04-05 Tarheels vs. 08-09 Tarheels: Who Wins?

Sitting here, fresh out of the dentist (swollen mouth and all) with my Tarheels t-shirt on ready for tonights game, I can't help but think back to my freshman year of college when my Tarheels defeated a VERY GOOD Illinois team for a national championship in 2005. As a lifelong Tarheels fan, the feeling was incredible, probably far moreso than the feeling I'll experience after we defeat Michigan State tonight (thats right, I said it).

Thats not to say that I loved that Tarheels team any more; the atmosphere was just totally different, which allowed me to throw it in the face of everybody in my dorm (and everyone on campus the following few days), and rightfully enjoy it in true-bragging-fashion. Today's a little different; different team, different opponent, different atmosphere. This 08-09 team is incredible and a joy to watch. But how would they match up with that magical 04-05 Tarheels team, and if they were to square off, who would prove victorious? Hmmmm, i'm glad you asked:

PG: Very intruiging and exciting matchup with good ol' Raymond Felton vs. the speedy Ty Lawson. While I loved Raymond Felton as a playmaker and small guard rebounder(7 assists, 4 rebounds a game), I believe Lawson is a much better shooter and his speed keeps the defense on their heels. Don't get me wrong, I loved Felton and his ability to score, but i'd expect Lawson to get the slight edge in this incredible matchup.

SG: Wow...Rashad McCants vs. Wayne Ellington (Although McCants was listed as a 3, he played the 2 a lot). These two guys are both pure shooters (same field goal percentage at 40%, but McCants shot 44% from 3 compared to Ellington's 40%), although McCants caaaaan be a bit of a knucklehead at times. I must admit though, McCants was my favorite player on the 04-05 team, and I would have to give him the edge in this matchup because of his ability to do more off the dribble and get to the basket. He was a lot more explosive, which made us all enjoy the knucklehead trait every now and then. I loooove me some Wayne Ellington and I believe he'll be a better shooter, but McCants wows me more with his overall package.

SF: Jackie Manuel vs. Danny Green. I'm definitely going to go with Danny Green in this matchup. Green's much a better shooter (41% from the 3), fills up the stat sheet, and gives you a little more size. Green also has the ability to emerge as your leading scorer on any given night. Danny Green is my pick.

PF: Jawad Williams vs Deon Thompson. While I like the incredible player Deon Thompson is capable of being next year as the leading big, I love what Jawad Williams would give me right away. He's a proven scorer (13 a game in 04-05), a good 3 point shooter (38% in 04-05), and a leader. Jawad Williams would have to be my pick in this matchup. Deon Thompson should be a star in the ACC next year though.

Center: Sean May vs. Tyler Hansbrough. This is about as interesting a matchup as at the 1 position. They both will go down in Carolina history, but im going to have to go with the guy who's going down in ACC history: Psycho T. Sean May was a solid big, who could score and rebound night in and night out. I loved his game. But Tyler Hansbrough will get you a few more points a game, about the same amount of rebounds, and a toughness that the rest of the team will have no choice but to feed off of. Sorry Sean May, but Hansbrough's my guy!

6th Man: Marvin Williams vs. Ed Davis. Wow. The battle of the freshmen. This would be a 6th man matchup for the ages, but my pick would haaaave to be Marvin Williams. I absolutely love the young guy Ed Davis. He's long, athletic, young, and VERY disciplined (not to mention he's from Richmond VA!). But Marvin Williams was as vital to that championship team as any star in the starting lineup. As a freshman that year (on a team LOADED with stars) he averaged 11 points and seven rebounds. He also shot 50% from the field, 43% from 3 point range, and 85% from the charity line. Those numbers are too good to pass up! Marvin was a stud!

After that matchup comparison, the score is dead even 3 to 3. The deciding factor for me would have to be the contributions of the 04-05 bench. I can't forget guys like David Noel, Melvin Scott, Wes Miller, and Rashawn Terry. The 04-05 team was a lot deeper than this years team, and for that reason I would have to give them the final edge. This years Tarheel roster is definitely good enough to defeat Michigan State, but would it have been good enough to defeat that incredible 04-05 Illinois team lead by Deron Williams? I'd have a hard time saying yes. But at the end of the day, tonight, tonight's opponent, and tonight's future legacy is all that really matters. 2004-2005 is in the past, and presently we want another championship (regardless of the roster) for Carolina blue. Barely takes a genius to know that!