Hey y'all
So I decided to make this post to straighten out a few things. I'm a very opinionated person and one of the things I hate the most is when people misinterpret what I say or twist my words. So I thought I would explicitly write it out so that there is no confusion.
Last night was the Duke vs UNC game (I'm sure you know that though) and we lost by 1 point. 1 POINT!
In my opinion, the Duke-Carolina rivalry is the best rivalry in all of college basketball, if not all sports. I don't think this because I'm biased, I think this because it's fact.
Now first of all, I want you all to understand that I was born into Carolina basketball. For example, my dad wanted to name me Carol Ina Spivey. My nickname from my dad was Little Tarheel. My favorite number when I was little was 23 because of Michael Jordan. I hold onto this passion for Carolina basketball that my dad raised me to have because it allows me to still feel close to him and it's all I've ever known. I'm sorry if my passion offends you, but I'm sure there are things in life that you are just as passionate about, whether sports, or acting, or singing, or whatever.
Whether basketball is serious to you or not, you have to accept that to me and many others, it is serious, very serious. In fact, it isn't just serious, it's a lifestyle. It's just my freshmen year, so missing the first Duke game wasn't a big deal, but in the next 3 years, I would do RIDICULOUS things to get into that game. Before I graduate, if I have to camp out for 2 days and miss class to be front row risers, trust me, I will.
Here is where I wanted to address a few things. I NEVER have said that you cannot be a die hard fan for a college if you don't go to school there. There is no logic in that statement. Now as for your public opinions after a game, I feel they should be limited unless you go to either of the schools that are playing. Before I discuss that though, a month ago, many people, that neither attend NC State or Carolina, were trying to tell me that NC State is our rival. I'm sorry, but you have no ground to think your opinion is the correct one. Yes, back in the day, State was our biggest rival, but that was more than 30 years ago, okay? We are talking present day, and as a student who reads the Daily Tar Heel every chance I get (containing the rest of UNC's student population's beliefs and opinions), interacts with other Carolina students on a daily basis, and brushes up on my stats as much as possible, I WILL NEVER agree that State is our rival.
Foremost, no one at Carolina sees State as a threat. If you want to be considered rivals, you have to be very close in stats and level of talent. No offense, State is a good school in many other ways, but they do not match us in basketball. So sorry to disappoint you people who think you know everything (even though your interactions with UNC are few to none), State is not our rival.
Being on campus and feeling the energy of almost every game, whether in the Dean Dome or on campus, I can assure you that students are no more excited for the State game than we are for any other school that isn't Duke. There is a reason why we only have a Beat Duke Week. There is a reason why our fight song ends with "Go to Hell Duke!!" The last game we had with State was hyped up because we all believed that had vandalized a sign on campus. They talked so much trash that the game was made in to a big deal. Of course we'll defend our school! But we never start drama with State unless they start it first: FACT. They are the ones that come on our campus and have their band play their fight song and tag our welcome signs. Based on their actions, we might be their rival, but like I've said, they aren't ours.
Furthermore, I am a fan of other schools, but I would never act like I knew anything pertaining to their athletics if the rest our their students were disagreeing with me. OBVIOUSLY, this would be a hint that my opinions were incorrect.
Lastly, I do sincerely apologize to all those who I may have freaked out on last night, I really do. But nonetheless, this is OUR BIGGEST RIVALRY. If you expect me to show no emotion, excitement, happiness, sadness, then you are (excuse me) an idiot. After we lost, yes I teared up, but I'm not ashamed. I pay tuition to go to this amazing school--that I worked my butt off through high school to attend. I interact with these basketball players on a daily basis--on the bus, at parties, or riding through campus. The history and legacy that is Carolina basketball often brings tears to my eyes. I work so hard in school, and spend countless hours studying and attempting to finish my homework early in the hopes that I can travel to Franklin Street or hang out on this beautiful campus with my friends. I have so many memories and tears attached to this university already. When there is a Carolina game on at night, homework finished or not, you drop everything you're doing to watch that game, and support your Roy's Boys. I never have, and never will, want to go anywhere else but Carolina. I have a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and passion invested in this school.
That being said, Duke has some of the best academics in the country, has a beautiful campus, and an amazing basketball team also whose stats differ from ours by single digits and often single points. THAT is why we are rivals. Seeing how much love I have for Carolina and our basketball team, I have every, and I mean EVERY right to react whatever I way I want when we lose. If Duke students are disrespectful, I will fight them to the death on arguments and witty comments and stats and obnoxious statements because rivals are allowed to do that.
However, and I think the majority of people agree with me, if you do not attend either Duke or Carolina, you CANNOT rub it in the losers faces OR attempt to win an argument OR be overly obnoxious about winning. You do not pay tuition to go there. You do not have your education and ultimately life invested in that school. The only tie you have with that school, is passion for it. I completely understand, and you can cheer or laugh or hate if you want, but do NOT overstep your boundaries and stomp around trying to embarrass either of our schools and act like you are a bigger fan than us, because we will all be making fun of you. This is mainly because most of the time, these people are attending colleges that are much less rigorous academic-wise, meaning they have no room to insult our school in general. Also, we hate each other so much because we are very similar, seeing as that we are both amazing schools. Winning that basketball game is usually one of the only things that gives us an advantage over each other. So yes, before the game, we run our mouths and talk trash, but after the game, we see how much both teams invested, and realize when too much is too much (well at least the majority of us--I can't speak for all of us). It's when ignorant people or bandwagon fans, or people that just find joy in confrontation keep rubbing the score in peoples faces and act like they have the grounds to do so. When we lost, all I could talk about was how in shock I was and how bad I felt for our team. It's when I read those ugly tweets and saw Twitter fights between people who don't even go to our schools that I had to intervene and argue. This was also my first Duke game as a Carolina student, and maybe I've learned next time I should just hold my tongue and ignore that people that think their opinions matter.
BASICALLY, this post was just written to explain why I don't think you can talk trash unless you have those emotional ties and utter pride involved with being a student at either of these schools. It's a different feeling seeing all your fellows Tarheels crying, seeing the disappointment in the eyes of seniors that didn't get to rush Franklin for the last time, and hearing the silence on the usually loud and hilarious ride back to South Campus via the p2p.
Disagree if you want, but I know my Tarheel family has my back on this one.
Nonetheless, I won't make excuses about the game last night, and I'm sorry for getting caught up in the moment last night, and saying things out of anger. I'm still so proud to be a Tarheel, I'm still proud of my amazing team, and I know this pride will drive us to come back and beat Duke during our next meeting. Also, props to Austin Rivers for knocking the breath out of every single UNC student as a freshmen, that really deserves praise.
But anyways, this was a venting/rant post and I hope it cleared a few things up.
There's only one last thing to say:
I'm a Tar Heel born, I'm a Tar Heel bred,
and when I die, I'm a Tar Heel dead,
So it's rah rah Carolina-lina, rah rah Carolina-lina,
rah rah Carolina-lina,
GO TO HELL DUKE!
-Alexa Dorian
