By R.L. Bynum
Mack Brown admits he doesn’t handle losses very well and said Monday that’s what led him to ask his team a question in the dressing room Saturday after North Carolina’s 70–50 loss to James Madison that he regrets.
He lamented that he lied to his wife, Sally, when he promised to take losses better and said this was another example. Brown said that he continues to learn hard lessons even at age 73.
“As I was walking off the field, I thought, ‘I’m responsible for all this.’ ” Brown said. “It’s on me, so I should ask the players about leadership [and] if they feel good about me moving forward. And that’s something I shouldn’t do. I shouldn’t put that pressure on those young people at that point. I’m supposed to be a leader. And probably the worst things I’ve ever said in my life are after losses.”
Brown said he wasn’t trying to quit but rather trying to ask what’s wrong.
Reports trickled out about his emotional conversation with the players, and Brown said they were misinterpreted and led to speculation that he would resign. He said that’s not happening and is excited about the future.
“Things used to stay in the locker room,” Brown said. “The locker room was sacred. It’s obviously not anymore.”
His emotional bond with the players is why he was so emotional after the loss and why he’s ready to try to help the team do better, starting with Saturday’s 4 p.m. ACC opener at 4–0 Duke (ESPN2).
“Let’s move forward, and we’re doing that, and excited about the future, and love my job and love these kids,” Brown said. “I love this place, and that’s why I hate losing so much.”
Brown said postgame conversations with Chancellor Lee Roberts and Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham were great.
“I told Bubba, ‘I apologize. I shouldn’t have gotten emotional,’ ” Brown said. “I was trying to do what was right. I always try to do what’s right. I normally slow down when I get mad, because I’m not a good person when I’m mad; I don’t handle things well. I don’t say the right stuff when I’m mad. I have a really bad temper, and I have learned that. That’s why I get by myself, and I keep my mouth shut when I’m mad after losses. And, this time, it just grabbed me, and it was a mistake. I can’t change it. What you do is you learn from it.”
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| Team | ACC | All |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Miami | 6–0 | 8–1 |
| No. 14 Wake Forest | 5–1 | 8–1 |
| SMU | 5–2 | 7–2 |
| Louisville | 5–2 | 6–3 |
| Duke | 4–2 | 7–2 |
| Clemson | 4–2 | 6–3 |
| Pittsburgh | 3–3 | 6–3 |
| Virginia Tech | 3–3 | 6–3 |
| North Carolina | 2–3 | 5–4 |
| Boston College | 2–4 | 4–5 |
| Florida State | 2–4 | 4–5 |
| N.C. State | 2–4 | 4–5 |
| Stanford | 2–4 | 4–5 |
| Virginia | 2–4 | 4–5 |
| California | 2–4 | 3–6 |
| Syracuse | 2–5 | 4–5 |
| Georgia Tech | 1–5 | 2–7 |
Friday’s result
SMU 51, Virginia Tech 28
Saturday’s results
North Carolina 38, UConn 21
Clemson 18, Syracuse 13
Florida State 31, Boston College 24
Duke 41, N.C. State 3
No. 14 Wake Forest 77, Merrimack 0
No. 5 Notre Dame 31, No. 1 Miami 24
Louisville 44, Georgia Tech 17
Friday’s game
Florida State at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., ESPN
Saturday’s games
Duke at No. 1 Miami, noon, ABC
No. 14 Wake Forest at SMU, noon, ESPN or ESPN2
Syracuse at N.C. State, noon, ACCN
Georgia Tech at Clemson, 12:30, The CW
Boston College at No. 4 Notre Dame, 3:30, NBC
California at Virginia, 3:30, ACCN
Stanford at Virginia Tech, 7 on ESPN2 or 7:30 on ACCN
Louisville at North Carolina, 7 on ESPN2 or 7:30 on ACCN
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent (current ranking) | Record/TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | |||
| 29 | W, 15–10 | vs.TCU in Dublin | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 12 | W, 35–3 | vs. ETSU | 2–0 |
| 19 | L, 28–20 | at Clemson | 2–1, 0–1 ACC |
| October | |||
| 3 | L, 37–26 | vs. No. 4 Notre Dame | 2–2 |
| 10 | W, 21–18 | at Pittsburgh | 3–2, 1–1 |
| 17 | W, 24–20 | at Duke | 4–2, 2–1 |
| 24 | L, 31–30, OT | vs. Syracuse | 4–3, 2–2 |
| 31 | L, 38–35 | vs. No. 1 Miami | 4–4, 2–3 |
| November | |||
| 7 | W, 38–21 | at UConn | 5–4 |
| 14 | 7 or 7:30 | vs. Louisville | ESPN2 or ACCN |
| 21 | TBA | at Virginia | TBA |
| 28 | TBA | vs. N.C. State | TBA |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
