"Put me in, Coach, I'm ready to play"

Television sets all around the nation were tuned to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Illinois on Monday night. Tar Heel fans everywhere celebrated as UNC was crowned with a fifth National Championship. But nobody was more excited than Patrick Overton, who claims to be UNC’s No. 1 fan.

Overton, who was knelt in front of the TV with his necklace in his mouth and one minute left in the game, shouted in excitement as UNC held on to top the Fighting Illini by five points.

Overton is a native of Syracuse, N.Y., and a freshman soccer player at VWC. In 1993 he watched his first college basketball game in which the Tar Heels played against the Michigan Wolverines for the National Championship. UNC went on to beat the Wolverines. At that moment he fell in love with the Tar Heels.

“I became a die-hard North Carolina fan,” said Overton.

He has a routine that he performs when he watches each game. He always sits in his North Carolina chair, which is only taken out for games. Alongside him is a bottle of water for when his mouth gets dry because of all the yelling he does. Suited up in his old-school Michael Jordan UNC jersey, white UNC shirt, and authentic UNC shorts, he feels like part of the team. He usually dresses in the same color uniform that the team will be wearing that night, either blue or white. The uniform is always tucked in as if he were ready to play.

I feel like I’m in the game,” he said.

Along with that he also coaches the team from his television set at home. He knows the UNC players and their statistics. He also scouts the other team that UNC will be playing and studies its players and the team’s tendencies. With this information he develops his own game plan for each competition. He takes the games very seriously and does not handle losses well. He usually does not talk to people after North Carolina loses a game.

“When they lose, it feels like I have lost a game myself,” said Overton. “There are several holes in my basement walls at home due to UNC losses.”

Although Overton has recently had a disappointing experience with some of the UNC players, he remains a devoted fan. On March 24 he attended their open practice at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. After the practice he followed their bus to the hotel to get autographs. He got a couple of autographs, but some of the players would not sign for him. One of the players was quite rude when Overton asked for an autograph. Rashad McCants, a junior guard for UNC, pretended to yawn and proceeded to walk away when he asked for one. Junior Raymond Felton, Overton’s favorite player, also refused to sign. Despite the discourtesy of those two players, he still found some satisfaction in the experience. UNC freshman forward Marvin Williams not only signed an autograph, but he also sat down and had a conversation with Overton. Williams’ kindness was much appreciated by the loyal fan.

Overton has never actually been to a UNC game, but his dream is to get tickets to a Duke vs. UNC game at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Overton is also a fan of other UNC sports such as the football team, the men’s lacrosse team and both the men and women’s soccer team. However, the men’s basketball team is by far his favorite UNC team, and he says that he will remain an avid fan until the day he dies.