Tar Heels or Pirates?

UPDATE:  North Carolina wins game two, 9-3.  The Tar Heels advance to its fourth consecutive College World Series.  They open against the Arizona State Sun Devils. 

A great season for the Pirates shouldn’t be overlooked.

GO HEELS!

UPDATE:  North Carolina wins game one, 10-1.  They lead the best of three series, 1-0.  Game two is on Sunday.

 

The name of the blog says it all.  I was born, raised, and still live in the great state of North Carolina.  I grew up as a rabid University Noth Carolina fan–the Tar Heels.  I am also an alumnus and fan of East Carolina University–the Pirates.  Hence, the Tar Heel Pirate.  And therein lies the problem.  Beginning Saturday, the Tar Heel and Pirate baseball teams will play a best-of-three series for the right to go to Omaha, Nebraska and the College World Series.

This issue occasionally comes up during the football season.  The Pirates beat the Tar Heels on the gridiron last year, and they will play again this year.  I usually find myself pulling for a well-played battle in which both teams impress, but I do lean, slightly, to my alma mater.  I’ll cross that bridge again when it comes, but what is a guy to do right here, right now? 

Without question, I am very proud of both teams for being one of only 16 baseball teams left, and I will be rooting hard for the winner in the College World Series.  A baseball national championship will be meaningful for both teams, the universities, and the fans.  However, a baseball national championship will be even more meaningful for East Carolina University.  The University of North Carolina is a high-profile school for athletics and academics, and it receives attention and praise, frequently.  On the other hand, ECU rarely attains the credit, nationally, for its athletic program and academic success.  For those reasons and more, I will be pulling for my Pirates.  We need some of that–what do you call it?  Respect. 

A shot at a baseball national championship will await the winner of the Super Regional, in Chapel Hill.  The Tar Heels can match a baseball title with the men’s basketball and women’s soccer titles won in April and December, repectfully.  The Pirates can match a baseball title with the title of Miss USA, won by current ECU student Kristen Dalton.  Good luck to both, and may the best team win.