The presidents of colleges have to have some courage to step

“The presidents of colleges have to have some courage to step forward. You can’t limit alcohol in college sports, you have to get rid of it.” These are the words of Dean Smith, a man whose life stood as a testament to discipline, leadership, and moral conviction. His wisdom pierces through the fog of compromise and fear, calling upon those who lead not merely to manage, but to transform. In this quote, Smith is not merely speaking of alcohol—he speaks of courage, of moral clarity, and of the sacred duty of leadership. His words echo across time, reminding all who hold power that half-measures cannot cure a deep corruption; that where destruction festers, boldness—not hesitation—is demanded.

In the world of college sports, as in life, temptation often wears the mask of tradition. Alcohol has long been woven into the culture of games, victory, and celebration. But Dean Smith, who shaped generations of young men on and off the basketball court, saw what others ignored—the broken lives behind the cheers, the dreams dimmed by addiction, the students lost not to failure of mind but to failure of guidance. To limit alcohol, he said, was not enough. To truly protect the spirit of youth, one must banish the poison altogether. This, he declared, required courage to step forward—for courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to act against what is easy, when duty demands what is hard.

So it has ever been. The ancients told of leaders who stood against their own people to preserve the greater good. Solon of Athens, when the city was drowning in chaos, passed laws that made him hated by both rich and poor. Yet he did not yield to comfort, for he knew that justice cannot be born from appeasement. In the same way, Dean Smith called upon the presidents of colleges to act not as politicians, but as guardians of character—to choose integrity over popularity, and the wellbeing of the young over the indulgence of the crowd. It was, in truth, a call to moral leadership, the rarest and most necessary kind.

The courage to step forward is not only for presidents of colleges; it is for every soul who stands before a choice between what is right and what is convenient. To limit a wrong is to tolerate its shadow; to remove it entirely is to cleanse the soul. Many fear such clarity, for it offends comfort and tradition alike. Yet those who rise to lead must bear this burden. For leadership, as Smith taught, is not measured by the cheers of the crowd, but by the strength to walk the lonely road of conviction.

There is something deeply heroic in the simplicity of his words. “You can’t limit alcohol, you have to get rid of it.” The world often worships moderation as wisdom, but moderation with poison is still poison. There are evils that must not be tamed, but eradicated. Whether it be corruption in power, deceit in friendship, or vice in culture, one must not merely contain them, but cut them off at the root. To do less is to betray the very lives one is called to protect. And this is what Smith, a coach and teacher, understood so profoundly—that his duty was not to win games, but to form men.

The lesson, then, is this: have the courage to do what must be done in full, not in part. When you see wrong in your world—whether in your home, your work, or your heart—do not simply soften its edge. Remove it. If you must lead, lead with integrity so absolute that your conscience stands clean before all men. For every half-measure prolongs suffering, and every compromise invites decay. Only those who act decisively for what is right can truly claim the name of leader.

To live by this truth, practice moral courage in small things first. Speak honestly when silence tempts you. Reject indulgences that dull your mind or weaken your will. Stand firm for what you know is good, even if the crowd mocks or resists. And when you must choose between comfort and conviction, remember Dean Smith’s call: step forward. For in every generation, the world waits for those who will act—not to please, but to purify.

Thus, let Smith’s words ring in the hearts of all who guide others—teachers, parents, leaders, and dreamers alike. Courage is not a grand gesture, but a daily discipline. And righteousness is not achieved through moderation of evil, but through its removal. Walk, then, in clarity and conviction. Do not merely limit what corrupts—get rid of it. Only then will you have led with honor, and lived as one who truly understands what it means to serve the greater good.