The football coach at Scotland County is taking another job. Page 4C

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TUESDAY SPORTS February5,2008

COLLEGE 3C-4C • NFL 5C • GOLF 6C www.fayobserver.com/sports Allen decides on Georgia

! The Terry Sanford High hours of intense deliberation to accept a scholarship offer toplay football for School tight end commits Clemson. Allen even told his mother, COMING THURSDAY to the Bulldogs. Olivia Davis, that he would be announc- Look for our full coverage of national ing for the Tigers at a 1 p.m. press con- signing day ference he’d called for Monday. By Sammy Batten % Local player signings But at12:01 a.m. Monday morning — Staff writer % Breakdowns on the classes for UNC, one minuteafter an NCAA required qui- Duke, N.C. State, Wake Forest and other et period in whichcoaches can’t contact An early morning telephone call ACC schools Staff photo Monday took Dwayne Allen backin time recruits ended —Allen’s telephone rang. and helped clarify his future. It wasGeorgia head coachMark Richt % Breakdowns on the classes for ECU, Terry Sanford’s Dwayne Allen puts on a University of FSU and other region schools Georgia hat as he announces his decision to attend the Terry Sanford’sall-state tightend calling. University of Georgia on a football scholarship. had decided Sunday evening after many See ALLEN, Page 6C

Knight resigns UNC-DUKE as coach at Texas Tech Fuel to the fire ! The winningest men’s coach in major college basketball steps down at midseason. Last year’s incident

By Betsy Blaney between Henderson, The Associated Press LUBBOCK, Texas —Bob Knight, known as Hansbrough stokes muchfor hisfiery temperashis basketball bril- liance, resigned Monday atTexas Tech, handing the team over to his son. already bitter rivalry It was astunning midseason move bythe win- ningest men’scoach in majorcollege basketball, who gave no hinta change was By Dan Wiederer coming. Pat Knight,aRed Staff writer Raiders assistant, was appoint- Confusion. Anger. Indignation. ed hisfather’s successorin All of it had swirled together inside the 2005. Dean E. Smith last spring as Gerald “There’s a transition that’s Henderson made an unforgettable march going to take place herefrom from the Duke bench to the visitor’s tunnel, me toPat and I’ve dwelton this his eyes straight ahead, storming through a all yearlong ... how itwould be tornado of bitterness and profanity. Knight best for him and for the team “It was probably the most hostile envi- and forwhat wecan do in the ronment I’ve ever been in,”Henderson re- long run tomake this the best thing forTexas members. “Itfelt like the whole stadium Tech,”Knighttold the LubbockAvalanche-Jour- was right on top of me.” nal, which first reported the resignation. The Duke sophomorewill make the The 67-year-old Knight informed Texas Tech same walk Wednesday night when his sec- athletic director Gerald Myers of his decision in a ond-ranked Blue Devils stomp back into meeting around noon Monday,Texas Techchan- Chapel Hill forashowdownwith No. 3 cellorKent Hancetold The Associated Press. North Carolina. Knight then called Hance and told him. Here, 339 days after his flying forearm “He’s ready,”Pat Knightsaid during his week- across Tyler Hansbrough’sface left the ly radio show. “He’s tired.” North Carolina All-American with a broken Hance said: “I think Bob is through with nose and further fueled college basketball’s coaching. I think he got tothe whereit most hyped rivalry,Henderson will tra- wasn’t fun for him. verse the same path in reverse. “He thought about it Sunday all day and talked Out of the lockerroom, downa hall, See KNIGHT, Page 4C through the tunnel and back onto the Smith Center floor where, again, the whole stadi- um will be right on top of him. “It will be ugly,”said UNC play-by-play KNIGHT’S RECORD announcer Woody Durham, whose 50 years around the Carolina-Duke rivalry give him % Army —102-50 enough experience to know. “There will be % Indiana —662-239 (won three national people rearranging their days to arrive here championships) early just to be therewhen Henderson % Texas Tech —138-82 makes his first appearance.” % Overall —902-371 ‘It’s not a dead issue’ By now, the replay has been viewed ap- proximately 1,748,000 times on ESPN and twice as much on YouTube. With 14.5 sec- ondsleft in an86-72 Carolina win last Staff file photo March, Hansbrough chased downthe re- Duke’s Gerald Henderson gives an elbow to Tyler Hansbrough in the closing seconds bound of his own missed , rose for of a March 4, 2007, game in Chapel Hill. Henderson was ejected for the flagrant a putback and was clobbered in mid-air by Henderson, whose swinging forearm broke foul. his nose. Yet it’s not just that foul that has those within the Carolina program still agitated to this day. It’s the way things were handled in the hours and days that followed, Duke’s Vitale to return as apology neither promptnor heartfelt AP photo enough for the Tar Heels’liking. North Carolina’s Jessica Breland, center, is With Hansbrough a bloodymess in the pressured by Duke’s Abby Waner, left, and analyst for showdown postgame aftermath, Henderson did not come to the Carolina locker room to apol- Keturah Jackson (31). ogize. No one from Duke did. See RIVALRY, Page 3C You might want to turn the As if the first of two North UNC buries Duke volume down now. The sound of Carolina-Duke college basketball is about to get showdowns needed any a lot louder. extra hype. ! Seventy-First High School After nearly two months of Between the rivalry, NO. 2 DUKE suffering in the rankings and the bad graduate LaToya Pringle leads the silence while blood that still exists between AT NO. 3 UNC No. 3 Tar Heels over No. 11 Duke. his surgically Tyler Hansbrough and Gerald % When: Wednesday, 9 p.m. repaired vocal Henderson, the game matching % Where: Smith Center in chords healed, the second-ranked Blue Chapel Hill By Joedy McCreary Dick Vitale is Devils and No. 3 Tar The Associated Press again ready to Heels was already the % TV: WRAL-5, WECT-6 take up his most anticipated of DURHAM —Duke keptleaving NorthCaroli- usual spot at INSIDE na’s scorers open, and the up-tempo Tar Heels the season to date. courtside Now, with % Lawson questionable for UNC kepttaking advantage. It added up toa BRETT behind an record-breaking nighton theirbiggest rival’s Vitale’s return also % A look at other heated FRIEDLANDER ESPN thrown into the mix, home floor. microphone. moments in the UNC-Duke rivalry, The No. 3Tar Heelshadtheirhighest-scoring it’s going to be Page 3C It’s only nothing less than performance atCameron IndoorStadium, rout- appropriate that his return is awesome, baby . ing the 11th-ranked BlueDevils 93-76 on Monday scheduled to take place See UNC, Page 4C Wednesday at the Smith Center. See VITALE, Page 4C THE FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER ACC BASKETBALL TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2008 3C Lawson’s status in doubt for Duke game

! UNC coach Roy Williams says the chances seemed doubtful Monday morning whatlimit Carolina’s up-tempo of- Over in Durham, Duke coach that his All-ACC sophomore would fensive attack, which is averaging Mike Krzyzewski said he fully ex- his injured point guard will play aren’t good. be ready to go Wednesday night. an ACC best 91.0 points per game. pects Lawson tobe readytogofor “Rightnow,Idon’t think the Thomas played aseason-high 36 Wednesday’s 9 p.m. tip at the chances are real good that Ty minutes at FloridaState and was Smith Center. By Dan Wiederer in the first halfofSunday’s over- would play,”Williams said. productive with a nine-point, six- “I just think it’stough tokeep Staff writer time win at FloridaState. The Tar If Lawson were unable to go, se- showing. Heelssophomoresat out the final any kid out of this game,” NorthCarolina pointguardTy nior Quentin Thomas would be the “I won’t have any idea if Ty will Krzyzewski said Lawson remainsquestionable for 41 minutesof that84-73 victory Tar Heels’starter, with junior playor howmuch he will playuntil Lawson Wednesday night’s game against and will not practice today. playing the back- after practice (Tuesday)if he can Staff writer Dan Wiederer can be reached at Duke after spraining his left ankle Carolinacoach RoyWilliams up role. That scenario would some- even practice,”Williams said. [email protected] or 486-3536. Talking Points ConflictsofInterest ACC basketball writer Dan Here’s a look at three other infamous moments of bitterness in the history of the Duke-UNC rivalry. Wiederer caught up with three people close to the Duke-UNC FEB. 4, 1961 MARCH 11, 1979 rivalry who offered their MARCH 9, 2003 perspectives on the Gerald With both teams ranked in the In the second half of an 82-79 With both teams in Henderson-Tyler Hansbrough top five and both a Carolina win in Chapel Raleigh for the incident last season: perfect 7-0 in ACC play, Hill, Tar Heels freshman NCAA tournament, 1 the stakes and the 2 Raymond Felton took an 3 Duke fans had a ERIC MONTROSS emotion of the rivalry elbow from Dahntay good laugh at the % Quick fact: The 7-footer and had reached a new peak. Jones, and as UNC misfortune of their rivals former All-American at UNC may The intensity boiled over in the coach Matt Doherty, middle right, when the top-seeded Tar be best known for getting his closing seconds of Duke’s 81-77 went to help his point guard up Heels dropped a 72-71 head cut in a 1992 game with win in Durham when Blue Devils near the Duke bench, he stunner to Penn at Reynolds Duke. The clip of Montross star committed a hard exchanged heated words with Blue Coliseum. shooting free throws with blood foul on Larry Brown under the Devils assistant Chris Collins. The taunting Blue Devils trickling down his scalp has been basket and near the Carolina With the two coaches yelling at fans were then given a taste an iconic symbol of this rivalry bench. Brown took offense and one another, Duke reserve Andre of their own medicine hours for years. bounced up, both players began Buckner popped into the fray and later when their team also % His take: “Blood adds swinging and in a blink of an eye pushed Doherty with two hands to lost its tournament opener, mystique to everything. That’s the both Tar Heel players and Duke the chest, setting off a mini-melee falling 80-78 fans had rushed onto the floor for of pushing and shoving before to St. John’s. aura of Carolina-Duke. It’s what AP file photo people symbolically associate an unruly brawl. officials could restore order. with the rivalry. They associate —Compiled by Dan Wiederer this with a hard-fought battle and part of a hard-fought battle is blood. Certainly that doesn’t mean an incident like that has ed to make sure people remem- to happen. And you don’t want it Rivalry bered that.” to happen from any standpoint. Some like it hot But that’s what people identify From Page 1C with. OnWednesday night,the roles will reverse somewhat “Guys get cut all the time in Then,of all the thingsBlue with Henderson likely to be vic- games. So why was that one cut Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski could have said the morning af- timized by the barbs of bitter against Duke any different than ter to ease the tension between UNC fans. Under the spotlight of other cuts that I had throughout the teams, he said this: a rivalry that is both heated and my career? Why did that last? “It’s unfortunate,”Krzyzews- theatrical, the sophomore’s Absolutely because of the rivalry, ki told reporters on the ACC walk back onto the Smith Center and what’s associated with that.” coaches conference call. “And floorwill beanunforgettable the person it’s most unfortunate experience. JAY BILAS for is G.” Duke assistant Chris Collins, % Quick fact: Bilas played at Krzyzewski felt very strong- no stranger to being loathed in- Duke from 1982-86and has ly that Henderson had not inten- side the SmithCenter,believes been a college basketball analyst tionally injured Hansbrough, Henderson has no choice but to embrace the animosity that will for ESPN for the past 13 that had Duke walk-on Steve Johnson not pulled Hansbrough be directed at him. seasons. backward thatHenderson’s “You wantto beliked but % His take: “What happened attempt would have had a now you’re a lightning rod,” with Henderson and Hansbrough more legitimate and less contro- Collins said. “When Gwalksin immediately became a new versial result. that building, there’sno doubt symbol of this rivalry. It’s Krzyzewski wanted it known people will beyelling at him, something fans can point to and that Henderson is a classy play- calling him names, saying he’s say ‘See, that’s why I like this er and he hated to see one of his this, saying he’s that. But that school or that’s why I don’t like Blue Devils’reputations tar- Staff file photo should focus you in on that com- that school.’It’s swallowed up in nished by one excessive foul for Tyler Hansbrough is held back after having his nose broken during last year’s Duke game. petitiveside of you within to the larger context. which he would be sternly pun- say, ‘Hey I’m going toget you “As far as the play itself, I ished. (Henderson was suspend- guys tonight on the floor.’ ” thought the foul was excessive. It ed bythe ACC forDuke’s con- it’s intensified everything.” ed in a lighter shade of blue, the books on the matter. Henderson insists he’s ready was too hard of a foul. The ference tournament opener.) attitude is quite different, the “I mean, I still had a broken for whatawaits and expressed Coach K: Overreaction Tar Heels feeling like they’ve young man had a foul assessed, But the Carolinacamp took nose,”he said. surprisewith the way hisvil- had good reason to be upset. he was suspended for a game that damage control as a slight Just last week, Krzyzewski Williams’stancehas never lainous reputation has taken on towards Hansbrough, coach Roy stated his viewpoint on the mat- and I thought it was handled Sure, Hansbrough hated the changed, the UNC coach believ- a life of its own in Chapel Williams feeling insulted that ter with as much conviction as protective masks he had to wear Hill. completely appropriately by the ing that regardless of Hender- the Blue Devilsseemed more ever. for the 13 days after the foul, “It’s crazy,”he said. “But league and by the officials. But I son’s intent, Hansbrough should concerned with protecting Hen- “Tyler’sagreat kid and a nuisances that contributed to his Tyler is obviously an All-Amer- do not think in any way shape or have been entitled to more sym- derson’sreputation thanthey great player,”he said. “And he subpar ACC tournament perfor- pathetic treatment. ican. He’s a hell of a player. And form that Gerald Henderson is a were with Hansbrough’s broken got hurt. But the blood made it mance in which he shot 9-for-23 “I like Gerald Henderson,” alot of people like him. Soit bad kid who had that kind of nose. look like somebody got shot. And and totaled just 30 points over didn’t shock me that a lot of peo- malicious intent. Williams said. “I have no prob- Some of Henderson’s I think people overreacted.” three games. lem saying that. Itried tore- ple wanted to defend him. If “But knowing all the postgame comments in which he By “people” Krzyzewski But he hated the aftermath cruit him. I spoke to his dad af- anything, the rivalry really participants, it didn’t surprise me referred to Hansbrough as “the meant Tar Heels fans, whom he even more,irked thatHender- terwards. But it seemed like came out. I guess that’s part of that in a late-game situation, kid” also annoyed TarHeel knows will be as hostile as ever son needed four days to deliver thereseemed tobe moreem- my life now.” Tyler Hansbrough went after that players. come Wednesday night. hisapology, finallyconnecting phasis on (defending his charac- And forever a part of a rival- with all he had. And it So as the two rivals face off “We’ve had a lot of hard fouls via cell phone on the first day of ter) as opposed to focusing on ry that will boil for generations didn’t surprise me that Gerald Wednesday in a showdown with in our league and people forget the ACC tournament. the guy who had his nose broken to come. major ACC championship impli- about them,”Krzyzewski said. Henderson went up in opposition Hansbrough may have pub- and nowhad to weara mask. Staff writer Dan Wiederer can be reached with all he did. That’s what great cations,the fallout from last “But they won’tforget about liclyforgiven Henderson,but Tyler was the victim. There was at [email protected] or 486- players do. The reason in my season’s episode has not yet ful- that because of that rivalry. that doesn’t mean he closed the no question about it. And I want- 3536. mind that it’s grown into ly disintegrated. People who arecheering for Carolina don’t want to forget something bigger for so many “It’snot adead issue,”said injured UNC guard Bobby Fra- about it. That’s their preroga- people is not because of Gerald sor, who doubles asHans- tive. …For us, that’s in the past or Tyler Hansbrough or Coach K brough’s roommate. “Because it and if anybody wants to bring it or Roy Williams, it’s because of was such a big deal and every up, that’s good. They can do that. the Duke-Carolina rivalry.” time we play them it’s going to But people who always bring up bebrought up. From our van- the past a lot of times don’t pay JOE OVIES tage point, it was weird the way attention to the present orthe % Quick fact: Ovies hosts “The things were handled. …If it was future.” Morning Drive,”a sports talk any otherschool, Tylerwould Different view at UNC radio show on The Buzz, AM-850 have had some initial resent- mentthen probablyforgiven Fifteen minutesaway in in the Triangle. them. But because it was Duke, Chapel Hill, on a campus paint- % His take: “It’s going to sound like we’re vultures here, but in an otherwise mundane game like that matchup was with Carolina running away with the win, when I saw that foul from press row, I immediately said to myself, ‘Oh, jeez. The phone lines are going to be at full bank immediately.’ Every line was going to be lit up with everyone in this state having a take. “Even if hard fouls happen all the time in basketball, even if a broken nose happens occasionally, hard fouls aren’t just hard fouls between these two teams. They just can’t be. This is what two or three seconds of time can do for the fabric of a rivalry.”