Grantland weighs in on State-Carolina

You cannot help but love the work from Grantland.

Two weeks ago Grantland chose the Duke @ State game as the best game to watch all weekend. Today they provide us the Top 10 games to watch this weekend and log Carolina @ State at #2.

There are two things you can count on when Carolina and State meet. First, it will be fraught with tension and anger and drama and all the darkness that comes with a genuine culture clash between schools a stone’s throw away. For more on that, read here.

The second thing you can count on? Carolina will win. Nineteen of the past 20 matchups between the schools have ended the same way, with the Tar Heels prevailing and rubbing it in with that special smarm only they can muster. That’s a decade of futility for the Wolfpack, who can probably hear the awful “not our ri-val!” chant every time they close their eyes. (To make matters worse, UNC actually beat State in football this year, in devastating fashion, so their usual gridiron solace is gone.) So if you want to watch a talented but flawed team attempt to overcome history (and its own gigantic inferiority complex) and avoid what would be the most painful loss in a decade of painful losses — seeing as how this one comes with an awful, faraway glimmer of hope — well … tune in!

All of this national attention just goes to further prove how relevant NC State is on the national basketball landscape when we are delivering our end of the bargain.

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12-13 Basketball

16 Responses to Grantland weighs in on State-Carolina

  1. tractor57 01/25/2013 at 5:18 PM #

    I might argue a bit with the assumption UNX will win but yes the fact there is some notice nationally for the Pack is a much needed improvement.

  2. mak4dpak 01/25/2013 at 5:33 PM #

    Undefeated at home this year. We can’t let the holes from Chapel Hell change that. If the guys show up and play to their potential. We will win. Count on it!

  3. Wufpacker 01/25/2013 at 7:55 PM #

    “faraway glimmer of hope”

    Bulletin Board.

  4. Wolfman 9806 01/25/2013 at 8:17 PM #

    That’s really captures it for me! Well done Grantland. Please win this *%#* game! I can’t bear the thought of losing to them again.

  5. Clarksa 01/25/2013 at 8:36 PM #

    “The second thing you can count on? ”

    We’ll get screwed on a call late that will tilt the game in favor of the Holes.

  6. dcllc 01/25/2013 at 8:51 PM #

    Correct me if I’m wrong but the Grantland article is almost 1 year old? It is a good article…

  7. dcllc 01/25/2013 at 9:28 PM #

    Oops, there is more than 1 Grantland article linked… I’ll go back to being a reader and not a commenter ! BTW, have been a hardcore SFN fan for many years 🙂

  8. xphoenix87 01/25/2013 at 10:07 PM #

    I like Shane Ryan a lot. He’s a Duke homer (and openly so), but he gets the Triangle like no other national writer (and more than most local writers at that).

  9. Paramarine 01/25/2013 at 11:03 PM #

    I can’t argue with a word he wrote — and yet, I’ll be at the game again this year as if it’s not a foregone conclusion.

    Just like Charlie Brown lines up to kick the football…

  10. GotNCState 01/26/2013 at 9:00 AM #

    Just want to see the Pack come with the focus & intensity they did two Saturday’s ago.

    Go PACK!!!

  11. mak4dpak 01/26/2013 at 9:01 AM #

    God would be smiling on us tonite, if we have a game like Miami had against Duke. A win will be great, but a spanking would be awesome, and would be put a damper on the theory of why the sky is the color it is. Go Pack!

  12. wolfmanmat 01/26/2013 at 9:33 AM #

    It should be a great environment with College Gameday and National attention. Winning this game will do a lot for this team and for the program. Probably a bigger game than the win versus Duke for both.

  13. eas 01/26/2013 at 9:35 AM #

    This game is important for so many reasons OTHER than the obvious rivalry portion. ESPN will be all over the place in Raleigh, recruits will be tuned in, lots of viewers.

    Then you add in the fact that we are not playing well, there are some internal issues obviously going on (whether it be leadership or with the “twitter” world) and our Defense is one of the worst in the nation.

    Win or loose I am 100% all in with Gott and how drastically we have changed in 2 years. Even when we loose people/media see it is a big deal. That tells me we have finally “arroved” and are relevant. That being said a loose tonight will be a huge blow to our program on all fronts. Personally I don’t understand why some of our bench doesn’t see more time? I love Scott Wood when he is on but when he is not it quickly becomes a liability (on BOTH sides of the ball). Second, If CJ continues to force the issue when better open shots are available to players we need to have him “rest” on the bench.

    I think Warren is much better suited for a starter than Wood is. Brown, Purvis, CJ, Howl and Warren is this best line up on the court.

    Hopefully Wood is on fire, CJ is composed, Howl stays out of foul trouble and Brown decides to play aggressive. Our night will turn out good if all of this comes true. Go Pack!

  14. Pack78 01/26/2013 at 10:01 AM #

    Sounds like the lines formed early for Gameday…the game is huge by itself, but with the Worldwide Leader and Randle in attendance, the atmosphere will be incredible. It’s been a long time since the stage was this big for a home game.

  15. Alpha Wolf 01/26/2013 at 2:01 PM #

    I’l take Shane Ryan’s version of Duke homerism anytime over the full-on passive-aggressive holier than thou horsepucky from Seth Davis.

    To me, Davis is channel-changing material. I would rather watch QVC than him.

  16. blpack 01/28/2013 at 1:09 PM #

    Everything was laid out perfect for the Pack and State really put its best foot forward. Great weekend for the Pack!

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