OswegoBruin turned on the smoke alarm yesterday. Looks like Arizona basketball program is about the process of being set on fire. ESPN980 tweeted little more than hour ago:
According to sources; Sean Miller will be named new men's basketball coach at the University of Maryland on Monday
But according to Jeff Goodman from Fox Sports that report is "inaccurate" at least for now as Miller "hasn't even met with Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson yet." But Goodman notes this:
However, my sources said Miller is "leaning towards taking Maryland." However, nothing will be done until after meeting today in Vegas.
This certainly looks pretty serious. The Baltimore Sun has more on the romance between Miller and Maryland. The good folks at the Testudo Times are on the edge. Folks in Arizona are pretty worried. Jon Wilner added this funny note:
Miller thinks MD's a top-notch job and wants to get back east. If you're a Wildcat fan, time to panic.
If Arizona loses Sean Miller they will probably have to settle for someone like Josh Pastner. The fact that Sean Miller is so serious about the Maryland job indicates that he is probably not all that happy in Arizona. Here is some speculation on Miller not being a happy camper in Tucson.
All of this shouldn't be much of a surprise. Miller is a East Coast guy. Jon Wilner detailed Miller's East Coast ties here. He also indicated on Twitter that his relationship Arizona's AD is not all that great. Tucson is not some fun place to settle down. There is not much going on there unless you like hanging around in a weird mix of drunk students and community of 70 year olds.
I mean is there anyone here that really wants to settle down and spend their life in Tucson? Good luck to the Cats for finding a great coach if they lose Miller. They lucked out last time and I am not sure if they are going to find someone at this late hour unless it's someone like Josh Pastner.
By the way if Miller does get to escape Tucson, the story will potentially have recruiting implications for UCLA basketball. But we will hold on that angle until something actually becomes official.
Update (A): From Chick Hernandez at Comcast Sports Network:
Steve Biscotti is def on plane to AZ with Kevin Anderson. They're scheduled to bring Sean Miller back. Miller doesn't want counter from AZ
Steve Biscotti is the owner of Baltimore Ravens and a sugar daddy for Maryland Terps.
Update II (A): Andy Katz updates on ESPN ...
"He's looking at Maryland from a recruiting standpoint of how you can get the flood gates to open up there if you did it the right way and then compete for Final Fours yearly," said the source with direct knowledge. "But he also has Arizona at a level now where there isn't as much competition for players [out West], where the Pac-12 now has a major television commitment, where he could stay there for 20 years. So it comes down to what his family wants to do. That's why he could talk to Maryland and not go."
... and provides bulletin board material for Ben Howland and the entire UCLA basketball program.
Update III (A): Miller stays in Zona for now. HT freesia39.