Dean of Coaches: Smith's Carolina Tenure Unmatched in College Hoop History

You would be weary and needing to put a North Carolina hand up for a breather if trying to detail all of deceased Dean Smith's noble achievements. By any measure, he was a gentleman obsessed with attempting to do what he perceived as right on and off the court.

The principal results (879 victories and extraordinary graduation ratio) speak volumes by themselves. But in dealing with any control freak and high expectations, there is ample evidence that lofty goals take a toll. Smith, an authentic people person, rarely revealed public nerves. However, when talking to him as he tried to hide his smoking in the bowels of an arena after a close contest, it was easy to discern how coaching competitiveness could get the best of him despite compiling the best mark of any major-college mentor with more than 250 games decided by fewer than six points (171-102, .626). Boasting 11 Final Four appearances, his preacher-like emphasis on sacrificing for a common goal probably cost the Tar Heels additional NCAA titles but made many of his elite players he pulled the reins on in a "four corners" way to enhance their all-around skills more capable of fitting in with equally talented pro teammates and prolonged their careers at that level. Smith went out of his way to emphasize senior leadership and always had his seniors featured on the cover of the Tar Heels' media guide even if they played sparingly. It seems totally out of character, but time will tell if liberal "do-anything-for-them" overkill via "fairness" tendencies polluted UNC's program at the genesis of the Carolina academic scandal in the mid-1990s and will eventually stain his legacy. Was it really in the school's long-term best interest how he orchestrated his departure one week before practice started in 1997 to assure aging long-time assistant (Bill Guthridge) would be promoted to head coach?

On the court, how much earlier would Smith have passed Kentucky legend Adolph Rupp as the winningest coach in major-college history at the time if six of Smith's standout players didn't leave school early to become NBA high first-round draft choices - Bob McAdoo (1972), James Worthy (1982), Michael Jordan (1984), J.R. Reid (1989), Jerry Stackhouse (1995) and Rasheed Wallace (1995)? All six were among the top five selections in a draft although none of them posted the highest scoring average - Hubert Davis (21.4 ppg in 1991-92) - in Smith's last 27 seasons as UNC's bench boss.

Smith kicked off his illustrious head coaching career with a modest $9,500 annual salary and an inauspicious 8-9 record in 1961-62. The Tar Heels lost their first four ACC games in February that season by an average of 18.5 points as Smith compiled his only losing mark. Earlier, they bowed to Indiana, 76-70, at Greensboro before an anemic crowd of 3,000. Times changed significantly thereafter. In 1963, UNC commenced a streak of 26 straight seasons with at least one All-ACC first-team selection. In 1965-66, the Heels had their final year out of national postseason tourney competition for the remainder of the 20th Century. He guided Carolina to an NCAA-record 19 consecutive appearances in final Top 20 wire-service polls from 1971 through 1989.

By the way, Indiana is the only school with a minimum of five games opposing Smith to post a winning record against him (5-4). The Hoosiers won three of four meetings vs. Smith in his first four seasons. One of the few coaches to enjoy much success at all against Smith was former Missouri mentor Norm Stewart, who broke even with him (4-4) in their eight confrontations from 1982-83 through 1989-90.

Most coaches would die to win 69% of their games in any season, let a lone an entire career. Incredibly, that is the worst winning percentage for Smith against any of the nation's 30 DI conferences (reflecting membership at the end of Smith's final season in 1996-97). Unlike many of today's coaches, he didn't pick on patsies outside the mighty ACC in non-league competition. At the time of his retirement, Smith opposed members of "mid-major" alliances including the Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Metro Atlantic, Mid-Continent, MEAC, Midwestern Collegiate, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southland, SWAC and West Coast a meager total of 36 times in 36 seasons.

For the record, following are long-time DI institutions Smith never opposed: Air Force (where he served as an assistant for two years before accepting a similar position at Carolina under Frank McGuire), Army, Baylor, Charlotte, Evansville, Fresno State, Holy Cross, Illinois State, Loyola of Chicago, Memphis, Mississippi, Navy, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Saint Louis, Southern Illinois, Southern Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas Christian, Texas-El Paso, Toledo, Utah State, Washington State, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Xavier. They missed the Dean of Coaches but not as much as observers truly fond of the game have been and will be in ensuing seasons.