Yesterday Woody Durham died; he was the voice of the Tar Heels for forty years.  Just thinking of Woody takes me back to the old days, and watching Carolina basketball with my family.  Watching the games with my father were almost as entertaining as the games themselves.  We all loved Carolina basketball, Coach Dean Smith, Woody Durham, and the players that were recruited to play at UNC.  Basically, I pulled for UNC because my father did, but what is not to love?  Carolina Blue, the well, the bell, and Franklin Street are special as far as I am concerned.  My whole immediate family loved Carolina, and in 1982 when I was eleven years of age, I got to experience UNC first hand.

I remember my mother had bought a UNC chair for my father which also sported his name, Billy.  It was such a cool chair, but only my father was allowed to sit in it.  My father loved his chair, and he would sit in it for every UNC men’s basketball game that came on television; and you can bet the television was turned all the way down and the radio was turned way up blaring Woody Durham’s voice.  Even if the game was not televised, we would be sitting around the living room listening to Woody.

Sometimes it was scary watching the UNC games with my father; he would have a beer in one hand, and he used the other hand to shake his fist and yell at the ACC officials; he did that a lot, and that was the scary part.  Sometimes, it was funny to see him get so worked up, and sometimes, my brothers and I would join him hootin’ and hollerin’ at the officials or the players.  We never, ever yelled at Coach Dean Smith.

In 1982, UNC men’s basketball won their third championship, and their second national championship; they had defeated Georgetown in an unbelievable game.  Of course it is no surprise UNC won because of Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, etc.  I recall Patrick Ewing for Georgetown was called for goal tending several times, and every time he was we went crazy.  I remember Jordan’s faithful jumper that put UNC in the lead, and then the player for Georgetown accidentally threw the ball to James Worthy, and that was the end of it.  Woody Durham tried to keep his composure, but it did not matter; UNC was the 1982 NCAA Champions!

After the game, my father was so excited he said, “We are going to Chapel Hill!”   It was already past my bed time, but I was too pumped to sleep any how; I wanted to go celebrate!  So, we got decked out in our UNC gear, loaded up the car and off we went; we also made a pit stop to pick up my Aunt Tracy, so she could help keep and eye on my brothers and me.

We arrived in Chapel Hill, and we were looking for a parking space; people were blowing their horns, hanging out of their windows and yelling.  One car drove by us and some guy yelled, “Carolina Sucks!” right into our driver-side window, and my father instantly stopped celebrating and shouted “WHAT?”;  it was hilarious, but you probably had to be there.

We finally parked the car, and we started walking down Franklin Street; it was like a Carolina blue zoo!  Carolina blue paint was everywhere, people were climbing light post, people were climbing trees, people were throwing Carolina blue paint on other people; it was simply chaotic, and I loved every minute of it.

Don’t worry; we all got home safe and sound, but I will never forget that night.  Just celebrating with the family was enough for me, and I have forgiven the guy who tried to pour Carolina blue paint on me from a balcony; he missed!

I thank you, Woody Durham, for all of the great memories you have given me; you were a great talent, and a legend to UNC fans every where!  So, RIP, and go where you go and do what you do!  GO HEELS!

Take care, and God bless!

Chris