Video day

For your viewing pleasure, here are my two favorite internet videos of the day.

When The Colbert Report first started on Comedy Central, I didn’t really think it was that funny, nor did I much see the point of the show at all. And while I don’t watch it as often as I do The Daily Show, Colbert really hit his stride during the election coverage and never looked back. The Daily Show is the best at lampooning the news, but Colbert has corned the market on political satire these days. This video is nothing short of perfect:

I sincerely hope she’s the nominee in 2012 for the Republicans. Not only will she be an easy out, it will be one hilarious ride.

This next video is in honor of the big game tonight. I know UNC’s chances are slim, so I’m just taking solace in this awesome YouTube clip:

Go Heels!

National Champs!!

What an amazing season. Probably my favorite Carolina team in all the years I’ve been watching basketball. Congrats to Roy and the boys!

It’s just basketball

I just read this ridiculous article on ESPN, and this seems to be a common theme in the press for the National Championship game tonight:

Final Four: Wolverines fans get on board for MSU … reluctantly – ESPN.

Give me a break. First of all, I don’t really believe that Michigan fans are cheering for Michigan State. Second, if you’re going to turn this into a team representing some sort of triumphant victory over the hard luck times of the people in the state, let’s talk about both sides. Plenty of folks have lost their jobs in North Carolina as textile mills have moved further south to Mexico. My very own hometown is barely breathing because of it. I don’t smoke, but tobacco has traditionally been the main crop in NC, and that’s not as profitable as it once was either. There are poor people everywhere, and while I realize that Michigan (and specifically Detroit) has had a rough year, it hasn’t cornered the market on bad news.

Or how about this? It’s just basketball. MSU doesn’t represent anything other than the school itself. Half of these players aren’t even from Michigan. They certainly didn’t sign up to be heroes in a downtrodden economy (and neither did the Heels). How about we just forget all of these stupid invented storylines that the media desperately wants to create, and we just watch what is sure to be a great basketball game tonight. How about we focus on the really interesting parts of this game: two future Hall of Fame coaches, two storied programs, the final game for some truly amazing players (Hansbrough, Green, Lawson, and Ellington are likely all gone next year). Let’s talk about MSU’s smothering defense and the way they slowed down Connecticut and outlasted Louisville, two very talented teams. Let’s talk about Ty Lawson’s toe. And when it’s over, let’s talk about the great performances that are sure to occur tonight.

But let’s not make this more than it is. Winning this game isn’t going to solve the probems in Michigan or North Carolina. It’s just going to sell some t-shirts and DVD’s in the long run (which is good for the economy!), and hopefully it will give me something else to hold over Duke fans. That’s all I really want.

Being a fan

The Tar Heels play today, and for me, it’s been an exciting year in college basketball. I grew up a Heels fan from the time I was old enough to understand sports, and while I know that blind loyalty to a college team (especially for a college you didn’t attend) is pretty silly, that’s never going to change for me. I love UNC, I love the style of basketball they play, I love their class, and I love the commitment to excellence in the program. I have a lot of great memories tied up in UNC basketball, and I hope that Monday night will add another one to the list.

But let’s talk about being a fan for just a minute. You see, as an avid Heels fan, I hate Duke. I hate their attitude, I hate their lame students at their games, I hate their ratface coach, and I hate the arrogance they carry into any game situation. I even hate their ugly cheerleaders. There is not any situation that I can conjure up in my head where I would pull for Duke. For instance, let’s say it’s near the end of the season, and Duke is playing another ACC opponent. Let’s say that their opponent was tied UNC for first place in the conference, and if they lost we’d be guaranteed the regular season title. Even in that situation, I couldn’t bring myself to pull for Duke.

And I certainly would never pull for them to win a National Championship. I don’t care if it makes the ACC look good, I don’t care if they are North Carolina school, I would never, ever, under any circumstance pull for the rival of my favorite team. And I think any self respecting fan would agree with this.

I have some friends that claim to be Duke fans, but they pull for Carolina when they aren’t playing Duke. Well, I hate to break this to those friends, but you are not a true Duke fan. True Duke fans would be ashamed to sit in a room with you. I don’t like the average Duke fan, but I can at least respect their dedication. Pulling for the rival of your “favorite” team shows that you really don’t care about that team.

I’m going to watch the games today with one of these friends, and at some point, I know he’s going to bring up how I’m a jerk because he’s pulling for UNC in this game, and I would never pull for Duke in the same position. But I say that I am not the jerk here! I say that a fan that pulls for his team’s rival is the real jerk, and fellow fans of your team would be appalled by your behavior. Part of the fun of sports is not just liking your favorite team, but hating their rival with all of your energy. If Carolina wins a title this year, I won’t rub it in the faces of Michigan State or Connecticut fans. I’ll rub it in the faces of Duke fans! Why? Because they would do the same thing if they won a National Championship.

And you know what? I’d be disappointed if they didn’t.