OT: FoxSports reporting that Gary Williams is retiring tomorrow

**JimZipCode** · 05-06-2011, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

I cannot agree that recruiting has made the school a sleeping giant. In the early 2000's? Hell yes. But the last 7 years have been a recruiting nightmare.

That's the point, it's what makes it a SLEEPING giant. Maryland has been a damn good program for 10 years without recruiting particularly well. But the area is a hotbed; the source of more McD's All-Americans than any other are in the country. With the existing fan-base, and the facility, if a coach can tap into the natural pool of talent in the area, the b-ball program is a potential monster.

Anyway, that wasn't Steinberg saying that, it was other bloggers quoting various coaches. They called Maryland a sleeping giant.

**purplepoe** · 05-06-2011, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by TTRaven

Kevin Anderson is flying out to Arizona(possibly this afternoon) to meet with Miller. I can't see Anderson coming back without an agreement.

Yea, I've read something similar but the other way around.

Either way, it looks like Miller is definitely the #1 target and by a pretty large margin.

PP

**Dave Lap** · 05-06-2011, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

It's official and came out of no where. Even his friends were shocked.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...i2F_story.html

Bob Haney said on radio couple of months ago that Gary could pick his spot to
retire when he wanted, unlike the Fridge.

But it seems that it wasn't a coincidence that this new AD got rid of the Fridge
after Debbie Yow had tried so hard and now Gary is retiring. Pressure on Gary?

Or was he just burned out?

I don't know - just asking.

He seemed to relax on recruiting after he won the national championship but he went
out with the trophy and 2 final 4s and he beat Duke a bunch of times and had a winning record.

For those too young to remember he arrived after the Bob Wade fiasco and the Len Bias
death before that leaving the program into shambles.

Gary built a winning program over the years giving it stability and creditbility.

I think Gary was waiting until after Debbie Yow left and felt comfortable that the new AD would choose a good enough successor to keep Md. on the college hoops map.

I don't think he trusted Yow to choose his successor. Or maybe he just didn't want her to choose cause he didn't get along with her. Or maybe both.

**Dave Lap** · 05-06-2011, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by JimZipCode

That's the point, it's what makes it a SLEEPING giant. Maryland has been a damn good program for 10 years without recruiting particularly well. But the area is a hotbed; the source of more McD's All-Americans than any other are in the country. With the existing fan-base, and the facility, if a coach can tap into the natural pool of talent in the area, the b-ball program is a potential monster.

Anyway, that wasn't Steinberg saying that, it was other bloggers quoting various coaches. They called Maryland a sleeping giant.

That is true. One drawback is that Maryland also has it's share of crime and drugs. I've heard potential recruits parents say they really wanted their kid to get out of the area. That their wish was not so much to avoid MD but just to get them away from the drug/crime culture of their neighborhoods.

Not saying this is true of all recruits certainly but it IS a factor for some.

Also, MD's academic entrance requirements have gotten so rigorous that it's getting harder to get recruits who can qualify academically.

Gary is a great coach and a decent recruiter. Lefty was a decent coach and a great recruiter. Whoever we get needs to be both in order for us to excel and beat f&^%&& Duke.

Go Maryland!!

**Dave Lap** · 05-06-2011, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Rxdoxx

Shock, but can't squalk, Gary deserves to do what he wants to do.
I'm grateful for the years he gave us.
Unless you were around back then, it is easy to really miss what Gary came into and turned around. Not focused on Lefty forced out/Bias but the successor who set the single season losing record, and another year not having a single ACC win. Add to that the violations and His lying to the NCAA causing the heavy sanctions.
Gary stayed through all that, turned things around and gave us years of high quality college hoops.
Of the last 32 champions, the teams have averaged 3 McDonalds all Americans. There has only been one champion that didn't even have one, and Gary Williams was the coach.
I'm thankful and grateful for Coach Williams.
Please Gary, enjoy life fully, and thank you for the years you gave us.

+ 1,000! That really needed saying.

It would be cool if Jay Wright got that job as he is friends with my brother in law.

**AirFlacco** · 05-06-2011, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by RavensNTerps

Some sure, but not all. Gary refused to get his hands dirty with the AAU game, which I respect more than anything. In fact, if we hired say John Calipari, I would absolutely give up my season tickets and stop contributing to the Terrapin Club. You can put that on the record.

But that doesn't excuse some of the laziness on Gary's part on recruiting - things like not visiting key recruits personally. Gary is a hell of a coach and whoever the next guy in will have big, big shoes to fill and it is a huge huge huge deal that he will be around for the coaching search.

He's one of the biggest deals in college basketball coaching circles and the fact that he outlasted Debbie Yow is huge. He fell on the sword for her as she continually put the 2 revenue sports behind the 8-ball with her idiocy and power trips. She set both programs back years, unfortuntaely, and he was man enough to stick it out. If we had to hire a new coach under Yow, we'd be hopeless and the program toast. In that scenario, we might have ended up with a Laranega.

Great post. I must say that Ravens N Terps knows more about the Terps
than anyone graduating from there and I think he still goes to all the
football and b-ball games or most of them.

QUESTION: Where do those names come from? What school, or are they Gary's assistants?

I also think you weren't crazy about the new football coach.

Bob Haney also said Gary was the one responsible for the building of
the new Comcast Center. Not with $$, Bisciotti had a lot to do with that
but it was Gary's great program that got it built.

**TL24x7** · 05-06-2011, 06:44 PM

Did anyone catch the press conference? I had to pick up my daughter from school and caught the last two questions asked of Gary. The next to last (could have been second to last) question the reporter asked AD Anderson about Gary's replacement...Anderson shot him down and reminded the reporter that today was a day to celebrate Gary.

If ever darting eyes came through the radio like daggers, it was then.

The crowd gave a loud and fairly long ovation to Anderson's reply and the reporter is probably still under his chair.

My question, did anyone catch the name of the reporter?

**HoustonRaven** · 05-06-2011, 06:48 PM

I am not saying you're all wrong, but where are you reading that Miller is the front runner?

Everything I am seeing is that Anderson reached out to Brey first, but Brey may have balked because of his contract with the Irish.

And I can't wrap my head around why people are not more impressed with Brey. Maryland native and has stated publicly this is his dream job.

Some folks have said they will go with the pick that will put butts in the seats -- Coach K's prodigy going to a rival school isn't a compelling story line?

I have no opinion either way. Both Brey and Miller are fine coaches. Can't understand why some are so dismissive about him.

**AirFlacco** · 05-06-2011, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Dave Lap

I think Gary was waiting until after Debbie Yow left and felt comfortable that the new AD would choose a good enough successor to keep Md. on the college hoops map.

I don't think he trusted Yow to choose his successor. Or maybe he just didn't want her to choose cause he didn't get along with her. Or maybe both.

Thanks, man.

Good answer. I learned something.

I remember in last year's NCAA tournament someone on 105.7 fm
said there were 23 players in the tournament that were from the
state of Maryland.

Of course none were playing at Maryland. Gary couldn't get any of those
guys.

I wonder how many there were this year. 105.7 just said that a top
recruit from Hyattsville just chose Penn State. Another guy Gary
missed.

He sure could coach and beat Duke just about more than anyone.