Article on why Gary needs to be fired

[Dr. FLK]

Have any of the reporters ever asked him directly in an interview WHY ARE YOU NOT INVOLVED IN RECRUITING? Like if all of this is known, why not hit him with some hard questioning and find out what the hell he's thinking...

Wasn't that sort of the questioning that led to his "I don't cheat" response?

[Jagwar]

I assume you mean the Bowie/Tucker/Gregory fiasco, since Mosely was a highly ranked recruit.

I'm not sure it matters that Mosley was highly ranked. So were Travis Garrison and Mike Jones. And wasn't Tucker player of the year in Texas?

What matters is finding good players who fit your program and get better over time.

[Jagwar]

Have any of the reporters ever asked him directly in an interview WHY ARE YOU NOT INVOLVED IN RECRUITING? Like if all of this is known, why not hit him with some hard questioning and find out what the hell he's thinking...

Gary would probably explode if they asked that.

I'm waiting for an article from the Sun or Post titled "Is it time for Gary to Go?"

[Dr. FLK]

It does matter though because all you can evaluate these guys off of is what you can see in high school. To some degree it's all a crapshoot. Look at the schools that offered to Mosely, it's pretty clear he was thought highly of by a lot of teams.

Recruiting is not just about picking the highest ranked guys by someone else's metrics. It's about determining which elite recruits fit best into your system, and finding the ones you think are most likely to succeed. I think it's safe to say Gary hasn't been successful on either of those fronts. You obviously won't hit every time, but you shouldn't miss this often.

[Hallas]

"The problem with Gary Williams is Gary Williams. He always blames the system, the rule changes, the AD. It is never the fact that Gary chooses to remain Gary, never changing with the times."

That's the key point in the whole piece. After missing out on the NIT he immediately deflected blame and gave hope for the future by invoking the names of North Carolina and UCLA has teams that issed the big dance last year but are in it now. Gary uses his Matirx-worthy PR skills to gain himself more time and satisfy his apologists.

He didn't mention that neithe team has missed the big dance four out of the last seven seasons and only the Terps have just one Sweet 16 year since 2003.

I heard another apologist on the Norris and Davis morning show talk about how people forget what Williams did for the program. No we haven't? We all appreciate the fact that Gary built up a wreck of a program from Bob Wade and built it into a team that made the dance every year and eventually won a National Championship. No one wants to take that away.

What he and other apologists fail to either realize or accept is that the college basketball landscape has changed and Gary has not. The one/two and done players are necessary to keep up with the big boys and as the piece shows very clearly, Williams doesn't even care enough to visiti face to face with some of the best possible recruits.

He then went onto the apologists next matra, the next year's class is really great. I have no idea how great this next class is going to be but I do know I've heard that every single year. About every four to five years Gary gets a Vasquez-Hayes or Dixon/Blake/Baxter class but far too often he's gotten the Mosely/Tucker/Gregory fiasco.

I don't doubt Gary wants to win, and I don't doubt that he's a good X's and O's coach, but major college basketball landscape has changed and Williams, at 66-years old, doesn't seem to have the energy or desire to change with it. He says everyone else cheats, but to me that's just disrespectful to the many coaches that I'm sure are just out working him for the best recruits.

Williams is a hall of fame coach for what he's done in the past, but if the University wants this program to get back to the perrenial top-25 status that it used to be at then they need new, fresh leadership at the helm.

Thanks for everything Gary, but it's time to go. Do what's best for everyone and retire with what's left of your reputation.

I actually wouldn't say his recruiting is 100% the problem. You can make up for bad recruiting by being a great teacher. Yes, the recruiting landscape has changed, but I think what's really changed is that he has lost some of his ability to teach the kids and harness their natural ability. He's had more 4 and 5 star recruits in the past 10 years than he ever had during the 90s, but he's essentially doing less with more. Maybe he's lost the ability to teach, maybe the higher profile recruits are harder to teach, but whatever it is, he's lost the ability to turn high school talent into top-tier ACC talent.

[Tony-OH]

I actually wouldn't say his recruiting is 100% the problem. You can make up for bad recruiting by being a great teacher. Yes, the recruiting landscape has changed, but I think what's really changed is that he has lost some of his ability to teach the kids and harness their natural ability. He's had more 4 and 5 star recruits in the past 10 years than he ever had during the 90s, but he's essentially doing less with more. Maybe he's lost the ability to teach, maybe the higher profile recruits are harder to teach, but whatever it is, he's lost the ability to turn high school talent into top-tier ACC talent.

You are not going to get an argument from me. Seems to me his apologists are still in shell shock after the NIT snub.

I agree though, we've been hearing about these great classes and then they turn into guys like Mosely. Besides Williams, who was the last effective big man that he coached? Osby (JC recruit)?

[Frobby]

Thanks for everything Gary, but it's time to go. Do what's best for everyone and retire with what's left of your reputation.

While I can see the argument that Gary's time has passed, he's not going to lose his reputation over some seasons where he "only" won 19 games. And be careful what you wish for -- a team could do a lot worse than Gary Williams, as Maryland fans should know.

[Lateralus]

While I can see the argument that Gary's time has passed, he's not going to lose his reputation over some seasons where he "only" won 19 games. And be careful what you wish for -- a team could do a lot worse than Gary Williams, as Maryland fans should know.

Ugh, this argument kinda gets under my skin. Reminds me of a bit on The Simpsons:

Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.

Lisa: That's specious reasoning, Dad.

Homer: Thank you, dear.

Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.

Homer: Oh, how does it work?

Lisa: It doesn't work.

Homer: Uh-huh.

Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.

Homer: Uh-huh.

Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?

[Homer thinks of this, then pulls out some money]

Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.

[Lisa refuses at first, then takes the exchange]

Point being, yes UMD could find a coach who is worse than Gary. Could definitely happen.

Yet, on the other hand (and what no one on the "UMD could get a worse coach after Gary, careful what you wish for" crowd brings up) UMD could actually get a coach, who understands what it takes to get top recruits in the modern NCAA Bball landsape and actually elevate the program to elite status.

You can't be afraid of change just because the outcome could, I repeat, could, be negative. To play a hand, you gotta ante up and put some chips in.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Yeah that's kind of where I am. It's like, yeah I think Gary has a lot of issues and the team isn't doing great in recent years but what's to say it would with a new coach? There are plenty of great recruiting coaches who absolutely suck at winning games... so who knows what we'll wind up with.

And that's what certain fans either don't want to acknowledge or, in some cases, don't understand. There isn't some simple fix that will take this program straight back to Top-25 levels.

It's all about risk. You have basically have two choices, keep Gary or fire Gary, each with three possible outcomes of varying odds: Success, Stagnation, Collapse. What the school needs to decide is what they feel the odds are for each outcome, and how willing they are to take the risk involved with each choice.

Look at Jeff Caple. A couple years ago he was the "hot" name among fans who wanted to see Gary go after the back-to-back NITs. Instead he goes to Oklahoma, a program seemingly on the rise. He wins 30 games and makes the Elite Eight in 2008-2009. The Sooners then win 27 games over the past two seasons and he gets canned.

Between the recruiting issues inherent in this region--the downside to being such a fantastic recruiting ground is that everyone wants to recruit there--having to compete in the ACC and having to continue the legacy of basically forty years of coaching legends in Lefty and Gary, this isn't an easy job. It is certainly a high-profile and desirable job, but it is a hard job.

The next coach, in my opinion, is more likely to see stagnation or failure than real success. And while the best odds of any outcome are likely a stagnating program under Williams, the school (and the fans) needs to think hard about all of the risks involved in this decision.

It really doesn't seem like those that desire a change are taking these things into account.

[Hallas]

And that's what certain fans either don't want to acknowledge or, in some cases, don't understand. There isn't some simple fix that will take this program straight back to Top-25 levels.

It's all about risk. You have basically have two choices, keep Gary or fire Gary, each with three possible outcomes of varying odds: Success, Stagnation, Collapse. What the school needs to decide is what they feel the odds are for each outcome, and how willing they are to take the risk involved with each choice.

Look at Jeff Caple. A couple years ago he was the "hot" name among fans who wanted to see Gary go after the back-to-back NITs. Instead he goes to Oklahoma, a program seemingly on the rise. He wins 30 games and makes the Elite Eight in 2008-2009. The Sooners then win 27 games over the past two seasons and he gets canned.

Between the recruiting issues inherent in this region--the downside to being such a fantastic recruiting ground is that everyone wants to recruit there--having to compete in the ACC and having to continue the legacy of basically forty years of coaching legends in Lefty and Gary, this isn't an easy job. It is certainly a high-profile and desirable job, but it is a hard job.

The next coach, in my opinion, is more likely to see stagnation or failure than real success. And while the best odds of any outcome are likely a stagnating program under Williams, the school (and the fans) needs to think hard about all of the risks involved in this decision.

It really doesn't seem like those that desire a change are taking these things into account.

Failing to make even the NIT is inexcusable for Maryland Basketball, so I can understand the desire for Gary to step aside. However, to your point, it boils down to two questions: 1) will Maryland attract top flight coaches (qualified yes) and 2) will Kevin Anderson make the right choice (big question mark after the football fiasco).

I've gone from completely pro-Gary to on the teetering fence, but I'm inclined to think we should give Gary at least this year (and maybe a short extension) (and see how Anderson's first hire does) before we entrust Anderson with the biggest decision of his professional career. After the football HC debacle, I'm a bit hesitant to give Anderson the reigns to hire a basketball head coach at this time.

[Frobby]

a team could do a lot worse than Gary Williams, as Maryland fans should know.

Ugh, this argument kinda gets under my skin....

Yet, on the other hand (and what no one on the "UMD could get a worse coach after Gary, careful what you wish for" crowd brings up) UMD could actually get a coach, who understands what it takes to get top recruits in the modern NCAA Bball landsape and actually elevate the program to elite status.

If I can define my terms, in the last five years (Gary's "down period"), here is how the ACC has fared:

Duke - 5 NCAA appearances, 145 wins, 60 ACC wins

UNC - 4 NCAA appearances, 147 wins, 59 ACC wins

Clemson - 4 NCAA appearances, 117 wins, 45 ACC wins

Maryland = 3 NCAA appearances, 108 wins, 46 ACC wins

Fla. State - 3 NCAA appearances, 109 wins, 45 ACC wins

Boston College - 2 NCAA appearances, 82 wins, 37 ACC wins

Wake Forest - 2 NCAA appearances, 84 wins, 33 ACC wins

Va Tech - 1 NCAA appearance, 108 wins, 45 ACC wins

Miami - 1 NCAA appearance, 81 wins, 37 ACC wins

Ga Tech - 1 NCAA appearance, 83 wins, 33 ACC wins

UVA - 1 NCAA appearance, 79 wins, 32 ACC wins

NC State - 0 NCAA appearances, 86 wins, 25 ACC wins

Maryland has won at least 8 games in the league all five years -- Duke is the only other team that can say that.

Whoever replaces Gary will have a tall task to exceed his performance, even if the last five years is the measure.

[ccbird]

Who cares how MD has done compared to the other ACC teams in an extremely top heavy league. It's literally been UNC, Duke, and mediocrity the last 7 or 8 years. Not one team is even close to being a top 25 or 30 program over that time. Compare that to almost every other power conference that has at least 3 schools who have been top 30 programs. IN fact, you could argue that the consistent mediocrity of the ACC should be more of a reason why Gary should have done better than just 3 NCAA tournaments the last 7 years.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Failing to make even the NIT is inexcusable for Maryland Basketball, so I can understand the desire for Gary to step aside. However, to your point, it boils down to two questions: 1) will Maryland attract top flight coaches (qualified yes) and 2) will Kevin Anderson make the right choice (big question mark after the football fiasco).

I've gone from completely pro-Gary to on the teetering fence, but I'm inclined to think we should give Gary at least this year (and maybe a short extension) (and see how Anderson's first hire does) before we entrust Anderson with the biggest decision of his professional career. After the football HC debacle, I'm a bit hesitant to give Anderson the reigns to hire a basketball head coach at this time.

Again though, just because we hire somebody we think is the "right" coach doesn't mean they will be. I already mentioned Capel, but there's also the guy he replaced at Oklahoma; I think Indiana was really excited to get Kevin Sampson after the stagnation of Mike Davis. Then there's Billy Gillespie, who took over for a stagnating former national champion in Tubby Smith and lasted two years until fan pressure forced Kentucky to sell their soul to the Calipari.

That's where the risk comes in.

[ccbird]

So what? It's still relevant, you can't just discount every other team because UNC and Duke are dominant.

It's not relevant to me. Mediocrity is mediocrity no matter how it is spun. Being third best and a step or two below Duke and UNC should still mean we are better nationally.

[Sports Guy]

So what? It's still relevant, you can't just discount every other team because UNC and Duke are dominant.

For the most part CCbird is right with that argument.

Its good to be the third best team in the conference but the ACC has been off some in recent years and MD should have been to more tourneys.

Now, what isn't being said is how the McCray and Gilchrest situations effected the team. That probably cost them 2 more tourney appearances.

If this year was 1 of the 2 years they missed out on the tourney in the last 7 years, that would be more tolerable when you consider what they lost last year.

You can't ignore those 2 situations.