There are few remaining quaint destinations in the U.S. that haven't been overly exploited for what they have to offer. From the southern charm of Savannah to the natural beauty of the Wisconsin Dells area, there is a certain tourist element that has pervaded every corner of the country, from coast to coast. Fortunately, there are still places to visit that aren't highly popular tourist destinations yet still offer a glimpse of life enjoyed at a different pace. One of them is Wilmington, North Carolina.
Though a modern small city by any definition, Wilmington has the past coursing through its streets and on display in the architecture prevalent in the historic preservation district. Long a sea port from as far back as the late 18th century, its wind swept hills and proximity to the cape fear river have provided equal measures of importance and isolation.
Outside of its historical feel and significance, Wilmington is known locally for two things: golf and some of the best seafood to be found on the eastern seaboard. Picturesque and serene grasslands have been developed into multiple championship level golf courses, each with its own challenges. For those who appreciate the palate pleasing enticement of freshly caught fare from the Atlantic, there are several seafood restaurants in Wilmington that would eclipse the best offerings of most major cities.
If deep sea fishing or cruising are of interest to you, there are several day cruises and charters available that offer incredible views of the shoreline as well as the opportunity to reel in a big one. Wilmington's beaches are pristine, and though a small summer tourist season that seems to be growing year after year may keep you from enjoying complete privacy, there's plenty of sand and surf to be enjoyed. Unlike the crowded sunbathing spots of other east coast destinations that would leave one hard pressed to find a place to lay a blanket, you can relax with room to spare on Wilmington's sandy shores.
So the next time you decide to get away for a while but don't want to experience the hassle or expense of traveling overseas, give Wilmington, North Carolina a try. But remember, if you fall in love with it's charm and beauty, it might be a good idea to keep it to yourself.
For the first time in the history of the NCAA National Basketball Tournament, all four No. 1 seeded teams made it safely through the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 brackets to the Final 4'UCLA, Memphis, North Carolina and Kansas. Three #1 seeds have advanced to the Final 4 only three times in NCAA history, most recently in 1999.
West Regional Champion UCLA (35-3) meets South Regional Champion Memphis (37-1), and East Regional Champion North Carolina (36-2) faces off against Midwest Regional Champion Kansas (35-3) Saturday (4-5-08) with the winners playing Monday night in the national championship game.
The entire Sweet 16 and Elite 8 action reminded me a whole lot of the run-up to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. There are always a lot of common meals before the magnificent Thanksgiving feast.
I could have fallen asleep during 9 actual blowouts and a somewhat close Xavier-West Virginia game that only seemed close because it ended in overtime with Xavier taking down West Virginia, 79-75.
The only two marquee games involved upstart Davidson with "please shoot the lights out" Stephen Curry, who scored 33 points as the unsung #10 seed embarrassed the hell out of #3 seed Wisconsin's famous lock-down defense.
Davidson then came within a inch or two of sending Kansas back home as the #1 seed Jayhawks were just able to hang on for dear life, barely advancing to the Final 4 with a 59-57 victory when stealth shooter Stephen Curry drained another 3-pointer with 54 seconds left. It would be the last basket of the game, which proved to be the most exciting game of dozen played.
Curry, who became only the 4th player to hit the 30-point mark in his first 3 NCAA tourney games, finished with 25 on 9-of-25 shooting. He was picked as the Most Outstanding Player in the Midwest Regional.
As a sophomore, he nailed 160 3-pointers this season to set an NCAA Division I record. He will return to Davidson for his junior year, wisely not choosing to go pro without more seasoning, Curry was an 89% free throw shooter this year and shot 44% from 3-point land.
Many fans had no idea there was a Davidson before the tournament. Davidson was not exactly overwhelmed with national publicity and exposure before March Madness began. Davidson is so small there are very few fans who could tell you it is located in Davidson, North Carolina. The liberal arts school, which has only 1,770 students, could not even fill a scant part of the student section at UCLA.
The loss snapped Davidson's 25-game winning streak, the longest in the nation. The Wildcats were nothing short of amazing during their run, upsetting the likes of Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin before running into Kansas.
Davidson won the South Division of the Southern Conference with a perfect 20-0 record and finished the season with a 29-7 mark. The Wildcats are coached by Bob McKillop, who deserved to be in the spotlight after 19 seasons at Davidson. Until this season, Davidson has not won an NCAA tournament game in 39 years!
Davidson's mighty run to greatness will be talked about for years in Davidson and every nook and cranny in North Carolina, a state obsessed with basketball after basking in the immense success of Duke and North Carolina over the years.
2008 NCAA Tournament Results for Round 3 - The Sweet 16
Midwest Regional:
#1 Kansas eliminated #12 Villanova 72-57 and #3 Wisconsin was upset by #10 Davidson 73-56
West Regional:
#1 UCLA eliminated #12 Western Kentucky 88-78 and #3 Xavier eliminated #7 West Virginia 79-75 in OT
East Regional:
#1 North Carolina eliminated #4 Washington State 68-47 and #3 Louisville eliminated #2 Tennessee 79-60
South Regional:
#1 Memphis eliminated #5 Michigan State 92-74 and #2 Texas eliminated #3 Stanford 82-62
2008 NCAA Tournament Results for Round 4 - The Elite 8
Midwest Regional:
#1 Kansas eliminated #10 Davidson 59-57
West Regional:
#1 UCLA eliminated #3 Xavier 76-57
East Regional:
#1 North Carolina eliminated #3 Louisville 83-73
South Regional:
#1 Memphis eliminated #2 Texas 85-67
2008 NCAA Tournament Pairings for Round 5 - The Final 4
Saturday, April 5
#1 West Regional Champion UCLA (35-3) against #1 South Regional Champion Memphis (37-1)
#1 East Regional Champion North Carolina (36-2) against #1 Midwest Champion Kansas (35-3)
Monday, April 7
Winners meet in the 2008 NCAA National Championship Game
Both Kingston J. Amadan & Ed Bagley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.