John M. Setzler, Jr. Life in Black and White

Open Letter to Tyler Hansbrough

Dear Tyler,

Congratulations on your efforts and those of the Tar Heels basketball team in this year's NCAA Championship win.  Watching you progress with this team from your freshman year forward has been truly inspirational.  The level of play and leadership that you have provided at the University of North Carolina has been outstanding, and I was excited when I found out that you were coming back for your senior year and another stab at the national championship.  I'm confident that the championship would not have materialized without your efforts.

I was also quite excited when I found out that you were going to be in Hickory, North Carolina on the Carolina Barnstorming Tour two days after the championship game.  As a photo stringer for the local newspaper, I hoped that I would get to meet you.  I was very excited when I found out that I would have this opportunity on Wednesday.  During the autograph session prior to the game, I quickly noticed that 90+ percent of the people seeking autographs were in your line rather than the other players who were in attendance with you.  That speaks a lot about your popularity.  In simple terms, people love you, and that's a great attribute to have.  At this point in your career, your fans are just as important as your ability to put the ball through the hoop. 

If I was in your shoes and had just led my team to a win in the NCAA championship, I can only imagine how difficult it would be to do this Carolina Barnstorming Tour.  I'm sure there would be a million other places I would rather be.  I'm sure you have final exams looming on the not-so-distant horizon as well.  The pressure must be insane.  The ability to handle pressure like that is also a great attribute to have, and it's one I think you need to work on just a little bit harder.

It was obvious to me that you did not want to be in Hickory on Wednesday night.  Since I noticed it, I'm sure that lots of other people did as well.  Your attitude and demeanor during the autograph session with YOUR fans was truly pathetic.  I didn't see you make decent eye contact or crack a smile with any of the fans you encountered during the autograph session.  Your fan's questions and comments about your greatness seemed to fall on deaf ears.  Your occasional one-word responses to your fans who were eager to meet you will likely be remembered for a long time, and that's unfortunate.  When people watch you on TV and on the court for four years and build a larger-than-life image of you in their mind's eye, it's your job to maintain that opinion when you meet one of them face to face. 

When you go to the NBA, the buckets and rebounds are just part of the larger picture.  You are going to be a brand name in a lot of households and your name will be found on lots of merchandise in the sports shops around the world.  You need to sell the Tyler Hansbrough name to every single person you meet and at every opportunity.

On the court during the game on Wednesday night, I overheard you tossing some choice and angry words at some of the high school players.  I'm not sure if one of them said something ugly to you or not, but I suppose it was possible.  At any rate, your negative attitude about this event shone through once more.  I just hope that you can sort this out sooner rather than later.  If I may give you some advice, I would suggest that you pay close attention to Danny Green, Bobby Frasor, Greg Paulus, and David McClure during this Barnstorming Tour.  Those guys were all GREAT with the fans and media during this event.  They also seemed to enjoy being there, even though they may have shared the same feelings you had.  They just didn't show a negative attitude on the outside around their fans.  They each had their share of fun 'smack-talk' on the court during the game with the high school players, and they looked like they were having a good time.  They left lasting GOOD impressions on the people they encountered on Wednesday.  I hope that you can do the same in the future.

John M. Setzler, Jr.
Hickory, North Carolina