I went to yoga for the first time ever last night; it was interesting, and I had fun. I’m also incredibly sore today, and probably made a fool of myself, but I got something out of it, and it’s good to try new things. That being the case, try some of this week’s links in our best of North Carolina sportswriting roundup. They’re awesome — and you don’t have to be in a downward facing dog to appreciate:
When it comes to covering ACC basketball, there are none better than David Teel; this week, the veteran scribe penned how referees are preparing to officiate this upcoming season, which will show an increased emphasis on curbing hand-checking. Personally, I’m completely in favor of this shift; it just needs time to be implemented. Teel may live in Virginia, but he eats more than a few press meals per year in NC, so we’re claiming him for the moment.
(Also, let me just add how happy I am to see the adoption of the 30-second shot clock. So simple, yet it makes almost too much sense.)
Over at the Charlotte Observer, Scott Fowler writes on the Panthers 8-0 start, and cautions fans and followers of the team to not sweat the small stuff; enjoy what we currently have, which is really, really good.
Over at Duke Basketball Report, JD King recaps UNC’s shellacking on the Blue Devils in Kenan last Saturday, but that’s not necessarily why this stands out. King’s summary of the game quickly transition to a strong stance on Carolina’s seemingly never-ending fallout from their academic fraud scandal.
The Hornets have won three of their last four games — heading into tonight’s showdown against the Knicks in Charlotte. Jeremy Lin and Jeremy Lamb have provided the name with much needed shooting and passing off of the bench — which, according to Rick Bonnell at the Charlotte Observer, is exactly where coach Steve Clifford wants them.
When you think of the Carolina Panthers defense a few big names are usually the first to pop into your brain: Luke Kuechly, Josh Norman, Thomas Davis, Kawann Short. But as Mark Inabinett writes for AL.com, veteran safety Roman Harper (a 10-year vet) is one of the unsung heroes of Carolina’s dominating defense.
This is pretty damn cool: UAB men’s basketball coach Jerod Haase — who was an assistant for Roy Williams at UNC from 2003-12 — will cover the full cost of attendance for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at his school; according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN, this total hovers around $46,000.
Sticking at ESPN — senior writer Seth Wickersham continues his seven-part series on some of the NFL’s young quarterbacks. This week, he chronicles the development of Cam Newton: how he spent his offseason, and the most valuable physical attribute he possesses.
