When Timo Makkonen played, UNC was smokin'
Posted Mar 11, 2010
Back when smoking was allowed in sports arenas, coach Red Auerbach signaled to Boston Celtics fans late in a game that a victory was in hand by smoking a cigar. At North Carolina in the early '80s, coach Dean Smith had his version of a victory cigar. About the time the pep band began playing the victory song during games in the 1982, 1983 and 1984 seasons, Smith sent Timo Makkonen, a 6-foot-10 center from Finland, onto the Carmichael Auditorium court.
(Charlotte Observer)
Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting
Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Predictions for UNC Basketball's Top 8 in the RotationThe UNC Basketball roster is set, but who cracks Coach Michael Malone’s 8-man rotation? Terrence Brown’s scoring mentality and leadership headline a roster stacked with...
Thu Aug 27, 2026Court Ruling Makes UNC Center Cameron Fens Ineligible, For Now
Amid endless court appeals and injunctions within college athletics, a new ruling Wednesday is directly impacting UNC Basketball. The Tennessee Court of Appeals issued an...
Wed Aug 26, 2026
Video: IC Podcast - UNC Athletes and the NCAA's Five-for-Five Conundrum
Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley of Inside Carolina discuss the NCAA's messy failure to take the simple step of grandfathering in the 2022 class to...
Wed Aug 26, 2026
Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Isaiah Denis Set to Shine for UNC Basketball
UNC Basketball looks to sophomore guard Isaiah Denis for a breakout season as the Tar Heels revamp their backcourt. Isaac Schade and Jonathan Adams spotlight...
Wed Aug 26, 2026