Dec. 20, 2000

By Dave Lohse
Director of Media Relations for Olympic Sports

There are many things that I am snobbish about in my life. And I make no apologies for them. I am a snob about the kinds of movies I watch, my politics and my taste in friends. I am also a snob about quality TV shows. Does anybody know why CBS still exists with the junk they flood the airwaves with? Give me NBC, Fox and the WB any day.

And after 24 years at the University of North Carolina I am very snobbish about my soccer. I want it played well. I want it in an all out attacking style. I despise defensive bunkers and teams that move the ball in the midfield in such a calculated way that the game comes to a virtual halt.

Fortunately I live in Chapel Hill and as the soccer junkie that I am 2000 was about as glorious a year as I could possibly imagine. The Tar Heels won another national championship in women's soccer and the UNC men's team was Carolina's best in 13 years. And it was a team which deserved a far better fate than being eliminated in the NCAA quarterfinals on a wet field. But alas, sometimes the fates are cruel.

Still, from a pure entertainment standpoint, a Chapel Hill soccer junkies like me could not have asked for anything more. I am very upset that Time Magazine has named George W. Bush as its Man of the Year. Hell, don't they know that Elmar Bolowich and Anson Dorrance should have been co-winners of the award.

This was truly a remarkable time to watch soccer on the Hill. The Carolina men were ranked #1 in the nation for much of the season and despite losing to two-time defending NCAA champion Indiana 1-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals there season was diminished in no way. Bolowich was masterful in coaching this team which went 21-3 and established the school record for victories in a season. Carolina's sudden victory overtime triumph over Virginia just 13 seconds into extra time in the ACC Tournament championship game was as exciting a moment as I have experienced in quite sometime. The game-winning goal was a thing of beauty as a pair of noble seniors--Caleb Norkus and Michael Bucy--combined to give the Tar Heels the victory.

The amazing nature of Carolina's comeback win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament over William & Mary was also amazing as UNC rallied from two-nil down with less than 25 minutes to play in a blinding snowstorm. Again a sudden victory goal by reserve Ryan Kneipper provided the margin as UNC advanced and made it far as in the tournament as any time since 1987.

There were countless heroes on this UNC team. Besides Norkus and Bucy there was national scoring leader, ACC Player of the Year and first team All-America Chris Carrieri, a striker whose every move provides excitement. And there was a defense spearheaded by the steady Danny Jackson, the team captain from Britain, and featuring freshman David Stokes, a potential Eddie Pope of the future, and the most underrated player in collegiate men's soccer, Chris Leitch. Leitch's defense on Hermann Award winner Ali Curtis in UNC's 4-2 win over Duke this year was a sight to behold.

And while the men were thrilling us with their exploits, the women were business as usual but this year that national championship trophy was arrived at in a most circuitous manner. Carolina lost three regular season games--the team's most losses in 20 seasons--and egad, all three losses were within the conference. What was going on here?

But as the Tar Heels entered the post season they were reenergized despite the fact they lost one of their best players--U.S. National Team striker Susan Bush--to an torn ACL eight days before the start of the ACC Tournament.

But resolute to the end and with a different hero stepping up every game it seemed Dorrance's charges persevered. They swept to their 12th straight ACC Championship and then after easily dismissing Wake Forest in the NCAA Tournament second round they repeatedly pulled rabbits out of their hats the rest of the way. Down 1-0 to Virginia with 25 minutes to go seniors Laurie Schwoy and Meredith Florance step up to keep the dream alive. After Florance's two goals and Maggie Tomecka's 25-yard howitzer dispatched UConn in the NCAA quarterfinals it was on the Final Four.

And twice UNC did it again. Down 1-0 to Notre Dame with 25 minutes to go reserve Kim Patrick and freshman midfielder Jordan Walker provide the heroics. Florance once again came through in the clutch in the championship game, tying the contest in the 76th minute of a game UNC would again find a way to win 2-1. On an own goal. So the year the Heels were vulnerable they win again. On an own goal. No wonder the rest of the soccer world hates us.

And I love it that way because I want so badly for both of our soccer teams to be successful and to play a most entertaining style. So what if everyone hates us. After all as a soccer snob that just proves to me we're doing things pretty well around here.