Brownlow's Twitter Mailbag: Franchise envy, underrated ACC teams, Canes Twitter and more

By Lauren Brownlow, WRALSportsFan contributor

Another week, another Mailbag. This week, some of you are in your feelings about watching the Carolina Hurricanes succeed as all other professional franchises in this state faceplant. Understandable. So we'll get into that, plus underrated ACC football teams, a possible Big Four Tournament and the fabulous Carolina Hurricanes Twitter account.

So let's get right into the questions!

You'll just have to do what Panthers' fans have always had to do: pretend Raleigh and Charlotte are basically the same thing and adopt the Hurricanes. Sorry, those are the rules. It's so funny because as a kid, I never had a huge attachment to either Raleigh or Charlotte growing up in Greensboro. I definitely spent more TIME in Charlotte, but I didn't really care and I didn't feel like either was any more or less my home. Now that I live in Raleigh, I feel like Charlotte and Raleigh might as well be in different states sometimes. But the Panthers have always felt like mine, even though they weren't in my city. I've never understood feeling otherwise.

It's one thing if Charlotte people aren't really feeling hockey much and don't care about the Hurricanes. But if it's because of geography? Get out of here. You guys are more than capable of caring about the Hurricanes instead of pretending they don't exist. You know what? I like the Hurricanes and want them to be successful. I also like the Hornets and the Panthers and wish they could stop it. But they are who they are and we either love them in spite of it or we leave them.

I get that it's a bit painful to see a professional franchise in this state nailing it while the other franchises flounder. But you know what? At least we have one that can handle its business. And besides, the Canes were not always like this. If you'd told me 10 years ago that this would be a franchise that would make the Playoffs five years in a row? Well, I might have laughed. I definitely would have laughed. So things can turn around quickly. But just enjoy the franchise that's doing well and don't let it detract from the bad ones. That's what the bad ones would want you to do because they don't want nice things for you.

Hard to know who's underrated because there hasn't been a top 25 or widespread ACC picks. But I did see some early ACC win total over/unders and so the team that's underrated — just like every other year — is going to be Wake Forest, slated at 5.5. Yes, there's no more Sam Hartman. Sure, Wake lost a lot on offense. But Wake's offense has been fine every other year under Dave Clawson in spite of that, Mitch Griffis has been really good and maybe the defense won't be great, but the offense can win them some games. If Wake goes undefeated in its early non-conference slate — which is doable — its Coastal slate includes Pitt, Georgia Tech and Duke, and do we really think Wake can't find another win or two if it doesn't win all three of those (which it might not)? Count against Dave Clawson at your own risk, but I'm not going to do it.

This is a great idea, but frankly, they could play all wearing a version of NC State's unitards and I would be thrilled. I'd just be happy to see the Big Four get a showcase. Also, do schools even have ... P.E. uniforms anymore? I guess maybe they'd have to but I could also see them ... not having to? I googled it and just got shirts that read "UNC Physical Education", but you can buy a shirt in student stores for any UNC department.

I'd want to do it if the fans could vote on the uniforms they'd wear. UNC would wear its classic argyle, Wake Forest would wear its late 1990s uniforms, NC State would wear its "STATE" unis and Duke would wear Duke blue with the block "DUKE" lettering. I guess I am dominating the fan vote here but that's what I would want.

I'll answer the first question first: the top moments of the NFL schedule release.

1. When it was over
2. When it was over
3. When it was over

I'm just not big on schedule releases. And the NFL already takes itself seriously enough without me having to foam at the mouth for a release of a list of dates and times.

As for the Canes' social media team? They're top-notch and you'll never hear a bad word from me about them. And what's a little trolling between friends, right? I think all of our New Jersey friends who have moved to this area would feel more at home that way anyway. The Canes were actually being WELCOMING and HOSPITABLE.

The way to troll team accounts during a series is playfully, with puns, and never hit below the belt. Jab back and forth playfully and never let it get personal or offensive. The Canes did that well before and they'll do it again in the Eastern Conference Finals. I'm sure we'll see some Florida Man jokes.