For a while there on Saturday, it looked like Sean Miller was going to be the next head basketball coach at the University of Maryland. But then the negotiations fell through, and Miller signed an extension at Arizona. I don't think we'll ever know exactly what happened that day, but it is starting to look like it is Miller's impression of Maryland AD Athletic Kevin Anderson that kept him out of College Park, not his loyalty to the University of Arizona. According to Jeff Barker of the Baltimore Sun, the two were like "oil and water."
In multiple phone calls, the parties laid a groundwork in advance, discussing salary, Maryland basketball's budget resources and other items. But Anderson and Miller did not meet until they got to Las Vegas, where Miller was attending a Nike basketball clinic. Among the issues discussed were Maryland's academic admissions criteria for athletes. But it was quickly apparent at the meeting that there was not enough comfort level to proceed.
Reaction after the jump.
My initial reaction is disappointment. I was as excited about Maryland getting Sean Miller as anyone, and I was crushed when it fell through. I assumed it was because Miller was just trying to use the Terps as leverage for a new contract with Arizona. But this is a bit surprising.
But the more I think about it, the more OK I am with it. I am very confident in Mark Turgeon as the head coach of Maryland basketball. More importantly, he has a good relationship with Kevin Anderson. While I think the coach is ultimately more important than the AD, we saw how a bad relationship between those two positions can poison a department.
I think Miller would have done great things in College Park. But I think Turgeon is capable of making a similar impact. And if he can do those things without having a bad relationship with his boss, then I am on board.