Together We Are Carolina

     Ask any college basketball fan, any Carolina fan and surely they will say that 2012 will forever be remembered as a year of "What ifs".  But to me this year is about something else, about much more than just what could have been had we not been so unlucky on the injury front.  2012 for me will be about the heart and spirit of a team that received blow after blow, was counted out over and over again but refused to quit and no matter what continued to get up after every hit.  This team battled through as much adversity than any team I have personally ever seen and to have a chance with 4:00 minutes on the clock in the Elite 8 against Kansas is more than we could have realistically asked for from these kids. 
     When you look at the group of Tar Heels that played most of the minutes against Kansas on Sunday you see a group that is basically consisting of  4th and 5th point guards running the show in White and Watts a 2nd/3rd string shooting guard in Bullock and a 2nd string power forward who had to play extended minutes after Henson rolled his ankle.  Think about that; what other team in the country could compete in an Elite 8 game against Kansas with that type of line up?  In my opinion their is no other team in the country that could have accomplished what this team did with the situation they were given and they as well as Roy Williams should be commended for a job well done this season. 
     This team had a good run and when Marshall went down against Creighton and after seeing how this team played against Ohio without him the Carolina faithful expected to lose against Kansas while hoping to keep it respectable, for all intensive purposes Carolina's season was over after this game without Marshall and everyone knew and expected nothing else.  But something amazing happened on Sunday afternoon in St. Louis, a group of kids that had once again been counted out rose to the challenge of a juggernaut. The Tar Heels came out and went blow for blow with a powerful Kansas team that boasts potential Player of the Year Thomas Robinson. And all of a sudden unknown Stilman White became a household name.  He and this team had every Carolina fan questioning their previous thoughts on the game.  They found themselves starting to believe, actually thinking that this kid could lead us to the Final Four.  At halftime the Tar Heels found themselves tied at 47 with the Jayhawks and from where I was from you could certainly see a change in the face of every fan, going from no chance to believing. 
     The Tar Heels continued to battle throughout the second half and with around 4 minutes left had a chance to take the lead trailing 67-68 but and arrant pass from Reggie Bullock that resulted in a fast break basket was the beginning of the end for Carolina.  It kicked off the final run that Kansas would need to put Carolina away.  This is why this loss still hurts so much.  Had Kansas been in control form the outset like many Carolina fans expected it would be easier to swallow, but the fact that the Heels almost did the impossible and gave hope to all of Carolina Nation for 36 minutes makes this a tough pill to swallow.

from newsobserver.com

     Stilman White is what I believe made all of this possible, he came in and played better than anyone could have dreamed.  But does he take comfort in knowing that this loss was not his fault, simply put no.  Stilman White still believes he failed his team.  After the game White said "My only job was to win and get us to the Final Four and we didn't accomplish it."  I know it hurts now for Stilman but as he goes on and looks back at his experience he will understand that he did everything he could.  This pure emotion and love for his team in the pursuit of a common goal is why this year will not be about the injuries for me it will be about the heart of a group of kids that came together, captivated the Tar Heel nation and almost did what couldn't be done.  Well done Carolina