Legendary coach hangs it up

And in explaining it all, he lost his composure.

Dean Smith retired as basketball coach at North Carolina yesterday, a job that lasted 36 years, produced two national titles and raised him to the pinnacle of his profession.

His longtime assistant Bill Guthridge takes over with little time to waste: Practice for the upcoming season starts in nine days.

The winningest college basketball coach of all time said he was 80 percent sure last week he wanted to step down; after the weekend, it was 100 percent.

AP PHOTO Dean Smith, the NCAA all-time win-leader, stepped down yesterday as North Carolina's basketball coach after 36 years in Chapel Hill, N.C.

"This timing is something I believed in all along," said Smith, who broke Adolph Rupp's career victory mark of 876 last season during the NCAA tournament. "I certainly wouldn't want to say I'll coach this year and resign after the season. Can you imagine how many rocking chairs at different places I would get and them all acting like they like you? I've seen that all too often."

With students gathered outside, pressing against windows, his North Carolina team entered a packed room of about 300 reporters, former players, faculty, staff and friends inside the Smith Center (Dean Dome) just moments before the coach. His players were somber, shocked that Smith had chosen to retire so suddenly.

Smith appeared at ease as he began to address the crowd, but began to cry when he talked about his players - all of them.

"What loyalty I've had, from my players ..." Smith said, wiping away tears, then dropping his head for several moments while he tried to regain his composure.

"I knew some day this would be my last team. Yes, there is guilt," Smith said. "I look at their faces and I just couldn't handle that. I couldn't if I turned right now. But I still believe it's best for them unless I could give them what I want."

He couldn't really pin down major factors in his decision, though he mentioned his 66-year-old body was out of shape and overweight.

"I am going to try to exercise, and the doctor didn't tell me to do that," Smith said. "But when you're nearing 200 pounds at 5-10, it's time to do something."

Mostly he talked about knowing when to go.

Smith said he knew it was time to give it up when he saw former Tar Heel Larry Brown coaching the Philadelphia 76ers at training camp in Chapel Hill.

"Larry Brown always fires me up, watching him out on the court, the enthusiasm," Smith said. "I said, I used to be like that and if I can't give this team that enthusiasm I said I would give it up. That's honestly how I feel."

Chancellor Michael Hooker said he tried to talk Smith out of his decision, but didn't press the coach.

"I didn't try as hard as I might have because I respect Dean too much," he said. "He knows what he wants better than I do, and it would have been selfish for the institution to impose on him an obligation that is not appropriate for the circumstances."

With a career record of 879-254, Smith won national titles in 1982 and 1993. His teams have finished in the top three of the ACC for a record 33 straight seasons, including last season's second-place mark. He led the Tar Heels to an NCAA-record 27 straight, 20-win seasons. Smith's only losing season came in his first, when the team was 8-9 in 1961-62.

On this day of fond farewells and tearful goodbyes, Smith got a call from one of America's biggest college basketball fans - President Clinton.

"There is nobody like you," Clinton said. "But not just because you won, but because of the way you did it. We all respect and admire you so much."

10-10-97