Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I wish to commemorate and celebrate the life of Coach Dean Smith. Dean Smith's accomplishments as coach, mentor, and teacher made him a legend in our State, and far beyond Tobacco Road. Brooke and I were deeply saddened to hear of his passing, but he left his indelible mark on our State. Under his stewardship, UNC-Chapel Hill became the formidable college basketball powerhouse that it is today. While he was a winning coach, he also encouraged his players to excel in the classroom and taught well beyond the locker room. Coach Smith was born in Emporia, KS, in 1931. The son of public school teachers, his lifelong dedication to teaching on and off the court was instilled in him from a young age. Dean was a high school athlete playing basketball, football, and baseball. He earned an academic scholarship to the University of Kansas. While at Kansas he played basketball and was a member of the 1952 national championship team. He began his coaching career there in 1953 as an assistant coach. Dean Smith then served his country in the U.S. Air Force. In 1958 he was asked to serve as assistant coach for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Three years later he would become the head coach for UNC. His first season as head coach was his only losing season in his 36 year coaching career. His early days as coach were not always so smooth. In 1965, the UNC fans hung him in effigy after a loss to my alma mater, Wake Forest University.…”