University of North Carolina Athletics
Extra Points Mailbag
August 31, 2007 | Football
Aug. 31, 2007
by Lee Pace, Extra Points
The entertainment, media and technology universes today are populated with iPods, Blu-Ray, streaming video, gigabytes, hotsyncing, Wi-Fi and Wi-Max. Content is king, and following your favorite athletic team sometimes requires a doctorate degree in learning all the gadgetry and technology employed to stream audio, video and the printed word from team headquarters to you.
It's no wonder, then, that the mailbag was full this week of questions involving all the media properties surrounding the Tar Heels.
One reader astutely noted that in one location on this website, Saturday's game against James Madison University was designated as having TV coverage on ESPN360.
"Only problem is, that's not TV, is it?" he asks.
He is right. It is internet coverage, not TV coverage. You watch on your computer, not your TV.
ESPN360 is a free service providing games, analysis and special content around the clock. It is available nationwide--with a catch: You must subscribe to a participating broadband internet service provider.
In Chapel Hill, for example, my ISP is Time-Warner Cable, and I cannot receive the feed. When I log onto the ESPN360.com, a message on the right side of my browser says "Out of network" and an audio message is played that directs me to "Please contact your service provider and ask them to partner with ESPN360."
For those whose ISP is connected with ESPN360, you can sit at your computer and watch the game.
Here are other issues on the minds of Tar Heel fans as they prepare to follow the Tar Heels in 2007:
Will there be a feed in Kenan Stadium of the Tar Heel Sports Network's radio broadcast?
No, but you can listen during home games on WRDU-FM 106.1 or WHCL-AM 1360. On televised games, where the signal is delayed and arrives in your TV set several seconds after the actual play, WRDU is going to delay its radio signal to synch up with the TV signal for the benefit of fans at home trying to listen to the radio call and watch the game on TV. So for those games, your best bet in the stadium will be WCHL, which will not delay the radio signal. That won't be an issue Saturday as the game is not on TV.
For road games, the network will have a signal within the visiting stadium, but it might vary from game to game depending on available signals in that location. Next week in Greenville, the frequency will be 92.7-FM.
Will the "Butch Davis Live Show" be available via podcast for those who can't listen in real time? Will the "Inside Carolina" five-minute daily broadcasts be available?
The daily broadcasts are already available. Look on the right side of the Tarheelblue.com home page and click the COLUMNISTS button. From there, click "Woody Durham Daily Show" and the shows are archived for two weeks.
The Athletic Department's marketing staff and Tar Heel Sports Marketing are working to make podcasts available for the "Butch Davis Live Show" as well as his TV show, "Inside the Huddle with Butch Davis." They should be available soon. We'll let you know when that happens.
For Tar Heel fans in the Triangle area who subscribe to Time-Warner Digital Cable, you can watch and listen to Davis's weekly radio program on Digital Cable channel 212.
When and where is the "Countdown to Kickoff" radio pre-game show available?
The Tar Heel Sports Network's broadcast will begin 1 hour before kick-off; that means air time this week is 5 p.m. The "Countdown to Kickoff" show, featuring Brad Heller and Deems May, will be heard from 4 to 5 p.m. on WRDU-FM 106.1.
The network's post-game show will run for approximately 45 minutes from the stadium and then switch to Heller and May. After the network broadcast signs off, Heller and May will continue for 30 to 45 more minutes on WRDU and WCHL.
Will the Old Well Walk still be held?
Yes, the team will depart the busses at the Old Well each home Saturday two hours, 15 minutes before kickoff.
And there were a few football-related questions.
Where is Greg Little on the depth chart? Should we expect to see him against JMU?
Ed Page, Sanford
The fact that Little has not been listed on the Tar Heels' two-deep roster has elicited a number of readers to write, "Where is Greg?"
Little, the freshmen receiver from Durham, has had a good preseason camp and will almost certainly play this year, though Davis has not made any official proclamation on which freshmen will play. The Tar Heels will play three and four receivers on occasion and, as the year evolves, there should be ample opportunity for Little to play.
Among other freshmen you're likely to see are linebackers/special teams players Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant; tight end Zack Pianalto; defensive tackle Marvin Austin; and defensive back Charles Brown.
"I don't know how many will play or exactly who will play," Davis said this week. "We'll play kids we feel like give us the opportunity to contribute and win games. As the season goes along--and there's no way to project injuries--maybe we'll have seven to 12 freshmen prepared to play special teams and backup roles."
Has coach Davis mentioned whether or not he will bring back the all-blue football uniforms that used to be worn during the Mack Brown era? Personally, I love seeing the team dressed in all blue--especially when we play N.C. State.
Tim Wood, Benson
The blue pants are back and will be worn for at least some road games, but not likely for home games. So you probably won't see the blue-on-blue look. The Tar Heels play at N.C. State this year, so they are required to wear white jerseys; thus the blue-on-blue uniform vs. the Wolfpack is a moot point for 2007.
We all know of the rich tradition of the Justice Era of Carolina football. How many records does Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice still hold at Carolina, and how many does he continue to hold for the ACC? The life and example that the "Asheville Flash" set for our students, alumni, and athletes has not, and will not, be forgotten.
Jamey Welch, Chapel Hill
The evolution of high-octane passing offenses and the expansion of the season to 11 games in the early 1970s and now 12 games are among factors that have led to recent Tar Heels eclipsing Justice in areas he had long held Tar Heel records.
Justice is now fourth in career total yards (4,884), trailing Darian Durant (9,630), Ronald Curry (6,236) and Jason Stanicek (5,497) after holding the mark for some 45 years. He's fourth in total points and third in career touchdowns.
Justice does, however, remain No. 1 in career kick return average (26.6 yards per return) and in career punt return yardage and average per return (966 yards, 14.2 average).
As for ACC records, Justice has none. The ACC was not formed until 1953, four years after his last season as a Tar Heel in 1949.
I read somewhere that UNC has more 1,000-yard rushers than any other school. Is that true? Whether true or not, could you list our 1,000 yard rushers?
B.D. James
Carolina has had twenty-four 1,000-yard seasons, and for many years the Tar Heels did in fact lead college football in that category. But Nebraska has passed the Tar Heels by in recent years with Jammal Lord, Dan Alexander, Eric Crouch, Cory Ross and Brandon Jackson posting 1,000-yard seasons since the Tar Heels had their last one, Jon Linton's 1,004 total in 1997. Nebraska now has 28. Southern Cal has also eclipsed the Carolina total as the Trojans have 25. Texas has twenty 1,000-yard rushing seasons and in 2006 saw its string of 11 straight years of a 1,000-yard season ended.
The Tar Heels' 1,000 yards rushers are Don McCauley in 1969 and 1970; Sammy Johnson 1973; James Betterson 1974; Mike Voight 1974-76; Amos Lawrence 1977-80; Kelvin Bryant 1980-82; Ethan Horton 1983-84; Tyrone Anthony 1984; Derrick Fenner 1986; Kennard Martin 1988; Natrone Means 1991-92; Curtis Johnson 1993; Leon Johnson 1993; and Jon Linton 1997.
Send your questions about Tar Heel football to Lee Pace at leepace@nc.rr.com and include your name and hometown. No recruiting questions, please. Pace will answer your questions regularly throughout the season on Tarheelblue.com and on the Tar Heel Sports Network's pre-game show.
