diddukewin.com
Last night was my final UNC v Duke game as a college student, and it certainly was a game to remember. Not only was it Coach Hubert Davis’s first game at Duke, it was Coach K’s last, and it was my last chance to rush Franklin Street. It was a very exciting game to watch, and my friends and I would knock on our wooden table for luck every time UNC scored. As we got down to the final minutes of the game and it was looking like we were likely going to win, nobody was saying anything or moving to get ready to go out of fear of jinxing it. The second that we saw the word final come up on the scoreboard and the Tar Heels had officially won, we all started scrambling to put on shoes and get ready to run to Franklin Street all while generally screaming and freaking out over the fact that we won a game that many expected us to lose.
Getting to run to Franklin Street one last time as a second semester senior was a very full circle moment. I hadn’t been able to rush Franklin since my freshman year, both due to losses and COVID, and it was such a special moment to experience again. I think one very important thing to note is earlier in the day I had a realization that every time I wore jeans to watch the Duke game we lost and every time I wore leggings we won, so I made sure to wear leggings and sure enough I was running to Franklin a few hours later.
As always I had to take a look at diddukewin.com to see in bright red all caps “NO.” After getting back to my place I started thinking back on all of my experiences with the Duke game, so here’s a look back at every time I got to experience a Tar Heel win.
My first time running to Franklin was during the spring semester of my freshman year. I watched the game at my sorority house, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and it was a very fun bonding experience with both the people I was already friends with and some people I didn’t know as well. I remember the seniors yelling at anyone who moved to put on shoes or suggest that we would win before the game was over, but once it did it was all hugs and screaming as we spastically got ready to run. Thankfully the run from Kappa to Franklin wasn’t very far, and soon I had my very first experience rushing Franklin.
My second time would follow shortly after, also within the spring semester of my freshman year. This time the game was at Duke, and it was towards the start of our spring break so many people weren’t on campus. I watched the game at Pizza Press with a couple of friends, and I remember this game being a particularly tense one that at times I really didn’t think we were going to be able to come back from. This made it even more exciting when we won and everyone who was on campus still ran to Franklin Street. Little did I know it would be a while before I got to rush again, but these two experiences were so much fun.
The next time I would experience a Tar Heel victory would be in the spring of my junior year. This one was special because it was Roy Williams’s last game in the Dean Dome and I got to be at the game in person, which felt especially meaningful due to COVID. Because of COVID concerns we didn’t rush Franklin Street after we won this game, but it was still very special in a lot of ways because it felt like a return to normalcy. I am still very thankful that I got to attend that game and see Roy’s final victory over Duke in person.
That brings us to last night, and that was a very good game to go out on. I’m so happy for Hubert and for the players because I know that victory meant a lot to them, especially after how the game went at the Dean Dome earlier in the season. So as always, it’s a great day to be a Tar Heel and go to hell Duke!
Carly!!! You continue to amaze me with your writing. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. I could feel your passion as you relived all those moments. So very glad you are enjoying your senior year. Looking forward to Your Graduation!!! Love you, Gal!!!