Culture State: Matt Doherty brings pure honesty about UNC

Since launching in January we have had interviews with Petey Pablo, Jennifer King, Josh Howard and many more. We love to have feel-good interviews with these pop culture or sports stars from or associated with our state, positively reflect on the things they love about North Carolina.

We intended to do the same for Matt Doherty, but it turned out to be different. We expected a light-hearted, fond look back to a playing and coaching career at one of the most storied programs in history.

It was our most electric and provocative interview yet. Doherty didn't hold back on his feelings of being left out of the "Family" conversations at his alma mater, UNC Chapel Hill.

He's a former national champion with the Tar Heels from his collegiate playing days in the 1980's, but he most known for being the head coach of the men's basketball team during their infamous 8-20 2001-02 season. His way of running the program, including his hiring decisions, have often drawn harsh criticism from the Tar Heel faithful, along with the disdain for going 8-20. With Dennis and I, Doherty set the record straight from his stand point and also voicing his frustrations.

"When you put your heart and soul in to something and it gets taken away from you, you just want some recognition," Doherty told Dennis and I. "I feel left out at times. I'd be lying to you if I said it's no big deal; it's a big deal! It bothers me, it bothers my wife, it bothers my friends."

In the interview, Doherty laid out some of the circumstances that he says put him in a bad spot while taking the job and even says he should have never left his job at Notre Dame. He goes in depth about why he made certain hiring decisions and the approval he received to make those decisions before it ultimately soured his relationship with some in the UNC Family.

Doherty made sure to tell us that he has a good relationship with Roy Williams and that Williams has done his best to include him.

I want to thank Coach Doherty for his time, but also for being so honest. I've been a journalist for about 16 years and I haven't had many interviews as honest and raw as this one. Whether you're a fan of UNC basketball or not, it's definitely an interesting listen as you get insight as to why things turned out the way they did from the man who was leading the charge during that time.

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