Light Blue Reign #2

“Players win games and coaches lose them,”- Dean Smith (p. 154)

This a famous quote made by legendary coach at UNC, Dean Smith. This was passed onto him by Frankie McGuire, the man who created North Carolina basketball as the world knows it today. Simply by reading this quote you get a sense of how brilliant these men were that briskly walked the sidelines for many years. This reveals the amount of trust these two magnificent coaches had in their players. The coaches also held themselves to a higher standard taking blame for the negatives. Since McGuire and Smith were the head coaches and the bosses, everyone looked up to them and recognized the obvious success each of them had. Since they held themselves to such a high standard it would seem like the right thing to do to mimic the two coaches’ styles and philosophies.

By Dean Smith and Frank McGuire stating this it shows the confidence and swagger that they posses but at the same time their modesty. Taking the blame for losses allows the players a sense of comfort knowing the coach has their back through thick and then. This is what separated these two coaches from the average coaches. Without these two men Carolina Basketball would not take the outstanding form that it has today. The foundation these two men laid was so solid that it has withstood fifty strong years and will continue for years to come.