Issuu

ISSUE XXXIX

S T O R Yramsclub. T E L cLomE R1 S

TAR HEELS IN THE MEDIA

YOU HELP THEM SWING FOR THE FENCES YOUR SUPPORT CREATES EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR TAR HEEL STUDENT-ATHLETES. P.O. BOX 2446 | CHAPEL HILL, NC 27515 | (919) 843-2000 | RAMSCLUB.COM 2

BORN & BRED

@THERAMSCLUB

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The 11th grade English assignment was simple: interview someone who was influential in your life. My subject selection was equally simple: I needed someone I admired and someone who had a regular impact on my daily life. I needed, quite obviously, Woody Durham. As a 16-year-old in Cary, NC, he was the obvious choice for the assignment. Plus, if I could somehow contact him, it came with the added bonus of being able to sit down with The Real Live Woody Durham and talk about his amazing career. For a young Tar Heel fan who listened to every single Tar Heel Sports Network broadcast, it was an amazing opportunity. My teacher was appropriately skeptical. “I don’t know if he’ll have time to do this,” she told me. “You should have a backup in mind.” In what the 1993 version of myself would have found unbelievable, I would eventually become co-workers with Woody Durham, talk to him regularly, and even get to sit in his den as he and his beloved wife, Jean, told me incredible stories from his career that we used in his book, A Tar Heel Voice. But in 1993, there was only one way to contact him: I wrote him a letter.

on the radio. “I’m happy to be the editor,” Mick told me. “Just send me a copy of your paper when it’s finished.”

And in an incredible turn of events, he wrote me back. He would be delighted to help with the project, he wrote. He suggested that I call him to schedule a time to come over and meet with him.

Carolina has a rich history of producing some of the best storytellers and media members in the country. This issue is dedicated to all of those individuals—former, current and future. Even as the media landscape changes, Tar Heels continue to dominate the field, including some of your favorite recent Heels.

I was every bit as nervous as if I’d been meeting with Dean Smith himself. This was Woody! The voice I heard coming out of my radio during every Carolina game, the sole reason I pronounced sophomore as “soph-o-more,” the exclusive source of my vast knowledge of Tar Heel player hometowns around the nation. My afternoon at The Village Companies that day changed the course of my life. In addition to Woody, I also met Mick Mixon, a great stroke of good fortune because the assignment required an editor who knew the subject. Who knew Woody better than Mick? As far as I knew, they were constant companions. After all, they were always together

The best Tar Heel storytellers, like Woody and Mick, become part of our lives. They are the connection to our favorite team, the passionate lifeline who we can tell feels just the same as we do about the Tar Heels.

But now I’d probably recommend following them on Instagram rather than writing them a letter.

Adam Lucas Editor in Chief

PRODUCED BY THE RAMS CLUB // EDITOR IN CHIEF ADAM LUCAS // CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LEE PACE & ANDREW STILWELL // PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY CAMARATI, JOE BRAY, BOB DONNAN, UNC ATHLETICS, JOSH GALLO, RUN YOUR RACE, BLUE CUP PRODUCTIONS, GRANT HALVERSON, & MARIO CENDEJAS// DESIGN JUJUBE SPORTS PUBLISHING

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18 “What’s unique about my pod is that you never hear the same thing twice. Except almost every player says they wanted to go to UNC.” — THEO PINSON, RUN YOUR RACE PODCAST

the

TAR HEEL STORYTELLERS edition

ON THE COVER: Caleb Pressley has carved out a unique niche for himself with his slightly offbeat interviews. COVER PHOTO: JOSH GALLO TOC PHOTOS: RUN YOUR RACE, MARIO CENDEJAS, WAYNE DAVIS / ESPN IMAGES, JOSH GALLO & UNC ATHLETICS

BORN & BRED

EDITOR’S LETTER p. 3

STORYTELLERS

In a transition everyone saw coming, Theo Pinson is thriving in the media business

STORYTELLERS

His Own Break 16 Making Even at the professional level, Armando Bacot continues to find ways to innovatively connect with fans BY ADAM LUCAS STORYTELLERS

Her Now 18 See Jenny Chiu avoided the camera for as long as possible, but now she’s thriving in front of it BY ADAM LUCAS STORYTELLERS

24 Pancake Perfection

Jeff Saturday’s infectious love of offensive line play has made him a television staple BY LEE PACE

CAROLINA EVERYWEAR p. 22

TAR HEEL TICKER p. 6

12 The Natural BY ADAM LUCAS

28 The Quarterback of Content STORYTELLERS

Caleb Pressley’s path began diverging from football at Carolina, and he’s parlayed it into a very successful media career BY LEE PACE

34 The Next Generation STORYTELLERS

Two Tar Heel student-athletes are taking steps to be the next sports storytellers with a Carolina background BY ANDREW STILWELL

FIRST PERSON

38 My Carolina Connection A current Tar Heel sports analyst explains what he loves about his role BY TYLER ZELLER

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TA R H E E LT I C K E R MEMBER RESPONSES

STORYTELLERS

We asked Rams Club members to tell us about their favorite Tar Heel storytellers Photos by Jeffrey Camarati, Bob Donnan, Hugh Morton, and UNC Athletic Communications

BORN & BRED

Jordan Honan // Raleigh, NC Growing up as a diehard Carolina fan and someone who loved sports broadcasting, I idolized Woody. At halftime of games in the Smith Center, I always looked forward to going up to the concourse outside his broadcast booth and saying hello to him. His call of our 2005 national title might be my most favorite, as it was my first natty as a Carolina fan: “Long outside shot, short, rebounded ... MAY! IT’S OVER! CAROLINA HAS WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!”

Katherine Jolly // Albemarle, NC I can proudly recite Jones Angell’s entire commentary sequence from Gio Bernard’s legendary punt return against NC State in 2012. It was a defining childhood moment for 7-year-old me: from the excitement of new chrome helmets to picking out my favorite reactions in the crowd. I think I watched that video once a week at one point ... and still do when I need a good laugh! If I could pinpoint the moment I fell in love with Carolina Football, it would be this one.

Michelle Rostan Frenzel // Charlotte, NC My mom, dad and uncle all attended UNC (obviously I followed their path many years later). Growing up, I remember my grandfather would watch the UNC games on TV, but he would turn the TV volume down because he preferred to listen to Woody Durham give the play-by-play. Similarly, during UNC games, my dad would go outside and wash all the family cars as he listened to Woody’s iconic voice.

Bob Cramer // Charlotte, NC I was in Chapel Hill in graduate school in 1982 and had been a student during both the 1977 and 1981 men’s final games losses to Marquette and Indiana. As the last seconds ticked off in New Orleans and Dean Smith would win his first title, Woody’s call was “The Tar Heels … Are going to win … the national championship!” A few days later WCHL replayed the game broadcast which I took the time to record on a cassette to listen to and recall many times more!

Dianne Smith // Chapel Hill, NC Woody will always be THE Voice of the Tar Heels. As the VP&GM of the Tar Heel Sports Network in the late 70s and through the 80s, I was in the booth for many of Woody’s greatest calls, but two stand out: 1) the Dudley Bradley 1979 steal in Reynolds Coliseum, and 2) the 1982 national championship call. The Bradley steal was the only time you can hear me screaming on the broadcast. I went from professional to fan very quickly! And nothing will ever top Coach Smith’s first national championship.

Bart Lancaster // Santee, CA Memorable Woody Durham radio call: 20-point comeback with Carolina winning 8277 over Florida State on January 27,1993. Woody’s final words that day—In Chapel Hill miracles don’t just happen, they usually happen! It was the Daily Tar Heel quote of the day on January 28, 1993.

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TA R H E E LT I C K E R

Becky Edwards // Williamston, NC My favorite Tar Heel storyteller is without a doubt Woody Durham. I listened to Woody’s broadcasts and stories for many years, and miss his voice and broadcasts … though, Jones does a great job carrying on the tradition. My favorite “story” is however, not a broadcast, but an in-person interaction with Woody. I lived all over the United States after graduating from Carolina in 1980 and did my best to follow the Heels in any way that I could. I lived in the Washington, DC, area for about 15 years and was always on the lookout for the spring “Educational Foundation” (what the Rams Club was called at the time) annual spring coaches tours. In the spring of 2001, I attended the event in Greenbelt, Md., and was delighted when Woody Durham walked over to an empty seat beside me at the dinner table and asked if he could sit down. Needless to say, the conversation during dinner was delightful, and Woody told many stories to entertain us. He was the emcee for the event and was always telling stories in between introducing the various coaches. He told a story about our neighbors, the Dookies, that was just perfect. He had given me his business card during dinner, so I emailed him the next day to ask if he could send me a copy to share with my Dookie friends. I received it a few days later. A couple of years later, I received a note faxed from Woody asking if I still had a copy of his “heavenly story” as he had lost his copy. I was delighted to send a copy so that he could continue sharing this with others.

BORN & BRED

The “Heavenly Story”

God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God, “Where have you been?” God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds. “Look, Michael, see what I’ve made. It’s a planet, and I’ve put LIFE on it. I’m going to call it Earth and it’s going to be a great place of balance.” Impressed by God’s work, the archangel pointed to a place. “What’s that?” “Ah,” said God. “Chapel Hill, the most glorious place on Earth. I made it from a little corner of Heaven. There are beautiful women and an exquisite campus that is called UNC. The people from Chapel Hill are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they’re going to be found traveling the world. They’ll be extremely sociable, hard-working and highachieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace. I’m also going to give them great and wondrous teams swathed in cloth made from the Sky itself. The team will be admired and feared by all who come across them.” Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, “What about balance, God? You said there would be BALANCE!” God replied, “Fear not, Michael. Wait until you see the loudmouthed jerks I’m putting next to them in Durham.”

TA R H E E LT I C K E R Jeremy Clayton // Roxboro, NC Growing up in an era where there wasn’t TV coverage like today, I used to listen to Woody Durham on Saturday afternoons call football and basketball games over the airwaves. I always enjoyed his enthusiasm and love for Carolina. You can’t think of UNC without thinking of Woody Durham. I have been blessed to be the voice of our local high football and basketball teams, the Person Rockets, for almost two decades. I still use quotes or sayings from Woody Durham. Basketball examples: “Crossing the timeline,” “setting the lineup,” his famous “Goooood!” Football examples: “Left to right on your dial,” “snap, spot, kick away, high enough, long enough, it’s gooood!” His voice rings in my ears as I attempt to mimic one of the greatest Tar Heel storytellers of all time.

Tom Ozment // Jamestown, NC I go way back, and nobody could tell a Tar Heel homily like “The Mouth of the South,” Bill Currie. He even had his own Mouth of the South fan club that Tar Heel listeners joined with a membership certificate and button with his picture. It was during the days of Broadvision (if you’re too young and not familiar with that, look it up) and showed your support for turning down the TV sound, and listening to his play-by-play call on the radio network. Back then, there wasn’t even a time delay. One of the best moments is Woody Durham’s call of Dudley Bradley’s (the Secretary of Defense) last second steal and dunk, off of Clyde “The Glide” Austin and NC State in Raleigh. It’s right up there with Jones’s call of Gio Bernard’s punt return against State in Chapel Hill.

Greg Cauley // Kinston, NC Hark the Sound of Tar Heel voices! When considering the memories of radio calls over the decades, how fortunate we are to have such a rich menu from which to choose. Identifying a single one is as easy as separating individual ingredients from soup. Picking a favorite memory is akin to choosing your favorite player or team. Given such an impossible task, the calls that resonate with me are Woody Durham’s description of Walter Davis’s shot against Duke, Amos Lawrence’s last second draw play touchdown from the 20 yard line against NC State in Kenan, the Michael Jordan jumper in New Orleans, Paul Miller’s bootleg touchdown against Duke, and the excitement in his voice as Chris Webber showed off his math skills when he called a time out. Our family learned early on the value of “turning down the sound” and listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network’s broadcast. It was important for me to record broadcasts of games on VHS and later DVDs, and fortunately I figured out how to replace the TV sound with that of the radio network. When I’m at a game, I still listen to the THSN via a headset radio to enhance my experience. “Go where you go, and do what you do” is but one of my favorite catch phrases, but I’ll not forget “Go to war, Miss Agnes” and “Good golly, Gertie.” Thanks to all of the talent, both on the mic and behind it, for as Woody confessed, being the eyes for those folks unable to pick up television broadcasts or who are visually impaired. Your work helps to paint a glorious picture.

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TA R H E E LT I C K E R Barry Porter // Kannapolis, NC As a teenager growing up in North Carolina in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were few basketball games televised. I listened to Bill Currie call the UNC basketball games on the radio. The UNC Educational Television Network (WUNC and affiliates) started something called Broadvision, which was televising some games from Carmichael Auditorium with no announcers, so you had to also listen to the radio for sound. As a UNC student from 1972-76, I continued this habit by turning off the television sound and listening to Woody Durham’s call. I have continued this habit all of my adult life with Woody and Jones Angell (even all of the Final Four games) and refuse to “sync the game.” You appreciate the screens, picks, assists and player motions much better when you have heard the call first before seeing it happen. And best of all, you know that the Tar Heels have pulled out a close win 7-15 seconds before seeing it on television.

TAR HEEL STORYTELLER:

STUART SCOTT

tuart Scott changed the media world. Scott, who was raised in Winston-Salem and graduated from RJ Reynolds High, was a 1987 Carolina graduate. He went on to work in Florence (S.C.), Raleigh, and Orlando, but it was on ESPN where he burst into the national consciousness. In that era, national sportscasters were impartial. Scott was very clearly not. He’d grown up a Carolina fan (he attended the first game in the Smith Center as a fan), and as a SportsCenter anchor, Scott made his Tar Heel passion as well-known as his signature catchphrases. But he was more than just a fan. He was also a very talented broadcaster who earned numerous plum assignments, including the NBA Finals, Monday Night Football, and multiple one-on-one interviews with fellow Tar Heel Michael Jordan. But one of his most famous assignments might have been a nontelevised one. He was the most popular host ever of Carolina’s Late Night basketball tip-off event. “No matter where you go, no matter where you’ve been, when you go home, it touches your heart,” Scott said on one of those visits. “When you go to school here, 25 or 30 years later you are still a Tar Heel. You meet a Tar Heel anywhere in the world and there’s an immediate, ‘Hey, you went to Carolina!’ connection.” Scott, a member of the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame, was diagnosed with cancer in 2007, and it returned two more times. He gave a memorable acceptance speech in 2014 when ESPN presented him with the Jimmy V Award, and passed away on January 4, 2015, at the age of 49. The Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund was established by the Jimmy V Foundation in his honor and has awarded over $19.5 million in cancer research grants.

10 B O R N & B R E D

TA R H E E LT I C K E R TAR HEEL STORYTELLER:

ERIC MONTROSS

lmost everyone else mentioned in this issue’s pages made a very intentional choice to pursue a media career as their life’s work. Eric Montross did not. He was a devoted charitable supporter, a Rams Club fundraiser, a husband, a father, a basketball player…and then he found time to be a beloved analyst on the Tar Heel Sports Network for nearly two decades. The job found him as much as he found it. When Mick Mixon left the Tar Heel Sports Network in 2005, Montross was already a familiar face around the basketball program. His long playing career, both with the Tar Heels and in the NBA, gave him instant credibility, and he’d begun dabbling in some media appearances, where his easy communication style and player’s insight quickly earned him a following. He took the opportunity very seriously to work first alongside the iconic Woody Durham and then beside Jones Angell beginning in 2011. It wasn’t unusual to find him going over his opening statement for the radio broadcast word by word to make sure it conveyed exactly the tone he was trying to set. Although he believed in the type of meticulous preparation shown by his play-by-play partners, it was during the flow of the game when his personality emerged and endeared him to listeners. That’s when, for example, the relationships he’d formed with players off the court came through in his calls—as with his jubilant “Got it!” after Luke Maye’s buzzer-beater against Kentucky in 2017. It’s also when his Tar Heel pedigree enabled him to know exactly what every listener was feeling; his hearty chortles at the end of the 2022 Final Four win over Duke are legendary. Montross was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 2023 and died at the age of 52 in December of that same year. The consistently sold-out Eric Montross Father’s Day Basketball Camp continues to be a summer highlight in Chapel Hill and a very important fundraiser for the UNC Children’s Hospital and the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, which supports adolescent and young adult cancer patients and their families at UNC Children’s.

Nathan Babcock // Raleigh, NC Far and away my favorite Tar Heel Sports Network call was Jones and Eric in the 2022 Final Four game against Duke – Eric laughing in the background as Jones described the scene, virtually shouting in excitement above the roar in the background of the Carolina crowd with the band striking up the victory song. It was perfect.

Terryll Joy // Bolivar, TN A radio call that has become part of my lexicon is from March 7, 2022, when Carolina won in Mike Krzyzewski’s last game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Eric Montross to Jones: “When are you going to call it, Jones Angell?”

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THE

NATURAL

IN A TRANSITION EVERYONE SAW COMING,

THEO PINSON IS THRIVING IN THE MEDIA BUSINESS BY ADAM LUCAS // PHOTOS BY RUN YOUR RACE PODCAST 12

BORN & BRED

THE NATURAL

heo Pinson has been part of the media business since before he was part of the media business. The Greensboro native made crashing press conferences a regular part of his decorated Tar Heel basketball career, beginning during the 2016 run to the national championship game and continuing through the day when Roy Williams returned the favor by crashing Pinson’s senior day press conference with Joel Berry in 2018. When the Atlantic Coast Conference media created the Caulton Tudor Award in June of 2018 to honor the league basketball player who was most receptive and engaging with reporters, Pinson was—of course—the inaugural winner. And in 2022, when the Tar Heels were enduring some struggles during Hubert Davis’s first year as head coach, it was again Pinson who reached out to the Carolina Insider podcast. “I need to vent,” he texted. His appearance on the show on January 21, 2022, turned out to be prophetic, as he urged fans to relax and show some patience. More impressively, though, he explained with an insider’s detail the complications of learning a new coach’s system and the process involved for the current Carolina team. On March 7, 48 hours after Carolina defeated Duke in Mike Krzyzewski’s last game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the text message chimed again. “It’s time for another lol,” he wrote. “I need to vent again.” That March 9 episode essentially became a Pinson pulpit. “All I have to say first is that I told you so,” he began. The ensuing joy over the next 15 minutes—coupled with a player’s insight and mixed with his trademark humor—was the perfect encapsulation of what every Tar Heel fan was feeling in that moment. And it was marked with a key part of his media persona: support for his Heels. There was a time when media members were expected to be strictly impartial. Those days are over, and Pinson knows exactly how to fit into his niche. The new media world is perfect for him. A couple of decades ago, he might have been too honest or too impulsive to fit into a concrete television role. But now, when he can own and produce his own content and let his personality connect with those who appreciate it, he’s thriving. Pinson eventually made another Carolina Insider appearance on the eve of the Final Four, and the pride he expressed in his Tar Heels has been a hallmark of his young media career.

“I am ecstatic, proud and overwhelmed with excitement for the coaching staff, players and alums,” he said on the March 31 episode. “I think it might be even better as a fan.” There is no doubt that he’s still a fan. But there’s also no doubt that he has moved beyond that designation, carving out an immediately successful role as the cohost of the Run Your Race podcast, where he joins longtime friend AJ Richardson on a show that has already recorded nearly 125 episodes and regularly receives tens of thousands of views for each episode. “I’ve always liked connecting with people,” Pinson says. The difference for Pinson is that he combines that congenial attitude with a player’s perspective. After his national championship Tar Heel career, he went undrafted, but then played parts of five seasons with three different NBA teams. In April of 2023, he recorded the first triple-double of his pro career. Friends both in and out of the media had always told him he should try journalism when he finished his basketball career. Eventually, he decided not to wait. Run Your Race has quickly become a staple for Carolina basketball alumni, and Pinson has also shown a deft touch at handling potentially tricky interviews. The sessions with Roy Williams and RJ Davis were both predictable highlights. Less expected was a raw interview with PJ Hairston, the former Tar Heel who has had some post-basketball issues. “Having the guest feel comfortable and have the freedom to tell their story is important,” Pinson says. “I always let them know I value the relationship more than the pod.” The relationship clearly conveys in the interviews. It’s obvious that Pinson isn’t just sprinting through a scripted set of questions. He’s actually listening to his guest, and then replying based on their answers. There are more seasoned members of the media who still haven’t mastered that trick. The current Carolina team is, of course, a frequent subject on his show. That led Pinson and occasional cohost Raymond Felton into some dicey situations this winter, when the Tar Heel struggles on the court—and the lettermen’s frank discussion of it on the podcast—led to some hurt feelings among families of 2024-2025 players. Pinson, though, believes he was providing the kind of tough love that former players in similar roles would have provided for him when he was a young Tar Heel. It’s just that those former players may not have had the wildly popular podcast on which to do it. It

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“HAVING THE GUEST FEEL COMFORTABLE AND HAVE THE FREEDOM TO TELL THEIR STORY IS IMPORTANT. I ALWAYS LET THEM KNOW I VALUE THE RELATIONSHIP MORE THAN THE POD.”

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STORYTELLERS

BORN & BRED

THE NATURAL

eventually became a learning moment for everyone involved as they try to navigate the ever-changing media landscape. “We never want to go out there and bash anyone,” Pinson says. “We say what we think can help the team succeed. Sometimes it comes off the wrong way, but if anyone knows me, they know I ride for my guys.” Because his media career is so young, Pinson is still trying different avenues. He provided color analysis on two ACC basketball games this year, a welcome respite from the constant Cory Alexander-ization of league broadcasts. He doesn’t know

if he’ll continue to pursue analyst opportunities; he’s already doing so well with the podcast that it’s difficult to find time in his schedule for more jobs. He’s also not certain that he’s finished playing basketball. He’s still just 29 years old, with a rapidly increasing amount of opportunities. “What’s next for me is a great question,” he says. “I might go back and play again. Or I might just ride this wave I’m on and continue in the media space, because I’m doing pretty well in that, too.”

LEGACIES ARE BUILT HERE

Behind 850+ Carolina student-athletes are supporters who are establishing their legacy with Carolina Athletics through long-term philanthropic planning with The Rams Club. Planned gifts combine your philanthropic goals with smart financial strategies. To learn more about simple, meaningful and tax-wise giving opportunities, contact Beth MacKethan at 919-843-6448 or beth@ramsclub.com

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MAKING HIS OWN BREAKS

BY ADAM LUCAS // PHOTOS BY BLUE CUP PRODUCTIONS

Armando Bacot has always understood how to tell his story and connect with the fan base. As a Carolina basketball pioneer in the name, image and likeness space, Bacot’s Tar Heel career was the blueprint for players who followed him. So it’s no surprise that as a professional, he’s continuing to find unique ways to control the way his story is told. In his first season in the NBA G League, Bacot had a successful debut with the Memphis Hustle, averaging 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in 34 games (he also would be quick to tell you that he hit 35.5 percent of his 155 three-point attempts). But he was equally proficient off the court, where he was one of three players featured in The Break presented by The General, an all-access show focusing on players trying to make it at the next level of professional basketball. “Being on The Break was cool,” Bacot says. “It allowed people to see me in a different light as someone who’s hunting for a spot, because I’m usually the one being hunted.” Appearing on the show presented Bacot with some financial incentives—Bacot’s business savvy has been as much a hallmark of his career as his rebounding prowess—but also allowed him to take advantage of some very important intangible opportunities. He appeared on a podcast with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, and the big man gave Bacot some very pointed advice. Most notably, O’Neal told Bacot, “Stop being nice.” “Talking to Shaq really gave me some added confidence and motivation,” Bacot says. “It made me want to go out there and impose my will even more. Having that relationship with him and being able to ask questions and get advice from him was huge.” Every full episode of this season of The Break is available for free on YouTube.

BORN & BRED

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STORYTELLERS

SEE HER NOW JENNY CHIU AVOIDED THE CAMERA FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, BUT NOW SHE’S THRIVING IN FRONT OF IT BY ADAM LUCAS // PHOTOS BY MARIO CENDEJAS & JEFFREY CAMARATI

BORN & BRED

SEE HER NOW

enny Chiu didn’t want to be on camera. More than didn’t want to, actually. She actively avoided it, even going so far during her undergraduate career as to hide in the bathroom when on-camera assignments were being made. This magazine includes plenty of people who identified and chased a screen-facing role as part of a lifetime dream. Chiu, a former Tar Heel women’s soccer player, is the opposite. She took advantage of plenty of opportunities during her undergraduate career as a journalism major, even traveling to Rio de Janeiro to cover the Olympics before her final year of college. But she had no intention of pursuing any sort of on-camera role. “I refused to be on camera for a long time,” Chiu says. “I had anxiety, and I didn’t think I wanted to do that. A lot of people know what they want, but I fought against it for many years.” After playing in 15 games over four years for the Tar Heels, including a trip to the College Cup in 2016, Chiu finished her soccer career as a professional player in Australia. And then…what? The El Paso native knew she wanted to stay connected to the game. She had been part of the national team pool for both Mexico and the United States; even if she wasn’t going to play anymore, soccer was an integral part of her identity. She wrangled an interview for a social media position with the Portland Timbers and Thorns. And then…fate. “At that time, I was willing to do anything to stay in the world of soccer,” she says. “I applied to be a mascot. At that time, the internship with Portland was the only paid internship in MLS. I got the job, and my first day was their reporter’s last day. She walked out of the room crying and I walked in the room. They said, ‘We need someone to do stuff.’ I had a broadcast journalism degree and I played soccer at a high level, so I was perfect to do postgame interviews.” Suddenly being on camera didn’t seem so bad anymore. It also turned out that Chiu, who has a strong online following, was a natural. Within four months, after creating a vlog that garnered her new followers but

also showed the professional way she was approaching the job, she earned a full-time MLS gig in Orlando. From there, she moved to CBS, which provided the opportunity to cover the Champions League and to fill numerous roles as one of the first five hires for their 24/7 Golazo Network. That sets her up to be a key part of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in North America. As a fluent Spanish speaker—both her parents are immigrants and her background in El Paso gave her plenty of exposure to both sides of the border—she’s likely to be in demand in both Mexico and the 11 United States cities hosting World Cup matches. FIFA has already tapped Chiu to host a 16-part World Cup documentary that will debut in September. Her early vlog work and her social media presence were the initial signs she had an unexpected talent for being on camera. But her background as a player at the highest level in college women’s soccer allows her to go into any situation in the world of soccer and ask thoughtful questions. “Because I’ve done it, I know the hardest interview is the one after a loss,” she says. “The coach or player doesn’t want to be there and doesn’t want to talk to you, and I know what that feels like. I try to be very empathetic in that moment. What you do before the camera comes on changes the dynamic when they turn the camera on, so I try to make sure they know I feel for them as a human.” As always, the Carolina connection is constantly beneficial. A former teammate in Chapel Hill might be a player at a game she’s covering, who might introduce her to their current teammates, and playing for the Tar Heels provides instant credibility in a way that almost no other credential can. Ironically, though, it’s her lack of success in Chapel Hill that she believes helped her transition more quickly to a successful non-playing role—she was selected as a member of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in the media category in 2025. “I am ‘good at soccer,’” she says. “But when you come to Carolina you are the absolute worst in comparison to seniors who have so much

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“BECAUSE I’VE DONE IT, I KNOW THE HARDEST INTERVIEW IS THE ONE AFTER A LOSS ... I TRY TO BE VERY EMPATHETIC IN THAT MOMENT. WHAT YOU DO BEFORE THE CAMERA COMES ON CHANGES THE DYNAMIC WHEN THEY TURN THE CAMERA ON, SO I TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW I FEEL FOR THEM AS A HUMAN.”

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STORYTELLERS

experience. It was humbling and an experience of losing myself and trying to find myself and redirecting myself to journalism. When I made the decision not to transfer, it was making a choice that soccer wouldn’t be the number-one thing for me. It was one of my things, but I had to figure out what else mattered. My teammates were having great moments on the field while I was reidentifying myself as a sister, journalist and friend in a way they hadn’t done yet because they hadn’t been forced to make that decision.” And while her career is clearly still ascending, she also knows it’s not permanent. In many ways, the origin of that career happened at a huge international competition; friend and fellow Tar Heel athlete Kendra Douglas forced Chiu to introduce herself to legendary soccer writer Grant Wahl at the 2016 Olympics. Wahl eventually became one of Chiu’s key media mentors. In the same way that it began at an international event, Chiu foresees the pinnacle— and maybe even the end—of her career coming at another major international event. She is engaged to Italian native Nicolo Zini, a former soccer player who is a member of the sports marketing community in Miami. “I want to help host a World Cup,” she says of the 2026 event. “That is the pinnacle of my sport. But I also recognize that’s not what drives me. What drives me is the idea of having a good life, a happy life with my partner and potentially kids, and enjoying my family and friends while still striving for greatness in my career. I meet a lot of women in this industry in their mid-40s who were committed solely to their career, and now they have regrets. I don’t want to do that. I want to be famous enough to cover a World Cup in my country, and then I’m good to go into the shadows.”

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SEE HER NOW

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C A R O L I N A E V E R YW E A R 5

Rams Club members like to wear their Carolina Blue, and they’ll wear it all over the US and the world. If you have a photo of you in your Carolina gear in front of notable landmarks in the US and abroad, send them our way to be a part of Carolina EveryWear!

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BORN & BRED

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To have your photo included: -Send your photo digitally to bornandbred@ramsclub.com. -Identify everyone in your photo and the location of the photo. Here are the “Rules”: -At least one person in the photo has to be a Rams Club member -You must be wearing Carolina gear -You must be in front of a notable landmark (sorry, as cool as Kenan Stadium and the Smith Center are, they don’t qualify). SHOW US YOUR COLORS!

1) Chancy & Keith Kapp of Raleigh at the Land of Fire and Ice in Iceland; 2) Jonathan Shaw & Christina Coffey of Raleigh with David Chapman of Charlotte at Park City Ski Resort in Utah; 3) Charles Purvis of Rocky Mount, NC, in the Bahamas; 4) Tara & Steve Bissette of Fuquay-Varina, NC, at the Greenwood Great House in St. James Parish, Jamaica; 5) MaryLynn, Mary Jo & Lane Walter of Lumberton, NC, at Buckingham Palace in London; 6) Michelle Hockman Cunningham of Glen Rock, NJ, at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia; 7) Mark Hyman of Greensboro in the Galapagos; 8) Valorie Songer of Columbia, SC, Dottie Kinlaw of North Myrtle Beach, SC, Bill & Vickie Thompson of Rutherfordton, NC, in the central square, Grote Markt, Antwerp, Belgium; 9) Jesse Gilbert, Jr. of Cary, NC in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France; 10) Clay Lewis & Rishi Jhamb of Charlotte at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India; 11) John Carmichael, Kelley Carmichael, Susan Grote & Tom Grote of Winston-Salem at the Penguin Colony in Antarctica; 12) Manix & Manny Ferreira of Stanley, NC, at Mosteiro dos Jeronimos in Lisbon, Portugal; 13) Laura & Brad Weisner of Charlotte and Tara & Michael Noone of Charleston, SC, in Hobbiton, NZ, where Lord of the Rings was filmed; 14) Mike Obrien of Durham in Costa Rica; 15) Ben Lucas, Martha Lucas, Chesley Lucas, Emily Lucas & Brinkley Lucas of Sanford, NC, in Jamaica

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PANCAKE

PERFECTION Jeff Saturday’s infectious love of offensive line play has made him a television staple BY LEE PACE //

PHOTOS BY JOE FARAONI/ESPN IMAGES & GRANT HALVERSON

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PANCAKE PERFECTION

t’s the offensive lineman’s equivalent of the service ace in tennis, an eagle on the golf course or a grand slam on the baseball field. The pancake block—the art of overpowering a defender with such force the opponent lands on his back, flat as a spoonful of flour, milk and egg and fried to a golden crisp and doused in butter and syrup. Former Tar Heel Jeff Saturday is making a cottage industry of celebrating and highlighting the pancake block during the football season on national TV. Saturday is having fun on the set of “Get Up,” an early morning staple on the ESPN slate, running through clips on the big screen of linemen pulverizing their foe. He’s high energy and liable to drop into a lineman’s stance to set the stage. “You gotta love this, I love the ferocity of it,” he chirps as one video clip rolls. “That’s an absolute thing of beauty! That’s nasty!” he exhorts on another. “Sat him down!” he enthuses on yet another. Popping onto the screen are graphics depicting a plate of pancakes and standing by is another crew member holding a plate of pancakes. One pancake for a good block, two pancakes for a great one and three for one simply over the top and likely to send the vanquished foe to the trainer’s room. “The guys used to make fun of me, I’d get so excited talking about the O-line,” says Saturday, a Tar Heel from 1993-97 before a storied career with the Indianapolis Colts. “We tried to come up with a hook. It was the pancake block. It’s become a staple of the show. We have so much fun with it. At first, I had to watch a lot of tape to find a few blocks. It’s become so popular, every weekend I’m hit with dozens of tweets and texts from people saying, ‘Use this one, use that one.’ “The fans have really embraced it. So have O-linemen and their coaches. You see a big run and there’s some big guy doing the work to spring him loose. They’re the guys that make those highlight reels happen, but they don’t often get the shine. We give them a little bit of shine.” Saturday was recruited to Carolina out of his Atlanta home in 1993, red-shirted one year and played four, leading the offensive line during the 1996-97 high-water mark of Mack Brown’s first tenure at Carolina. He earned All-ACC first-team center honors twice and made the ACC’s All-Academic team in 1997 while earning a business degree. His professional career has been well-documented: Saturday being passed over in the NFL draft in 1998, him going to work for an electrical supply company in Raleigh and finally getting a chance with the Colts when roommate Nate Hobgood-Chittick made an impassioned plea to Colts brass on his behalf. In August 1999, Saturday secured a spot on the Colts’ roster in year two of the Jim Mora era (he would be followed as head coach by Tony Dungy for seven seasons). It was also the second year for a talented quarterback from Tennessee named Peyton Manning. Saturday played 11 games at guard his rookie year and moved to center and started 85 straight games before missing two games toward the end of the 2004 season. He made five Pro Bowls while starting for 12 seasons and collected a Super Bowl

ring in 2007 with the Colts’ 29-17 win over Chicago. Saturday joined ESPN in 2013 after his playing career ended and used his lively and upbeat personality to transition into sports media, being featured often on “NFL Live” and “SportsCenter.” Today his routine during the football season is to fly to New York City from Atlanta every week and spend Tuesdays and Wednesdays talking ball on any and all ESPN platforms as he’s asked. “I love it, I have a blast with it,” says Saturday. “God’s been better than I deserve to me. I assure you I’ve got no complaints.” His media career took an unexpected turn in early November 2022, when late Colts owner Jim Irsay tabbed him to become head coach after Frank Reich was fired nine games into the season. Irsay liked Saturday’s history with the franchise, his upbeat attitude and the idea that as an outsider to the insular coaching world, he could coach free and loose and bring new ideas to the operation (Saturday’s only experience coaching was with the Atlanta high school where his son, Jeffrey, had played). The Colts won their first game under Saturday but then lost their next seven. He sought the full-time job, but the Colts hired Shane Steichen. “The coaching gig was fun and a challenge, but I don’t want that lifestyle,” he says. “I want to be home at dinner with my wife and my kids. I enjoy talking ball, whether it’s on TV or with friends in the business who want an opinion on a player or something they’re doing.” Saturday’s return to ESPN in September 2023 was celebrated with a segment on “Get Up” titled “Pancakes are back, baby!” Jeffrey landed a walk-on receiver spot with the Tar Heels from 2020-23, so that kept his dad close to the Carolina program, and Saturday does a regular conversation with Jones Angell on the pregame broadcast on the Tar Heel Sports Network. He’s always looking for a reason to sport a Carolina blue tie on the ESPN set and crow about Charlie Heck or Willie Lampkin nailing a pancake block. “Anything to highlight ‘my own’ and let that Tar Heel pride come out,” Saturday says.

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INVEST IN EXCELLENCE Carolina Athletics has a long tradition of excellence. From more than 60 team national championships to countless conference championships across our 28 teams, Carolina is among the greatest college sports programs in the country. You can ensure the tradition continues during a time when college sports is undergoing great changes. Two initiatives are in place to ensure Carolina Athletics remains adaptable, competitive, and sustainable in this dynamic environment - the Carolina Athletics Excellence Fund and Carolina Athletics Excellence Endowment. These initiatives will allow UNC to seize new opportunities, as well as plan for future challenges. Learn more at ramsclub.com/excellence, or scan the QR code to make your gift today. Scan the QR code to make a gift to the Carolina Athletics Excellence initiatives!

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c a k b r o e f t r C a o u n Q t e e nt h T

BY LEE PACE // PHOTOS BY JOSH GALLO AND JOE BRAY 28 B O R N & B R E D

THE QUARTERBACK OF CONTENT

CALEB PRESSLEY’S PATH BEGAN DIVERGING FROM FOOTBALL AT CAROLINA, AND HE’S PARLAYED IT INTO A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEDIA CAREER

he A.C. Reynolds High football team in 2009 and ‘10 was out in a western-style string tie and interviewing NFL great Tom limited in its field goal and extra point capabilities, so head Brady, wrestling champion Cody Rhodes, golfer Dustin Johnson coach Shane Laws would frequently call one of the Rockets’ many or film stars like Jamie Foxx and Drew Barrymore for his “Sundae elaborate two-point plays after a touchdown. As the team lined Conversation” talk show. up, quarterback Caleb Pressley would often go off on a tangent, There is always sharp wit, dollops of satire, a lot of energy and jumping in the air, falling on the ground, running backward or plenty of laughter. jogging circles. “I like having a good time, so that’s always kind of been “You could go back and watch the film, and of the 11 players on the book on me,” says Pressley, a 2015 Carolina graduate in defense, five or six were just standing there, watching Caleb go communications. “People have known that for a long time—I like crazy,” Laws says. “That was Caleb. He was very intelligent and to enjoy myself.” was a good football player. But you never knew what he might say Pressley was born in Asheville in 1992 to William Joe Pressley or do. He could come out with some and wife Heather Lee, the dad going crazy comments in some stressful by Billy Joe and pursuing a variety situations.” of interests from being a minister So it was then. to a late model stock car driver (the So it is now. Pressley family has deep roots in “(Caleb) had a lot of scholarship While players like QB Drake Maye the NASCAR and racing worlds of opportunities, but he wanted to go to (No. 3 overall draft pick in 2024 to the Western North Carolina and East Carolina, so he took the preferred New England Patriots) and receiver Tennessee). Billy Joe tragically lost walk-on spot. He was an outstanding Mack Hollins (entering his ninth year his life at age 43 in 1994 when he lost leader and teammate. catching passes and wreaking special control of his car in a race at Asheville All the guys liked him.” teams havoc and now with Maye in Motor Speedway. Caleb was just two New England) carrying the Carolina years old. football banner into the pros and national spotlight, Pressley is The youngster loved football and grew up in the Fletcher an ex-Tar Heel carving his niche as a media personality, raconteur community south of downtown Asheville that fed Reynolds High, and social media dynamo. a school with a rich football tradition that in the last two decades Tar Heel fans remember him for his 2014 stint as “supervisor has produced Chase Rice (Tar Heel linebacker and now a country of morale” on the football team and his visibility on the sideline music star), Ben Johnson (Tar Heel quarterback now the head as the offensive signal caller while wearing NFL jerseys of coach of the Chicago Bears), Luke Combs (also a country music prominent Tar Heels in the pros—from Cowboy Bruce Carter’s No. sensation) and Rico Dowdle (a running back who played at South 54 to Packer Julius Peppers’ No. 56. Carolina and now is with the Carolina Panthers). Now always in that signature look of shoulder length hair and Pressley was the starting quarterback for the 2009 and ‘10 a mustache, Pressley could be appearing in a TV commercial for seasons and was the offensive MVP in the state 4-A championship Verizon or traveling to Key West to film a spot for the hard seltzer game his junior year as he passed for 115 yards and scored two White Claw. From his home in Delray Beach, Fla., he’s plotting with touchdowns in the Rockets’ 14-13 win over Harnett Central. executives of Chica Chida on how to promote the peanut-butter Reynolds advanced to the state quarterfinals the next year. He flavored tequila in which Pressley has a stake. Or he’s decked passed for 4,385 yards and 35 touchdowns in his career. “He had a really good career,” Laws says. “He had a lot of scholarship opportunities, but he wanted to go to Carolina, so he took the preferred walk-on spot. He was an outstanding leader (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) SUNDAE CONVERSATION GUEST THEO and teammate. All the guys liked him.” VON, CO-HOST GLENNY BALLS, AND HOST CALEB PRESSLEY

“

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STORYTELLERS Pressley immediately hit it off with offensive coordinator and for old teammates back at Reynolds High. quarterbacks coach John Shoop and thought Shoop’s pro-style The most memorable piece was the story of how Renner offense was a good match for his skills. He committed to Shoop concocted a celebration called the “Lawn Mower,” where he’d and head coach Butch Davis in the spring of 2011 and entered make a big play, then feign pulling a starter cord and pushing school at Carolina that August along with another preferred a lawnmower. The mini-documentary included a trip to Home walk-on, linebacker Jeff Schoettmer. With Bryn Renner two years Depot, where Renner is shown shopping for a lawnmower and ahead of him, Pressley thought he could bide his time and have demonstrating the proper celebration technique. Teammates an opportunity after Renner graduated. were interviewed with deadpan answers to questions: “We were both hellbent on playing football,” Schoettmer says. “The lawn mower is about old-fashioned, nasty hard work and “Most walk-ons come to a school and are just happy to be there. efficiency,” said Landon Turner. “It’s about getting that job done.” With both of us, we were driven to do whatever it takes to play Pressley’s communications studies, his moonlighting with football. We both thought we could play. Caleb was very driven his video camera, his trip to Scotland and his inquisitive nature and very bright.” augmented with a brain that traveled forever “outside the box” But coaching staffs and offensive all coalesced in the fall of 2014 to systems changed with Larry Fedora set him up for where he is today. He playing a high-tempo spread didn’t want to leave his buddies on attack beginning in 2012 and the the football team, and new offensive “I saw Mitch come in behind me and quarterback room filling up with coordinator Seth Littrell needed knew how good he was. I was likely to Marquise Williams and then Mitch someone to relay his play calls from Trubisky. Pressley competed hard drop further back in the roster. I said let the press box to the sideline to the for the job but eventually the better players on the field. The coaches me just go and have a life experience athletes and stronger arms presented recruited Pressley for the role and and accept my fate for football. That the writing on the wall. Seeking Pressley added his title, “Supervisor experience opened my world beyond a change of scenery and a new of Morale.” football. I had been narrowly focused adventure, he passed on spring ball in “Signal-callers across the country since the age of six—football and school. 2014 and spent the semester abroad were wearing orange shirts so that Scotland doesn’t even have football. I in Edinburgh, Scotland. players could find them on the began to think of what life would be like sideline faster while running the “I saw Mitch come in behind me outside of college and and knew how good he was,” Pressley spread,” Pressley says. “That was outside of football.” says. “I was likely to drop further also the first year that NFL jerseys back in the roster. I said let me just went from Reebok to Nike. All of our go and have a life experience and accept my fate for football. sideline apparel had to be Nike brand. So, I had the idea of instead That experience opened my world beyond football. I had been of wearing an orange shirt, wear a former Tar Heels’ jersey who narrowly focused since the age of six—football and school. was in the NFL—pay respect to our legends and also remind Scotland doesn’t even have football. I began to think of what life recruits that UNC was a pathway to the pros.” would be like outside of college and outside of football.” Pressley with his long, flowing, sandy colored hair, his NFL “Caleb was a really good guy to have in the quarterback room,” jersey and his energy on the sideline routinely attracted snippets Renner says. “He understands football. He kept it light. People don’t from television crews. ESPNU featured him early in the year, and understand how smart he is. I told him he should have gone to MIT. the ESPN broadcast crew highlighted him during the Tar Heels’ He really cared about people, about his teammates. In one game, I win at Duke on Thursday night football in November. stiff-armed a guy and laid him flat. Watching the tape later, Caleb is Watching from his home in Boston was Dave Portnoy, who jumping higher than anyone on the sideline in celebration.” had launched a sports and social media platform named Barstool Pressley’s mother and stepfather (she remarried when Sports that appealed mostly to young men with its irreverent Caleb was six years old) gave him a video camera early in his content—the essence of the evolving “bro culture.” He invited college career, and he began tinkering and experimenting with Pressley as a guest on his daily “Rundown” show, and Pressley filmmaking as the world of social media and YouTube hit their strides in the early 2010s. He produced random videos and posted them on YouTube with the identifier, “Crib Calls Enterprises, a CALEB PRESSLEY AND GLENNY BALLS WITH SUNDAE Caleb Pressley Film.” He produced some football highlight tapes CONVERSATION GUEST AND CHAMPION WRESTLER CODY RHODES

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STORYTELLERS

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“Signal-callers across the country were wearing orange shirts so that players could find them on the sideline faster while running the spread. That was also the first year that NFL jerseys went from Reebok to Nike. All of our sideline apparel had to be Nike brand. So, I had the idea of instead of wearing an orange shirt, wear a former Tar Heels’ jersey who was in the NFL—pay respect to our legends and also remind recruits that UNC was a pathway to the pros.” 32 B O R N & B R E D

was funny and relaxed and did a good job ham-and-egging with the hosts. Portnoy asked Pressley what he planned post-graduation. “I have no idea,” Pressley answered. “Statistically speaking, I’ll probably be unemployed. I’ll have a communications major, I don’t know exactly what that gets you in the real world. Maybe you guys will throw me a job and I’ll get you coffee or something.” Portney asked if Pressley could write. “No gas, I can write, I’m a good writer,” Pressley answered quickly, using a common slang term around the football team meaning he was dead serious or, in other words, not spewing B.S. The panel of Barstool personalities erupted in laughter. “The term ‘no gas’ was something I said without thinking,” Pressley later said. “‘No gas’ is something you said all the time around the football team. I didn’t think anything of it. People say that was the moment I got my job.” Barstool immediately hired Pressley, and one decade ago his odyssey began. He shot out of the gate during the 2015 college football season with the Dixie Tailgate Tour, where he and a crew of three others traveled the South in a 30-foot RV, setting up camp each weekend at a different college hotbed—from Clemson to Tallahassee to Baton Rouge. He joined frat boys at Clemson sliding down a muddy hill outside Memorial Stadium, went deer hunting with Auburn fans on Thanksgiving and wore a Carolina football jersey on pieces highlighting sorority bid day. “That trip definitely took a year or two off my life,” he says. “But that’s okay. So I only make it to 102 instead of 103 or 104. It was worth it.” Later he evolved into his trademark Sundae Conversations—a play on the former SportsCenter segment—where Pressley tosses out irreverent, flippant questions to guests from sports and popular culture while his co-host, Glenny Balls, eats an ice cream sundae. “It’s been quite a ride,” Pressley says. “It happened very organically. There was never a plan. I never had the aspiration to be doing what I’m doing. Just let it happen. That’s been a big reason why it’s turned out in a good way.” Pressley’s contract with Barstool was to expire and in late 2024 he began thinking of setting off on his own. At the beginning of 2025, he launched a production company that he named Bill Joe Productions in honor of both his birth father and his stepfather (also named Bill). The new production company is working with Shadow Lion, the creative agency formed by former NFL star Tom Brady, for sales and production. “We’re letting it happen organically and go where it leads,” Pressley says. “The Sundae Conversation is not going to change. But as opportunities present themselves in the advertising space or other arenas that we think would be fun, we’ll pursue them. The goal is to make people laugh. That’s our goal and our mission— have a few laughs and have fun.”

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STORYTELLERS

The Next Generation Two Tar Heel student-athletes are taking steps to be the next sports storytellers with a Carolina background BY ANDREW STILWELL

PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI AND ANTHONY SORBELLINI 34 B O R N & B R E D

At Carolina, excellence and national championships aren’t just confined to the field or the court—they’re also found in the newsroom. Carolina’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media has earned six consecutive Hearst national championships for collegiate journalism, mirroring the championship pedigree often demonstrated by Tar Heel athletic programs. It only makes sense for student-athletes with a championship pedigree to want to challenge themselves academically, navigating the rigorous demands and responsibilities that come with being a studentathlete while pursuing journalism degrees from Carolina. One of those student athletes is women’s lacrosse defender Adair Martin, who decided in high school that she wanted to study journalism while on a backpacking trip. “That trip really helped me decide on studying journalism because I loved adventure and the things I was doing, and I wanted to tell people about it—which was so amazing. I thought that the best way to do this was journalism,” she said. “When I was being recruited to play lacrosse, I really wanted to be at a school where I could win a national championship, but also somewhere with amazing academics. That’s why I chose Carolina. Others, like volleyball’s Zoe Behrendt, viewed the journalism program

THE NEXT GENERATION as a way to stay involved with sports. “From a young age, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to be involved in sports,” Behrendt said. “I was always interested in sports and loved talking about sports. I asked myself what I could do to stay involved with sports after playing volleyball. Broadcasting was something that I got into a little more by the time I got to Carolina, and that’s the track I’ve been on since starting classes at Hussman.”

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REAL LIFE TRAINING

Like any student in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, both Behrendt and Martin are taking classes for their desired degree track. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the student athletes’ favorite courses of study also involve sports in some capacity. “My favorite two classes that I’ve taken so far are Sports Communication and Sports Marketing, both with Livis Freeman. He’s great—he’s worked with Jordan, he’s worked with NASCAR, he’s worked with ESPN and Fox Sports,” Behrendt said. “In the Sports Communication class, we worked in groups to create an awareness campaign for the Greenville Yard Gnomes—a brand new Coastal Plain League Baseball Team. At the end of the semester, we got to present our projects to the team, and my group was selected as the best pitch.” “This spring I took his Sports Marketing class, and our client was Carolina NIL. As a student athlete, I interact with Carolina NIL all the time, and then when I went into class, I created a campaign for the client, which was cool because I get to see the best of both worlds,” she continued. “I feel like I’m at an advantage as a student-athlete and being able to have that perspective for my group.” While her long-term aspirations are more on the writing side of journalism than the on-screen side of the camera, Martin’s favorite class is actually a sports broadcast class, held in conjunction with Carolina’s student news broadcast, Carolina Week. “Right now, I’m in a class called Sports Xtra with Charlie Tuggle. It’s pretty much creating your own ESPN. It’s amazing,” she said. “We have full control of what we want to produce, what sports we’re covering and the direction of our storylines. We go to all the games, video, interview, research the teams, and make our own sports packages. That’s my favorite course so far because you turn into a reporter. This is a job. I think that’s why I love that course.” Given her inside track on the program, the redshirt junior defender has covered her fair share of lacrosse for Sports Xtra, but has also covered tennis as well. As part of the course, Martin has had a few of her feature stories go to air on campus television, including pieces on teammates Betty Nelson, Alice Ripper, and the Humphrey sisters.

BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMERA

As student-athletes who are also studying journalism, both Martin and Behrendt admit that their educational pursuits are in the back of their minds while giving postgame interviews following their respective contests.

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“We’ve done a lot of training and interviewing, and I’ve had so much experience with it so far that I know I now know what to say to kind of get the result that I want,” Martin said. “Not that I know exactly what a reporter is going to ask, but more of like, OK, so if I say this line, then maybe he’ll give me a response like this and now it will be perfect for my post-game interview—kind of lining up all the pieces.” “This past fall when I would do post-game interviews, I had already taken MEJO 153, which is Writing and Reporting, which taught us how to interview from the reporter’s perspective. It’s been great to see both sides of an interview,” Behrendt added. “I’ve honestly used that to my advantage to know what I like to be asked in post-game interviews and what I would ask my coach after the game knowing what he said in the locker room or knowing what he’s saying on the court.” However, if you were to flip the interview script and put Behrendt and Martin behind the camera to ask questions, they both were quick to give a few of their dream interview subjects. “My first thought was Kobe Bryant, because I’ve seen a lot of interviews with him, and his mindset, along with the type of player he was, it would be so cool just to pick his brain on so many topics,” Behrendt said. “But then, my mind goes to volleyball, and I would want to go with the best of the best—Madison Skinner, who won three national championships in

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STORYTELLERS

college. She’s the real deal. Seeing what she’s done after college has been amazing, and I would love to know about the different dynamics she’s experienced on different teams, sometimes being the oldest, and now professionally, being the youngest.” Martin’s first choice was slightly more unconventional. “I think Tommy Caldwell would be my dream interview,” Martin said. “He’s an insane rock climber who has done the most incredible peaks and has all these crazy stories. For a more traditional sport, I think interviewing Simone Biles—or any other top female athletes—would be amazing.”

FUTURE ASPIRATIONS

When their time at Carolina comes to a close, both Behrendt and Martin have their sights set on careers in journalism—on different ends of the media. For Martin, who counts professional mountain athlete and author Jimmy Chen as one of her career inspirations, a career covering extreme sports or adventure journalism—with a focus more on writing than video. “The type of journalism that I want to go into is adventure journalism, with more of a focus on extreme sports like skiing, biking, and surfing. Jimmy Chen has done more of the National Geographic-type journalism, but I always follow him with what he’s working on and doing—that’s the direction I want to go after,” she said. “A dream career for me would be working for the X Games. I love everything about them,” she continued. “I’ve watched both the summer and winter games ever since I was younger—I’ve always been a bigger fan of the winter games, but recently, I’ve been getting more into the summer

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sports like surfing.” After spending some time with GoHeels Productions, Behrendt’s long term goals have her sights set on the sidelines and being in front of the camera. “I grew up watching football and my goal would be to eventually make it into maybe the NFL or MLB, one of the national leagues as a sideline reporter,” she said. “I’d love to get my foot in the door in broadcasting, maybe in volleyball, because that’s where a lot of my knowledge lies, and getting the experience and working my way up to a sideline reporter or analyst would be the ultimate goal.” If the sideline reporter role doesn’t work out, Behrendt has additional aspirations in taking after one of her broadcast inspirations, Erin Andrews, and starting a podcast focused on women’s sports. “I think we need more podcasts on the women’s side of sports, and specifically volleyball because it’s gaining popularity,” she said. “I’ve always thought that maybe I could be the one to start that podcast. I know a lot of people in the volleyball world, and I’ve even talked with my coaches about my journalism aspirations, and they suggested starting a podcast. It’d be called ‘The Offseason.’ It’d be casual and conversational with people inside and outside of volleyball.” At Carolina, there is a definite tradition of excellence—whether it’s winning championships on the field or in the newsroom. For studentathletes like Adair Martin and Zoe Behrendt, the drive to succeed extends beyond competition and into the classroom, and it’s clear that their learnings in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media will keep these successes coming for years beyond their time playing lacrosse and volleyball.

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FIRST PERSON

My Carolina Connection

There are a few moments I will never forget from before I attended North Carolina. The first is coming to visit as a recruit and walking into the Smith Center. The history, prestige, and tradition were immediately noticeable. Then I looked on court and saw all the talent of so many great Carolina players past and present. I was picked for a team and told to guard Marvin Williams—it didn’t go well. Thankfully, the coaches still wanted me and said they needed a center from Indiana as the last two championship teams had centers from Indiana. It wasn’t a deciding factor, but the chance to compete for a championship was a huge factor for me. After coming to UNC, I was fortunate enough to be able to get to know both of those big men from Indiana. Sean May was playing professionally, but spent his summers in Chapel Hill training and playing pickup against us every day. He helped me develop into the player that I eventually became. The other was Eric Montross, who was an analyst on the Tar Heel Sports Network (THSN), so I would see him at games. Eric carried himself with such a joy and happiness and an incredible pride in his Tar Heels. I always loved talking to him as we would talk about life and basketball, usually in that order. As our friendship grew over the years, I asked if he enjoyed working with the THSN as an analyst with Jones Angell. He immediately said he loved it, and you could see his joy and pride. You could just see the passion he had for the Heels, which many of you heard on the radio over the years. Eric said that the best part of the job was getting to talk basketball and cheer on the best team in the country. A few years later, Eric asked me to fill in for a few games. I naturally had to say yes. It is so much fun getting to watch our Tar Heels and tell anyone who wants to listen what is happening. It has been fun joining Jones Angell and talking through the Tar Heels’ ups and downs these past two years. The good stretches of beating Duke in 2024, finding a way to string together six wins to sneak into the NCAA tournament this year, or the tough stretches where we continuously fell behind by double digits in the first half of games. I loved every minute of it even if the outcome wasn’t always what we wanted. Eric was right—working for the Tar Heel Sports Network has been an absolute joy, as I get to join the voice of the Tar Heels, Jones Angell, and bring you all the Tar Heel action. Eric was right, as he usually was—there is nothing like talking basketball and getting to be a small part of the university that we all love.

38 B O R N & B R E D

TYLER ZELLER Men’s Basketball

Illustration by Jason McCorkle

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