University of North Carolina Athletics
BREWER: Smith Center's 20th Anniversary
February 3, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2006
Carolina's 20th season in the Smith Center may be underway, but a number of fans still like to talk about the great days in Carmichael Auditorium.
Sure, even in an anniversary year for this arena, there is some nostalgia about Carmichael.
The best thing about Carmichael is that's where the rebuilding of Carolina's basketball program began to accelerate under Dean Smith's guidance. The Tar Heels won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament titles three straight years from 1967 to 1969. Beginning with that stretch Carolina has had the best and most consistently successful program in the nation.
Carmichael was home for such great players as Larry Miller, Charlie Scott, Walter Davis, Mitch Kupchak, Phil Ford, Bobby Jones, Mike O'Koren, Al Wood, James Worthy, Sam Perkins and Michael Jordan.
And there were plenty of special games and moments. The most famous are probably are Ford's last home appearance, the eight-point rally against Duke in 1974 and Jordan's steal and dunk in a comeback win over Virginia.
But, those are just memories. The Smith Center is a better place to play. There was concern that would not be the case as the first game against Duke approached back in 1986.
Everyone knew the arena itself would be a much-improved facility over Carmichael. But some thought that Carolina would be giving up a lot of its homecourt advantage by moving into the new building. Carmichael was one of the toughest places in America for any team to visit. It was smaller with10,000 people jammed into the arena every game. Noise could reach a decibel threatening level. Part of the student seating was behind the opponent's bench and the yelling there could make communication difficult.
The heat could be suffocating. Coaches who didn't like to substitute often saw their teams wilt.
With the Smith Center being so much larger, no one was sure how loud the noise might get. Despite arguments by Smith, student seating was moved from behind the visitors' bench. Air-conditioning would make the building more comfortable for opponents.
But, the biggest advantage the Tar Heels had in Carmichael still existed. Carolina continued to annually have one of the best teams in college basketball.
And a new building was needed, one with a greater seating capacity. The Athletic Department wanted to get more students into games. A large number of people who contributed money for athletic scholarships could not get a ticket for games there. A larger arena would also make more tickets available to members of the faculty and staff.
For years Smith had shifted a couple of home games on his schedule to Greensboro and Charlotte. That was done simply so more people could see his teams play. Many of those were fans who had never had the opportunity to see the Tar Heels play in person.
The new building allows Carolina to play all its home games here.
Fans still like to reminisce and hear about the great days in Carmichael. That's fine. The history of the building cannot and should not be forgotten.
But, what many people don't realize is the Tar Heels have actually played more games in the Smith Center than in Carmichael. In 20 and a half seasons there the Carolina record was 169-20. Heading into this 20th season at the Smith Center, the Tar Heels are 207-43 here.
Two of Carolina's national championship teams have played here. Younger fans already have their own special memories of this building. There have been players like Brad Daugherty, Kenny Smith, J.R. Reid, George Lynch, Eric Montross, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Joseph Forte, Raymond Felton, Sean May and Rashad McCants to name a few.
There have been the great wins and the amazing comebacks-- Kentucky, Duke, Florida State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Virginia, N.C. State, UCLA, Texas, Connecticut. You get the general idea. Not much has changed since the days in Carmichael.
Carolina's women's team has played some of its biggest games here.
The University has been able to host first and second-round games of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The size of the arena brought the NCAA Wrestling Tournament to the South for the first time. This was the site for basketball and gymnastics at the U.S. Olympic Committee's 1987 Sports Festival. A capacity crowd for the finals was the largest ever to see a gymnastics event in this country.
It has been used for commencement and other University functions. This became a regular stop for touring shows prior to the construction of new amphitheaters across the state. Stars like Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Whitney Houston and Lionel Ritchie performed here.
Despite the many needs it filled for the University and Carolina basketball fans, a few cynics said a major use would be to attract top high school players here.
"Some people say it's a recruiting advantage," said Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski. "I don't agree with them. They could play in nothing. Their recruiting advantage is not an arena. It's the fact Dean has done it over a long, long period of time and done it the right way."
He's right. Other schools have constructed new arenas and Carolina has continued its amazing success. In this 20th season the Smith Center is a still great place to play. But, this program's foundation is coaches and players who have built an incredible tradition and been able to maintain it in one of the most competitive of all sports.
