Shortly after arriving in Chapel Hill, six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick signaled to North Carolina fans that he would be bringing an NFL-style organizational approach with him.
The hiring of a general manager did indeed suggest a “33rd NFL team “would be calling Kenan Stadium home.
And guess what?
Belichick delivered upon that commitment.
After Monday’s nationally televised embarrassing 48-14 loss to TCU, that’s the first thing that came to my mind: that’s an NFL-looking squad, right there with the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers.
I had lots of thoughts, for sure, because after all, there’s little better than watching a rival get punked.
Unless it’s Bill Belichick getting punked as well.
UNC handed out $10 million for this?
I’d ask for a refund.
The capacity crowd at Kenan Stadium emptied like a bathtub full of dirty water midway through the third quarter.
If you have followed this Belichick hiring closely, and of course, you’re not a Carolina fan, then you know why this is so amusing and satisfying.
At his initial introduction, Belichick essentially said this would be a cakewalk, easy, compared to the rigors of the NFL.
Battling Clemson, FSU, Duke, would be a walk in the park, in comparison to preparing a game plan to stop Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs or Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
Child’s play.
Last night, Bill Belichick found out differently.
And an entire nation, outside the Tar Heel kingdom, rejoiced.
Hey, Bill, maybe this college game is a bit more challenging than you thought it would be, huh?
I watched the game last night with one sole purpose: hoping Belichick and UNC would stink the joint up.
After Carolina’s opening drive, I was tempted to switch channels, as the Tar Heels perfectly executed a clean 83-yard march to the end zone.
Then, after the UNC defense forced a stop, my remote-control trigger finger started to twitch.
This didn’t look good.
The first six minutes of Billy Ball were every bit of what he promised.
Then, for Carolina, reality struck. They fired everyone, brought in more than 70 new faces and hired a legendary NFL coach and hired a GM, for what?
No different than last season.
TCU, led by veteran college coach Sonny Dykes, scored 41 consecutive points on North Carolina, erasing the early 7-0 hole, and began emptying the bench late in the third quarter.
Here’s the funny part: there are plenty of coaches, namely Mack Brown, who could have kept the final deficit within 34 points and not cost North Carolina a boatload of money, and most importantly, their dignity.
“We’re better than what we were tonight,” Belichick said, over and over in his postgame press conference.
I’ll give Belichick credit: he was more cooperative after the loss than I would have hoped for, err, I mean, expected.
Oh, he mumbled, he grunted, he shifted plenty, but he was standing until the end.
In fairness, let’s not discount what TCU did Monday.
The Horned Frogs appeared to be a ranked football program that responded to its savvy coach.
Dykes challenged the players’ manhood, saying the media was making the game all about Belichick (they were), and that his squad was getting completely discounted.
Challenge accepted.
Maybe that’s precisely what the difference will be in each game moving forward for UNC.
Belichick has spent his entire career coaching grown men, whose only motivation is to perform well enough to remain under contract and to continue earning a paycheck.
Now, that’s simple.
However, in college, coaches are often challenged to motivate their players in different ways.
Dykes, a grizzled college coach, did exactly that last night with his squad.
Is Belichick capable of such skill?
Last night’s beatdown suggested not.
And I’m sure glad I wasn’t forced to use my remote.
Support AFP
Share
