THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 23, 1995 TAG: 9508230636
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CLEMSON LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Basketball coaches Rick Barnes of Clemson and Dean Smith of North Carolina, who were fined $2,500 each after a heated exchange during the ACC tournament, had a more humorous run-in during a recent recruiting trip.
Barnes said it came last month at the end of the summer scouting period. Both North Carolina and Clemson are pursuing 6-foot-9 Isiah Epps, who lives near Kingstree in lower South Carolina.
Barnes was on another scouting trip when he received a frantic call from an assistant, who had learned that Epps would be playing in his final summer league game and Smith was going there to see him.
``You have got to be here,'' said the assistant, who had scheduled a private plane from the university to fly Barnes to Kingstree.
But the plans went astray when the pilot learned during his approach to Kingstree that the town's airstrip had closed down.
Barnes told the pilot to land at the nearest open strip, which was about 30 miles away.
``We put down and there was nothing there except for this old house, and an elderly gentleman comes walking out of it,'' Barnes said. ``I asked him if there was a rental car anywhere close, and he shook his head.''
The old man said the only car close by was the one he used for fishing trips.
``I want to rent it,'' Barnes said.
The old man shook his head. ``I don't think you want this one,'' he said, pointing toward a beat-up 1961 Dodge Dart stuffed full of fishing gear.
``It don't smell too good in there,'' the old man said. ``It don't have no air conditioning, and you get an odor of something burning when you go over 50 miles per hour.''
Barnes said he looked at the man and replied, ``I've got to have it. I won't be gone long.''
He jumped into the car and found the old man hadn't lied.
``It was hot. It smelled just like fish, and there was tobacco juice stains everywhere'' Barnes said. ``As soon as I got the speed up, lights started flashing and I smelled rubber or something burning.''
But Barnes reached his destination, and drew the attention of bystanders when the old car screeched to a stop by a shiny new Cadillac.
``I was drenching wet with sweat, and I smelled like fish,'' Barnes said. ``And you know whose Cadillac that was.''
When Barnes stepped out of his car, a smiling Smith emerged from the Cadillac. Barnes said he pointed to the two cars, and quipped, ``right there is the difference between our programs.''
Barnes said Smith good-naturedly tried to console him by claiming he had been in similar situations himself.
Barnes gave the old man $50 for the use of his car, but won't know if it was worth it until at least November - when Epps can pick a team during the early signing period. ILLUSTRATION: Clemson coach Rick Barnes went looking for a hot player, and
wound up with a lemon.
by CNB