Maryland Basketball Coach Gary Williams retiring

#26
#26
zjcvols said:
He only made two finals fours, and that was back to back. Was he a good coach? Yes. But it's not like he was an amazing coach or anything of that sort.
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You left out a national championship hoss.
 
#28
#28
NYYVol said:
Glad he got one last upper cut in on Yow.
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The paragraph about how GW was a coach, not a salesman or a charlatan, was priceless. It's almost as if Dana was speaking to a guy who used to frequent Rooster's and enjoys bodypaint.
 
#30
#30
hatvol96 said:
The paragraph about how GW was a coach, not a salesman or a charlatan, was priceless. It's almost as if Dana was speaking to a guy who used to frequent Rooster's and enjoys bodypaint.
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It was certainly the first name that popped in my head.

Sadly, as I was reading it, the thought did come to mind that guys like Williams are certainly a dying breed.
 
#31
#31
hatvol96 said:
The paragraph about how GW was a coach, not a salesman or a charlatan, was priceless. It's almost as if Dana was speaking to a guy who used to frequent Rooster's and enjoys bodypaint.
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Damn hat, I don't know why you gotta keep going there.
 
#34
#34
zjcvols said:
Good coach. Don't think he was ever a special coach or anything. If he doesn't get Juan Dixon, he's basically a more glorified Bruce Pearl (and before I get flamed, he's a way better coach than Pearl, I'm just pointing out his lack of tourney success). While Maryland isn't exactly a powerhouse by any means, there are tons of good players in DC/Baltimore, etc.
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Williams didn't get most of those "good players" you mention because:

1) He took over for Bob Wade, a high school coaching legend in Baltimore who got fired at Maryland for cheating and lying, and to this day still uses his influence and stature in that city to hurt UM recruiting; and

2) The prep and AAU scene in Baltimore and DC is a cesspool, and Gary Williams refused to take any part of it.

Most of the local players Williams signed were in the second tier of prospects, the ones who aren't for sale to the highest bidder. It's well known that Williams is the only coach since the 1970s to win a national championship with a roster that included no McDonald's All-Americans. Getting Juan Dixon was no big deal at the time. Williams' coaching and Dixon's work ethic made it a big deal later on.

Don't insult the man by mentioning him in the same sentence with our former coach. There was never a hint of NCAA trouble in Williams' entire tenure at Maryland. He took over there when they were flirting with the death penalty, and he cleaned up the mess. Oh, by the way, he 'only' made two Final Fours. That's two more than Maryland ever got to before Gary Williams' arrival.
 
#35
#35
jsc1973 said:
Williams didn't get most of those "good players" you mention because:

1) He took over for Bob Wade, a high school coaching legend in Baltimore who got fired at Maryland for cheating and lying, and to this day still uses his influence and stature in that city to hurt UM recruiting; and

2) The prep and AAU scene in Baltimore and DC is a cesspool, and Gary Williams refused to take any part of it.

Most of the local players Williams signed were in the second tier of prospects, the ones who aren't for sale to the highest bidder. It's well known that Williams is the only coach since the 1970s to win a national championship with a roster that included no McDonald's All-Americans. Getting Juan Dixon was no big deal at the time. Williams' coaching and Dixon's work ethic made it a big deal later on.

Don't insult the man by mentioning him in the same sentence with our former coach. There was never a hint of NCAA trouble in Williams' entire tenure at Maryland. He took over there when they were flirting with the death penalty, and he cleaned up the mess. Oh, by the way, he 'only' made two Final Fours. That's two more than Maryland ever got to before Gary Williams' arrival.
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Bravo.
 
#37
#37
Sean Miller is the rumored replacement along with the usual names like Shaka, Anthony Grant, Jamie Dixon, etc
 
#38
#38
it is well known that I have always been a big fan of Gary Williams. Whoever talked about the cesspool known as Bmore/DC AAU ball is dead on. I think Lefty was a pretty good coach, but Wade left MD in such a hole. Gary Williams brought Maryland out of that hole and took them to ultimate heights. 1 title, 2 Final Fours, 9 Sweet Sixteens. That's impressive. Very impressive. Since Dean left, I have always considered G Williams the second best coach in the ACC.
 
#39
#39
hatvol96 said:
In the VN history of awful posts, your last two are Hall of Fame quality.
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Because I think Williams is a good coach, not a great coach? It's not like I said he's the most overrated coach in history, or said he couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag.

Did he have good results? Yes. Did he win a national title? Yes, and that's impressive. But he made two elite eights in his career at two good basketball schools. TWO. At Maryland, he won an average of 21 games (a winning percentage of 65%). Yeah, that's good. Is that great, amazing, incredible? Hell no. And I'm not trying to beat down Gary Williams. I've heard he's a great guy, and followed the rules. There's something to be said. But from the results, I just don't think Gary Williams is a great coach in terms of everything. Sorry.
 
#40
#40
jsc1973 said:
Williams didn't get most of those "good players" you mention because:

1) He took over for Bob Wade, a high school coaching legend in Baltimore who got fired at Maryland for cheating and lying, and to this day still uses his influence and stature in that city to hurt UM recruiting; and

2) The prep and AAU scene in Baltimore and DC is a cesspool, and Gary Williams refused to take any part of it.

Most of the local players Williams signed were in the second tier of prospects, the ones who aren't for sale to the highest bidder. It's well known that Williams is the only coach since the 1970s to win a national championship with a roster that included no McDonald's All-Americans. Getting Juan Dixon was no big deal at the time. Williams' coaching and Dixon's work ethic made it a big deal later on.

Don't insult the man by mentioning him in the same sentence with our former coach. There was never a hint of NCAA trouble in Williams' entire tenure at Maryland. He took over there when they were flirting with the death penalty, and he cleaned up the mess. Oh, by the way, he 'only' made two Final Fours. That's two more than Maryland ever got to before Gary Williams' arrival.
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Easy there. I never compared Pearl to Williams as a person. From everything I've heard and read, Williams is a great person. And there's something to be said for that. And he did lead Maryland to their first and second Final Fours. That's good. And kudos to him for not going into, as you say, the "cesspool". While I'm not the most informed, Baltimore/DC is not clean in recruiting.

But let's look at Brad Stevens. He has less resources, less players in his area, and less talent on his teams. He's made two Final Fours in about four years (although he took over a better situation than Williams, but it's not like Williams had only five years at Maryland). Williams had 22 years. After Juan Dixon, they were never a serious player in the NCAA again.
 
#41
#41
I would like to say, after doing some research on the sanctions imposed on Maryland, Williams did a very impressive job keeping the program afloat and getting them to be nationally competitive. That makes him a hall of famer in my book.
 
#42
#42
zjcvols said:
I would like to say, after doing some research on the sanctions imposed on Maryland, Williams did a very impressive job keeping the program afloat and getting them to be nationally competitive. That makes him a hall of famer in my book.
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From glorified Bruce Pearl and not that great of a coach to HOF? Is that a speedy backpedal or sarcasm. Either way it's odd.
 
#43
#43
Chic Hernandez (local media) chatted with Gary W yesterday. Gary said that he will most remember that his basketball program succeeded while "being part of the University" and not as a separate entity. That the players had to do everything "in the same way as all the other students". They both agreed it was nice going out with "no drama".
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#45
#45
Feinstein spoke at a graduation ceremony today where a friend of mine in a professor. Afterwards at a smaller ceremony he spoke and said Williams retired because he was just over it. Had yow remained he would have retired sooner.

The two are close. Just thought it was interesting.
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#46
#46
tigervol9802 said:
Feinstein spoke at a graduation ceremony today where a friend of mine in a professor. Afterwards at a smaller ceremony he spoke and said Williams retired because he was just over it. Had yow remained he would have retired sooner.

The two are close. Just thought it was interesting.
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not trying to burst your bubble, but Williams already said that himself to the Washigton Post:

Gary Williams retiring after 22 seasons as Maryland coach - Terrapins Insider - The Washington Post
 
#47
#47
There's no need for anyone to over-analyze this. The man is 66 years old. He's been coaching ACC basketball for 22 years, which is like coaching SEC football for that long. Dean Smith was 66 when he retired, and Dean had it easier because UNC pretty much recruited itself. When you see a coach going much past age 65, it's usually at some place where there isn't that much pressure to win.
 
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