NANTES, France – And then, there were Four…

First, I would like to congratulate my basketball program on its awesome journey to Houston! I know just how hard the guys have worked and what an opportunity like this means to them. As always, I have been in front of my computer many times, at 3am, wrapped in blanket, muffling my cheers to a whisper as not to cause a disturbance in the building. Those nights turned into a few sick days, but having an extra bounce in my step after some big wins have made it all worth it. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my passion for Carolina with teammates and friends from all over the world.

2009 Final Four

2009 National Champions. (Photo courtesy of Marcus Ginyard)

I was blessed to experience the Final Four two years in a row, from two distinct points of view, with two very different outcomes. Reaching the 2008 Final Four in San Antonio was somewhat of a dream for us. Quentin Thomas was the only member of the team who had experienced being at a Final Four, and for the rest of us, it was quite an adjustment. We were used to being in the local and national spotlight, but the Final Four is, well, different. And 2009, of course, was an overwhelming landslide in our favor, but much in part because of our experience the year before.

The story starts, however, in 2007. Immediately after our disappointing loss to Georgetown in the Elite 8, in the locker room, we all knew that the pain we were feeling would fuel us to the Final Four the next season. It was in our minds every second from then on, and we trained harder than ever to prepare ourselves for our place in San Antonio. We defended our ACC regular season and tournament championships, while suffering just two defeats. Punching our ticket to the Final Four, in Charlotte, was a moment I will never forget. All the anger, pain, hard work and struggle pushing us to the point of an indescribable triumph. We earned our place among the last four standing.

We were buried with Final Four sweat suits, even more exclusive Jordan’s, the adulation (RW taught me that word) from half the world, and of course tracked down by the aunts and uncles we had never met until then. I remember my dad buying me a new suit, making sure I was looking sharp like Carolina always did. I’ll never forget the never-ending lights; the police escort, the camera flashes stepping off the bus at our hotel, tens of thousands more at open practice, and the blaring lights of TV cameras in the locker room. For most people who haven’t experienced it, they’ll say, “Come on man, it’s normal. They do that all time these days, especially for a team like Carolina.” And they would be right. But trust me, it’s different.

For a split second, our world was turned upside down. We had just reached one of the greatest achievements in college basketball, after waiting over a year to have our place in the Final Four, and we lost sight of the bigger picture, beyond the Final Four, beyond being ONE of the best teams that season. All that was good, but for just a moment we forgot that we wanted more than that. And in that moment, we were caught off guard by an extremely talented Kansas team. By the time we woke up, we were too far behind.

2009 Regional Champions

2009 Regional Champions. Marcus Ginyard (left), Danny Green, Mike Copeland, Bobby Frasor, and Tyler Hansbrough. (Photo courtesy of Marcus Ginyard)

Once again, after the game, there was no doubt what would happen the next year. This time we knew exactly what to expect when we made it to the top of the mountain. What I didn’t expect was to watch the majority of the journey from the sideline. I was expecting to recover from surgery in October of 2008 in just 8-10 weeks, but my foot had different plans. When the time came to decide to redshirt, I knew that I wanted to come back for another year, but it was difficult to leave my classmates, especially because we all knew we would take the championship.

We captured another ACC regular season title, and earned another No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. At this point in the season, I was back to full strength and fulfilled my role as a practice player. I did my very best to create tough, game like situations for the guys to be at their best during the games. Afterward, it was easy to be the biggest supporter of my team!

Marcus Ginyard

After recovering from surgery, Marcus Ginyard found ways to contribute to the Tar Heels’ 2009 National Championship. (Photo courtesy of Marcus Ginyard)

Our performance in the NCAA tournament was a work of art. We were determined to destroy every team in our way. We didn’t take any chance to let off the gas, a lesson we learned the hardest way possible just a year before. As a result, we took the championship with a decisive 121-point accumulated differential over 6 games. Bittersweet? Of course, but believe me, there was a lot more sweetness than bitterness. We achieved the ultimate goal, together, as a team.

I’ll be setting my alarm earlier this Sunday morning, around 1:45 am, so there’s plenty of time to prepare breakfast before tip off. I’ll be in my usual spot, wearing my Carolina gear, but I won’t be keeping quiet!

BRING HOME THE NETS FROM HOUSTON! GO HEELS!

 

(Marcus Ginyard now plays professionally in France)