From: "Brandon Weaver"
DreamWeaverAtUNC@gmail.net
Sent: February 2, 2002 9:45 PM
To: "Andrew Zarzour"
AZarzour72@earthlink.net
Subject: Spring can't get here soon enough...
Hey Andrew, your old pal Brandon here writing from the hallowed grounds of Chapel Hill, N.C. Well, it's not so hallowed this year as the Tar Heels are having the worst basketball season in like forever. It's a good thing you didn't end up playing hoops here. You would have been miserable. We may not win 10 games. Matt Doherty is falling on his face as a head coach (we lost to Hampton for goodness sakes!), and it appears he's lost a lot of his players.
There are some pretty solid recruits (we hope) coming in next year who can turn this thing around. What do you know about Raymond Felton, Sean May and Rashad McCants?
Well, I guess you're about ready to report to Spring Training down in Fla, eh? Robbie and I are going to try and come down for a few days and watch some games. We'll let you know when we plan to buzz in.
I imagine it will be strange this year not having Mike Piazza around as your catcher. What do you know about that Hippo Pichardo guy? Are you worried about losing a spot in the rotation? How's your shoulder feeling? I told you not to play so much pick-up basketball over at Bunn High during the holidays.
It's good to hear that plans to contract the Expos and Twins are on hold for awhile. How can Major League Baseball actually own a franchise? Isn't there a conflict of interest somewhere? I imagine the 'Spos will be moving at some point since they only opted to lease Olympic Stadium for like another year or so. Rumor in these parts is that a North Carolina ownership group may be interested in trying to land the Montreal franchise should it move. Imagine that - pro baseball in our backyard. Also heard Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia are interested.
As for me, life is pretty good at Carolina and here at The Daily Tar Heel sports desk (minus the Heels' hoops woes of course). I've gotten a pretty good internship for this summer, working for a magazine that covers the Boston Red Sox. It's strange - the magazine itself is based out of Durham, N.C. but all the writers and photogs, etc. work out of Boston. I guess our office edits everything and puts the actual publication together. I'll be doing lots of reading and grunt work, but should be fun to be around the "Bigs." Hopefully they'll let me write something.
Best wishes for the season ahead and keep up the good work. And before I forget, congrats on the big raise. The arbitration hearing was pretty good to you and Josh Hamilton both. I can't believe my fishing buddy and former Little League teammate is really going to be making $2 million plus at age 21. Nice job, my friend. Remember your old poor sports writing friend, OK?
Take care,
Brandon