Smith vs. Krzyzewski: K never ate Dean’s lunch
Regarding Allen Johnson’s column (Feb. 15) on the Carolina-Duke basketball rivalry:
If Johnson had not stated in his article that he was a UNC grad, I would have sworn he was a Dookie with this misleading nonsense about the head-to-head basketball rivalry of UNC and Duke: “Coach K started eating Dean’s lunch in the late 1980s and early 1990s.”
What? Carolina’s Dean Smith all-time versus Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski: 26-14 (65 percent); Dean all-time versus K at Cameron Indoor Stadium: 10-7 (59 percent); Dean versus K since 1986 (K’s first Final Four): 17-11 (61 percent); Dean versus K during Duke glory years (1986-1992 that Johnson references): 9-9 (50 percent).
If you want to have a healthy argument about who is the better coach, fine. It is sort of like arguing about what is the best flavor of ice cream. I will argue long and hard for Dean, yet K clearly has had a Hall of Fame career as well.
But Coach K never ate Dean’s lunch. Carried his lunch? Maybe, if Dean was in a generous mood. Ate it? Facts are a stubborn thing.
Lee Niegelsky
Reidsville
Comments (2)
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Dean Smith,
The only man that could ever stop Michael Jordon from scoring.
Posted on February 28, 2009 4:58 AM
Same thought crossed my mind as the letter-writers' when reading AJ's column last week. UNC swept both games from Duke in 1987 and in 1990. The Tar Heels beat the Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament title game in 1989 and 1991. And in 1992 Dean and UNC were one of only two teams to beat Duke the entire season.
The back-to-back NCAA titles Duke won during those years and the run of consecutive Final Fours are awesome achievements that stand on their own merits. But they were hardly done at Smith or Carolina's expense.
Posted on February 28, 2009 1:26 PM