Gary Williams retiring at Maryland

You could do a lot worse than Maryland. But it is also a very tough job.

North Carolina, because of its established reputation and Roy Williams' ability to recruit, is always going to be at or very near the top of the league. Same for Duke, at least as long as Coach K stays around. So most years you're going to be at best 3rd in the ACC.

Consider that Gary Williams only won the ACC regular season outright ONCE in his career. He also only won ONE ACC tournament.

Going to a school like Washington or USC (though definitely not UCLA) in the Pac 12 will have major conference facilities while also having an easier time getting to the top of their conference. Same with any Big Ten school outside of Northwestern.

 

Valid points, suburbia. But Gary was proof that the ACC is much more than Duke and Chapel Hill. And, for those who watched the games, Gary Williams ran circles around Roy Willams in terms of coaching. Roy gets the top-flight recruits, but Gary has always done more with his.

Gary was proof that one does not have to settle in the ACC.

 

The way Anderson handled the Fridge situation was pretty bad, but he had a case there (however weak) for making a change.

Does Miller have any D.C. ties? I didn't know. I heard someone mention Tubby Smith's name, too, but I can't see that happening.

And the only job not on that list that I'd put above Maryland is Sparty High.

 

This is Mike Brey's job to take or turn down.

 

From reading the pay sites, the two favorites:

1. Jamie Dixon
2. Sean Miller

Allow me to throw Jay Wright's name into this.

 

"Much" more?

The center of power is in Durham and Chapel Hill. Conference titles won by others do not occur often, and no one has been able to sustain great success over a period of more than a couple of years during Williams' tenure.

Williams did some really great things at Maryland. Had a few years that are among the greatest the program has ever had.

But let's slow down on this whole "The ACC is much more than Duke and Carolina!" idea.

 

Even though it probably hurt his legacy in the end, I sort love the fact that Gary Williams refused to compromise himself to the bitter end. Fuck what college basketball has become. Recruiting is such a sorrid business, I don't blame him for hating it so openly. The last few years, it's almost like he was teying win games based on degree of difficulty, but it's true, he did coach circles around Roy, he just didn't have the horses. And who knows, if Kevin Garnett could pass his SAT, maybe Gary has another title and that certainly changes his legacy.

He's a Shakespeanian figure in many respects, unwilling to bend with the times and tormented by slights both real and imagined. I'm not sure people really inderstand what he did in college park. He took a program that was in total disarray, haunted by scandals, death and shame, and molded it into something special. Instead of feeling ashamed of their school, Maryland alums could take pride in it. Yeah he was a lunatic on the court and a hard ass who had trouble adapting, but he was the perfect coach for that school at the perfect time. He wasn't a huckster or a snake oil salesman or a carpetbagger. He was a Maryland guy who did it with integrity and did it his way, and as he would probably say, fuck everything else. That's all that mattered.

 

I'm a Big 10 guy but no way is Illinois a better gig than Maryland.

Champaign is a shithole and while it's close to Chicago, Chicago kids for the most part want nothing to do with the place.

The Illini get a few but they certainly don't clean up in the city.

 

Seriously. Of the list you made, one of those things is DEFINITELY not like the others. Did you mean Indiana?

 

Peace out, fucker.

Best news I've read in weeks. This makes the nasty sickness working its way through my body less horrible.

I will dine on the blood of Gary Williams' career for dinner. And it will taste sweet.