Is this the end of the newspaper? New post over at Flat Earth

I have re-posted a neat video about the Rocky Mountain Post which is closing shop for good. Period. No digital edition. No more print. Done.

http://daveh-flatearththingswethoughtweknew.blogspot.com/newspaper

Heel Trouble

I often wonder why I am a sports fan. So much so that I have a wee bit of a rant over at Flat Earth. The past two weekends my favorite College Basketball team, the North Carolina Tar Heels have struggled. First, a complete upset at home by the (then unranked, since #17, and soon to be closer to 25) Boston College Eagles. And this weekend, losing a tough road game @Wake Forest (ranked #4, to the Heels #3). I find a little hope in some words by Eddy Landreth at rivals.com.

Yet while UNC fans may gnash their teeth and wail at these two losses and the way the Tar Heels played, who knows what may happen in the long run. UNC overcame a monumental number of injuries a year ago to win a school-record 36 games against just three losses, and yet when the Tar Heels needed the toughness the most against Kansas at the Final Four, it was missing.

Perhaps UNC can reverse the pattern after facing some tougher teams in the ACC this time around. Boston College and Wake Forest are considerably better than they were a year ago.

Former coach Dean Smith used to say the best teams are forged in the heat of adversity. North Carolina is sitting in one hot, bubbling cauldron at the moment. That much is for sure.

"It's what it is," Williams said. "We're 0-2, and we've got to try to play better, be more effective. I told the kids, Bobby [Frasor], Tyler and Danny [Green], their freshman year we were 3-3 [in the league] at one time and ended up 12-4. It is a long season.

"I'm still looking at the big picture and know we can get a heck of a lot better. There is no question the conference race is our No. 1 goal, but it's not over with after just two games."

As a fan of the Heels since high school (pushing 25 years now) I will not give up hope. But it is hard to watch a group of individuals who I have never met -- but represent a team I follow -- struggle when their collective experiences should have prepared them for this.

Come on team! You can do this. We can do this! (I'll keep cheering - you play better.)