2009 – 2010 North Carolina Tarheels: A Disappointing Season

The North Carolina Tarheels that we have seen this year has not been the team that any of us expected. At 15 and 14 the Tarheels are last in the ACC, 1 game behind N.C. State. The Tarheels had a very tough non-conference schedule but finished it with an 11 and 4 record. All things fell apart after the loss at College of Charleston. They won their next game vs. Virginia Tech but then lost 3 straight. After losing 3 they beat N.C. State to become 13 and 7. Their next game was vs. Virginia. They lost that one and 3 more, including a loss to Duke at home. They got another win vs. N.C. State and became 14 and 11. Then they got on a 3 game losing streak. They beat Wake Forest in Winston-Salem yesterday ending Wake’s undefeated season at home. They play their last home game of the year vs. Miami on Tuesday, March 2^nd. The ACC Tournament is in Greensboro this year. I think the Tar Heels are a good team but have lost their confidence. They had confidence early in the year because they played a close game vs. Kentucky, Texas, and Syracuse and beat Ohio State and Michigan State. I think the Heels could make a run during the ACC Tournament because teams like Duke, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Florida State, Virginia, and Wake Forest might rest their starters because they are already going to the NCAA Tournament. I think the Heels will make it to the semifinals in the ACC Tournament, but not make it to the finals. I think they will go to the NIT Tournament. Hopefully, they will have better luck next year.

NBA All – Star Saturday

This year’s NBA All – Star Weekend was great. Celtics Forward, Paul Pierce, won the 3 Point Shootout over the Warrior’s rookie, Stephen Curry, in the final round. In the first round Pierce had 17 points, tied with the Point Guard from the Denver Nuggets, Chauncey Billups. The rookie, Stephen Curry, scored 18 in the first to take first place. Billups and Pierce went into a 60 second tiebreaker where Paul Pierce made a great score of 20. Billups could only manage a score of 14, so it would be Curry up next to try to beat the score of 20 by Pierce. Curry could only put 17 up on the board, so Paul Pierce is your 3 Point Champion.

The Dunk Contest this year was great. The 5’ 9” Point Guard from the New York Knicks, Nate Robinson, was trying to become the first three - time champion of the contest. Robinson won the contest in 2006 and last year over Dwight Howard. He was going up against a pretty easy field this year and was picked to win by many people. Nate made it to the final round easily getting a score of 44 on his first dunk and a 45 on his second. DeMar DeRozan had the only perfect score of the night, making it to the finals with Nate. Fans got to vote for the winner, and they picked the defending champ, Nate Robinson. Robinson got 51% of the votes and became the first three – time champion of the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

Super Bowl XLIV Preview

This year’s Super Bowl will be held in Miami, FL. Representing the AFC will be Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, and for the NFC, it is the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees. I think it will be a high scoring game because both teams have great offenses. If the Colts win, it will be Peyton’s second Super Bowl win, and if the Saints win, it will be the franchise’s first win. Both of Manning’s Super Bowl appearances have been in the city of Miami. This is the matchup every NFL fan wanted because both teams started out 13 and 0, and the Colts even started out 14 and 0.

This year’s Super Bowl presents an interesting situation in the Manning house. Colts quarterback, Peyton Manning, is a native of New Orleans; not to mention his father, Archie Manning, was the Saints quarterback from 1971 through 1982. I wonder whom he is cheering for tonight?

Both Super Bowl quarterbacks were going to be starters in the Pro Bowl but couldn’t participate because of the Pro Bowl being played prior to the Super Bowl this year. I think the Saints are under more pressure in this big game because they have never been in this situation before, and the Colts have. I think because of that the Colts will win the Super Bowl.

MY PREDICTION

COLTS 35 SAINTS 30