I didn't write this. It came to me from a message board from a die-hard Kentucky Fan. High Praise indeed.

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Roy Williams was an even better choice than UNC might have imagined when they named him as their head coach. Sure, he's a fantastic recruiter, a solid bench coach, he gets along extremely well with his players and instills in them a "team first" attitude that produces both impressive win totals and players that you can be proud of. Being the defending National Champions doesn't hurt either.

But I think UNC lucked into one thing they probably didn't realize at the time they hired Roy Williams. The unrealized bonus can be found if you pull back and look at the big picture. The big ACC picture, that is. UNC lucked out because Roy Williams is the perfect foil to Duke's Mike Krzyzweski. Hollywood could not have cast a finer archetype to contrast against Duke's perpetually scowling coach.

Where Krzyzweski is patronizing and aloof, Williams is as plain as spilt cornflakes and as approachable as warm apple pie. Where Krzyzweski requires a thumb print to take the elevator up to his office, you get the idea you could find Roy hanging out by the janitor's closet swapping jokes with the cleaning crew. Where Krzyzweski bristles with military discipline and seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, Williams' self-depreciating sense of humor and plain old plainness make it seem as though he might not get offended if you dared ask him a question out of turn.

Most importantly, and what makes Roy so damned likable compared to Krzyzweski is that he isn't a phony. He's not trying to tell us he is a leader of men, not a coach, because he is a coach and he's clearly proud to be one. It is what it is and needs no embellishing. He didn't hold a press conference when the Lakers asked him if he was interested in their head coaching position, but he could have. He doesn't do any of the maddening things that are a trademark of the Krzyzweski regime.

I'd like to dislike Roy Williams. I'm a Kentucky fan and UNC is our closest pretender to the throne in college basketball. I have a vested interest in UNC not doing well. But for the life of me I can't bring myself to not like this UNC coach try as I might.

If the slightest bit of humor is to be found Ol' Roy will cut loose with that country morning breakfast grin of his and I'll be damned if I can't help but to smile with him. This doesn't mean of course that Roy Williams isn't a fiery coach or that he can't lay into somebody when they need it or when he thinks they deserve it, but I get the idea he doesn't think his next coaching move might be studied by the Smithsonian Institution for the next 1000 years the way I do when I see his Duke counterpart agonizing over the plainest of calls a referee might have made that for some incomprehensible reason Krszyweski finds incredulous or more likely contemptuous (think Indiana: "You killed my team").

But when Roy does lose his cool, it won't be an act. Roy won't "plan" on staging some little tiff or if a call doesn't go UNC's way and Roy loses it, he'll be just as likely to nod his head in agreement when the truth is pointed out to him. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I admire this UNC coach and I appreciate the way he conducts himself because he doesn't have to be that way. I still remember in January of 2004 Roy benching his entire starting lineup while reminding them of where they were recruited in comparison to the Kentucky team that was kicking their behinds at the time, that game was the official end of the Doherty era in my opinion and the beginning of Roy's.

When Roy Williams coached UNC at Kentucky earlier this year he wore a brown suit. A small tip of the hat to Adolph Rupp. A slight gesture that perhaps wasn't meant for the press or even for the fans.

I'd like to think that Bill Keightley... a man whom has sat on Kentucky's bench forever as our ancient equipment manager.... Well I'd like to think that he looked over and he smiled at Roy Williams in acknowledgment. Maybe nodded his head in understanding at this small gesture that means everything to the right people.

For at the beginning, at the deepest roots in the oldest most fertile fields, common ancestors stood and maybe a ball or two bounced on the dirt as they surveyed the windswept plains of Kansas. Forrest "Phog" Allen stood there and he told his assistant he might amount to something after all if he kept at it long enough.

That day, in that place, the seeds were strewn that has made Roy Williams the man and the coach that he is, and to his credit he has not forgotten who he is or why he believes that an orange ball can reveal a little more about a man than wins and losses.

Roy Williams is a direct descendant of the greatest basketball family the world will ever know. Both UNC and Kentucky's combined destinies were born in the same place on those distant plains. Basketball's two winningest coaches, the games greatest programs, and all the legends of all the games they have ever played still echo on those fields. They are forgotten sometimes as fake games and faker coaches build their plastic records on sand and credit.

But Roy Williams hasn't forgotten.

That's why Roy Williams is the perfect answer for North Carolina.

This has been a most enjoyable basketball season. Not much was expected for my beloved Tarheels. Won the National Championship last year. We are supposed to do that every 10 years or so, being one of the nation's top programs. But, with winning, you pay the price... your players are very valuable to the pros. So, in addition to the 3 seniors, we lost the 3 juniors who were the heart and soul of the team, and also lost the hope of the future, the ACC's rookie of the year. 7 of the top scorers from the Championship team gone.

The cupboard was bare. Nothing left but a couple of rising seniors, one of which was a former walk-on and the other a wash out; A very short guard who transferred in from a smaller college; a sophomore jitter-bug point guard who couldn't shoot and loves to dribble and throw the ball away; and 5 incoming freshman. At least we had Ol' Roy, our coach who returned just in time to lead us back to the glory land.

So this year was a pleasure to watch. Didn't expect a lot, maybe go 50-50 in the ACC and play in the NIT. Dare we hope for the NCAA big dance?

I used to have to tape the games and then watch them if we won. Too much stress watching live. We were supposed to win somehow and we usually did. But hard on an old guy. This year was different. I saw the first game in Smith Center...We won on a last second 3-pointer by the former walk-on senior against a very small North Carolina college. This was supposed to be a warm up in earlier years. Well, not much to expect from this group of very young kids. You can't let your self-worth be determined by a bunch of 18-19 year old kids who just happen to be wearing baby blue. Let's just lean back and enjoy this year just for the sake of enjoying basketball.

But this bunch of freshmen, lead by David Noel, the former walk-on, doing a great impersonation of George Lynch, over-achieved time after time all season. The little short transfer guard was deadly from 3 point range and a great defender, the jitter-buy point guard settled down and was very productive, and the freshmen... WOW! Tyler was ACC freshman of the year, Marcus was a shutdown defender, Bobby was a very steady pointguard, starting every game. This group was great, ending with the thumping of the Big Blue Ugly Giant from West Durham, on their senior night on their home court. Doesn't get much better than that. I enjoyed these gifted young people like I have never enjoyed Carolina basketball before. We won some and we lost some. What a joy this season was.

Next year, the calvary is arriving. The best recruiting class in the nation will arrive to join this year's over-achieving freshman class. The top point guard, the top power forward, the top shooting guard, some big boys from California...How is Ol' Roy going to keep everyone happy with playing time?

I am going to have to tape some games next year and watch them after I find out the score. You see, I am fully expecting this team to go undefeated and win the National Championship one more time. Great expectations equals great stress. Maybe I can just relax and enjoy next year's team as much as I enjoyed this year's.