CSTV TO PREMIERE DEAN SMITH
CSTV TO PREMIERE DEAN SMITH: THE DEAN OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH SMITH, ROY WILLIAMS, VINCE CARTER, LARRY BROWN, MATT DOHERTY, GEORGE KARL
CSTV's Coach Special Explores Unique Lifelong Bonds Between College Basketball's Winningest Coach and Members of His "Carolina Basketball Family"
NEW YORK, February 12, 2004 - Legendary former North Carolina men's basketball coach Dean Smith and some of his prized pupils - Roy Williams, Vince Carter, Larry Brown, George Karl and Matt Doherty - will discuss the unique, lifelong bonds that exist between college basketball's winningest coach and his student-athletes when CSTV: College Sports Television (www.cstv.com), the fastest-growing independent cable network, premieres Dean Smith: The Dean of College Basketball Sunday, February 15th at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. This special presentation of College Sports TV's Coach original series is hosted by Matt Doherty, a former Tar Heel player under Smith, a former head coach at North Carolina and Notre Dame, and currently College Sports TV's men's basketball analyst.
The Dean of College Basketball presents an intimate look at the man whose greatest legacy - beyond wins and losses - is the continuing impact he has had on the lives of all those associated with North Carolina basketball. Within the program, Smith and his former players and assistant coaches discuss the set of values which has governed his life, the role he felt he and his student-athletes needed to play in society, and his groundbreaking decision to recruit Charlie Scott as the first African-American basketball player in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The February 15 special features interviews with Smith and other prominent basketball figures who have played critical roles in the success of the North Carolina basketball program: Roy Williams (former North Carolina assistant, former Kansas head coach and current North Carolina head coach), Larry Brown (former North Carolina player and assistant coach, former Kansas head coach and current Detroit Pistons head coach), Vince Carter (former North Carolina All-America and current Toronto Raptors All-Star forward) and George Karl (former North Carolina player and current Milwaukee Bucks head coach). These men share anecdotes from their personal experiences with Smith and the impact he has had on their lives, and discuss what the phrase "Carolina Basketball Family" means to them.
Within the February 15 special, Williams explains the "Carolina Basketball Family" concept: "That's the true gift he's given everyone involved with him at North Carolina basketball...you're going to be concerned about a guy who graduated 10 years before you and after you. And you'll always have that common thread of being part of the greatest fraternity that ever was, and that's being a member of the Carolina basketball family."
In addition to the February 15th premier date, encore presentations of The Dean of College Basketball are scheduled for:
Tuesday, February 17 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Tuesday, February 17 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 29 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
Tuesday, March 2 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT
schedule subject to change
The Dean Smith File
Surpassed Adolph Rupp as college basketball's all-time winningest coach in 1997 and ultimately compiled a 879-254 record over a 36-year career at North Carolina
Coached the Tar Heels to a record 27 NCAA Tournament appearances (including a record 23 straight), 11 Final Fours and 2 national titles (1982 and 1993)
Won 13 ACC Tournament Championships and 8 ACC Coach of the Year awards
Graduated over 96 percent of his lettermen since his first year in 1961
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983
Had 12 former Tar Heels named to the NBA All-Rookie first or second teams
The Dean of College Basketball Soundbites
Vince Carter
"He made sure that we knew our teachers by their first names, not just the last names. He'd come and ask you, So, what's your teacher's first name?' He'd have a coach who was assigned to be at the front door of very one of our classes, every player."
Dean Smith
"I really believe we're supposed to do something like feed the hungry; even in this country today, there's too much poverty. I really believed that we should visit people in prison and in the hospital. I just think we should really use every opportunity we can to help."
Roy Williams
"I remember Eddie Fogler (Smith's former assistant at North Carolina) first went to Wichita State (as head coach) and...Coach Smith came in and spoke...and they (Wichita State) were going to offer him (Smith) an honorarium, and he said, No, give it to that clothing store so Eddie can get his clothes there free.' And Eddie never knew that until a couple of years later. He did those things like that for people all the time."
Dean Smith
"A long time ago, when I was named head coach, my first call was from my pastor at a church here in Chapel Hill. He said, Your number one job is to find an African-American player for the university.' And we certainly did start at that point." (Smith recruited Charlie Scott to North Carolina, where he became the first African-American basketball player in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a two-time All-America and an ABA and NBA star)
Larry Brown
"I remember, I'd tell our players...'never leave a locker room unless it's cleaner than when we got there.' And I remember his talking about, that's just the way you show people respect."
Larry Brown
"No matter if it was the president of a company or the 15th player on a team or somebody at the airport that picked up our bags, they all felt good about themselves after they met with him and that's something I would hope that I'd be able to do."
Matt Doherty
"I've said this before, my life is better because I chose to play basketball for Dean Smith at North Carolina, and I chose to be the head coach at North Carolina when that opportunity was afforded me."
The February 15 special is a part of College Sports TV's critically acclaimed Coach series that delivers an in-depth perspective of college sports' legendary coaches as told by their former student-athletes. It examines the special relationships these mentors foster with their pupils, and the enduring lessons that these athletes carry with them after their playing days are over.
CSTV, the first 24-hour college sports network, is available to more than 15 million homes nationally on cable and satellite. The network is available on Adelphia and Insight cable systems, among others, and is also available on DirecTV (channel 610). For information on CSTV availability in particular markets, consumers can log on to www.cstv.com or call their cable or satellite operator.
CSTV has covered more college sports than any other network since launching last April. The network has televised more than 3,000 hours of original programming spanning 30 men's and women's college sports, including basketball, football, baseball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse and volleyball. College Sports TV's event, studio and original programs have covered more than 1,000 colleges and universities across all NCAA divisions and the NAIA. College Sports TV televises regular season and championship event coverage from every major collegiate athletic conference, and also televises nine NCAA Championships. The network also has a programming and marketing agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
College Sports Television was co-founded by President/CEO Brian Bedol, Chairman Stephen Greenberg and Executive Vice President Chris Bevilacqua. Bedol and Greenberg co-founded Classic Sports Network, which they sold to ESPN and which is now ESPN Classic. Bevilacqua is a former senior executive with Nike Inc., where he headed the company's successful foray into the college market.
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Eric Handler
CSTV: College Sports Television
212-342-8760
ehandler@cstv.com
posted by Don at Thursday, February 12, 2004
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