ST. LOUIS A life-altering experience doesnt necessarily prevent someone from living the dream.

Roy Williams was in his ninth season coaching basketball at Kansas when his overriding goal was shattered.

His Jayhawks, saddled with just one loss all season after a funny bounce at Missouri, lost in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament to Arizona. A 34-2 record, Williams best win percentage in the 15 seasons he spent at KU, ended in unforeseen heartbreak.

And I thought, what else can I do? Williams recalled. And so at that point, I changed my dream of life, so that I could live long enough to coach my grandchildren in Little League baseball and basketball.

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Until then, Williams desperate desire was to win a national championship at KU.

He never did so, yet as he spoke Saturday about the Midwest Regional final in which he will coach North Carolina against Kansas for a berth in the Final Four, Williams was in many ways the same ol Roy who coached the Jayhawks.

Yet in the past tense.

The opportunity to reminisce allowed Williams to touch on a variety of topics. Among them:

Excerpt from:
Kevin Haskin: Grandpa Roy living another dream