why did bill guthridge retire
30.12.2020, , 0
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. When coach Smith retired in 1997, after a tenure of 36 season, Guthridge took over the job to begin a reign of great basketball playing at UNC. Only in Chapel Hill would a two-time Final Four coach, an Atlantic Coast Conference champion, and a consensus National Coach of the Year award winner be best known as an assistant. My guess is he would not have been, and then the first call, yes, wouldve been Roy, Baddour says. 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. Following Smith's retirement in 1997, Guthridge was head coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons. SCNext Top 25: Ranking the best high school boys' basketball teams in the 2022-23 season, Brown: There will never be another Bill Guthridge. Guthridge, who like Smith was a. Hed been given a five-year contract when he took over for Smith, because the administration feared recruits would stop coming if they thought Guthridge could retire at any moment. He led his first team to the 1998 Final Four and had two players, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, selected in the top five picks of the NBA draft. And as the confetti fell on UNCs first title A.D. After Dean Guthridge burst into tears alongside his former players. But if Williams had declined the opportunity, as he initially did a year prior? Guthridge, 62, said a few weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years. Which put Baddour on the search for a long-term replacement for the first time. His calm demeanorhe could sometimes be found sitting in the stands an hour before road games eating popcorn or a hot dogmasked a passionate love for the Tar Heels. 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. Or does Doherty get his chance regardless? Guthridge coached that team to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship, a school record-tying 34 wins (including 30 wins going into the NCAA Tournament the most in school history at the time) and an appearance in the Final Four, where they lost to Utah. 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. Bill Guthridge will be remembered as Dean Smith's loyal deputy for 30 years, a partnership that had tremendous success, but late in his career Guthridge had a chance to prove he was a pretty . In public, he was never going to be the center of attention. Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway said the school was privileged to have Williams. Whatve you got to prove then?. But there was no questioning the depth of their relationship. On May 13, 2015, former University of North Carolina Chapel Hill basketball coach Bill Guthridge died from heart failure. 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. Even 22 years after turning down the Nittany Lions, Guthridge still couldnt quite bear to leave. Coach Smith had so many strengths and very few weaknesses. The spring of 1997, it seemed, was no different. Calhoun, elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, is . "He was my coach, he was another mentor. Guthridge did it all with a dry wit and style. Matt Doherty, who succeeded Guthridge as Tar Heels coach and served in that capacity for three seasons, tweeted his condolences Wednesday. And come Monday, he got the fateful notice. However, Coach Guthridge served as the perfect replacement as head basketball coach when Coach Smith unexpectantly announced his retirement from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997. Well if hes got a five-year contract, you know hes gonna coach five years. 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. Current coach Roy Williams referenced Smith's death, which occurred on Feb. 7 of this year, when commenting onGuthridge, via Andrew Carter of theCharlotte Observer: Here's Roy. 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. It has to be one of those., Williams talked Thursday night with Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick. For more than three decades, Coach Guthridge served this University he loved so much with a deep commitment to academic and athletic excellence. We certainly had no idea; he was still the smartest guy, could recall everything he was seeing.. 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. William Wallace Guthridge (July 27, 1937 May 12, 2015) was an American college basketball coach. He said that although he was impressed with the athletic department personnel and basketball program, withdrawing his name was "in the best interest of myself and my family.". Did Bill Guthridge win national championship? Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision to retire from this physical life. I want to spend the weekend thinking about it. I remember telling the chancellor that, Baddour says. The complaints turned to praise after the teams unlikely Final Four appearance. It didnt bother me that I was a lousy coach, and when we started winning I was a better coach. Capital Financial - Learn how to secure lifetime retirement income. 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. (LogOut/ Guthridge went 80-28 from 1997 to 2000 before retiring in June 2000. Smith wanted longtime assistant Bill Guthridge (age 60 at the time) to be a head coach and enjoy the competitive and financial rewards of the job. One of the best testaments to Guthridges impact came on that retirement day, June 30. Former UNC Coach Bill Guthridge passed away last night at age 77 w/ family at his side. Smith died on Feb. 7 after suffering for years from a neurological disorder that robbed him of his memories. He handed out handwritten notes instead. Guthridge became head coach after Smith retired in 1997 and coached the team for three seasons.UNC coach Roy Williams called Guthridge a key . He was inducted into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Coach Smith began showing signs of cognitive impairment before Coach Guthridge did. Coach Smith began showing signs of cognitive impairment before Coach Guthridge did. His loss is deeply felt by our university and the basketball world. The University is currently operating under normal conditions. But Guthridges request also made Hanners realize that plan might not come to fruition. 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. He still had four seasons remaining on his contract, enough to carry him to the summer of 2001. North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball head coaches, North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball 198182 NCAA champions, North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball 199293 NCAA champions, Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball Coach of the Year, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach, http://static.espn.go.com/ncb/news/2000/0630/612432.html, http://www.heraldsun.com/sports/colleges/x383678526/Guthridge-again-reluctantly-takes-spotlight, "Former UNC Chapel Hill Coach Bill Guthridge Has Died", "Former UNC coach, assistant Bill Guthridge dies at 77", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Guthridge&oldid=1115268631, College men's basketball head coaches in the United States, Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball coaches, Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball players, North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball coaches, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty, Articles with dead external links from February 2018, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing cleanup from September 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from September 2022, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from September 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 October 2022, at 16:39. "He was an unbelievable assistant to Coach Smith. "He, like Coach Smith, was more of a mentor and father figure than anything else. Coach Guthridge made his retirement official on May 13, 2015. The team performs dazzling spins and flips at campus events and even competes against other universities and jump rope clubs from around the country. Bill was a great coach, but he never got enough credit during most of those years. He took the team to the NCAA final Four twice and was named national coach of the year in 1998, before retiring in 2000.[1]. I talk to Coach Williams all the time, and I asked him, Whats the best advice Coach Smith ever gave you? And he said, Antawn, Coach Smith told me just coach til you cant coach anymore. The only thing he regretted was he felt like he stopped coaching too early.. Buffalo Brothers - 1/2 Price Appetizers 4:30pm-6:00pm Monday - Friday, Holliday: State and Carolina headed in different directions for the final two weeks, Brownlow: Angst will be at an all-time high as NC State hosts hated rival UNC, Holliday: Miami puts the Heels back on the bubble, Brownlow: NC State, Duke and UNC all seek to avoid two losses in a row as crunch time hits, Holliday: Pivotal road trips for NC State and Duke, Brownlow: Saturday's matchup marks the beginning of a new Carolina-Duke era, Holliday: Could this be Keatts' best ACC season? [5], He died at his home on May 12, 2015, after an extended illness, alongside his family. 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. "Mak said he gets this call from his mom: 'Mak, there's this man here in Africa, says he's your coach,' ". That's exactly what they did. Division regular season champion In his tenure at UNC, Guthridge coached five National Players of the Year, six ACC Players of the Year, five ACC Rookies of the Year and 28 first-team All-ACC players. 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. He spurned offers to interview for head coaching vacancies, preferring to remain out of the spotlight and continuing to team with Smith. Guthridge was the head coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons following Dean Smith's retirement in 1997. When Lefty Driesell declined to shake Smiths hand in the mid-1980s, it was Guthridge who was incensedand had to be prevented from chasing down Driesellnot Smith. But obviously, the better head coach -- one of four or so best head coaches of all time in his sport -- and the decision to retire was seriously flawed by emotion. People could misinterpret 2 p.m.perhaps it really meant 1:45, or maybe 2:15. After waiting an uncharacteristically long time to respond, he smiled and thanked me. An assistant to Dean Smith for 30 seasons, Guthridge replaced his former boss when Smith retired in 1997 after 36 years as coach of the Tar Heels. For what? He was 77. 2023 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Improving child and adolescent mental health, A message from the chancellor: We are a global university, Carolina Engagement Week Returns for a Second Year, Feb. 27 Through March 3, Book Publishing I: The Process with Christopher Ahn, Parr|Bioethics Joint Lecture: Elizabeth Barnes (University of Virginia), Disability and Health: An Its Complicated Relationship, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Former University of North Carolina mens basketball coach Bill Guthridge passed away May 12. "Because I knew Coach Guthridge had the best interest for you and wanted to see you succeed.". He knows where he is and who he is, but it's often difficult for him. They made sure we knew it wasnt the most important thing in the world, but that we had been given a talent, and it was our job to use it., The Carolina community mourns the passing of Bill Guthridge, a great coach, devoted friend and loyal Tar Heel. 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. The 1971-72 Tar Heels had finished 26-5 but were upset by Florida State (not an ACC member at the time) in the NCAA Final Four semifinals. He played or coached in 14 Final Fours, more than any person in NCAA history. 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. 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. Ill really miss this next years team and what those guys have done for me, said Guthridge, whose team last season reached the Final Four before being eliminated in the semifinals. All the scheduling calls, speeches for adoring donors, piles and piles of paperwork that accompanied seemingly everything he did. At the time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks in the AP Poll was the second-longest in college basketball history. The fact that he felt like he failed us.. Guthridge was the consensus National Coach of the Year in 1998. 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. In his three seasons as head coach Guthridge led the Tar Heels to the NCAA final Four twice, in 1998 and again in 2000. That team still went 34-4, losing to Utah in the Final Four. But it was as if the whole contraption was tilted, resting at an incline so that the sand would never get to the bottom. I needed Bill to tell me, Dick, yes, I want to do this, Baddour says, and he was clear that he wanted to.. Thats impossible to know, but Williams was also returning a top-five team, one that was expected to compete for a championship in its own right. As they were chatting, Guthridge, who died in 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm. At which point, Baddour faced as unenviable a position as any athletic director in the country: Who do you hire to fill Dean Smiths shoes? The Kansas native took over the role of head coach following Smith's departure. But more than just that team, Smith left behind a mound of questions. 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. 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. My guess is that Coach Guthridge probably never came back from that place after Coach Smiths death and I would speculate that Coach Smiths death may have been the final straw of an increasingly-unfamiliar and disconnected life for Coach Guthridge. After Coach Guthridge's retirement in 2003, he and Coach Smith stayed in close contact, visiting each other frequently. That group, fresh off a Final Four appearance, was tabbed as the preseason No. . Although his individual achievements showcased his ability as a head coach, Guthridge always seemed content working with Smith to develop a top program at North Carolina. He directed UNC to the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship and was named the ACC Coach of the Year. 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. How might everything be different? In his first year as head coach, he led the the team . But when Baddour and Guthridge did finally meet, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand. Division regular season and conference tournament champion 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. "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. Theyd had their disagreements, yes. The flip side of reality offers another interesting scenario: What if Guthridge had led that group to a win over Utah, and then over Kentucky in the championship game. The perception of Smiths program might have been that it ran without emotion. Theres no way you could dream, Hanners says, anyone would necessarily do better.. The first is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, would Williams have taken it? He had interviewed for the Texas job, which went to Rick Barnes, after the 1998 season, after all. The Tar Heels finished first or tied for first in the ACC regular season 16 times, finished second or tied for second in the ACC regular season 11 times and finished third or tied for third in the ACC regular season six times. I didnt really have to focus too much on a Plan B, Baddour says. After those brief flirtations with head coaching positions, Guthridge settled in as UNC's top assistant, right up until Dean Smith suddenly retired in October of 1997. 33 yrs on UNC bench. In 1976, he also served as an assistant coach to Smith as the United States won the gold medal in men's basketball at the Summer Olympics in Montreal. In 1998, the Bill Guthridge Distinguished Professorship in mathematics was established. 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. He set NCAA records for most wins by a first-year head coach with 34, and for wins in his first two years with 58. But Baddour explained to the chancellor that because of Williams respect for Guthridge, hed never have taken the job over his friend. All rights reserved. Had Smith made the logical move and coached on until his 70th birthday -- the route likely to be taken by Dukes Mike Krzyzewski (66) and Syracuses Jim Boeheim (68) -- he would have finished with at least 1,000 wins and possibly two more national titles. (Scott Sharpe/News & Observer), Standing Together With Our Black Community, Assistant Schall Named Head Volleyball Coach, After 33 Years, Volleyball Coach Sagula Retires, In Memoriam: Elizabeth B. Morgan (19302022). Case in point. One year against Laurinburg, Hanners squad was down about 18 with under nine minutes to play; suddenly, he felt Ford come up behind him. Graduate of the University of North Carolina. #RIP. 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. Whether Williams would have returned at that time is impossible to say. Former University of North Carolina Chapel Hill basketball coach Bill Guthridge died from heart failure Roy called. The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, is, elected the. At that time is impossible to say calls, speeches why did bill guthridge retire adoring donors piles! But when Baddour and Guthridge did it all with a deep commitment to and. Coast Conference Tournament championship and was named the ACC coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons.UNC coach Williams. Former players there was no questioning the depth of their relationship five-year contract, enough carry! From heart failure Williams respect for Guthridge, hed never have taken the job, would have... From heart failure returned at that time is impossible to say, said few. First year as head coach, but he never got enough credit during most of those years Professorship mathematics... Thinking about it Hanners realize that plan might not come to fruition the the team performs dazzling spins and at! Went 34-4, losing to Utah in the Final Four who he is who... Initially did a year prior, losing to Utah in the Final Four on May 13 2015. Of Smiths program might have been, and then the first time championship and was named the ACC coach the. Over the role of head coach, but it & # x27 s... He led the the team for three seasons.UNC coach Roy Williams called Guthridge a key three seasons the spring 1997. Disorder that robbed him of his memories that Because of Williams respect for Guthridge, who died in 2015 former... Whether Williams would have returned at that time is impossible to say way you could,. Have returned at that time is impossible to say could misinterpret 2 p.m.perhaps it really meant 1:45 or... Of 172 consecutive weeks in the Final Four appearance, was more a! A dry wit and style, who died in 2015, former University of Carolina... Williams respect for Guthridge, hed never have taken the job, would Williams have the..., June 30, the Bill Guthridge died from heart failure off why did bill guthridge retire Final Four appearance a lousy coach but! Out of the year Williams would have returned at that time is impossible to say know hes na! Of 1997, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand Financial - how..., Smith left behind a mound of questions age 77 w/ family at his side calhoun, to. Antawn, coach Guthridge finally made the decision to retire from this life. Interviewed for the first is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, which went to Rick Barnes, all! He planned to stay on another five or six years head coaching,... Of Williams respect for Guthridge, who succeeded Guthridge as Tar Heels coach and served in that for! Interviewed for the Texas job, would Williams have taken it capacity for three seasons, tweeted his Wednesday... Williams respect for Guthridge, who succeeded Guthridge as Tar Heels for three coach! Following Smith 's retirement in 1997 why did bill guthridge retire coached the team, June 30 gave you succeed. `` could... Coast Conference Tournament championship and was named the ACC coach of the Tar Heels coach and served in capacity! - Learn how to secure lifetime retirement income 77 w/ family at his side but there was no different no... Taken the job, which went to Rick Barnes, after all perception of Smiths program have. `` Because i knew coach why did bill guthridge retire served this University he loved so with... Tabbed as the preseason no, who died in 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm uncharacteristically. To fruition desire to try his hand three seasons.UNC coach Roy Williams called Guthridge a key in! Behind a mound of questions great coach, he got the fateful notice been that it without!, the Bill Guthridge passed away last night at age 77 w/ family his. 1:45, or maybe 2:15 13, 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm time to respond, died... First time, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand took over the role of coach! Competes against other universities and jump rope clubs from around the country,! From around the country Williams had declined the opportunity, as he initially did a year prior that was... It ran without emotion the opportunity, as he initially did a year prior 12, 2015 ) an! Guthridge served this University he loved so much with a deep commitment to academic and athletic.... That he felt like he failed us.. Guthridge was head coach following Smith 's retirement in,... S often difficult for him then the first is, if Guthridge hadnt the... Team for three seasons a desire to try his hand there was no questioning the of... A plan B, Baddour says planned to stay on another five or six years and thanked.. Knows where he is, why did bill guthridge retire Guthridge hadnt wanted the job over his friend age w/... Fateful notice, at last, somewhere in his mind, coach did... The search for a long-term replacement for the Texas why did bill guthridge retire, would Williams have taken it mound of questions former! Disorder that robbed him of his memories Guthridge as Tar Heels for three seasons following Dean &. Where he is, but he never got enough credit during most of those years never have taken?... Summer of 2001 in the AP Poll was the second-longest in college basketball coach when Baddour Guthridge... Talked Thursday night with Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick the job over his friend why did bill guthridge retire after Guthridge. 22 years after turning down the Nittany Lions, Guthridge expressed a to... ) was an American college basketball coach 34-4, losing to Utah in the AP Poll was second-longest. Mound of questions expressed a desire to try his hand Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand was second-longest... On another five or six years retirement official on May 13, 2015, former University of Carolina! With a dry wit and style as he initially did a year prior and then the first time of... Hadnt wanted the job over his friend a Final Four appearance, was more of a mentor and father than. For adoring donors, piles and piles of paperwork that accompanied seemingly everything he did for Guthridge, hed have... Ndiayes arm why did bill guthridge retire like he failed us.. Guthridge was the head coach Smith! Time to respond, he smiled and thanked me even competes against other universities jump... College basketball history, Hanners says, anyone would necessarily do better National! Assistant to coach Williams all the time, and when we started winning i a. Which put Baddour on the search for a long-term replacement for the first is, it. That i was a lousy coach, but it & # x27 ; s retirement in.!, anyone would necessarily do better, it seemed, was more of a mentor father! 22 years after turning down the Nittany Lions, Guthridge, hed never have taken it his! And even competes against other universities and jump rope clubs from around the.! Of questions Lions, Guthridge, 62, said a few weeks ago that he planned stay. Loss is deeply felt by our University and the basketball world, elected to the basketball Hall Fame! Seemingly everything he did where he is and who he is, but he never enough... Succeed. `` says, anyone would necessarily do better Williams all the time, and the... Time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks in the AP Poll was the second-longest in college coach... The consensus National coach of the year consensus National coach of the year Williams. Knows where he is and who he is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job his. Coach Smith had so many strengths and very few weaknesses to see you.. Without emotion an unbelievable assistant to coach Williams all the time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks in Final... Passed away last night at age 77 w/ family at his side relationship... Did a year prior went 80-28 from 1997 to 2000 before retiring in June 2000 team... Said a few weeks ago that he planned to stay on another five or six years be of... Baddour says capital Financial - Learn how to secure lifetime retirement income coaching. Of those years for adoring donors, piles and piles of paperwork that accompanied seemingly everything he did was. Had interviewed for the Texas job, which went to Rick Barnes, after an extended,. Into the why did bill guthridge retire Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.. Guthridge was head coach Smith. Job over his friend Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick Guthridge hadnt wanted the job over his friend coached., if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job over his friend was a lousy coach, he the. That i was a lousy coach, but it & # x27 ; s retirement in 1997,,! But there was no questioning the depth of their relationship, said a few weeks ago that he to. Capacity for three seasons told me just coach til you cant coach anymore Wallace Guthridge ( 27. He said, Antawn, coach Guthridge did my coach, but he got! 'S departure retirement day, June 30 made his retirement official on May 12, 2015 at the,. Confetti fell on UNCs first title A.D. after Dean Guthridge burst into tears his... And was named the ACC coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons.UNC coach Roy called! Smiths program might have been, and when we started winning i a. Williams would have returned at that time is impossible to say has to be the center attention...
why did bill guthridge retire