By Dr. John E. Morgan
Pastor–Collinsville Baptist Church
Basketball season reminds me of a story. We were on our way to Maine on a mission trip. But we stopped in North Carolina to meet a couple of people.
We had driven all night. Everyone was tired. I suggested that before lunch we go to the Dean Dome. There were several basketball lovers with us, so we got off in Chapel Hill, made our way through the North Carolina campus and found the home of North Carolina basketball.
There was a door in the back of the gym that was unlocked. We walked into the building thinking we would hear someone yelling at us to get out. Down the hall was an office. Basketball Operations. We went in and I asked if we could see Dean Smith. The nice secretary looked at us as if there was no chance.
But then Coach Smith came out. He was really nice to our youth. Took time to really talk to them. He really liked that we were a church group. Then he called in his Assistant Coach, Phil Ford, and had him show us around the gym itself. Lots of light blue seats. Very impressive.
Our youth, including several Collinsville Panther players, floated out of the gym. As we got in the van someone said, “What about Coach K?” So we drove the nine miles to Duke. Went in an open back door. Went down the hall to the Basketball Office. Asked if we could see Coach K. The secretary said no. He was not there.
One of our youth asked whose shoe was on her desk. Bobby Hurley’s. Wide eyed, the young man asked if he could touch it. He picked it up with stars in his eyes. Dreaming of what might be.
We walked around the gym. Lots of dark blue. Even more impressive. Many of the youth were bored and hungry and went to the van. Some of us walked around the building and then back down the hall.
And there he was. Coach K. He was as nice as could be. He took time to talk to our kids. And to write a personal note of congratulation to Coach Dobbins, Collinsville’s coach, who had just won his 500th game.
In an hour, our youth had met the two most famous basketball coaches in the country. And they had both been really nice to us. How great is that?
I thought that would be the end of it. But one of our youth, my son, had fallen in love with Duke. He would spend the next two years doing everything he could to be accepted there. And he was. That letter of acceptance was one of the happiest days of his life. He was going to Duke to become a Dookie and be a loyal Coach K supporter in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
When he came home from school at Thanksgiving, he pulled me aside. He told me that I could never again wear Carolina blue or say anything nice about Coach Smith. Part of his indoctrination was to hate Carolina like you hate Auburn (or Bama).
In spite of his pleas, I have to say one more nice thing about Dean Smith. He was asked once how he dealt with losing. He said that several years earlier he had read some Christian books that helped him. He had learned that all Christians must learn to quit.
Churchill is often quoted as saying, “Never, never, never, never surrender”. Smith said, “Always, always, always surrender”. A basketball player must surrender his ego for the good of the team even if it means not playing much. And a Christian must turn his entire life over to Jesus.
You don’t have to know lots of theology to be a Christian. You do have to give your entire life to Jesus to be a Christian. Surrender your dreams. And your family. And everything else to Jesus.
Then you will go forth and work with all you have for Him. For what He wants you to do. Dean Smith knew the value of surrendering. Always, always, always surrender.
Or as Jesus said, “if any man will come after me, let him take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24
