The Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night 3 to 2. The Canes jumped out on top once again as Ray Whitney would score the first goal 63 seconds into the game. The Canes 2nd goal came in the 2nd period as Sergei Samsonov would score on the power play with 5 minutes to go in the period. The Canes 3rd goal came off the stick of Tuomo Ruutu as the Canes would make it 3-0. The Devils would finally get on the board around the 8 minute mark as Paul Martin would score on the power play. The Devils pulled their goalie for the bulk of the final 4 minutes as they were able to get within one goal as Patrik Elias scored with 22 seconds left but were unable to tie it up. The Canes will hit the road for a southeast game at Florida on Thursday night.
North Carolina Forward Danny Green dropped by the David Glenn Show on Tuesday afternoon 48 hours after the Heels suffered their first loss of the season to Boston College. Green said the team is ready for there next game on Wednesday night against College of Charleston. Green also provided some insight on the fact that it is only one game and the season isn’t over by any stretch. He also described how practice was the day after the loss.
…take it from someone who used to be a voter in the A-P football poll who used to get crushed by e-mail from irrational Notre Dame fans when I wasn’t genuflecting and kissing the ring of Ty Willingham’s 2002 team that ended up losing to NC State.
We’ll talk about this, Marvin Harrison’s lucky day, marvel at the fact that someone said “no” to a Yankee’s 8-figure offer and get inside the mind of a high school boy.
Joe Giglio, News & Observer blog boy and AP voter, is getting spammed by Utah fans. Despite a compelling resume that includes 5 wins over ranked teams, Giglio is one voter who won’t be giving the Utes a first place vote.
Utah shares a top 10 win with Florida (Alabama) and Oklahoma (TCU), the only argument it can make those two can’t is the Utes are unbeaten. I understand how good the top of the Mountain West was in 2008 but would the Utes have run the table in the SEC or Big 12? Take a peek at the bottom of the MWC standings, not exactly the same test either Florida or Oklahoma navigated. After Texas’ close call with Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, I’ll vote the BCS title game winner No. 1.
Giglio’s upcoming vote pours a little cold water on the growing speculation/fantasy of a split national champion this year. If JPG is reading this, don’t let this go to your head and start thinking you wield massive amounts of influence. Eh, too late on that one. I point out Giglio’s reasoning because if the consistent outside-the-box voter in the AP can’t justify a vote for Utah, the rest of the flock won’t be able to do it either. Worst case scenario for the BCS when the dust settles late Thursday night is an unclear national champion, not a split. Utah, Texas, and Southern Cal will take away enough votes from each other (as Tim Brando put it in studio yesterday, “Ross Perot-style”) that the winner of Oklahoma vs. Florida will end up being the AP & BCS champ. There will be more parenthesis with numbers in them next to the top 4 teams, but that’s about it.
According to NC State, quarterback Russell Wilson underwent an MRI that confirmed team doctors’ diagnosis of a knee sprain during last week’s Papajohns.com Bowl. Wilson suffered a tear of his posterior cruciate ligament that will not require surgery. Instead, Wilson will be confined to several weeks of limited activities, followed by functional rehabilitation. In response to the news, the Dow Jones shot up 14.58 and NSADAQ is up 12.62.
North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks announced he was going pro yesterday. That’s odd, because I thought everyone knew this was going to happen after his bowl performance in Charlotte. Can anyone give a compelling reason for Nicks to stay in Chapel Hill for another season? Anyone? Bueller? Nothing to break down here, Nicks’ stock couldn’t be any higher after pulling a catch out of his ass. Literally.
And it might have happened already given Gene DeFilippo using the past tense when talking about Boston College football coach Jeff Jagodzinski:
Jeff is a very good man and an excellent football coach. He did a wonderful job for us while he was here at BC. But I want a person who wants to be at Boston College and who wants to stay here a long, long time. I thought I had that person.
Still having fun, Gene? At first blush, DeFilippo comes across as a short-tempered athletics director that entered scorched Earth mode simply because his football coach is talking to the New York Jets. It’s an overreaction to a process that is commonplace this time of the year, and a no-brainer connection when Jagodzinski’s previous work with Brett Farve in Green Bay would be of interest to the New York Jets. Contract clauses or not, that’s just how the coaching carousel works and DeFillippo needs to get out of his little fantasy world where Boston College is a destination job. However, we really don’t know how Saturday’s conversation between Jags and DeFilippo went down. If Jagodzinski lied or bent the truth about being contacted by the Jets to DeFilippo, then the AD has every right to fire the coach if he sees fit. Just be careful, Gene. All this fun mouthing off about looking for “true BC guys” is locking you in to the type of coach that will be available after Jags bounces from your funhouse. Coaches are always looking for advancement, and this soap opera is simply a turnoff.
The events that occurred in Chapel Hill will surely overshadow a big win by 5th-ranked Duke as they shut down Virginia Tech’s heavy hitters in a 69-44 win over the Hokies. Jeff Allen had just one field goal and A.D. Vasallo was held to 7 points as the Blue Devils allowed only 13 pts. in the second half of their conference opener. The defense stole the show, but Duke had four scorers in double-figures with Kyle Singler leading the way with 19 pts. It was a big win for the Blue Devils, but it’s only getting tougher this week as they welcome Davidson to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday. My guess would be that Jon Scheyer, who did a great job of making Vasallo a non-factor, will get mission impossible of guarding Curry.
For those of you who hate the fact that I defend the notion of the BCS, Tim Brando will fight for you Monday Morning at 9 am. We’ll also talk with Darren Rovell of CNBC.
#1 North Carolina lost its 1st game of the season to Boston College 85 to 78 in front of a sold-out Dean Dome. The Eagles jumped out to an early 12 to 5 lead. The Tar Heels then went on a 17-3 run mid-way through the half and held a 22-15 lead with 11:37 left to go. Both teams would go back and forth for the next 7 minutes before B.C grabbed the lead at 35 to 33 with under 4 minutes to go and would never give it back. The Eagles took a 46 to 40 lead into the locker and would stretch that lead to as many as 15 points in the 2nd half at 78 to 63 with 6:17 to go. The Tar Heels would ramp up the pressure on the defensive end to make one last charge but would get no closer than 82 to 78 in the final minute.
The Tar Heels were outrebounded in the 1st half 23-19 and even though they finished plus 10 in the final boxscore it was the 1st time all year that they were outhustled. The Eagles were lead by guards Tyrese Rice with 25 points and Rakim Sanders with 22 points. For the Heels, Tyler Hansbrough had 21 points and 12 rebounds but Tyler missed 2 key FT’s down the stretch on 2 trips. Deon Thompson played in only 20 minutes and finished with only 5 points and went 1-6 from the line as the Heels as a team shot only 56% (15-27). Not only was the FT shooting off but so was the Heels FG% , the Heels shot just 29% (12-41) in the 2nd and 17% from behind the 3pt line (3-16). The Heels next chance to get back on the court will be Wednesday night as College of Charleston will come in town for a 9pm tip.
Joe Giglio, News & Observer blog boy and AP voter, 
North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks announced he was going pro yesterday. That’s odd, because I thought everyone knew this was going to happen after his bowl performance in Charlotte. Can anyone give a compelling reason for Nicks to stay in Chapel Hill for another season? Anyone? Bueller? Nothing to break down here, Nicks’ stock couldn’t be any higher after pulling a catch out of his ass. Literally.
And it might have happened already given Gene DeFilippo 
#1 North Carolina lost its 1st game of the season to Boston College 85 to 78 in front of a sold-out Dean Dome. The Eagles jumped out to an early 12 to 5 lead. The Tar Heels then went on a 17-3 run mid-way through the half and held a 22-15 lead with 11:37 left to go. Both teams would go back and forth for the next 7 minutes before B.C grabbed the lead at 35 to 33 with under 4 minutes to go and would never give it back. The Eagles took a 46 to 40 lead into the locker and would stretch that lead to as many as 15 points in the 2nd half at 78 to 63 with 6:17 to go. The Tar Heels would ramp up the pressure on the defensive end to make one last charge but would get no closer than 82 to 78 in the final minute. 
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