Former Terps coach Gary Williams on Bill Self cheating

Posted on: April 28, 2021 at 08:48:42 CT

Williams - "As you get older, you start thinking about some games and some guys you played against that get a lot of credit for being great coaches. But it wasn't a level playing field, I you know what I mean. Yeah, and that really bothered me, though the longer I stayed in coaching, you know, when you lose a tough game, and you know, the other coach bought a player and that player beat you. That was very difficult to me. I could [accept it if] you know, you play his own, he beat you. OK, fine, you know, straight up. [If it's a clean coach like] Mark Few that you really respect and, you know, it's one of those things where I get tired of hearing about this [other] guy or that guy being a great coach. Well, maybe he is, and he wouldn't necessarily have to do what he did. But if you know what? He did ... Just kind of gets old."

Self's program was caught up in the FBI sting and continues to await final word on its punishment. Nonetheless, Self recently got a lifetime contract extension.

Interviewer - "One of the things that was released over the course of the last week or 10 days, were the terms of Bill Self's new contract. And I don't know if you saw this, but basically, it automatically rolls over. It's guaranteed for life. It's a lifetime contract, but more importantly, it pays him regardless of any infractions of any NCAA issues, which to me, is like incredible. I mean, I don't know how else to say. It is such a blatant, '**** you. We don't give a damn.' I was amazed at that."

Williams - "So no matter what you do, he's our guy. And so you can do whatever you want or do nothing. And then you'll have Kansas on national television, every game, we'll have Kansas eligible for the NCAA Tournament. Every year, Kansas, like a Duke, like a Carolina, are the people they want they, you know, the NCAA can say whatever they want about, you know, the happy stories of high, low seed, advancing, they want the big boys in the final 32 because they have the most alumni," Williams said. "They have the most casual fans. Watch your games, ratings get higher, sponsors have to pay more money. It's all connected."

https://247sports.com/college/maryland/LongFormArticle/Gary-Williams-Maryland-basketball-Sean-Miller-Kim-English-164059219/#164059219_2

Edited by FIJItiger at 08:49:40 on 04/28/21