Carmichael Auditorium sat about 8,000 when it opened, later closer to 9,000 when those awful aluminum benches replaced the chairbacks. But, for years, far more than those numbers of people claimed to be there for:
- Bobby Lewis’ 49 against Florida State in 1966, the year that Blue Heaven opened and the record for most points ever scored there.
- George Karl putting the ball on his hip in 1971 and stopping the game until second-ranked South Carolina came out of its zone and eventually lost to the unranked Tar Heels 79-64.
- Walter Davis banking in a 30-footer in 1974 to tie the game in the famous “8 points in 17 seconds” comeback win over Duke.
- Phil Ford scoring 34 points with a bum wrist in his Senior Game win over Duke in 1978.
- Michael Jordan stripping Rick Carlisle and going in for a tomahawk jam, capping off a 64-63 win over Virginia and Ralph Sampson.
You remember that game?
“I was there.”
Until the Tar Heels moved into the Smith Center, when pretty much anyone who had the money to buy a ticket outside could get in, many more than could fit into Carmichael have claimed to be there.
There were a reported 3,200 fans in the Dean Dome Saturday for Carolina’s dominating Senior Night win over Duke, even though neither team is having the kind of season that birthed the greatest rivalry in college basketball.
How many thousands more will say they were there to witness one of the Tar Heels most satisfying victories over their arch rivals?
Remember when the Tar Heels jumped on Duke 26-6 after 10 minutes by pounding the ball in the paint?
“Absolutely, I was there.”
Remember when senior 7-foot reserve Walker Miller started the game by taking a charge on the Dukies first shot attempt?
“Yep, I was sitting right behind the basket. That really fired up the team.”
Remember when senior Garrison Brooks turned his ankle after scoring Carolina’s first basket, left the court and came back to make a 3-pointer falling out of bounds and another from the top of the arc and a two-pointer that slammed into the backboard and dropped in?
“Oh, man, I was there! That was his night!”
Remember the game when it was Armando Bacot’s birthday and he almost scored his age?
“Like it was yesterday! Happy birthday, big guy!”
Remember the game when Carolina’s aggressive defense shut down Duke’s Matthew Hurt, the only player who could beat the Heels, for the first 18 minutes and when he finally scored his team was behind by 19 points?
“Was right there, counting his bricks.”
Remember when The Heels sent Duke to a 9-9 finish in the ACC and Roy Williams tried to wave off students chanting “NIT! NIT!”?
“What a hoot, I was one of them.”
Remember Senior Night when Ol’ Roy kissed his court after the game and everyone freaked out that he had pulled an Antawn Jamison in 1998 and was retiring?
“I was there, but wasn’t Jamison turning pro and not retiring?”
Never mind, but do you remember the game when the Heels shot 55 percent from the floor 44 percent on 3-pointers and 81 percent from the foul line and still won by 18 points after making 20 turnovers?
“I was there for every game they made 20 turnovers.”
Remember the game when the Heels had the Dukies down 26 in the first half and 24 in the second?
“I was there and will never forget my hysteria!”
Remember the game when Caleb Love, Kerwin Walton and Bacot all dropped 18 points on Duke coming off the bench?
“I was also at the first game when Caleb killed Duke.”
No, you weren’t; no fans were there. Remember the game when K.J. Smith, the Jet’s son, made the second-to-last basket and Sterling Manley got to play and made the last basket on a dunk?
“I was there, and I saw all of Manley’s other games . . . in person.”
Remember the game when Carolina’s bench outscored Duke’s bench 73-7?
“I was definitely there. Whoever said we don’t have any depth?”
Remember the time we blew out Duke and everybody stormed Franklin Street against government orders?
“I was definitely there, but had my extra-large mask on.”
Remember the game when Coach K said he did a lousy job preparing his team and Roy did a great job?
“Coach K said what? I was at that game and he was exactly right!”
Photo via Robert Willett/ACC Media.
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Great story, I can truthfully say “I was there”, Section 209 doing Usher duty. Love your insight into the story behind the story and how you can help express the feelings that so many feel.
Thanks, Tim, glad we were both there!