Now the Hall of Fame coach, who will be 77 next month, is trying to stage another comeback -- from physical problems after knee replacement surgery last month.

"I'm fine," Smith said late Friday. "I'll be cheering like mad tomorrow" when UNC plays Maryland.

Smith's wife Linnea said her husband's knee is "great," but that he had "cardiological and neurological complications" after the Dec. 3 operation. He was discharged, readmitted for rehabilitation, then discharged again Jan. 11.

"It was a big insult [to his body]," Linnea Smith said. "He's working on physical therapy; he's better, and he's looking forward to playing golf again."

Linnea Smith, a psychiatrist, would not give details about the cardiology and neurological issues. Smith is a private man who doesn't want his medical matters publicized, his wife said. Smith also said he didn't want people to make a big deal of his recovery.

UNC director of sports medicine Dr. Timothy Taft was not involved in Smith's surgery but said commonly known risks of knee replacement include blood clots, infections and possible heart difficulties. The vast majority of patients do not experience severe complications, he said.

Smith has been out and about recently, going to his office at the Dean Smith Center for short periods this week and showing eagerness to spend more time on campus.

"We are trying to get him to do that more gradually than he wants," Linnea Smith said.

Smith took a team-only tour of a new campus basketball museum Thursday night with Tar Heels coach Roy Williams.

"One of my favorite parts was I called Coach Smith, and he and Linnea came up and went through it with me for a while," Williams said. "And that was nice. Coach looks good, feels good. ... I had to listen to he and Bobby [Frasor] both complain about how tough the therapy is on their knees."

Frasor, a UNC guard, tore his anterior cruciate ligament last month and is out for the season.

An avid golfer, Smith wants to get back on the links, but Linnea Smith said it will probably be spring before he tees it up again.

Smith was more optimistic. "Hope to play in a month or so," he said. "The weather should be pretty by then."

Linnea Smith said her husband continues to closely follow Carolina basketball on TV and still charts the action, just as he has done since retiring 10 years ago.

"He watches and takes notes," Linnea Smith said.

Will he pass his observations to Coach Williams?

"Oh, no, he doesn't intrude," Linnea Smith said. "But if Roy asked, I'm sure he would be glad to share them."

In 36 seasons as the Tar Heels' coach, Smith built a model program and led Carolina to two NCAA championships, 13 ACC Tournament titles, 11 Final Fours and 879 victories.

(Staff writer Robbi Pickeral contributed to this story.)

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