The latest Top 25 rankings came out today and Duke and UNC are #2 and #3 respectively.  I ask you who would have thought the Blue Devils would come into this game ranked higher than the Tar Heels before the season started?  Granted, the margin between the two is slim,, but still quite an accomplishment for a team that lost eleven games the season before.  You may want to note that UNC has opened as a 5 to 6 point favorite depending on which service you pull up.

Now Vegas has installed the Tar Heels as a six point favorite and Ty Lawson will not play?  I can assure you that the PG will play.  It's the oldest head game in the book.  Wait a minute!  Roy said, "Oh yeah.  That's why he sat out the game against Florida State."  Come on Roy!  You sat him out because you could.  Don't be surprised if Williams employs head trick II.  This one consists of Thomas starting, yet Lawson comes off the bench to thunderous applause and goes nearly the rest of the way giving the Heels that emotional lift.  Don't be too hard on Roy, he is not the first to use the tactics.

In this link, WRAL interviews several players on each team.  Tell me Hansbroughs eyes don't cut away from the camera when asked of Ty and turn back during another question.  Okay!  I'm just having fun - it's a rivalry for gosh sakes!

Here are the official game notes for the showdown in Chapa Heeya. 

Lastly Duke Football has announced their new staff ... Administrative Staff.  I am glad to see that Duke retained Tony Sales.  They kept two class guys with the aforementioned and Scottie Montgomery.  Somewhat lost in the Duke-UNC hullabaloo is football signing day tomorrow.  Somewhat!  There continues to be a lot of excitement around the program and the Iron Dukes will have lunch with Cutcliffe tomorrow.  This in itself hasn't happened in the past and show that Cutt wants to reach out to Duke fans.  I will be covering the media event in the afternoon where Duke will officially announce who has signed on the dotted line.  One last minute casualty will likely be Montel Harris, a runngback from Florida, but Duke can survive this and maybe he will see the light.

One more addition!  This was done in late January but is worth a listen.  Steve Wojechowski
chats up a Virginia radio station.

I was sitting in the media room in Cameron yesterday where Coach K has just addressed the media about the upcoming UNC game.  Shortly thereafter, the word came out that his mentor Bobby Knight was announcing his retirement.  Here is Coach K's  statement.  One of my premium members gave me a heads up on this exclusive interview with Knight concenring his stepping down.

The Duke Women's team struggled mightily against their rival UNC last evening.  Here is the game story.  Duke shot a paltry 2 of 17 from the three point stripe and UNC scored the most points they ever had in Cameron.

Meanwhile, the natives are getting a bit restless.  I feel you have to give Coach P a year to adjust and figured there would be some regular season losses against a tough schedule.  Perhaps the team will come together by March.  There is a photo gallery from the game in the menu.

So much has been made of the Gerald Henderson-Tyler Hansbrough incident from last season.  I had positioned myself to talk with Hendo yesterday during interviews.  About that time a throng of media descended upon him, some literally resting their arms on my shoulders.  It was sad to see the majority leave Greg Paulus whose had a brilliant few games of late to get to him.  Of course, we got rehashed questions and learned that the incident isn't such a big deal anymore.  Well at least to the players.  The entire Q & A segment with Gerald will be up on Blue Devil Nation Premium this afternoon.

One can always get a good story from Herald veteran Frank Dascenzo this time of year.  Here he tells you the way he sees this matchup.  He also mentions how well Coach K has done since Dean Smith retired from Chapel Hill.

Over at the DBR, Al Featherston is on a rant and wants to give the media and others a piece of his mind.  He reasons that the ACC is as good as the much hyped PAC 10 this season