UNC/Duke Full Circle

ESPN has been making a lot of recent noise about its "full circle" coverage of the North Carolina at Duke on Saturday. I think this is excellent for the sport of college basketball for one game to get so much coverage. One reason is, this is the most highly anticipated regular season game, in any sport. One may argue Red Sox/Yankees games are more anticipated, but come on, they play 20 times, which diminishes each games importance and dilutes the rivalry in general. Carolina and Duke each take their best shots of the year from each other. Some of the most thrilling finishes ever have come from this game and they are always close. What is truly remarkable is that no matter the state of the teams, a win in this game makes the season, and they play like it. I have seen games when UNC or Duke have no business playing at the level they do for those forty minutes, but they do. The spirit of college basketball is embodied on that 9 mile stretch of Tobacco Road, and players leave it all on the floor for it.