Some [stupid] Maryland fans wanted him out, but I highly doubt they'll find anyone better.
I personally find the timing to be very odd. The coaching carousel stopped spinning about a month ago. But yesterday, Jordan Williams hired an agent, making his [insanely premature] jump to the NBA official, and not just an exploratory measure. I thought Williams was a bit tougher than to simply bail out on that type of situation, but Maryland literally has next to nothing returning next year, with Jordan Williams gone. I can understand being on the verge of retirement and not wanting to return to that sort of bleak rebuilding effort.
Now the Terps enter a coaching search, positioned way behind the 8-ball. Almost all of the viable ships have sailed for this season. Who do they pursue? Who can they hire?
We already know they don't have a lot of cash to throw around, after they cried poor and kept Ralph Friedgen around after the 2009 season. Then they bought him out after this past season, so there goes whatever money they were able to generate. Prying Randy Edsall away from UConn took a decent-sized salary. I'm sure their coffers are pretty empty now.
So what does Maryland do? No good candidates remain in a picked-over field, and they probably lack the money to pry away an established coach. It's a pickle.
This is a terrible development for Maryland, but also a bad development for the overall quality of ACC basketball... especially considering the underwhelming hires at NC State and Georgia Tech, and the desperate reach for Jim Larranaga's 2006 glory at Miami.
Tidbit I caught from good 'ol Mac: Bennett now is the 5th most tenured ACC basketball coach. Flabbergasting.
ReplyDeleteThe talking heads up here are all pretty full of themselves...They all seem to think that top flight coaches will be drooling over this job. I've even heard it called a "top-10 coaching job" by one talk radio guy. Sean Miller, Jamie Dixon, and Mike Brey are seem to be the popular picks. Didn't UVA take a sniff at Brey before they hired Bennett? That's funny that all these Terp fans are all psyched up about a guy that we weren't even interested in. Top-10 program my ass.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah and Jay Wright is being talked about a lot as well. I could actually see him jumping ship, what with his team struggling up there.
ReplyDeleteProblem for Maryland is that they don't have much talent now that Jordan Williams is preparing for his NBDL career. Say what up to Donald Hand for me, Jordan!
Nathan --- twist the knob to 1450 AM.
ReplyDeletePaulie -- Mike Brey, I can believe. The other guys, uh... hell no. Especially not Jay Wright. I'm expecting UMD to end up with a hire like NC State: forced to go with a "meh" type of hire, 5th or 6th down in their pecking order, and not anywhere close to their fans' wish list. Top-10 program my ass. Oh, and this was an absolutely RETAHDED decision for Jordan Williams, but I thouight more of Gary Williams than to just throw in the towel in reaction to a kid going pro. To me, it looks an awful lot like a bitch move. Just my two cents.
Yesterday, ESPN reported that Sean Miller to UMD was "imminent." Late last night, Arizona extended Miller's contract. Ha ha ha, Sean Miller used Maryland as leverage for a contract extension. He "Beamered" the situation! Good for him! Meanwhile, Maryland now has to sell 2nd choice to it's next favorite candidate...
ReplyDelete