Sports 2000
University
Dismisses
Torbush
Dick Baddour said UNC's
football program did not
have an atmosphere for
success under Carl Torbush.
By T. Nolan Hayes
Sports Editor
NOV. 21 - On Nov. 22,1999, UNC
Director of Athletics Dick Baddour sat
in the Bowles Room at Koury
Natatorium and announced his support
for Carl Torbush as the school’s head
football coach.
On Monday, 364 days later, Baddour
found himself in the same place. This
time, however, he was there to
announce that Torbush had been fired.
“I have completed a review of the
football program,
and the decision
has been made
not to retain Carl
Torbush as the
head football
coach at the
University of
North Carolina,”
said Baddour,
who sat beside
Chancellor James
Moeser at a press
conference. “This
decision is not
based on a single
game or solely a
single season but
Former coach
Carl Torbush
led the Tar Heels
to a 17-18 record
during his
three-year tenure.
rather on evaluation over a three-year
period.”
Moeser is the man ultimately respon
sible for the decision, but it was
Baddour who recommended the
change. Baddour made his recommen
dation after completing his annual eval
uation of the football program Sunday.
The Tar Heels improved from a 3-8
record last year to finish 6-5 this season
and become eligible for a bowl game.
But it wasn’t enough to save Torbush,
who compiled a 17-18 record in three
seasons at the helm. UNC never got off
to a good start under his leadership,
something that disturbed Baddour and
fans of the program. The Tar Heels
started 0-3 in 1998 before bouncing
back to finish 7-5, stood at 1-8 last year
before winning their last two games and
closed out this season with three victo
ries after being 3-5.
“It seems that the current state of the
program seems to rest on a game-by
game, year-by-year, season-by-season
situation,” Baddour said. “That is not an
atmosphere for success or potential suc
cess.”
The atmosphere of Kenan Stadium
on Saturdays also hurt Torbush. The Tar
Heels averaged 50,500 fans at home this
season, too far below the stadium’s
capacity of 60,000 for Baddour’s liking.
North Carolina went 3-3 at home this
year but lost three consecutive ACC
games at Kenan Stadium in the middle
of the season. The Tar Heels were just
7-10 at home during Torbush’s career.
Tar Heels Capture 16th NCAA Title
By James Giza
Assistant Sport Saturday Editor
SAN JOSE, Calif., DEC. 4 - At some level,
even if it happens to be buried somewhere deep
in his subconscience, the national tides have to
start blending together for North Carolina
women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance.
Was it 1987, when we went undefeated and won the
NCAA championship?No, wait, that was every season
from 1986 to 1989. And again from 1991 to 1993.
Oh, plus, 1984 and 1997.1 always forget those two.
But after the road his team traveled this sea
son, Sunday’s 2-1 victory against sixth-seeded
UCLA in front of 9,566 at Spartan Stadium
should stand out in his mind for years to come.
Playing without an injured Susan Bush, play
ing with Laurie Schwoy available only for spot
duty, playing with leading-assist woman Jena
Kluegel fighting a right ankle injury and playing
with three losses for the first time in 20 years, the
fifth-seeded Tar Heels captured their 16th
NCAA tide in the tournament’s 19-year history.
“Every year it becomes more special so diat
eventually I will have a heart attack up here,”
Dorrance said. “This was a special win for a lot
of different reasons. When there is adversity,
you appreciate winning a lot more.”
Call them the Cardiac Kids. Call them the
Heart-Attack Heroes. Any such moniker for
this year’s Tar Heels (21-3) would be fitting after
Bunting Chosen to Head Football Program
By T. Nolan Hayes
Sports Editor
DEC. 11 - The search lasted 21 days,
but Dick Baddour finally got his man.
Baddour, North Carolina’s director of
athletics, joined Chancellor James
Moeser in introducing John Bunting as
the school’s new football coach Monday.
The announcement at a 5 p.m. press
conference in the Bowles Room signi
fied a homecoming for Bunting, who
was a standout linebacker at UNC from
1969-71.
“I owe an awful lot to North
Carolina,” Bunting said. “It’s been 30
years since I’ve been here. I am really
glad to be back, and I want to give
something back.”
It was that attitude that helped
Bunting, linebackers coach for the New
Orleans Saints, land the job. Bunting
actively pursued the UNC position,
which became available when Carl
Torbush was fired Nov. 20.
Bunting called Baddour shortly after
the job became available to let him know
he was interested. Baddour was trying to
hire Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer at
Forte Leads UNC to Final 4 Berth
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DTH/MILLER PEARSALL
North Carolina forward Jason Capel celebrates with teammate Kris Lang following UNC's
59-55 victory against Tulsa. The Tar Heels lost to Florida in the semifinals.
they posted a comeback
victory for the third time
in four tournament games.
After erasing a one-goal
halftime deficit to defeat
top-ranked Notre Dame 2-
1 in the semifinals on
Friday, the Tar Heels
came from behind again
on Sunday to take the tide.
They fell behind 1-0 in
the 54th minute after a
collision between UNC
freshman defender
Catherine Reddick and
goalkeeper Jenni Branam
when they went for a
Bruin cross at the top of the 6-yard box. Both
players fell to the turf. With the net wide open,
Bruin freshman Lindsay Greco collected the
loose ball and punched it in.
“I felt bad that I did knock over Branam and
kind of hurt her,” Reddick said. “I just wanted
for us to come back and win.”
As the minutes ticked off the clock, shots
sailed wide and comer kicks were cleared away
by the Bruin defense, the Tar Heels looked like
ly to repeat their 1-0 loss to Florida in 1998’s
title match.
Meredith Florance, the tournament’s offen
sive MVP, changed all that.
the time, but he got
in touch with
Bunting after
Beamer turned him
down on Nov. 28.
Baddour did so
after receiving
calls on Bunting’s
behalf from Dick
Vermeil, whom
Bunting served
under as an assis
tant with the St.
Louis Rams, and
Ronjaworski, an
ESPN analyst
who played with
Chancellor
James Moeser
said John Bunting's
love for UNC was
an important factor
in his hiring.
Bunting on the Philadelphia Eagles.
When Baddour flew down to New
Orleans to interview Bunting, he liked
what he heard and set up another inter
view that Moeser would attend.
Baddour and Moeser were impressed
with Bunting’s passion for UNC and its
football program.
“This is a man who truly loves this
University,” Moeser said. “This came
through, and I can tell you that it was a
strong factor in our decision. This is not
The senior forward broke free from the top
of the Bruins’ penalty area, received a pass from
Alyssa Ramsey and booted a goal into the top
of the net from 10 yards.
“I think everyone on our team takes it upon
themselves at some point to beat your defend
er and to take a physical risk to get into the
box,” Florance said.
UNC’s game-winner came on an own-goal
in the 83rd minute. Reddick won possession of
the ball from a Bruin defender on the right
wing, then served a cross from the upper-right
corner of the penalty area into the 6-yard box.
Sandwiched between UNC’s Kalli Kamholz
and Leslie Gaston was Bruin defender Krista
Boling. The ball struck her calf and deflected into
the net past scrambling goalkeeper CiCi Peterson.
“(Boling) has carried us the entire year,"
UCLA coach Jillian Ellis said. “She’s our captain,
she’s a leader. That’s just the luck of the draw.”
The game was reminiscent of UNC’s win
Friday against the Fighting Irish. The Tar Heels
overcame a first half that Dorrance called “the
worst half of soccer we played all year” with
second-half goals from Kim Patrick and Jordan
Walker to get to their 18th title game.
And there, the Tar Heels ensured that the end
of their dynasty wouldn’t come on their time.
Said Dorrance, “They never give up and are
always confident that they can and will come
back to beat any team.”
0
Freshman defender
Catherine Reddick
was named defensive
MVP for her play in
the semifinals of the
Women's College Cup.
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just a job for John Bunting.”
Instead, it’s the life Bunting has
always wanted. He wants to be the man
to turn around a program- his alma
mater’s program- that has gone 16-18
in the past three years. He wants to fill
up Kenan Stadium, a task that has gone
unfulfilled during that span.
“I took a look through the window
from the head coach’s suite up there (in
the Kenan Football Center), and my
blood ran hot," Bunting said. “I got
goosebumps. I feel that it is a privilege
to run out and go play on that field.”
Even though he might be willing to
do it, Bunting won’t coach at UNC for
free. His contract is a five-year deal
worth $ 160,000 per year, Baddour said.
Torbush made $152,000 per season.
Bunting will have separate contracts
with Nike and Learfield
Communications in addition to his base
salary. He will also benefit from two
incentive clauses that will award him a
month’s salary if he fulfills them,
Baddour said. One of the clauses kicks
in if the Tar Heels qualify for a bowl
game, and the other - yet to be finalized
- will be based on how many of his
Joseph Forte scored 28 points in
UNC's 59-55 victory against Tulsa,
earning the Tar Heels their third trip
to the NCAA semifinals in four years.
By Brian Murphy
Senior Writer
AUSTIN, Texas, MARCH 28 - Joseph Forte
hasn’t been a typical freshman basketball player
since he arrived on the North Carolina campus.
“I knew the tradition of freshmen, and I didn’t
want to be like a regular freshman,” Forte said. “I
wanted to stand out.”
On Sunday, Forte stood out all right. He stood out
by carrying the Tar Heels past Tulsa 59-55 and into
the Final Four with a career-high 28 points. He stood
out as the South Regional Most Outstanding Player.
Maybe more remarkably, he stood out as a freshman.
The tradition is that UNC freshmen are seen but
not heard, and certainly not on the court.
But as the most highly touted member of UNC’s
freshman class, Forte told his teammates in pickup
games that he would average 12 points a game his
first season.
“I was saying I’m going to be a factor, I’m going
to average this amount of points, I’m going to be a
key factor, a go-to guy, just ridiculous stuff,” he said.
As for his teammates, they told the cocky new
kid to shut up and then voted him to tote around
the team’s green bag, filled with medical supplies.
So when Forte led all scorers with 31 points in
the Blue-White scrimmage and coach Bill
Guthridge hardly mentioned him in the postgame
press conference, Forte finally took the hint.
“I just got the feeling after that game that fresh
men aren’t supposed to get this much attention, so
I’m going to talk about (point guard) Ed Cota and
(center) Brendan Haywood,” Forte said.
After Sunday, there is no denying Forte, who
exceeded his bold scoring prediction.
With the Tar Heel game plan of pounding the ball
down low stymied by Tulsa, which doubled
Doherty Returns to UNC
For Best Job' in Basketball
By Mike Ogle
Summer Sports Editor
JULY 13 - Matt Doherty has two reasons to
thank Roy Williams.
First, he said he was grateful for the opportuni
ty Williams gave him as his assistant coach at
Kansas for seven years.
Now, he can be thankful that last week Williams
turned down what is now Doherty’s new job: North
Carolina’s men’s basketball coach.
Doherty, a 38-year-old with one year of head
coaching experience at Notre Dame and 10 as a
collegiate assistant, was named the replacement for
the retired Bill Guthridge on Tuesday after 12 days
of uncertainty and speculation.
“It’s a numbing experience,” Doherty said.
“Kind of surreal. You dream it and wonder if you’re
going to wake up.”
The dream became a reality for Doherty early
Tuesday morning when he made up his mind that
UNC was the place for him following a telephone
conversation with Michaeljordan, his teammate on
the 1982 national championship team.
“Michael said, ‘you have to do what is best for
your family,’” Doherty said.
“Then at the end of the conversation, he said,
‘Who knows, if it doesn’t work out with you, maybe
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DTH 'JEFF ROULAND
Dick Baddour shakes hands with John Bunting, UNC's new football
coach. Bunting played linebacker for the Tar Heels from 1969-71.
players graduate.
Bunting’s goal is to have balance and
flexibility on both sides of the ball. The
Tar Heels will resemble their new head
coach, who has shown versatility of his
own in moving from college football to
UNC Men’s Soccer
Ends Strong Season
In NCAA Tourney
The North Carolina men's soccer
squad fell to Indiana 1-0 on Dec. 2
to complete its best year in its
history. The loss marked the end of
a 15-game winning streak. Forward
Chris Carrieri was tapped ACC
Player of the Year for the season.
the NFL and back, if they can pull it off.
And nothing would make Bunting
happier.
“This is my dream job, and I want to
do the very best that I possibly can,” he
said. “I will work toward that end.”
Haywood every time he touched the ball, it was up
to Forte to bail out the offense.
Forte was 10-of-17 from the floor, and that
included a l-of-7 effort from 3-point range. He tied
Haywood for the team lead with eight rebounds.
He was 7-of-8 from the foul line, the final free throw
clinching the game with 4.1 seconds left.
The win was the hardest part. The Golden
Hurricane (32-5) did not make UNC’s improbable
run to its 15th Final Four easy.
The first half featured five ties and six lead
changes as the two teams battled for every inch.
The play on the post was particularly brutal with
four players having at least two fouls.
For the first 10 minutes of the second half it got
no easier, as the game stood tied at 41 with 9:01 to
play. But UNC (22-13) found a way late in the game.
The Tar Heels reeled off 10 consecutive points,
putting Tulsa in its largest hole of the season. After a
Haywood dunk with 2:15 left, the lead stood at nine.
Game over, right?
Somebody forgot to tell Tulsa, a team making its
first-ever Elite Eight appearance. A jumper by
Marcus Hill closed the lead to seven.
Forte knocked in two free throws with 26.5 sec
onds, but Tulsa guard Dante Swanson drained a
trey to again close it two.
But Cota knocked in a free throw, and then after
a missed Tulsa 3-pointer, it was Forte who came to
the line with a chance to end it. Forte, who had
been 6-of-6 from the line, missed the first.
“I knew I just needed to hit one,” Forte said.
He drained the second.
It might have been the biggest shot by a UNC
freshman since a skinny kid named Mike Jordan
drilled a 17-foot jumper to win the 1982 national tide.
Forte said he memorized Jordan’s freshman year
averages - 13.5 points, 4.4 rebounds - when com
parisons between the two became commonplace.
But even though Forte topped Jordan’s produc
tion as a freshman and still has a chance to match his
Final Four heroics, Forte won’t make any ridiculous
claims when it comes to Mr. Jordan, as he calls him.
“I’m no fool,” he said. “I’m not Michaeljordan.”
For one day at least, Forte played like him.
they will have to go outside
the (North Carolina) family.’
Right then, I made my mind
up. I wanted to be the head
basketball coach at the
University of North
Carolina."
Doherty, who went 22-15
and finished second in the
NIT last season in his lone
year at Notre Dame, met with
UNC Director of Athletics
Dick Baddour and former
head coach Dean Smith on
Saturday at the Smith Center
to discuss the opening.
Baddour offered Doherty the
job early Tuesday afternoon.
Former Tar Heel
Matt Doherty
led Notre Dame to a
22-15 season before
leaving to coach at
his alma mater.
They agreed on a six-year contract that is awaiting
final approval from the Board of Trustees. The deal
would pay Doherty $350,000 a season - $145,000 in
base salary, SIBO,OOO for radio and television and
$25,000 for expenses. No buyout was made for the
remaining four years of his contract with Notre Dame.
“This is the best job in all of basketball,” Doherty
said. “I hope that I can carry on the tradition not
only of winning but of the excellence off the court,
the tying in of the Carolina family.”
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