Patience is a virtue

By my calculations, the ACC had 51 players selected in this weekend’s NFL Draft. If we don’t include Duke, then the ACC had 51 players selected in this weekend’s NFL Draft.

(To be fair to Duke … well, actually, writing that Duke stinks in football is pretty fair, even Ted Roof would probably agree. But to perhaps make Duke feel a little better, North Carolina and Wake Forest each had just one player picked, and neither of those selections happened until the seventh round. No wonder basketball can’t come soon enough every year for those on Tobacco Road.)

Of course, on Saturday, the ACC had a banner day with 12 players being taken in the first round, a record for one conference. The top pick overall also belonged to the conference, though no one outside of the Houston Texans themselves and Mario Williams seems happy about it.

It can be argued what all of this means. After all, while all those players were being selected, college football experts were busy predicting doom and gloom for the ACC. One preseason-poll (or, at this point of the year, should that be pre-preseason poll?) didn’t have a single ACC team in the Top 10.

Maybe, as Chris Graham has pointed out at this very site, the conference is just too strong from top to bottom. While the teams are busy beating each other up, teams in weaker conferences like the Pac 10 and Big 12 have a much easier road to the national title game. Therefore, until the powers-that-be in college football wise up and create a true playoff system, the ACC will suffer.

Or perhaps it just means that, even though there is a lot of talent in the conference, the coaches aren’t up to snuff. You can have talented players and still not perform well on the field if the Xs and Os aren’t called correctly.

Or maybe it’s just a fluke. A lot of very good players came out this year, but we shouldn’t expect that to happen every year, or even every other year.

I’ll walk the fence on this one. It’s too early to figure it all out yet.

Maybe John Swofford’s move to bring in Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College will never be a boost to football and will end up hurting basketball down the road.

Or maybe both of the major sports will flourish because of the addition of those three schools.

The conference has completed one season with a full 12-team league. Before we rush to judgment one way or the other, let’s just be patient.

- Patrick Hite

Win the Shirt of Chris' Back

We want you. Just e-mail patrick@accnation.com and you can take on Chris in a battle of ACC wits.

We'll choose one person every week to challenge Chris in answering five ACC-related trivia questions. If you answer more questions (or even the same number of questions) as Chris, you will win an ACC Nation T-shirt. You'll also be qualified for our grand prize drawing later this year.

It's free. It's fun. And more importantly, you can show you know more about the ACC than Chris.

The Morning Edition

The ACC set a record with 12 players picked in the first round of yesterday's NFL Draft. The conference also had another three players taken with the first five picks of round two.

Florida State had five of those players, and NC State has another three, including the top pick.

At least one columnist, Ashley Fox of the Philadelphia Inquirer, thinks the Texans made a mistake taking Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. Another, Frank Dascenzo of the Herald-Sun, writes that Houston was correct in taking Williams. Only time will tell.

The Washington Post's Eric Prisbell, a friend of the Nation, writes that a lot of big-time college basketball players are going back to school instead of choosing the NBA. FSU's Alexander Johnson isn't one of them.

The top defenseman for the top college lacrosse team spent last summer working - and not on his game. But it hasn't hurt him as his Virginia Cavaliers are taking on Maryland in today's ACC title game.

Finally, it appears the attention at Duke is shifting somewhat away from the men's lacrosse team.

Miller time

Kristi Miller’s story is an interesting one. The Georgia Tech sophomore played only one season of high-school tennis, and that was her freshman year.

After that she played in various junior tennis tournaments, but because she remained in school instead of getting a tutor and hitting the USTA circuit, her time on the courts was much less than that of some of her friends.

Add in that Miller’s hometown is Marysville, MI, which shouldn’t be confused for a hotbed of outdoor activities, and Miller didn’t play nearly as much tennis growing up as many of today’s top players did. When she did play, it was often on an indoor court.

Not that it has stopped her from being one of those top players. Miller is the No. 1-ranked singles players in college tennis after being named All-American last year. And last weekend she was named MVP of the ACC tournament as she helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the ACC title, the second-straight season Tech has accomplished that feat.

“It was a great feeling,” Miller told ACC Nation recently. “Just to win back-to-back years … it’s an accomplishment just to win one year the ACC championship. I believe our conference, if not the toughest, is one of the toughest tennis conferences in the nation.”

The polls help back up Miller’s claim, with five ACC schools among the top 15 in the country. Georgia Tech is No. 6, followed by Miami at No. 7, Duke at No. 8, North Carolina at No. 10 and Clemson at No. 15.

When Miller was making her decision on where to attend college, Carolina and Wake Forest were among the top possibilities, but Georgia Tech won out. Miller said the coach, Bryan Shelton, was a big reason she chose Atlanta, but the weather played a role also. After years in Michigan, Miller wanted a warm place to attend college.

With the ACC title under Tech’s belt now, next up is the NCAA tournament. The regionals don’t begin until May 12. Next week is exam week for the Yellow Jackets, but they’ll also start preparing for the NCAA tournament.

Said Miller, “We’ll be starting to train again and just have our bodies a little more rejuvenated and ready just to get right back out there on the court.”

- Patrick Hite

The Morning Edition

Maybe the Houston Texans have a bright future after all in this thing we call the NFL. Instead of going with the easy pick in Reggie Bush, the Texans have agreed to a contract with North Carolina State's Mario Williams.

Houston has some weapons on offense (although, staying with the ACC theme, D'Brickashaw Ferguson may have been a better pick in an effort to keep David Carr upright) but it's defense where they need help. Williams will help with that. He'll also help make a mess of things in today's NFL Draft.

Phil Ford is the man (or at least one of them) in Chapel Hill. Could he be the man in Raleigh? Not if the fans have anything to say about it. But Ford isn't the only name in the running. There's also a former Wolfpack and a former Blue Devil assistant with a chance to land the job. The process certainly hasn't been an easy one for Lee Fowler, NC State's athletics director.

Greg Paulus is at Duke. His brother will be at Carolina, although not to play basketball. Mike Paulus, a junior at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, NY, will play quarterback for the Tar Heels in 2007.

With as many good baseball teams as the ACC has, there's a great series every weekend. This one is no exception. Miami and North Carolina State are battling this weekend, and game one went to the Wolfpack.

The ACC lacrosse tournaments got under way Friday. Duke won. That's the Duke women, the tournament's top seed. The Devils will face Virginia, a winner over North Carolina Friday, for the title on Sunday.

Meanwhile, in the men's tournament, Maryland topped North Carolina Friday. The Terps now play the nation's No. 1 team, Virginia, Sunday. The Cavaliers got a bye in the three-team tournament.

It would have been a four-team tournament if Duke hadn't canceled its season. There's more news on the sexual assault case against two Duke players.

The ACC has it covered

The ACC will dominate the first day of the draft Saturday. That we have known for weeks now.

To prove the point, word came late Friday night that North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams will be No. 1 overall pick, beating out Reggie Bush.

And, of course, Virginia’s D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Maryland’s Vernon Davis should also go near the top of the draft.

But perhaps no place is the ACC as deep as at the cornerback position.

Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com joined ACC Nation recently and we asked him, of the ACC cornerbacks, who had the most upside – Virginia Tech’s Jimmy Williams, Clemson’s Tye Hill or Miami’s Kelly Jennings.

And here’s the thing, being the noted football expert that I am (yes, sarcasm is intended), I completely forgot to ask about Antonio Cromartie out of Florida State. Maybe that’s because the guy spent more time on the sideline injured than on the field playing.

Cromartie missed all of last season with a torn ACL, and could have been a top five pick if he had gone back to Florida State for his senior season in the fall. Still, many NFL guys are saying he is the best of the ACC guys and perhaps the best cornerback in this year’s draft.

Of the other three, Rang thinks the Hokie has the most potential of being a star in the league.

“Jimmy Williams is, in this entire draft, of all the defensive backs, he has the most natural-born ability,” Rang said. “His combination of size … he has the fluid hips in the turn and his speed is such a rare commodity that I think he has the potential to be the best of the bunch.”

But then Rang added the kicker.

“That said, I think he also has the potential to be the biggest bust of the bunch.”

What’s an NFL general manager to do? Williams could be great or he could be a bust. Cromartie could also be great, but those injuries have to be a little scary to NFL teams.

So, according to Rang, if the NFL guys want to play it safe, go with the guy out of Miami.

“The safest pick of the bunch has to be Kelly Jennings just because of his 40 career starts at Miami,” Rang said. “His ability to play man, to play soft in the zone – all those kinds of things translate, in my mind, to him being the safest pick.”

As for Hill, he gets Rang’s most-improved player award.

“He went from basically being a track star on the football field to being to being one of the top corners in the draft,” Rang said.

- Patrick Hite

The Nation's NFL guy, Stephen Winslow, has his mock draft to get you ready for this weekend. Being the loyal ACC guy, more than half of his top 12 are from the conference. And there are one or two shockers here as well.

NFL Insider mock draft

Houston-They would like to trade down, but the price is to steep for those that would like to trade up. This team needs a lot of pieces, especially on the offensive line and the front seven on defense. If they can’t trade down, which would be the best move, then they should draft Mario Williams. However, none of this will happen and they will take the best player in quite a few drafts. Pick: Reggie Bush, RB (USC).

New Orleans-They too would love to trade down. The talk around a trade here has had a little more heat around it then Houston felt. In the end, again, the price is too high. Late in the week Leinart’s name has been flying all over the place. It could be a long day for him but not for the man they pick. Pick: Mario Williams, DE (NC State).

Tennessee-The greatest draft smoke screen ever played out has taken place in Tennessee. The owner loves Vince Young’s upside. I do believe he signs the pay checks. Pick: Vince Young, QB (TX).

N.Y. Jets-Will the Jets go for Leinart if he falls? No. Well, I don’t think so anyway. It’s believed that they have been trying to figure out a way to trade up and that discussion may continue right up to the last minute. They should stay where they are or trade down. They have to many needs and one player is not going to put them over the top. It all starts with the o-line and there’s a hometown boy on the board. He’ll still get booed. Pick: D’Brickashaw Ferguson, T (UVA).

Green Bay-Everyone says AJ Hawk and heavens knows he would be a great pick. I’m just not smart enough to pick him and I believe Favre was given some assurances they would do something to make his life a little better. Pick: Vernon Davis, TE (MD).

San Francisco-They’ll be pretty upset that Davis is off the board. However they have plenty of needs. Pick: AJ Hawk, LB (OSU).

Oakland-Their QB is gone so what now? Well, how about a big hitting, athletic linebacker. Pick: Ernie Simms, LB (FSU).

Buffalo-They have got to address the middle of their defense especially along the line. There’s a lot of talk of the massive Ngata here, but Bunkley fits their scheme better. Pick: Brodrick Bunkley , DT (FSU).

Detroit-Finally, they pick a real impact player in the first round. Pick: Michael Huff, CB (TX).

Arizona-They can’t believe that Matt Leinart is still on the board. The only question might be if anyone gets injured tripping over themselves getting to the podium with the slip of paper. Pick: Matt Leinart, QB (USC).

St. Louis-They need defense big time and everyone knows their corners can’t cover their receivers so an upgrade may be called for here. Pick: Tye Hill, CB (Clemson)

Cleveland-It’s getting easier to make these picks. Yeah right. Cleveland is still looking for that Peter Boulware replacement. Pick: Kamerion Wimbley, DE/LB (FSU).

Baltimore-Finally, some relief for Ray Lewis. Pick: Haloti Ngata, DT (Oregon).

Philadelphia-No T.O., and only Gaffney to throw to? Pick: Chad Jackson, WR (Florida)

Denver-All this talent and they can’t get over the hump. Maybe with some outside speed? Pick: Santonio Holmes, WR (OSU).

Miami-Dolphin defense getting old? You betcha. Pick: Manny Lawson, DE (NC State).

Minnesota-New coach, new era, need a new QB for the future, don’t you think? Pick: Jay Cutler, QB (Vanderbilt).

Dallas-Rob Carpenter played for Parcells in NY and now his son will. Pick: Bobby Carpenter, LB (OSU).

San Diego-Their primary need is tackle and the Cowboys didn’t choose one. Pick: Winston Justice, OT (USC).

Kansas City-Herm wants defense. Herm needs defense. KC selects…Pick: Jimmy Williams, CB (VA Tech).

New England-There is a thought that they might go defensive end here but they can’t resist a running back to replace aging Corey Dillon. Pick: DeAngelo Williams, RB (Memphis).

San Francisco-They lost perimeter speed on defense through free agency. Pick: Mathias Kiwanuka, DE (BC).

Tampa Bay-Young Chris Simms looks like a good one. Now it’s time to protect the poor guy. Pick: Marcus McNeil, OT (Auburn).

Cincinnati-They’re looking for some help for Palmer and the Johnson boy’s. Even though they should pick a corner they go for offense. Pick: Marcedes Lewis, TE (UCLA).

N.Y. Giants-The guy Cinci should have taken goes here. Pick: Antonio Cromartie, CB (FSU).

Chicago-Not sure what they’re doing because they aren’t either. Could go linebacker or even corner, but isn’t it time to get offensive? Pick: Davin Joseph, OG (OK)

Carolina-They could go safety here if Whitner from Ohio State is still on the board, but they needed RB’s last year. Pick: Laurence Maroney, RB (Minnesota).

Jacksonville-They like defense and they lost an outside linebacker. Pick: Chad Greenway, LB (Iowa).

N.Y. Jets-They’re probably going to chicken out, but they should choose o-line again. Pick: Nick Mangold, C (OSU).

Indianapolis-They can’t help themselves. After losing James they’ll reach for a RB. Pick: Joseph Addai, RB (LSU).

Seattle-They need a corner and there’s a good one on the board. Pick: Kelly Jennings, CB (Miami).

Pittsburgh-They get to replace the Bus on the first day of the draft. Cowher will get this man in order. Pick: LenDale White, RB (USC).

- Stephen Winslow

ACC Nation (weekend of April 28)

A new ACC Nation is available. This week the guys talk with Kristi Miller, Georgia Tech's fabulous sophomore tennis star. In helping her team win the title, Miller captured the MVP honors at last weekend's ACC Tournament.

Patrick and Chris also talk college football, NFL Draft, NC State coaches and trivia. Plus much more. Also visit the ACC Nation Web site for new polls and more.

Sign o' the times
As many as 10 of the names that you'll hear called in the first round of this weekend's NFL draft will be those of Atlantic Coast Conference players.
Not bad for a league that hasn't had a legitimate national-championship contender in a good while.
Of note is that the first three ACC talents expected to go on Saturday - Mario Williams, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Vernon Davis - hail from schools that combined to go 19-16 last fall.
Which prompts the question - could it be that the ACC is too strong for its own good?
The way to get to a national-title game, indeed, would seem to be to play in a conference where at best you have a tough game or two (see Texas, Southern Cal) - not one where even the also-rans are loaded with top-flight NFL talent.
That Williams (North Carolina State) and Ferguson (Virginia) were both on teams that upset eventual league champion Florida State last year is instructive here. As is the fact that Davis' Maryland team that finished 5-6 overall took the 'Noles late into the fourth quarter on the road before finally succumbing.
It's a sign o' the times, ACC fans. Until college football decides to go with a playoff system to determine its best team, the ACC is going to be left on the outside looking in as far as that is concerned.
Oh well - at least we have reason to get up for football in April.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

It couldn't be, could it? A former Tar Heel coaching the Wolfpack? Well, if the latest reports are to be believed that just might be the case. Steve Lavin, the former UCLA coach, and John Beilein, West Virginia's head man, both said no to NC State on Wednesday. Now the guy at the head of the pack appears to be former North Carolina player and assistant Phil Ford. Wasn't one of the negatives against both Mike Brey and Jeff Capel their Duke heritage? So now State goes out and gets a Carolina guy? Strange.

And if that wasn't bad enough for Wolfpack fans, they, along with the rest of the ACC, found out yesterday that Duke's Josh McRoberts will be back in Durham next season. Carolina still has to be the favorite in the ACC basketball race, but McRoberts' return makes things much more interesting.

Ron Fraser, the former Miami baseball coach, will be inducted into the college baseball hall of fame. On the field, Florida State won't change its pitching rotation despite some recent struggles.

Virginia Tech athletics director Jim Weaver revealed yesterday he is battling Parkinson's disease. So far Weaver hasn't been affected too much by the disease and doctors have told him he can probably work another decade. We wish him the best.

He's still got at least another year at Georgia Tech, but Calvin Johnson could be the talk of the NFL draft next year this time. As for this year's draft, Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst is just hoping he gets drafted this weekend.

Finally, ESPN is reporting that money may have been at the center of the dispute between the Duke lacrosse players and the strippers performing at a party. Two players have been arrested in the alleged sexual assault case of one of the strippers.

Quiet assassins
Two NCAA tournament appearances in two years, and the experts still didn't give Brian O'Connor's third Virginia baseball team a chance.
That the Cavs are sitting pretty at #13 in the national polls and a tie for second in the rugged Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference is not a surprise to lefthander Mike Ballard.
"We had a meeting at the beginning of the year, and coach mentioned that they hadn't even ranked us in the top 77," Ballard told "ACC Nation" last week.
"I think the guys kind of used that as a little bit of motivation. It also allows us to fly under the radar and sneak up on teams here and there," Ballard said.
Sneaking up on opponents is part of the deal. Another part has to do with outworking them.
"The amount of work that we put in is just unbelievable. It's a night-and-day difference from what it was beforehand," said Ballard, a senior who was recruited by O'Connor's predecessor, Dennis Womack.
"They get us really prepared - with all the running and conditioning and mental toughness and physical toughness that we work on. That really prepares us for the long, grueling season - and it allows us to go out there and compete at such a high level and come out on top a good amount of times," Ballard said.
"I feel like a lot of the credit goes to how they push us so hard," Ballard said.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

It's like a horserace. On the outside Steve Lavin was leading the field, but John Beilein has come up quickly and has overtaken Lavin. Meanwhile Dereck Whittenburg has been, apparently, left in the dust. Frank Dascenzo of the Herald-Sun also takes a look at the search in Raleigh.

Will Miami receiver's height keep him from being a first-round draft pick? Sinorice Moss is just 5-8 and that may overshadow his skills. Meanwhile FSU's Antonio Cromartie hopes a first-round selection on Saturday will help him take care of his mom's medical bills. And Tye Hill is hoping to do something no Clemson Tiger has done since 2001.

On the college football front, UVa. is searching for a kicker. This edition of UVa. notes also mentions that Tony Franklin, kicked off the team along with two other players, may be able to return.

You follow the ACC this long and never realize some things. Did anyone know that George Steinbrenner had a connection to the University of North Carolina. It's true. His daughter and son-in-law graduated from the school. As a result, Steinbrenner has donated $1 million to the school to help with the remodeling of the baseball stadium. In return, the entrance to the facility will be named Steinbrenner Family Courtyard.

JJ Day

So what if I did wait in line? There were people there over an hour before me.

And what if I was tempted to throw ‘bows into the elderly people behind me, who continued to push and shove as the doors opened? They were in my personal space.

None of that matters, because I was able to participate in the festivities that marked JJ Redick Day in Roanoke, Virginia.

The squealing teenage girls and the kids that were crying just because they wanted an autograph, they were all just the back drop for an evening of recognition for a job well done at Duke by one of the city’s own.

There were speeches, by past teachers and coaches, and local politicians read the “whereas’s” that made the day official. And through it all, JJ sat there, attempting to eat his dinner, but unable to do so with the constant wave of fans and autograph seekers that wished to have “just a second” of his time. But those seconds turned into minutes, and a majority of the dinner went uneaten as he managed to please as many people as humanly possible.

And through it all he was able to smile, because after all, it was “JJ Redick Day”. A quick stop in his hometown before finishing up exams at Duke, graduating and going in the first round of the NBA draft to a team that still remains nameless.

- Jessica Mays

Bad news for Swofford
John Swofford wants to make the Atlantic Coast Conference into a football power.
He might have a wee bit more work to do on that end - if Sports Illustrated college-football writer Stewart Mandel has anything to say about it.
Mandel released his pre-preseason Top 25 this morning - and it included all of four ACC teams.
You read that right - four.
And get this - none were in Mandel's top 10.
Florida State was the highest at 12 - with Clemson coming in at 14, Miami at 20 and Virginia Tech at 24.
It gets worse - in a sidebar column, Mandel listed Miami and Tech among the teams whose fans should be discouraged heading into the fall.
It would seem that our friend Mr. Swofford might be discouraged as well - at least until the next basketball season rolls around, anyway.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

ESPN's Jay Bilas thinks Steve Lavin would be a good choice for NC State, even if the ACC Nation's Chris Graham doesn't.

The NFL Draft is this weekend and NC State's Mario Williams could go anywhere from No. 1 to No. 5 depending on who's mock draft you believe. The Herald-Sun's Frank Dascenzo thinks the the Houston Texans should seriously consider Williams with that top pick to improve a dreadful defense.

While everyone knows about D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who is expected to be taken in the top five of this weekend's draft, there's another Virginia offensive lineman that may get drafted this weekend.

So what's it like for these players as they get ready for the draft? Former Florida State offensive lineman Matt Meinrod gives you an idea.

While we're on the topic of football, Virginia has landed a big-time recruit thanks in no small part to new assistant Mike London.

It's official now. Matt Doherty is the new SMU basketball coach.

Finally, according to the district attorney, old charges could come back to haunt Duke lacrosse players after the infamous party where a stripper has said she was raped.

Steve Lavin? Are you serious?
It looks like North Carolina State is trying to raise its basketball program's Q rating when it should be worried about Ws.
Granted, Steve Lavin had a moderate amount of success at UCLA in his run there - including five Sweet 16s in his first six years at the helm of the Bruin ship.
But Lavin has been out of the game for three years now for a reason - and it's not his sense of style or his ability to talk a good game on TV.
Lavin was criticized roundly during his UCLA tenure as being a guy who was deficient on the Xs and Os - which isn't the kind of thing that you want to hear about your head coach, considering the nature of the job.
It isn't likely that someone with Lavin's, ahem, credentials would succeed in the coach-heavy Atlantic Coast Conference - where legends like Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams roam the sidelines just down the road from Raleigh, and Gary Williams is just up the interstate in College Park, Md.
State would be well advised to leave Lavin where he is now - stylin' and profilin' for the television cameras - and look for a basketball coach to take over its program.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

Is it a three-man race? Some say the North Carolina State coaching job is down to Steve Lavin, John Beilein and Dereck Whittenburg. Others say that may not be the case. The search is on day 23 now.

Nothing official yet, but it looks like Matt Doherty has a new job. Sources, including a Doherty assistant at Florida Atlantic, have said the former North Carolina coach will take over the SMU program.

In ACC baseball, Miami avoided a sweep by the University of Virginia over the weekend. North Carolina State couldn't do the same, losing all three to Carolina. And Georgia Tech also had a weekend sweep of Florida State.

The price tag on Clemson's revisions to its football stadium is starting to get out of control.

Finally, the Duke men captured the ACC tennis title while both Carolina and Georgia Tech were named champions in the men's golf tournament.

The Uninspired

Trouble is, I’m totally clueless and uninspired. Deciding to begin this cyber journey, I am feeling not at all like a journalist.

If you know my name at all, you probably know it from some community publication you might have read in eastern North Carolina or central Virginia. Given my resume, I ought to be someone “with a clue” and I ought to be “inspired.”

When the Duke men’s basketball wins a national championship, I swoon like a love-struck, pimply-faced teenager for days. I am unable to provide a rationalization for this, other than I went to high school about 10 blocks from Duke’s East Campus.

When the Lady Tar Heels had Mia Hamm and the crowd that followed, those championships were cause for about a 5-minute swelling of that home-state pride.

Watching Roy Williams and company pummel that Big 10 school last year was awesome. It’s not the same feeling I get from a Coach K experience, but it qualifies me as a fan, I think, of UNC, too. And I did go to Chapel Hill for one year.

My father went to NC State (don’t we all go there?) and it was an NC State team that really shaped my destiny as an avid ACC fan -- men’s basketball again. Thank you Terry Gannon, Cozell McQueen, Lorenzo Charles, Thurl Bailey, Dereck Whittenburg, Sidney Lowe and Jim Valvano.

But aside from a few wrestling titles, my Wolfpack pride hasn’t had much reason to howl since 1983.

My favorite football team, however, is usually Georgia Tech. I couldn’t quote too many statistics or recite players’ names and such, but the aura of such a prestigious program is entrancing. Despite my loyalty to Tobacco Road, Carter-Finley and company can’t hold a candle to the football atmosphere surrounding and converging for a home game in Atlanta.

Schools like Wake Forest and Virginia -- teams that have enjoyed no championships in football or basketball -- are schools I cheer for, but I don’t get too bummed when they lose. It comes as a shock when a Duncan or Sampson or Ryan can’t lead his or her team to ultimate victory, but these schools have never had that moment in the spotlight, so it’s just a “shock” not a “blow.”

Anyway, I was talking about me, wasn’t I?

Oh yes, how I’m clueless and uninspired. I guess that might show by now.

An almost-all-ACC women’s Final Four should be all I need to inspire me. That was pretty cool. I just love the way a whole conference can dominate in basketball. With short seasons and too many make-it-or-break-it games, conferences can’t really do that in football.

Anyway, belated congrats to Maryland, Duke, Carolina and the Lady Eagles of Boston College for their victory over No. 1-seed Ohio State in the tourney. Loved that.

You see, my ACC allegiance also translates to irrationally negative thoughts about other conferences, especially the Big East, the SEC, the Big 10, the Big 12, the PAC 10, Mountain West, the WAC, the West Coast conference and super-especially the whiny Missouri Valley Conference.

Ugh, I remember one game when the fans started chanting “M-V-C” when it was apparent that one of those corn-fed teams had managed to bore its opponent to an early death in the men’s tournament.

By contrast, the Colonial Athletic Association was a lot of fun to watch. That’s why they have fans. I mean the teams.

All those George Mason fans in the Washington regional might have included some recent converts, but I bet the UNC-Wilmington kids imploring George Washington to “feel the teal” stayed home and watched the Mason games on TV and cheered in private for their conference rivals like decent folk do.

Yeah, they probably chanted “C-A-A” at some point. I blocked it out. But I didn’t hear a single CAA coach complain about getting “no respect” every time I sponged up some sports talk. That really spoiled the milk for me.

More importantly, all the CAA games I saw on TV this year were actually entertaining. I saw Creighton, Northern Iowa, Wichita State twice, Missouri State, Bradley twice and Southern Illinois on TV this year. Except for the Salukis’ choke at home against Louisiana Tech, the games were all the same. Put me to sleep.

Florida was fun. I never really rooted against them. I just hated UCLA.

I must confess the Big East tournament was exciting. But what was even better – George Mason beating UConn. Hilarious.

So yeah, I’m all about hating the teams that are different and strange to me. I’m a Tar Heel born and a Tar Heel bred and when I die I’ll be a Tar Heel dead. If you’ve never heard that before, chances are you like SEC football or Big 10 basketball or PAC 10 water polo. You go enjoy that.

All things ACC are just better, that’s all.

I don’t know how interesting any of this is, but there it is. To give you an idea of my mindset, here’s how I prefaced this essay to Patrick, my one-time flunkie and now my boss.

I asked that he “e-mail me back and tell me where to find my first exclusively cyber publication, regardless. Am I to be on the blog or archive or am I to have a new header entirely?”

I told you I went to Chapel Hill for a year.

Snob stains never really come out.

- Ron Hasson

(Ed. note: We will overlook Ron's claim of being both a Duke and Carolina fan. We at ACC Nation know that would, if true, cause the world to implode.)

Living a dream

Mike Fox knows that there are very few easy games in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In fact, the Carolina baseball coach believes at least half of the conference’s 12 teams could be good enough to go all the way this season. That’s high praise, even for a conference considered by most experts as one of the best in college baseball.

“We’ve got eight teams in our league who can beat anybody on any given day,” Fox told ACC Nation recently. “And I think there are six, at least six, teams, maybe more than that, at least six that can make it all the way to the College World Series.”

Of course, the Tar Heels are one of those teams. They began last week as the No. 1 team in the country in one poll, and even though they lost to UNC Greensboro on Tuesday, that’s all but forgotten after a weekend series sweep of No. 7 North Carolina State. The three wins had to put smile on Fox’s face.

“That’s our focus now to play well in the league and put ourselves in position to go into the ACC Tournament and hopefully win some games and be a pretty good seed and get a chance to host a regional,” Fox said. “That’s our goal. This league prepares you for the NCAA Tournament. There’s no question about that.”

Fox has had plenty of success at Carolina, where he also happened to play in the late 1970s. After spending time coaching at high school and at the Division III college level, Fox was named Carolina’s coach in 1999. In his first seven seasons, Fox led the Tar Heels to 287 wins and six trips to the NCAA Tournament. This season Carolina is 34-8 overall and 15-6 in the ACC after the wins over State.

This team has enough talent to make it to the College World Series, which would be the first time since 1989 that the Tar Heels have reached that point. As for Fox, his last appearance in the CWS was as a Carolina senior in 1978. That year he was named to the College World Series all-tournament team.

Being back at his alma mater and having them ranked among the nation’s best is almost as good as it gets. While he’d love to get back to Omaha – “But I want to take 25 guys with me,” he said – he realizes how lucky he is. He tells his wife that, if he ever wakes up in a bad mood, just to smack him.

“To come back and coach at Carolina just has been a dream come true for me,” Fox said. “I wake up every morning and realize how fortunate I am.”

- Patrick Hite

The Morning Edition

The Wolfpack's search appears to be focused on two coaches - West Virginia's John Beilein and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin.

A couple of items that got my interest in this story. First, Beilein plays a similar style offense to that of Herb Sendek. Remember Sendek? The guys fans chased out of town, in part, because his Princeton offense was too boring. The same offense that ACC Nation co-host says can't win a national title. Why select a coach that will run that same offense?

Second, the story mentions the Former NC State player and assistant and current Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg is the fallback guy if Beilein or Lavin don't take the job. ACC Nation's Patrick Hite has said from the start that Whittenburg should be the guy, not just the fallback guy. But at least Whittenburg, who also did a stint as a Georgia Tech assistant, is in the mix now.

Good story in the Washington Post about Maryland tight end Vernon Davis and his relationship with his grandmother.

We all know Davis will be one of the top picks in the draft. But will Marcus Vick, former Virginia Tech quarterback, be selected at all? The guess here, no. And if Miami's Devin Hester is selected will it be to play offense or defense?

Spring football from yesterday. Duke coach Ted Roof seemed happy with his team's performance in the spring game, while Virginia also finished off spring practice with its annual game. One of the keys for the Cavaliers next season may be Jason Snelling. And Georgia Tech got in its final spring practice.

With all the talk about Carolina, Florida State, Miami, Clemson and Georgia Tech in this year's baseball race, don't forget about Virginia. The Cavs have taken the first two games in Miami this weekend.

What's your game? Tennis? Golf? Track? Whichever one it is, this is your weekend.

Kiss of death?

The University of North Carolina has been playing baseball for more than a century. And in all that time the Tar Heels have never been ranked No. 1 in the country.

Well, to be fair, they probably didn’t have polls in the 1920s. But you get the picture.

So, to finally reach that point – a No. 1 ranking – was special for Carolina this year. The Collegiate Baseball newspaper had the Tar Heels in the top spot last week.

As much as his coaching instincts told him to ignore it, Mike Fox simply couldn’t do that. Sure, there’s a lot of season left to play, and being No. 1 in April means nothing come NCAA tournament time, but there’s something special about being at the top of the heap as well, no matter what time of the season it happens.

“We’re happy to be up there, certainly,” Mike Fox, Carolina’s head coach, told ACC Nation. “To say that we don’t pay attention to it, everybody knows that’s not true.”

And even though Fox admitted that being the top-ranked team can be, in his words, “the kiss of death,” he also understands that the players making up this year’s squad deserve to be honored for doing something no other Carolina baseball team has ever done.

“We had to stop and recognize it just for a moment, then go back to practice,” Fox said.

The lofty ranking may be fleeting after a mid-week loss to North Carolina Greensboro last Tuesday, but at least the players know they are considered among the best in the nation. Now they just need to continue to play like they deserve that consideration.

- Patrick Hite

The Morning Edition

Has NC State found its coach? Well, maybe, according to this story. But even if the Wolfpack don't hire Steve Lavin, the N&O says relax - three weeks isn't all that long when searching for the right coach. Try telling that to State fans.

The second stripper who performed at the infamous Duke lacrosse party has spoken to the media for the first time. Meanwhile, the district attorney in the case may have stepped over the line.

We had an item yesterday about two Maryland basketball players entering the NBA Draft. The news caught Gary Williams by surprise.

Ivory Latta is recovering from knee surgery on Friday. There's also a mention in the notes column, as well as a story here, reporting that former North Carolina coach Matt Doherty may be on the move again. Depending on who you believe, Doherty, who is now coach at Florida Atlantic, has either taken or is close to taking the coaching job at SMU.

Miami quarterback Kirby Freeman won't be on the move. He had indicated recently that he might transfer rather than be the second-string quarterback for the Hurricanes, but the redshirt sophomore announced yesterday he will remain at Miami.

Andrew Miller and the Tar Heels took game one from NC State Friday night. Several other weekend series also opened up last night, with Georgia Tech knocking off Florida State, Virginia topping Miami and Clemson beating Boston College.

Finally, the NFL Draft is a week away and Florida State may have four players taken in the first round.

To wear or not to wear

Listening to a local sports-talk show in Charlottesville this week, I heard a discussion about whether, as parents, we would allow our son or daughter to wear a Duke men’s lacrosse T-shirt.

One caller said he would not allow his kids out of the house while wearing such a T-shirt. Apparently he wanted to teach his kids a valuable lesson about the judicial system. And that lesson was …. well, I’m really not too sure.

See, call me crazy, but I thought the judicial system in this great country of ours was based on the innocent until proven guilty principle. You know – you actually have to be convicted and not just accused before you are guilty.

But by banning your kids from wearing a Duke lacrosse T-shirt you’ve essentially told them that the players are guilty. Forget the case. Forget the court proceedings. Forget these players’ right to a trial.

First of all, only two players were arrested (although there are plenty of rumors that at least one more arrest will take place) and the rest of the players are guilty of, at most, bad judgment.

But even those players who were arrested deserve their day in court. At this point they are simply accused of a crime, not found guilty of one.

Aren’t we going a little overboard with this whole thing? Don’t misunderstand me. Sexual assault is a terrible thing, and if it occurred in this instance then someone should be punished.

But banning our kids from wearing a T-shirt is just insane. Did we ban Los Angeles Lakers T-shirts when Kobe Bryant was accused of rape? Did we outlaw Carolina Panthers T-shirts when Rae Carruth was accused, then convicted, of conspiracy to commit murder?

Of course not. Now, I will grant you that, in this case, the entire Duke lacrosse team was in the same building where the alleged crime took place. But that isn’t a good enough reason to condemn the entire program (which is pretty much what the school has done by shutting down the season and allowing the coach to resign).

So, would I allow my daughter to wear a Duke lacrosse T-shirt? If she wanted to, sure.

Maybe she’d be supporting the players who haven’t been accused of a crime. Maybe she’d be trying to tell others to hold judgment until we know all the facts. Maybe she was a fan of the Duke lacrosse team before any of this mess started and isn’t willing to give up on the team now. Or maybe she simply wants to wear a T-shirt.

And any of those reasons would have my full support.

- Patrick Hite

The Morning Edition

A pair of Maryland basketball players - Ibekwe and D.J. Strawberry - are expected to declare for the NBA Draft, although, as the story points out, neither are likely to be selected and will probably return to College Park next season. This is a test. This is only a test.

Luci Chavez, a Friend of the Nation, talks to several experts, including another Friend of the Nation, Dan Bonner, about whether or not N.C. State can compete and win, year in and year out, in the ACC. Among the things State needs, according to the story, is a Pied Piper. That and a miracle.

Not a big loss here, but Georgia Tech guard Zam Fredrick is transferring as his playing time figures to take a big hit next season.

Former Virginia quarterback Matt Schaub says he expects to remain in Atlanta next season and back up former Virginia Tech star Michael Vick. Schaub has been the subject of trade rumors for months now.

Both the men's and women's ACC tennis championships have a day under their belts. So does the track and field championship. And the men's golf championship will get started today, with Florida State one of those teams hoping for an NCAA regional berth.

Big baseball series on Tobacco Road this weekend as North Carolina State travels to North Carolina. ACC Nation spoke with Tar Heel coach Mike Fox for this week's show about his top-ranked Carolina squad.

Speaking of Carolina, former coach Bill Dooley - who also coached at Virginia Tech and Wake Forest - is recovering from surgery. We wish him the best, but here's the thing - he was admitted to Duke University Hospital. Shouldn't a true Tar Heel refuse to be treated at Duke? Just a thought.

As for Duke lacrosse, the school is looking for ways to make sure what happened doesn't happen again. Meanwhile, the school will also continue to sell Duke lacrosse merchandise.

Finally, instead of a night game this year, the ACC football title game will be played at 1 p.m. in December.

ACC Nation (weekend of April 21)

A new ACC Nation is available.

This week, Patrick and Chris talk ACC basketball with Mike Fox, the Carolina coach; and Mike Ballard, the UVa. pitcher who threw a no-hitter last weekend, the first in more than 30 years for the Cavaliers.

Also, Duke golfer and ACC champion Amanda Blumenherst joins the guys (and schools Chris in trivia as well). And there's NFL Draft talk with Rob Rang, senior analyst of NFLDraftScout.com.

And don't forget the second annual ACC Nation Rock Draft. Or, maybe you will want to forget it.

The Morning Edition

OK, it's a little late. Sorry. Anyway, here you go.

According to ESPN.com, the two Duke lacrosse players arrested this week have been suspended by the school. The News & Observer has more on the case, including this story about a cab driver who gave a lift to one of those players who was arrested.

Caulton Tudor writes that a decision that will be made between now and April 29 will go a long way in telling the fortunes of Duke's basketball team next season.

Steve Lavin? Tim Floyd? Dereck Whittenburg? Names, names and more names as NC State keeps searching for a basketball coach, but will any of the big names say yes?

Here's a sport we don't talk much about: rowing. Maybe we should, because one of the best teams in the nation is from the ACC.

Here's news: Ralph Friedgen has lost weight. He's so busy having to do double and triple duty at Maryland that I guess he doesn't have time to eat.

Finally, should Clemson's baseball team worry. First Winthrop beat them this week, and now Furman. Maybe the Tigers can get healthy in Boston this weekend when they play the Eagles.

Hard reality
North Carolina State is learning the lesson that Virginia learned last year.
And it's a tough one to have to swallow down - realizing, that is, that you're a second-tier basketball school, even if you're in the second tier in the best basketball conference in the country.
State went after biggies like Rick Barnes and John Calipari when its head-coaching job came open earlier this month. Virginia took a similar approach in apparently seeking out Barnes and Kentucky head man Tubby Smith last year before landing DePaul coach Dave Leitao to take over the reins of its hoops program.
The upside to the move is that Leitao seems to have worked out to date - he took a team picked to finish 12th in the 12-team Atlantic Coast Conference to the NCAA tournament bubble before finishing 15-15 in his first season in Charlottesville.
The reality, though, that a program that was at the center of the basketball universe for four years in the early 1980s wasn't worthy of the attention of coaches like Smith and Barnes tasted like castor oil for more than a few in Wahoo Nation.
Denizens of the Pack Nation, for whom the memories of the national titles that its school won in the 1970s and 1980s are starting to fade fast, would be well advised to begin puckering up.
- Chris Graham

Three for the road
Vernon Davis was on everybody's radar heading into the 2006 NFL draft season.
So how did he still end up surprising everybody?
Try a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash - which is almost unheard of for a 6-3, 263-pound tight end.
"Everybody knew that he was a workout warrior, and that the combine was going to be a place where he could make some noise. So the fact that he surprised people as much as he did knowing that about him I think speaks volumes," said Scott Wright, the president of NFLDraftCountdown.com.
Another surprise has been Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst - who may have pushed his way into the second round of what is proving to be a loaded draft.
"Charlie Whitehurst is a guy that I was really impressed with at Mobile at the Senior Bowl," Wright told "ACC Nation" last week.
"He surely looks the part. He has the size, the arms, everything that you look for. He just didn't consistently show that throughout his career. He looked outstanding as a sophomore, had a terrible junior year, bounced back to a degree as a senior. He didn't lose games, he cut down on mistakes," Wright said.
"I think he could go as high as the second round - and he's a guy who could develop. From a physical standpoint, he has everything that you're looking for in a pro-style quarterback," Wright said.
A third surprise could be Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans - who will have to convert to another position in the NFL due to his 5-9 stature.
"Marques Hagans is definitely going to have to convert to wide receiver," Wright said. "He's one of the classic cases like Antwaan Randle-El. Everyone wants to be that, but that was kind of the rare case. I think a more realistic possibility for him and a guy that he should try to emulate is (former West Virginia quarterback) Rasheed Marshall, who went in the fifth round last year. I don't think Hagans will go quite that high - but he is a sixth- or seventh-round pick," Wright said.
- Chris Graham

Where will Williams go?

The N.C. State Wolfpack have five players entering the draft, but defensive end Mario Williams is the standout among them.

Many prognosticators rate him as the number one defensive player coming out of college. As of late there has even been discussion of Houston considering him as the number one pick. Though most people believe that Houston is just creating a smokescreen to help entice a possible trade, it still has to be said that they visited at length with the standout from Wolfpack nation.

Williams is what you would call an impact player. Simply put, he is a beast. He runs a 4.73 40. He plays with incredible power and at 6-7 and 294 he presents an intimidating combination of size, speed, and athleticism.

When he plays aggressively he impacts every play and can be a destructive force in every aspect of the game. However, if there is a knock on Williams it is that he will quit on a play, especially on back side pursuit. He can explode off the snap and bull rush a tackle into the lap of a quarterback, but he will go through stretches where he does not play with that same intensity.

He has been compared by some to Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney but he will never have the speed off the edge that makes Freeney the freak like player he is. Williams will beat tackles around the corner but he will rely on more power then Freeney does. He isn’t quite as athletic or fast as Peppers but he’s close and he is stronger. Williams also possess pass rush moves far beyond his years. He can beat the offensive tackle with a swim/arm-over move, an aggressive club move and a strong inside rip move.

While Williams is a very tough football player, it is what’s between the ears that separates him from other players. He does not make mental mistakes. He has great football instincts and adjusts to the ball very well. His strength allows him to read the play, shed blockers and then accelerate to and through the play. To put it another way, Williams jacks up offensive tackles and uses them as his play toys which allows him to dictate the play. He is occasionally slowed by leg blocks. He does not always use his hands as effectively as he could to keep low blocks away from him.

The only concern that consistently comes up when scouts talk about Williams is his slight inconsistency coming off the line with aggression and determination.

At the end of the day, or the draft, he will be a top five pick. While Houston has floated some interest it is clear that he is on the radar screen of New Orleans and the NY Jets. Both NFL clubs are also considering another ACC standout D’Brickashaw Ferguson. The Jets have been linked to quarterback talk since midway through last season but don’t bet on it. The Jets need to replace John Abraham and no one will do that better then Williams.

New Orleans will make the decision for the Jets. They will pick Ferguson to protect newly acquired Drew Brees and Mario Williams will end up in NY with the Jets at number 4 in the draft.

- Stephen Winslow

The Morning Edition

As we - and every other media outlet in the nation - mentioned yesterday, two Duke lacrosse players have been arrested in the alleged rape case. A third person is possibly involved also, but he has yet to be identified or arrested.

Frank Dascenzo writes a nice tribute to Tom Mickle, who passed away Monday.

Florida State's baseball coach is still bothered by his team's weekend losses as his 'Noles prepare to battle Florida tonight.

A couple of ACC teams were upset last night. Clemson dropped a game to Winthrop and Carolina lost to UNC-Greensboro.

At least Dereck Whittenburg gets his name mentioned in the N&O's latest update on NC State's coaching search. OK, so the story indicates the former State player and assistant and current Fordham coach hasn't been contacted by the school yet. Still, the thinking here is he should be contacted and he should get the job.

Meanwhile, it doesn't appear Bo Ryan at Wisconsin is coming to Raleigh, according to ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

Finally, for all of you Virginia Tech fans needing some more info on spring football, the Times Dispatch has it for you here.

Jimmy's looking good
Jimmy Williams arrived at Virginia Tech with high expectations - from others and from himself.
So where does the defensive back fit in as far as next week's NFL draft is concerned?
"I think he could go as high potentially as number 10 overall - or he could slip to the mid-20s," said Scott Wright, the president of NFLDraftCountdown.com, which currently has the 6-3, 213-pound Williams projected as the 11th selection in the 2006 draft.
What could drop Williams down a few spots, Wright said, is that there has been some question "that he didn't come across really well in the interview process."
"He tested really well in terms of the physical tools, but he came across as really cocky and brash in interviews - which was kind of his rep during his career at Virgnia Tech, too," Wright told "ACC Nation" last week.
As to where Williams might fit with whoever his new team is next year ...
"He has experience at both safety and corner. He played safety early on in his career, and then he moved to cornerback. I really think that you have to try him out at cornerback initially. If it doesn't work out, you still have the option of moving him to safety," Wright said.
"He could be a special player at cornerback with that size and speed. But even though he has that 4.41 speed, he might not be the type of cornerback with the fluid hips that you look for - so there could be some question," Wright said.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

Some big news in the Duke lacrosse case. Two players have been arrested and charged with first degree forcible rape, first degree sexual offense and kidnapping. In this column from the Herald-Sun, Frank Dascenzo writes that all of this mess can't be blamed on Joe Alleva, Duke's athletics director.

One more coach possibly out of the running for the NC State basketball job and another name is now in the mix as the search enters day 17.

Will Marcus Vick be taken on the first day of the NFL Draft? Will he be taken at all? How much will his off-the-field behavior play in what happens next weekend? Those are the questions posed by ESPN.com in this story.

From the former Virginia Tech quarterback to the future one - Frank Beamer has decided on his No. 1 signal caller heading into the summer.

Here's a story we missed over the weekend. Maryland won another national title, this time in competitive cheer. Yes, that's competitive cheer.

A no-hitter and spring football in Charlottesville in this edition of UVa. notes.

Our friends at the Double-A Zone sent us this link to the Mondays with Myles podcast. Myles Brand answers various questions including one about conference realignment and the effect it has on NCAA member institutions.

An important figure in both the ACC and on the national scene passed away. Tom Mickle died Monday at age 55.

Think you know your ACC trivia? If so, don't forget to send us an e-mail and try to Win the Shirt off Chris' Back. You may also get registered for our grand prize to be given away in December.

Finally, the ACC outdoor track and field title will be decided this week. Florida State is trying to win a fourth title in five years.

Less filling, blocks great
It sounds a little odd - that a 6-6, 305-pound lineman might not be big enough to do what is necessary to succeed in the NFL.
But that is one of the knocks on projected top-five draft pick D'Brickashaw Ferguson from the University of Virginia.
"The question is - can he put on a little more weight? Absolutely," said Scott Wright, the president of NFLDraftCountdown.com, who has Ferguson, a left tackle, going fourth to the New York Jets.
"He's still a young guy. He can still physically develop - once he gets into a pro weight-training plan and good plan, he'll bulk up a little bit," Wright said of Ferguson.
"The thing is, you don't want him to get too big, because you don't want to lose what makes him so great," Wright said. "One of his strong suits is he's very athletic, he's light on his feet. And even though he has put on some weight since his freshman year, it hasn't reflected in his play. He's still just as light on his feet and just as agile and mobile.
"The bottom line on Ferguson is that he's as good a pass-blocker as we've seen in a long time," Wright said.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

So, you think the Duke men's basketball team is dominant? They're nothing compared with the women's golf team. The Blue Devils won the ACC golf championship this weekend, the 11th-straight title for Duke and the 14th in the 18-year history of the tournament. Not a bad run.

Miami took two of three from Florida State over the weekend, which was not good news for the Seminoles. Also, Georgia Tech won the weekend series over Clemson in ACC baseball.

Not much news over the weekend in North Carolina State's search for a head basketball coach. The focus, at least somewhat, still appears to be on Texas A&M's Billy Gillispie, but there are other names being thrown about.

And the Duke lacrosse case could end up before the grand jury today.

The Morning Edition

The N&O's Caulton Tudor writes that Pack fans shouldn't worry. Of course that won't stop them from doing so, but it's a nice thought.

This could be a big blow to Florida State's chances on the basketball court next year. Alexander Johnson will test the NBA Draft waters, although he hasn't signed with an agent yet, so consider that a life jacket for the Seminoles.

Miami's defense has its way with the offense in the Canes' spring game. Virginia Tech's defense got a boost from a freshman defensive end. And, even more defense, as Georgia Tech's Jahi Word-Daniels shines at cornerback.

Yes, there is some offense to talk about. Virginia's Tom Santi hopes to build on his Music City Bowl effort as the Cavs spring practice continues.

Here's what those hoping that things quieted down soon in the Duke lacrosse scandal wanted to hear: Jesse Jackson has chimed in.

Some good news for Duke as the women's golf team is leading the way in the ACC championship.

And, finally, in baseball both Georgia Tech and Florida St. evened their important weekend series.

Don't forget about us

There are seven words ACC baseball is sick of. And no, they aren't those seven dirty words George Carlin talked about. You know, the heavy seven as he called them.

The seven: Duke lacrosse, North Carolina State basketball coach.

ACC baseball is having its best season, what, maybe ever. At least one of its best ever. And everyone is more concerned about ... well, just about everything.

The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's most recent Top 20 includes seven ACC teams.

(Hey, isn't that interesting how we have seven teams and earlier I mentioned seven words. You have to love symmetry. My wife, the math teacher, just informed me that symmetry is not the correct word to describe what I am trying to describe, but I like the word symmetry, so I'm sticking with it.)

Even the other major polls have plenty of ACC flavor. The NCBWA poll has seven teams in the Top 29 and Baseball America has five in its Top 16. And in both of those polls Wake Forest just dropped out of the rankings. And Wake isn't even among those seven schools in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll, meaning the ACC has eight teams among the nation's elite. (The other four conference schools, simply put, stink).

So, here are the ACC Nation's Top Seven (remember, symmetry) reasons to watch ACC Baseball:

7. North Carolina is ranked No. 1 in a sport that has nothing to do with three-point shooting, trapping defenses or slam dunks.

6. There's no district attorney being quoted in any story involving ACC baseball teams.

5. Two words: Shane Robinson

4. "Game of Shadows" didn't mention any of the ACC baseball programs

3. Only eight teams qualify for the ACC baseball tournament, so the regular season actually means something.

2. Two more words: Andrew Miller

1. Did we mention seven teams in the Top 20?

- Patrick Hite

The Morning Edition

Two candidates say they are out of the running for the North Carolina State basketball job, while another one from Texas may be very much in the running.

The ACC could be the top conference - make that, should be the top conference - when it comes to the NFL Draft this year. Chan Gailey, Georgia Tech's coach, said he counted 12 of the top 20 possible picks from the conference. Patrick and Chris spoke with Scott Wright of NFLDraftCountdown.com this weekend about that very subject.

While today's spring game won't determine who will be the next quarterback for Virginia Tech, if one of the three candidates plays well it may help Frank Beamer make a decision.

And in Miami, no one is expecting Larry Coker to show too much during his team's spring game. Here's a prediction - this will be Coker's last spring game with the Hurricanes. Call it a hunch.

Speaking of Miami, the Canes got the best of FSU in the opener of their weekend series. And Clemson held on to edge Georgia Tech in another big ACC baseball series.

Nice feature on Leah Wigger, a Virginia junior who hopes to capture the ACC women's golf title this year. She also was a guest on ACC Nation last spring. Thought we'd mention that.

We missed this story the other day, but the Boston Globe featured Ayla Brown, former "American Idol" contestant and future Boston College basketball player. She is also a Friend of the Nation after appearing with Patrick and Chris a couple of weeks ago.

Maryland is trying to figure out who should tend the goal when the Terps play Johns Hopkins tonight in lacrosse.

Meanwhile, on the Duke lacrosse front a new report claims police tried to interview several Blue Devil players about the alleged sexual assault. The players refused to speak to the cops and defense attorneys are none to happy about the incident.

The Duke players have their supporters, as does the city itself. As for the future of some of the players, that's still very much up on the air.

And, finally, is Al Sharpton coming to Durham? That's the rumor. As if this story needs more hype.

When you wish, be careful

It’s interesting watching everything that is transpiring in Raleigh since Herb Sendek left town.

I’ve wanted so badly to take one side or the other. I want to say, without a doubt, the side that wanted Sendek out of town – the side that eventually pushed him out of town – was right on target. Or, perhaps I could come down on the side of those who think the coach never got a fair shake from the NC State fans.

What I’ve come to realize, though, is that both sides have legitimate arguments.

Do you want to say Sendek’s record at NC State wouldn’t have been nearly as good as it was without some early-season cupcakes and ACC expansion? And there is that whole thing about no ACC titles. I can buy those as reasons to want the coach out.

But maybe you want to argue that, for the past five years, State has at least reached the NCAA Tournament, something not even North Carolina can claim.

Then again, perhaps you would like to point out that while Duke and North Carolina have been pulling in one top recruit after another, State got the crumbs. And, while were on the topic of Duke and Carolina, Sendek’s record against those two is dismal. No, I’ll take that back. The record isn’t up to dismal’s standards.

There are those, however, who will point out that Sendek took over a program in shambles and, in 10 years, managed to get them back to respectability, both on and of the court. Maybe some had hoped he would be further along than mere respectability, but at least the coach had the program headed in the right direction.

Now my head is spinning. Was it a case of good riddance and don’t let the door hit you on the way out or another year or two and State would have been a national title contender? To tell the truth, I’m not even sure.

I’m not sure I even care. Sendek is gone and State needs a new coach. It won’t be Rick Barnes or John Calipari, but it could still be a very good coach. It may even be a coach who can take State to levels Herb Sendek never could.

The one thing I am sure of is that State fans should stop wishing for the next Jim Valvano. Honestly, don’t at least some of you recall the program when Valvano left?

I know that it’s not good to speak ill of the dead. I also know that it’s not good to speak ill of those worshipped by certain NC State fans.

What we all want to remember is the gregarious, fun-loving guy who worked for ESPN and ABC. Or the guy who fought a courageous battle against cancer in a very public spotlight and gave that speech that was as touching and powerful as any I can recall. His Jimmy V Foundation has done wonders for the fight against cancer, and for that we should be grateful.

Still, all of that has served to overshadow the fact that Valvano left North Carolina State in a bad situation. The team suffered a postseason ban and probation, and, as poor a job as Les Robinson did in Raleigh, the coach who replaced Valvano had to dig out from under it. Robinson may not have succeeded on the court, but he did do plenty of good off the court.

For that matter, so did Sendek. At least he never had a book written about his program that, to this day, is embarrassing to NC State. Yes, “Personal Fouls” may have been full of inaccuracies, but there was enough truth in the book that it’s still troublesome to the school and to Valvano’s legacy.

Or at least it should be. Instead, there are so many people shouting that State needs the next Valvano that I wonder if they know for what they are asking. Forget the off-court problems for a minute. Valvano wasn’t exactly Dean Smith or Mike Krzyzewski on the court.

He got the team one national title on a lucky play at the end of the game. Yes, they played well enough to be in a position that a lucky play could win it for them, but it’s still a lucky play.

And that was in 1983. Valvano was around the rest of the decade and had no other national titles to show for it. Without that one title, Valvano is considered a decent coach at best. Who knows, maybe the fans would have eventually chased him away before the scandals did.

Either way, Everett Case he was not.

So go ahead. Mourn or rejoice the fact that Sendek is gone. But remember that if you keep asking for the next Jimmy Valvano there’s that cliché that warns one to be careful for what they wish. They just might get it.

- Patrick Hite

Win the Shirt off Chris' Back

Think you know more about the ACC than Chris? Keep in mind that Chris has a lot of space in that great big noggin of his and a lot of it is filled with meaningless trivia.

Well, meaningless until now. It's Chris' job to protect the ACC Nation supply of T-shirts. If you can beat Chris in a five-question trivia challenge, you Win the Shirt off Chris' Back. (Heck, even if you tie you win because, just like in baseball where the tie goes to the runner, on ACC Nation the tie goes to the listener.)

OK, you won't literally win the shirt off his back. Instead, you'll win your very own ACC Nation T-shirt minus Chris' sweat stains. And the best part - you'll be entered into a drawing for our grand prize which will be given away at the end of the year. The Evil Q is working on that prize as we speak and we'll be announcing what it is very soon. Trust us - it will be nice.

To get involved just send an e-mail along with your phone number to patrick@accnation.com. Then, every week, one of you will get to show off your trivia knowledge and try to Win the Shirt off Chris' Back.

The Morning Edition

It's day 13 of the coaching search at North Carolina State. Fans are trying so hard to figure out who the next coach will be that they've resorted to tracking the airplane that State officials fly in as they search the country for someone to replace Herb Sendek.

Good feature on former Maryland quarterback John Kaleo who is still hanging on in the Arena Football League.

While Miami-Florida State football is where this rivalry gets most of its attention, the battle in baseball between the two schools isn't too bad either. FSU is watching plenty of tape in preparing for the weekend series.

When you're talking baseball, don't forget North Carolina. That pitching staff makes the Tar Heels one of the best in the country.

And pitching will also play a big role in another key weekend series as Clemson and Georgia Tech play.

Virginia loses a basketball commitment, although it doesn't come as a big shock to those around the program.

Finally, more from the Duke lacrosse scandal. Police say the accuser was "passed out drunk" when officers arrived at the scene of the party where the alleged assault took place.

ACC Nation (weekend of April 14)

On this week's ACC Nation Patrick and Chris preview the NFL Draft, ACC style, with Scott Wright of NFLDraftCountdown.com.

Marc Spears of the Denver Post joins the guys to update them on the condition of former NC State player Julius Hodge. The Denver Nugget rookie was shot last week while driving down the Interstate.

Patrick and Chris have an update on the NC State coaching search and the Duke lacrosse scandal, plus they tell you which ACC football coach will get canned first next year.

Blue Duke

Basketball season is over, as it has been for nearly two weeks now, but still the thought of it sinks me deep into a depression. The Madness is over and as a fan I have nothing to show for it.

But that’s the life of the Duke fan; at least it has been since my senior year of high school. That was the last time the men won it all. Since then…well we haven’t done poorly – ACC Champs and our roster is always stacked with talent – but no matter what’s brought to the table, lately it hasn’t equaled a National Championship. I had thought this season would be the one.

With returning seniors like Redick, Williams, Dockery and Melchionni, and two phenomenal freshman starters like Paulus and McRoberts, this was going to be OUR year. Enter LSU and it was over. The seniors won’t be returning, they get no second chance, and I’m left searching for something to keep my attention until Midnight Madness in October.

At most ACC schools, there’s football to keep fans occupied, but we’re talking about Duke. And before you think I’m bashing my team, I’m not. I pull for them and cheer for them because that’s my school and I support all of their sports teams. However the record doesn’t lie. Last season they won ONE game, and that was versus VMI – I’m not even going there. So that crosses football from my list of things to watch.

I had considered keeping an eye on lacrosse. The popularity of the sport is growing and I’ve had the opportunity to watch a local high school game or two. It seemed like a good idea at the beginning of the season. But that too has been crossed off the list, thanks to legal battles, DNA tests and the resigning of their coach.

So that leaves me here to wait…and wait…and wait for next season and more college basketball, and maybe just maybe next year will be OUR YEAR. GO BLUE DEVILS!!

- Jessica Mays

Time to go to Plan D
Poor North Carolina State.
The school can't seem to find a basketball coach to replace Herb Sendek - despite the fact that boosters seem to be willing to pay top dollar for the likes of Rick Barnes or John Calipari to come in and work their magic.
The not-so-merry go-round reminds me of what took place in Charlottesville last spring when Virginia was looking for somebody to take over for Pete Gillen - who, it must be noted, didn't have anywhere near the run at UVa. that Sendek had at N.C. State.
Virginia seemed willing and more than able to make Kentucky coach Tubby Smith the highest-paid coach in the NCAA - but ultimately, Smith remained in the Bluegrass State.
With Barnes and Calipari now off the board, it would seem that N.C. State's dreams of luring away somebody else's savior are fading fast.
The solution might be to go the route that seems to be working for Virginia - which hired a young coach, Dave Leitao, with plans to grow the program around whatever wizardry he can conjure up.
My "ACC Nation" cohost, Patrick Hite, has mentioned the name former 'Pack guard and current Fordham head man Dereck Whittenburg along those lines.
Another advantage to Whittenburg - in addition to his potential to grow as a coach at State - is that he knows the territory, having played and coached (as an assistant at Georgia Tech) in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Memo to N.C. State officials: Patrick's finder's fee can be made out to ...
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

Friend of the Nation Dan Bonner weighs in on the NC State coaching search in this News & Record story. Meanwhile, the News and Observer writes that the Wolfpack have not given up on a high-profile coach to take over their basketball program on day 12 of the search.

We missed this story a couple of days ago, but since we're still not ready to stop talking basketball here's a piece from Mechelle Voepel of ESPN.com previewing next year's women's race. She has three ACC teams - yes, those same three - listed in her top five. But my question - where is Virginia on her list? The Cavaliers - mark my word - will be good next year. Maybe not top-five good, or even top-10 good, but they deserve to be mentioned in the top-25.

More spring football. The battle for quarterback at Virginia Tech is a three-way one. Larry Coker is pleased with his team's spring practice, although both Chris and Patrick have listed the Miami coach as the most likely to get fired next year among ACC coaches. And Mikell Simpson is trying to work his way into the mix at tailback for UVa. next season.

And, finally, the district attorney in the Duke lacrosse scandal came under fire Wednesday night for his conduct during the case. A lot of other people should come under fire also. This has turned into a mess.

Media culpa
First it was to the chair for all of them. Then, after defense attorneys retained by members of the Duke men's lacrosse team announced that DNA testing had exonerated their clients, it was blame the victim - and the DA.
To put it mildly, the news media hasn't exactly availed itself well in the handling of the news in the case of the alleged attack of a North Carolina Central University student at an off-campus house leased by members of the Duke lacrosse team that was reported last month.
Critics of the coverage who didn't like the way that the media had tried and convicted the players can now point to how the media has now let them off the hook by calling for prosecutors to drop the investigation - based on word from lawyers hired by said players that the DNA testing of 46 of the team's 47 members came back with no matches.
Lost in the latest rush to judgment is that Durham County prosecutor Michael Nifong said on Tuesday that the accuser has been able to identify at least one of the alleged attackers.
Also overlooked is the indication that physical evidence from a medical examination conducted on the night of the alleged assault is consistent with what would be expected following an attack described by the accuser.
Memo to the reporters whose experience with the legal system comes down to paying for parking tickets and watching "CSI" and the talking heads in cable-TV-news studios whose most recent views of courtroom drama come from sketch artists: Why don't you leave the heavy lifting here to the people who actually work for a living?
Thanks.
- Chris Graham

The Morning Edition

Strike two. First, NC State went after Rick Barnes, only to be told no. Then the school's target for its next basketball coach was John Calipari. Late Tuesday the Memphis coach also rejected the Wolfpack's offer.

Did you ever wonder how NC State was going to pay Barnes or Calipari if one of them had accepted an offer to coach in Raleigh? After all, they wouldn't have come cheap. The News and Observer helps answer some of those questions with this story.

Will all of this waiting on a coach impact whether Cedric Simmons returns to NC State next year? Well, probably that plus the NBA's money if Simmons is a first-round pick, which some analysts say he is.

It appears Miami won't be going through the same search as NC State. Frank Haith has said he is staying at Miami and is excited about the future, even if it won't include Guillermo Diaz, who is leaving for the NBA.

The sexual assault allegations against Duke lacrosse players won't go away anytime soon, according to the district attorney.

And, while this is nothing like what's happening at Duke, some UVa. athletes are also in some legal trouble after a frat-house incident.

Some good news from Charlottesville. While everyone is focused on Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Clemson and Georgia Tech in ACC baseball, fans shouldn't forget about the Cavaliers. The team has worked its way into the Top 25 in what was supposed to be a down season.

More spring football. Can Georgia Tech's kicker regain his form after up-and-down season last year? And Florida State is working to improve its running game for the fall.

Finally, this story mentions that Clemson has an All-American rugby player and the Tigers are ranked No. 7 in the sport. I didn't even know they had a team. Oh well.