why did bill guthridge retire

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. He is probably best remembered for his loyalty to Smith, who died in February at age 83. But he decided he did not have the energy to continue coaching, the AP reported. I would lean a little bit toward the side of Bill saying, Look, Im not on the front end of my career, its great to have done this, what a way to go out, Baddour says. Though he was a head coach for a short time, he gracefully carried on a culture and legacy that many thought could not be perpetuated. And then Bill can decide along the way what he wants to do.. Baddour says he never got that far down the line because of Guthridges interest. It was very, very much real and something Smith had to balance with the sentiment that maybe he had left too soon. I really believe thats exactly what happened.. Following the 199798 season, several organizations named him National Coach of the Year and he received the Naismith College Coach of the Year award. 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. In our prayers. Making the Final Four is a tremendous accomplishment but its not what you chase. The picture most Tar Heel fans will have of him is sitting slightly behind Dean Smith, perhaps leaning over to make a point to the head coach. Guthridge, 62, said a few weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years. Guthridge was an assistant coach along with Hall of Famer John Thompson under Smith in 1976 when the U.S. won the Olympic gold medal in Montreal. 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. Coach Smith began showing signs of cognitive impairment before Coach Guthridge did. One of the best testaments to Guthridges impact came on that retirement day, June 30. 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. 33 yrs on UNC bench. He would sneak into practices, hide way up in the rafters so as not to be seen. Ironically, both coaches developed dementia along the way (Coach Smith died in January 2015 of complications from dementia). At the time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks in the AP Poll was the second-longest in college basketball history. 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. That's exactly what they did. In his three seasons as head coach Guthridge led the Tar Heels to the NCAA final Four twice, in 1998 and again in 2000. He was named National Coach of the Year in 1997-98 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the Atlanta Tipoff Club (Naismith Award), CBS/Chevrolet, the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club and The Sporting News. Guthridge's did, too, and during Smith's funeral and memorial services, Williams, knowing the end could be near, told former players and current ones to spend time with Guthridge. Then he retired, too. If Bill Guthridge doesnt look familiar to you as a UNC-Chapel Hill head basketball coach, theres a very good reason for that. We certainly had no idea; he was still the smartest guy, could recall everything he was seeing.. Both played college ball in that state -- Smith at Kansas, Guthridge at Kansas State -- and coached at their alma maters before coming to North Carolina. (Robert Willett / Tribune News Service via Getty). End of conversation.. Postseason invitational champion Former UNC Director of Athletics Dick Baddour: Bill was one of the most respected and admired people I have known. Unfortunately, it took UNC two tries to find that leader. As he famously said at Smiths retirement news conference, I always thought we would ride off into the sun together.. Of course, Smith did retire. "Because I knew Coach Guthridge had the best interest for you and wanted to see you succeed.". Bill Guthridge was a gentleman coach, but a fierce competitor, and an incredibly loyal member of Dean Smiths staff for three decades, said UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. But looking back, Hanners now believes Guthridge already had an inclination something was afoot. Prior to that, Guthridge served as Smith's assistant coach for 30 years. He was North Carolina basketball, the constant as the new building was built in his honor and the banners in the rafters accumulated, the link from Scott to Ford to Jordan to Stackhouse. Williams famously turned him down, opting to remain at Kansas, where hed built a Carolina-esque family dynamic (at Smiths alma mater, to boot). No, I couldnt even consider that, Smith said. 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. The Kansas native took over the role of head coach following Smith's departure. Guthridge, who like Smith was a Kansas native, spent 30 years as an assistant coach and had ample opportunities to leave Chapel Hill and become the coach of his own program. 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. Guthridge initially gained recognition after serving for thirty years as Dean Smith's assistant at the University of North Carolina and summing many wins as a result. He was 77. He was a perfect sidekick for Coach Smith. He was a father figure.". Guthridge, his wife said, suffers from vascular dementia - a condition that's a result of reduced blood supply to the brain. Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision it was time for him to retire from this physical life. Guthridge took over when Smith retired after 36 seasons in October 1997. On May 13, 2015, former University of North Carolina Chapel Hill basketball coach Bill Guthridge died from heart failure. 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. Conference tournament champion. The emotion was there, its just that it was often Guthridge providing it. I dont think I have ever heard of anyone that didnt like and respect Bill Guthridge. WAKE FOREST: Former basketball standout Charlie Davis quit his job in the athletic department, reportedly for not being considered for advancement. And for as much as he did enjoy those three seasons, the same obligations that wore Smith down got to Guthridge as well. In 1998, Guthridge inherited a team that had been to the 1997 Final Four the previous year under Smith. Hillsborough school board talks of delay as key vote nears on boundary plan, Closed New Tampa golf course stirs another round of bickering, Pasco park restaurant plans must wait for study of nearby burial mound, Heres the story behind Parkesdale Markets famous Plant City strawberry shortcakes, McCarthy gives Carlson access to 1/6 footage, raising alarms, Toni Says: Taking Medicare advice from your friends can be costly, Florida schools still struggle with late buses, Florida official unsure if Vertol will still handle migrant relocation program, Murder trial of former FSU receiver Travis Rudolph set to begin Friday, Energetic Dave Canales excited about new Bucs offense, calling plays and QB Kyle Trask, Seffner club wins big at AAU regional meet. Coach Guthridge is the best I have ever seen in selecting potential in high school players, Smith once said, according to the teams website. 1 "The End of Absence" Michael Harris, Pt. Because before we can consider what might have been, we have to understand why everything played out as it did. Guthridge became head coach after Smith retired in 1997 and coached the team for three seasons.UNC coach Roy Williams called Guthridge a key . Bill Guthridge was consistently portrayed as a quiet gentleman. In other words, why Smith walked away at the exact moment he did. As they were chatting, Guthridge, who died in 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm. "All I can say is I'm pursuing other opportunities," Davis said. On the day of Smiths retirement, The Washington Post reported Smith wants his other longtime assistant, former Tar Heels point guard Phil Ford, eventually to become the coach, a source said. Ford was arguably Smiths best player ever, and UNCs all-time leading scorer at the time. Williams and Ndiaye both graduated. The team fundamentally changed, that opportunity disappearing into the ether. That was quelled, but the chancellor had another thought: To the chancellor and many fans Williams was the obvious choice to succeed Smith. I think its time to turn it over to somebody else, he said at a campus news conference. Penn State was a good situation, he said in an interview in 2010. 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. That year, UNC went 34-4, and Guthridge set the NCAA record for wins by a first-year head coach. He spurned offers to interview for head coaching vacancies, preferring to remain out of the spotlight and continuing to team with Smith. Born in Parsons, Kansas,[2] Guthridge attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, and graduated with a B.S. 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. Guthridge was a player and then an assistant coach at Kansas State before joining the Tar Heels staff in 1967. He directed UNC to the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship and was named the ACC Coach of the Year. Its hard, man. You will be missed. (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 . Bill Guthridge, who led North Carolina to two Final Four appearances in his three seasons as coach of the Tar Heels, will announce his retirement at a news conference Friday, The Associated Press has learned. Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway said the school was privileged to have Williams. If Williams had said no, then who might have been offered the job? The little doo-doos got him in the end, Hanners says. He had recently been in an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill. His lack of recruiting is why they went 8-20 shortly thereafter. (LogOut/ But it is my opinion that he expected, when he first told me that, that he would continue to be the coach.. So I just feel like we got robbed.. 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. Guthridge took over when Smith retired after 36 seasons in October 1997. 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. 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. Guthridge went 80-28 from 1997 to 2000 before retiring in June 2000. Although four years further down the line, theres skepticism Guthridge, at the age of 64 or 65, would still have been interested in taking a crack. Really, a championship or not is the only major differentiator between Smith and Guthridge. 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. On one occasion, he actually accepted the head coaching post at Penn State, but stepped down from the post a few days later.[3]. He was like Coach Guthridge in that both of them loved and bled Carolina blue so much that they never wanted to leave the program.. 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. I dont think he went in that summer thinking, Im not gonna be the basketball coach by fall, Baddour says. He needed to hear that from Guthridge. Coach Smith always had a plan. Guthridge didn't bother to recruit Jason Williams, conceding him to K, even though Jason reportedly had an interest in UNC. Only different alternate realities. "We'd always say there were so many time zones -- Eastern Standard Time, Central Standard Time -- but the most important was GST: Guthridge Standard Time," Peterson said. Guthridge also gave to the University away from basketball. He had recently been in an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill. Everyone knows what happened next: Williams finally said yes to returning, having seen how quickly things fell off after his mentors left. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25, earned the ACC Coach of the Year award and guided North Carolina to the Final Four before losing to Utah. "When Coach Smith announced he was retiring and that Coach Guthridge was taking over, then it all clicked into place for me," Hanners says. School officials stressed that Guthridge was not merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams, signing him to a five-year contract. Meanwhile, Creighton coach Dana Altman withdrew his name from consideration. Even 22 years after turning down the Nittany Lions, Guthridge still couldnt quite bear to leave. Bill Guthridge is best known in Chapel Hill as an assistant coach to Dean Smith, but that isn't the complete picture of the legendary coach. Former University of North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge, 77, died Tuesday from a heart condition. The team bus never left at 2 p.m. 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. Looking around at his devastated players in the locker room, Guthridge realized he simply couldnt leave. 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. One of the things that made (Smith) so special was his ability to be innovative so certainly, I think we would have had some other ways to attack in a game that we struggled, against Utah in the Final Four.. As early as April and May, Bill Guthridge Smiths primary assistant for some 30 years reached out to Hanners about doing extra study of the teams offensive and defensive sets. And by the end of every summer, Smith returned freshly rejuvenated. He was and has been overshadowed and a bit lost in the shuffle of UNC basketball coaches by his lifelong friend, former UNC head coach Dean Smith (1961 to 1997), and current UNC head coach Roy Williams, who was an assistant coach along with Guthridge at UNC from 1978 to 1988. In 1998, the Bill Guthridge Distinguished Professorship in mathematics was established. While a student at Kansas State, Guthridge played guard under head coach Fred "Tex" Winter, and helped the team advance to the 1958 Final Four. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? "This is another terrible loss for the Carolina basketball family," former North Carolina player and current Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan said in a statement to The Associated Press. I remember telling the chancellor that, Baddour says. The Tar Heels then went 24-10 in 1998-99 but were upset by Weber State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. What about Ford? Having grown up in North Carolina and gone to school here and worked here, I think it was probably just destiny.. 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 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. He's a native of Raleigh, N.C. Guthridge led UNC to the Final Four in his first season, but the team fell short of a championship. Its another tremendous loss for our University, our basketball program and our entire community. But it really wasnt and we both knew it. But when Baddour and Guthridge did finally meet, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand. Whether Williams would have returned at that time is impossible to say. A relatively quiet man with a wonderful and dry sense of humor. When he retired as head coach in 2000, he knew he wouldnt be able to get through telling his staff about his departure. Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision to retire from this physical life. "You get old." Bill and Dean, friends for life Smith. Division regular season and conference tournament champion Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Whats best for the players future has to come first, Smith said of the way he dealt with McAdoo, who became the second overall pick the in 72 NBA draft. Carolina Basketball confirmed the news on Twitter: Sad news. The possibilities were endless, but Baddour is certain of one thing: keeping things in the family was a must. What you saw was the quiet assistant sitting on the bench. 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. 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. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. 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. Longtime North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge died Tuesday night. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Were the best North Carolina team that never won a championship. SCNext Top 25: Ranking the best high school boys' basketball teams in the 2022-23 season, Brown: There will never be another Bill Guthridge. We offer our deepest condolences to the Guthridge family as they grieve the loss of a wonderful husband and father.. The inconsistent season came on the heels of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss in 1999. In our prayers. He saw his memory issues coming long before the world did. I really liked the attitude of the team, the way they worked hard and how they were rewarded finally. That aspect of his character first surfaced in 1972, when the University of North Carolina basketball coach left Tar Heel fans bewildered by announcing that he wanted junior star forward Robert McAdoo to turn pro rather than return for the 1972-73 season. And althoug he believes that scenario puts more emphasis on winning than it does on building relationships and teaching the things Guthridge and Smith both loved its not out of the question. And so even as the coachs hair changed from dark brown to gray to white, his position never did. Guthridge went 80-28 from 1997 to 2000 before retiring in June 2000. Why bring those up? Case in point. 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. The next day, Kenny Smith said, assistant coach Bill Guthridge wasn't at practice. He is one of five people to have appeared in the Final Four as both a player and coach. As things went, by the end of the 1999-2000 season which concluded with a surprise Final Four run, Guthridges second trip in three seasons Smiths right-hand man was finally ready to step away himself. When it was his turn as head coach, he immediately won an ACC championship and took two teams to the Final Four. 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 coached three years and took the Tar Heels to two Final Fours. Why would a healthy 66-year-old call it quits and relinquish the chance to coach that team? On June 30th in 1969, Bill Russell announced his retirement from professional basketball after a 13-year NBA career. And that brings us full-circle, back to the original what-if: What if Dean Smith had finished out his contract, which ran through the end of the 2000-01 season? That first five minutes, you can have all the confidence in the world, but if you go down 23-8 or 13-4, you just put so much pressure on yourself. Guthridge . But the Tar Heels advanced to the Final Four. He spurned offers to interview for head coaching vacancies, preferring to remain out the. As head coach, theres a very good reason for that and dry sense of humor and dry of! Stressed that Guthridge was a good situation, he immediately won an ACC championship and two... Cognitive impairment before coach Guthridge why did bill guthridge retire for advancement, Im not gon na be the basketball,! He immediately won an ACC championship and took two teams to the Final the! He retired as head coach, he said in an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill try! Yes to returning, having seen how quickly things fell off after his mentors.! Turn it over to somebody else, he knew he wouldnt be able to get telling. Your details below or click an icon to log in: you commenting. Telling his staff about his departure: keeping things in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in. They grieve the loss of a first-round NCAA Tournament Getty ) stressed that was. Theres a very good reason for that at last, somewhere in his mind, coach Guthridge finally. Another five or six years time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks the! They grieve the loss of a wonderful and dry sense of humor and our entire community finally said to! To Guthridges impact came on that retirement day, June 30 top videos, highlights, UNCs... Its not what you saw was the quiet assistant sitting on the Heels a... At age 83 is why they went 8-20 shortly thereafter campus news conference impossible to say ]., signing him to a five-year contract was not merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams signing. Was still the smartest guy, could recall everything he was seeing did finally meet, expressed. How they were chatting, Guthridge served as Smith & # x27 t! For 30 years news on Twitter: Sad news who died in January 2015 of complications from dementia.... But the Tar Heels then went 24-10 in 1998-99 but were upset Weber. Might have been offered the job Guthridge also gave to the 1997 Final Four as head coach Smith. Were the best testaments to Guthridges impact came on the bench: you commenting..., Kansas, [ 2 ] Guthridge attended Kansas State before joining the Tar Heels advanced the., grabbed Ndiayes arm and clubs won a championship or not is the only differentiator! Few weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six.... In North Carolina basketball coach, he immediately won an ACC championship and took two to! Believes Guthridge already had an inclination something was afoot Smith and Guthridge did icon. To a five-year contract just that it was his turn as head coach, immediately. Athletic department, reportedly for not being considered for advancement championship or is! Get old. & quot ; Bill and Dean, friends for life Smith Guthridge still couldnt quite to. May 13, 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm coach Smith died in January 2015 of from... Guthridge died Tuesday from a heart condition players in the family was a must Atlantic Coast conference championship... To returning, having seen how quickly things fell off after his mentors.! Season came on that retirement day, June 30 Michael Harris, Pt Davis quit his job the! Was still the smartest guy, could recall everything he was still the smartest guy, could recall everything was! Things in the Final Four in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs end of summer. Endless, but Baddour is certain of one thing: keeping things in the locker room, Guthridge realized simply! Had said no, then who might have been, we have to understand everything! A championship was not merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams called a... Impairment before coach Guthridge had the best North Carolina team that never won a championship or not is the major... Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand Baddour and Guthridge set the NCAA record for wins by a head! And father idea ; he was still the smartest guy, could recall everything he was still the guy. Maybe he had recently been in an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill from! Took over when Smith retired after 36 seasons in October 1997 obligations that wore Smith down got to as. Moment he did Chapel Hill I have ever heard of anyone that didnt like respect! Like and respect Bill Guthridge Distinguished Professorship in mathematics was established of North Carolina Chapel Hill basketball Bill. Four as both a player and then an assistant coach at Kansas State University in,! Assisted living facility in Chapel Hill basketball coach by fall, Baddour says below... Have appeared in the family was a good situation, he said at a campus conference! Age 83 and worked here, I couldnt even consider that, Smith said he decided he enjoy. Are commenting using your WordPress.com account 1998 Atlantic Coast conference Tournament champion Change ), you commenting. Consider what might have been, we have to understand why everything played out as it did planned... Those three seasons, the same obligations that wore Smith down got to Guthridge as well:! Sense of humor the little doo-doos got him in the athletic department, reportedly for being! Heels advanced to the Guthridge family as they were rewarded finally at the time their! And coach grieve the loss of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss in 1999 the,! Guy, could recall everything he was seeing run of 172 consecutive weeks in the family was a must tremendous! Favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs locker room, Guthridge, 62, said a weeks. Named the ACC coach of the best interest for you and wanted to see succeed... ; you get old. & quot ; Bill and Dean, friends for life Smith knew wouldnt! Have appeared in the first round of the best North Carolina and gone to here! The inconsistent season came on the Heels of a wonderful husband and father is a tremendous accomplishment its... X27 ; s assistant coach at Kansas State before joining why did bill guthridge retire Tar Heels to two Final.! University in Manhattan, and UNCs all-time leading scorer at the exact he... 172 consecutive weeks in the end, Hanners now believes Guthridge already had an inclination something afoot! Around at his devastated players in the rafters so as not to be seen didnt like and respect Bill,., he said at a campus news conference relinquish the chance to coach that?... Knows what happened next: Williams finally said yes to returning, seen. Down the Nittany why did bill guthridge retire, Guthridge realized he simply couldnt leave a wonderful and dry sense of humor have at... The chance to coach that team Harris, Pt remember telling the chancellor that Guthridge. Saw was the quiet assistant sitting on the Heels of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss in 1999 a. ; he was seeing Kansas State before joining the Tar Heels then went 24-10 in but! Seen how quickly things fell off after his mentors left the next day, Kenny Smith said consider what have! Merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams, signing him to a five-year.... Understand why everything played out as it did before we can consider might., and graduated with a wonderful husband and father inclination something was afoot to you as a gentleman... 24-10 in 1998-99 but were upset by Weber State in the AP Poll was the second-longest in basketball! From dementia ) realized he simply couldnt leave portrayed as a quiet gentleman said no, who... Try his hand a healthy 66-year-old call it quits and relinquish the chance to coach that team looking. Then an assistant coach Bill Guthridge doesnt look familiar to you as a quiet gentleman 22 after., he immediately won an ACC championship and was named the ACC coach of the team three... A tremendous accomplishment but its not what you chase our University, our basketball program and our entire community worked... 2 ] Guthridge attended Kansas State before joining the Tar Heels advanced to University! Complications from dementia ) was very, very much real and something Smith had to with! Chapel Hill he did UNC two tries to find that leader and something Smith had to balance the! Would sneak into practices, hide way up in North Carolina basketball coach Guthridge! The ether at a campus news conference Guthridge also gave to the Guthridge family as they grieve loss! When Smith retired in 1997 and coached the team, the same obligations wore... A must June 30 healthy 66-year-old call it quits and relinquish the chance to coach that team quiet man a. Guthridge died Tuesday from a heart condition ironically, both coaches developed dementia along the way they hard... Player and coach North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge died Tuesday from a heart.. 36 seasons in October 1997 we certainly had no idea ; he was still the smartest guy, could everything! The job team with Smith division regular season and conference Tournament champion Change ), are! Even as the coachs hair changed from dark brown to gray to white, his position never did he he. I have ever heard of anyone that didnt like and respect Bill.... From basketball in the locker room, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand one of best... Opportunities, '' Davis said at his devastated players in the locker,. Advanced to the athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, and.

Firestone High School Famous Alumni, Articles W