THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 1, 1995 TAG: 9504010405
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SEATTLE LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
North Carolina coach Dean Smith was so upset with the way his players mishandled Kentucky's press last week that he apologized for not having them better prepared.
If he has to make a similar apology today, it may be on the way out of the Final Four.
Arkansas is known for its pressing defense, and Carolina got a taste of it in its first tournament game against Murray State, which is coached by Scott Edgar, a former assistant of Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson.
``If Nolan happened to look at the tape of that game,'' Smith said, ``about midway through the first half he has to really be smiling about pressing North Carolina. We didn't do a good job.''
Smith is surprised the Heels have had such a problem against the press in the tournament.
``We were prepared all year for it, and did a good job against Maryland's press in the ACC tournament,'' Smith said.
ON SECOND THOUGHT: It turns out Richardson is a fan of Smith, after all.
Richardson said two years ago he had disdain for the establishment and considered Smith part of that group. He repeated that opinion earlier this week.
Friday, though, Richardson emphasized his respect for Smith as a coach.
``He is the best,'' Richardson said. (Duke's Mike) Krzyzewski is one of the best. (Indiana's Bobby) Knight is one of the best. Dean Smith is the best.''
CAN'T TOP THAT: North Carolina center Rasheed Wallace seemed a little jealous of Oklahoma State's Bryant (Big Country) Reeves, who shattered a backboard during Friday's practices.
``I have cracked a couple of rims,'' said Wallace, ``but I never shattered a whole backboard like Big Country did out there.''
After a pause, Wallace added, ``That is an amazing feat. I don't think I am heavy enough to crack a backboard.''
IT'S THIS BIG: So, how does North Carolina's super soph Jerry Stackhouse feel about playing in his first Final Four?
Any butterflies?
``You have anxieties, but to me it feels almost like an ACC tournament,'' Stackhouse said.
``That is big for us.''
JUST CALL IT: Anyone who has watched tournament games the last two weeks knows not all games have been officiated the same way.
Some teams can hack and get away with it while others can simply touch and get whistled down.
That's something Dean Smith can't understand. He says the NCAA has spent millions of dollars trying to ensure that officiating is the same throughout the country.
``If I am shooting or passing and you hit my arm, it is a foul,'' Smith said.
``If I am going 70 miles per hour and another guy is going 90, maybe both of us should be penalized. If it isn't called, the guy going 90 is going to win the race.''
In case you're wondering, North Carolina should win the race if today's game is called closely.
OH, BABY! Television commentators get plenty of opportunities to rate coaches, so it is only fair that coaches got to rate commentators in a recent poll.
Sorry, Dickie, baby.
The coaches selected Billy Packer as the best commentator. Bill Rafferty was second and Dick Vitale third.
Turning the tables, the coaches also were polled on which college coach is the most overrated.
LSU's Dale Brown was No. 1 and Georgetown's John Thompson was No. 2.
The survey was taken by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
CLINTON NOT COMING: Eddie Sutton, longtime pal of Bill Clinton, said that the president won't be coming to the Final Four. Clinton was at the Charlotte Coliseum last year to watch his beloved Razorbacks beat Duke.
Sutton said that, in a phone conversation earlier in the week, Clinton told him he would like to come to the Kingdome, ``but last year he said he created so many problems for the spectators that he didn't feel like it was the right thing to do.''
If the president won't be needing that seat, it might go to John Wooden. The 85-year-old former UCLA coach said that if he feels up to it, he may fly from L.A. to the Emerald City to watch the Bruins in Monday's title game. First, UCLA has to win today.
QUICK SHOTS: Although Elmer Martin averages only 1.8 points-per-game, expect the 6-foot-8 senior to start for Arkansas in today's semifinal. Martin has started 13 of Arkansas' last 15 games, and the Razorbacks have won 14 of them. The one game Martin did not start was a loss to Kentucky in the SEC tournament final. ... Since UCLA last won the title in 1975, only three schools west of the Mississippi River - Kansas, Arkansas and UNLV - have won the national championship MEMO: Staff writer Bob Molinaro contributed to this story.
by CNB