I don't usually write blogs about people not part of the ACS family but as a native Tarheel, both by blood and choice, I felt it would be proper to mention the passing of Coach Dean Smith. First, while his politics were far more liberal than mine, he was a man of faith who set an example of how coaching at the college level should be done. His graduation rates were far more important to him than wins or losses and his love for his players from the best to the least talented has been well documented for years. Let me give some personal remembrances of this man who meant so much to Carolina fans and college basketball as a whole.
I started following Carolina basketball when I was about 12-13 years old. I went through the ups and downs of watching Coach Smith's teams make it to seven final fours before what has become known as, "The Shot" by Michael Jordan in the 1982 NCAA Championship game, took the monkey of Coach Smith's back. I am not ashamed to admit that, though I was 28 years old when that happened, I broke down in tears when that final buzzer sounded. I was in my dorm supervisor's apartment in 1974 watching the night that Coach Smith's team pulled off the greatest comeback in college basketball history by scoring 8 points in 17 seconds to beat Duke in overtime. And that was PRE-three point shot days. (Sorry Duke fans, had to bring that up!) No one knew how to work the clock better than Coach Dean Smith
Coach Smith had ways that irritated some people. His nasal twang was imitated in humor. The way he worked officials and seemed to have them under intimidation infuriated opposing coaches and fans. His most famous innovation, the Four Corners delay game created so much angst that the shot clock that was added to college basketball rules in the 1984-85 season became known as the Dean Smith rule. Through it all, though, Coach Smith was always a humble gentleman who treated people with the highest dignity no matter what walk of life they came from. He incurred the wrath of many when he made Charlie Scott the first black scholarship athlete in UNC history but he didn't care. It was the the right thing to do.
As a high school basketball player I scraped together enough money one summer to attend the Dean Smith basketball camp. Unlike other camps I'd been to, the head coach was present every day, all day. Coach Smith walked around and watched drills, ran some himself, watched the games and complimented players on good passes and unselfish play far more than for great shots or acrobatic dunks. He took time to address the campers about the importance of academics, integrity, honesty and gratitude. I was in Carmichael Auditorium the night UNC fans erupted in a profane cheer of disagreement with the call of an official and Coach Smith walked over, took the microphone from the PA guy and scolded the crowd saying, "We don't do that here at Carolina." The place erupted in cheers!
I met Coach Smith on two occasions and each time he was the epitome of grace and kindness. The last time I saw him was at the UNC Basketball Museum not long after it opened. As always, he was willing to stop and chat with a guy who had idolized him as a young coach and still sees him as the greatest basketball mind of all time. He won 879 games, most of which came during the days when college teams only played 26-27 total games a season, not the 40-44 they play now.
There is a touch of sadness in my heart today. For 30 years of my life Carolina basketball WAS Coach Dean Smith. I feel much the same way I did when Ronald Reagan passed in 2004. I was privileged to live during the era of a great president and a great basketball coach. The likes of these two men will probably never be seen again.
No comments:
Post a Comment