NC ODUFan
Special Teams
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Jeff Jones and Dean Smith
Rainey holiday weekend, had time to read a great book by John Feinstein called "The Legends Club" about the fierce rivalries among Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, and Jim Valvano at UNC, Duke, and NC State in the 1980 and 1990's. There is a story in the book about Jeff Jones that I had never before heard (new to me, but perhaps old news to some on this Board). Feinstein writes that Smith really wanted Jones, but he chose U Va. He quotes Smith as saying, "One of my biggest disappointments was not getting him. He was a terrific player and a better young man." Smith wrote a letter to Jones wishing him luck at U Va. Jones is quoted as saying he still has the letter and "I always had great respect for him, I had even more after that." Feinstein talks of how Jones was the youngest ACC coach ever at age 29 at U Va. and he beat Krzyzewski in the first game he coached against him.
Another story new to me (again old to some on this Board) is that before Krzyzewski was hired, Paul Webb was one of the coaches seriously being considered for the Duke job.
Great book would highly recommend it to any college basketball fan.
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07-05-2016 07:40 PM |
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MonGNARch
1st String
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RE: Jeff Jones and Dean Smith
(07-05-2016 07:40 PM)NC ODUFan Wrote: Rainey holiday weekend, had time to read a great book by John Feinstein called "The Legends Club" about the fierce rivalries among Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, and Jim Valvano at UNC, Duke, and NC State in the 1980 and 1990's. There is a story in the book about Jeff Jones that I had never before heard (new to me, but perhaps old news to some on this Board). Feinstein writes that Smith really wanted Jones, but he chose U Va. He quotes Smith as saying, "One of my biggest disappointments was not getting him. He was a terrific player and a better young man." Smith wrote a letter to Jones wishing him luck at U Va. Jones is quoted as saying he still has the letter and "I always had great respect for him, I had even more after that." Feinstein talks of how Jones was the youngest ACC coach ever at age 29 at U Va. and he beat Krzyzewski in the first game he coached against him.
Another story new to me (again old to some on this Board) is that before Krzyzewski was hired, Paul Webb was one of the coaches seriously being considered for the Duke job.
Great book would highly recommend it to any college basketball fan.
I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the post!
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07-06-2016 06:47 AM |
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ODU AGGIE
Heisman
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RE: Jeff Jones and Dean Smith
Thanks for sharing. Interesting.
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07-06-2016 06:52 AM |
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