Larry Fedora finished his first season at North Carolina with a 5-3 record in ACC play, good enough to tie for first place in the ACC Coastal Division standings with Georgia Tech and Miami. But the Tar Heels and Hurricanes were ineligible to compete in the postseason because of NCAA-related sanctions. The Yellow Jackets earned the Coastal Division bid to play in the ACC Championship Game against Florida State.
On Tuesday, North Carolina released photos of the ACC Coastal Division Championship rings made for the 2012 team. The photos were met with backlash from fans upset because the Tar Heels were not eligible to play in the title game as the Coastal Division champion.
Why so angry?
Schools choose to hang banners, throw parades and give rings for all kinds of success, and there is no reason why North Carolina should feel like it can't do the same after finishing in a tie for first place in the ACC Coastal Division.
Clemson has a trophy for the 2012 ACC Atlantic Division title, yet they were not in the ACC Championship Game because of losing a tiebreaker with Florida State. Three teams shared the Big East Championship each season from 2010-12, and every one of those schools awarded rings and celebrates the title.
Rings are for the players -- not the fans -- and with all the sacrifice players make for their schools I say let them shine.
Check out more photos below, courtesy of @UNCFootball.
ACC Coastal Championship ring. Other side view. #GoHeels twitter.com/uncfootball/st…
— Jason Freeman (@uncfootball) April 30, 2013
ACC Coastal Championship ring. Side view. #GoHeels twitter.com/uncfootball/st…
— Jason Freeman (@uncfootball) April 30, 2013
