But he decided he did not have the energy to continue coaching, the AP reported. Capital Financial - Learn how to secure lifetime retirement income. He was 77 years old, Former UNC basketball coach Bill Guthridge passes away at age 77, UNC School of Social Work becomes new home for CEAL@UNC, expand work to advance assisted living. It has to be one of those., Williams talked Thursday night with Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick. Its very much a possibility, everyone admits. The perception of Smiths program might have been that it ran without emotion. Guthridge, who like Smith was a. Coaches, both within the program and across the country, still came calling to Chapel Hill every summer to pick his brains about Xs and Os. 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. Now Guthridge, 77, is enduring a similarly cruel fate . Student-run Chapel Thrill Escapes brings its newest escape room to life Rameses in Wonderland continuing to provide an outlet for student creativity, entrepreneurship and collaboration on Carolina's campus. A Tar Heel passing him in the hallway might greet him with a quick head nod and a greeting of, Coach. Guthridge would invariably respond with a similar head nod and, Player.. When he retired as head coach in 2000, he knew he wouldnt be able to get through telling his staff about his departure. But more than just that team, Smith left behind a mound of questions. "I'm not up with it," Guthridge said at one point, when he tried to remember taking over as UNC's head coach in 1997 after Smith retired. . What Smith left behind was arguably the most talented team hed ever assembled: a pair of future NBA All-Stars, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison; the programs all-time assists leader, point guard Ed Cota; a lights-out shooter, Shammond Williams; a frontcourt enforcer, Makhtar Ndiaye; and much more. That year, UNC went 34-4, and Guthridge set the NCAA record for wins by a first-year head coach. The University is currently operating under normal conditions. When it was his turn as head coach, he immediately won an ACC championship and took two teams to the Final Four. He would, however, have just lost his three best players at Kansas in Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz and Billy Thomas. (Jed Jacobsohn / ALLSPORT via Getty), Theres a world where Ford got his chance to be UNCs head coach, and maybe still would be in that position. I really believe thats exactly what happened.. "Coach Guthridge was instrumental in recruiting me to UNC and I have so many great memories of him and the lessons he taught me. What you saw was the quiet assistant sitting on the bench. In fact, he communicated as much to Baddour after Baddour was tapped in late June to replace John Swofford as athletic director. Guthridge also took a less talented team to the Final Four in 2000. But when Baddour and Guthridge did finally meet, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand. Had it worked out where there wasnt a down year or whatever, maybe things end up differently, Frederick says. "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.". Baddour says he never got that far down the line because of Guthridges interest. I wouldve gone to Roy.. Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision to retire from this physical life. What if he hadnt retired when he did? One of the things that made (Smith) so special was his ability to be innovative so certainly, I think we would have had some other ways to attack in a game that we struggled, against Utah in the Final Four.. Coach Smith began showing signs of cognitive impairment before Coach Guthridge did. 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. "This is a tremendous loss for our basketball program and entire community.". He always knew what he was doing.. Fast-forward to present day, and he has surpassed Smith in both national championships and wins. Guthridge was the longtime assistant to UNC coach Dean Smith, who died earlier this year. Guthridge was criticized last season by alumni and fans for losing five games at home the most since World War II and for a record that dropped to 18-13 after a first-round defeat in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Having grown up in North Carolina and gone to school here and worked here, I think it was probably just destiny.. Really, a championship or not is the only major differentiator between Smith and Guthridge. "You get old." Bill and Dean, friends for life Smith. Guthridge was a player and then an assistant coach at Kansas State . In 1993, he and his wife, Leesie, created the William W. and Elise P. Guthridge Library Fund, which helped with purchasing materials and renovation of the House Undergraduate Library. He also was head golf coach for the Wildcats. 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. Guthridge took over when Smith retired after 36 seasons in October 1997. "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. Ironically, both coaches developed dementia along the way (Coach Smith died in January 2015 of complications from dementia). All rights reserved. Bill Guthridge was consistently portrayed as a quiet gentleman. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was no different from Coach Smith or Coach Guthridge. College Basketball Coach. It was Guthridge who was the creator of the well-known and slightly strange departure times for Carolina travel parties. Revisionist history does offer some diverging paths, though. The protege was named Naismith College Coach of the Year in his first season as Smith's replacement. Former UNC Director of Athletics Dick Baddour: Bill was one of the most respected and admired people I have known. Guthridge coached three years and took the Tar Heels to two Final Fours. End of conversation.. Former University of North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge, 77, died Tuesday from a heart condition. I will miss his kindness and wisdom. Dean Smith unexpectedly retired as head basketball coach at North Carolina just two months before the start of the 1997-98 season, and Guthridge was immediately named his successor. His loss is deeply felt by our university and the basketball world. 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. 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.. The next day, Kenny Smith said, assistant coach Bill Guthridge wasn't at practice. At the time, their run of 172 consecutive weeks in the AP Poll was the second-longest in college basketball history. The first is, if Guthridge hadnt wanted the job, would Williams have taken it? 1 team in America. William Wallace Guthridge (July 27, 1937 May 12, 2015) was an American college basketball coach. Meanwhile, Creighton coach Dana Altman withdrew his name from consideration. The following year, with the program bordering on a mutiny, Doherty resigned. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.. 2 "The End of Absence" Michael Harris, Pt. Lets say youve got a 35-year-old guy. Guthridge was Smiths assistant for 30 years. Im crying because I failed you guys. "He was an unbelievable assistant to Coach Smith. 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. Ironically, both coaches developed dementia along the way (Coach Smith died in January 2015 of complications from dementia). That was the presumption Baddour and the basketball program operated under. He tried to do every one of those little things that drove Coach Smith crazy. After 36 years as the coach at North Carolina, it kept trickling down, grain by grain. 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. 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. MIAMI: Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson acknowledged he has given the school permission to talk to Green Wave coach Perry Clark about replacing Leonard Hamilton. Former UNC coach, assistant Guthridge dies, Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences, Tide's Oats takes blame for Miller's 'TSA' intro, Davis within 25 points of tying Maravich's mark, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Scheyer makes history as Duke sweeps at home, Tennessee win soured by knee injury to Zeigler, USC, OU, Seton Hall, Iowa in new hoops tourney, Houston, Alabama remain atop AP Top 25 poll. That said, its worth remembering that he told Williams just a few years ago that perhaps 66 was too early to retire, given his near flawless health at the time. A relatively quiet man with a wonderful and dry sense of humor. 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. That includes two as a head coach at Carolina, 10 as a Tar Heel assistant coach and one each as a player and assistant coach at his alma mater, Kansas State. Guthridge's did, too, and during Smith's funeral and memorial services, Williams, knowing the end could be near, told former players and current ones to spend time with Guthridge. What about Ford? But I know thats something that bothered him to his death, Ndiaye says. It didnt bother me that I was a lousy coach, and when we started winning I was a better coach. Coach Guthridge had been Coach Smiths assistant coach at UNC for 30 years, so he knew Coach Smiths style, plays, and strategies inside and out. Guthridge was the head coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons following Dean Smith's retirement in 1997. But if Smith was selfless in his handling of McAdoo, it was nothing compared to Smiths shocking retirement on Oct. 9, 1997. 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. Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision it was time for him to retire from this physical life. The announcement came nearly two months after the 6-10 center led the Boston . Then Guthridges voice wavered as he began to apologize I feel like its my fault. From 1972 onward, he was Smith's top assistant. He handed out handwritten notes instead. As they were chatting, Guthridge, who died in 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm. But it was as if the whole contraption was tilted, resting at an incline so that the sand would never get to the bottom. He led his first team to the 1998 Final Four and had two players, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, selected in the top five . Bill Guthridge, who led North Carolina to two Final Four appearances in his three seasons as basketball coach of the Tar Heels, will announce his retirement today, the Associated Press reported. 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. "He, like Coach Smith, was more of a mentor and father figure than anything else. Guthridge . Only different alternate realities. But the Tar Heels suffered a soul-crushing NCAA Tournament loss that also ended Phil Fords career. Why bring those up? (LogOut/ Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Coach Guthridge made his retirement official on May 13, 2015. Hanners, one of Fords close friends to this day, recalls the natural coaching instincts Ford had when the two oversaw the JV team. The Tar Heels then went 24-10 in 1998-99 but were upset by Weber State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Jordan is among many Tar Heels who had tremendous respect for Guthridge. 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. It was an admirable, honorable action for Smith to take and Guthridge went on to win 80 games in three seasons. He still had four seasons remaining on his contract, enough to carry him to the summer of 2001. The University of North Carolina has lost a dear friend, as haveI, andIknow that we will all miss him greatly., Im extremely saddened by the passing of Coach Guthridge, aka Coach Gut, especially coming so close to the loss of Coach Smith. How close did Raleigh come to getting an NFL team? Coach Smith had so many strengths and very few weaknesses. Well if hes got a five-year contract, you know hes gonna coach five years. Bill Guthridge was consistently portrayed as a quiet gentleman. He had interviewed for the Texas job, which went to Rick Barnes, after the 1998 season, after all. Division regular season and conference tournament champion 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. Ndiaye even tried cracking the ice by joking that Guthridges years as head coach probably hadnt hurt his wallet. How would his retirement alter the short- and long-term trajectory of a program built on consistency? Frederick said he wanted to emphasize to Williams how strongly the university, the community, the people in the state of Kansas and all of our alumni and fans feel about him continuing as the Jayhawk coach forever.. He was extremely special, important to every player, every coach who ever worked here. In 2000, the Tar Heels struggled in the regular season, falling out of the polls for the first time since the start of the 199091 season. At Smith's retirement. 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. I would have been as vigorous and go after that as hard as I could possibly go.. Dean Smith unexpectedly retired as head basketball coach at North Carolina just two months before the start of the 199798 season, and Guthridge was immediately named his successor. Baddour and Smith never had a lengthy sitdown to discuss the future. In 1998, Guthridge inherited a team that had been to the 1997 Final Four the previous year under Smith. Guthridge was a player and then an assistant coach at Kansas State before joining the Tar Heels staff in 1967. I remember telling the chancellor that, Baddour says. Guthridge, his wife said, suffers from vascular dementia - a condition that's a result of reduced blood supply to the brain. Once, in 1978, he did nearly take the head coaching job at Penn State but he changed his mind at the airport and never thought about leaving Chapel Hill again. He directed UNC to the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship and was named the ACC Coach of the Year. Born William Wallace Guthridge, he attended Kansas State University where he played guard on the basketball team and helped the Wildcats. 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why did bill guthridge retire