"I like what he's doing on the court."

[BaltimoreTerp]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-terps-acc-0309-20110308,0,4220505.story

COLLEGE PARK — Gary Williams' Maryland Terrapins have been having a down season. But Williams, the school's winningest basketball coach, takes his 18-13 team to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament this week with the full backing of the school's athletic director, according to interviews with both men.

"His job, based on what happened this year, is definitely not [in] jeopardy," said athletic director Kevin Anderson, who took over at Maryland last fall after nearly six years in the same position at Army. He said Williams, who recently passed the late John Wooden for 22nd on the all-time wins list, would be back, barring unforeseen circumstances. "Gary and I have a good relationship. I like what he's doing on the court."

I have a feeling that this article isn't going to make too many people happy around here.

[ccbird]

Gary and ANderson are pretty tight and Gary still has a lot of support from big money donors. He's still got a lot of job security. Probably too much and that is part of the problem. Gary doesn't feel threatened and is comfortable half assing it on the recruiting trail. His ego and laziness are the biggest reason this program has been mediocre since the NC.

[Tony-OH]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-terps-acc-0309-20110308,0,4220505.story

I have a feeling that this article isn't going to make too many people happy around here.

Yeah, I just saw that and was going to post his quote. Well, that pretty much puts the last nail in the coffin for Anderson for me. The guy is fine with mediocrity. When he fired Freidgen we all though it was because he wanted to take the program to the next level but clearly his handling of the situation after wards shows he has no illusions grandeur with any of Maryland programs.

As long as Anderson is the AD at Maryland, Maryland athletics will continue to be an afterthought on the major college football and basketball scene.

Anderson has proven in a very short time to be nothing more than a puppet of the academic leaders within the University who have no problem with the athletics becoming less and less of draw at the University.

[Tony-OH]

Gary and ANderson are pretty tight and Gary still has a lot of support from big money donors. He's still got a lot of job security. Probably too much and that is part of the problem. Gary doesn't feel threatened and is comfortable half assing it on the recruiting trail. His ego and laziness are the biggest reason this program has been mediocre since the NC.

You would think the big money donors would have some pride, but apparently being buddy-buddy's with Williams is more important than championship level basketball. They are put of the problem and Anderson is nothing more than a lapdog for those donors. Friedgen didn't kiss many rings and it cost him his job.

Apparently the only thing Williams is good at doing anymore is letting the big money donors kiss his ring as they sit around drinking their Brandy in their smoking jackets reminiscing about the national championship Juan Dixon won them.

[BaltimoreTerp]

You would think the big money donors would have some pride, but apparently being buddy-buddy's with Williams is more important than championship level basketball. They are put of the problem and Anderson is nothing more than a lapdog for those donors. Friedgen didn't kiss many rings and it cost him his job.

Apparently the only thing Williams is good at doing anymore is letting the big money donors kiss his ring as they sit around drinking their Brandy in their smoking jackets reminiscing about the national championship Juan Dixon won them.

That might me true, but its also the reality of the sport. Its the reason there's a brand-new arena on campus that creates the facilities necessary to compete for recruits. On the other side, its also the reason Freidgen got fired in the first place--not selling enough expensive seating and suites at Byrd to cover the renovations.

Something to remember as we bemoan the state of Maryland basketball is that, unlike the football program, there haven't been any REALLY bad years. Yeah, we're likely going to our fourth NIT in seven seasons, but the lowest win total Maryland has had in a regular season since 1996 is 2004-05 when they went 16-10. They haven't been worse than 7-9 in conference play since 1992-93.

If they went the way of the football team, who had several seasons just over- or under-.500 followed by a complete disaster 2-win season, there's no way he would keep his job. The big money would dry up like it did for football. But as long as his teams are still above a certain point I don't see the donors leaving his side.

The one thing that could sway them is Anderson having hit a home run with Edsall; that could give Anderson the ability to convince the donors to support a change at Comcast Center. But even that would be a couple years down the road.

[Dr. FLK]

He does a pretty good job on the court - meaning in-game coaching.

The problem is the anemic talent he assembles during his lazy, ineffective work off of the court (recruiting).

[Pedro Cerrano]

You know, the recruiting issue wouldn't be so bad if Gary wasn't coaching right in the middle of a top 3 area for basketball talent in the country...

[Dr. FLK]

You know, the recruiting issue wouldn't be so bad if Gary wasn't coaching right in the middle of a top 3 area for basketball talent in the country...

Yeah...watching local talent win titless and POY all the darn time gets a little frustrating.

[CSB Jack]

Gary and ANderson are pretty tight and Gary still has a lot of support from big money donors. He's still got a lot of job security. Probably too much and that is part of the problem. Gary doesn't feel threatened and is comfortable half assing it on the recruiting trail. His ego and laziness are the biggest reason this program has been mediocre since the NC.

I'm calling BS on this one. There is a difference between Gary not sucking up to AAU coaches and refusing to wallow in the muck of college recruting and laziness. I won't argue on the ego comment, but then again, what top level performer in any field doesn't have a strong self image? That pretty much goes with the territory.

[ScottieBaseball]

I'm calling BS on this one. There is a difference between Gary not sucking up to AAU coaches and refusing to wallow in the muck of college recruting and laziness. I won't argue on the ego comment, but then again, what top level performer in any field doesn't have a strong self image? That pretty much goes with the territory.

Too many stories out there support the theory that Gary's lazy, not selective or above "wallowing in the muck of college recruiting". Like it or not, like many sports, college basketball has evolved and Gary has not.

I also eagerly anticipate John Domen's contribution to this thread!

[BaltimoreTerp]

Too many stories out there support the theory that Gary's lazy, not selective or above "wallowing in the muck of college recruiting". Like it or not, like many sports, college basketball has evolved and Gary has not.

I also eagerly anticipate John Domen's contribution to this thread!

Those are all very different things, though.

[ccbird]

Too many stories out there support the theory that Gary's lazy, not selective or above "wallowing in the muck of college recruiting". Like it or not, like many sports, college basketball has evolved and Gary has not.

I also eagerly anticipate John Domen's contribution to this thread!

Exactly. Listen, even though Gary should be playing the AAU recruiting game to an extent if he wanted to completely "be above it" thats one thing but there are numerous accounts of Gary not going down the road 10 min from campus to watch a recruit play a HS game. There was the report a couple of years ago that an invited recruit was on campus and never met with Gary. He received his recruiting pitch and scholarship from the assistant coach in the locker room. A few weeks ago Greg Whittington's HS coach said that while MD is very much involved in his recruitment that they had never seen or even got a phone call from Gary. That's all completely unacceptable. It has nothing to to do with kids or AAU coaches having their hands out. It's about getting out and showing your face and letting your voice be heard to the recruits your assistants are busting their ass trying to bring into this program.

[Munson]

You know, the recruiting issue wouldn't be so bad if Gary wasn't coaching right in the middle of a top 3 area for basketball talent in the country...

I'm not defending Gary by any means because I would like to see more local talent going to Maryland. But, with this area being one of the better reruiting areas in the country means that every other program in the country is recruiting here also.

[Dr. FLK]

I'm not defending Gary by any means because I would like to see more local talent going to Maryland. But, with this area being one of the better reruiting areas in the country means that every other program in the country is recruiting here also.

The problem isn't that we fight hard for these kids, and lose out to other schools. The problem is that other schools come in, work hard, get the kids they want...while Gary really does nothing meaningful on the recruiting trail. We aren't losing kids he's worked years to try and land. He's not even trying to get these kids. He lucked out with Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter, and now he's convinced he can win with statistical outliers.

[Tony-OH]

Exactly. Listen, even though Gary should be playing the AAU recruiting game to an extent if he wanted to completely "be above it" thats one thing but there are numerous accounts of Gary not going down the road 10 min from campus to watch a recruit play a HS game. There was the report a couple of years ago that an invited recruit was on campus and never met with Gary. He received his recruiting pitch and scholarship from the assistant coach in the locker room. A few weeks ago Greg Whittington's HS coach said that while MD is very much involved in his recruitment that they had never seen or even got a phone call from Gary. That's all completely unacceptable. It has nothing to to do with kids or AAU coaches having their hands out. It's about getting out and showing your face and letting your voice be heard to the recruits your assistants are busting their ass trying to bring into this program.

But this next class is going to be the best..just like last year, and the year before, and the year before.

Gary knows he's untouchable because the big money guys are his buds. He certainly knows who to suck up to, and it's not the recruits he should be getting. Instead it's to the guys who can effect his job.

I give Gary credit though, the guy is proving a point that once you win a National Championship, you are a made man.

BTW BTerp, making the NIT is a terrible year in my book. Sorry, but 4 out of the last 7 years of missing the tournament is inexcusable and certainly fits my definition of bad basketball from what should be an elite basketball program.