Keeping it Heel with Mark Isley: Behind the Scenes of UNC Athletics
By Matt Haley
MandMsportshow: What was your most exciting memory as a manager?
Isley: Only one? Well, I was able to be sitting on the bench when Michael did the famous windmill dunk against Maryland in 1984. I was directly in front of him when he did it. If you look at the video, I was certainly excited when he jammed it !!!
I guess my best memory was going to Japan and Hawaii in December of 1984. That was an experience I would never been able to do without Carolina Basketball. The most exciting part was leaving Tokyo on Christmas night, crossing the date line and landing in Honolulu Christmas morning!!! Not many people can say they had 2 Christmases!!
MandMsportshow: What was the most disappointing event that happened during you time managing the Heels?
Isley: Probably not winning the ACC Tournament or going to the Final Four all 3 years I was a varsity manager, and all were due to injuries. Kenny Smith broke his wrist in 1984, and we lost to Duke in the semis of the tournament and the infamous Indiana loss in the Sweet 16. When Kendall went down this year, all I could say was “1984 all over again.”
1985 was hard. We led Georgia Tech for most of the game and let it slip away in the championship game. Then, Steve Hale separates his shoulder after a hard foul in the 1st round and we ended up losing to Villanova in the Elite Eight. We led by 5 at the half. Of course, you know what Villanova went on to do. I still believe that if Steve had been healthy, we beat Nova, beat Memphis in the Final Four and play Georgetown for the championship.
My senior year in 1986, we spent most of the year ranked #1. We won the Great Alaskan Shootout and everything looked good. Then, Steve Hale breaks his rib against Maryland and we stumbled at the end. Went from 21-1 to 28-6. Lost to Maryland in the 1st round of the ACC’s, then got shipped out west and lost to Louisville in the Sweet 16. Of course, you know what Louisville went on to do as well.
MandMsportshow: You worked for Coach Smith and Coach Guthridge as a manager and director of the dorms with Carolina Basketball school. What was your experience like working for these two men and is there any story you would care to share with our readers that may give a different view of either Smith or Guthridge?
Isley: Demanding, yet rewarding. I’ll start with Coach Smith. You had better be on top of the game when Coach Smith was around. Back in 1983, when we had our 1st team meal before practice began, Coach Smith said “Managers, we expect you to be perfect.” That set the bar right there. We were trusted to do what was needed to be done without many mistakes. That expectation helped lay the groundwork for how I do things in my life. I have been told I am a perfectionist. Well, wonder where that came from?
Coach Smith was so sharp. It amazed me how on top of things he was. We were playing in Greensboro one year, I think against Wake Forest. My job on the bench was to keep the points per possession chart, which was a complicated shot chart in which I had to calculate the points per possession and percent loss of ball. I had about 2 minutes when halftime started to get the chart to Coach Smith. Most of the time, I was walking off the floor, figuring the chart up and punching numbers in the calculator. At this game, I handed the clipboard to Coach Smith. He looked at it for a second, and said “this isn’t right.” He whipped out a pen and started doing longhand division right there, then handed me the clipboard to show me my mistake.
You always hear about Coach Smith’s caring side, and that is so true. He treated us managers with respect, and took interest in our lives and careers, just like the players. My dad had a bout with cancer in 1986, and Coach Smith was very kind to me and my family. He also took time to give me pointers about coaching , which I was interested in getting into. One day before practice, Coach was in front of the team, drawing up some diagrams. I was sitting off to the side taking notes. As he was talking, he suddenly turned to me, pointed and something to the effect of “don’t try to jam the ball inside.” He then went back to addressing the team. He helped me get my first job at Richlands High School. That summer after I graduated, we were at basketball camp and Frank Fuqua was conducting a clinic on defense for the campers. Somebody came up behind me, leaned over and whispered, “You should pay attention to this. He’s a great defensive coach and you could learn from him.” I turned around and it was Coach Smith, always looking out for us.
Coach Guthridge now, that’s a different story. I worked with Coach Guthridge a lot more closely than Coach Smith. Coach Guthridge was in charge of the managers and ran the camp, so I had a little different relationship with Coach Guthridge. Coach Guthridge was so organized. If something was out of place, he knew it, and made sure we knew it. He expected us to work 24/7, and would not tolerate any slacking off from the managers. I remember the trip to Japan and Hawaii as an example of this. We always had Cokes for the coaches at halftime. In Japan, we did not have access to sodas, so we had sport drink and water for the coaches. That was Ok in Japan, but not Ok in Hawaii. We had water for the coaches at halftime of the 1st game, and they were not pleased. Coach Guthridge told us, and I quote, “You guys are taking too much of a vacation.” From that point on, we always packed a 6 pack of Coke and Diet Coke before we left Chapel Hill.
Coach Guthridge is always noted for his dry sense of humor, and he showed it often. I was in the office one time, with my arms full of stuff. Coach Guthridge came out and asked me if I had change for a quarter. Like a dummy, I started putting my stuff down to check my pockets until he let me in on the joke. He had a fondness for ice cream, and would always place bets with the managers for ice cream. He would challenge us to a free throw contest in practice, with the prize being a “Chipwich”, which they used to sell in Carmichael. We hit the free throw, he would buy us a chipwich before the next game. We missed, we bought him one. Needless to say, I spent a few games at the Carmichael concession stands waiting in line to get a chipwich for Coach Guthridge!!
At basketball camp, he would always bet someone on the U. S. Open. He would let you pick 10 golfers and he would take the rest of the field, with the prize being a trip to Swensen’s. Of course, he always won. He’s a special guy, and I try to see him whenever I go to games or camp.