ACC Roundup

With exams looming across the conference, the traditional cupcakes are on the
ACC schedule. The exceptions to this are Vandy, which plays Georgia Tech,
and George Mason at Duke, reviewed elsewhere on this site.

N.C. State gets Savannah State, Miami gets Lehigh and UNC gets High
Point.

In fairness to High Point, they've given some people trouble over the last
few years, but they're not in UNC's class in any way. Having said that, if
there is a time to pull a stunner, it's probably exam week.

Bonus points to anyone who can name, without looking, all the nicknames for
ACC opponents Saturday.

One of the interesting early stories in the ACC is Jack
McClinton.

Who?

The Miami guard is averaging 21 ppg thus far, which is impressive for a guy
who transferred from Siena. For anyone, really.

Roy Williams is closing fast on 500 wins, which is a very impressive
accomplishment. And while he closes on a personal record, Bob Knight is
closing on Dean Smith's record for career wins, something
Smith says is fine with him.

You have to live around the ACC for a while to know how to read Dean
Smith. There's the public face and then there's the private side, which
slips out periodically. That side is ferociously competitive and not
always attractive. So while you would hear Smith say gracious things
about, say Wojo, and what sort of player he was, you'd also hear a certain level
of bitterness and contempt, as when he called an FSU player "Mr.
Choke" on the radio, dare Rick Barnes to slug him on the court, and make
snide remarks under his breath about, well, whoever got on his nerves at the
moment.

Smith is a brilliant man and was a phenomenal coach and is famously loyal to
his players, but we've never bought the humility act. The guy who snuck
cigarettes under the stands and hid his drinks from public view is the same guy
who hides his contempt and bitterness from public view. No doubt he
respects Knight, but happy to give up the record? Doubtful. If you
don't agree, check back in a few years when Coach K should be getting close to
second place and see if you think Smith is okay with that.

Incidentally, there was a bit of a fight a while back as John Wooden and Bob
Knight went at it publicly, with Wooden saying he wouldn't want anyone he loved
to play for Knight, and Knight more or less implying (correctly) that Wooden's
program wasn't entirely on the up-and-up. Wooden is making nice now,
telling ESPN that while he regarded Knight as one of the greatest teachers the
game has had, that "...[u]nfortunately, some of his methods have brought
him some bad publicity. A lot of people will talk about that more than
what he has done. They overlook the fact that practically all of his players
graduate. His methods, just as General Patton's, were different, but wouldn't
you want General Patton on your side in a time of war?

"I have the utmost respect for Bobby Knight. I just disagree with his
methods. That doesn't make mine right and his wrong at all."

• Williams
  on verge of win No. 500
• Pack
  scores with O'Brien football hire
• UNC's Williams can
  join 500-win club today
• Roy following in
  Dean’s footsteps
• Where's
  the love? Swiping coaches didn't happen in past
• Tech
  suffering defensive crisis