While they are divided by fan base, two of the best-known sportscasters in the state came together at the Hilton Garden to talk about their college’s upcoming seasons.

“I don’t think I’ve ever spoken in a room with Tar Heel supporters and Wolfpack supporters,” said Gary Hahn, voice of the North Carolina State University Radio Network, at an event sponsored by First Media Radio this afternoon. “There are too many people going off the deep end on this.”

Hahn said Wolfpack fans are feeling high about the upcoming football season, coming off a season that saw a bowl victory. There is also energy from the school’s athletic director, Debbie Yow. “She plans on renovating Reynolds Coliseum and having a North Carolina State University hall of fame.”

Fans, Hahn said, are excited about the football season. “It’s the most experienced team, whether it will be the best we don’t know.”

Angell signs a poster.

There is also excitement that is feeding off the Wolfpack’s success in basketball this past season. “They’ve got three McDonald’s All-Americans coming in,” he said, adding the team is currently playing a series of exhibition games in Spain.

Angell became the new voice of the Tar Heels following the retirement of longtime University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill broadcaster Woody Durham last year. “A 6-year-old girls T-ball game was the first thing I had ever done on radio,” he joked, before getting into the more serious issue of sanctions levied on the football program by the NCCA for several violations including academic fraud and impermissible benefits.

With a new coach and new athletic director, Angell said, “That chapter is closed.”

Off the field, he said, “I think we’ve done all the right things and have hammered home accountability.”

The Tar Heels, who cannot play in any bowl games or the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, began practice Friday.

Hahn and Angell pose with Bert Hines, who has a Saturday moirning sports talk show on AM 1230.

The basketball outlook is better, he said. “I wish (Kendall) Marshall hadn’t broken his wrist. It was a tough situation and a difficult pill for Carolina to swallow.”

The recruit prospects look bright, he said, especially with Joel James. “(Tyler) Zeller said he has never been hit as hard in the paint. It feels like there’s something special.”

Fielding questions from rrspin.com on recent Roanoke Rapids picks the school has made, Angell said of Kareem Martin, “Kareem’s going to be a big part,” of the program this year.

Asked what they felt about many listeners who turn the TV volume down and the radio up at game time, Angell said, “Carolina has a very devoted fan base.”

Angell talks about the Tar Heels.

He said he did the same thing as a child when Durham was on the radio. “It’s an honor for me. The best part is being a part of it and getting an opportunity to do that.”

Hahn said there are deeper reasons for fans doing this. One of the reasons is the homework the broadcast team does before a game. “We try to give them something TV is not going to give them.”

While satellite makes this difficult, Hahn said inexpensive technology is being developed to better deal with the delay. “In the old days it was about half a second.”

He said, however, many will sacrifice the delay. “We’ve got people more in touch with the game.”