WRALSportsFan
Williams Doesn't Back Down from "Cocktail Party" Line
By Dane Huffman Mar 11, 2008
Still just a cocktail party?
Sort of. But it’s a party North Carolina coach Roy Williams has learned he’d rather join – and win – rather than show up fashionably late and leave early.
Williams didn’t back away from his famous line on Monday when asked how he viewed the ACC Tournament,which begins Thursday in Charlotte.
“It’s a great cocktail party and a big party for the fans,” said Williams, who is from Asheville and went to UNC. “But growing up in North Carolina, it’s a great deal. But we can’t put all our loaves in this basket.”
Williams stunned people his first year as the head coach at Carolina in 2004 when he downplayed the tournament, held that year in Greensboro.
“Do I love the tournament? No. I don't love the tournament at all,” Williams said then. “In some ways, it's just a huge cocktail party for four or five days. The way that people put so much weight on the NCAA Tournament, this (ACC Tournament) is just something we do between the regular season and the NCAA Tournament.”
Carolina lost to Georgia Tech in the quarterfinals in 2004, lost to Georgia Tech in the semifinals in 2005 and lost in the semifinals to Boston College in 2006.
Carolina won its first ACC title under Williams last year, beating N.C. State in the championship game.
Williams was asked about his feelings on the tournament again Monday.
“It’s something I continue to have mixed emotions about but it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing,” he said.
He did add, “It was fun winning it last year.”
Carolina continues to nurse injuries, but Williams said, “We’re not making any plans to hold anybody back.”
UNC plays Friday at noon against the winner of the Wake Forest-Florida State game.
Copyright 2012 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Most Recent Comments
Man, is this kid confused.
Lesson 1: Bilas and Vitale are Dookies, in every sense of the word. The former played for Krzyzewski and the latter has a dark blue rap sheet a mile long, highlighted by the 'accomplishment' of coining the term "Cameron Crazies". And both are far from "precious" to any Carolina fan.
Lesson 2: Don't use the words "supposed to win it", when referring to past opinions of analysts and broadcasters. Those guys use controversy and opinion to sell advertising, and themselves. The committee sets the field and ranks the teams, without agenda.
Sorry Duke lost. Not really. Deal wit it.
i wonder why dook won that one. i think all the sports commentators said it had something to do with lawson.
that's been happening a lot to you against the heels.
onyourheels - Not really! Don't forget, we split this year, so until (when/if) we meet in the tourney (that is unless Roy drops out of it) UNC/Duke is even in '07-08.
billygoat - I'm not talking about overall #1 seed, I'm talking about how your precious Jay Bilas and Dickie V and numerous others picked UNC to win it all. Duke wasn't picked by everyone in '02, '04 and '06. As a matter of fact, the same analysts said winning back-to-back titles would probably never happen again in this day and age in college b-ball.
ccven, Let me get this straight. The Iowa State cheerleaders didn't turn and run away in horror when they saw Duke's?
Rank: 
