Column: I'm a Tar Heel born… I'll be a Pirate dead

By: Jared Jackson

Posted: 6/17/09

When I learned that ECU and North Carolina were both hosting a regional this year in baseball, I instantly called my father to alert him that there was the possibility of the two butting heads for the chance to go to the College World Series.

"Dad, ECU is hosting a regional in baseball this year," I said.

"What about Carolina?" he replied.

"They are, too, and I bet their regional will be matched up with ECU's," I said, obviously not knowing the two regionals were in fact connected.

"Well that's good for you I guess," my dad replied. "It really won't matter to you who wins."

Let's backtrack a little.

Ever since I can remember I've been a diehard UNC fan. When I was a child, one of the first thing I can remember doing was claiming to like Duke just to make my father mad (did it ever).

I also hold memories of endless Saturdays in Kenan Stadium watching the gridiron Tar Heels through the good times (Mack Brown days) and the bad times (Carl Torbush and John Bunting days), as well as shooting basketball in my backyard dreaming I was Serge Zwikker (I keep my goals realistic).

I, after all, was the kid in high school that wore a UNC shirt to school almost every day and was the kid that would get highly pissed when someone dissed my beloved Heels.

I should have known things would change, as there was no shot of me getting into the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

So of course, I settled for ECU where I knew I would receive a quality college education where I could watch a good football program on Saturdays and a stellar baseball team in the spring.

First and foremost, I promised myself I would still be a UNC fan and nothing could ever get in the way of that.

Like I said, times change.

In the first few months of being a sportswriter at TEC, someone tipped me off to a message board called Boneyard Banter where I could get the scoop on ECU athletics.

Of course, the first thread I came upon talked about how ECU students couldn't be a true Pirate and pull for UNC in any sport, much less basketball.

I tried to argue my point that pulling for the Tar Heels isn't a switch that can be turned off; it is a tradition when you grow up outside of Eastern North Carolina. You're raised to either root for UNC, Duke, N.C. State and sometimes Wake Forest.

But my point was to no avail, I was labeled a Heel. I should have chosen my words carefully or not spoke at all, for now three years later, I realize the Boneyarders were right.

You can't be a "true" Pirate and root for UNC or any other school for that matter.

Maybe it was seeing Skip Holtz and his squad run out onto the field against UNC in a 34-31 Pirate victory in 2007, or maybe it was two weekends ago when I made the trek to Chapel Hill to cover the Diamond Bucs as the Tar Heels swept them in super regional action.

But the once beautiful Carolina blue that still covers my bedroom walls at home has became much more of just a plain, pale blue.

UNC basketball coach Roy Williams once said, "I was a Tar Heel born. When I die, I'll be a Tar Heel dead. But in the middle, I have been Tar Heel- and Jayhawk-bred."

Well for me, I was a Tar Heel born, a "PiraHeel" in the middle, but when I die I'll be a "true" Pirate six feet under.

And sorry Dad, there was only one outcome that would have satisfied me two weekends ago, and it's the reason I left for the press conference room early after deciding not to watch the Tar Heels celebrate a fourth consecutive trip to the College World Series.

As for fellow "true" Pirates, be easy on the "PiraHeels" -- it may take a while, but they'll see the light sooner or later.

And if not, that's their loss.