Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links

Welcome to another edition of the Morning Heel, a daily feature here at Keeping It Heel.  Along with The Hub we want to bring you not only our original content but a collection of all the best UNC news.  Have a link to suggest? Senditkeepingitheel@gmail.com



Video: Vince Carter Turns Back Clock with Dunk Exhibition vs. Wizards
Unfortunately, age caught up with Carter, as it does with most dunkers. At age 35, most of his athleticism has deserted him, and he now serves as a shooter for the Dallas Mavericks. That is, he did until Tuesday night. The struggling Mavericks took on the lowly Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center Tuesday, and fans got one hell of a treat. On two separate occasions, the old Vince Carter came out to play. (Bleacher Report)

Sylvester Williams named to Senior Bowl roster
The Senior Bowl announced another group of participants to its annual all-star game, with three more ACC players added to the roster: North Carolina defensive tackle Sylvester Williams; Wake Forest fullback Tommy Bohanon; Duke receiver Conner Vernon. Williams has got one of the more incredible back stories of any player who will be in Mobile, Ala., for the game on Jan. 26. (ESPN.com)

Hakeem Nicks admits that playing through knee injury took its toll
When Hakeem Nicks slammed his left knee to the Meadowlands turf late in the Giants’ Week 2 victory against Tampa Bay, he was sure it was only “something minor.” It turns out it wasn’t minor at all. Two weeks later, before the Giants’ Week 4 game in Philadelphia, Nicks had an MRI that showed “something” was torn. The doctors at that time told the receiver he’d need 6-8 weeks of rest. (New York Daily News)

Robert Quinn helps Rams tie Broncos for most sacks in NFL
DE Robert Quinn pushed his season sack total to 10.5 after bringing down Seahawks QB Russell Wilson for a loss of two yards early in the second quarter. The sack marked the team’s 50th of the season. Long and Quinn are the first pair of Rams to record double-digit sack numbers since Grant Wistrom and Kevin Carter generated 11 and 10 sacks, respectively, in 2000. (KSDK.com)

After down year, ACC finishes off a surprisingly successful bowl season
The matchup wasn’t sexy, with BCS buster Northern Illinois the opponent, but Florida State’s 31-10 win over the Huskies late Tuesday night counted nonetheless, and with it ended the ACC’s most successful bowl stretch in recent memory. The league, which has taken its hits for its sub-par BCS record, lack of national championship contenders and, just recently, rising vulnerability in realignment, finished off the 2012-13 bowl season solidly, going 4-2 in its matchups. (The Virginian-Pilot)

Ryan Switzer a matchup nightmare at Semper Fi All-American Bowl Practice
Day two at the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl saw an increased comfort level and an increase in pace and speed but many of the same names that stuck out on the first day of action found their way to the top on day two as well. Ryan Switzer – a commit to North Carolina – was excelling in his typical role as a slot matchup nightmare. He worked the underneath zones to perfection and he was very difficult to defend in man coverage. Switzer may have led the practice in receptions on the day. (Carolina Blue)

Recruits like DT Greg Webb can take initiative in process
Sicklerville (N.J.) Timber Creek defensive tackle Greg Webb said he wouldn’t have ended up at North Carolina had he not made himself available to the program. “I didn’t have any help with my recruiting when I was a freshman or a sophomore,” he said. “I was balling, but I was short and no one wanted to help me and no one wanted to recruit me. It made me hungry, and I got my tape out there and got my name out there to show what I could do.” (Rivals.com)

WR Marquez North Selected to US Army All-American Bowl
North Carolina target wide receiver Marquez North has been selected to play in the US Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas on January 5th. North is the top prospect in the state of North Carolina and is the highest rated prospect among UNC’s outstanding offers. North has had his list narrowed down to the Tennessee Volunteers and Tar Heels since early November. (Keeping It Heel)

UNC Football: Is Bryn Renner Making A Mistake Returning For Senior Season?
Bryn Renner announced via his twitter account that he was in fact returning to Chapel Hill to be the North Carolina quarterback his senior season. First a disclosure, I am a big fan of Renners and I love what he has done at Carolina, he’s been a model Tar Heel, a leader and one of the best QBs in UNC history. (Keeping It Heel)