April 7, 2021
“… It’s the smart play” – Michael Corleone / The Godfather
.
Michael knew his betrayer would be either Tessio or Clemenza. Michael earned his Godfather chops by figuring correctly … telling Tom Hagan that Tessio was “the smart play”.
Bubba made “the smart play” with what was always going to be his legacy decision by selecting Hubert Davis to succeed Roy Williams rather than Wes Miller or _____ or _____ .
OK, the analogy breaks down after that but employing a Godfather quote in this is what separates an Internet Legend from “you people”. HAA!
.
.
Unlike “Mack Is Back” this “Bubba Did What” does not have Franklin Streeters bumfuzzled. Any more than is the norm for that motley gaggle of faux-intellectual woke-ophiles.
Franklin Streeters and sports fans throughout the Milky Way Galaxy knew Hubert was on the shortest of short lists … a list that NEVER included Larry Brown, George Karl, MJ, “Naktar”, Neil Fingleton, Phil Jackson, Wojo, Archie Miller, Mark Few or Jamele Hill among many others.
For anyone who doesn’t know … Yes, Hubert Davis IS of African-American persuasion. Therefore Hubert IS indeed “the first black head coach of UNCCH Basketball or Football that does not have “interim” in his title” … with due respect to Everett Withers.
Yes … UNCCH’s two gender-specific basketball programs ARE now headed by “a black guy” and “a lesbian” respectively … add “an AD named “Bubba” and a Chancellor with a name harder to spell than “Krzyzewski”.
That the Coker Arboretum murder of Suellen Evans in 1965 remains unsolved gets lost in all that … along with “Where the heck is Silent Sam?”
I support Bubba’s selection of Hubert Davis because … (1) I always publicly support Bubba because he’s my friend … (2) It IS “the smart play”.
That “Hubert Davis is black” is receiving more attention that it merits is a shame. Alas, there is a Whole Lot of “shame” connected to Big Time College Basketball … and Sports in general in America 2021. Not to mention the grim reality that Earth’s #1 SuperPower Nation is literally teetering on The Abyss of Hell Hole-ism.
.
For 40+ of his 50 years … Hubert Davis’ life has revolved around Basketball with due respect to his wife of 30 years … his three children and his Christian faith that he unashamedly wears on his sleeve. How he ranks those elements in priority is his business.
I noted in my last column that I have never “met” Roy Williams. I HAVE “met” Hubert Davis but very very superficially … at a Men’s Bible Study that was started by the late Danny Lotz and late Albert Long twelve years ago. Hubert attended several times when he joined Roy’s staff.
He impressed me as “a soft-spoken gentleman” … which, to me, means many “good things”. I would NOT say “he is like” Dean or Roy or Mack or Butch or Dooley or … or. Maybe kind of “like Bill Guthridge” if I have to have a “he’s like” in temperament and intellect.
For a “high profile former UNC Basketballer” in Chapel Hill there are ALWAYS “eyes on you” wherever you go and whatever you do. No only with easily-impressionable students but with equally star-struck quasi-adults.
“You’ll never guess what happened to ME today. I was standing in line at Taco Bell and HUBERT DAVIS was two people ahead of me. He ordered a Chalupa Grande. THAT was exactly what I was going to order. Is that COOL or what. I took this picture of him walking out the door. WOW, what an exciting day!”
Such is the reality of being a UNC Basketball celebrity in Chapel Hill. Hubert Davis is used to that reality. NOW that bizarre reality ratchets up to OMG -level.
Can he adjusts to “that” and accept that his life and his family’s life is Different now? The microscope they were under just increased 10X.
His everyday professional life is Different now. He is now Chief among his fellows with whom he was “one of the guys” just last week and for nine years prior. Now Hubert Is The Man.
“Those guys” now report to him. He sets their salaries … he approves their expense reports. He is privy to “stuff” they are not privy to … and should not be privy to.
Hubert HAS to adjust to The New Order … and each person involved with UNC Basketball HAS to adjust. Some may not be able to do so … some may be gone in 3-6 months be they assistants, secretaries, interns … or players.
.
Lets discuss “the fans” … both Lower Level Big and Not-So-Big Rams and WalMarters and all in-between. They expect him to WIN … specifically against local Hated Rivals. The vicarious “We Won” that is sooo important to them is now up to Hubert to provide much more often than not.
If he does provide lots more “We Wons” than “He Losts” that “he is black” won’t matter at all. If he fails to provide critical “We Wons” then it might surface among a certain faction. The “they shoulda hired Larry Brown” whack-jobs will surface on social media. … sigh.
Hated Rivals loonies will do what Hated Rival loonies ALWAYS do. They will do their “UNCheats” and “don’t go to class” mantra 24/7 because thats what they do. To their “credit” that Hubert “is black” won’t matter to them.
State is on “black guy #2” … Wake did their Danny Manning thing … while Duke is yet to cross that line although several “of color” are on every “After K Who?” short list.
.
Hubert and The Media … his level of tolerance of “the media” is an unknown. His natural persona is 180 from “DadGum Frickin’ Roy”. Bubba and “Kirsch” will “probably” NOT need to stand ready to “pull the plug” on his live mic after a tough loss. But, again, he has never dealt with that. TBD.
.
Hubert and The Black / Activist Community … Hubert Davis is now the 1-2nd highest profile human being at UNCCH … what Hubert Davis thinks / says / doesn’t say about Anything and Everything now “Matters”.
Maybe not to “normal folks” just trying to get thru each day … as “America” slogs thru a quicksand bog threatening to sink 250 years of Progress. but …
There are, at last count, only 16 to 24 “normal people” in Greater Chapel Hill / Carrboro. I think I know each one of’em. The other 50,000 or so are all up for bit parts in a sequel to One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
The average Prius in Chapel Hill has a minimum of 36 bumperstickers advocating for every conceivable dip-sh*t cause imaginable.
Chapel Hill ranks 3rd nationally in number of terminal cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) … behind only Washington DC and NYC’s Upper West Side. San Francisco is #4 and Madison WI #5.
As The Black Head Coach of UNC Basketball … Hubert Davis is going to be pressured to paint Black Lives Matter at center court of Dean’s Dome / Roy’s Court … maybe literally. Will Cardi B perform her Grammy porn show at Late Night With Hubert?
He will be pressured to be Pitchfork-wavin’ Activist Uno by the local Race-baiters ‘R Us demanding that he be front & center on every Voter ID / Reparations / Hate White Folks et al ad infinitum issue. Will he … ?
How Hubert chooses to deal with That – where he “draws the line in the sand” – will come sooner than later … maybe within weeks if not days.
As a Lover of Chaos … it’s gonna be “interesting”. Good Luck Hubert … and Bubba.
.
More BobLeeSays … CLICK HERE!
.
Just wait and see what happens once NIL goes into effect nationally and big time players want their Twitter handles on the back of jerseys. It’ll be fun to watch the world HD and others inherits from the soon to be retiring old guard.
Prediction : Coach K … Boeheim … Izzo will all be retired within 2-3 years.
Hiring HD maybe the “smart play” politically for Bubba but it is full of caution signs which normally says it was “not so smart”. . 1) it appeases the former player faction which in turn lets them (from the Jet to Cole Anthony) think they have more influence than they really have. Not quite an “inmates running the prison” scenario, but HD has to control the noise that wants to be in his ear as “one of their own” while there are former players upset they did not get the job. . 2) history shows very few replacements of great… Read more »
All good discussion points … . * Was there an Obvious Choice that Bubba passed on? Wes Miller would have brought a different set of “points”. * Going “Outside The Family” had limited choices that would have pleased a majority of The Lower Level … Mark Few … The Villanova Guy … The Celtics /Butler Guy ?? Who else? * “a white wife” ?? Is that an issue circa 2021? This is the first time BOTH UNCCH BB HCs have bragged about “I have a white wife” !!! * Who will be HD’s “Go to Guys” for Advice” ?? Roy… Read more »
I am not saying BC had any other choice, but “smart” is in the eye of the beholder.
He will be protected by the “unc family and associated media” against any BLM pressure until he starts losing or gets past his first season and has actual gravitas whichever comes first. He will get a pass unless he walks into it like he kinda did with the comment about his wife.
IMO … Essentially there were three choices … Davis – Miller – or – a high profile established coach outside the family. Stackhouse or King Rice or some former Biscuit Boy who is doing good in Div II were never in the hunt. . What woulda been “interesting” would be if HD were white and Miller was black … ????? … and BC picks “the white Asst” with zero HC experience over the black former player with HC success at a lower level. … I can see Miller moving up to a Power 5 or close school now … to… Read more »
Since I’m ABC, I agree 100% with every thing you said. I think you might have exaggerated on the 16 to 24 , however. That’s too high,in my opinion. I’m happy to hear that he’s a Christian. Maybe that will thwart the rabid radical agenda and pandering to it. If people would take the time to study the BLM manifesto,they wouldn’t be so quick to support it. I hope he has the testicular fortitude to keep politics out of sports like Dabo did.
I expect Hubert to be tested Very Soon. I hope he has already realized it will happen and has prepared his response.
Good luck Coach Davis from a Duke fan you are going to need it IMHO. Maybe Hubert does well then Duke promotes a current Asst. Coach when Coach K decides enough is enough. Also I will go to my grave believing Roy made sure Hubert got the job…..just like Coach K will make sure Duke hires Coach????……got to love big time college basketball in Chapel Hill and Durham.
Letting a Legend pick his successor is not all that bad an idea. Dean certainly did with Guthridge so why not Roy / Hubert? ORW losing his passion for the demands of the profession does not mean the key elements of the program need to be discarded. The evolution of the sport however DOES demand an examination of “how we’ve always done it around here”.
If recruiting wasn’t already hard enough, now coaches have to keep recruiting their own players. The only worry used to be the NBA. Now it’s also to keep those not NBA ready in-house. I’d rather herd fire ants than recruit and then have to re-recruit 18-22 y/o kids.
Apparently the two Big Time One&Done Schools – Duke & Kentucky have run that course, so now what? “Recruiting” the Transfer Portal is nothing but a form of prostitution i.e. Who makes the makes lucrative offer? That old bit about “meeting with the Dean of The Business School” is obsolete along with what ever shards of integrity lingers.
I resemble that remark about all Chapel Hillians. I know at least 12 normal folks here, but we are fading as we get older and can’t remember who was anyone 10 years ago.
I said 16 to 23 “normal folks” among the 50,000 goggle-eyed crazies. That has a + / – factor of “4”,
I was hoping when I read the title that you would have an extended Godfather analogy. My first thought was who will Fredo turn out to be. I agree Davis was the smart move. The other way to go, of course, was to empty the coffers to lure someone very successful onto the rocks. All I can say to Coach Davis is bless your heart. I am sure Hubert knows that college basketball that the highest level is going pro. With transfer portals and payment to athletes, it will change radically over the next 5 years. I am sure he… Read more »
HD is better suited for whatever lies ahead for College BB than ORW would have been. HD’s challenges will be the same ones every new CEO faces when assuming command of his own tribe … all the stoopid human nature BS … and hard personnel decisions.
.
I do NOT expect HD to provide “bulletin board material” for Hated Rivals and their fan bases. Thats not his nature. Even if UNC’s board monkeys love that crap.
If Hubert can successfully manage the whole transfer portal thing he will be just fine. I’m pulling for him, he does seem to be a good guy.
Everyone who knows Hubert will be pulling for him to succeed – however that is defined. This market being what it is… he will be under constant attack by Hated Rivals who don’t “play fair”.
There are 150+ Division One Men’s Head Basketball Coaches. I defy any “normal fan” to name more than five outside his/her own conference. … Hellfire, I can’t even name but 4-5 in The ACC.
.
Its a tough unforgiving business … UNC and Duke are in very very very rarified air with the longevity of their success at the Very Top. Hubert Davis could be Very Good and still not be Good Enough. Same for whoever replaces K in a few years.
Well done Bob Lee. Looking forward to what happens next. Perhaps Coach Davis can stop having a “one and done”team. Love the fact that he is a Christian and is proud to let others know this. I hope his faith can get him thru the loathing media which seems to be interested in only themselves and fostering hate.
The media AND the Chapel Hill BLMers WILL test HD very early . Could happen any day now re: Georgia Voting Issue or any of a dozen others. Very predictable.
My prediction: you’re wrong. There will be no testing of Hubert Davis anytime soon.
We’ll see. It depends on the timing of the next “National Race Issue” … Georgia Voter Law … George Floyd … HB1 … et al.
Seems like a good choice since I have to assume that the ideal candidate for the faculty–a mixed race, transgendered, midget, Democrat, Trump hating, USA loathing, feminist with no experience coaching anything at any level–was not available.
I think Hubert meets enough of their wish list to keep’em quiet for a while. We can only hope. Again … how much of an “activist” he decides to be will determine all that. “They” will test him early.
the kicker gal from Vandy who made a PAT is already spoken for leading the Army/Navy/Air Force and solving world hunger.
THANK GOODNESS. I feel so much better!
Just when I was holding out hope that Larry Brown was bringing Allen Iverson to be his replacement in training. The gang at Inside Carolina said we’d own the 757 recruiting battles then. Oh well, Hubert can have a 20 year career, and Larry will still be a candidate in their minds.
Don’t forget … If Mack would simply bring in Lawrence Taylor as LB Coach & Role Model … THAT would “awaken the sleeping giant”.
.
If there weren’t those goggle-eyed goofballs out there, I’d have to make’em up.
I like the choice. Well worded BobLee, no one could have said those things better and most would have been to scared to have touch the subjects. Well done!
Thanks! I’ve always kinda enjoyed tipping over Outhouses … especially ones that are occupied at the time.
I love the Hubert Davis hire, he seems like exactly the type of role model young people (of all races) need today. He’s a devout Christian, a strong family man, well educated and VERY well spoken. He showed his loyalty leaving ESPN to be Roy’s Lieutenant for 9 years. I honestly didn’t even know Davis was an Assistant Coach at Carolina because I pay virtually no attention to modern ACC hoops. But the fact that we don’t hear Davis’ name connected to silly twitter comments or scandalous behavior is a very good thing. . Frankly I’m pleasantly surprised UNC made… Read more »
I agree. It is “the smart play” by Bubba and The Chancellor. There WILL BE Challenges to be dealt with.
A great thing about Hubert Davis (and Kevin Keatts to a similar extent) is they do not wear race on their sleeve. When I look at both men I see highly successful basketball coaches to admire and learn from, not a guy stumping for either political party or making any kind of political statement. Give me a lot more guys like that! David Shaw at Stanford comes to mind as well.
I don’t know Keatts that well but the David Shaw comparison works very well. That being the case … there WILL be very heavy pressure for Hubert to be a radical race activist …
You may be surprised, guys like Shaw seem to be able to rise above the race hustlers. Unlike Roy or Mike who are presumed guilty by association. . I’m still figuring Keatts out, but he initially earned my respect very quickly. For the first half of Malik Abu’s career Mark Gottfried didn’t have the guts to bench him for taking 18 foot jump shots and pretending to be a 2 guard instead of a stud power forward. The first game I saw Keatt’s coach he yanked Abu out of the game for hoisting up a clanger jump shot, and to… Read more »
For whatever reasons(s) David Shaw has stumbled a bit at Stanford the past 2-3 seasons … no longer in every Top Five FB Coaches rankings. NOT as far as his character / intrgrity but in on-field success. I’m not that familiar with the factors of why. Ty Willingham – another of that same Not “race hustler” ilk – also hit a wall and disappeared. ???
Tony Dungy and Herm Edwards are also great guys who rise above the sewer of race baiting politics. Its great having Herm in the college game, wish we could get Dungy back in coaching, especially at the collegiate level.
Tony … like Hubert … wears his Faith on his sleeve for all to see.