Of course I don’t obviously think that; however, the over-simplified idea of that is representative of the corruption behind it all. Carolina basketball has talent and prestige. There’s no doubt about it, but how far are you willing to coast along on prestige alone? Just like in the real world, you have to be able to adapt to the changes. For the first time in a long time Duke and UNC have some serious competition (not just with NCSU), but it is so engrained in the ACC and NCAA culture that there is a set elite while other teams are given the short end of the stick. 

There’s a point where it crosses the line from just being basketball and bad reffing to a representation of integrity. I’m watching the Wolfpack fight to break a barrier put up by refs, newscasters, and the status quo instead of fighting to instill pride in our school. Let the talent speak for itself and remove the obstacles, and win or lose, both sides could come out of the situation with a sense of pride. But right now the losers feel cheated and the winners end up looking undeserving (whether they are or not). It’s not fair to either team or school, and no one wins in the end in this horrible system. “School spirit” has simply become synonymous with hatred towards other schools on both sides instead of what it should be: pride. 

This belittling and condescension from both sides needs to stop. The politics and money behind it all (much higher than Williams and Gottfried) have robbed us from the friendly competition that is supposed to define our college years.