I don't hear many people discuss Dean Smith anymore. Coach Smith retired 11 years ago, and I still remember the reactions regarding his retirement. A wife of a friend of mine called me and said "My hubby is crying uncontrollably about Dean's decision. My hubby is also drunk!". The next day, when my friend was sober, I talked to him about the path of our program. We both agreed that in the short term UNC would be fine, but over the next 5 years there would be problems. The problems really lasted 7 years.
Coach Gut did an incredible job on keeping the program together, so well that he was in a position to win the National Championship in two of his three years. Unfortunately, recruiting was down, with only one good player, Joe Forte, that was succesfully recruited.
Enter Matt Doherty. If there was ever a man to be hired for the wrong position, Matt was the man. Not to insult Doherty, but he was not in a good position to start out with. He had good talent his first year, and he really had the Heels overachieving for about 2/3's of the season. On the same day that Dale Earnhardt died (I was a big Earnhardt fan), Carolina lost to lowly Clemson. That game was the official beginning of the end for Doherty. Doherty's style rubbed the players wrong, and his motivational talents had not yet developed. No doubt Doherty is a solid coach, but he was simply the wrong coach at the wrong time.
After the Doherty regime, here comes coach Roy. If there was ever a coach that resembled Coach Smith, it is Roy Williams. The differences are small (Coach Smith would drink Scotch and smoke, while Williams did neither. Coach Roy will use profanity, which is not in Coach Smith's vocabulary). Coach Williams inherited a team with emotional issues, and they did struggle in 2004. But who can forget 2005? Coach Williams won with the players that Doherty recruited.
Coach Smith, I want to thank you for everything you did for Carolina in your 36 years as head coach. Even while you were an assistant coach under Frank McGuire, you always believed that the program should be managed the right way. I really appreciated the fact that you never said one bad comment about Doherty, who you coached 4 years and who I'm sure still love. You have been loyal to our program for many moons, and for that, I say simply "Thank You".
After Doherty left the program.
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1 comment:
Amen. Coach Smith has something that most other coaches do not: CLASS.
He is the same person on the court as off the court - he treats people like people, not like fans. He swims in humility and wants no credit for anything - he gives all that to his players and coaches.
I believe that God made only one Dean Smith, and it will be a very sad day when he goes.
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