Let’s be frank - some UNC alums felt Roy Williams had betrayed Carolina by not accepting the Tar Heel coaching job the first time it came open in 2000. Even after accepting the head coaching job in 2003, Coach Williams said he wasn’t sure he could ever repair the damage from turning down the job in 2000.The 2005 and 2009 national championships certainly helped repair any damage. After the Heels lack of success last season, however, you’d think many Carolina fans would be grumbling about Coach Williams’ performance. By all accounts, the players listened to him less than any compilation of players he’s ever had.
Former Williams’ teammate and MVP of the 1971 NIT Bill Chamberlain seems to lay the blame more on the players than the coach. “I hate to say but Roy didn’t get full support from all the players all year long,” he told me. He pointed to selfishness and lack of hustle. “I think Roy aged more than a year this year.”
Of course it’s up to Williams to get them to play unselfishly and with hustle. After initially complaining about the players, for much of the season, he took the blame. But perhaps he recruited guys that are immature and haven’t bought into the Carolina way yet.
Chamberlain said, “Roy is insistent upon class performance, being a good person off the court, being a part of the community, taking part in all kinds of service functions for various groups around town, keeping them active and learning about campus life and other things not related to basketball.”
Maybe two or three of the key players don’t care about those things unrelated to basketball. Not sure. But from the off-season water-cooler talk from Carolina fans, I think the players, and not so much the coach, are taking the majority of the heat.
Recently, Roy Williams even received the ultimate alumni honor – the Distinguished Service Medal. So while bygones may be bygones as far as alumni attitude toward Coach Williams, the jury is still out on the players.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment