ACC: Who is your team?

    Growing up in North Carolina there were several things you just couldn’t avoid. Things like Cheerwine soda, great BBQ, cruising on Friday nights, and the question “Who is your favorite ACC team?" For many of us these things are a big part of our life in the South. For me I loved Cheerwine soda and most importantly - Stameys BBQ in Greensboro, NC. That was a big part of my weekend tradition with my father. We would go to the flea markets and hit Stameys BBQ for lunch after.
            
     As far as ACC teams there was only one choice for me and that was Carolina, also known as UNC or The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Growing up in an area where college basketball was almost a religion you better pick a team or one was going to be picked for you. My introduction to the Heels was in 1982 and Carolina just won the NCAA championship. The next summer I was at UNC selling peanuts at one of the football games.  After being in that stadium and hearing the fight song live from the marching band I was hooked! I made my choice.  Back in the early 80’s you only had Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Georgia, Tech, and Wake Forest to choose from.  At that time nobody in my neighborhood liked Duke or Clemson. Wake Forest and Georgia Tech I didn’t know much about. Maryland was too far away. My brother loved NC State so I had no choice but to pick their rival. Carolina! Yes, they were going to be my ACC team.

    For those of you that didn’t grow up in the south you are just starting to see firsthand what this obsession with ACC teams is about. Get ready, we are talking divided households. Generations un-friending each other on Facebook because of who their favorite teams are. Don’t expect to see any of the locals at work in March because they will be watching March madness. This obsession is serious.  The fun thing for me about this whole thing is right in our own state we have 4 of the best in my opinion. Where else in the country do you have schools like Carolina, Wake Forest, NC State, and Duke in such close proximity to each other? They are the true core of the ACC in my opinion.  If you don’t like any of these you have some newer additions for options. We lost Maryland several years back but we now have Florida State since 1991. Miami and VT in  2004. We have Boston College added in 2005. Teams like Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse were added in 2013 and Louisville in 2014.

    To this day I still like Carolina but have become much more friendly to the core rival schools. Living in NYC for many years and hearing about any of the early ACC teams in the local media really reminded me of home.  And yes, moving back several years ago some of the first questions I got were, “Who is your ACC team”? I still say Carolina even though I am much more State friendly now. I better be, chances are living in Raleigh now one of my kids will probably go there.  Also, several of my friends and clients are State fans and alumni. If you don’t have a team yet or are moving to the Carolinas pick a team.  Even if you are a diehard Michigan Wolverines fan still pick a local favorite here.  It doesn’t have to be your favorite college team but make sure you have one. And once you do be ready to explain why because someone will ask.

Matt Maynard
Buyer Specialist
Matt.WelcometoCarolina.com