CHAPEL HILL -- On the heels of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun's tirade when asked if he would be willing to give back some of his salary to his university in these harsh economic times (he wouldn't), North Carolina coach Roy Williams offered a more measured -- if lengthy -- response to a similar question Friday.
Williams' salary, which averages more than $2.6 million per year, is not paid from state funds. But the Hall of Fame coach -- who knew in advance the question would be asked -- said that he is more sensitive than ever to the harsh economy, because his son Scott recently lost his job with Wachovia Securities. Williams added that he continues to contribute financially to his alma mater for UNC building projects and equipment. But he really couldn't give a "yes" or "no" answer to the question, he said.
"You say 'Yeah,' but then somebody's going to call today and say, 'Give it all back to me.' " Williams said. "And if you say no, you come across as being insensitive.
"Right now, I'm the most sensitive person in this room to the state of our nation's economy. My son called yesterday, and it was a great day, because they just told him he was finished ... so I'm more sensitive than anybody in here; I've got a son that's part of the nation's unemployed. ..."
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