Maryland basketball Coach Gary Williams retired late last week to the surprise of some.
But the guy earned the right to quit on his own terms. Williams served as a head coach for 33 years including the last 22 at alma mater Maryland.
He left his mark with the Terps. He led them to a 460-248 over record including the 2002 National Championship. Williams’ teams were a consistent visitor to the NCAA tournament and would occasionally defeat Duke and North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Williams’ fire on the sidelines will be missed. The guy worked extremely hard on game day. He was consistently “chewing” out his players and frequently the guys in the stripe shirts. A Gary Williams team was never dull.
Williams could also be controversial. The latest incident was when former Maryland Athletic Director Deb Yow charged that he sabotage Yow’s present school’s (NC State)
basketball job search. It’s safe to assume that the two didn’t get along too well when they worked together at College Park.
Williams won’t go too far as he will now assist the athletic department. The new guy in the Maryland basketball chair will face challenges. He will replace a legend and the Williams will have a nearby seat to chart the progress of the national caliber-team he built.
Showing posts with label Terps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terps. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2011
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Coaching Involves More Than Winning
Maryland announced the firing of football coach Ralph Friedgen Monday.
Coaches get fired often, especially this time of year. But most coaches depart due to losing records. Friedgen was fired with a 74-50 record in 10 years with the Terps.
Coaching can be a tough business and this firing was a business decision.
Friedgen actually won the ACC Coach of the Year award after leading Maryland to a surprising 8-4 record in 2010. He leaves with a $2 million severance package.
Maryland is looking for more exposure, more fan interest, more ticket sales and more glitz.
Apparently, Maryland figured Friedgen was yesterday’s news. Frieden played as a reliable old car and the Terps want a sports car.
Rumor has it that Maryland wants former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. That would be a glitz hire.
But there is still something crappy about Friedegen’s firing. The guy wins games, shows loyalty to his alma mater and gets told “its business.”
Life is sometimes really cold. Friedgen received that lesson this week.
Coaches get fired often, especially this time of year. But most coaches depart due to losing records. Friedgen was fired with a 74-50 record in 10 years with the Terps.
Coaching can be a tough business and this firing was a business decision.
Friedgen actually won the ACC Coach of the Year award after leading Maryland to a surprising 8-4 record in 2010. He leaves with a $2 million severance package.
Maryland is looking for more exposure, more fan interest, more ticket sales and more glitz.
Apparently, Maryland figured Friedgen was yesterday’s news. Frieden played as a reliable old car and the Terps want a sports car.
Rumor has it that Maryland wants former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. That would be a glitz hire.
But there is still something crappy about Friedegen’s firing. The guy wins games, shows loyalty to his alma mater and gets told “its business.”
Life is sometimes really cold. Friedgen received that lesson this week.
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