Basketball heroes in powder blue

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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The Tar Heels rolled to another victory Saturday, hanging more than 100 points on lowly Wake Forest. We’re not taking any great pleasure in that victory. No, the best thing about Saturday’s game was the half-time presentation.

This year is the 50th and 25th anniversaries of the 1957 and 1982 Tar Heel national championship teams. Almost all the living players returned to Chapel Hill on Saturday (former player-turned-coach Matt Doherty was notably absent) to be honored.

We don’t really remember the players from the ’57 team – a team that went undefeated that year – but those guys are the real bedrock upon which the Carolina tradition is built. It’s a tradition of mentoring, of honoring and respecting your past and those that came before you.

The ’82 team, of course, stands out more clearly in memory. Michael Jordan, of course, had a memorable role. And there was Sam Perkins and and James Worthy and Jimmy Black and Ashvegas’ own – Buzz Peterson.

The coaches and assistant coaches were also honored, including Eddie Fogler and Bill Guthridge and the greatest of them all, Dean Smith.

In one touching moment, as the Smith Center crowd rose to applaud the Deanster and all the players, Jordan leaned over his old coach and gave kissed his snowy white head. It was a tender, telling moment.

Carolina tradition is more than winning championships. It’s a bond of caring and respect that leads to success. That’s the real heart of Carolina and why we love it so deeply.

Here’s the photo gallery on Inside Carolina.