Zaggyball

Tar Heels teaching Zags a thing or two

You can find Zags fans pretty much everywhere in Spokane, so is it even safe for North Carolina fans to show their faces right now? "What, sort of, is similar to the jar in this stanza?" Dr. Beth Cooley asked her Gonzaga University english class.

Inside Dr. Cooley's classroom the Gonzaga pride nearly overshadowed her poetry lesson. Especially when Dr. Cooley explained to her class why a camera crew would be joining their lecture. "They're doing a story on UNC alums here at Gonzaga, that would be me," said Dr. Cooley.

Just hours before the Zags faced off against North Carolina in the Sweet 16, Dr. Cooley was the one answering questions. "I'm probably pulling for the Zags, that was the right answer, right?" she said. Dr. Cooley spent 12 years at the University of North Carolina during the heyday of Tar Heel basketball, watching Sam Perkins, James Worthy - and, a young man named Michael Jordan.

She ended up at Gonzaga 12 years ago and she's not the lone tarheel at the Jesuit University. "I'm certainly not trying to keep it a secret," said Dr. Cooley. Dr. Marc Manganaro is the Dean of Gonzaga's English Department and another Carolina grad.

But Dr. Manganaro made it very clear who he was rooting for on Friday night. . "I'm a real Zag fan and I want to make that really clear... on camera," said Dr. Manganaro.

Marc, Beth and two other Gonzaga University english professors were in school together to watch Jordan and the Tar Heels in the early 1980's. Now, they're all switching sides to root for the zags. "If you put UNC against any team, especially Duke, I'm a Tarheel. But, definitely a Gonzaga fan," said Dr. Patricia Terry, another Carolina grad turned Zag.

Maybe it's because they're all here now, maybe it's because Gonzaga signs their paychecks. "I think I'm going to decide that after that game," said Dr. Cooley. Or maybe it's because no matter who wins, these transplanted Tar Heels have reason to celebrate.

Link (here)
Photo of Zag fans in blue