You can feel it in the air.

Cheesy, but you really can. There is something about playing in the final four. Playing? Ok, really, just watching your team play in the final four. Rell couldn't sleep last Friday night. I noticed posts on the message board at 7:00am on Sat morning, where Rell had tracked down every article about the upcoming Michigan State game. He said he couldn't really eat that Saturday. He was too nervous.

I think what Sherrell had was contagous. Everyone seems to have it. I check away messages right now:
"Like a five year-old on Christmas Eve, I won't be sleeping much tonight."
"I can't believe today is really here...how am I suppossed to get through a practical, class, and work before tonight....i'm way too excited...there is also a distinct possibility that I will throw up at some point today.....No place I'd rather be then in Chapel Hill for this night!GO HEELS!!!"
"waiting for tonight."
"so i maybe slept an hour, because i kept waking up freaking out about the details of tonight's game. this is not a good way to live my life."
"11 hours 24 minutes"
"nervous energy."
"one focus...one game...one title"

I even had trouble falling asleep last night. I don't know if it was directly game related. I wasn't necessarily thinking about the game (at least not constantly). But those who know me know I rarely have trouble sleeping, but rather a penchant for falling asleep midsentence.

The ITRC is closing early tonight (the computer labs are not). Even the UNC homepage has a bit of a different look to it.

The NCAA tournament is special for so many reasons. It is difficult to win six games in a row. And it is an oppertunity that not many people get. When an NBA team is good, they are likely to be good the next year. The superstar turnover is low. And losing a fluke game doesn't hurt too much in the playoffs. But in college basketball, the championship game is so difficult to obtain. The best team does not always win it. In fact, I would argue that is usually does not. To be a fan in Chapel Hill tonight is pretty exciting. Hell, to be a Tar Heel fan anywhere right now is pretty exciting.

Win or lose tonight, I want to thank this team for such an exiciting run, for my last run in Chapel Hill (at least in the immediate future).





Go Heels!