The Tar Heels finished first or tied for first in the ACC regular season 16 times, finished second or tied for second in the ACC regular season 11 times and finished third or tied for third in the ACC regular season six times. But 1:57 was 1:57. That startling decision equated to the ultimate professional sacrifice. But if Williams had declined the opportunity, as he initially did a year prior? Veteran sports reporter Peter Gammons had high praise for the former coach: Saddened to learn Bill Guthridge passed away. It was very, very much real and something Smith had to balance with the sentiment that maybe he had left too soon. When Coach Smith died, Coach Guthridge knew that his friend was gone, but he quickly moved back to their time together when they were younger and dementia had not knocked on their doors yet. He has a keen sense of which ones will be very good players and which ones may be overrated. The death of Guthridges mother, Betty, 96, two days before the Tar Heels played Tennessee at Knoxville in the NCAA South Regional semifinals also contributed to a difficult season. And for as much as he did enjoy those three seasons, the same obligations that wore Smith down got to Guthridge as well. Coach Guthridge was the right choice to lead the transition to another, younger leader of the famed basketball program at the University of North Carolina. Thats impossible to know, but Williams was also returning a top-five team, one that was expected to compete for a championship in its own right. He joined the UNC staff in 1967 after five years as assistant to Tex Winter at Kansas State. He couldnt generate enough energy to get through all of that., Some background: In the years leading up to his retirement specifically every spring after the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament Smith expressed a sense of exhaustion to the people around him. It left at 1:57 p.m. His reasoning? That includes two as a head coach at Carolina, 10 as a Tar Heel assistant coach and one each as a player and assistant coach at his alma mater, Kansas State. My time is in the past now and we have to move forward.. After Coach Guthridge's retirement in 2003, he and Coach Smith stayed in close contact, visiting each other frequently. Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun announced his retirement Thursday. He always knew what he was doing.. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. And as the confetti fell on UNCs first title A.D. After Dean Guthridge burst into tears alongside his former players. MIAMI: Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson acknowledged he has given the school permission to talk to Green Wave coach Perry Clark about replacing Leonard Hamilton. Try a week on us. "You get old." Bill and Dean, friends for life Smith. "When Coach Smith announced he was retiring and that Coach Guthridge was taking over, then it all clicked into place for me," Hanners says. "He, like Coach Smith, was more of a mentor and father figure than anything else. 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. Guthridge was a player and then an assistant coach at Kansas State . Then there are the other options from Smiths tree: Karl and Fogler and even Larry Brown. From 1972 onward, he was Smith's top assistant. Smith was fresh off his 11th Final Four and had just passed Adolph Rupp for the most wins by any college basketball coach in history. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. [6], National champion Smith, after all, kept an office in the arena for several years after retirement. Even 22 years after turning down the Nittany Lions, Guthridge still couldnt quite bear to leave. Because I know Coach Smiths plan long-term, at least at that time, was to prepare the team for Phil to take over.. He needed to hear that from Guthridge. An assistant to Dean Smith for 30 seasons, Guthridge replaced his former boss when Smith retired in 1997 after 36 years as coach of the Tar Heels. Smith wrote in his memoir, A Coachs Life, that before he retired in 1997, he told recruits: If Im not coaching, I am confident that your coach will be either Bill Guthridge, Eddie Fogler, Roy Williams, Larry Brown, George Karl or Phil Ford, not necessarily in that order. Carolina Basketball confirmed the news on Twitter: Sad news. Guthridge, 62, said a few weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years. I dont think he went in that summer thinking, Im not gonna be the basketball coach by fall, Baddour says. Revisionist history does offer some diverging paths, though. Having grown up in North Carolina and gone to school here and worked here, I think it was probably just destiny.. Ford whispered for Hanners to try running 21 defense really sagging off defenders, even inside the 3-point line. The first is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, would Williams have taken it? After graduating from Kansas State, he coached at Scott City High School in Kansas for two seasons before returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach for Tex Winter from 19621967. North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour has refused to comment directly on Guthridge's contract, saying the school's board of trustees discourages him from talking publicly about such personnel issues. Without question, every opportunity that I would have to hire Roy Williams. His legacy and contributions to my life and to our University will live on and he'll be much more remembered for his sense of humor and class just as much as his coaching.". To combat that fatigue, every summer, Smiths assistant coaches urged him to get out and enjoy life. End of conversation.. Which put Baddour on the search for a long-term replacement for the first time. He had interviewed for the Texas job, which went to Rick Barnes, after the 1998 season, after all. It was Guthridge who was the creator of the well-known and slightly strange departure times for Carolina travel parties. Matt Doherty, who succeeded Guthridge as Tar Heels coach and served in that capacity for three seasons, tweeted his condolences Wednesday. Guthridge coached North Carolina to the Final Four in his first season before losing to Utah. He had recently been in an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill. Elizabeth A. Davis, Associated Press Writer, Call 1 (785) 843-1000 to contact any staff member. At the time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks in the AP Poll was the second-longest in college basketball history. Once, in 1978, he did nearly take the head coaching job at Penn State but he changed his mind at the airport and never thought about leaving Chapel Hill again. 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? When Lefty Driesell declined to shake Smiths hand in the mid-1980s, it was Guthridge who was incensedand had to be prevented from chasing down Driesellnot Smith. We easily could have won the championship, man, Ndiaye says. By the way, Dean Smith basically forced UNC to hire Guthridge, his long-time assistant, when El Deano suddenly retired in October 1997, just before the beginning of the hoops season. 2023 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Improving child and adolescent mental health, A message from the chancellor: We are a global university, Carolina Engagement Week Returns for a Second Year, Feb. 27 Through March 3, Book Publishing I: The Process with Christopher Ahn, Parr|Bioethics Joint Lecture: Elizabeth Barnes (University of Virginia), Disability and Health: An Its Complicated Relationship, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Former University of North Carolina mens basketball coach Bill Guthridge passed away May 12. And with Guthridge having gotten his shot, there would have been no issues of whose turn it was. "I'm extremely saddened by the passing of Coach Guthridge, aka 'Coach Gut,' especially coming so close to the loss of Coach Smith," Jamison, who was national player of the year during Guthridge's first season as coach, said in a statement. Former UNC coach, assistant Guthridge dies, Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences, Tide's Oats takes blame for Miller's 'TSA' intro, Davis within 25 points of tying Maravich's mark, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Scheyer makes history as Duke sweeps at home, Tennessee win soured by knee injury to Zeigler, USC, OU, Seton Hall, Iowa in new hoops tourney, Houston, Alabama remain atop AP Top 25 poll. 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. He is probably best remembered for his loyalty to Smith, who died in February at age 83. But looking back, Hanners now believes Guthridge already had an inclination something was afoot. And so even as the coachs hair changed from dark brown to gray to white, his position never did. Why would a healthy 66-year-old call it quits and relinquish the chance to coach that team? North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge retired Friday after three years as Dean Smiths successor, a move that opens one of the most prestigious jobs in college sports. Guthridge said a few weeks ago he planned to stay another five or six years despite intense criticism from fans and alumni after the teams worst regular-season record in decades. Its not fair, but thats just the way it is for assistant coaches, Smith said. Guthridge was completely content in the role of a lifetime assistant and the Smith/Guthridge combo would have been weakened had Guthridge retired early. Go play golf. When coach Smith retired in 1997, after a tenure of 36 season, Guthridge took over the job to begin a reign of great basketball playing at UNC. It was the 14th time Guthridge participated in the Final Four. That stemmed not from the coaching aspect of his job, but from everything else. A longtime assistant to the legendary Dean Smith, he shall be remembered for his three seasons as head coach of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. When did Bill Guthridge coach at UNC? That was probably six or seven years later where somebody else might recognize it. For what? Guthridge became head coach after Smith retired in 1997 and coached the team for three seasons.UNC coach Roy Williams called Guthridge a key . #RIP, "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," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. But Guthridges request also made Hanners realize that plan might not come to fruition. 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. With the number of Americans residing in assisted living communities nearing 1 million and growing, CEAL@UNCs work will be vital for ensuring that older adults nationwide have access to quality and supportive care that enables them to age with dignity and respect. Conference tournament champion. What you saw was the quiet assistant sitting on the bench. If he had, then thats where the what-ifs really go wild. The manager put down his stuff and rifled through his pockets. He held tight. "I'd always set my time to GST, 10 minutes ahead.". The Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program is one of the first research programs focused exclusively on addressing the gap in child and adolescent mental health services. There is one final thing, though, that seems to be consensus, the one aspect of this entire hypothetical that no one can seem to get over: that the reason there are still enduring questions about what Smith could have accomplished in those extra four seasons is because those are the same questions Smith himself always carried. I remember telling the chancellor that, Baddour says. As he famously said at Smiths retirement news conference, I always thought we would ride off into the sun together.. Guthridge . What if he hadnt retired when he did? A tremendously loyal person with an ego that was seemingly non-existent. (Updated at 2:22 p.m.) By Elizabeth A. Davis Associated Press Writer North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge retired Friday after three years as Dean Smith's successor, a move that opens one of the . But the Tar Heels suffered a soul-crushing NCAA Tournament loss that also ended Phil Fords career. His legacy lives on in each of the players who were privileged to call him Coach and countless Tar Heels and people across the nation who admired him. Jordan is among many Tar Heels who had tremendous respect for Guthridge. The protege was named Naismith College Coach of the Year in his first season as Smith's replacement. Ndiaye comforted his coach, who had become a friend in time. Whatve you got to prove then?. Born in Parsons, Kansas,[2] Guthridge attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, and graduated with a B.S. He was 77. 33 yrs on UNC bench. He competed in one as a player at Kansas State in 1958, was an assistant coach at 11 before directing the Tar Heels at two as head coach. The inconsistent season came on the heels of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss in 1999. I tell people that Coach Smith and Coach Guthridge are my light-skinned fathers, said Antawn Jamison, who was the National Player of the Year for the 1998 team that Guthridge guided to the Final Four. Hed grown up in North Carolina, graduated from the university, won a championship as an assistant under Smith and had built a successful program as the coach at Kansas. In his three seasons as head coach Guthridge led the Tar Heels to the NCAA final Four twice, in 1998 and again in 2000. Heck, he might still be the coach at North Carolina. Did Bill Guthridge win national championship? In his 33 seasons at Carolina, the Tar Heels won two NCAA championships, in 1982 and 1993; played in 12 Final Fours; won the ACC Tournament championship 13 times; and played in the ACC Tournament championship game a total of 22 times. But I already had a better job than that and I was happy here. Hed told reporters he expected to honor the remaining four years on his deal. Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision to retire from this physical life. Once he asked a manager, whose arms were full of equipment, if he had change for a quarter. Guthridge didn't bother to recruit Jason Williams,. Were the best North Carolina team that never won a championship. For 30 of his 33 years at Carolina, Guthridge was the behind-the-scenes guy scouting opponents, making sure players got to class on time, disciplining players, getting the players on the bus or airplane and into the hotel, working with office staff on the smallest of details, and recruiting the latter, unlike many coaches, he said he enjoyed immensely. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. He had recently been in an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill. Guthridge was completely committed to Carolina basketball, and he wanted to make sure everyone else in the program felt the same way. Not only did he coach me on the freshman team, he was my coach, another mentor, a friend, a father figure, a big brother for me just like he was for so many players. In retrospect, Smiths premature exit was a mistake on all fronts. 33 yrs on UNC bench. 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