From: Craig.Simpson@launchpad.unc.edu (Craig Simpson)
Subject: Re: Dean Smith (Re: UNC TARHEELS--1992/93 NCAA BSKTBLL. CHAMPS)
Organization: University of North Carolina Extended Bulletin Board Service
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 04:56:37 GMT

In article <29112@oasys.dt.navy.mil> swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) writes:
>>I am and always have been a Tarheels fan.  The team this year looks 
>>good enough to take it all.  Of course, they only have Dean Smith for 
>>a coach, the best coach in the history of college basketball.
>
>Well, after UNC's recent loss to Michigan, it looks like UNC and Dean
>Smith need to do something if they're going to beat teams in the likes
>of Michigan in order to advance to the Final Four championship game 
>this year.  If UNC doesn't improve, UNC likely is going to be upset 
>by any team during the NCAA playoffs.
>
First lets point out one thing here, Steve has seen UNC play ONE time
this year, yet this is his *second* post stating his displeasure at
how UNC has played.  Geez Steve, at least Siskel and Ebert 
*watch* the movie before giving it a thumbs down.

Now lets comment on his previous statement "UNC and Dean need to do 
something if they're goin to beat teams in the likes of Michigan." 
Well Steve, since you did not see the game (since you have seen only
one game this year) let me tell you that UNC had the game won, it
took a *miraculous* play by Rose to win the game.  Dean could have
done nothing to have prevented this play from happening.

>And as for UNC's now-established reputation of slow starts.... UNC can
>get away with this in games against weaker opponents, but certainly 
>not against teams like Michigan.  Why hasn't Dean Smith been able to 
>solve this "slow start" problem?
>
Well in Dean's defense, UNC always seems to struggle right after 
exams and X-Mas break.  However, they did play two very good teams
in  Hawaii and they probably needed a little time to get warmed up.  
Remember that UNC did not practice much the last two weeks.  I expect
this to be solved by the start of conference play.  I would also like
to see if this is just a UNC problem, I mean I see other top 20 teams
that have this problem.  Just what do you consider a "slow start"?  
Down at the half, at the 10 min mark?  What?  I mean if the other team
starts off hitting a bunch of threes that are contested, does this
mean that UNC got off to a slow start?

>UNC also needs to play a consistent 40-minute solid game with excellent 
>defense (and, of course, good offense).  That is what separates the 
>championship team from the rest of the teams.  This is something that 
>Dean Smith hasn't been able to get out of his teams on a consistent 
>basis, not since UNC won the 1982 NCAA Championship.
>

Since you have only seen UNC play *one* time this year I still do not
see how you can say that UNC does not play a consistent 40-minute
solid game.  If not for a poor shooting half, UNC would have been up
at the half, not down.  They played *great* defense and they played
with great intensity all night.  Thats all you can really ask from
a team.  One thing that I really want comment on this because I think
that this is what will seperate this years UNC team from those of the
last few years.  This team is *very* intense and works hard for the
whole 40-minutes.  Perhaps you will see this when you are able to 
*watch more then one game*.

>In my opinion, Dean Smith's skills as the bench coach (in games) is 
>questionable at times.  He seems unable to adjust or compensate for 
>whatever that develops during the game.  At times, his players are
>looking for leadership on the court and finding none (another fault 
>of Dean Smith's seniority thing).  Also, Dean Smith doesn't seem to 
>understand the physiological aspect of the game that Duke's Mike
>Krzyzewski is regarded as an expert in.  Perhaps this explains why
>UNC has been upset so often over the years.  This is something that 
>we UNC fans have to live with.  Sigh.
>
With all of the great comebacks over the years, how can you say that
Dean's skills can be questioned?  If slow starts are a part on UNC's
history, so is UNC's comebacks.  You can not do this if the coach can
not make adjustments.

Some other points on other posts that Steve has made lately.

(1) UNC has received poor point play this year.

    Well Steve, it is to bad that you have only been able to *one
    UNC game this year* because you have missed Phelps play some
    truly great games.  He caused many Michigan turnovers and
    even hit a couple of threes.

(2) UNC plays to many people.

    UNC played 9 players against Michigan, Michigan also used
    9.  The three main UNC players (Montross, Phelps and Lynch)
    play 30-35 minutes in tight games.  They are getting most
    of the playing time becuase Dean wants him in there.  Also, UNC
    always playes a lot of motion offense which makes playes tired
    faster.  Remember that UNC players can ask to come out when they
    are tired and then they can put themselves back in when the player
    is ready to go back in.

(3) Dean should have been able to stop Webber and Rose.

    Come on Steve, give me a break.  These are two *great* players
    who will never be *stopped*.  All Dean could do is devise a
    plan that will make them work for their shots, and this he
    did.  You of course would know this if you had been able to see
    the game which of course you did not since you have seen only one
    game this year (this will be the last time I point this you BTW :-)).

Lastly, this was not a upset.  Michigan is a great team (that is when
they come to play, Steve's comment about an upset seems to apply more to
Michigan then UNC because Michigan has only come to play twice, UNC
and Duke) that was the preseason #1 with the best player in college
basketball (Webber, IMHO).  Yet with a real bad shooting first half,
against Michigan playing the best they have played so far this year
(Dean said this), UNC lost by one point on a shot that Rose could
take 100 more times and not make again.  Hell if we had won people
would have said that we peaked to early :-).

Craig Simpson
craig@unx.sas.com
  

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