Off the cuff: After hearing Coach Williams throw out a "damn," a "crap" and a "Jesus Christ" in the post-game news conference, it became obvious (if it weren't already) that this is not your father's Tar Heels (or Dean Smith's for that matter). This game, on ESPNU, was presented in part by 16 broadcast students at UNC. In general, the production was outstanding and actually better than the over-produced FSN games. Student announcer Walter Storholt was very, very good. The two things that bothered me were his use of the term "air ball" - if you've read my stuff before you know that Duke cheer is a pet peeve of mine - and the fact that he overused the words "Dean Dome." A professional journalist really should call it the Smith Center except on rare occasions when the informally fits and, no, it doesn't always fit. That being said, I thought he was better than both Mike Gleason, who is normally good but I think he was thrown off by the three-person announcing team, and color analyst Fran Fraschilla, who was awful. Fraschilla went on and on discussing issues better suited for a talk show while action was going on. Several times there were points scored and it was never announced who scored because Fraschilla was running his mouth about which players and teams are the best in the country. Of course Gleason was egging him on by asking questions unrelated to the game. UNC-A had a chance to cut the deficit to eight, and while play is going on, Gleason asked him if Kenny George had a chance to play at the next level. Fraschilla called Hansbrough "Hansburrow" the entire night. He also called the UNC-A coach "Bee-den-back" when it's pronounced "Bee-den-bah." Again, the UNC students' camerawork and production (except for an ill-conceived split screen which shrunk the game action twice for a minute) was excellent. As for the floor announcers - what can I say nice - Katie Miller is attractive and Adam Rhew is enthusiastic. A piece of constructive criticism for Miller, don't over-rehearse and if you do, don't look like you've over-rehearsed. A piece of constructive criticism for Rhew, don't blink so much. Now that the ACC season has begun, you don't blink either for it will be over before you know it.
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