April 7, 2021
“… It’s the smart play” – Michael Corleone / The Godfather
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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