Basketball's in the Air

By Rebecca Gray
HoopGurlz Columnist
Posted Tue, 10/09/2007 - 04:44 In column No. 5, Rebecca Gray describes how the anticipation of basketball season is gripping Chapel Hill, N.C.

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PHOTOS COURTESY REBECCA GRAY

"All the so-called 'secrets of success' will not work unless you do."
~ Author Unknown

It is in the air and you can just feel it. Chapel Hill, N.C., is starting to come alive and people are becoming very excited. Late Night with Roy or, "Midnight Madness" is this Friday, October 12th and everyone on campus knows it.

It is a very exciting time of the year for all colleges and their die-hard basketball fanatics. College-basketball junkies live for this time of year. This is the time when everyone buys their season tickets, all the newest gear, and the newly released posters.

This town is so ready for some basketball action. It seems like daily people come up to me and say, "I’m not going to lie, I’m so ready for you all to start!" This is nothing against football, by any means, because football is very exciting as well, but college basketball is something else. I walk to my classes and workouts and overhear people saying, "Are you going to Late Night?" It is very exciting and this is one of the best places to be when basketball season approaches. It makes you smile on the inside knowing that people are excited to come and see you showcase your skills and what your team has to offer.

We went about our usual workouts for the week. We added additional weight in our weight training, went twice as hard in our sprint workouts, and practiced our skits for Late Night. We made our own routines, by ourselves, with our own creative minds. As I told you before, we are a very goofy group and some of our skits will show that. I am too excited for this event! I do not get nervous most of the time and I have played in some of the biggest events you can play in, but, come Friday, we will see. I know when I come out to over 21,000 people yelling, and our band playing the school song that I might be a little hyped. How could not be when all these die-hard Tar Heel fans are coming out just to see their respected basketball teams for the first time of the year? Now, if at any means you can attend, I would highly recommend you come. This event is big time down here anyway, but you get to see us scrimmage and dance all in the same night. It will be funny and exciting at the same time.

The weekend was relaxing and one of my last "free" weekends. I went to the UNC vs. Miami (Fla.) football game here in Chapel Thrill. It was a very exciting game. The halftime score was 27-0. UNC could not have played a more perfect first half. It was probably one of the best executed halves of football that I have ever seen. We came out in the third quarter and did not score, which opened the door for Miami, and they took advantage. The score was 27-20 with most of the fourth quarter to play. It was very exciting game that came down to the wire and we ended up winning the upset, 33-27. It feels a lot better and is easier to enjoy your weekend when your favorite team wins. The campus of course was buzzing after that game.

This weekend also was family weekend for all students to have their families on campus. It was very crowded and stayed busy throughout the weekend. It was so crazy with all these people on campus. Parking at UNC is horrible anyway and then add parents and their vehicles, one could only imagine the traffic! On Sunday, we had Festifall on Franklin Street. There were venders all over the place, people painting faces, selling jewelry and, again, crowded. The team had to do autograph sessions for Festifal,l which was a good experience. The only thing bad was the weather, which I still do not understand. It is the middle of October and can somebody please explain why it was still 90 degrees? After Festifall, off to the volleyball match.

This match was huge! Anytime that UNC and Duke meet, it is a big deal. If you think you have a rivalry that can hold a candle to this then please let me know. I walked up to Carmichael Auditorium, (where we play our games aswell as volleyball and wrestling) and I could hear the band before I even came within 200 feet. It just sends chills up your spine when you hear them play. Anyways, Duke was ranked 13th, I believe, and we took them to the fifth game. It was very rowdy in Carmichael. There were about 100 students and a nice UNC crowd, and then you had the very few Duke fans. Three of the Duke fans had their faces painted. There were a few loud old men, and then the rest sat there and cheered. Like I said before, these schools absolutely cannot stand each other. People were cheering back and forth, yelling at one another, and it was just insane. Duke ended up winning by four, but we were very proud of our team. They put it all out on the line just like any other UNC athlete and that is all you can ask for. After every game, win, lose, tie, "Hark the Sound" is played and everyone joins arms and sings to it. It is our alma mater song and if you do not know the words, you better learn them. Lucky for me, I already know them and I can just jump right in and sing.

A great week went by with an even better week ahead. Like I said, basketball season is coming. Are you ready? Late Night with Roy this Friday is on pay-per-view if you cannot make it. It will be very funny and exciting to see, so I would invest if at all possible.

"An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.
~ Samuel Smiles

Until next time, stay cool and keep ballin' ya’ll.

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Rebecca Gray is a freshman on basketball scholarship at the University of North Carolina. A 5-foot-10, sharp-shooting guard out of Georgetown, Ky., Gray was ranked 47th in the 2007 class and an Honor Roll selection by HoopGurlz.com. She was named Miss Basketball in the state of Kentucky after averaging 25.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 4.8 assists during her senior season at Scott County High School, where she also finished as its career scoring leader with 2,907 points.

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