Dean Smith, we hardly knew ye..

[SirFozzie]

Dean Smith, former North Carolina Tar Heels coach, dies at age of 83 - ESPN

The greatest college coach of all time?

In my mind, at least on the Mount Rushmore of men's college basketball coaches (Smith, Knight, Coach K, Wooden).

He will be missed.

[Peregrine]

Jesus this is going to be huge here. RIP.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

There was a really good piece that ESPN did a couple of years ago about his life after basketball. Interviewed his wife, some of his players, etc. Can't find it anywhere now, but it was a great watch.

[corbes]

Words are failing me. We loved you, Dean.

[SirFozzie]

Perhaps this one?

Alzheimer's sucks.

Precious Memories -- The Dean Smith story

[corbes]

Here's a good one.

[Radii]

Dean Smith was such a major part of my childhood. My 14 year old cat, named Dean, is sitting next to me while I'm making this post.

There’s one story that — to me — defines him. I’ve told it in the past, but it bears re-telling. In 1981, Smith very grudgingly agreed to cooperate with me on a profile for this newspaper. He kept insisting I should write about his players, but I said I had written about them. I wanted to write about him. He finally agreed.

One of the people I interviewed for the story was Rev. Robert Seymour, who had been Smith’s pastor at the Binkley Baptist Church since 1958, when he first arrived in Chapel Hill. Seymour told me a story about how upset Smith was to learn that Chapel Hill’s restaurants were still segregated. He and Seymour came up with an idea: Smith would walk into a restaurant with a black member of the church.

“You have to remember,” Reverend Seymour said. “Back then, he wasn’t Dean Smith. He was an assistant coach. Nothing more.”

Smith agreed and went to a restaurant where management knew him. He and his companion sat down and were served. That was the beginning of desegregation in Chapel Hill.

When I circled back to Smith and asked him to tell me more about that night, he shot me an angry look. “Who told you about that?” he asked.

“Reverend Seymour,” I said.

“I wish he hadn’t done that.”

“Why? You should be proud of doing something like that.”

He leaned forward in his chair and in a very quiet voice said something I’ve never forgotten: “You should never be proud of doing what’s right. You should just do what’s right.”

From an article last year: Memories of Dean Smith linger, even as his memory sadly fails him - The Washington Post


Not ashamed to admit I've been crying for the last half hour after seeing this and starting to look up stories. Growing up in the Raleigh area in the 80s, I was one of those kids to whom the sport of college basketball mattered WAY too much. The group of friends I hung out with in elementary and middle school talked basketball every day in the lunch room. We played basketball at every opportunity during gym/recess. We were way, way too invested in this. Whenever we were given our own choice of subject for writing assignments in school I'd find a way to write about UNC, or Dean Smith, or college basketball in general depending on the requirements. Great coach, great man. Especially cruel that he suffered from dementia in the end. Every story you read about him today will probably touch on the fact that he remembered the names of everyone who ever played for him, down to every walk on, every team manager, etc. So sad.

Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - I don't normally cry when a celebrity dies, but if _____ does, I will

Yup...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Perhaps this one?

Alzheimer's sucks.

Precious Memories -- The Dean Smith story

Yep, that's the one. Really well done.

[JPhillips]

This shouldn't demean Smith in any way, but in basketball there's Wooden and everybody else. I know the game was different, but he's like Babe Ruth compared to everyone else.

[Alf]

Ow... Rest In Peace Mr Smith.

[digamma]

Thanks for posting that radii.

Rest in peace Coach Smith.

[britrock88]

He had to die some day, which stinks. But what better reminder that there's more to being a Tar Heel than to have a good team to pull for? Dean Smith is Dean Smith because of everything else he did and stood for. Coaching basketball was his day job; the rest of the way he conducted himself is the true example for us.

[chesapeake]

Dean Smith was always a good man first and a great coach second. I always appreciated that about him. My favorite college coach of all time will always be Jim Valvano because he was a good coach that always seemed to be having the best time doing his job. But Dean Smith is the coach for whom I have the most respect as a human being.

[cartman]

He left in his will instructions to send each of the lettermen that played for him $200, so they could enjoy a nice dinner.

Dean Smith Willed $200 to Each of His Former Players to 'Enjoy a Dinner Out' | Bleacher Report

[jeff061]

Dean Smith wins at wills.

[Lathum]

awesome

[britrock88]

The legacy grows.

[Ramzavail]

awesome. Nice to see Dante Calabria's name too. He was cash money from 3.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by jeff061

Dean Smith wins at wills.

+1

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Ramzavail

awesome. Nice to see Dante Calabria's name too. He was cash money from 3.

stealing the top comment from twitter, now we all know where he lives too if we want to go down to Wilmington to say hi.