The senior class of 2001 was deprived the chance to see Dean Smith roam the sidelines, but few of the 22,050 fans in attendance at the Smith Center on the night of Feb. 5, 1998, will forget UNC's win against Duke and the off-the-glass-alley-oop-that-almost-was with Ed Cota and Vince Carter.
These same seniors filled Kenan Stadium on Saturdays as freshmen to watch Mack Brown's Tar Heels. Most even came an hour or two early.
A scene like the one at Kenan on Nov. 8, 1997, might never be duplicated. Undefeated Florida State vs. undefeated North Carolina. Students lined up outside Gate 5 all day, and as many were pushed over the turnstiles as walked through them.
A lot has happened here in the last four years. There have been three different basketball coaches, three different football coaches and tons of memorable moments and images. There are some, though, that will stick with me that happened outside the public eye.
Let's begin with football coach No. 2. If there ever was a man of his word, Carl Torbush was him. He released a statement to the media the day he was fired and said he would be happy to talk to the media once a few weeks had passed.
Torbush could have disappeared, but he made good on his promise. Torbush was open, he was honest. And, as usual, he was candid.
Torbush, asked how much his finances would dictate his decision to take another job, proposed having a garage sale at his house in Chapel Hill.
"Carolina-blue pens for five cents apiece," he said. "You think I'm kidding. Wait until the time comes. If somebody wants a good article, come on out."
Torbush dealt with his disappointment in a humorous fashion. Matt Doherty let pure emotion take over.
