University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Basketball Museum Sneak Peek
January 24, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2008
Earlier this week, Turner Walston got a sneak preview of the Carolina Basketball Museum. His first-hand observations follow.
By Turner Walston
Now, you're in the huddle. At the Carolina Basketball Museum, you'll be immersed in the Tar Heel experience. Your first stop is the theater, where you're taken inside the Smith Center as it fills on game day. The band is warming up. The cheerleaders are ready. And you're in the huddle with the Tar Heels. Here Comes Carolina . . . and you with them. You follow Tyler Hansbrough out of the tunnel and into the lay-up line. Of course, you do what you'd do if it actually happened: look around at the crowd, the coaches and your teammates, attempting to take it all in. At the same time, voices of former Tar Heels remind you of the wonder of it all: This is Carolina Basketball, and you're a part of it. There's a sensory overload as the excitement builds to a fever pitch. You want to step onto the court yourself.
And now you can, because just beyond the door is a basketball court. It's just like the Smith Center court, with the state outline at center court and `TAR HEELS' in the end zone. You've been in the driveway and re-enacted your favorite shots in Tar Heel history. You know, the shots that don't require description beyond a name. Jordan's jumper. Marvin's putback. Walter's 35-footer. Stack's dunk. Felton's 3. Fox's bank shot. Tyler's 3. The Cota Floata. Quigg's free throws. And more. You probably remember where you were when those shots went in. Now, stand where they were. The shots are marked with a set of feet on the court. Some even have jerseys or shoes from the game's hero. It's one thing to see a buzzer-beater on video. Now, see it through their eyes.
But don't stop there. Walk around and check out the kiosks dedicated to your favorite team. There's one for post play, with memorabilia from some of Carolina's best big men. The guard display has Raymond Felton's shoes, with nods to Kenny Smith, Phil Ford and Ed Cota. Another is a tribute to the Tar Heels' greatest shooters. Another salutes Carolina Basketball as a brand, and another, its impact on the international stage. There's a replica locker. Roy Williams' suit from the 2005 NCAA Championship is here, near his college calculus and Spanish books. There's a case for Bill Guthridge, and another holds some of Dean Smith's many awards.
Speaking of Smith, there's a video narrated by Billy Crudup (Carolina graduate and voice of Mastercard's `Priceless' ads) on his career. Near it are moving diagrams of his innovations. All over the room are video screens showing Tar Heel highlights. Look closely, and you'll see a player on one screen pass to a teammate on another. There's a draft board on one wall, with each of Carolina's first-round NBA picks represented.
Over near the giant Michael Jordan is a case featuring Jordan's letter of intent. There's also a letter from Smith to Jordan, detailing skills to work on over the summer. And fans will love a letter to Jordan from Mike Krzyzewski, who's sorry to hear that #23 is no longer interested in attending Duke University.
Work your way to the front of the building for a case with signed game balls, shorts, warm-ups and pictures. And don't miss the touch-screen in front of you. It features video and game calls, featuring Bill Curry and Woody Durham, from some of the great finishes in Tar Heel history. You could spend hours re-living and reminiscing. Another touchscreen holds a database of Tar Heel lettermen, with individual stats and video highlights.
Step into the March Madness room. You get a sense that this is something special. Here, you'll see memorabilia from the Tar Heels' ACC and NCAA tournament successes. There are Montross's shoes. There's Tyler's mask. Marty Brennaman, longtime voice of the Cincinnati Reds and Carolina graduate, narrates highlights of Carolina's ACC Tournament wins. Jim Nantz of CBS walks you through the Final Fours.
And then, there they are. The National Championships. Game balls from championship teams are in the center of the room, but you'll want to keep walking. Check out the trophies from each of Carolina's five national champions. You'll be tempted to replay memories from those teams in your mind. But you won't have to rely on your imagination. As you approach them, video highlights from those teams are projected behind the trophies. And yes, there's room for more trophies.
You exit the museum, delighted at what you have seen, but knowing there's no way you saw it all. It's too much to take in on one visit. You'll be back.
This is Carolina Basketball. It's `required reading' for any fan. The museum collection took nearly six years to put together (and it's still growing). The building took two years to erect. Carolina Basketball's 98 years are a tradition of excellence. Finally, there is a worthy shrine.
