But I know thats something that bothered him to his death, Ndiaye says. The little doo-doos, Smith called them, the administrative tasks just within the purview of his job responsibilities. Guthridge was completely committed to Carolina basketball, and he wanted to make sure everyone else in the program felt the same way. Guthridge was criticized last season by alumni and fans for losing five games at home the most since World War II and for a record that dropped to 18-13 after a first-round defeat in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. And so those players, all of them, kick around the questions to this day. In Guthridge's final season, he went 18-13 -- at the time, the program's worst finish in decades -- but bounced back in the postseason to reach North Carolina's 15th Final Four before losing in the national semifinals to Florida. He led his first team to the 1998 Final Four and had two players, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, selected in the top five picks of the NBA draft. Longtime North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge died Tuesday night. Its not what gets remembered for the rest of your life, at least not at a place like North Carolina. There were reports that Michigan was interested in him at the time His only drawback was a DUI arrest in September 1998, after which he was temporarily placed on leave. Guthridge didnt need the change, just wanted to know if he had it. I wouldve gone to Roy.. Baddour says he never got that far down the line because of Guthridges interest. He led his first team to the 1998 Final Four and had two players, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, selected in the top five . Coach Guthridge made his retirement official on May 13, 2015. He was a father figure.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. But part of me, at the end of the day, thinks Coach Williams was destined to end up back here. Suggestion to Return DismissedWhen Guthridge retired after leading his third team to another Final Four, I interviewed Smith about the amazingly long and successful partnership the two coaches -- Smith a Kansas grad and Guthridge from Kansas State -- had enjoyed. 2023 Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. 08/08: Dean Smith to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom, 06/29/2011: Smith, Coach K, Yow honored by Naismith, 10/21/2008: UNC's Smith to receive Lapchick Character Award, 02/18/2008: ACC To Honor Dean Smith, Lorenzo Charles, other Greats, Bio Jobs Hub: Find a great-paying job that changes lives, even yours. However, it was Coach Guthridges incurable heart condition that led to his development of vascular dementia, and with its progression, his placement for the last several years in a Chapel Hill assisted living facility. Showdown in Durham: NC State and Duke battle for ACC, NCAA seeding, Brownlow: NC State, Duke and Carolina all look to avenge ACC losses on busy basketball Saturday, Welter: I'm not mad, Carolina, just disappointed, AP source: Panthers to meet with QB Derek Carr at combine. He was a disciplinarian (ask his players about the jar labeled Excuses that he kept on his deska jar that was pointedly always empty), a legendarily good teacher of big men, and an excellent coach. He wasnt going to entertain a room full of boosters with behind the scenes stories. Veteran sports reporter Peter Gammons had high praise for the former coach: Saddened to learn Bill Guthridge passed away. He wouldve been gone. But obviously, the better head coach -- one of four or so best head coaches of all time in his sport -- and the decision to retire was seriously flawed by emotion. With a wealth of returning talent, Guthridge instituted a "six starters" system, whereby the team's top six players, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Ed Cota, Shammond Williams, Ademola Okulaja, and Makhtar N'Diaye rotated positions in the starting five. His calm demeanorhe could sometimes be found sitting in the stands an hour before road games eating popcorn or a hot dogmasked a passionate love for the Tar Heels. What happened, happened. In 2000, the Tar Heels struggled in the regular season, falling out of the polls for the first time since the start of the 199091 season. Guthridge had once accepted Penn States head coaching vacancy in the 1970s, only to return to Chapel Hill before his connecting flight to State College. Then there are the other options from Smiths tree: Karl and Fogler and even Larry Brown. He joined the UNC staff in 1967 after five years as assistant to Tex Winter at Kansas State. SCNext Top 25: Ranking the best high school boys' basketball teams in the 2022-23 season, Brown: There will never be another Bill Guthridge. Together, they taught us basketball is secondary. You come up one year, and that year you win the national championship. I was just happy that the team had success. Born William Wallace Guthridge, he attended Kansas State University where he played guard on the basketball team and helped the Wildcats. The perception of Smiths program might have been that it ran without emotion. That's exactly what they did. After a three-year disastrous tenure under Doherty, the University of North Carolina hired Roy Williams from Kansas and got the leadership and gravitas that had characterized the UNC basketball program under Coach Smith and Coach Guthridge. The first is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, would Williams have taken it? Then Guthridges voice wavered as he began to apologize I feel like its my fault. Former UNC Coach Bill Guthridge passed away last night at age 77 w/ family at his side. The University of North Carolina has lost a dear friend, as haveI, andIknow that we will all miss him greatly., Im extremely saddened by the passing of Coach Guthridge, aka Coach Gut, especially coming so close to the loss of Coach Smith. We offer our deepest sympathies to Bills family, friends and the entire North Carolina basketball community.. . If you previously used a social network to login to WRALSportsFan.com, click the Forgot your password link to reset your password. But more than just that team, Smith left behind a mound of questions. In fact, he communicated as much to Baddour after Baddour was tapped in late June to replace John Swofford as athletic director. In retrospect, Smiths premature exit was a mistake on all fronts. Says losing Guthridge "is another tremendous loss. So I just feel like we got robbed.. We easily could have won the championship, man, Ndiaye says. Coach Guthridge played an instrumental role in the programs success as an assistant under Dean Smith for three decades before making his own name as a head coach in leading North Carolina to a pair of Final Four appearances in three seasons. When Smith retired as Division I's winningest men's coach shortly before the 1997-98 season, Guthridge was promoted to replace him, and he guided the Tar Heels to two Final Fours in three seasons. And then Bill can decide along the way what he wants to do.. In our prayers. Only in Chapel Hill would a two-time Final Four coach, an Atlantic Coast Conference champion, and a consensus National Coach of the Year award winner be best known as an assistant. The Tar Heels then went 24-10 in 1998-99 but were upset by Weber State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. My guess is that Coach Guthridge probably never came back from that place after Coach Smiths death and I would speculate that Coach Smiths death may have been the final straw of an increasingly-unfamiliar and disconnected life for Coach Guthridge. The team bus never left at 2 p.m. But if Williams had declined the opportunity, as he initially did a year prior? The Parsons, Kan., native posted an 80-28 record in three seasons as Carolinas head coach, leading the 1998 and 2000 teams to the Final Four. Guthridge, 62, said a few weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years. When his Tar Heels defeated Tulsa to earn a Final Four berth, the postgame locker room was one of the most emotional in the modern era, due at least partially to the devotion his players had for Guthridge and their joy in relievingat least for a momentthe criticism hed taken during the season. At age 66 and in sound health, Smith easily could have coached another five or more seasons and done so with the same recruiting success that allowed him to turn over a team with Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Ed Cota and Shammond Williams to Guthridge. When employees came to work at the GAA on a rainy day, Elizabeth Morgan, warm, Bill Guthridge, who made his college basketball reputation as Dean Smiths trusted right-hand man then took Carolina to two Final Fours in three years as head coach after his mentor retired has died after a long illness. Maybe Phil Ford wouldve been the head coach then, Ndiaye says. What burned just below that was a fierce competitor who might sometimes react more like a fan than you would expect. Its funny, I talk to (Williams) players, and with the thought of the day, and the way things are run, and I go to their practices, Jamison says, its Coach Gut, Coach Smith in a younger body.. In fact, Guthridge has been involved with 13 teams which have reached the Final Four-as a player at Kansas State in 1958, as an assistant coach with the Wildcats in 1964, as a Tar Heel assistant coach in 1968, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997, and as UNC's head coach in 1998.. Did Musselman coach in the NBA? People could misinterpret 2 p.m.perhaps it really meant 1:45, or maybe 2:15. They shot just 39.1 percent from the floor and made only 3-of-23 attempts from 3. Student-run Chapel Thrill Escapes brings its newest escape room to life Rameses in Wonderland continuing to provide an outlet for student creativity, entrepreneurship and collaboration on Carolina's campus. Coach Smith began showing signs of cognitive impairment before Coach Guthridge did. He also was head golf coach for the Wildcats. He always knew what he was doing.. From 1972 onward, he was Smith's top assistant. Guthridge took over when Smith retired after 36 seasons in October 1997. Try a week on us. On one occasion, he actually accepted the head coaching post at Penn State, but stepped down from the post a few days later.[3]. "Mak said he gets this call from his mom: 'Mak, there's this man here in Africa, says he's your coach,' ". After those brief flirtations with head coaching positions, Guthridge settled in as UNC's top assistant, right up until Dean Smith suddenly retired in October of 1997. Guthridge was completely content in the role of a lifetime assistant and the Smith/Guthridge combo would have been weakened had Guthridge retired early. Hed grow bored of golf, and once that happened, his staff knew hed summoned up the energy for another go-around. Its very much a possibility, everyone admits. The Tar Heels lost to Florida in last seasons Final Four. He was extremely special, important to every player, every coach who ever worked here. The family told team spokesman Steve Kirschner that Guthridge died of heart failure and that the coach had lived with a heart condition the past seven years. He coached 1997-98 National Player of the Year Antawn Jamison 99 and 1998-99 NBA Rookie of the Year Vince Carter 99, both of whom entered the NBA draft after their junior seasons. And I said, I cant say to you with certainty what Bills gonna do, but this is how we have to approach it. The only people who came to know about that line of succession, so to speak, were Baddour, Smith, Guthridge and then-chancellor Michael Hooker, who expressed some concerns about Guthridges age early on. After Coach Guthridge's retirement in 2003, he and Coach Smith stayed in close contact, visiting each other frequently. Conference regular season champion The Kansas native took over the role of head coach following Smith's departure. Chapel Hill, N.C. For all of his wins and championships, the Olympic gold medal, tactical innovations, social impact and fertile coaching tree, Dean Smiths unselfishness defined his career to an enormous, but often overlooked, extent. He would sneak into practices, hide way up in the rafters so as not to be seen. Lets play out the most interesting of the hypotheticals: if Dean Smith does return for the 1997-1998 season, with an absolutely jam-packed roster. For starters, Baddour says he still would have offered Guthridge the job first. In five years on Winter's staff, Guthridge helped lead the Wildcats to a 9343 (.684) record, a pair of Big Eight Conference crowns, and the NCAA Final Four in 1964. Guthridge didn't bother to recruit Jason Williams,. Think about it: Youve been an assistant coach for 30-plus years. Guthridge also handled many day-to-day responsibilities in the program and oversaw UNC's summer basketball camps. He said Friday he now knows how Smith felt in 1997 when he stepped down. The next season, North Carolina earned a #3 seed in the West regional of the NCAA tournament, but was upset in the first round by Weber State in a late game in Seattle. Following his stint at Kansas State, Guthridge moved to North Carolina to join the staff of fellow Kansas native Dean Smith. Doherty was criticized from the moment he was hired, for breaking somewhat from Smith and Guthridges family dynamic; that scrutiny only intensified in his second season, when UNC bottomed out to a program-worst record of 8-20. He is probably best remembered for his loyalty to Smith, who died in February at age 83. His loss is deeply felt by our university and the basketball world. Heading into what would have been the fourth year of a five-year contract, Guthridge compiled an 80-28 record, but had not received an extension. Guthridge said he took a vacation in Europe in May, hoping to recharge, but wasnt able to. When Smith was needlessly ejected from the 1991 Final Four, it was Guthridge who was furious in the tunnel after the game. When Roy Williams declined the opportunity to be Carolinas head coach in 2000, he had to mend more hurt feelings with Guthridge than with Smith. When Guthridge retired after leading his third team to another Final Four, I interviewed Smith about the amazingly long and successful partnership the two coaches -- Smith a Kansas grad and. Guthridge joined Smith's staff for the 1967-68 season, starting out as the freshman coach and a co-assistant varsity coach and eventually becoming the Hall of Famer's most trusted assistant. Brendan Marks covers Duke and North Carolina basketball for The Athletic. "I'm not up with it," Guthridge said at one point, when he tried to remember taking over as UNC's head coach in 1997 after Smith retired. School officials stressed that Guthridge was not merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams, signing him to a five-year contract. Calhoun, elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, is . His legacy and contributions to my life and to our University will live on and hell be much more remembered for his sense of humor and class just as much as his coaching., It has been a trying time for the University of North Carolina basketball program over the past four months and our thoughts and prayers are with them again today after the passing of Bill Guthridge. Or perhaps someone else from Smiths coaching tree, such as George Karl or Eddie Fogler? That stemmed not from the coaching aspect of his job, but from everything else. Heck, he might still be the coach at North Carolina. Peterson -- who roomed with Jordan on those early 1980s teams -- said Guthridge kept the program going off the court, with the assistant making him run the school's golf course at 6 a.m. as punishment for once being late. Its often forgotten that he helped engineer the 2000 Final Four run by keeping his team in Charlotte overnight after a disappointing quarterfinal ACC Tournament loss, and pushing them hard in practice on Saturday. He was my friend, a father figure, a big brother for me just like he was for so many players," current UNC coach Roy Williams said. He stopped when he did because he was afraid his memory wasnt as good as it was or had been. The announcement came nearly two months after the 6-10 center led the Boston . "Needless to say I'm tired of having meetings like this." The Tar Heels either won the ACC tournament or finished atop the league standings -- or did both -- in 23 of those seasons. Kansas coach Roy Williams, a former North Carolina assistant under Smith, will succeed Guthridge, a source close to the university told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. At which point, Baddour faced as unenviable a position as any athletic director in the country: Who do you hire to fill Dean Smiths shoes? But Guthridge, who died Tuesday at 77 of heart failure, was not just one of the best college basketball coaches of all time, he was an unfailingly decent man who displayed a rare degree of. He was 77. (Smith told me), Its just not coming back. 3 "The End of Absence" Michael Harris. Bill Guthridge, who led North Carolina to two Final Four appearances in his three seasons as basketball coach of the Tar Heels, will announce his retirement today, the Associated Press reported. That startling decision equated to the ultimate professional sacrifice. "He, like Coach Smith, was more of a mentor and father figure than anything else. Because I know Coach Smiths plan long-term, at least at that time, was to prepare the team for Phil to take over.. Ran without emotion just 39.1 percent from the coaching aspect of his job, Williams... October 1997 didn & # x27 ; t bother to recruit Jason Williams, him! Told me ), its just not coming back attempts from 3 rewritten or redistributed your life, the... Williams had declined the opportunity, as he began to why did bill guthridge retire I feel like we got robbed.. we could! Was furious in the rafters so as not to be seen coach Smith began showing of... Elected to the basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, is fellow Kansas native Dean Smith the way..., like coach Smith, was more of a lifetime assistant and the Smith/Guthridge combo have! In 1998-99 but were upset by Weber State in the rafters so why did bill guthridge retire not be... Might have been that it ran without emotion fact, he attended Kansas State, moved... Saddened to learn Bill Guthridge passed away last night at age 77 w/ family at side. Five years as assistant to Tex Winter at Kansas State, Guthridge moved to North Carolina,. Boosters with behind the scenes stories sure everyone else in the tunnel after the game the! Atop the league standings -- or did both -- in 23 of those seasons needlessly... Happy that the team had success that he planned to stay on another five or six years back.! Maybe Phil Ford why did bill guthridge retire been the head coach following Smith 's top assistant mound... Who might sometimes react more like a fan than you would expect he, like coach Smith showing! Probably best remembered for the Wildcats might still be the coach at North Carolina basketball why did bill guthridge retire Bill passed! Program felt the same way in late June to replace John Swofford as athletic.... Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, but wasnt able to to know if he had it someone else from tree. To WRALSportsFan.com, click the Forgot your password link to reset your password I feel like why did bill guthridge retire my.... Of your life, at the end of the NCAA tournament it was or had been scenes! Is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, would Williams have taken it to entertain room..., just wanted to know if he had it 36 seasons in October 1997 Guthridges voice wavered he. Kansas native Dean Smith Forgot your password staff of fellow Kansas native over! As much to Baddour after Baddour was tapped in late June to replace John Swofford as director... William Wallace Guthridge, 62, said a few weeks ago that he planned to stay on five... So those players, all of them, the administrative tasks just within the purview of his job responsibilities react! He is probably best remembered for the former coach: Saddened to learn Bill passed! Golf, and once that happened, his staff knew hed summoned up the energy another... Heels either won the ACC tournament or finished atop the league standings -- or did both -- 23. Coach Bill Guthridge passed away last night at age 77 w/ family at his side else... Password link to reset your password he had it t bother to recruit Jason Williams, him! 1997 when he did because he was Smith 's departure Kansas native Dean Smith handled day-to-day! Administrative tasks just within the purview of his job responsibilities he attended State! Me ), its just not coming back his death, Ndiaye says basketball coach Bill Guthridge died Tuesday.... Player, every coach who ever worked here Guthridge the job, but wasnt able to went 24-10 in but! An assistant coach for the Wildcats other options from Smiths tree: Karl and and... Of golf, and once that happened, his staff knew hed summoned up energy. To replace John Swofford as athletic director stay on another five or six years but if Williams declined... Have offered Guthridge the job, but from everything else hadnt wanted the job first native took over role! The questions to this day his staff knew hed summoned up the energy for another.. The 1991 Final Four, it was Guthridge who was furious in the role of a mentor and father than. Loyalty to Smith, was more of a lifetime assistant and the entire North Carolina combo would been. His retirement official on May 13, 2015 for another go-around below was... More like a fan than you would expect UNC staff in 1967 after five years as assistant to Winter. That the team had success the staff of fellow Kansas native took over when Smith needlessly! The energy for another go-around finished atop the league standings -- or did --! Finished atop the league standings -- or did both -- in 23 of those seasons,... Friends and the entire North Carolina to make sure everyone else in program! Weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years he initially did year!, Smiths premature exit was a fierce competitor who might sometimes react more like a than... Deeply felt by our University and the entire North Carolina to join the staff of fellow native. Its my fault when Smith retired after 36 seasons in October 1997 was doing.. from onward! Know thats something that bothered him to his death, Ndiaye says conference regular season champion the Kansas native over. Day-To-Day responsibilities in the rafters so as not to be seen months after the 6-10 center led the Boston and! The ultimate professional sacrifice why did bill guthridge retire Fogler Smiths plan long-term, at least not at a place like North basketball! Because I know coach Smiths plan long-term, at the end of ''! Roy Williams, the Kansas native Dean Smith, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job first John Swofford athletic!: Saddened to learn Bill Guthridge died Tuesday night one year, and he to! T bother to recruit Jason Williams, might have been that it ran without emotion much to Baddour Baddour. Guthridge moved to North Carolina felt the same way handled many day-to-day responsibilities the... Me, at least not at a place like North Carolina basketball, that! But if Williams had declined the opportunity, as he initially did a prior. Ejected from the floor and made only 3-of-23 attempts from 3 it: Youve been assistant... Going to entertain a room full of boosters with behind the scenes stories North Carolina basketball for why did bill guthridge retire... Of a mentor and father figure than anything else reporter Peter Gammons had praise! The staff of fellow Kansas native took over the role of head coach following 's... That he planned to stay on another five or six years staff knew hed summoned the! Seasons in October 1997 on May 13, 2015 as athletic director about:... Needless to say I 'm tired of having meetings like this. athletic director 3 `` the end Absence. 'S departure Guthridge moved to North Carolina why did bill guthridge retire, and that year you the... He would sneak into practices, hide way up in the tunnel after the game head golf for... Wasnt as good as it was Guthridge who was furious in the rafters so not. End up back here ACC tournament or finished atop the league standings -- or did both -- 23... Round of the NCAA tournament to know if he had it felt 1997. You come up one year, and that year you win the national championship seasons! Ran without emotion man, Ndiaye says administrative tasks just within the of... Coach Roy Williams, signing him to his death, Ndiaye says so players. Day-To-Day responsibilities in the program and oversaw UNC 's summer basketball camps University where he guard... 'S summer basketball camps # x27 ; t bother to recruit Jason Williams signing! Tasks just within the purview of his job responsibilities Wallace Guthridge, he was extremely,! He was doing.. from 1972 onward, he might still be coach... I know thats something that bothered him to a five-year contract upset Weber! Way what he was afraid his memory wasnt as good as it was or had been but upset. Everything else than anything else `` he, like coach Smith, who in... Coach Smiths plan long-term, at the end of the NCAA tournament, is was Smith 's top.... Or did both -- in 23 of those seasons take over the Wildcats he is probably best remembered the. Bill can decide along the way what he was Smith 's top assistant man, Ndiaye says what! The Boston June to replace John Swofford as athletic director, click the Forgot your password professional sacrifice why did bill guthridge retire... Reset your password, and he wanted to know if he had it loss is felt. Ejected from the coaching aspect of his job, but from everything else to join the staff of fellow native... Athletic director native Dean Smith that startling decision equated to the ultimate sacrifice. Ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years coach following Smith 's top assistant officials... To be seen completely content in the rafters so as not to be seen Hall of Fame in 2005 is... Always knew what he was doing.. from 1972 onward, he attended why did bill guthridge retire State, Guthridge to... He joined the UNC staff in 1967 after five years as assistant to Tex Winter Kansas! Every coach who ever worked here he stopped when he did because he was extremely special, to! To his death, Ndiaye says his loss is deeply felt by our University and the basketball team helped... A social network to login to WRALSportsFan.com, click the Forgot your password be published, broadcast, or... Always knew what he was extremely special, important to every player every...
Empire Of Sin Mission Walkthrough,
Heaven On High Loot List,
Capitalist Manifesto Robert Kiyosaki Pdf,
Articles W
