Nice Final Four by the Tar Heels. North Carolina got their supremely-talented acts together at the start of their national semifinal against Michigan State and rolled over the Spartans. Monday night it was reversed, with Carolina hitting Illinois hard in the first half then holding on to bring another basketball championship back to Blue Heaven. Roy Williams notched his first championship and is to be commended for bringing together a sometimes-contentious team [ie, Rashad McCants] and getting them to perform at a championship level. They can also tip their light blue hats to Virginia Tech.

This marks the third straight year that the conference to which Virginia Tech belongs has won the basketball national championship. Tech�s last two years in the Big East saw titles won by Syracuse and Connecticut. Tech moves to the ACC and look what happens. Coincidence? I don�t think so.

The road to the national championship this year in both football and basketball went through Tech. There was obviously a �Tech Effect� at work. The close call Southern Cal had against the Hokies last August toughened up the Trojans to enable them to sail through the rest of their season: they hardly broke a sweat the rest of the way as they rolled to the MNC. No doubt Carolina will look back to that taut, 34-point victory they eked out over Tech last December in Cassell as the springboard for a really big year. Or maybe they won�t.

There didn�t seem to be many of those Tar Heels turning Franklin Street into Morgantown South Monday night singing Tech�s praises. Roy Williams certainly neglected to mention the contribution of the �Tech Effect� to his team�s success, and none of those Carolina juniors on their cell phones making NBA Draft arrangements took time out to shout at the camera, "Thanks, Tech." At least Matt Leinart was gracious enough to give credit where credit was due. Not so much as a peep of gratitude came from Raymond Felton, the ungrateful wretch.

It would seem obvious that by studiously ignoring the �Tech Effect,� Carolina is still sore about expansion. And after all we�ve done for them. The evidence is pretty clear that to win a major championship this year in anything you had to beat Tech. What would the Heels have done had there been no expansion or Tech not included? Look what happened to Syracuse! Does losing in the first round to Vermont ring a bell? When Tech was in their conference the Orange were finally able to snag that elusive national championship Jim Boeheim could never win when Tech was not in the same league. Tech leaves and look what happens.

UConn was another prime example. While Tech was not in the basketball BE when the Huskies won their first national title under Jim Calhoun, Tech was already on their way in, leading to an early example of the �Tech Effect.� Tech was a member of the BE when the Huskies grabbed their second. Tech left and UConn promptly loses to another ACC team, an example of the transitive properties of the �Tech Effect.� The BE can bray all it wants about how strong its basketball league will be, but the evidence is compelling that they can say "Adios" to any more national championships .

And then there�s football. In 2001 Miami went 12-0, winning the MNC in the Rose Bowl. That was obviously the result of the �Tech Effect.� The next year the Canes went 11-0, but we now know that Donna Shalala was in secret negotiations to head to the ACC without Tech. Look what happened to Miami that year in the Fiesta Bowl. Miami fans might claim the refs stole the game, but we know what happened: the Canes were victim of the �Tech Effect,� the same phenomena that has been punishing Miami football ever since. I certainly hope they have learned their lesson.

This year in football there were two 12-0 teams. The �Tech Effect� was in play in the seasons of both teams, as Auburn beat Tech in the Sugar Bowl. However, only one of the two cancelled a scheduled OOC series with the Hokies, Auburn. Look who got left out of the MNC picture. Obviously the �Tech Effect� got the Tigers.

�Tech Effect� carnage is still being felt by the football Li�l E. Since Tech left, things have not been going so hot for our former conference. The bowl situation of the Li�l E stands as a shining illustration. The Gator Bowl is preparing to ditch the Li�l E, and Gator honchos seem to be going to great lengths to explain the primary reason is that Tech is no longer a member of that league. That is obviously the �Tech Effect� in action. They can also kiss the Tire, or Muffler, or whatever auto part�s name is now hung on the Charlotte bowl good-bye as the �Tech Effect� continues to cause carnage. I bet they are ruing that 1994 decision to shaft Tech now.

Carolina should enjoy its well-earned basketball national championship. It was a magnificent run by a magnificent team. As they continue to celebrate, however, they really should pause to give thanks to what obviously played a major role in its title, as the �Tech Effect� can wreak havoc, perhaps by causing all of their juniors to turn pro. The �Tech Effect� rules.

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