April 7, 2025: The Title Game

I know exactly where I was on March 29, 1982...

Standing in my childhood living room, screaming at the TV. The basketball national championship — my Tar Heels against the Georgetown Hoyas.

UNC won by one point. For a 12-year-old fan, a life-changing moment.

But the best part? My paperboy job. The next afternoon, I delivered newspapers with “Champions” blazed across the front page. Oh, and this happened on my birthday. Pretty cool.

I also remember where I was on April 3, 2017...

A family Disney trip, kids piled around me in an Orlando hotel, all of us yelling at the screen. Another title game: Carolina vs. Gonzaga. The Heels triumphed by six. Sharing it with Jess, McKenzie, Luke, Jake, Kate, and Sam made it even sweeter.

Then came last night — this year’s championship. Just me watching. No Tar Heels. No screaming and no kids (they’re all grown up). The outcome didn’t even matter.

But I still tuned in. That’s what I do, because of the memories. I haven’t missed one since 1982.

And bonus… I didn’t have to fold 47 newspapers this time. Or pay for Disney.