Smith's impact still felt in Chapel Hill

The magnitude of Dean Smith's life, as much as his coaching impact, can be seen and heard at any North Carolina home basketball game.

It happens each time his photograph is displayed on the building's video screens.

When the crowd response is loudest, longest and most genuine, you don't have to look up to know that Smith's image is on the boards.

More than Michael Jordan, Lennie Rosenbluth, Tyler Hansbrough and even Roy Williams, the 79-year-old Smith still stands atop Carolina's Mount Rushmore.

It's an amazing phenomenon when you consider that the majority of Carolina students weren't even teenagers when Smith coached his last game.

That game was a loss to Arizona in the 1997 NCAA semifinals in Indianapolis.

Like most of Smith's news conferences after an NCAA loss, the one on March 29, 1997 was fairly emotional. The Tar Heels' offense never really clicked that day against Arizona, and Smith, as usual, quickly took the blame.

But with a roster that included non-seniors Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter and Ed Cota among others, the general mood in the locker room was upbeat.

"We'll be back," Cota promised.

Cota was right. Many of the same players reached the '98 Final Four in San Antonio. But their coach didn't.

Smith's retirement announcement on Oct. 9, 1997 was so shocking that thousands of Carolina fans couldn't believe it, much less accept it.

It seemed impossible that Smith could live without basketball or that basketball could exist without Smith.

A couple of years later, he jokingly mentioned that if he could get by without cigarettes (Kent Ultra Lights), he figured he could survive without coaching.

In reality, the transition from being perhaps North Carolina's most recognizable citizen to the shadows was one that Smith found easy. He has never liked undue attention, even when it was to his benefit in recruiting exposure.

If you were around Smith at all during the height of Carolina's success, it quickly became evident that he enjoyed teaching, coaching and winning a lot more than celebration and adulation.

In the '70s and '80s, Carolina's players were often criticized for running off the court immediately after the game - usually a win - and failing to offer handshakes to the opponent.

Smith thought lingering on the court after a win gave the appearance of gloating. He changed the policy when he became convinced that fans and other teams thought the Tar Heels were acting elite.

One of his favorite places used to be Bald Head Island, then a resort without cars, streets or very many people. For many years, the island didn't have electricity. It does have a scenic, difficult golf course, which provided the perfect Smith one-two of privacy and golf.

Walking encyclopedia

Into his 60s, Dean was always the smartest and most competitive person in the room. He knew it, too.

He didn't flaunt that knowledge or unremitting resolve, of course. But very rarely was Smith a step off the pace on or off a basketball court. His team could be behind by 20 points with 10 minutes left, but there was always this feeling that he'd come up with something, find a way and either win or come close. It usually unfolded in precisely that manner.

You've heard it before, but the guy really did remember just about everything. That's the cruel irony about his current problem with memory lapses.

Among the things I will always remember most and most fondly about Smith were his famous tangents.

He remembered so much that it was difficult for him stay on a specific subject without drifting back years and years to the genesis of any given topic.

He might start off talking about Serge Zwikker making a play in 1997 and wind up talking about Jim Hudock (1962) but only after touching on Warren Martin (1986) and Pete Budko (1978) along the way.

Discussing Smith during the 1993 championship run, guard Derrick Phelps had a Yogi Berra line when he said "I think Coach can remember stuff even if he's forgot it."

A part of that memory may be gone. Hopefully it'll come back in the manner of a classic Carolina rally.

But if doesn't, so be it. The years change us all. The good news is that Dean is in perfectly acceptable overall health, and it's for sure basketball fans will never forget his impact.