RIP Dean Smith

[4Corners]

Sad way to die. But he was a lying cheat of a coach. RIP

 

You talking about Dean or Jimmy V?

[KillerKat]

RIP Dean! He's a big reason why I became a UNC fan as a kid and I loved watching them play when he was coaching. BTW, I found this little stat while looking through some pictures:

[kungfoodude]

I certainly respect the man, but I'm not really sure how he "advanced the game." Hell, with the 4 corners he tried to make it unwatchable

Partially led to the shot clock being instituted in college basketball. Sort of an indirect result but legit, I suppose. He was also instrumental in bringing Charlie Scott into UNC.

[MHS831]

This is not about comparing Dean Smith to other coaches. Teaching kids to throw a ball through a hoop is, in itself, miniscule compared to what Smith did.  Dean Smith was a promoter of civil rights, an innovator, and a father figure to his players.  His players were not just pawns to help him earn rings and hang banners, which might be why there aren't more in Chapel Hill. He never sold out to win games.  He was about teaching life through the bonds of basketball--basketball was never meant to become life.  While on the biggest stage, he was clean, ethical, and successful.  You never heard F bombs coming out of his mouth, you never read about NCAA investigations.  Have you ever heard a former player speak of him without praise?  Smith was what fathers, coaches, humanitarians, and visionaries all aspire to be.  So before you compare him to some slimeball looking for loopholes in rules to win games with illiterate players from streets where blacktops and drugs are how they pass the time, listen to his players.  Worthy, Jordan, O'Koren, Daughtry, Scott, Cunningham, etc.  etc, etc., They are all articulate people who thrived after basketball because he recruited well-rounded, academic kids.  And he won with them.  Which is why we were so proud of our state's team.  They were clean cut, polished people who represented UNC with class during interviews and off the court activities.  How many of his players were arrested?  How many did he have to kick off the team?  Smith won the way winning should be accomplished, and very sadly, we will probably never see a coach of his character, class, and consistency again.  Smith wanted to win the conference title every year--that was his goal.  Now, our gluttony for winning has led to creative scheduling, more creative recruiting, and even more creative rule-bending.  Players use the school to promote themselves for the NBA where high dollar figures and self-promotion have deteriorated the purity of the game.  Most players stayed with Dean Smith for all four years because they valued what he offered more than money.  In the end, they were the wise ones, because what they were given can never be replaced.  Dean Smith only leaves behind memories and a rapidly fading Carolina blue print of what college basketball was meant to be.

So if you measure the man by his banners, there are those who surpass him.  There are coaches with more wins as well, but there is only one who embodies so much of what a human should be, and that person died last night.

[rmoneyg35]

He was a good coach and really put UNC on the map. I'm a duke fan but I still respect him.

[Peppers90 NC]

Typical post from Wolfpack trash. Can't let the inferiority complex go, can you?

There isn't a more classless alum in the entire south.

[4Corners]

I certainly respect the man, but I'm not really sure how he "advanced the game." Hell, with the 4 corners he tried to make it unwatchable

 

Your profile says you are 20 years old. Frankly, your opinion of him is irrelevant and I don't expect you to be able to process or comprehend what he did for basketball, UNC, the state, or the young men who were fortunate to have him in their lives. 

 

"advancing the game" to a person like you probably consists of "dope" color schemes on the new Lebron's. 

[4Corners]

This is not about comparing Dean Smith to other coaches. Teaching kids to throw a ball through a hoop is, in itself, miniscule compared to what Smith did.  Dean Smith was a promoter of civil rights, an innovator, and a father figure to his players.  His players were not just pawns to help him earn rings and hang banners, which might be why there aren't more in Chapel Hill. He never sold out to win games.  He was about teaching life through the bonds of basketball--basketball was never meant to become life.  While on the biggest stage, he was clean, ethical, and successful.  You never heard F bombs coming out of his mouth, you never read about NCAA investigations.  Have you ever heard a former player speak of him without praise?  Smith was what fathers, coaches, humanitarians, and visionaries all aspire to be.  So before you compare him to some slimeball looking for loopholes in rules to win games with illiterate players from streets where blacktops and drugs is how they pass the time, listen to his players.  Worthy, Jordan, O'Koren, Daughtry, Scott, Cunningham, etc.  etc, etc., They are all articulate people who thrived after basketball because he recruited well-rounded, academic kids.  And he won with them.  Which is why we were so proud of our state's team.  They were clean cut, polished people who represented UNC with class during interviews and off the court activities.  How many of his players were arrested?  How many did he have to kick off the team?  Smith won the way winning should be accomplished, and very sadly, we will probably never see a coach of his character, class, and consistency again.  Smith wanted to win the conference title every year--that was his goal.  Now, our gluttony for winning has led to creative scheduling, more creative recruiting, and even more creative rule-bending.  Players use the school to promote themselves for the NBA where high dollar figures and self-promotion have deteriorated the purity of the game.  Most players stayed with Dean Smith for all four years because they valued what he offered more than money.  In the end, they were the wise ones, because what they were given can never be replaced.  Dean Smith only leaves behind memories and a rapidly fading Carolina blue print of what college basketball was meant to be.

So if you measure the man by his banners, there are those who surpass him.  There are coaches with more wins as well, but there is only one who embodies so much of what a human should be, and that person died last night.

 

this is a great, great post man. One of the most intelligent things I've read on here in quite some time. Coach Smith was more than Xs and Os. He transcended the game of basketball. The young men that were fortunate to have him in their lives were extremely lucky. 

[Mojo]

Rest in Power Dean. Heavy heart.

[4Corners]

There isn't a more classless alum in the entire south.

 

they are also irrelevant. Now that Cuse is out of the ACCT who are they going to beat to get invited to the big dance? 

[4Corners]

I ran up to Harris Teeter an hour ago and caught a national radio show on 610. They were interviewing Charlie Scott. For you young bucks who don't know who Charlie Scott is - educate yourselves and google him. You could hear the heartbreak in his tone and he sounded like he'd been crying all day. 

[MHS831]

this is a great, great post man. One of the most intelligent things I've read on here in quite some time. Coach Smith was more than Xs and Os. He transcended the game of basketball. The young men that were fortunate to have him in their lives were extremely lucky. 

 

Thank you.  The things Coach Smith held sacred are devalued now. Now, everyone loses except for one team.  I was not really a Tar Heel fan, but I valued Dean Smith and found myself pulling for the heels because I admired him and was impressed with his players. 

 

A person who lives outside Louisville told me that he heard a radio show where a Kentucky player was being interviewed.  He said something like, "It really doesn;t matter if you go to class or not.  You fail all your classes and they put you on academic warning.  Then the next semester, you fail them again, and get kicked out of school.  That don't matter because we are one and done anyway--NBA bound."

 

So when people start comparing the coaches today with all that Dean Smith did for kids, I laugh at them.  They don't know how to measure the word "coach".

[4Corners]

Thank you.  The things Coach Smith held sacred are devalued now. Now, everyone loses except for one team.  I was not really a Tar Heel fan, but I valued Dean Smith and found myself pulling for the heels because I admired him and was impressed with his players. 

 

A person who lives outside Louisville told me that he heard a radio show where a Kentucky player was being interviewed.  He said something like, "It really doesn;t matter if you go to class or not.  You fail all your classes and they put you on academic warning.  Then the next semester, you fail them again, and get kicked out of school.  That don't matter because we are one and done anyway--NBA bound."

 

So when people start comparing the coaches today with all that Dean Smith did for kids, I laugh at them.  They don't know how to measure the word "coach".

 

Unfortunately, the Kentucky player was right. 

 

Honestly, if you need a reason to dislike college athletics - there's plenty to be found. Twitter, press conferences, money, marketing, the whole sham of being a "student athlete" ...etc. Not to mention that it certainly appears that college coaches are the worst of the bunch. Speaking of Louisville, did you hear about the latest bullshit to come from Bobby Petrino? What he did to that kid was wrong. 

[TheSpecial1]

A truly great man has passed, my condolences.