What Took So Long?

A couple of days ago President Obama announced that Dean Smith has won the Presidential Freedom Medal which is the highest award given out by the United States to one of their citizens.  I grew up in a time when Charlie Scott became the first black basketball player at Carolina was National News, not because he was the #1 player on ESPN prospects list but was the first black player recruited at Carolina.

 Dean Smith was still trying to get Carolina basketball moving forward because in the early sixties Vic Bubus and Duke were held in higher regard  than this long nosed coach in Chapel Hill that we are ready to get rid of and now he wants to bring a black player to THE UNIVERSITY as Carolina fans think of themselves.  As it turns out Charlie Scott was the type player that put Dean Smith over the hump into becoming a basketball legend.  Forgotten is the courage it took for Smith still a coach floundering to do such a thing that helped change the world.

I'm in total agreement on Smith getting this Medal.  My question is this.  Smith retired from coaching in 1997.  Since he has been out of the lime light in retirement I don't think he has done much to add to what was done back then.  Why then wasn't he up for this award in 1965, 1975,1985.1997?  If he was worthy of such an award let him have it. 

Along the same lines. Most professional sports puts a five year waiting period on those who can be in the Hall Of Fame? I  have no problem with that rule but why if you don't make it the first time around why are players continually put up for the Hall Of Fame.  If you numbers from what ever your sport was couldn't get you in  after you had been out of the sport five years what made your numbers get better over time?  I would like to see Hall Of Fame's concentrate only on those eligible for the first time. They either make it or they don't.

Monday is the BIG East Kickoff for athletics in the school year 2013-14.  It starts at 9am in the cafeteria at Rocky Mount High school.  All six athletic directors will be speaking during the morning and at 10:15 the football coaches will have media day with sorts like me.  They will vote on who they think is the preseason pick in football and this year I'm picking Southern Nash.