Don Ingle
News Photographer

Duke vs. UNC – Part I



Webster’s Dictionary defines rivalry as “the state of being a rival.” The Don Ingle definition is “two shades of blue; eight-miles apart; public versus private.” Those are just a few ways to describe the intense Tobacco Road rivalry known by some as the “BATTLE OF THE BLUES.”



Duke and North Carolina renewed their rivalry one more time Tuesday evening in Chapel Hill. I have had the privilege of covering this incredible sports spectacle several times during my time here at WRAL. Tuesday night I was once again seeing blue.



Julia Lewis and I were surrounded by 200 Cameron Crazies inside the cozy confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tell me this rivalry doesn’t mean anything to the students at Duke. They have been camping out in K-Ville for the past couple of weeks for the March match-up with the Heels in Cameron. The Dukies are serious about their basketball.



They threw up two big screens for the Crazies to watch their Devils take on the Tar Heels. Heck, even ESPN U was in the house. My job was to capture the atmosphere inside a building eight miles away from the real action. In some regards, the real action was inside the home of the three-time national champions. With every pass and shot, the CC’s chanted, cheered, booed, and even danced as their Blue Devils high-stepped it with the Heels in the Dean Dome.



As the final nail-biting seconds ticked off the clock, the Crazies began to, well, go Crazy!!! Final score: Duke 87, UNC 83. Their roars were deafening. When 200 students can cheer so loud that you hear them outside the building, then you know that you have arrived at the best venue of all of college basketball.

Some say that this is the best rivalry of all college sports (I am biased, I personally think Alabama-Auburn’s Iron Bowl is the best). I have to agree; this is the best in all of college basketball. This ACC match-up can’t be beat by anyone in America. Not Ohio State-Michigan. Not Syracuse-UConn. Not Kentucky-Louisville.

Mark your calendars. Saturday, March 4th, 2006. UNC at Duke @ 9pm. Duke vs. UNC, Part II.

Don Ingle