Chip Alexander
@chipalexander.bsky.social
N&O sports reporter. Heels, Pack, Canes, you name it. I'm usually there. Probably too old to be doing this but doing it anyway. Have covered sports in six decades. Still at it. For now.
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Jaccob Slavin is out with a mysterious knee injury. Pyotr Kochetkov is injured. Nikolaj Ehlers has yet to record a point. Andrei Svechnikov is on the fourth line. Now Shayne Gostisbehere is hurt, too?
And yet the undefeated Hurricanes haven’t missed a beat.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
And yet the undefeated Hurricanes haven’t missed a beat.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Everything’s going wrong for the Hurricanes ... who haven’t missed a beat
Despite key injuries and a few slow starts, the Carolina Hurricanes are 5-0-0, the sign of a deep, talented, mature team.
www.newsobserver.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Jaccob Slavin is out with a mysterious knee injury. Pyotr Kochetkov is injured. Nikolaj Ehlers has yet to record a point. Andrei Svechnikov is on the fourth line. Now Shayne Gostisbehere is hurt, too?
And yet the undefeated Hurricanes haven’t missed a beat.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
And yet the undefeated Hurricanes haven’t missed a beat.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
You can get +2500 on Nikishin to win the Calder at BetMGM, if that is something you might be interested in.
October 17, 2025 at 4:08 AM
You can get +2500 on Nikishin to win the Calder at BetMGM, if that is something you might be interested in.
Reposted by Chip Alexander
October 17, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Chip Alexander
We all know the pluses and minuses of the ACC’s football arrangement with Notre Dame. Does that calculus change now as the ACC moves to nine league games?
Clemson is all-in, with its own annual game with the Irish. But everyone else is 10-49 under the deal.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Clemson is all-in, with its own annual game with the Irish. But everyone else is 10-49 under the deal.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
ACC’s nine-game conference schedule means asking the Notre Dame question — again
Does the ACC’s five-game arrangement still make sense when teams will be playing nine ACC games plus a 10th game against a Power 4 opponent?
www.newsobserver.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We all know the pluses and minuses of the ACC’s football arrangement with Notre Dame. Does that calculus change now as the ACC moves to nine league games?
Clemson is all-in, with its own annual game with the Irish. But everyone else is 10-49 under the deal.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Clemson is all-in, with its own annual game with the Irish. But everyone else is 10-49 under the deal.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Gretzky's Oilers, famously, had the Islanders. The Panthers had the Lightning. Steel sharpens steel. Dethroning a dynasty can beget a new one.
The biggest question facing the Hurricanes this season: Have they learned enough from the Panthers to overtake them?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
The biggest question facing the Hurricanes this season: Have they learned enough from the Panthers to overtake them?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Have the Carolina Hurricanes learned enough from the Panthers to dethrone them?
Steel sharpens steel. Every great team needs another great team to learn from. Are the Hurricanes ready to take the next step?
www.newsobserver.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Gretzky's Oilers, famously, had the Islanders. The Panthers had the Lightning. Steel sharpens steel. Dethroning a dynasty can beget a new one.
The biggest question facing the Hurricanes this season: Have they learned enough from the Panthers to overtake them?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
The biggest question facing the Hurricanes this season: Have they learned enough from the Panthers to overtake them?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Regarding reports the Hurricanes have decided not to sign Michael McLeod … my understanding is the team has reversed course and backed off signing McLeod for now. Could yet change. But as of last night, anyway, no deal is imminent.
October 3, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Regarding reports the Hurricanes have decided not to sign Michael McLeod … my understanding is the team has reversed course and backed off signing McLeod for now. Could yet change. But as of last night, anyway, no deal is imminent.
Reposted by Chip Alexander
At Centennial Authority meeting today, authority approved NC State's request to use its share of naming-rights revenue, about $500,000/yr, to support the basketball program, with restrictions on how the money is spent and a reserve fund.
From May:
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
From May:
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
NC State asks to divert Lenovo Center improvement fund to support basketball
N.C. State is allocated $500,000 a year from the arena’s naming rights to fulfill the school’s requests for building upgrades. The university wants to spend that money on men’s basketball instead.
www.newsobserver.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
At Centennial Authority meeting today, authority approved NC State's request to use its share of naming-rights revenue, about $500,000/yr, to support the basketball program, with restrictions on how the money is spent and a reserve fund.
From May:
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
From May:
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
If the Hurricanes do sign Michael McLeod, it will be because they don’t think fans will, in the end, actually stop coming.
They may be right. But it also feels like they’re playing with fire — and for what? A bottom-six center?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
They may be right. But it also feels like they’re playing with fire — and for what? A bottom-six center?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
The Carolina Hurricanes may sign Michael McLeod, no matter what you think
The Carolina Hurricanes are considering signing a player acquitted of sexual-assault charges (but suspended by the NHL). Fans will have a decision to make.
www.newsobserver.com
September 30, 2025 at 5:52 PM
If the Hurricanes do sign Michael McLeod, it will be because they don’t think fans will, in the end, actually stop coming.
They may be right. But it also feels like they’re playing with fire — and for what? A bottom-six center?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
They may be right. But it also feels like they’re playing with fire — and for what? A bottom-six center?
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Maybe it took a mental reboot — “We kind of hit ctrl-alt-delete,” Manny Diaz said — to get Duke back to where it always thought it should be.
Either way, two rivals that came in going different directions exited going opposite directions.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Either way, two rivals that came in going different directions exited going opposite directions.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Down and out, Duke rediscovers what makes it Duke, and leaves NC State behind
After losing to Illinois and Tulane, Duke was down two scores to N.C. State before running away on either side of halftime for a 45-33 win.
www.newsobserver.com
September 21, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Maybe it took a mental reboot — “We kind of hit ctrl-alt-delete,” Manny Diaz said — to get Duke back to where it always thought it should be.
Either way, two rivals that came in going different directions exited going opposite directions.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Either way, two rivals that came in going different directions exited going opposite directions.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
By Sagarin’s updated predictor, UNC is the fourth-best team in the Sun Belt (and 14th in the ACC, ahead of Cal, Stanford and Wake Forest).
The good news: The Tar Heels would be a clear No. 1 in Conference USA. Which is funny because I wrote this when ECU smoked UNC in Kenan in 2013. Plus ça change.
The good news: The Tar Heels would be a clear No. 1 in Conference USA. Which is funny because I wrote this when ECU smoked UNC in Kenan in 2013. Plus ça change.
September 21, 2025 at 2:13 PM
By Sagarin’s updated predictor, UNC is the fourth-best team in the Sun Belt (and 14th in the ACC, ahead of Cal, Stanford and Wake Forest).
The good news: The Tar Heels would be a clear No. 1 in Conference USA. Which is funny because I wrote this when ECU smoked UNC in Kenan in 2013. Plus ça change.
The good news: The Tar Heels would be a clear No. 1 in Conference USA. Which is funny because I wrote this when ECU smoked UNC in Kenan in 2013. Plus ça change.
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Caught up with Ehlers’ Switzerland-based agent (and teammate of Rod Brind’Amour with Kloten during the 2004-05 lockout) after this initially posted and he had some interesting insights on the process that are in there now.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
September 20, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Caught up with Ehlers’ Switzerland-based agent (and teammate of Rod Brind’Amour with Kloten during the 2004-05 lockout) after this initially posted and he had some interesting insights on the process that are in there now.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Nik Ehlers took his time in July to talk to people and make sure he was going to the right place. After all those conversations, he decided Carolina was where he wanted to be. And he's here now.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
For the Hurricanes and Nik Ehlers, time to find out if the wait was worth it
Unlike most sought-after free agents, Nik Ehlers took three days to decide. Both Ehlers and the Hurricanes are happy with the decision.
www.newsobserver.com
September 19, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Nik Ehlers took his time in July to talk to people and make sure he was going to the right place. After all those conversations, he decided Carolina was where he wanted to be. And he's here now.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
It’s not just the new faces on the ice that’s enthralling on the first day of Hurricanes training camp. It’s also the possibility of even more new faces to come.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Hurricanes’ core starts again, wondering if these new faces are the only ones
Nik Ehlers and K’Andre Miller lead the new arrivals on the first day of training camp, but the Canes have the cap space to make a big move.
www.newsobserver.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:35 AM
It’s not just the new faces on the ice that’s enthralling on the first day of Hurricanes training camp. It’s also the possibility of even more new faces to come.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Bates Battaglia was the Hurricanes’ first fan favorite, before the team even really put down roots here — but Battaglia certainly did.
His career took him away from Raleigh but he never left, and this weekend his bar Lucky B’s celebrates 20 years in business.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
His career took him away from Raleigh but he never left, and this weekend his bar Lucky B’s celebrates 20 years in business.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
The Canes’ first fan favorite, Bates Battaglia’s move to businessman complete
Once famous for his long, flowing hair, former Hurricanes star Bates Battaglia is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his bar Lucky B’s.
www.newsobserver.com
September 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Bates Battaglia was the Hurricanes’ first fan favorite, before the team even really put down roots here — but Battaglia certainly did.
His career took him away from Raleigh but he never left, and this weekend his bar Lucky B’s celebrates 20 years in business.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
His career took him away from Raleigh but he never left, and this weekend his bar Lucky B’s celebrates 20 years in business.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Had a chance to talk with Ben Griffin this morning about making the U.S. Ryder Cup team and the incredible season that put him in position to be a captain’s pick.
What an incredible story the Chapel Hill native and UNC grad has written this summer.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
What an incredible story the Chapel Hill native and UNC grad has written this summer.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
How one phone call changed Ben Griffin’s golf career — and his life — forever
A year ago, the Ryder Cup wasn’t on Ben Griffin’s radar. His exceptional summer put him in a position to represent the U.S. at Bethpage.
www.newsobserver.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Had a chance to talk with Ben Griffin this morning about making the U.S. Ryder Cup team and the incredible season that put him in position to be a captain’s pick.
What an incredible story the Chapel Hill native and UNC grad has written this summer.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
What an incredible story the Chapel Hill native and UNC grad has written this summer.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Three months after he challenged the Hurricanes to do better this offseason, Sebastian Aho returned from Finland excited to see K’Andre Miller and Nik Ehlers.
“We’ll see if we got better, but that’s my point, you’re willing to try and do those things,” Aho said
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
“We’ll see if we got better, but that’s my point, you’re willing to try and do those things,” Aho said
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Canes’ Sebastian Aho left for Finland concerned and returns with new optimism
Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho challenged the front office to have a better offseason. At the end of it, he likes what he sees.
www.newsobserver.com
September 5, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Three months after he challenged the Hurricanes to do better this offseason, Sebastian Aho returned from Finland excited to see K’Andre Miller and Nik Ehlers.
“We’ll see if we got better, but that’s my point, you’re willing to try and do those things,” Aho said
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
“We’ll see if we got better, but that’s my point, you’re willing to try and do those things,” Aho said
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Farewell to a Fish called Muddy, and a crazy dream that rose from tobacco fields in Zebulon to change minor-league baseball forever.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/a...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/a...
Farewell to a fish called Muddy, and a logo that upended minor-league baseball
The Carolina Mudcats are moving to Wilson, but they were once bigger than the Durham Bulls, and they changed sports marketing forever.
www.newsobserver.com
August 24, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Farewell to a Fish called Muddy, and a crazy dream that rose from tobacco fields in Zebulon to change minor-league baseball forever.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/a...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/a...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Florida's Vitek Vanecek pays tribute to late Canes center Josef Vasicek while taking the Stanley Cup to Havlickuv Brod: “I know Josef Vasicek was the first guy to ever bring the Cup to this town and we still have the photo with the Cup and me as a kid in the basement."
www.nhl.com/news/topic/s...
www.nhl.com/news/topic/s...
Vanecek arrives with Stanley Cup on back of truck in Czech Republic | NHL.com
Goalie celebrates with fans, shows off matching tattoos with Nosek
www.nhl.com
August 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Florida's Vitek Vanecek pays tribute to late Canes center Josef Vasicek while taking the Stanley Cup to Havlickuv Brod: “I know Josef Vasicek was the first guy to ever bring the Cup to this town and we still have the photo with the Cup and me as a kid in the basement."
www.nhl.com/news/topic/s...
www.nhl.com/news/topic/s...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Requiem for a basketball dream: For 52 years, any male student at UNC had at least a chance to be a small part of the basketball program by trying out for the JV team. As a new academic year starts Monday, that quaint anachronism has been consigned to history.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
As House settlement spells end for UNC JV basketball, alumni express regret
For the first time in more than 50 years, as classes begin, students at North Carolina won’t have the opportunity to try out for the junior varsity men’s basketball team.
www.newsobserver.com
August 15, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Requiem for a basketball dream: For 52 years, any male student at UNC had at least a chance to be a small part of the basketball program by trying out for the JV team. As a new academic year starts Monday, that quaint anachronism has been consigned to history.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/colle...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
The NHL's Dallas Stars bought up all the ice rinks in the Dallas metro area, in several cases got taxpayer money to build the rinks, and now control ice time for youth hockey, jacking up club fees and forcing leagues to play by their rules. Wild story.
‘They control everything’: How the Dallas Stars monopolized Texas youth hockey
Ice is power in the lucrative world of youth hockey. In North Texas, the Dallas Stars hold almost all of it.
www.usatoday.com
August 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The NHL's Dallas Stars bought up all the ice rinks in the Dallas metro area, in several cases got taxpayer money to build the rinks, and now control ice time for youth hockey, jacking up club fees and forcing leagues to play by their rules. Wild story.
Hurricanes prospect has new high-profile teammate at Penn State, eyes pro ranks
www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/c...
Hurricanes prospect has new high-profile teammate at Penn State, eyes pro ranks
Penn State forward Charlie Cerrato, a second-round draft pick this year, will be joined next season by Canadian phenom Gavin McKenna, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
www.newsobserver.com
July 15, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Hurricanes prospect has new high-profile teammate at Penn State, eyes pro ranks
www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/c...
www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
The Hurricanes woke up on July 1 with oodles of cap space and a fisftul of draft picks worried they might end up with nothing.
Over the next three days, they traded for K'Andre Miller and signed Nikolaj Ehlers ... and still have $10 million in cap space.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Over the next three days, they traded for K'Andre Miller and signed Nikolaj Ehlers ... and still have $10 million in cap space.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Inside the emotional highs and lows as Hurricanes worked to add Miller, Ehlers
The Carolina Hurricanes maneuvered throughout the first days of NHL free agency period before adding two key pieces for next season’s team.
www.newsobserver.com
July 8, 2025 at 3:57 PM
The Hurricanes woke up on July 1 with oodles of cap space and a fisftul of draft picks worried they might end up with nothing.
Over the next three days, they traded for K'Andre Miller and signed Nikolaj Ehlers ... and still have $10 million in cap space.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Over the next three days, they traded for K'Andre Miller and signed Nikolaj Ehlers ... and still have $10 million in cap space.
www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
Twenty years ago, the future pope attended Game 1 of the World Series in Chicago. A television camera caught him, by chance or by fate, for about three seconds in the ninth inning.
A story about what lingers from that moment, and night, two decades later: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/11/c...
A story about what lingers from that moment, and night, two decades later: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/11/c...
Divine revelations: Pope Leo XIV’s attendance at 2005 World Series leaves champion White Sox with an immaculate legacy
As the Chicago White Sox honor Pope Leo XIV with an outdoor Mass on Saturday, his 2005 World Series seat has become a pilgrimage site for the faithful.
www.chicagotribune.com
June 11, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Twenty years ago, the future pope attended Game 1 of the World Series in Chicago. A television camera caught him, by chance or by fate, for about three seconds in the ninth inning.
A story about what lingers from that moment, and night, two decades later: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/11/c...
A story about what lingers from that moment, and night, two decades later: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/11/c...
Reposted by Chip Alexander
On this day in 1988, the Blues selected Rod Brind'Amour ninth overall at the NHL Entry Draft
June 11, 2025 at 3:42 PM
On this day in 1988, the Blues selected Rod Brind'Amour ninth overall at the NHL Entry Draft