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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 ‘77. A ten second exchange, if that.

But then, on the bus, l shook his hand and congratulated him on the Heels’ victory over the Terps.
He thanked me and asked, “Was Paul (my brother) able to get his interviews in the locker room?”
l said that he had. “That’s good, l’m glad we could accommodate him.”

In the years since, l have always been amazed that he remembered Paul’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 ‘77. A ten second exchange, if that.

But then, on the bus, l shook his hand and congratulated him on the Heels’ victory over the Terps.
He thanked me and asked, “Was Paul (my brother) able to get his interviews in the locker room?”
l said that he had. “That’s good, l’m glad we could accommodate him.”

In the years since, l have always been amazed that he remembered Paul’s name and that l was his brother.
RIP, Coach Smith.
The Greatest Teacher, innovator and coach of all time!!! How there isn’t a big award named after him in college basketball is astounding to me
 
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