It’s Wednesday; stop what you’re doing and read about sports. Like right now. Stop. We here at SC8 have curated a small list with some of the best writing from the past week involving North Carolina sports, past and present athletes, and coaches. Enjoy.
Senior safety Jeremy Cash has garnered the majority of headlines as Duke has rushed out to a 3-1 start – and rightfully so, the transfer from Ohio State has been sensational. But David Hale of ESPN – a resident of Charlotte – points out: the rebuilt front seven of Coach David Cutcliffe’s defense has become pretty damn good, too.
Grantland’s Zach Lowe – perhaps the best basketball writer we currently have going – on former UNC star and NBA Champion Harrison Barnes: his role on the Warriors, upcoming free agency and the targeted areas of improvement for his game. With the upcoming NBA salary cap explosion on the horizon, the Black Falcon is about to get paid. How does $20 million per year sound?
After one full month of action, Bill Connelly of SB Nation uses his fancy shmancy numbers to rank the conferences in college football. And guess who checks in at No. 2. That’s right, the freaking ACC. Feels good, man. Say it with me: Number 2! Number 2! Number 2! Also, once the SEC hits inevitably hits probation, I’m sure we’ll quickly ascend to our rightful place.
It took over 50 years, but golfing legend Jack Nicklaus finally returned to Greensboro Tuesday. Ed Hardin was at Sedgefield where Nicklaus answered questions on why he avoided the Piedmont Triad for so many years. I like how Ed doesn’t kiss the ring and even takes a couple subtle digs at him. Hardin ends the column by basically saying: “Wish we could have hung out more.”
On RaleighCo: R.L. Bynum digs into the relationship between ESPN multimedia superstar Bomani Jones and his soon-to-be full-time producer Shannon Penn.
Yes, the NBA season is right around the corner, which means MEDIA DAYS from Mobile, Alabma. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer on Charlotte Hornets rookie big man Frank Kaminsky: He’s eccentric (much like the foodstuffs at Nosh in Durham), not weird.
A lot has been made this offseason about how the Charlotte Hornets made a concerted effort to create more space on the offensive side of the floor for All-NBA big fella Al Jefferson, including the draft selection of the aforementioned Frank the Tank. However, according to At The Hive, Big Al took it on his shoulders to create even more breathing room in the paint: drawing inspiration from a former Wake Forest star to drop some weight.
Does Duke play football? You’re damn right they play football! A former Blue Devil football player penned a letter to Coach Cut, via Duke Basketball Report. It’s an interesting perspective on just how much things have changed in Durham since the hiring of Cut in 2008.
If you live in the Triangle or just follow the Carolina Hurricanes, it seems as though trade rumors have surrounded Eric Staal and Cam Ward – franchise cornerstones, members of the 06 Stanley Cup squad – for years now. Over at WRALSportsFan: Mike Maniscalco, less than two weeks before the regular season fires up, weighs in on the situation.
Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer on the Carolina Panther – the twice defending champions of the NFC’s third coast – acquisition of defensive end Jared Allen.
