Roy Williams was anything but inconspicuous at last night's still-wrapping-the-dome-around-it National Title game. As if his halftime interview wasn't exposure enough, there he is, front and center, with a black turtleneck, glasses, and what appeared to be a Kansas Jayhawk sticker. Was that a sticker? It might just have been the design of the shirt. That was hard to figure out.

Questions about the apparel aside -- because really, who wears a sticker when they can buy a long-sleeve tee from the gift shop? -- Williams' show of support sparked a couple of quick Gchat conversations, which both went a little something like this:

Them: Whoa. Roy with the Jayhawk there. Not cool.
Me: Really? Why is that not cool?
Them: Because he just lost to Kansas. I doubt North Carolina fans will appreciate that much.
Me: Yeah, but he coached there for a gazillion years. Of course he's going to root for them.
Them: I wouldn't do it, is all I'm saying.
Me: Whatever. No one cares what you think, because you're not even a real person. You're an amalgamation of two or three people, paraphrased with swears removed.
Them: Now you're stealing from Chuck Klosterman. Hack.
Me: Go away.

After spending some time debating it again this morning, I'm still not sure I understand any supposed anger. Let me rephrase that: I do understand that it exists, and understand why. But I don't think it should.

Of course North Carolina fans have a right to be a little tweaked at seeing Williams, only two days after being blown out by Kansas, supporting Kansas, but can the majority of those fans not level with the gesture? For 15 years, the man patrolled the sidelines in Lawrence. He no doubt developed deep professional, emotional, and maybe even physical (perhaps there's a Jayhawk tattoo on Roy's upper thigh?) connections that only a few things in our lives ever warrant. There are comparisons here. If you go to undergrad at Michigan, and then graduate school at, say, Indiana -- and boy, your GPA must really have sucked -- do you suddenly ignore your ties to Michigan? You might root for the Hoosiers, or you might not, but I'm betting you at least keep some of your Michigan gear around the house. Now imagine if you worked at Michigan for 15 years, rather than four. See what I mean?

It doesn't make Roy Williams any less dedicated to his profession or to his current position to root for his former team. It doesn't make UNC's loss on Saturday any easier for their fans, I'd imagine ... but it certainly shouldn't make it harder. When Roy Williams took the North Carolina job, he didn't stop being Roy Williams, former Kansas coach. It's who he is. It's the sticker he wears. If, in fact, that was a sticker. Still not too sure on that.

Related: Peculiarity, Big 12 Basketball, ACC Basketball, The Big Dance