I’ve talked to many a North Carolina fan who seems to find no solace in the Tar Heels’ appearance in the NIT Final Four this week. I’ve heard words like disappointing, embarrassing and second-rate, to name a few.

And that’s just sad. It’s one thing to feel bad for how your team performed during the season but if you’re a fan you pull for your team whenever they put on the uniform and take the court, even if it is in the “other” post-season tournament.

Can I blame Tar Heel fans for having high expectations? No, not at all. In the last five seasons North Carolina has been to three Final Fours and won two national titles.

And as a matter of fact, high expectations have been the norm since Phil Ford was running the four corners for Dean Smith.

But some North Carolina fans are just plain arrogant, and there’s no room for that in the game. Have we forgotten that these are 18-22-year-old college kids, not millionaire athletes like the ones who suit up for the Bobcats and Panthers?

With the terrible regular season the Tar Heels had, Ol’ Roy and the boys have picked it up and won three straight. Larry Drew has settled down at the point guard spot and freshman John Henson is finally playing some good ball at his natural position – power forward.

And guess what? Somehow North Carolina now has a chance to turn a season filled with lemons into lemonade this week. A win on Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden and they play for the NIT championship a couple of days later.

Personally, I’m not a fan of North Carolina. I grew up following N.C. State (let the jokes begin) and I’ve stuck by my team all of these years through the ups (1983 national championship, 1987 ACC tournament championship, Chris Corchiani/ Rodney Monroe years, and five straight NCAA tournament appearances) and downs (too many to recall). So from where I sit, I think the Tar Heels fans need to zip it with the “woe is me” talk and just support your team as they pursue a championship -- one that nobody would have guessed would be possible.

By the way, I’ve got a feeling the Tar Heels will win the NIT.

My Picks for the NCAA Final Four
Two of my Final Four picks fell out of the bracket, but West Virginia and Duke pulled through. As good as the game was between Baylor and the Blue Devils, I’m really looking forward to the matchup with Duke and West Virginia next weekend.

The Mountaineers beat the tournament’s most exciting team – the Kentucky Wildcats – by keeping the “young guns” off balance all game long.

Duke, meanwhile, seems to be clicking on all cylinders. Brian Zoubek fouls out and Kyle Singler was MIA in their Elite Eight contest, but John Scheyer and Nolan Smith were clutch-hitting jumper after jumper while taking down the Bears of Baylor.

On Saturday night, you can expect a nail bitter between the Blue Devils and the Mountaineers, but as I said at the beginning of the tournament, Duke will come out on top.

The other Final Four matchup has the Michigan State Spartans playing the Butler Bulldogs. The Spartans are back again, looking to handle some unfinished business.

On the other hand, the Bulldogs are the closest thing to “Cinderella” that’s left in the tournament, though it was expected that they would do well this season. Their 32 wins are impressive, but I never saw a trip to the Final Four coming from this mid-major team.

Unfortunately, their dream season will end and the Spartans will go on to meet Duke for the national championship.

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Damon Ford is a former journalist who is now a public relations professional working in the public and private sectors in Charlotte.

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