'Guy in the blue shirt' strikes again
Roy Williams cemented the pressroom legend status of Durham Herald-Sun Duke beatwriter Bryan Strickland on Saturday.
Two days earlier, Strickland asked for his thoughts on a colleague in the building tying Dean Smith's record for NCAA tournament victories. The Tar Heels coach apparently misheard the question. He thought he said overall victories and told the media how impressive it was that Mike Krzyzewski had won 100 games in one week. Or maybe the questioner meant Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt.
In any event, Williams was thrown. Later, he quipped, "Just don't let the guy in the blue shirt ask any more questions."
Saturday, someone else asked about Coach K's 65 tourney wins. Williams scanned the room.
"I was just looking for my man in the blue shirt," Williams said, adding when he spotted Strickland: "Darker blue, huh? I'll tell Mike you're wearing his colors."
For those who think Roy might get uptight at tournament time, that exchange shows he doesn't stop looking for punchlines in March.