Where North Carolina Viewed Among Blue Blood Programs

•  "There are two programs in college basketball that are still operating as traditional blue bloods," Rothstein began. "It's UConn and Duke, it's Duke and UConn, and that is reiterated when you really dissect the rosters of the other blue blood programs in college basketball. So, I [want to] take a close look right now at three of them, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina."

• "As of today, in the Rothstein 45, which I update every single day based on if there's any roster changes in college basketball, Kentucky's ranked 40th, Kansas is ranked 30th, and North Carolina's ranked 26th," Rothstein continued. "Of those three rosters right now, Carolina has the best roster."

Is This Assessment Correct?

Unfortunately, what Rothstein said is spot on. The Tar Heels have simply not been good enough in the biggest moments late in the season, resulting in early exits in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments. North Carolina's expectations have dwindled to just making it out of the first weekend, and that should not even be a thought.

The Tar Heels have fallen down the totem poll, in terms of discussing blue bloods. North Carolina has little to show for itself over the last half-decade, and to make matters worse, Duke has firmly established itself as a perennial national title contender. The coaching gap between Jon Scheyer and Hubert Davis has been apparent during this stretch, which is why the Tar Heels' recent coaching hire provides hope for their fans.

Not only should Michael Malone elevate the program's on-court performance, but he should revive a winning culture. North Carolina's coaching situation has been mocked the last few years, and rightfully so. Davis was outmatched by several coaches in his own conference, and his inability to challenge opponents was apparent. With Malone at the helm, the Tar Heels could re-establish themselves as a formidable blue blood in the near future.