University of Tennessee Athletics
Quotes From Head Coach Jerry Green
March 24, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Press Conference
Thursday, March 23, 2000
Frank Erwin Center
Austin, Texas
Tennessee Head Coach Jerry Green
On the idea of North Carolina being an underdog in their
matchup:
"I think they have the whole package. They are very talented and I
don't know if they are an underdog or not. They are coached very well by
Bill Guthridge and it is going to be a very big challenge for us
tomorrow night."
On the "synergy" hat that the team is using for luck"
"We had Pat Summitt and Phillip Fulmer come in and say a few words to
the team after the level of success their squads have expereinced. One
of the things that Fulmer talked about was a "synergy stick" that his
team used on their run to the national championship in 1998. The team
could concentrate on that stick when everything else failed and it would
become the focus of their energy. So we had this old hat that had been
sitting on top of a television for about three months and that became
our "synergy hat." We take it with us everywhere we go. It is the first
thing on and off the bus and we throw it inside the huddle with us. It
is one of thise things where you don't know how much it means, but it is
very important to this 13 players."
On thoughts of taking over the Tennessee team:
"I think all the guys that passed up the job made a big mistake.
Therewas no doubt that if they offered me the job, I was coming to
Tennessee. It had everything that I thought a college job should have.
It had great facilities, great support and a tremendous university
system. For me to come back to the southeastern part of the country
where I spent 44 years of my life is just wonderful. I have paid my dues
during my career and I told Tennessee when they hired me that I didn't
know if I was their first choice, but I know I was the right choice."
