by Lee Pace
It was one-against-four in the lengthening and nippy shadows at midfield of Lane Stadium Saturday, Shakeel Rashad representing the Tar Heels and four captains for Virginia Tech convening for the coin toss before overtime of Coastal Armageddon—the Tar Heels playing for their first conference title in 35 years and Virginia Tech for a Hollywood-scripted send-off for coach Frank Beamer. Rashad’s white uniform was splotched with grass, dirt and sweat, his bare arms bruised and scratched, him standing there against four Hokies clad in black from head-to-toe offering the perfect metaphor for the week and the proceedings of the previous three hours.