SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - So I'm walking along the River Walk Sunday night, trying to enjoy myself despite being surrounded by slightly and understandably inebriated Huskies and Cowboys.
The River Walk, in case you're not one of the 30 million visitors it receives a year, is essentially a name that encompasses all the restaurants and clubs that line the San Antonio River. It was designed from 1938-41, but the construction of two major hotels in 1968 set the area into its current path as a pull for revelers and sightseers. It's not a terribly expansive area, but its a fun destination nonetheless.
As a result, this is where you go when you come to San Antonio. So my fellow Chronicle staffers and I were seeking out a place to eat Sunday when we spotted a man with grey hair scribbling on paper in between two gentlemen who were continually patting the older man on the back, muttering inaudible words. A few steps closer, and the old man's identity became clear. It was none other than Roy "Dag gum it" Williams, the head coach of our beloved pet Tar Heels.
My first inclination was to introduce myself to Roy-Will and ask if he actually thought Rashad McCants would stay in college for another year. Indeed, McCants' decision will have a considerable impact on the ACC next season. If McCants stays, after all, so too will Raymond Felton and Sean May, and then the Tar Heels could be one of five potentially top-10 preseason teams for our esteemed league along with Duke, Maryland, Wake Forest and, last but not least, Georgia Tech. If not, UNC will be back to its Doherty Days, losing at will.
A team on the opposite path is the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets, I'm convinced, are deserving of and well on their way to becoming the next great national power. They're doing everything right; they're from a large market starving for a successful athletic program; they're from a very good school with very good kids; they've got an ever-growing bandwagon of supporters; and most importantly, they're led by the nation's best young coach, the man who was truly deserving of coach of the year accolades.
I'm proud to admit that Paul Hewitt is the man/coach/teacher I?d most like to have at my school outside of Coach K (or his triumvirate of assistants). Hewitt is smart about his program, compassionate about his players and dedicated to his school. He's not a bad coach, either. As I was telling a friend, if Duke had to lose to anyone this year, I'd prefer us to lose to Georgia Tech. There's a Duke bloodline at the point guard in Jarret Jack, the team is driven with the same type of Puritan work ethic that has led Duke to so much success over the years, and they're all great kids. And though I could likely find equal strengths in other programs, inside and outside of the ACC, no one is led by a coach as amicable as Hewitt. Even the Yellow Jackets' loss in last night's championship game was cause for admiration because Jack and company continued to claw at the Huskies until the final buzzer despite facing a significant deficit.
The sports editor from Georgia Tech's student newspaper was kindly telling me how Hewitt had reached God-like status on campus, one of the reasons being his involvement with the student body. This past fall, Hewitt visited every single fraternity and sorority, notifying each group of a nascent competition. Whichever organization had the highest cumulative attendance at basketball games this year--including the postseason tournaments--would be treated to a dinner prepared by Hewitt himself.
Sounds familiar to Coach K's tactics, right? Come to the games, and he'll buy you pizza. But Hewitt's going to make dinner? I don't care if he pops popcorn or toasts bread, that's a helluva nice gesture and a helluva nice way to foster support for your basketball program.
A coach whose success wasn't so tangible was Craig Esherick, the former leader of Georgetown. I spotted him at the River Walk, too, having lunch Friday afternoon. The jury is still out as to whether Esherick or UNC's Matt Doherty did the most damage to the respective program that they coached.
I promise you that I've done more than stargazing at coaches past and present, however. Indeed, I've also had the chance to rub shoulders with some of the better sportswriters in the business (whether or not that's an oxy moron, I'll leave up to you). And when I say rub shoulders, I mean our photographer whacked one on the head with the leg of a tripod. That's right--William Rhoden, the award-winning sports columnist for the New York Times was the recipient of a thud from The Chronicle's own Betsy McDonald. He very kindly turned and acknowledged our profuse apologies, then felt the inevitable knot billowing on the back of his head.
But I digress. I've got to run; Georgia Tech's bandwagon is leaving and I've got a ticket to ride.
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