As a little kid growing up in Harrisonburg, Va., it was a dream of mine to someday attend the ACC Tournament — which has been going on every year since 1954. I remember the ACC being played often in either the Greensboro Coliseum or Charlotte Coliseum, and seeing guys on TV like North Carolina’s Vince Carter, Virginia’s Cory Alexander, Georgia Tech’s Stephon Marbury, Maryland’s Keith Booth, Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan and Duke’s Elton Brand sell out an arena for a weekend in front of rabid fans — which always made want to be there and soak up the atmosphere.
But then I moved to the Chicago area in 1999 and honestly forgot how much the ACC tournament meant to me. I was barely interested in the games. As a kid, I was heartbroken when Virginia was bounced from the ACC tournament. As a teenager, it was no deal at all. As a kid, the 1995 ACC Championship game between Wake Forest and North Carolina was an all-time classic that I talked about endlessly. As a teenager, the classic 2004 ACC Championship game when Maryland stunned Duke didn’t resonate as much as it should have. Even though I decided to come to the University, I didn’t think the ACC tournament would be such a big deal.
I was totally wrong. All of the feelings and excitement I felt about the ACC Tournament returned. My first two years, during Spring Break, I found myself glued to the TV again for every game. Last year, I skipped work and school to catch every second of the tournament. The ACC Tournament mattered again, and this year, because I have no idea where I’m going to end up after college, I wanted to experience the ACC tournament firsthand. Covering the Virginia men’s basketball team this season, I got the opportunity to go, and it’s something that I’m not only thankful for doing, but will remember for the rest of my life.
First of all, the fans here are absolutely nuts. I’m not a big fan of the 2009 ACC Tournament being in the Georgia Dome because the big roof doesn’t contain the noise as well as a stadium, but that didn’t stop the atmosphere from being unbelievable. I thought the game between Clemson and Georgia Tech would be a snoozefest that Clemson would steal. What I underestimated was the Clemson fans showing up in big numbers, Georgia Tech’s fans staying behind the team even though it finished last in the ACC and a very close game in which Georgia Tech prevailed. The scene after the game between Florida State and North Carolina in which everybody that wasn’t wearing Carolina Blue did the tomahawk chop in honor of the Seminoles’ stunning upset gave me goosebumps. Even though the championship game wasn’t a classic — Duke won for the eighth time in 11 years — the buildup was immense. It’s moments like those that I won’t forget.
I also won’t forget the reaction of the players and coaches after they were eliminated from the tournament. Even though Virginia had no chance of making the NCAA Tournament unless it won four in row in Atlanta, the players looked absolutely dejected after the game knowing their season was finished. I felt bad for Virginia Tech — yes, you read that right — after North Carolina robbed them at the end of the game, which cost them a chance to get in the NCAA Tournament. Even though Boston College’s Tyrese Rice has the NCAA Tournament to look forward to, that didn’t hide the fact that he was disheartened after his Eagles just missed taking down Duke. And Roy Williams — head coach of a NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeded North Carolina — looked miserable after Florida State shocked his squad.
Most of all, just being able to watch a lot of basketball was one heck of an experience. Think about it: 11 games in four days involving teams from one of the best conferences in the NCAA. For a basketball fanatic, that’s heaven. Sure, some games were boring, but some will be classics that will be talked about for a long time. I imagine the game between Florida State and North Carolina will be talked about for a while, especially in the Sunshine State.
For those who didn’t want to go this year because of distance, that won’t be a concern for the next two years: The ACC Tournament will be located in Greensboro, N.C., about a three-hour drive down Route 29. Trust me, too, when I say that Virginia will finish better in the ACC next year, and that the ACC Tournament could decide whether it gets in the NCAA Tournament or not.
I’m just thankful that I had the chance to experience the ACC Tournament. It’s something I hope all of you can do as well.
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