University of North Carolina Athletics
Doherty & Baddour Field Questions From The Media
July 11, 2000 | Men's Basketball
July 11, 2000
Note: Quotes compiled for TarHeelBlue.com.
Q: When Coach Roy Williams said North Carolina would get a better coach than him, was he talking about you?
Coach Doherty: "(Laughing) Wrong guy, I guess. There's not many better than Coach Williams. I hope I can do some of what he's done, because there aren't many better than him.
"I don't know if he was referring to me. I can't answer that. I don't think so."
Q: After Coach Williams turned it down, how long until it felt like they were focusing on you?
Dick Baddour: "I'll be happy to say that on Thursday night before I met the press to talk about Roy staying at Kansas, I had talked to Kevin White (Notre Dame's AD) about getting permission to talk to Matt.
"After that press conference I went right in and called Matt. Very early on Matt was someone that we were excited about.
"He was on the plane the next day and had a chance to meet with myself and Coach Guthridge and Coach Smith, so Matt was very high on the list for us."
Q: When did you get the offer, who made it, and how did it come?
Dick Baddour: "It came at 1:00 p.m. today (Tuesday), by me, over the phone, after consultation with both Chancellors McCoy and Moeser, and the Board of Trustees."
Q: You had to tell your players at Notre Dame goodbye. How did that go?
Coach Doherty: "When I first realized I was coming here to talk about the opening, I met with my team. That was not an easy thing to do.
"They were great. Ryan Humphrey told me, 'first Coach, you're my friend, second, you're my coach. As a friend, you need to look at this.'
"Troy (Murphy) addressed the team today before I left. Afterwards, Troy came up to me and said 'I understand, you made a good decision.'
"They are great kids. The breakthrough season we had was great. I know they'll hire a great coach who will take good care of those young men."
Q:When did you first hear from North Carolina about the opening?
Coach Doherty: "Last Thursday night. (Laughing) I think I was in a WalMart. I forget what we were shopping for, but my cell phone rang. I'm not trying to get any WalMart deals here locally, I promise you.
"Dick called, we talked and got it rolling. I was just cruising along in South end, then I get that phone call.
"It's been a very difficult time, the emotions have been going crazy."
"I don't know if this was an omen or not, but I'm walking down an aisle, talking on the phone, and a kid walks at me with a North Carolina basketball shirt on.
"Then the other day I'm in Indianapolis at the Nike Camp, recruiting, and who do I see on the street but Eric Montross' dad (Scott). We went driving around, and I said 'maybe this is an omen.'
"He said, 'it is an omen!' You're looking for all kinds of signs at a time like that."
Q: When Coach Guthridge made his retirement announcement, did you ever see yourself sitting here?
Coach Doherty: "First of all I was surprised to hear of his retirement. I was playing golf when a reporter called me with the news. I proceeded to go double bogey, double bogey, double bogey.
"I was surprised. Then Coach Guthridge and Coach Smith talked to Coach Williams, and I thought that was going to be it."
Q: To take that further, did you feel like that was going to be it?
Coach Doherty: "I didn't want to meddle in coach's (Williams) affairs, but he called me before his first press conference to talk about the Carolina job. I ended up talking to him that night.
"It got emotional at times, but that was it, I didn't want to get involved.
"The first time I talked to him after he turned the job down was at the Nike camp in Indianapolis. I asked him his opinion. He said you can do that job, you can do that job. That gave me a lot of confidence.
"We talked a couple of times at the camp about this job. You know, your head's spinning. He helped in making a decision, if I had a decision to make. At that time I didn't.
"But, you have to envision it happening, you have to prepare, so that if you do get that final call, you have to make a decision quickly.
"I was going back and forth. This is a big move. When I moved from Davidson to Kansas, that was an easy move to make. Then the move from Kansas to the head coach at Notre Dame was an easy move to make. Notre Dame is a great institution, and that program is going to get up into the Top Five or Top Ten.
"So I had to make a decision. Do I want to be a part of that, or do I want to be at the best basketball program in the country?"
Q: What were your thoughts when you heard that Coach Brown and Coach Karl had removed their names from consideration?
Coach Doherty: "I thought I better get a new battery for my cell phone, because it started ringing like crazy. Then I thought that this may become a reality.
"Just to be mentioned in the same breath with Roy Williams, Eddie Fogler, George Karl and Larry Brown is very humbling. I have not done what those men have done.
"I hope to achieve that kind of success here."
Q: Can you compare your emotions today with what you felt when you won a national title in 1982?
Coach Doherty: "In 1982 I felt relief, because I missed a foul shot with a minute and a half to go that could have cost Coach Smith his first championship. Fortunately, there was a guy wearing number 23 that put it in with 17 seconds to play.
"That championship was bitter sweet for me, because I realized I about screwed it up.
"This is a numbing experience. It's kind of surreal, like you're dreaming, wondering if you're going to wake up."
Q: When Mr. Baddour went to California, did you feel like you wouldn't get the job?
Coach Doherty: "You go on a little roller coaster ride. Am I going to be offered the job or not. I had a great job, so I was just flattered to be mentioned.
"I just wanted some one who had played here or coached here to get the job, because it's a special place. I don't think someone from the outside would understand what it means to have played here. I don't think they would understand the effort it takes to maintain the ties with the former players.
"I don't know how Coach Smith always managed to send Christmas cards to all his former players, but I'd always get one. My parents got them a lot.
"I'm very confident in my ability to coach basketball, and I hope that comes across in the right way. I don't want to sound cocky, but I'm confident, and I think you'd want someone sitting up here who's confident in their ability to coach.
"We beat five ranked opponents last season. I feel like I can coach basketball. I feel like I can relate to the kids, and I feel like I can recruit, and there's not a better place in the country to recruit to than this place."
Q: Is this a dream job for you?
Coach Doherty: "I think any coach would dream about being the head coach at North Carolina. You dream about it, you fantasize about it, but you realize that it might never happen.
"There haven't been many coaches here in the last many years, so you don't think it will ever happen.
"When I took the Notre Dame job, Coach Smith told me 'take a job at a place where you can see yourself staying for the rest of your life.'"
Q: Have you had any conversations with Coaches Sullivan, Ford and Hanners?
Coach Doherty: "I sure have. One of the first things I wanted to do was talk to them and tell them why I wanted to bring my staff with me.
"I couldn't leave anybody behind. If I had to, I wouldn't be here, to be quite frank. That's how strongly I feel about my staff. Those guys put me in position to get this job. Without them, I wouldn't be here.
"But I wanted to show my compassion for those guys, and appreciation for their hard work at North Carolina. Those guys have done nothing wrong. All they've done is been to a few Final Fours and won a few championships as players and coaches.
"I just want them to respect me and this program, and facilitate the transition, which they have offered, without my asking. I just have compassion for them and their position, and that's hard. They're very professional, and that's what I expected."
Dick Baddour: "I'd like to comment on that. The University and the basketball program are very indebted to Phil, Pat and Dave. This has not been an easy time for them. They've done everything that Coach Guthridge has asked them to do.
"They love this university, they are devoted to this university. All of our fans should appreciate their effort and their dedication.
"The department will cover them until they're able to find a position. The two best minds in basketball (Smith and Guthridge) will devote a lot of time to assist them in their efforts and their goals as to where they want to be."
Q: When you were offered the job, did you accept immediately?
Coach Doherty: "I think we just had to work out a few things. I think that made Dick realize I had a good opportunity where I was at. Kevin White and Father Malloy made it very difficult for me to leave Notre Dame.
"When it came down to it, I wanted to bring my family back home, if you will, and this is the best job in all of basketball, and I wanted to have a Carolina guy in this chair.
"I'm not going to try to live up to Coach Smith and Guthridge's standards, I'm going to try to live up to my standards. My standards are awfully high.
"If I try to be a Smith or a Guthridge, I don't think my players will respect me. I'm going to be Matt Doherty, and I hope that's good enough.
"I coach basketball for two reasons. First, I think basketball is the best sport ever invented. Two, I want to make a positive impact on the lives of young men. I hope that I can do that in grand fashion here."
