University of North Carolina Athletics
Mick: What I Learned From Bill And Carl
April 20, 2000 | Men's Basketball
April 20, 2000
By: Mick Mixon
Bill Guthridge and Carl Torbush consider themselves educators, and they are of course.
Normally, enrollment in their courses is restricted to scholarship athletes and selected walkons, but this past year something unusual happened.
Injuries and losses conspired to put UNC's two most visible professors under such public scrutiny that it allowed anyone who was paying attention the rare chance to audit their classes. There was no syllabus or textbook. Attendance wasn't taken. And there was no final exam. But they put some pretty valuable and universally applicable lessons out there and no matter what your age, allegiance or line of work, I hope you didn't miss them.
Don't look to assign blame. When things don't go well, excuses are everywhere but they are like balsa wood crutches. Tempting to lean on, they won't support your weight. Instead, stand on your own two legs. Accept the responsibility. Meet the challenge rather than turn from it. That's what leaders do.
Be loyal to who you are. Some people are constantly trying to identify and work on their weaknesses, which often leads to a whole bunch of fairly decent weaknesses instead of a highly developed set of strengths. Even with legions of people screaming for them to change, Bill Guthridge and Carl Torbush had the confidence, resolve and wisdom to continue to trust their abilities. And as hard as it is to be yourself, it isn't nearly as difficult as trying to be somebody else.
Family business is no one else's business. More problems are generally created from saying too much than from not saying enough.
The correct path isn't usually the easiest one. The pain of firing three assistant coaches will be with Carl Torbush for the rest of his life, but he thought it was the right thing to do and did it.
Win with grace and dignity, lose with class and sportsmanship.
Work hard. Work honestly. And keep fighting. If Coach Guthridge had given up on the season when many fans did, the 1999-2000 Tar Heels wouldn't have given Carolina another Final Four.
Does the dogged pursuit of those principles guarantee success? Absolutely not. Life is more complicated than that.
Are the problems that faced Carolina football and basketball last year now fixed? Not yet. Athletics aren't quite that simple. Much work is yet to be done.
ut as an alumnus of the University of North Carolina and from my seat as color analyst on our radio network, I believe that Bill and Carl deserve credit for two semesters of outstanding teaching.
