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The Dean Smith System

I met Coach Smith once on the team bus outside Cole Field House in College Park. My brother was a
sports columnist for his college newspaper who had finagled two press passes for the game
and had briefly chatted with Coach Smith several hours prior to tip off as l stood nearby.
l mentioned to Coach Smith that l had graduated from Carolina in ā€˜77. A ten second exchange, if that.

But then, on the bus, l shook his hand and congratulated him on the Heelsā€™ victory over the Terps.
He thanked me and asked, ā€œWas Paul (my brother) able to get his interviews in the locker room?ā€
l said that he had. ā€œThatā€™s good, lā€™m glad we could accommodate him.ā€

In the years since, l have always been amazed that he remembered Paulā€™s name and that l was his brother.
RIP, Coach Smith.
 
I met Coach Smith once on the team bus outside Cole Field House in College Park. My brother was a
sports columnist for his college newspaper who had finagled two press passes for the game
and had briefly chatted with Coach Smith several hours prior to tip off as l stood nearby.
l mentioned to Coach Smith that l had graduated from Carolina in ā€˜77. A ten second exchange, if that.

But then, on the bus, l shook his hand and congratulated him on the Heelsā€™ victory over the Terps.
He thanked me and asked, ā€œWas Paul (my brother) able to get his interviews in the locker room?ā€
l said that he had. ā€œThatā€™s good, lā€™m glad we could accommodate him.ā€

In the years since, l have always been amazed that he remembered Paulā€™s name and that l was his brother.
RIP, Coach Smith.
The Greatest Teacher, innovator and coach of all time!!! How there isnā€™t a big award named after him in college basketball is astounding to me
 
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