CBS College Sports was in the locker room following the NCAA title game and filmed Roy Williams' speech to the team. I have transcribed it below:
Let me tell you something. I said this in 2005. If I never get to say again, I know I am saying it in 2009. North Carolina basketball is Dean Smith, Phil Ford, Michael Jordan, Sean May, Raymond and for the rest of your lives North Carolina basketball is going to be you guys. It's going to be the 2009 North Carolina basketball team. National Champions. And when those guys, when Raymond and Sean and those guys come back and start saying stuff...they can't say anything now. They can't say anything. You've got the ring and you've got the banner. And 50 years from now, I won't be there. 50 years from now when they have another reunion in two thousand fify nine. Just remember that nobody, that night when you go out on the court when you're 72, 73, 74 years old. Go out and remember one thing: No coach has felt more priveleged. No coach has never felt more proud of a team that handled things like you did. The adversity, the injuries, the other people's expectations. I honestly feel like I am the luckiest coach that ever lived. Not just because of this net, that's a big part of it but each day.....I love you....and now they are going to always say, that 2009 bunch could play their butts off....how about them Tar Heels!
It is funny how many times on this blog we refer to 1982, 1993 and 2005 as frames of reference in discussing the team. Now we will add 2009 to that list of Tar Heel teams we think about. We will talk about whether this point guard is as good as Ty Lawson or that shooter can hit shots like Wayne Ellington. Tyler Hansbrough will be synonymous with the legends in Chapel Hill and guys like Danny Green will come up when we are discussing a tough kid who does the little things. These guys are legends now. Because they played Carolina basketball at its highest level and because they added another banner to the rafters.
As we come to end of this day of celebration and this epic season let me just say thanks to the readers here who tagged along on this blogger's journey watching the Tar Heels win the national title. Blogging will be light over the next few days as is customary following the season for me. Thank you for enjoying the ride with me here at THF.