Bill Belichick won big in the NFL. Can he do it as a rookie college coach at North Carolina?

Bill Belichick won big in the NFL. Can he do it as a rookie college coach at North Carolina?

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina bet big on Bill Belichick to elevate its football program beyond decades of also-ran status and mid-tier bowl appearances.

More simply, though, it was a bet Belichick could do something he never has before.

The 73-year-old with six Super Bowl titles as an NFL head coach is now a college rookie. He’s traded rosters of 30-somethings for recruiting teenagers yet to emerge from under their parents’ wings. He’s greeted donors at fundraising gatherings. And he’s working amid a wildly evolving landscape of player empowerment across college athletics.

The first on-field look comes Monday night when the Tar Heels host TCU.

“I’ve been through a lot of opening days,” Belichick said, “and every one is the same in that there’s some things you kind of feel good about, there’s some other questions that you have.”

The setting

The spotlight will lock on Belichick taking the field — possibly with his trademarked hoodie look — as he pushes a vision of building the NFL’s “33rd team” at a school better known for its storied men’s basketball program.

ESPN will host a pregame show from Kenan Stadium. UNC has sold out season tickets (at higher prices, no less) and single-game seats. And beyond Monday, streaming provider Hulu will feature the program in a behind-the-scenes show.

TCU coach Sonny Dykes has experience with spectacle, at least. Two years ago, his ranked Horned Frogs hosted Colorado in retired NFL star Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes debut — and lost.

“Never thought I would, no,” Dykes said of facing Belichick. “Just assumed he would aways coach in the NFL and assumed I’d always coach in college, and didn’t really consider that possibility. One thing I’ve learned about college football though is never say never.”

College pivot

Belichick’s NFL career featured a 24-year run leading the New England Patriots, producing six world titles alongside star quarterback Tom Brady. When Belichick and the Patriots split in January 2024, he held 333 regular-season and playoff wins, trailing only Don Shula (347) for the NFL record.

Belichick was later linked to NFL jobs but nothing materialized. That eventually led to the unlikely pairing with UNC when the school moved on from Mack Brown. At the time, Belichick said he “always wanted” to try college coaching and cited his late father Steve’s connection as a Tar Heels assistant in the 1950s.

In months since, he’s popped up at men’s basketball and baseball games and can rattle off a list of stops — Atlanta, New York and Chicago, included — on the donor circuit.

“It’s really fun to be part of a school,” Belichick said last month. “I grew up in Annapolis at the Naval Academy and there’s only one team: there’s Navy. It didn’t matter if it was Navy baseball, Navy lacrosse, Navy football, Navy swimming, Navy this, Navy that — you always root for the same team. … So you’re really part of a community.”

UNC gave Belichick a five-year deal, the first three guaranteed at $10 million in base and supplemental pay, to spark a program that last won an ACC title in 1980. It comes as the sport’s role as the revenue driver in college athletics has never been more important, particularly with July’s introduction of revenue sharing.

In a recent athletics department podcast, chancellor Lee Roberts pointed to early returns in added buzz from Belichick’s mere presence.

“I’d say, in a lot of ways the experiment — and I think that’s the right word — has already been successful,” Roberts said.

Coaching relationships

Of course, questions abounded. Among the biggest: would the NFL lifer known for terse and gruff responses in Patriots news conferences really hit the recruiting trail?

Rolesville High coach Ranier Rackley was quickly convinced.

His school, about 40 miles east of Chapel Hill, was an immediate stop for Belichick with the Rams featuring multiple prospects, including four-star senior edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes.

“There was a situation for me with my schedule that I had to change the dates of him originally coming,” Rackley said. “He was like, ‘No, we’ll make it around your schedule.’ And he did that. For me, I’m like, ‘Wow, this is Bill Belichick adjusting to my schedule to come see my kids.’”

Rackley recalled Belichick spending two hours in his first visit “talking about ball, talking about life” while working to build relationships. Rackley said there’s an “open-door policy” for him to visit or talk with UNC’s staff, and that Belichick had been receptive to Rackley’s observations.

That included a tip to look at defensive lineman Xavier Lewis, landing the former Austin Peay recruit on UNC’s roster as a freshman.

Rackley said six of his players have UNC offers with three committed: Griffin-Haynes; his brother Jayden, a linebacker and fellow senior; and junior running back Amir Brown.

“Even when I go out to practices, when (Belichick) sees us, before he goes to anybody else, he’ll come talk to us,” Rackley said. “That means something to me. Not saying other coaches haven’t done that, but the fact that I know my guys will be in good hands — that makes me settled in my spirit, in my heart, that they’re going to be OK.”

Convincing a mother

Winning over Mom, however, is a tougher sell. And Latara Griffin, mother to the Griffin-Haynes brothers, wasn’t going to be easily swayed by numbers on a résumé.

“I am really a football mom,” she said. “I care about my kids. I care about being able to lay my head down at night and know my kids are good and being taken care of.”

So she didn’t hold back when questioning Belichick, including how he’d go from coaching grown men to teenagers never having lived away from home. Or whether this was a one-year pitstop before returning to the NFL.

Griffin said she sensed some nervousness from the coaching great in early conversations, though that faded into a welcoming vibe. She described establishing a strong connection with UNC’s defensive coordinator — Belichick’s son, Steve, and his family — and appreciated the elder Belichick’s effort to understand the importance for the brothers to play together.

After prayer-filled days for her, the brothers announced their commitment to UNC in June for a January enrollment.

“I think after being around us a little bit more, I’ve seen him kind of be a little bit more open: telling jokes, laughing and smiling,” she said with a laugh. “When you see Bill Belichick on pictures, you don’t really feel like he’s funny and cool like that. But he is.”

What’s ahead

Belichick’s current players, meanwhile, have had time to get past star-struck first encounters with a man they grew up watching at the sport’s highest level.

“It’s pretty normal now,” receiver Alex Taylor said.

Still, that doesn’t mean Belichick’s presence has lost its luster, or that friends and families have stopped inquiring about what Belichick is like.

“Honestly it’s just every meeting I walk into, every new day,” Boise State transfer linebacker Andrew Simpson said, “I just sit there and I understand that I’m in front of greatness.”

The only thing left now? Actually winning games.

“The whole college football world is going to notice in regards to what they’re going to bring,” Rackley said of UNC’s staff. “It’s going to be interesting to see, man.”

___

AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas, contributed to this report.

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Charlie Gaddy, one of North Carolina’s most recognizable broadcasters and a longtime anchor on WRAL-TV, has died at age 93.

Before beginning his television career, Gaddy worked for a time at WPTF, the flagship station of the North Carolina News Network. In a 2024 interview marking WPTF’s 100th anniversary, he recalled the early days of local radio programming, including a show called Ask Your Neighbor.

“It was just something that somebody came up with as an idea, and they tried it to see how it would work,” Gaddy said. “And it worked beautifully. It was a very popular program and lasted a long time. But that’s how it started.”

Gaddy was born in Biscoe, North Carolina, attended Guilford College, and served in the U.S. Army. He became a household name across central North Carolina during his years anchoring WRAL’s evening newscasts, known for his calm demeanor and trusted presence.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

December 2nd 2025

December 2nd 2025

Thought of the Day

Photo by Getty Image

Loneliness becomes an illness if it builds up.

Melania Trump reveals White House holiday decorations and her theme, ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’

Melania Trump reveals White House holiday decorations and her theme, ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump on Monday unveiled the holiday decorations for her family’s first Christmas back at the White House and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”

The decor also nods to next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and founding of the United States of America.

Melania Trump has decorated the White House for the holidays, and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”

Several dozen volunteer decorators from across the country helped deck the halls of the Executive Mansion with 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, more than 700 feet (213 meters) of garland, more than 2,000 strands of lights, over 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) of ribbon, over 2,800 gold stars, more than 10,000 butterflies and 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread.

A few things are different because President Donald Trump tore down the East Wing to build a ballroom he’s long desired.

This year, the official White House Christmas tree, which is always on display in the Blue Room, also honors Gold Star families, those that lost a member during active-duty military service.

That tree was an East Wing fixture and the first one visitors encountered after they entered through those doors, but the building and a covered walkway, or colonnade, connecting it to the White House were demolished by Trump in October as part of his ballroom plan.

Public tours, which had been suspended because of the construction, are to resume Tuesday but with a shorter route limited to just the State Floor, which includes the East Room; the Green, Blue and Red Rooms; the State Dining Room; the Cross Hall; and the Grand Foyer.

The Library and the Vermeil and China Rooms on the Ground Floor — one level below the State Floor — were cut from the tour route because of the construction.

The White House expects tens of thousands of visitors for holiday tours, receptions and parties before Christmas. Visitors will now enter through the North Portico doors on Pennsylvania Avenue using a new, semi-permanent walkway and entrance.

A statement from the White House said Christmas is a time to celebrate what makes the U.S. exceptional and that, while every home has its own traditions, shared values unite Americans.

“In every community, we are lifted by simple acts of kindness that reflect the enduring American spirit of generosity, patriotism, and gratitude,” the statement said. “These moments remind us that the heart of America is strong and that Home Is Where The Heart Is.”

Planning for the holidays starts months in advance, and the White House said Melania Trump chose every detail of the decor.

Trees in the East Room are trimmed in patriotic red, white and blue and national symbols, including golden eagle tree toppers, to highlight the coming America250 national celebration.

The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is decorated with gold stars honoring families that lost a member in the line of active-duty military service. The official tree traditionally recognizes each state and territory and this year’s fir is decorated with ornaments showcasing the official bird and flower of each.

The Green Room celebrates family fun, featuring large portraits of the first and the current presidents, George Washington and Donald Trump, respectively, each made from more than 6,000 Lego puzzle pieces.

Thousands of blue butterflies decorate the Red Room and its tree in a celebration of young people and in tribute to Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative , which is part of her Be Best child-focused initiative, to support people who have been in foster care.

A holiday highlight, the gingerbread White House on display in the State Dining Room shows off the mansion’s South Portico and offers a special glimpse into the Yellow Oval Room, a sitting room off the Truman Balcony in the president’s private living quarters on the second floor.

It was made using 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread, 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of pastillage, a sugar-based modeling paste; over 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of chocolate and 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) of royal icing.

Part of the White House creche is on display in the Grand Foyer while the rest of it is undergoing a restoration overseen by the curator’s office.

Most of the tree trimming and hall decking was done after the Trumps decamped to their Florida home early last week for the Thanksgiving holiday. They returned to the White House on Sunday.

Classic Potato Soup

Classic Potato Soup

After a holiday, it can be a little daunting to get back in the kitchen day-to-day. This classic potato soup recipe is the perfect way to ease back in. It’s warm, cozy, and super easy to bring together.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup milk (or half-and-half for a creamier soup)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
  • Chopped green onions or chives for topping
  • Bacon bits or crumbled bacon (optional)

Instructions

1. Build the base
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Then, stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute to form a paste. Gradually pour in the broth while stirring and let the mixture come to a simmer.

2. Add the potatoes
Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and thyme (if using). Simmer for 15–20 minutes until potatoes are very soft. Then, add the milk and simmer 5 more minutes.

3. Add the cheese
Stir in the cheese (if desired) and let it melt into the soup.

4. Top and serve
Serve warm with green onions, chives, or bacon on top. Enjoy this soup for a comforting and filling dinner!

Bussi makes 15 saves for 1st NHL shutout, Ehlers scores in OT in Hurricanes’ 1-0 win over Flames

Bussi makes 15 saves for 1st NHL shutout, Ehlers scores in OT in Hurricanes’ 1-0 win over Flames

By BOB SUTTON Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina rookie Brandon Bussi made 15 saves for his first NHL shutout, Nikolaj Ehlers scored at 2:52 of overtime and Hurricanes beat the Calgary Flames 1-0 on Sunday for their second straight victory.

Ehlers beat rookie goalie Devin Cooley after Taylor Hall put the puck on net. Ehlers scored his fifth goal of the season and first in seven games. Sean Walker also assisted.

Bussi played back-to-back games for the first time in his NHL career.

Cooley stopped 16 shots. The Flames lost for just the second time in their last six games. They were shutout victims for the third time this season.

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal returned from a three-game injury absence. He played slightly more than 14 minutes.

Up Next

Flames: At Nashville on Tuesday night.

Hurricanes: Host Toronto on Thursday night.

Panthers take advantage of Stafford’s 3 turnovers to end Rams’ 6-game win streak with 31-28 victory

Panthers take advantage of Stafford’s 3 turnovers to end Rams’ 6-game win streak with 31-28 victory

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns — two of them coming on fourth down — and the Carolina Panthers forced three turnovers by Matthew Stafford to beat Los Angeles 31-28 on Sunday and snap the Rams’ six-game winning streak.

The Panthers intercepted Stafford twice with Mike Jackson returning one for a 48-yard touchdown and ended the 37-year-old’s NFL record of 28 straight TD passes without an interception.

Derrick Brown, who tipped a ball resulting in one of Stafford’s first pick, came up with a key strip-sack with 2:25 left in the game to preserve the win.

The win allowed the Panthers to remain a half game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. The Bucs held on to beat Arizona 20-17 on Sunday.

Stafford completed 18 of 28 passes for 243 yards with two touchdown passes to Davante Adams, his 13th and 14th of the season, for the Rams (9-3).

The Panthers (7-6), who had just one pass play of longer than 20 yards in a 20-9 loss to San Francisco on Monday night, got several key ones from Young on Sunday.

He connected on a 35-yard TD pass to Chuba Hubbard, a 33-yard TD strike to Jalen Coker and a 43-yard scoring toss to Tetairoa McMillan with 6:43 remaining that was the decisive score.

The Panthers used a strong running game to control the clock in the second half and keep Stafford and the high-powered offense off the field. Hubbard had 83 yards rushing from Rico Dowdle added 58.

The Panthers appeared to be in control entering the fourth quarter leading 24-21 and running the ball well.

But tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was flagged for a key holding call deep in Rams territory and the Panthers drive halted resulting in a punt.

The Rams came alive on offense with Blake Corum escaping around right end for a 34-yard run. Puka Nacua then hauled in a dramatic leaping, one-handed 30-yard catch to set up a 7-yard TD run by Kyren Williams to give Los Angeles the lead.

But Carolina answered when McMillan got behind the Rams defense and hauled in his only catch of the game — a 43-yard touchdown from Young— on a fourth-and-2 play to give Carolina back the lead.

Earlier in the game, Young found Coker for a long score on a fourth-and-3.

Stafford passed Matt Ryan to move into eighth place all time in yards passing.

Stafford threw his NFL record 28th straight touchdown pass without an interception to Adams on the game’s opening possession to give the Rams a 7-0 lead, but on the second possession Brown tipped his pass and Nick Scott intercepted it in the end zone.

Injuries

Rams: Kyren Williams battled through an ankle injury, but stayed in the game.

Panthers: None reported

Up next

Saints: At Arizona on Sunday.

Panthers: Have a bye next weekend, then play at New Orleans on Dec. 14.

‘Zootopia 2’ roars to record-setting global box office with $556M opening

‘Zootopia 2’ roars to record-setting global box office with $556M opening

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer

“Zootopia 2” had a roaring and record-setting opening at the box office.

The animated animal city sequel from the Walt Disney Company brought in $96 million in North America over the weekend, earned $156 million over the five-day Thanksgiving frame, and scored a staggering $556 million globally since its Wednesday opening, according to studio estimates Sunday.

That made it the highest international opening ever for an animated movie, the fourth highest global debut of any kind, and the top international opener of 2025.

“Wicked: For Good” stayed aloft in its second weekend for Universal Pictures, earning another $62.8 million domestically over the weekend for a North American total of $270.4 million. The second half of the “Wicked” saga has brought in $393 million internationally.

The pair of PG-rated sequels combined to make the Thanksgiving weekend a glimmering exception to an otherwise dark year at movie theaters. The five-day holiday run brought in $290 million in total, $188 million of it coming Friday through Sunday.

That could be a blip or an indication that a strong finish might salvage Hollywood’s box office year, with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” among the films still to be released in 2025.

“This is a great result and a big momentum builder for the box office as we head into the final four weeks of the year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.

“Zootopia 2” arrives almost a decade after the original, a hit that outpaced expectations and had a March domestic opening of $75 million.

Like the first, it features the duo of bunny cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and small-time hustler fox Nick Wilde ( Jason Bateman ) in a city of comically domesticated wildlife.

Dergarabedian said the sequel represented “a beloved franchise delivering what audiences were looking for around the world.”

It was the fourth biggest North American opening of 2025. But its biggest market was China, which made for nearly half of the film’s global total with a whopping $272 million in ticket sales. No American-made animated film has ever opened bigger. It was the second best nonlocal film opening of all time in China, after “Avengers: Endgame.”

Such a result in China was once almost commonplace for Hollywood. But in recent years, as geopolitical relations have grown uneasy, box-office results have turned unpredictable at best. Aside from a handful of exceptions, like the “Jurassic World” films, Hollywood has come to virtually write off Chinese theaters and recalibrate blockbuster budgets accordingly.

The big bounty in China for “Zootopia 2” could be an aberration or a signal of a thaw in the freeze. In recent years, China, which censors which films that are released in theaters, has leaned more toward homegrown fare. Earlier this year, the locally made blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” grossed $1.8 billion in China.

“Zootopia 2” had a clear path to a big Chinese opening. The first “Zootopia,” known there as “Crazy Animal City,” grew into a surprise hit, grossing $236 million. Shanghai Disneyland has a theme land devoted to the films.

“Wicked: For Good” didn’t seem to be hurt by the beastly competition as Universal’s gamble of splitting the Broadway tale of Oz into two films continued to pay off. It brought in a worldwide weekend total of $92.2 million.

“Hamnet,” certain to be a major player in awards season after a celebrated festival run, had a strong limited opening and landed in the overall top 10. In just 119 theaters it earned $1.35 million from Wednesday through Sunday and $880,000 on the weekend, with a per-theater average of more than $11,000. Director Chloe Zhao’s Shakespeare story starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal expands next weekend.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “Zootopia 2,” $96.8 million.

2. “Wicked: For Good,” $62.8 million.

3. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” $7 million.

4. “Predator: Badlands,” $4.8 million.

5. “The Running Man,” $3.7 million.

6. “Eternity,” $3.2 million.

7. “Rental Family,” $2.1 million.

8. “Hamnet,” $880,000.

9. “Sisu: Road to Revenge,” $810,000.

10. “Nuremberg,” $749,325.

NC State coach Dave Doeren is returning for a 14th season with the Wolfpack

NC State coach Dave Doeren is returning for a 14th season with the Wolfpack

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State coach Dave Doeren is returning for a 14th season with the Wolfpack.

Athletic director Boo Corrigan confirmed Doeren’s return on Sunday. The previous night, Doeren’s Wolfpack beat rival North Carolina for the fifth straight year and the program is headed to a bowl game for the 11th time in Doeren’s 13 seasons.

“Dave has built a program that is centered on culture and player development — on and off the field,” Corrigan said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “You can see his passion for this program and the student-athletes in how hard our team plays and competes. I look forward to continuing to find new ways to support him and the football program.”

Doeren had been emphatic in public comments about his plans to return next season, including in shutting down rumors earlier this month that he might retire after the season. He did so again Sunday.

“I have full intention of being here,” Doeren said in an interview with the AP between recruiting visits as signing day looms Wednesday. “I love working for Boo Corrigan. I’m recruiting my (butt) off. … I’m all in.”

Doeren, who turns 54 on signing day, has posted a 94-70 record with the Wolfpack and became the program’s all-time winningest coach with a 2023 victory over Miami. That includes the Wolfpack reaching nine wins four times to flirt with becoming only the second 10-win team in program history.

And notably, that includes a 9-4 record against the rival Tar Heels. The most recent was a 42-19 win at home Saturday night, with the Wolfpack (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) scoring touchdowns on all four first-half drives to roll a UNC team in its first season under NFL icon Bill Belichick — who coached the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles.

Doeren is the second-longest tenured coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference behind Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, and tied for the fifth-longest in the Bowl Subdivision ranks after the firing of Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy in September.

“Boo and I are aligned,” Doeren said. “He’s doing everything he can to help us in the NIL space to be as aggressive as we can be, to retain and acquire as much talent as we can.”

The 2025 regular season had mixed results. Losses to Duke, Notre Dame, Pitt and Miami came by 12 or more points. There was also a home loss to a Virginia Tech team under an interim coach after the firing of Brent Pry.

Yet N.C. State also handed Georgia Tech its first loss after an 8-0 start brought the Yellow Jackets to Raleigh with a top-10 ranking. The Wolfpack also beat Virginia — which will play in the ACC championship game — in an unusual September nonconference game between longtime league members, one that didn’t count in the league race because it was added outside the ACC scheduling model.

N.C. State closed by beating Florida State for the fourth straight time and sixth time in seven years to secure bowl eligibility, followed by the lopsided win against the Tar Heels.

“I’m totally invested in this place,” Doeren said. “I love this school and I plan on finishing here.”

Tending God’s earth: a journey of faith through gardening

Tending God’s earth: a journey of faith through gardening

By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener

I have always believed that God is in everything. There can be nothing on Earth to which this idea applies more than a garden. Don’t forget — one of God’s first creations was the Garden of Eden. George Bernard Shaw once wrote, “The best place to find God is in a garden.”

For me, gardening has become a spiritual quest. I would like to say I have been a gardener all my life, but truthfully, I hated pulling weeds as a boy and never pursued working in God’s earth until I was unexpectedly thrown into hosting a radio gardening show more than four decades ago.

Now, my life revolves around my family, the small patch of ground where my house sits, and one of the most exquisite and sacred settings in Raleigh — the church grounds of St. Michael’s.

When I need to relax from the daily grind or pray about life’s difficulties, I come to St. Michael’s. I walk the labyrinth path, sit on a bench and try not to think — just breathe in the fragrances and absorb the beauty around me. Yes, I still pull weeds and plant shrubs, trees and flowers — though not as often as I’d like. It’s my small contribution to the eight acres donated to our congregation more than 60 years ago. It’s a mission — a spiritual mission. Few things feel more sacred than working the soil of a church campus.

In 2009, I decided to contribute more to my church than the typical Sunday duties many of us take on to lend a hand. I attended my first grounds committee meeting — and left that chilly March evening as chairman. My head spun at first, but I took it as a sign that God wanted me to grow spiritually and deepen my gardening education.

Eight years later, I’m still the chairman of the grounds committee. Joining that group and devoting myself to a part of God’s work has introduced me to some of the finest people I’ve ever known. We affectionately call them the “lay weeders.” They are dedicated members of our parish who, along with our groundskeeper, Jesus, nurture these grounds with the love only a gardener can feel.

One of my favorite garden prayers reads:

“Help us, O God, to be ever mindful of the beauties around us. May we grow with our flowers in gentleness, patience, courage, laughter and faith.
As we turn the brown soil and plant our seed, may we learn faith — in the goodness of the earth, the clemency of the sun, the fullness of the clouds.
May we be grateful for the privilege of being coworkers with God in the creation of even one tiny flower.
And grant that we may know the great joy that comes from sharing with others.”

Yes, God is in the people, the buildings and the gardens of St. Michael’s. From the succulents and mondo grass in the Memorial Garden to the fragrant winter daphne in the Manly Garden to the roses that greet parishioners and visitors season after season, the gardens of St. Michael’s are a part of God’s creation and our spiritual education.

Bill Belichick’s 1st season at North Carolina ends in a rivalry loss at NC State — and just 4 wins

Bill Belichick’s 1st season at North Carolina ends in a rivalry loss at NC State — and just 4 wins

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Bill Belichick stood at the microphone in a crowded room of reporters. North Carolina’s season had just ended with a lopsided loss to a fierce nearby rival to cap a four-win season.

And the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach wasn’t in much of a mood to talk about it.

A little more than four minutes’ worth, in fact.

“Look, the season’s just ended a few minutes ago, OK?” Belichick said after the 42-19 loss at N.C. State on Saturday night. “So now we’re going to move into the offseason. That’s what we’re going to do.”

UNC started the year with buzz and a national spotlight, teeming with optimism — or maybe merely hope — that the NFL icon could elevate the program into something more as a first-time college coach. By season’s end, Belichick had fielded a team that had more losses by double-digit margins (five) than total wins while offering frequent helpings of unwanted off-field headlines.

The final blow came in Raleigh, where the Wolfpack and coach Dave Doeren were all too eager to stick it to the Tar Heels for a fifth straight year in front of a typically rowdy home crowd. And this one sent the 73-year-old Belichick into the offseason with a final thud, armed with none of the silver-lining assessments that had followed modest gains shown in close losses or wins against some of the ACC’s worst teams.

He offered few insights, too, down to what message he gave his first college team after a season of expectations ended in ugly fashion.

“I’ll keep my message to the team between me and the team,” Belichick said.

On-field struggles

The Tar Heels (4-8, 2-6) closed the season with three straight losses to instate league opponents, first at Wake Forest on Nov. 15 and then at home against Duke last weekend.

That capped a season that saw the Tar Heels lose five games by 16 or more points, starting with a 48-14 loss to TCU on Labor Day — which had drawn ESPN’s “College Gameday” to Chapel Hill and countless headlines about Belichick’s arrival at the college level.

That turned into merely the start of trouble, with the opening month including blowout losses at UCF and at home to a Clemson team that will finish with that program’s lowest win output in 15 years. UNC’s three wins were against Bowl Subdivision programs with a combined 8-28 record (Charlotte, Syracuse and Stanford).

That’s hardly in line with the expectations that followed the school hiring Belichick to a deal that included each of the first three seasons with a guaranteed $10 million in base and supplemental play, along with elevated investments in the program for staff and elsewhere. That notably included general manager Michael Lombardi saying the Tar Heels “consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team” in their pro-heavy influence and approach.

By the end?

“It’s hard to put in one word,” receiver Jordan Shipp said when asked how he would describe the season. “We didn’t expect the season to go like this of course.”

Off-field hiccups

The headlines weren’t confined solely to gamedays.

There was Belichick banning scouts from the New England Patriots — the team he led to those six Super Bowls with Tom Brady — as part of his own acrimonious relationship with his former franchise.

There was the suspension of an assistant coach tied to NCAA rule violations. The school r eleasing terse statements from Belichick and athletic director Bubba Cunningham reaffirming the marriage between Belichick and UNC, itself a sign of how bumpy the first few weeks of Belichick’s tenure had gone.

There were midseason reports by WRAL TV of Raleigh painting an image of turmoil behind the scenes as well as multiple players being cited for speeding or reckless driving. And there was the tabloid-level interest in Belichick’s relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, a frequent sideline presence before games.

It all generated plenty of fodder for opponents to jab at the man many consider to be the greatest NFL coach of all time, one who holds 333 regular-season and playoff wins to trail only Don Shula (347) for the NFL record. And it frequently had Belichick fielding news-conference questions that veered away from the sport he knows so well.

Saturday’s loss

Doeren knows Belichick’s history well. But he also understands the UNC-N.C. State rivalry between schools sharing the 919 area code and separated by roughly a 30-minute drive along Interstate 40.

It showed in the way his team jumped all over the Tar Heels, scoring touchdowns on all four first-half drives to lead 28-10 by the break.

Doeren, for the record, has now beaten UNC for five straight years and is 9-4 against the Tar Heels in Raleigh. He’s now 1-0 against Belichick, who was zipped up in a puffy navy blue winter coat bearing a light-blue interlocking-NC logo on this 34-degree night.

Belichick gave Doeren a quick midfield handshake afterward, offering no chance for chit-chat.

“It’s definitely something that motivated me,” Doeren said of the matchup. “I have a lot of respect for Bill. I mean, how do you not? He’s one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time. … There was pep in my step this week for sure. I wanted that win, the competitive part of me against him. It’s very meaningful.”

Players take lead

Once Belichick met with reporters, he deflected any big-picture questions about the season overall.

“We’ve been working on a team every week,” Belichick said. “I’m sorry I don’t have a season recap for you. I don’t have one, we haven’t done it.”

Rather, that left Shipp and linebacker Khmori House to take the lead in answering for what went wrong and what’s next.

“We showed glimpses, we just didn’t do enough to pull off some wins,” Shipp said, adding: “We know internally that we’re not as bad as our record shows.”

Both fielded questions from reporters longer than Belichick, with Shipp talking nearly twice as long (7 1/2 minutes). That included House being asked how he would describe this most unusual of seasons.

“I would describe it as a roller-coaster, ups and downs,” he said, “but a lesson.”

Recent News

Powered By SoCast