Dean Smith Appreciation
The passing of former North Carolina coach Dean Smith was noted on the board the other day, but I had seen nothing here that underlined what a powerful figure he was, including in his contributions to both civil rights and the evolution of the game itself.
I found this wonderful appreciation of Smith at CBS Sports, an easy and pleasurable read with lots of links and a great interview of him and John Thompson, and thought I'd share it. Note that Smith's coaching tree pretty much takes in everyone, going back to Phog Allen and the game's inventor, James Naismith. Even more than John Wooden--who himself called Smith the greatest coach ever--Smith may well be the single most towering figure in the history of the sport. The appreciations of him by the likes of Michael Jordan and Duke's Coach K are pretty touching:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25…
February 13th, 2015 at 1:43 PM ^
Let us take a 'timeout' to appreciate Mr Smith
February 13th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^
/sarcasm, but still stings all these years later.
February 13th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
timeout moment
February 13th, 2015 at 2:53 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 13th, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^
If this is going to be a serious thread, (the first two posts show otherwise) then lets toss in the late Coach Tarkanian as well.. amirite?
February 13th, 2015 at 2:05 PM ^
Well Played sir!
February 13th, 2015 at 2:19 PM ^
in many ways these guys were the antithesis of one another: The venal Tark with violations constantly hanging over his head, Smith with the studied common decency and belief in high principal. There's a Grantland piece in there somewhere. . .
February 13th, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^
Nevermind on the seriousness.. Looks to be an honest mistake.. Carry on... May both coaches RIP, thanks for all of your contributions to college athletics!!!
February 13th, 2015 at 1:48 PM ^
As someone who loves the game of basketball, I'll upvote this thread.
February 13th, 2015 at 1:54 PM ^
February 13th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^
RIP to both. Of course how life would have it there would be hate crimes on UNC campus the week of Smith's death... what awful coincidence.
February 13th, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^
In a short space of time, two enormous names in the world of cllegiate basketball have been lost, and if things do indeed come in threes as some say, I really don't want to know who the third in this group might be just because all the accomplishments and all the players who were developed just under these two coaches.
February 13th, 2015 at 4:51 PM ^
to me, the relationship between coach smith and coach k reminds me a bit of the relaionship between woody and bo. obviously it didn't have the former student / former teacher thing going on, but for two figureheads of vehemently hated rivals, there was a whole lot of mutual admiration and respect. coach k even wore a carolina blue tie to coach smith's funeral -- a simple but classy gesture which nonetheless blew me away.
rough week here in chapel hill. dean smith passes at the tail end of an illustrious life of service, and three others who were just beginning theirs were taken from us in an act of senseless violence.
February 14th, 2015 at 10:50 AM ^
February 14th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^