Interviewing Danica Patrick was an exciting career moment for me last summer. However, it wasn’t as fun as interviewing this icon out of NASCAR country: the fake Roy Williams Twitter account. Yes, former Kansas Jayhawks and current North Carolina Tar Heels coach Roy Williams has the funniest sports figure parody Twitter account you’ll ever see in @Roy Williams Twitter account There’s a reason he has over 13,000 followers and he’s sold plenty of t-shirts.
You don’t have to be a Tar Heels fan to appreciate Daggum Roy; he’s a must-follow this March madness. He knows all college basketball.
In 2010, when the Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, I asked the real Roy Williams a question at the post game press conference and got a Daggum Roy response. I asked about Harrison Barnes, and the defense Illinois played on him. This set Roy Williams off on an anti-ESPN tirade in which he (intentionally? unintentionally?) mixed metaphors, used the word “balls,” and gave me a “Repeat the dang gum question.”
I made a joke about how I don’t work for ESPN in the midst of it, and the jam-packed Assembly Hall press room seemed to really enjoy this whole exchange. Every newspaper in the Carolinas picked up on this and the Charlotte Observer changed the word “balls” to “gumption.” Yes, I found that wrong and unintentionally funny as well.
But enough about Roy Williams, let’s talk to Daggum Roy. (EDITOR’S NOTE: this interview was published last year. We are re-running it today in honor of Selection Sunday)
Greetings, and thank you for taking the time to do this
Well, I got some datgum time now, don’t I? … Flippin’ McArdoo.
I’m sure you already know, but the Kansas-North Carolina game or “Roy Williams Invitational” was the highest rated contest of the tournament’s opening weekend. It was also the big dance’s highest rated first weekend since 1993. How do you explain your immense popularity?
As a coaches, we’re certain’la not tryin’ to win no poplarness contests. But I believe it’s that dadbern plaid jacket. Alexandra Julian. You kiddin? Hot dern! The ladies love ‘at. Plus, folks wanna see if Self’s piece gonna come off. I get that.
Do you think the Jayhawks can win it all? What about presumptive tourney favorites?
I don’t bet them horses. You ever seen a pony in a Casina? Uh-uh. But I’d say Kainsas has a shot. That Crean’s crazier ‘an a shithouse Pepsa. I’d say Pitina.
Actually I haven’t, sadly. For those readers who don’t know, tell us about “colars”
Who don’t know bout Co-Colar? Them Russians?
HAHAHAHA. For someone who plays so few minutes, you tweet about Hubert a lot. What’s up with this kid?
Not that young ‘un Hubert. Hubert, uh … what is er, Marcus? … yeah, Davis. Huberts Davis. Used to work for the ESPNs. Now fetches ma Colar’s.
My mistake. Why is Duke, or as your fans like to spell it “Dook,” so hated? Grantland.com had a tournament of most hated college basketball players, and the Blue Devils had their own region.
What’s to like? Woja? Bobba Hurla? JJ Redicks? Cotdamn. And all them daggern Plumla’s. No thank y’uns.
Good point. You have such a large, diverse following- from Yale antiquities scholars to teamsters. What makes North Carolina basketball so unifying?
What the crap’s “antiquita’s”?
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also a frequent analyst on multiple news talk radio stations. The former NBC Chicago and Washington Times contributor has also been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows The Sports Bank on Twitter (@paulmbanks) you should too