University of North Carolina Athletics
Brewer: Another Hall Of Fame For Dean Smith
November 14, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2006
Dean Smith is headed for another Hall of Fame.
The new National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame opens this weekend with the induction of its Founding Class. This event is being sponsored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Joining Smith in this first group of inductees are Oscar Robertson, a three-time National Player of the Year; Bill Russell who led San Francisco to NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956; former UCLA Coach John Wooden; and Dr. James Naismith, who invented the game.
Smith was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame over 20 years ago. That is open to anyone connected with the game, from the college, professional, high school and foreign ranks. This new Hall will only include coaches, players and others who have contributed to the college game.
The Hall of Fame itself will be housed in a 41,500 square foot facility at the new Sprint Center arena in downtown Kansas City. It will open next fall.
Smith, of course, is the winningest coach in college basketball history. He retired after the 1997 season. His teams won at least 20 games for 27 straight years. No coach has ever had a streak that long.
His most amazing accomplishments came in the ACC which over the years has been the most competitive in the nation. His teams did not finish lower than third in the league standings for 33 straight seasons. They won 17 regular-season championships and 13 ACC Tournament titles.
Smith guided Carolina to a record 23 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. He led the Tar Heels to 11 Final Fours, second only to Wooden's 12. Carolina won the NCAA chmpionship in 1982 and 1993.
It was Smith's job to coach the U.S. Olympic Team in 1976 after the Americans lost their first Olympic title ever in the controversial 1972 Games. Using a nucleus of his own players, his team won the Gold Medal.
Listing his other accomplishments and awards would take longer than counting votes in Virginia's Senate race. But, the thing in which he took the most pride was seeing over 96 percent of his lettermen graduate.
Carolina Coach Roy Williams said Smith deserves every honor possible.
"He didn't have teams here," said Williams. "Coach had a program. He was concerned more about his players than any records. That's why they played so hard for him and have all remained so loyal. He keeps up with his former players today and is always willing to help them in any way possible."
This weekend's three-day event is being called the "College Basketball Experience Weekend." It includes the semi-finals and finals of the new Guardians Classic Tournament. The games and the Sunday evening induction ceremonies will be televised by ESPN.
DEATH OF A STAR--Not many people know that Jack Palance, who died last Friday, once played football at Carolina.
Palance performed in over 100 movies and numerous television shows. He won an Emmy in 1956 for his work in "Requiem for a Heavyweight." But, his most famous role came in Billy Crystal's 1991 movie "City Slickers." His portrayal of an aging cowboy earned him an Oscar for supporting actor.
He stole the Academy Awards presentation by dropping to the stage floor and doing a set of one-handed pushups. He was 73 at the time.
Palance, who was John Polanski back then, played one season at fullback for Carolina in 1941. But he left school after just one year because of World War II. He later finished his education at Stanford in 1948 and began his career as an actor.
IT'S A BUSY WEEK--November and March are the busiest months of the athletic school year and this week is a good example of that.
The overlap in seasons is what leads to hectic schedules. Football and basketball run together in November. Plus, the fall olympic sports are wrapping up their seasons with NCAA championship events and winter sports teams are starting their competition. Then in March winter and spring sports run together.
There's certainly something for everyone this week.
Tuesday the men's basketball team opens its season in Charlotte. Carolina faces Sacred Heart in the first round of the NIT Tip-Off. A win that evening would advance the Tar Heels to a Wednesday night game against either Winthrop or Iona. Gametimes each evening are 7 p.m.
Back in Chapel Hill on Wednesday the men's soccer team plays Old Dominion in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That also will start at 7 p.m. on Fetzer Field.
The men's and women's swimming and diving teams will be hosting the NIKE Cup Trials here on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Competition starts at 10:00 a.m. and runs all day.
The volleyball team plays Florida State in Carmichael Audfitorium this Thursday at 7:00. The Tar Heels face Miami at 8:00 on Friday. That Friday volleyball game will be preceded by a women's basketball game between Carolina and Elon at 5:00.
Then comes the big Carolina-N.C. State football game in Kenan Stadium on Saturday. That's set for 12:00 noon. The ACC/Big Ten Wrestling Clash runs all day at Carmichael.
The top-ranked Carolina women's soccer team is back in action on Fetzer Field at 6 p.m. The Tar Heels will be playing Tennessee in the third round of the NCAA Championships.
Ending this stretch of non-stop action will be Sunday's home opener for the men's basketball team. Carolina will be facing Gardner-Webb at 1 p.m. in the Smith Center.
