Ross Greenburg in recent years has worked on documentaries focused on HOF college basketball coaches Dean Smith and Jerry Tarkanian, and the longtime TV producer said he became emotional after hearing of their deaths this week. "You do get emotionally attached,” he said. “This is a sad day." Tarkanian became the star of a Greenburg-produced documentary “Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV,” which debuted on HBO in ‘11. He also is putting the finishing touches on a documentary of Smith, which Showtime is planning to debut in March. "They were both giants,” Greenburg said yesterday. "They handled themselves in polar opposite ways. Jerry was very cantankerous and wanted things his way. He lit up a room with his bombast, where Dean would walk into a room and command the ultimate in respect.” Greenburg said that his production team is in the process of changing the ending of Smith’s documentary to include news of his death. "I explained to Showtime that he was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s and that would be a little part of the story,” Greenburg said. "We didn’t interview Dean because he was too sick. I didn’t have direct contact with him. … You don’t want to ever feel like you’re taking advantage of the situation. You have to tribute him through this story. I guess this becomes more of a documentary obit in a way."
