Super Bowl Prediction & UNC vs FSU

Quick Super Bowl prediction, in case anyone cares: New England 37 New York Giants 13. I am stubborn in thinking the Pats are the best team until someone knocks them off. I have no real reason from a matchup standpoint other than I think the Pats have better players, better schemes, and the experience edge. Plus, giving Bellichek and Co two weeks to prepare certainly makes a difference. NYG only wins if New England turns the ball over a lot, and that's not happening because the Pats will be focused and ready to go. (My only "Howeva" here is that New England has not won any of its three Super Bowls convincingly. They had big leads in all three, but lost focus and the lead in two of them. We'll see if that becomes reality again tonight).

Now, for the only game that really matters to me on Super Bowl Sunday - Carolina vs Florida State. In case you missed it, the Heels prevailed 82-73 in OT down in Tallahassee. Ty Lawson missed nearly the entire game due to an ankle injury (one of those sprains that bothers you for a month. Great). Tyler Hansbrough did not have a made field-goal thirty minutes into the game. Wayne Ellington had only ten points or so (no boxscore up yet to confirm). SO how was this game won?.

Roy Williams knows. Toughness, Roy says. The Heels played tough physically and remained tough mentally. What started out as an infamous "No Eff-ing Way Game" (see Bill Simmons' column on ESPN.com) turned into one of the gutsiest performances of recent years. Now don't get me wrong, Florida St did its part. The Seminoles shot poorly, rebounded worse, and turned the ball over at inopportune times. Three FSU post players fouled out in overtime. Toney Douglas was 3-20 shooting. BUT, Carolina still worked to win this ballgame. On the road, in ACC play, against a team that has given them problems in the past.

Everyone contributed today. Not to mislead anyone, Hansbrough still played a great game. He did not get the ball to score much, but he rebounded like a man possessed (20+ I believe) and made some key shots late. Deon Thompson & Alex Stepheson played well at the four spot. Danny Green broke out of his recent funk and shot the ball well (he also turned it over a lot). Marcus Ginyard gutted it out on a sore foot and played great defense all day, as usual. William Graves did something well I'm sure, I just don't remember anything right now.

But the story from this game is Quintin Thomas. Q. In ten years, I will be having a conversation with some Carolina fan and his name will come up. The other person will whine about how Q underachieved, had no confidence, and really made him mad. I will then turn away for ten seconds so as not to unload on the guy and gather myself. I will then remind him of this game. And the other guy will then shut up, realize he knows nothing about basketball, and punch himself in the face. Q is about so much more than points, assists, turnovers, etc. To appreciate him, you have to see the entire picture.

A freshman who has to start his first collegiate game in his home state of California, plays poorly, and watches his team lose to Santa Clara (yes, Santa Clara). He contributes little on the floor as the squad wins the national title. As a sophomore, he is bypassed by a combo guard from Illinois, Bobby Frasor, and plays eractically as a backup. As a junior, he is relegated to third-string after Frasor is bypassed by a freshmen phenom point guard (Ty Lawson). Frasor gets hurt, Q is the backup again, and again plays eractically. Same situation now as a senior. Turns the ball over three times in a row at Clemson and seems to have no confidence.

At what point in there would you have quit? Have asked to transfer? Maybe have quit basketball all together? I'd give myself until that junior year, then I'd have been gone. No way I could have stuck it out behind two guys younger than me. Be honest here: what takes more guts, quiting or staying? Starting or being a leader from the bench? Giving your all in practice and never getting it to come together in a game or being a superstar?

Has Quintin Thomas' career as a Carolina point guard been what he dreamed about prior to accepting a scholarship? No. But did God have a perfect plan for his life and does Quintin believe in that plan? Yes. I admire his toughness more than anyone on this team. To see him contribute today and play a great game in place of Lawson is inspiring. Because he's stuck it out, continued to work, got a chance and did well for himself. What will Quintin say about this? Probably something along the lines of, "it was nice to contribute, but I'm just glad we got the win. I have a bigger goal than this one game though." I don't know if he's already said that or not, but that's the kind of player and person Quintin Thomas is. Does this team need Ty Lawson? Duh. Is Ty Lawson still the better point guard. Again, duh. Will Q always play well? Probably not. But will Q ever give up? No way. And I promise to never give up on him.

So today, be happy that Carolina won. And be happy for Quintin Thomas.