The Heart of Kansas
After reading that Roy Williams reluctantly rejected North Carolina to stay at Kansas, you can say that the arrogant Tar Heel fans got what they deserved.
They took for granted that no one could say no to them or their legendary hoops patriarch Dean Smith. Some UNC fans might have thought that but not all. I know. I'm one.
I graduated from UNC in 1988. I watched Carolina games as Dean Smith strolled the sidelines with Roy, Eddie Fogler and Bill Guthridge assisted from the bench.
Soon after I learned that Gutheridge, Dean's longtime assistant and successor as head coach, had announced his retirement, I was listening to ESPN Radio in my car when I heard Dan Patrick say, "It looks like Roy Williams is going to North Carolina," I cheered right there in the car as I drove.
But I wasn't sure.
When he said he was taking a week to decide I didn't presume that it was just for show. The class, the loyalty to his players, his passion for the people around him and the love he developed for Kansas were the very things that made me so want him to go to Chapel Hill. People made a list of Roy's potential successors at KU, as if his appointment at UNC was a fait accompli.
Still, I wasn't sure.
Roy made no secret of his love of North Carolina. I often spotted him in the stands at games last season where his son performed mop up duties (for the rare times the Tar Heels enjoyed easy wins last season!). His daughter goes to school there. He spoke freely about his pride at being part of the Carolina "family."
Still, I wasn't sure.
After Roy visited the UNC campus to meet with UNC Athletic Director Dick Baddour, the Durham Morning Herald reported that Roy had agreed to a seven year contract to come to Chapel Hill.
Even then I didn't believe it.
I knew that until I heard the words "I'm going to Chapel Hill" out of his mouth that Roy Williams was the coach at Kansas, not North Carolina.
I never heard them. Roy Williams is still the coach at Kansas.
"I did as I was taught by Coach Smith, Coach Guthridge and Eddie Fogler," he explained. "I made the decision based on the most important thing: the players. I could not leave them."
He said he hopes the UNC family will understand. We understand why he couldn't leave Lawrence. It's exactly why we're so sorry he didn't.
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