They're Back! The National Champions to-Be, North Carolina Tarheels

The 2008-09 men's basketball season has tipped off. Here's the current AP top 25.

1. North Carolina (72) 7-0 1,800

2. Connecticut 6-0 1,723

3. Pittsburgh 7-0 1,592

4. Duke 7-0 1,526

5. Gonzaga 5-0 1,489

6. Oklahoma 6-0 1,437

7. Notre Dame 5-1 1,359

8. Texas 5-1 1,231

9. Purdue 5-1 1,086

10. Tennessee 5-1 1,016

11. Louisville 2-1 1,003

12. UCLA 4-1 966

13. Michigan State 4-1 946

14. Xavier 6-0 902

15. Wake Forest 6-0 736

16. Syracuse 6-0 668

17. Villanova 6-0 570

18. Memphis 4-1 526

19. Arizona State 5-1 401

20. Georgetown 4-1 388

21. Miami (FL) 4-1 309

22. Davidson 5-1 286

23. Florida 5-1 281

24. Baylor 6-1 272

25. Marquette 5-1 221

Some say rankings are garbage and useless at this time of year. To that, I say "not so fast." At the beginning of the year, how are we the fans supposed to know who's best?

Yes, we could listen to and all believe what Digger Phelps or Dickie V say, but those two can't always be right. The way to find out who's best is by the rankings. Without them, how could ESPN market North Carolina vs. Michigan St., Texas vs. UCLA, or Purdue vs. Duke? How would anyone know what surprise teams could make a run for the Final Four?

The answer is they couldn't. The rankings this year emphasize the best team in college basketball in a few years-North Carolina.

North Carolina is returning all five starters, as did Florida in 06-07. The only differences are that North Carolina has the reigning Naismith winner, Tyler Hansbrough, back. UNC's talent level tops that of Florida's back in 06-07. The coaching advantage, with all due respect to Billy Donovan, belongs to North Carolina.

The Tar Heels have one of the best chances to go undefeated since Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers did it back in 1976. They do face some challenges in the ACC, though. Duke, Clemson, Wake Forest, and others could pose as a challenge to UNC

All three of those teams are undefeated, just like North Carolina. Wake Forest hasn't opened up 6-0 (now 7-0) since a young stud named Chris Paul ran the point. For the other teams in the ACC that aren't going to make the tournament, beating the Tar Heels would be the highlight of their season. Bubble teams could boost themselves into the tourney with an upset, or they could make themselves known by giving the Heels a run for their money.

In the end, it doesn't really matter if North Carolina goes undefeated. All that matters to them is going undefeated in late March and into early April during the NCAA tournament, to be able to cut the net in Detroit, and wear t-shirts proclaiming their national title.

To put their goals into one sentence, the Tar Heels want to begin and end their season at No. 1 in the nation.