years ago, it was during a game against Purdue. And when Indiana won the national title in 1987, one of the Hoosiers’ four losses was to Purdue. They play only once this season, Feb. 21 at Purdue.

4. Connecticut-Tennessee women — After 22 meetings — six of those in the Final Four — the two schools stopped playing during the regular season two years ago after a disagreement between the two legendary coaches, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma. But this was — and would still be — the biggest game on the women’s schedule annually. UConn leads the series 13-9, but Tennessee has won the past three meetings and has the edge in NCAA titles, 8-5.

3. Kentucky-Louisville — Only Rick Pitino could be so slick as to leave Kentucky for the NBA, then return to college coaching with Louisville. His successor at UK, Tubby Smith, suffered upset losses to Louisville in his first two seasons with the Wildcats. These two teams hated each other so badly, an NCAA Tournament meeting in 1983 was their first matchup in 24 years. Since then, Kentucky leads the series 17-11. Pitino went 6-2 against Louisville at Kentucky and is 4-4 against Kentucky at Louisville.

2. Philadelphia Big 5 — This round-robin series between La Salle, Penn, St. Joseph’s, Temple and Villanova features the kind of local enmity ACC fans can appreciate. For years, all Big 5 games were played as doubleheaders at the Palestra, one of college basketball’s great arenas, but the move to home sites and Villanova’s entry into the Big East put an end to round-robin play in 1991. But the round-robin is back now, and lately, Drexel’s rise as a solid mid-major program has brought the Dragons inclusion in an informal “City 6.”

1. North Carolina-Duke — What really needs to be said? It’s the seventh time this decade both teams are ranked in the top 10. And Wednesday’s game isn’t even the biggest between the two this season. Imagine what it’s going to be like with Duke at the Smith Center for Tyler Hansbrough’s last home game in March?

- Luke DeCock

Top 5 Duke wins over North Carolina

2009-02-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

Since their first meeting on Jan. 24, 1920, Duke and North Carolina have played 225 basketball games against each other, with the Tar Heels holding a 128-97 advantage. With meeting No. 226 set for Wednesday night, Observer staff writer Ron Green Jr. ranks the five biggest Duke wins in the contentious series:

5. Duke 66, North Carolina 65 (OT), Feb. 28, 1981, Cameron Indoor Stadium

Gene Banks always had a flair for the dramatic and his Cameron finale was no exception. Before the game, Banks tossed roses to the crowd upon being introduced then delivered a 25-point performance that took down No. 11 North Carolina. Banks hit an 18-foot with one second remaining to force overtime then won the game with an offensive rebound with 16 seconds remaining.

4. Duke 47, North Carolina 40, Feb. 24, 1979, Cameron Indoor Stadium

It is best remembered as the game when fourth-ranked North Carolina went scoreless in the first half, trailing sixth-ranked Duke 7-0 at the break after electing to not to force the action against the Blue Devils’ zone defense. The Tar Heels’ first-half offense consisted of two air balls. In his final home game, Duke’s Jim Spanarkel went out with 17 points.

3. Duke 95, North Carolina 81, March 4, 2001, Smith Center

Only days after losing center Carlos Boozer to a broken bone in his foot, the second-ranked Blue Devils weren’t expected to be able to handle the fourth-ranked Tar Heels. Instead, Jason Williams scored 33 points and Shane Battier had 25 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals as the Blue Devils turned in a season-altering performance. It began a 10-game winning streak that culminated with the national championship.

2. Duke 77, North Carolina 75, March 10, 1984, ACC Tournament

One year earlier, Duke had lost to Virginia by 43 points in the ACC and Mike Krzyzewski’s future was in doubt. After two regular-season losses to the Tar Heels, including a double-overtime loss in Chapel Hill one week earlier, the Blue Devils beat No. 1 North Carolina in the ACC tournament semifinals, just the Tar Heels’ second loss. As much as any game, it announced the arrival of Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils on the national scene.

1. Duke 77, North Carolina 75, Feb. 28, 1998, Cameron Indoor Stadium

The Blue Devils were ranked No. 1 and the Tar Heels No. 3 when they met for the 200th time. North Carolina had won nine of the previous 10 meetings, including a 24-point win earlier in the season at Chapel Hill and it seemed like more of the same when the Tar Heels led 64-47 with 11:39 remaining. With point guard Steve Wojciechowski setting the tone, Duke stormed from behind. When Roshown McLeod hit a short jumper with one minute remaining, Duke took its first and only lead of the game and held on to win. It was coach Mike Krzyzewski’s 500th coaching victory. “Pretty good,” Krzyzewski said afterward.

Coming Wednesday: Ron Green Jr. ranks his top five North Carolina wins over Duke.

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Have another Duke victory over North Carolina you think belongs on the list, or even your own top five? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.

Worst athletes in the movies?

2009-02-09T06:27:00.001-05:00

Not to be outdone by last week's list of the five best fictional athletes in the movies, Observer copy desk supervisor Tom Parks offers a list of the five worst athletes in the movies, fictional or not. Hey, Tom, is this because you relate better to these guys?

5. Ogilvie. "Bad News Bears." Brainy kid better suited to helping the team as an assistant coach than on the field.

4. Henry Steele. "One on One." Robby Benson plays a college basketball player in over his head. He is convincing.

3. Ollie. "Hoosiers." You may never be in a sports movie, but at least you shoot free throws overhand.

2. Rudy. "Rudy." Inspirational, yes. Persistent, yes. A hero, yes. But not a natural talent by any means.

1. Nuke LaLoosh. "Bull Durham." OK, here's a natural talent. But give me an eight-ball and I'll nail Kevin Costner right between the eyes from 10 paces.

Did Tom miss a bad athlete in the movies, or do you just disagree with his list? (The O List editor doesn't think Nuke was that bad.) Put your thoughts in the comments below.

Five NASCAR movies they should make

2009-02-06T19:57:00.001-05:00

A movie about Tim Richmond (above) would be AOK with Observer NASCAR writer David Poole. And not just because he wrote the book.

Tom Cruise was interviewed Friday's edition of "NASCAR Now" on ESPN2. Cruise, of course, starred as Cole Trickle in the 1990 movie "Days of Thunder," which unlike a lot of people in racing Observer NASCAR reporter David Poole didn't hate. But there are a bunch of true-life racing stories he would love to see made into movies. Here are five David thinks would make good ones, with his comments on each:

1. "Never Lose a Party" -- A biopic on Tim Richmond. And not because (well, not at least totally) I wrote a book that would serve as a fine basis for the screenplay. There are many elements of the story about how Richmond lived and how he died that would have resonance 20 years after his passing.

2. "Brasington's Folly" -- The story behind how Harold Brasington, defying all convention and logic, build Darlington Speedway and got it open 60 seasons ago.

3. "Awesome" -- The 1985 season through the eyes of Bill Elliott and his brothers, who turned NASCAR on its ear and won the first $1 million bonus ever paid to a NASCAR race winner.

4. "Race with Destiny" -- A look at the 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motors Speedway, which with no disrespect to the 1979 Daytona 500 or any other race I consider to be the most dramatic and historically significant race in NASCAR history. Alan Kulwicki, Bill Elliott and Davey Allison battle for the title in Richard Petty's last Cup race and Jeff Gordon's first. Yeah, I wrote a book about that one, too.

5. "Full Throttle" -- A movie based on a book I didn't write. Robert Edelstein wrote this biography of one of the most interesting men in NASCAR history, the great Curtis Turner.

What other real-life stories, NASCAR or otherwise, do you think would make good sports movies? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.

'Friday Night Lights': Best TV series about sports

2009-02-05T15:44:00.006-05:00

One reason 'Friday Night Lights' is great? The cast is pretty.

Ron Green Jr. offers five reasons "'Friday Night Lights,: on WCNC-TV Channel 36 tonight at 9, is the best television series ever about sports:

5. To be fair, it doesn't have a lot of competition. There was 'Sports Night' a few years back, a pseudo-ESPN kind of thing, but it disappeared quicker than a Charlotte snowfall. And calling 'Cheers' a sports show because Sam 'Mayday' Malone was a former pitcher doesn’t count.

4. Buddy Garrity. He's the overbearing booster, who spends way too much time watching football practice when he should be selling cars. He's perfectly irritating and like a lot of people who latch on to teams, you wish he'd go away but know he won't.

3. They're pretty. Not just the women, who are beautiful, but the guys, too. (Here's a photo gallery from NBC.com.) You know you're onto something when one of the women on the show, Minka Kelly, is dating Derek Jeter.

2. The coach and his wife. Eric Taylor, played perfectly by Kyle Chandler, is the coach. Tami, his wife played by Connie Britton, is the school principal. You wish they were your real-life friends.

1. It's not just about football. That's the best part. It's about life, not just high school life, in a small town. It uses football but it's more about the people. It reminds you of how good television can be.
Disagree about "Friday Night Lights," or want to offer another contender? Post your thoughts in the comments.

Top 5 disgraced athletes

2009-02-05T08:34:00.005-05:00

Former Carolina Panthers receiver Rae Carruth makes this list. He was convicted and sentenced in connection with the 1999 killing of Cherica Adams in Charlotte.

Michael Phelps admitted to a bong hit. Roger Clemens has been accused of fueling his hall of fame baseball career with steroids. But they can't make this list. Our top 5 most disgraced athletes (or former athletes) of all-time, determined by a distinguished (if unathletic) panel:

1. O.J. Simpson: The poster boy.

2. Pete Rose: Agreed to lifetime ban from baseball in 1989, and has done a remarkable job of keeping the story in the news ever since.

3. Mike Tyson: Rape conviction, ear biting …pick your disgrace.

4. Michael Vick: The details revealed from his dog-fighting days might keep him out of the NFL for life.

5. Rae Carruth: A horrible story right here in Charlotte.

Best fictional athletes in the movies?

2009-02-04T06:50:00.003-05:00

Sylvester Stallone made Rocky (right) a household name -- and a popular statue. He gave rope-a-dope a whole new meaning.

Bill Simmons has his Teen Wolf hang up, but which full-time humans were the best athletes the movies have ever seen? Observer designer Eric Edwards offers his list.

1. Rocky Balboa, multiple "Rocky" movies - He still has more statues in Philly than Donovon McNabb.

2. Roy Hobbs, "The Natural" - Imagine if he'd had access to steroids.

3. Jimmy Chitwood, "Hoosiers" - He'd still probably come off the bench in Chapel Hill.

4. Bobby Boucher, "The Waterboy" - Defense delivers championships, and high quality H2O.

5. Happy Gilmore, "Happy Gilmore" - "The Price is wrong..."

Disagree, or have a list of your own? Post your thoughts in the comments section!

Best high school athletes you've seen?

2009-02-03T06:35:00.004-05:00

Chris Leak was an amazing high school quarterback at Independence High before he became a national champion at Florida.

Observer prep reporter Cliff Mehrtens lists the six best high school athletes he's seen in person -- and before they became famous. But even Cliff admits he can't be everywhere.

Cliff's list:

6. Allison Feaster, Chester (S.C.) – Best girls’ basketball player in state history. Just about the smartest, too. As an interview, she was insightful, funny and honest. And she was 16. Used words – correctly – that would send me scurrying for definitions. Bypassed college basketball powers to go to Harvard. Brains, beauty and a jumper.

5. Nick Maddox, Kannapolis Brown – Running back with amazing speed, cutting ability and drive. Intense, but didn’t show up his less-talented teammates. Best story I heard was he came back to the huddle one time, and told his blockers to take care of nine (defenders) and he’d handle the other two.

4. Will Clark – When I was in college in New Orleans, we went to a Jesuit High game to see this sophomore getting a lot of press. He was skinny, we thought, until he hit a pitch about 425 feet that caromed off a light tower about 40 feet up. In right-centerfield. He remained brash, became a millionaire the day he signed with the Giants, then hit a home run in his first big-league at-bat. Against Nolan Ryan.

3. Jason Parker, West Charlotte – He’d peel off the basketball warm-up suit, and you’d think “which skinny opponent is going to handle this 6-foot-8, 260-pound force?” Hardly any ever did. Twice he was the N.C. player of the year…Never had gaudy statistics because when the Lions got up by 30 or so, he was rested. A dancer’s footwork wrapped around a defensive end’s build.

2. Peyton Manning, Newman – I worked for the New Orleans newspaper, and back then he was known as “Archie’s kid” and “Cooper’s little brother.”… He was the biggest kid on a 2A team, and made defenses look silly. Newman would spread 4-5 receivers, and Manning would often have 300 yards before halftime.

1. Chris Leak, Independence High quarterback – Threw passes that some college quarterbacks didn’t even attempt. The best was watching opposing players sneak peeks at him during warm-ups, usually a mundane part of the game. Incredible arm, vision and poise. The top three passing seasons in N.C. history – Leak (5,193 yards), Leak (4,529) and Leak (4,521).

Did you see a great athlete before they became a household name? Let us know about it in the comments section below.

Carolinas' best pure shooters, college version

2009-02-02T08:39:00.007-05:00

Where does Davidson's Stephen Curry rank on our list of college basketball in the Carolinas' best pure shooters ever? Hint: It's not first.

Welcome to the O List, a blog of lists from The Observer -- and, we hope, readers -- of just about anything to do with sports in the Carolinas.

Disagree with us? That's part of the point, because the lists are subjective. Have a suggestion for a list? Post it in the comments.

We'll start with our list of the best pure shooters I've ever seen play basketball in the Carolinas. We're limiting this first O-List to colleges and to our area. Remember, this isn't about who is the best athlete; we'll save Michael Jordan and David Thompson for that list. And we're limiting this one to the last 40 years or so because well, I didn't see many guys before that.

-- Stan Olson

5. Charlie Scott, North Carolina, 1966-70: Scott was streaky and had the added pressure of doing his bit to break the ACC's color barrier in a meaningful way. But when he was hot, he could carry a team. Check out the 1969 ACC Tournament championship game, when he rallied the Tar Heels past Duke by making 12 of his 13 second half shots. He scored 28 points in the period, 40 for the game. Of those 13 shots, one was a layup. The others were from behind a three-point line that didn't exist at the time. Eleven of them swished. The other went in and out. If you saw that game, you still remember.

4. Rodney Monroe, N.C. State, 1988-91: He could score on the drive and off the dribble, but his jump shot was a thing of beauty, pure as the driven snow. And it's that smooth and fluid jumper from the perimeter that I remember him for. He is still the leading three-point shooter (.439 percentage) in ACC history. Monroe and Chris Corchiani made up arguably the best backcourt the league ever had (hey, another list).

3. J.J. Redick, Duke, 2003-06: Maybe you hated -- well, intensely disliked -- this guy, and a lot of folks did. But even they admitted that J.J. could flat fill it up. And he always seemed to start filling when the Blue Devils needed him most. Sure, his teammates set a zillion screens for him, but he still had to make all those shots. And you want pure? Redick is the ACC's all-time leader in free throw percentage at .912. Twice, in 2005 and '06, he was the league's Player of the Year.

2. Stephen Curry, Davidson, 2006-present: Do yourself a favor and go see Curry play before he's finished at Davidson. There are subtleties in his game that don't translate as well on TV as they do when you're in the arena. Watching him shoot is a treat in itself; the operation appears effortless. If ever they decide to remake "The Natural" as a basketball movie, Curry is the logical star. Consider that he has won the Southern Conference Player of the Week award six times this season, and 14 in his career. They should put his name on it and retire it. He leads the nation in scoring at 29.5, but I believe he could average 40 if he wanted to; he's also in the top ten nationally in assists.

1. John Gerdy, Davidson, 1975-79: You had to see him to believe him, and not that many people did. Gerdy was pretty much the only weapon on several of the Wildcats' poorer teams, but wound up the leading scorer in school history against defenses geared to stop him. That was without a three-point line, and long-range jumpers were his specialty.

After a sensational performance against South Carolina, Gamecocks coach Frank McGuire said simply that Gerdy was the best shooter he had ever seen. Gerdy almost personally upset then No.4-ranked Wake Forest by himself. The Deacons won on a last second shot, 70-68. Gerdy had 40 of those 68, on 18-of-24 shooting. Deacons coach Carl Tacy said, "We played a box-and-one on Gerdy. We should have played the box on Gerdy and the one on the rest of those guys."

As far as I'm concerned, he was the best there ever was.

Think someone else belongs on the list, or that we've got guys out of order? State your case in the comments section.