Once again I am completely amazed with all the people that have been so willing to help me and help  The Fifth Corner grow. In this edition of “Interview With:” I am able to talk to one of the ex national champions from last season, Bobby Frasor, who is currently playing overseas. The point guard talks about his recruiting, his time at North Carolina and his future once he is done playing basketball. But enough of me and my talking, enjoy this “Interview With:” Bobby Frasor…

A.E.M.: Having a father who was a basketball coach you must have been playing at a very young age. But did you ever believe that you would someday be on a national championship squad in college and then playing professional ball?

Bobby Frasor: My first memories of basketball are from tagging along with my dad to his team’s practices and games. I fell in love with basketball and when I first witnessed a college basketball game, I knew that is what I wanted to do. My dad played at Wisconsin, and I grew up attending those games and being huge Badger fan. My dream was to play division 1 basketball and play in a Final Four. That was a big part of my decision to attend UNC because I knew we would realistically be able to contend for the NCAA championship every year. To finally win one as a senior and playing most of the game was a dream come true. Now I get paid to play a sport I love, although it’s not in America, I am enjoying it while I can.

A.E.M.: As a basketball player in high school that knows he will be playing at the next level, how do things change once you have coaching staffs from Division I schools coming to see you? Is it pretty normal overall or does it become overwhelming?

Bobby Frasor: I think I was able keep my recruitment under control and that helped from becoming overwhelmed. Coaches do call and send letters a lot, so it was nice to have the schools I was interested in narrowed down. A big challenge was not become complacent because coaches were recruiting you. I luckily have 3 older sisters who keep me grounded and constantly remind me when I miss a shot or free throw. Overall, the entire recruiting process was enjoyable and I am glad I was able to experience it.

A.E.M.: Once you chose the University of North Carolina (which I am so delighted you did) who was the first person you told? And secondly, either before or after making your choice did you talk to the other recruits from your class?

Bobby Frasor: First people I told were my parents and family. I had visited some other schools and really enjoyed the campus and visits, but after I visited Carolina, it was a no brainer where I wanted to attend college. After I told my family, I called coach Williams and let him know. The only other commit from the class of ’05 was Marcus, but I did not talk to him or anyone else before making my decision. One thing that was difficult to do was call the coaches from the other schools recruiting you because you form such a close relationship with them.

A.E.M.: When you got onto the campus, knowing that just a couple of months before UNC had won the national title, did you guys feel pressure to maintain that high standard?

Bobby Frasor: As soon as we were on campus I don’t think people expected much from us. The fans were happy with ’05 and were almost throwing ’06 out and saying wait until ’07. We loved the fact that we were underdogs. Not many North Carolina basketball teams can play the underdog card, but we took advantage of it and really surprised some people. I think we did maintain the high standard of Carolina Basketball even though people may have expected us to have a down year.

A.E.M.: We all saw Bobby Frasor the player, a hard working guard on the floor, who was the image of the “team player”. But who is Bobby Frasor off the court and in the college atmosphere? In other words what were your favorite things to do when not on the hardwoods?

Bobby Frasor: I loved everything about college. Being on campus, meeting new people, sporting events. I just tried to get the most out of my college experience and I think Marcus, Tyler, Danny, Mike, and myself did just that. It was funny to see people experience something new like Tyler in a performance class, or joining and intramural softball team. Outside of the gym, I like to think I was just like any other student at UNC. I played video games, went to baseball games, joined some clubs, stayed up and had late night pizza. Basically the normal college life except other students knew who you were because you played a sport.

A.E.M.: Can you tell us what the “Carolina Family/Way” is? What it means to you?

Bobby Frasor: Carolina Family is pretty special. I know if I needed a favor from someone who played at Carolina that they would be more than willing to help. If I meet someone who played at Carolina there is an immediate connection because we both wore the North Carolina jersey. The best thing about it is that no one person or team is greater than the entire family. Michael Jordan was great, the ’05 team was great, but none of that is bigger than the Carolina Family.

A.E.M.: You played for a Hall of Famer coach, one that I believe is the perfect fit for UNC. But just like Bobby Frasor the player, most of us only see Roy Williams the head coach. How is Roy Williams the person?

Bobby Frasor: What you see with Coach is what you get. He is not fake for fans or cameras. He is a genuine and honest man. I think anyone who read his book will agree with that. Coach Williams really cares about his family, players, and staff and takes pride in being an extremely hard worker. He is not only a great coach but a great person, and I am lucky to have played for him and have him as a part of my life.

A.E.M.: Talking about the coach once more. If there is one thing that the UNC boards love to go back and forth on it is “Coach Williams doesn’t call enough time outs”. (Let me say I am not one of those people). But can you shed some light on why coach Williams likes to have his team play through instead of calling time outs during the beginning/middle of the game?

Bobby Frasor: Whenever a team is making a run and it looks like were struggling, he usually waits until a media timeout because more than likely the game is not going to be won in the first half of a game. He will tell the players, “I didn’t get us into this deficit, so you guys can work your way out.” It is very true that timeouts are much more valuable at the end of the game. (Look at the recent Georgia Tech game.) But my first ever home ACC game was against NC State and we were down 12-0 and coach let us play through and I think we won by 12. People should not question anything Coach decides because has probably thought about every possible situation imaginable because basketball is his job.

A.E.M.: And finally, what is going to be Bobby Frasor’s next chapter? Still in basketball, maybe as a coach, or doing something totally different?

Bobby Frasor: Right now I am enjoying playing professionally and being able to see some parts of the world that I never would have thought to visit. Who knows how long I will play for, but when it’s over, I would like to give coaching a try. I believe I could be a good coach, and being the son of a coach and a teacher, I would really enjoy teaching the game and helping younger players develop. Then again I could go back to school, receive a masters, and settle into a 9 to 5 job somewhere. Basically, I have no idea what is next for me.

If this didn’t give you a bit of an insight into the basketball team and out head coach I don’t know what will. And all that I can say is “thank you so much” to Bobby Frasor for giving his time in doing this. I look forward to tallking again to him in the future, but until then all I can say is, once again, “thank you so much”.

As I keep searching for more people/bloggers that are in touch with either present or past Tar Heels I once again land a great interview. On this edition of “Interview With:” I get to talk about Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood with TruthAboutIt, the TrueHoop Network blog for the Washington Wizards. You can follow TruthAboutIt on twitter as well, where you will get plenty of info/tidbits about the NBA team from the nation’s capital. So, without anymore interruptions, let’s get going with this edition of “Interview With:”…

A.E.M.: Let’s begin with the ex National Player of the Year under Dean Smith. How is Antawn Jamsion doing this year? Meeting expactions, going over and beyond them, or falling short of them?

TruthAboutIt: Jamison is as steady as they come. His numbers are a tad down this year, 21.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, .481 FG% and 19.6 PER, but still pretty damn good for 33 years old.

In fact, checking the data from Basketball-Reference.com, only 10 players in NBA history, including Jamison this year, have averaged more than 20 points and eight rebounds with a FG% higher than 48% and a PER greater than 19, and have been 33 or older. We talking names like Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, Moses Malone, Elgin Baylor and Elvin Hayes … excellent company. Out of those on that list, the 6’5″ Baylor is the only player shorter than Jamison.

A.E.M.: If there is one thing you would like to see Jamison do more of during the games what would it be?

TruthAboutIt: Easy … defense. That Jamison’s lateral movement is lacking is understandable. He’s getting older and he’s never been great in that area anyway. At times, when I closely chart the Wizards’ defense, he seems out of position more than a smart veteran should be. According to the 1-year Defensive Rating on BasketballValue.com, Jamison has the second worst net (minus-6.48) on the Wizards. No one is asking Jamison to be the most agile guy in the world, even though that would describe his offensive trickery, but it would be nice if he were more aware.

A.E.M.: And of course, is there something you would like the forward to do less of?

TruthAboutIt: I’d like Jamison to shoot less jumpers. The Wizards are severely lacking a post-game and Antawn does have some crafty moves near the basket. But then again, that’s his game (shooting a good deal of jumpers) … and I’m sure he doesn’t want to go banging in the paint all the time at his age.

I guess I can’t complain too much. Jamison is attempting jumpers on 69% of his shots this year, which is his second lowest jumper attempt percentage in the last five seasons. His 44 eFG% on jumpers this season is tied for second best over the same time period. So, at least he’s pretty consistent (stats via 82games.com). Maybe I’d rather Jamison stop “settling” for jumpers early in the shot clock so much … but if he’s open, take them.

A.E.M.: You have a pretty interesting trade proposal involving the power forward that would ultimately land him in Cleveland. Do you believe that Jamison to the Cavs would put them as the best team from the East? (On a side note: I hope that the Wizards have Tar Heels for as long as you blog since it’s a true pleasure to follow your posts).

TruthAboutIt: As a stretch four who can also rebound and is a consummate veteran, Jamison would almost be too perfect for Cleveland and would undoubtedly make them favorites in the East. I also really hated typing that sentence (as you probably know how Wizards fans feel about Cleveland).

A.E.M.: Switching to the other Tar Heel, how is the 2009-10 season going for Brendan Haywood?

TruthAboutIt: Haywood is having what should be an All-Star season, especially considering the low center competition in the East. It’s a travesty that he was not even on the All-Star ballot. Hopefully the coaches will be smart enough to add him to the team, or at least David Stern will select him as a placement if there is an injury. One could wonder if he’s just putting up “contract year” numbers … but remember that Haywood really started to show improvement in 07-08 before he was out for almost all of last year.

A.E.M.: Just like I asked of Jamison, is there something you like to see Haywood do more of in the games and something you would like to see him do less of?

TruthAboutIt: It will probably always be a negative part of his game, but his offensive post moves are much too robotic. He spent a lot of time in Charlotte this summer (he usually works out at the Bobcats’ practice facility in the off-season) working on his jumper with ‘The Hoops Whisperer’, but I’m not sure that has provided much results this season. Before he was injured for most of last season, 33% of Haywood’s FG attempts in 07-08 were jump shots and his eFG% for those was 23.1%. This year, his jumper attempts are down to 27%, but he’s shooting a horrid 16.9 eFG% on them. The best way for Haywood to help himself would be to improve his hands. He smartly snags a lot of rebounds with both mitts, but often loses the ball when he gets it in the paint, whether it be the result of a pass or an offensive rebound.

Let me first of all thank ThinkAboutIt for this great interview, but this is not the end, as there is a surprise coming for all of you where I was able (through him) to ask a question to the above mentioned Tar Heels. I will be posting that in the coming week, so make sure to come back for that!

In 1978 the Commodores wrote “Three times a Lady”, now, in 2009, I guess I have made the Y2K internet version since my next interview is with someone that I asked once, twice, and on the third time I finally sent her the questions. So, from the category of “better late than never”, here is my next edition of “Interview With:” Basketballista. She works in the National Basketball Association, she loves the sports she works in and she is always ready to answer a question about it on twitter (you can follow her here). I am going to ask her about the NBA’ers from Chapel Hill, from the rookies to the veterans, to the ones that don’t have a team. So sit back and enjoy some great insight by someone that knows the sport!

A.E.M.: First with the rookies, while Danny Green isn’t playing enough to be judged, the other three are. How do you see Tyler Hansbrough (Pacers), Ty Lawson (Nuggets) and Wayne Ellington (Timberwolves) doing so far in their first season?

Basketballista: Tyler Hansbrough was a great pick for the Pacers, and I’m a little surprised he even dropped to 13th. People have the tendency to disregard college accomplishments at times, but the way Hansbrough produced for a top tier program like UNC is definitely an indication of what he can bring to the league. Furthermore, Hansbrough has qualities that would benefit any NBA team—toughness, doesn’t shy from contact, and visibly plays hard every minute he is on the court. However, these qualities are especially important when trying to change the culture of a team, especially one trying to rebuild into a contender. Unfortunately, Hansbrough has dealt with injuries this season, including a current ear infection. From what I have seen, he is very efficient on the court, and has good production in limited minutes. His 9 points and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes is a great start and I think he will earn more playing time as the season progresses and he returns to 100%.

Ty Lawson might be one of the best picks in the draft regarding the role that he can fill on the team. The Nuggets have a perfect playoff strategy by limiting Chauncey Billups’ minutes and using Lawson as an effective backup. It is good to see Karl giving the rookie minutes and incorporating him into the Nuggets plan. With Billips out because of a groin injury, Lawson has shown the ability to step up when given the opportunity. In his last 5 games, he is averaging 19 pts, over 7 assists, and 1.6 steals. Those are big time numbers and that depth is something teams should be wary of when facing Denver in the playoffs.

Wayne Ellington is only playing about 17 minutes a game. I think that his 41.7 FG% will improve with more minutes as he acclimates to the NBA vs. college game. I also think Ellington will become more crucial for the Wolves, who currently rank 26th in the NBA in points per game.

A.E.M.: Now let’s talk about two starters for the same team, Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood. There was a lot higher expectation that what the Wizards have achieved so far, but how are the two Tar Heels doing in the first third of the `09-`10 season?

Basketballista: I think that Antawn Jamsion is one of the NBA’s top forwards. The best thing for him may be a change of scenery as his name had been floating around in trade rumors on and off this season. Jamison’s production of over 20 points and 8 rebounds per game could really push a playoff contender over the edge. He contributes in a lot of unexpected areas as well—such as his 37.6 3-PT% and 1.1 steals/game. Therefore, Jamison could contribute in whatever role a team needs, but has definitely proven his ability to take over a game and shoulder the scoring load when needed.

After playing in only 6 games last season, it is good to see Haywood making an impact on the court. He is almost averaging a double-double, and his 10.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks give Washington some much needed defense.

A.E.M.: keeping with a duo, let’s check out two Heels that moved from one team to another, Vince Carter and Rasheed Wallace, who by the way are the only two players from Chapel Hill that have been in the running in the All Star balloting. How do you see them doing and maybe more importantly, of the two who is going to be more important for their team if they want to win it all this season?

Basketballista: I think both players are fitting in well with their new teams and are important for different reasons. Rasheed Wallace is proving very valuable because of the influx of injuries Boston has recently suffered. It is important to have a guy who is comfortable and effective regardless of whether starts or comes in off the bench.

Vince Carter is one of the best offseason acquisitions in my opinion. If you look at his career stats, his production has never wavered. I think Orlando was a welcome change because in New Jersey, he had to be the go-to guy every night. Orlando has other scorers, enabling Vince to see less double teams and let the offense come to him a little more. Although he has been slumping a little lately, Carter has made big shots and timely plays for the Magic all season. He is an underrated passer and playmaker, which will help Orlando in the playoffs, just like Turkoglu did last year.

A.E.M.: And still staying with a duo of UNC players, let’s talk about the two that haven’t found a team yet this year, Jerry Stackhouse and Rashad McCants. Do you see either one of them getting a chance with a team or is this the end of the line for Stackhouse and for McCants it’s overseas in order to play?

Basketballista: I honestly don’t know the answer to this. There are a lot of talented guys not in the league right now. After following some minicamps and the current D-League showcase, there are plenty of guys that look like they could bring something to an NBA roster. It all depends what a team’s needs are, if they want vet presence or young talent, and how much they want to spend.

A.E.M.: Lastly, in what is a way away, will a Tar Heel be holding up the NBA trophy when it’s all said and done this year or not?

Basketballista: Lately, my opinion is changing daily on who I think can win it all. I think it is a possibility that a UNC alum could be on the championship team, but I have a feeling that a team people aren’t expecting could come in and win it all this year.

What more can be done than to thank Basketballista for this awesome interview. I am sure I will be asking here more about the NBA as the season gets past the half way mark and heads towards the playoffs. Until then let me say to check back often as I have two more surprises coming up as far as interviews go.

In my never ending desire to keep this site as good as possible I try to find people “in the know” about the Tar Heels. And in this edition of “Interview With:” I think I have one of the people that is as close to the pulse of UNC Athletics as there can be: TarHeelBlue’s Adam Lucas. Lucas is also the publisher and executive director of Tar Heel Monthly magazine as well as being the author or co-author of five books on Carolina basketball, including the just-released book on the 2009 national title, One Fantastic Ride. To keep up with everything UNC you can follow the THM staff on twitter. Now, without further ado, here is the “Interview With: Adam Lucas”…

A.E.M.: Starting with the gridiron. Another winning season for the Tar Heels, giving the program the opportunity to play in back to back bowl games for the first time in over a decade. Overall how would you describe the football program after three years under coach Davis?

Adam Lucas: I think people have forgotten too quickly how down the program was when Butch Davis arrived. Going to the Tire Bowl in ’04 was seen as a major accomplishment that energized the fan base. Going to that same bowl this year was a letdown. That’s a sign of progress. Coach Davis has largely done what he said he would do when he was hired: improve the talent level, put Carolina onto a national stage (that game against LSU in Sept. 2010 will be a huge one for the program), and upgrade every aspect of the program. But I also think we’ve seen one thing most coaches will tell you: it’s easier to go from the bottom half of the league to the top half of the league than it is to go from the top half of the league to the top one or two teams in the league. That latter jump is the one Carolina has to make next season.

A.E.M.: With nine returning players on defense could this be one of the best units in the nation come the 2010 season?

Adam Lucas: It should be. The key might be those two starters who depart. Butch Davis’s best defenses have been built with a ferocious front four. Assuming the Tar Heels have the talent in the pipeline to replace EJ Wilson at end and Cam Thomas at tackle, it’s going to be a great defense in ’10. And if they can create some of the same turnovers they did this season, that’ll lessen the pressure on the offense to be explosive all the time.

A.E.M.: On the other side, how do you see John Shoop’s offense looking for next year?

Adam Lucas: The biggest question is obviously the quarterback position. I don’t think TJ Yates is as bad as he showed at times this year, and I think the people who booed him in the Smith Center—and let’s be realistic, it was nowhere near the amount of people it’s been portrayed as in the media—are pathetic. The staff has loved Bryn Renner from the day they recruited him. I would expect that those two QBs would go into August in a tight competition to earn the starting job. And remember, major Division I teams rarely make it through a full season with just one quarterback. At some point, the Tar Heels are going to need both of them, so it’s unwise to write either one off. The other questions on offense are more of the nagging variety. Who’s going to step up at tailback? Assuming everyone is healthy, there are at least three good choices there, so you have to figure one of Shaun Draughn/Ryan Houston/Jamal Womble will be able to do it. Who can complement Greg Little and Zack Pianalto? The depth and the talent is there, it’s more a matter of consistency.

A.E.M.: Switching to basketball now. With the out of conference schedule over and done it’s time to see what this young and talented team can do in the ACC. Where do you see coach Williams’ squad finishing in conference play?

Adam Lucas: I haven’t watched the other teams play as much as I would’ve liked. Duke appears to be playing better than anyone in the conference right now. The question with them is whether they fade at the end like they’ve done recently. FSU seems to be getting very little attention considering how well they’ve played. Carolina doesn’t go to Tallahassee this season and that looks like it could be a good break. Miami hasn’t played anyone at all. Clemson is better than they showed against Duke. I disagree with people who say 10-6 in the ACC is a “worst-case” scenario for this Carolina team. I think 10-6 is about the median, and a break or two either way could swing it a game or two in either direction.

A.E.M.: I remember one time in a Hansbrough interview the power forward talked about the pressure of being a class following a team that won it all. Is that something that this team is also feeling this season?

Adam Lucas: Somewhat, just because they have to hear a lot about what they’re not rather than that they are. They’re not Ty Lawson. They’re not Tyler Hansbrough. They’re not Danny Green or Wayne Ellington. Well, of course. That was one of the most unique UNC teams of all-time and you have to realize that a team like that—where everyone comes back may never happen again at Carolina because of the current NBA climate. So there’s some pressure there to “be” those guys. But this team won’t be that. That being said, I don’t think that’s the biggest issue with the current team.

A.E.M.: And I will end with a question that is for both sports. Being an avid reader of anything/everything North Carolina I cruise the web boards as well. One of the discussions that comes up often is whether or not both recruits (and/or their close circle) and current players read such boards. Do you have any insight on that?

Adam Lucas: I’m sure recruits do. That seems like something you’d want to do as a parent of a recruit, just to judge the atmosphere of a place you might send your kid. Current players are mixed. Some do, some don’t. I think the frequency of reading them decreases as the players get older. As they get older, I think they gain an ability to separate meaningful criticism/praise from criticism/praise that has no impact on their lives. Think back to when you were in high school: anything anyone said about you, no matter who it was or whether they bothered to put their name on it, was important. As we get older, I think most of us learn to differentiate between criticism/praise that can be beneficial and criticism/praise that makes no difference. That doesn’t mean the boards don’t have value. Message boards are a great outlet for fans. If I wasn’t lucky enough to get regular emails from fans, I think boards would have value to me to see what fans are saying. And since I don’t read them, I think I’m a little out of touch with how they’ve developed. It’s a great way for the diehard fan in Utah or somewhere to communicate with other diehards when maybe he/she otherwise might be stuck in an area where people aren’t as passionate. But I think we also have to remember what a small segment of the fan base (at least at a nationwide program like UNC basketball) they represent. There’s a mistaken perception that they’re “the pulse of the fan base.” I don’t think that’s true, at least not yet. It might be true in a few years, but not now. And there’s also a huge difference in how certain staffs treat boards like that. There was a dramatic change, for example, in going from the Doherty staff to the Williams staff.

What more can be done than to thank Adam Lucas for giving up some of his time to answer my questions. For a blogger like myself it’s an enormous thrill when people give their time to help me with this site of mine. Through the years I have had great people/writers do interviews for The Fifth Corner and this one ranks up there with the best! Once again, thank you so much to Adam Lucas!

"Interview With:"

I am once again looking for a good interview to let my readers hear/read from other people besides me. And man o man did I get a good one in this edition “Interview With:”. Jim Young has been the editor of ACCSports.com, the companion website to the ACC Sports Journal, since its relaunch in October, 2008. Prior to that he was a sports reporter for nine years at the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record, where he covered everything from cricket to the Final Four. You can follow Jim Young on twitter as well. So without further ado, let’s get it going with this interview…

(I am so humbled that this interview was also put up on ACCSports.com and wish to thank Jim Young for doing that)

A.E.M.: Let’s hit the interview running, and ask a hard question straight off the bat. Give me the team that surprised you the most this past season.

Jim Young: Gotta be Boston College. Of course the Eagles exceed expectations every season in the ACC, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. Still, BC lost the core of its defense (Raji, Brace and Herzlich) and had to start a true freshman quarterback who had been playing baseball for the last six years. Yet somehow the Eagles cobbled together an eight-win season. It’s a testament to Frank Spaziani, the importance of having a good offensive line and how little most of the ACC media – including me – really appreciates the program up in Chestnut Hill.

A.E.M.: Staying on the surprises, tell me the player (one on offense and one on defense) that surprised you the most this season.

Jim Young: On defense, that’s easy. It’s Luke Kuechly. He was a solid recruit when he committed to BC just after Frank Spaziani took over, but he wasn’t exactly a hot commodity – choosing the Eagles over Stanford, Duke and UVa. All Kuechly did was make 142 tackles and win ACC freshman defensive player of the year. And he did it all while looking like Clark Kent.

On offense, I’d go with Duke wide receiver Donavan Varner. He got playing time as a freshman (21 catches, 164 yards, 1 TD) but did anyone see him morphing into a first-team All-ACC wideout this season? (66 catches, 1,047 yards 8 TDs) Certainly no one did in my ACC fantasy league. He was taken in the 10th round, after about 20 other receivers.

A.E.M.: Now, let me slow down a bit and ask an easy one. Bobby Bowden is now gone at FSU, what do you think the impact of this will be? What do you think of how it was done? And lastly, what are you thoughts on the Ga Bowl/FSU hook-up and how it affected the rest of the conference?

Jim Young: The short-term impact – which we’re already seeing – is that recruiting will pick up for FSU. The Seminoles were getting killed on the trail because of all the uncertainty about their future. Now that things have been settled we’re seeing that top talent still wants to come to Tallahassee.

I’m not assuming though, that FSU will immediately return to its national power status. While Jimbo Fisher has proven he can run an offense and recruit, it remains to be seen how he’ll do now that he’s in charge. He needs to start quickly, because the FSU brand has faded a bit in recent seasons.

As for how it was done, it was messy to be sure. I think both sides are to blame. It never looks good to push a legend out the door, but it’s also unfortunate when a great coach can no longer recognize that his time has passed – as Bowden’s surely had. My biggest beef was that the president and the AD ducked the media on the day of the big announcement, sending out two players instead to field questions.

Finally, the Gator Bowl. I have no problem with the Gator Bowl finding a way to make this happen. I have no problem with FSU taking the invite. The issues I had were with the ACC. I wasn’t crazy about replacing the Gator Bowl with the Sun Bowl for future ACC bowl tie-ins. While I understand some of the reasons, the Gator Bowl clearly no longer felt the need to play nice with a conference office it would not be dealing with in the future. Also, the ACC should have closed the loophole in the contract language before the Gator Bowl could exploit it.

A.E.M.: Switching it up a bit again, time to talk awards, and that means time to talk about C.J. Spiller. What do you make of his absence from the Heisman finalists?

Jim Young: Unfortunate, but hardly surprising. McCoy and Tebow were lifetime achievement guys. Gerhart and Suh were certainly deserving and Ingram was a big-time player on the nation’s best team.

I can’t help but wonder though, what might have happened if Spiller’s huge ACC title game performance hadn’t gone head-to-head with the Big 12 title game on television. I was on Twitter during much of the game and I can tell you that all of the national college football opinion makers were tweeting about Texas-Nebraska and ignoring Clemson-Georgia Tech. That’s a small sample size, but I think it was a reflection of the national media as a whole.

A.E.M.: Now, still staying with this season, give me your thoughts on how the teams will do in their bowl games. And of course, since I don’t want to put you in a spot, if you could only choose one game with an ACC team in it, which one would it be?

Jim Young: Good lord, you want me to predict bowl games? Might as well pick team names out of a hat.

Seriously, it’s so hard to know which teams are going to be motivated in these games and how they’ll play after not having played for nearly a month.

That said, I’ll give it a shot.

I like UNC over Pitt. It’s hard to imagine that the Panthers are fully recovered from their heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati.

I like Southern Cal over BC. I know I’m always underestimating the Eagles, but I have to go with the Trojans’ talent and track record in bowls. Plus, since I’m always wrong about BC, I’m really doing the Eagles a favor.

Kentucky over Clemson. I’m just not getting a sense that the Tigers really want to be playing in Nashville.

Miami over Wisconsin. Memories of what FSU did to Wisconsin in last year’s Champs Bowl are still fresh for me.

Virginia Tech over Tennessee. I think this one will be really close. The Vols and their QB, Jonathan Crompton, are better than you think. The tiebreaker? I can’t pick Lane Kiffin to win.

West Virginia over Florida State. I’d love to go with FSU for sentimental reasons, but it’s hard get all warm and fuzzy about the Seminoles’ defense.

Iowa over Georgia Tech. My disdain for Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi has been well-publicized. But I’m nervous about giving Kirk Ferentz and that tough Iowa defense a month to prepare for Paul Johnson’s option.

That’s a prediction of a 3-4 bowl record for the ACC. Sounds about right.

The Orange Bowl, by the way, is the one game I would choose. It has less to do with the fact that it’s a BCS bowl and more to do with the great contrast (Iowa’s D vs. Georgia Tech’s O) in strengths and the great coaching minds (Ferentz vs. Paul Johnson) on the sidelines.

A.E.M.: Now let’s take go into time traveling mode. If none of the underclassmen were to leave for the NFL, which two programs do you see in the ACC Championship in the 2010 season?

Jim Young: In the Coastal I’ll go with Georgia Tech narrowly over Miami. Those should be the two best teams in the ACC.

In the Atlantic, I’m going to stop doubting BC. The Eagles will have 8 starters back on both sides of the ball and that number doesn’t include Mark Herzlich, who would provide a huge boost if he can complete his comeback from cancer. That being said, it’s the Atlantic. I could see Clemson, Florida State and even N.C. State all being a factor.

A.E.M.: And while the last question was a nice thought we all know that there will be early entries to the National Football League draft, give me a couple you think will go and how well they will fare at the next level.

Jim Young: Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan is the guy who’s highest on draft boards. I’m not the greatest judge of how defensive lineman talent translates to the NFL, but I liked that he looked strong both as a pass rusher and a run-stopper.

Jonathan Dwyer would also go high in the draft if he leaves a season early. He’s got a great combination of power and speed. But he’ll have to answer questions about how much of his production was a result of Georgia Tech’s system.

It’s kind of hard for me to fathom, given how bad its offensive line was this season, but Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell is projected to be a high pick. Clearly the Terps’ troubles weren’t his fault. He’s supposed to be a workout warrior, which is always a red flag to me. That usually means a player is getting drafted high off of 40 times and bench press reps and not on-field performance (see Heyward-Bey, Darrius).

UNC’s Bruce Carter says he’s staying, but a lot of folks think the junior linebacker could be a first-round pick. That might be hard to pass up. Carter’s teammate, Marvin Austin is also seen as a potential first-round pick. Defensive tackle performance is one of the hardest areas for laymen to judge, but I just haven’t seen him dominate the way you would think a first-round NFL pick should.

A.E.M.: Lastly, as you know (I hope) I have a UNC blog and so I have to ask a something about my school. Second season with an 8-4 regular season, what do you think is most needed (both on offense and defense) in order for the Heels to get to double figure wins and be on top of its conference?

Jim Young: There’s not much to fix on defense. Just keep Austin and Carter and Sturdivant around for another season, wash, rinse and repeat.

On offense, there are all sorts of issues. Hopefully a healthier offensive line and a year of experience for the wideouts will help. I’d also like to see UNC continue to give the ball to Ryan Houston more, even when Shaun Draughn returns to health.

All of that won’t mean much if the Tar Heels don’t get better quarterback play. I wondered before this season whether T.J. Yates was product of having great receivers and this season did little to quell those doubts. He was inconsistent enough to make me wonder whether UNC might be better served by going with Bryn Renner next season. That may be hard to believe considering Yates is a three-year starter, but it has to be at least be considered.

A.E.M.: Each and every season since he has been at UNC it seems that Butch Davis’ name comes up when a pretty big school is looking for a new head coach. So far it seems that the program (and the money and whatever else) has kept him in Chapel Hill. Do you see any job being able to lure the head coach from UNC or do you think he is here for the “long run”?

Jim Young: I think Butch likes his situation in Chapel Hill, but he’s not wedded to it. Translation: He’d take another job if he thought it was a good enough upgrade.

The good news for UNC is that there aren’t that many “upgrades” out there, year to year. I don’t think he’ll get another NFL head job. And while UNC isn’t a national power in football, Davis is smart enough to know that it’s better than a lot of other jobs simply because of the resources and the fact that the ACC isn’t a murderers’ row of competition.

So I see him staying for a while unless something like the Oklahoma job pops up. Even then, I’m not sure winning eight games at UNC will make him a “sexy” enough hire. So in a strange way, the Tar Heels benefit from having been good but not great so far during Davis’ tenure.

What can you say after an interview like this one? All I can do is to thank Jim Young once again for taking time out of his busy schedule and doing this. Make sure to follow Mr. Young on ACCSports.com, on twitter, or if you have a question for him email him at this addy. I know I will be following Young’s predictions on the bowl games and making sure to see if he has any comments on them once they are played out!

Interview With:

In this edition of “Interview With:” I was fortunate enough to get Charlie Brinson (GhostLikeSwayze on Twitter) from the East Carolina web site 200 Years too Late to talk about the up coming game between the Pirates and the Tar Heels. If you are looking for updates from this site via Twitter you can follow them by going here. The site also has a following on facebook as well. In other words they are a lot bigger than I am and I appreciate the fact that Charlie took the time from his busy schedule to answer my questions. So, without further ado, here they are…

A.E.M.: Has the season begun the way that the fan base thought it would for East Carolina? If not, what has gone better (or worst) for the Pirates?

C. Brinson: I think that the Pirates have started the season the way that the fan base had wanted. Beating Appalachian State, even with the asterisk that Armanti Edwards created when he ran over his own foot with a lawnmower, was big. It was the first time that we have played them in about 30 years and in-state rivalries are always big games.

We began the game and it seemed like it was going to be a blowout (27-7) but things changed as soon as the ref blew the whistle for halftime. A completely different ECU team stepped on the field during the second half and App St took advantage of our carelessness and ending up cutting the deficit to 29-24 with 3 minutes left. The Pirates only scored 2 pts in the 2nd half from a safety. We managed to stop App St as they were driving down field to try and win the game. That is something that Pirate fans shouldn’t have had to worry about with a 27-7 lead. It should be a lot of running of the ball and it wasn’t. There were some play calls that had fans saying “What the f_ck?!?!?”

The WVU game was a helluva game. We started out in similar fashion to the App St game by taking a 10 pt lead. We went into halftime down 1 point (20-21) and then the same damn thing happened…we started the second half and completely different team came out. We did not score in the 2nd half and WVU continued dominance with Jock Sanders and Noel Devine.

I (and I think the ECU fan base) love the way the Pirates have been playing…in the first half. I just can’t take anymore of this 2nd half nonsense. It is ridiculous.

A.E.M.: For the average fan, that knows its own team but not so much the opponent’s, give us a couple of players on offense and a couple on defense that we should look for in this weekend’s match up.

C. Brinson:

#17 – Dwayne Harris
WR that gets nasty. Skip will bring him to the backfield every once in a while to mess with opponents and he usually will get some great yardage on those plays. Great runner.

#80 – Alex Taylor
WR that I think will be having a standout year this year. He has the speed and size to be dominant.

#3 – Brandon Jackson
RB who transferred from Kentucky. The guy is an absolute beast with speed to boot. Watch for him to find the hole (that’s what she said) in the defense and wave to him as he runs to the endzone.

#2 – Jonathan Williams
This kid is a manimal (man + animal = manimal) and a Greenville, NC native. He is the guy that we look for to get us that first down when we really, really need it.

A.E.M.: Who do you think that ECU fears the most on UNC’s squad? And of course why.

C. Brinson: I am not going to say that ECU is fears anyone on UNC’s squad but I think that if Yates’ arm is able to throw deep, we are in for a little trouble. Our secondary hasn’t really looked incredible in the past two games (minus Van Eskridge who seemed to be the only person who could tackle a WVU player or get near the ball).

A.E.M.: ECU will win the game if they…

C. Brinson: …play in the second half like they play in the first half.

A.E.M.: ECU will lose the game if they…

C. Brinson: …come out of the locker room in the second half and play the same old bullshit as the last two games.

A.E.M.: And of course, the question that must be asked, what do you think the final score will be?

C. Brinson: I think it will be a close one. I have gotta take my Pirates winning a close one: 23-20. It will be another victory by field goal just like the last battle in Greenville.

Once again I thank Charlie Brinson for answering these questions for me. Remember to check him out on twitter (as GhostLikeSwayze), or check out his site, 200 Years too Late, on twitter as well. Hopefully I will be able to get another interview with him next week to talk about the game and do a small recap of it, until then I hope you enjoyed this edition of “Interview With:”.

Interview With:

Way late this weekend, mostly because of a phone tag dilemna, here is the next edition of “Interview With:” Da Beat of N.Y. for the recap against UConn and a preview of ECU. After the game from last week  we will have plenty to talk about for the team’s first road trip. On the other hand there is also a lot of things to talk about when it comes to the rematch between the Tar Heels and the Pirates. So, sit back, relax and enjoy this edition of “Interview With:”…

A.E.M.: First off, what did you think of the game between the Tar Heels and the Huskies?

Da Beat: Those that think North Carolina won this game by luck do not know much about the progression of this team since the arrival of their head coach. The defense has gotten better and better, putting more and more pressure on the opposing offense. What people saw Saturday was nothing compared to what they could have seen if the game had been played on a dry field. Let’s face the facts for a minute, a bad field kills speed, and North Carolina is all about speed on defense. What can’t be killed is the passion and hustle, and if you saw the first offensive play by Connecticut you can totally see how much this team has of both of that!

On offense the team has been fighting on two front since the beginning of the season, as they have to face who is against them as well as fighting the injury bug that has been around them since the pre season. I can garuantee you that on a team like this one, where it seems someone goes down every week, players begin to get scared and do not play freely, but begin to second guess themselves. That is never going to be good! Once the team stops losing players to injuries that will go away as well and you will see a much better game flow.

A.E.M.: This last game was hard fought, do you believe the right team got the W?

Da Beat: I do, and mostly because the other team never took the game when they could have. There is less than one quarter to go and in a game where in the first 45 minutes 10 points have been scored, and have been scored all by your team, you should not lose the game. Yet Connecticut did and they did so because North Carolina would not let them beat them. But, if you check the stats of this game, with the exception of INTs, where UNC has one extra, all things pointed to Carolina having the better performance. In the long run things like that will catch up with the opponent, just like they did Saturday.

Do not get me wrong, if Connecticut had won no one would be complaining that they stole the game, it was that kind of game. Those kind of games are also they type of performances that make (or break) a season. Without a doubt this game is as much an up for the winner as it is a down for the loser, especially since it was the home team losing and they had the lead for three quarters of the game. Now the coaching staff needs to use this in order to push Carolina forward to the game against East Carolina and the rest of the season.

A.E.M.: Since you touched on it, with the Pirates coming to Chapel Hill can the team that played in Connecticut beat ECU this weekend?

Da Beat: I think this, too many people are looking at the negatives in this game, like the running game was not working. I think that coach Skip Holtz can’t just think about stopping the run against Carolina, because the passing game worked pretty well on a field that isn’t the best to have an aerial attack. We all know that defenses win when they can chop off pages from the offensive playbook (2nd or 3rd and long). If East Carolina was going to work on the run stop for the most part, well now they have to work on both the run stop and the dropping down in coverage. That alone is a victory for coach Butch Davis and his team.

A.E.M.: What do you see as the key match up in the upcoming game between ECU and UNC?

Da Beat: I would have to say it has to be: Patrick Pinkney (East Carolina’s sixth year senior quarterback) against the front seven of North Carolina’s defense. ECU returns the whole front line from a year ago, but I do not think they are going to be ready for the speed that UNC will unleash on them. If Carolina can get to Pinkney early and often this is going to be a long day for the Pirates, on the other hand, if ECU can expose the rush with slants and screens the Tar Heels will have to slow down the rush and that could help East Carolina.

A.E.M.: Any other things that someone should be looking for when watching this game?

Da Beat: Believe it or not, and I never thought I would be saying this this year, the North Carolina wide receivers and the East Carolina defensive backs. If the script keeps following what happened last week for both of these units you will see T.J. Yates have over 250 yards through the air and a couple of touchdowns against what is the weakest link of the ECU defense. But again, this is going to happen if the offensive line can gel and does not get any more injuries.

A.E.M.: Anything else you like to add?

Da Beat: First off, look for another very ugly game that won’t always be flowing like we would like. Being in Chapel Hill, with a couple of teams that are both hungry for one another. On one side ECU’s players  thinking that they have been labeled “not good enough for the ACC”, and therefore not good enough for North Carolina. On the other side the UNC’s players wanting revenge from the 34 to 31 lost. This is going to make it for a tight fought game, which will also help my theory of this being an ugly game.

A.E.M.: And the final score will be?

Da Beat: I am going to go with North Carolina winning the game 19 to 10, with the kickers being the main focus of the game, both for field position and for scoring three points.

As usual, nothing else to say but to thank Da Beat of N.Y. for his great insights in both recapping last week’s game and looking forward to this Saturday’s match up. Looking forward to hearing from him next week, and to see if his very bold predictions come true!

Having heard from Da Beat of N.Y. about the game between North Carolina and Connecticut in my last interview, in this installment of “Interview With:” we hear from a UConn blogger about his Huskies. Kevin Meacham, part of TheUConnBlog, was nice enough to take some time and answer my questions about the upcoming game between UNC and UConn. You can also check out TheUConnBlog on Twitter. Without further ado let’s get going with this edition of “Interview With:”…

A.E.M.: Browsing your very well done blog I read that you see this year’s UConn team getting either six or seven wins. Has that changed now that the Huskies won their first game of the season over Ohio?

K. Meacham: First off, thanks for the compliment. But no, Saturday didn’t change much. Our quarterback, Zach Frazer, struggled to do much of anything against Ohio; he over/underthrew receivers all night, and while the three interceptions weren’t all his fault (balls bouncing off receivers’ hands), none of the three were particularly good throws. While UConn was in command for the entire game, it was still a fairly close win against a MAC team. Not the greatest way to open the season, though not the worst, either.

On the plus side, it looks like our running game hasn’t lost much despite losing a first-round NFL draft pick (Donald Brown), and our defensive front seven appears to be very solid.

On the down side, the QB and WR positions are so far as shaky as they were last season; the defensive backs got burned a couple times against Ohio; and the special teams were still pretty bad.

In other words, unless something changes in the next couple weeks, this is the same team that won eight games last year, with a tougher schedule.

A.E.M.: For the average fan, that knows its own team but not so much the opponent’s, give us a couple of players on offense and a couple on defense that we should look for in this weekend’s match up.

K. Meacham: UConn’s best offensive player is probably Jordan Todman, the sophomore running back who had 157 yards against Ohio. He was a solid runner last year backing up Brown (6.0 yards per carry in limited touches), and is on the preseason Doak Walker Award watch list. He’s small and quick and if there’s a hole in the line of scrimmage, he’ll find it.

UConn had another RB, Andre Dixon, rush for 100 yards last week; Dixon was the second-team all-Big East RB in 2007, but his off-the-field issues led to Brown getting 80 percent of the carries (and the NCAA rushing title) last year. Dixon’s bigger than Todman, and a more powerful runner, but he has enough speed to get around the corner.

I’ve already mentioned Frazer, but I suppose I should throw in the fact that I and other UConn fans are fairly high on him because he’s a four-star recruit who transferred for Notre Dame. For whatever that’s worth.

On defense, I’d put our linebackers (Greg Lloyd, Scott Lutrus, Lawrence Wilson) up against 90 percent of BCS teams; and defensive end Lindsey Witten is a speed rusher with a knack for getting to the QB (5 sacks last year, 3 last week including a safety).

A.E.M.: UConn will win the game if they ____________________.

K. Meacham: UConn will win the game if Frazer can figure out his timing with the receivers, the offensive line opens up holes like they did against Ohio, and the defensive secondary tightens up their coverage.

A.E.M.: UConn will lose the game if they _____________________.

K. Meacham: UConn will lose the game if Bruce Carter goes nutso on our punt coverage again, if they lose the turnover battle, and/or if T.J. Yates consistently has all day to throw.

A.E.M.: And of course, the question that must be asked, what do you think the final score will be?

K. Meacham: I could see UConn winning this game if their 2007 mojo returns (+14 in turnovers and a bunch of defensive/special teams TDs that year). Certainly I don’t think UNC will win by 26 like they did last year. That being said, I’m still really skeptical about our offense. And, though it may not come across in such a UConn-centric preview, I have a lot of respect for UNC’s talent and coaching. So I’ll say UNC 27, UConn 17, but it’ll be closer than that until late.

What more can I say than to thank Kevin Meacham for this great interview who gives us a look into this season’s Connecticut Huskies. Make sure to check the TheUConnBlog or their Twitter page for more tidbits as Carolina and Connecticut get set to meet this Saturday. Also, stay tuned as I answer Kevin’s question for his blog, and maybe, just maybe, one get more interview about the game coming up this weekend.

Interview With:

It should have been done a bit earlier but with the long weekend my “Interview With:” Da Beat of N.Y. is being posted now. Plenty to talk about with my almost weekly guest on The Fifth Corner, from the first game of the season to the first road game of the year. From the good looking running game to the so-so receiving core performance. From the explosive D to the sometimes faulty special teams. All of this and maybe even a basketball question! So, without further ado, here is this week’s interview with Da Beat of N.Y.

A.E.M.: Give me one sentence to describe the Tar Heels in the first game of the season?

Da Beat: Changing just a bit the famous phrase by Dennis Green: “they are who we thought they are”.

A.E.M.: Well, I have to admit that needs a bit more expanding, so you care to talk about it?

Da Beat: Sure. The defense was supposed to be a dominating force this year. If the first game of the year is any indication, they seem to be just that. The offensive line might be the weakest link of the team, and once again, they might not be the weakest, but it is about what we were thinking they were. The pre-season expectations about the wide receivers was not that great, after they dropped several catchable balls, it seems the expectations are spot on.

A.E.M.: So you think that playing such an inferior opponent can still give you guidelines to how the team played?

Da Beat: Teams schedule games like this exactly for that, to judge how their team is going into the rest of the season. Speed is speed, just don’t run faster against weaker opponents, you just seem to because they are slower. Finding the hole to run through, catching/dropping a ball, running your routes the proper way, making the blocks you should be making, ect. ect. are all things that you either do it or don’t no matter who your opponent is. Of course against a team like The Citadel you might not have to run a perfect route to get open, but that’s for the game, in video room you will be told about it, and that is how the coaching staff will grade the players.

A.E.M.: All in all is this the way that you thought Carolina would start?

Da Beat: Yes, taking away most of the first quarter, the Tar Heels looked pretty good on most fronts, with the exception of the wide receivers. If I am not mistaken T.J. Yates threw 19 times and the wide receivers dropped five or six passes. That is the thing you can do against a FCS team, not against a conference rival. Things like this are crushing to the momentum of a team, something that can turn a win into a loss. On the positive side, having watched the game you have to believe that many sports programs will talk about those young men. In college football having a defense that can play like North Carolina’s is a total plus and that can lead to wins.

A.E.M.: Let’s move to this weekend’s match up against the Huskies, what do you see that the Heels have to improve on in order to have a good showing and come home with a win?

Da Beat: Run the ball, that’s this year motto! If the Tar Heels can impose their will on the ground, with the defense they have, they could make it a long day for most opponents. You have to believe that if Carolina can run the ball as they did in week one a lot of the teams they face will have problems come the third and fourth quarter. On the other hand, if the defense can be as effective as the first game the opponents will have to rush throws, and that will turn into turnovers and good field position for the offense. To break it down quickly, if Davis is able to have his strengths led the game it should be a win for North Carolina.

A.E.M.: What do you think is the weakness to expose when it comes to UConn?

Da Beat: To cut to the chase, their experience. I see coach Edsall having them on course for a very good season in 2010, but this year they are going to be that proverbial “year away” that will give their fan base a lot of hope but also a lot of algida. Teams that are missing that slight experience, but have talent as well, have to be taken out early. The more you let a team that you should take down, the more they are going to believe they can win the game.

A.E.M.: Having said all of that, what do you see the final score being between UNC and UConn?

Da Beat: I believe that the spread as of last night was 4 points, up from 3. I am pretty sure that the Tar Heels will cover that and more. I can see Carolina coming away from this game winning by double digits, taking the game by a final of 31 to 14.

A.E.M.: Lastly, James McAdoo is now a Tar Heel, another great pick up by head coach Roy Williams for the basketball program. Any thoughts?

Da Beat: Just one: who’s next? Anyone that follows recruiting, as you and I do, can only ask who’s next? Head coach Roy Williams is a master recruiter and one of the best as far as coaching is concerned. Any player that wants to go into the National Basketball Association should be looking at UNC very closely, because it does not get much better than this, just look at what little gathering they had in the Dean Dome on Friday.

And that is it for this edition of “Interview With:”. Once again a huge thank you to Da Beat of N.Y. for getting this done as soon as the long weekend was over. Make sure to check him out every week here on The Fifth Corner. Also make sure to check out several other interviews coming up this week having to do with the UNC/UConn game.

Interview With:

As the National Basketball Association gets its rest, the bloggers that give us the news about the NBA are definitely not resting. One of them, Scott from Waiting For Next Year (WFNY), was kind enough to answer some questions about the Cleveland Cavaliers and their second round pick, Danny Green. Once again all I can say is how lucky I am as another great blog comes out of the “Interview With:” series thanks to the awesome answers given. See what Scott has to say about Green, the rest of the Tar Heels in the League and the “one and done” rule that is in place…

A.E.M.: Of course the “big” news in Cleveland is Shaq coming to town, but for us Tar Heels the question is this: What do you make of the Cavs second round pick, Danny Green?

Scott (WFNY): I think it is safe to say that fans in general are excited to see what Green brings to the table. He’s the perfect role player for Mike Brown’s system. Green wasn’t the number one option on UNC, so he’ll be comfortable doing the same at the next level. Plus, he loves defense, yet can hit the open three – something that Brown can’t get enough of. Many feel that the Cavs got a steal with Green in the second round, and the folks at WFNY definitely agree, albeit a little more tempered than pundits like John Hollinger. Given the depth on the wing, there won’t be a lot of pressure put on the rookie; something that is good for all parties involved.

A.E.M.: Is Green a: a) lock to make the team, b) will probably make the team, c) will start the season on the Cavs but will end up in the NBDL or d) will start the season in the NBDL.

Scott (WFNY): Given the release of Tarance Kinsey, I think that Green definitely makes the team. The issue that he may run into will be in the second half of the season if both JJ Hickson and Leon Powe are both healthy, Brown may be forced to put Green on the inactive list for a few games here and there. The thing that Green has going for him is the regression that we experienced from Danny Gibson. If Green flourishes in limited minutes, but Gibson continues to struggle, there may be a changing of the Dannys in the SG depth chart. Green already has height in his favor, he’ll just need to produce when called upon.

A.E.M.: Now to the other ex Tar Heel on the Cavaliers: Jawad Williams. Last year he never got much time playing in Cleveland (maximum 3-4 minutes), while he was dominating in the NBDL. Where do you see Williams this season?

Scott (WFNY): We’re big fans of Jawad Williams. Yes, he’s on the professional team of our rooting interest, but is also a Cleveland guy, going to St. Eds. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him as a person, and I think the release of Kinsey (instead of Williams) speaks volumes. Brian Windhorst has mentioned several times that the team thinks very highly of Jawad, and he will be given every chance in the world to make the team come October. He had a very successful summer league, and already has a year of service under his belt with these guys. We wish him nothing but the best, even if it is in a limited role with the big boys.

A.E.M.: If you were the GM of the Cavs and you had to pick one player from Chapel Hill that is in the NBA now to help your team out who would you pick, and of course why?

Scott (WFNY): Wow, great question. We could use point guard depth, so Ray Felton would be a solid fit behind Mo Williams. However, we have yet to see what he can do at this level, so I’ll make my selection be a veteran. A close second would be Marvin Williams, a guy whom I was hoping the Cavaliers were interested in during the most recent free agency period. Alas, he was restricted and was signed by the Hawks. Thus, with all things considered (LeBron’s game, a “win now” philosophy, etc), I’d go with Antawn Jamison. He’s a great “stretch” power forward that can hit the mid-range jump shot and still crash the glass. Jamison may be older than both of the aforementioned, but his game would be the best fit right now to help out the Cavs.

A.E.M.: And lastly, the NCAA bloggers (for the most part) think that the “one and done” rule is not good for the sport at the college level. As a pro blogger what do you think of that rule? (Keep it as is – Change it – Get rid of it altogether)

Scott (WFNY): It’s tough as my team currently has the best player in the league, LeBron James, and he came directly out of high school. I do think that the one-and-done is ridiculous and needs to be changed, I’m just not sure what way it should go. Allow kids to come out of HS again, or make them stay for at least two years? College football seems to have it down pretty well, allowing teams to build and repeat. As an Ohio State fan, we haven’t had the same center in years; something that Thad Matta has been criticized for in the past – though he’s simply playing the hand he’s being dealt. So, if I had to play a hard line, I’d say yes, it needs to be changed. Let’s add at least one more year to give us ‘teams’ to root for instead of just a player for one year, hoping he can take us to the promise land.

All that is left is to thank Scott for the straight forward answers and to remind all of you that you can check out his blog at Waiting For Next Year or see what he is saying on his Twitter Page.