2008 Woodie Awards
North Carolina's Williams to face former school, Kansas
Shannon Ryan | MCT Campus
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Sports
Roy Williams doesn't pretend to be objective.
When the North Carolina coach walks through an airport, he said, fellow travelers will shout, "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk," to which he replies, "Go, KU."
At his summer basketball clinics, young campers are allowed to wear only two team jerseys: North Carolina or Kansas.
When scheduling Tar Heels games, he avoids only one team: Kansas.
"I gave my heart and soul for 15 years," Williams said of Kansas. "I loved that place, will always love that place."
Have Kansas fans forgotten Williams jilting them for a chance to coach at his alma mater? Not likely.
Have they forgiven? Williams will find out at this weekend's NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
"There's no question that I hope so," he said. "Because it's something that's bothering me."
As the basketball gods would arrange, Williams' Tar Heels will face his former Jayhawks for the first time Saturday.
Williams looked at the departure from Kansas to North Carolina five years ago as an I'll-always-think-of-you-fondly breakup. Many fans, however, considered it a cold-hearted divorce.
In Lawrence, fans still wear shirts that quote Williams' infamous televised denouncement of leaving for the Tar Heels job, when he said, "I could give a (expletive) about North Carolina right now."
Current Kansas coach Bill Self can relate to the resentment. He is not the most popular guy in some parts of Illinois after leaving the Illini to coach the Jayhawks.
"When people are upset that you leave, it's a backhanded compliment because they didn't want you to," Self said. "Although I think feelings were hurt initially, I think five years is enough time for people to let a few things go. I think that's certainly been the case here."
But even Williams still sounds conflicted.
In 2000, he had vowed to remain at Kansas. Three years later, when North Carolina sent coach Matt Doherty out the door, Williams reconsidered.
When the North Carolina coach walks through an airport, he said, fellow travelers will shout, "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk," to which he replies, "Go, KU."
At his summer basketball clinics, young campers are allowed to wear only two team jerseys: North Carolina or Kansas.
When scheduling Tar Heels games, he avoids only one team: Kansas.
"I gave my heart and soul for 15 years," Williams said of Kansas. "I loved that place, will always love that place."
Have Kansas fans forgotten Williams jilting them for a chance to coach at his alma mater? Not likely.
Have they forgiven? Williams will find out at this weekend's NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
"There's no question that I hope so," he said. "Because it's something that's bothering me."
As the basketball gods would arrange, Williams' Tar Heels will face his former Jayhawks for the first time Saturday.
Williams looked at the departure from Kansas to North Carolina five years ago as an I'll-always-think-of-you-fondly breakup. Many fans, however, considered it a cold-hearted divorce.
In Lawrence, fans still wear shirts that quote Williams' infamous televised denouncement of leaving for the Tar Heels job, when he said, "I could give a (expletive) about North Carolina right now."
Current Kansas coach Bill Self can relate to the resentment. He is not the most popular guy in some parts of Illinois after leaving the Illini to coach the Jayhawks.
"When people are upset that you leave, it's a backhanded compliment because they didn't want you to," Self said. "Although I think feelings were hurt initially, I think five years is enough time for people to let a few things go. I think that's certainly been the case here."
But even Williams still sounds conflicted.
In 2000, he had vowed to remain at Kansas. Three years later, when North Carolina sent coach Matt Doherty out the door, Williams reconsidered.
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