University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Bells, Not Bowls
November 13, 2004 | Football
Nov. 13, 2004
By Adam Lucas
WINSTON-SALEM--In the immediate aftermath of Saturday's 31-24 win over Wake Forest, there were a few things that--as a Carolina football fan--you really needed to do.
You had to revel in a win over the Demon Deacons, of course. It wasn't hard to find a friendly face, as a large part of the stadium record crowd of 37,623 was wearing light blue.
You had to check the scoreboard and see how the other league teams were faring. Duke posted a big upset, Virginia and Miami had a big tussle in Charlottesville, and the ACC standings were still far from decided.
You had to--quietly, when no one was looking--sneak a peek at the bowl schedule. OK, this game is on this date, I've got a friend in this bowl city, this would be an intriguing matchup.
Next week's game against Duke? First and foremost, that was important for bowl possibilities. Win and the Heels are bowl eligible with six victories. Lose and they'll watch the holiday football feast on television.
Enter linebacker Doug Justice, whose nine tackles led the Heels. He should have been giddy about the postseason possibilities, should have been trying to figure out if he would get to work on his tan or go to a chillier location.
So here is Justice's take on the bowl situation:
"We're not worried about the bowl game," he said. "We're worried about getting the Victory Bell back."
His matter-of-fact comment, as though there was nothing in the world more important to him at that moment than the Victory Bell--at a time when everyone in the world who doesn't have a cubby in the Carolina locker room is thinking postseason--is why the 2004 Tar Heels have become one of the most likable Carolina football squads in recent memory.
For some reason this particular team has decided they're not willing to roll over. At 2-3, including blowout losses to Virginia and Louisville, they were supposed to be dead. They didn't seem to care.
Even Saturday afternoon, Wake Forest gave them the opportunity to fold as they did on occasion in previous seasons. Marcus McGruder's third quarter interception return for a touchdown tied the score at 10 and reenergized a slumbering crowd. And then, after Carolina built a 24-10 advantage, the Deacs came back to tie the score at 24 on Chris Barclay's second touchdown and suddenly seemed to have all the momentum.
Carolina's players didn't seem to care.
That's a credit to their head coach and that's a credit to a senior class that desperately wants to leave the program on solid footing. Darian Durant, Madison Hedgecock, Jason Brown, and the rest of their classmates are the kind of guys you'll remember with a smile years from now. They're the latest reincarnation of Jason Stanicek, of Natrone Means, of Brandon Spoon, of whoever leaps to mind when you mention your favorite former Tar Heels.
"This is a very resilient group," Bunting said.
And awfully fun to watch. If you're one of those fans who treks up and down the interstate on Saturday afternoons following your Heels to wherever they might be playing on that particular day, you've seen some incredible games this fall. Just in the past six weeks, you've seen three games decided in the final seconds, another narrow win over an in-state rival, and, well, at least you got a nice trip to Salt Lake City.
There's one more Saturday scuffle before we know if the travelogue will extend into December. It would surprise absolutely no one if next week's game at Wallace Wade Stadium closely resembles the 1994 shootout that ended with a 41-40 Carolina win. It may not be identical in score, but in terms of atmosphere and the seesaw nature of the game, watch out.
Beginning this winter and for the 12 months since the end of last season, Tar Heel players have noticed a troubling vacancy in their locker room. It's the spot where the Victory Bell resided for over a decade, and it's a bit of redecorating this senior class desperately wants to do before they leave.
First, get the Bell. Then worry about a bowl.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. His book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about the book, click here.
