AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. – Josh Pastner wore a navy Georgia Tech polo and dark slacks. Standing in a hallway in the Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton after the men’s basketball coaches meeting Tuesday morning at the ACC spring meetings, the Yellow Jackets’ new coach carried a notebook in his hand.
North Carolina coach Roy Williams walked by and greeted Pastner. Not a half hour since the morning meeting had adjourned, Williams had changed into a white Brand Jordan t-shirt and light green swim trunks with seahorses on them.
“Hey, Coach,” Pastner replied, and the two walked down the corridor. Pastner's afternoon included answering e-mails and making phone calls in his room. Williams apparently was destined to spend the rest of his day elsewhere.
That’s the difference between being 38, at your first ACC meetings and in your first year at a school that hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2010 and being 65, a veteran of the meetings and an inductee in the basketball hall of fame.
Pastner said he has been warmly welcomed by the league's coaches.
"Everyone's been positive and upbeat," Pastner said. He added that they joked with him that they'll stop being so nice once league play starts.
There was a golf event scheduled for the afternoon. Perhaps not surprisingly , Pastner said he was not participating, but he did acknowledge a possible visit to the beach.
“I love the beach,” he said. “I love mountains and I love it when it’s windy. Not cold, but windy. I love when I can sit on the beach and the wind’s blowing at you. I have great appreciation for that.”
Perhaps he'd find a certain hall of famer there.
