Whatever it Takes

I wasn't a hockey fan until, um, about a week ago, but wow, talk about an exciting time to get into the game. Really, it was pretty hard not to become a fan in "Caniac Country," here in the Triangle with Canes Stanley Cup coverage saturating the papers, the radios, the tvs, and the highways. I only watched two games during the finals, one being last night for the win, but my adrenaline pumped along just like it does during UNC basketball season. I even got goose bumps this morning, driving by the RBC Center in Raleigh, where it all went down last night, so I guess it's official: I'm a Canes fan and I will be buying a championship t-shirt. I'm mainly really happy for the players and the die-hard fans who have followed them ever since coming to NC. And I'm happy that the Triangle, make that the whole state, can unite in basking in this glory as opposed to the factious loyalties college sports breed. There's this guy, we'll call him "Bo," who comes by work twice a week to deliver checks from our accountants. Bo's a die-hard NC State fan, who absolutely depises Carolina (in the way that we despise Duke). Bo has had to put up with me gloating through the 2005 NCAA basketball season and title, last year's football and basketball wins against State, and now, out of the blue it seems, the UNC Baseball team being so hot. It just burns him up to see Carolina win. Finally, there's a team Bo and I can both rally behind. Way to go, Canes!!