Oh, these sour times.

-- Lunatic fringe assemble! In case you've not heard, Lee Fowler will be on 850 The Buzz on Friday at 8 AM, and he is going to field a few questions from listeners (verbal high fives from Tar Heel fans are also acceptable). So take a break from your blogeratin' or whatever it is you people do while on your internets and let Lee know what's on your mind.

"Nobody loves me, it's true. Not like you do."

-- Something Ivan Maisel can't wait to see in the ACC this season:

It took half the season for North Carolina State's engine to rev up under new coach Tom O'Brien. The Wolfpack won four of their last six and quietly found a star in junior tailback Jamelle Eugene. He rushed for 100 yards in three games down the stretch. O'Brien always develops a good offensive line. Let's see how NC State survives early road games at South Carolina and Clemson. If the Wolfpack show any proficiency on the ground, watch out.

You can also find a breakdown of the Atlantic division here. JP Giglio takes an early look at the Pack, too.

-- No more post-season trips to Boise for ACC schools.

"We will be leaving the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise," Swofford said. "They provided some excellent experiences for our teams. I think if you talk with our teams they've enjoyed being there. It's a little different kind of bowl experience than a lot of places but our schools, coaches and athletic directors have wanted to move that particular game back more in our geographic footprint."

-- Baseball America's latest NCAA tournament projection:

Houston Regional
1. Rice
2. NC State
3. Texas
4. Texas-San Antonio

That's what we get for such a healthy RPI? It's rather difficult to conceive of a more horrifying scenario than having to travel all the way to Texas needing to knock off three teams playing in their home state.

-- From an N&O article on baseball players' entrance songs:

"For me, I walk up there to my music, it's a fun thing,'' said North Carolina shortstop Garrett Gore, who recently changed his tune from Phil Collins' "Sussudio"...

Hunh. Phil Collins.

Ah, I've just got to have her, have her now
I've got to get closer but I don't know how
She makes me nervous and makes me scared
But I feel so good if I just say the word
Sussudio just say the word
Oh Sussudio, oh

Whatever works, I guess, although I can't say this puts me in an "I am so ready to hit some fucking dingers" mindset. More of an "I'm gonna go hit a soft blooper and hug my first base coach" mindset. Must be why he changed it.

-- Is Carlos Delgado represented by a seventh grader?

-- It appears that the crown jewel of the athletics department--I'm talking about the bass fishing team, naturally--has begun its slow descent into mediocrity. The May edition of the Collegiate Bass Anglers Association poll:

















We can't even compete with a bunch of Johnny-come-lately Restorationists from Alabama anymore.