Tar Heels stick it to the Dookies!

I had to take a business trip to Raleigh, N.C. for a few days. I was pretty excited because I was invited to go golfing at Pinehurst which to the non-golfer is a renown PGA golf course in N.C. I was pretty excited. Also, I noticed that the North Carolina Tar Heels was playing the Duke Blue Devils at Duke. Again, to those not into college basketball, this is the number #1 rivalry in all of college basketball. Two schools, 15 miles apart from each other and a bitter rivalry. I joked with those I was coming out to do business with that they should try and get tickets. I took a quick look at ebay to see what they were selling for. Well, depending on the seat they were $2000 - $3000. I guess watching it on TV was about as close as I would get. Because I am a huge North Carolina fan, my business associate suggested we take a ride over to the Duke Campus and check things out. Because Cameron Indoor Stadium (basketball arena @ Duke) is older and small - I think it seats about 8500 - the student body (better known as "Cameron Crazies") camps out in tents for days leading up to the game to get tickets. It is such a tradition they have even named the area after the coach - don't even ask me to spell it - see the picture below.



The Raleigh area had torrential rain fall for the past few days and it looks like the "crazies" paid dearly. I looks like pictures I have seen of the Woodstock concert. Trashed tents, soggy sleeping bags all over - a real mess.



Oh, I forgot to mention, because of the rain, there was no golf! :(


After we left Duke campus my friend drove us over to Chapel Hill and the campus of North Carolina. History Lesson: UNC is the oldest public college/university in the USA founded by Alexander Hamilton. After taking pictures of the "Dean Dome" where UNC plays their basketball games. He took me back in the woods to an old stone castle that was the site of the original "skull and bones" portrayed in the movie "Skulls". This was a secret society that many prominent US leaders were part of. The castle was the site of ritual meetings and ceremonies.



We decided to go to a restaurant in down town Chapel Hill and stake our claim to a spot to watch the game. We arrived at the restaurant at 4:30. The game however was not until 9:00! It really was a pretty fun atmosphere as students started to arrive. The local TV station was making live broadcasts from the restaurant throughout the game. By the time the game started there was no standing room in the place. It was almost like being at the game. They had a projection TV and the students were leading everyone in chants of "DEFENSE" and "TAR HEELS". The game was close and exciting. After the game, all of the students in all of the restaurants flooded out onto the street and started lighting fires in the street. Traffic was diverted and it was an amazing site! All in all, despite not being at the game, it was a pretty cool experience. But, as with all of my travels, it is sure nice to be back home!