At a time when newspaper sports pages are filled with stories of athletes and coaches engaged in crimes, arrests, foul language, violent tempers, cheating, drugs and other such actions, it is refreshing to know there are coaches such as former Kansas University basketball coach Roy Williams, recently inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

During his acceptance remarks, Williams, who left KU after 15 highly successful years to become coach at North Carolina, emphasized how much his years at KU meant to him. He said they were “the happiest 15 years of my life.”

Williams is well aware of the double talk by many at KU and among a number of KU alumni who are quick to criticize Williams behind his back. Some high KU officials have called him a “whiner,” and others seem to go out of their way to find fault with the coach. It still remains highly questionable whether Williams would have left KU for North Carolina if there had been any degree of genuine support and appreciation by KU officials.

Nevertheless, Williams continues to express his affection for KU, even though he is well aware of the fickle fans and others who talk out of both sides of their mouths and who continue to be critical of the coach.

He goes out of his way to say good things about Kansas, and told the Springfield, Mass., audience, “I never cheated that place one second of one day. I gave my heart, body and soul. : I love that place so much. If somebody says ‘Rock Chalk Jayhawk’ when I’m walking through an airport, I still say, ‘Go, KU.’ “

One of the truly distinguishing aspects of the Hall of Fame induction was that so many former KU players made the effort to attend. Some observers said they could not remember any former inductee having so many of his players present.

Williams is a winner, not only on the basketball court but also as a person. Collegiate sports needs more coaches such as Williams, men and women who set an example for others to try to match.

He could be bitter about the way some at KU conducted themselves at the time he was considering a move to North Carolina, and what some continue to say behind his back.

But he is a bigger man than those who want to tear him down. Again, more individuals like Williams are needed in college sports.