While reading up on everyone’s end-of-Maryland-basketball-season thoughts, I came across one of the most powerful sports-related videos I’ve ever seen. Dan Steinberg posted a video of an interview done with Gary Williams by NBC’s Lindsay Czarniak in his blog post on March 23rd. Before I go on about this video, click the link and take a look.
When I mention the power of this video, I am talking about the 8 seconds of silence that starts around the 2 minute mark. Czarniak asks Gary how frustrating it is for him knowing that he won’t be able to coach Greivis Vasquez anymore. Gary gets a bit flustered and choked up and shows a side of himself that fans would never imagine he has after seeing his intensity level during games.
To me, this 8-second pause shows everything that is oh-so-right about NCAA men’s basketball and everything that is oh-so-wrong.
That 8-second pause is the embodiment of one of the best coach-to-player relationships in all of college basketball. From various interviews over the past four years, Terps fans have come to understand that Greivis is the on-court version of Gary, a fiery, intense, emotional dude with no tolerance for losing.
That 8-second pause is the result of four years of highs, lows, and everywhere in between. That 8-second pause is the result of a relationship that has been slowly cultivated for four years and has clearly turned into something that resembles the love shared between father and son.
And it is that 8-second pause that represents what I love about college basketball.
I love that players come and build relationships with their teammates and coaches. I love seeing young freshman grow up to mature seniors. I love seeing the successes and how the players grow from their failures. And although seeing seniors go is always bittersweet, I love seeing the emotion between players and coaches as they part ways at the end of four years.
Unfortunately, we’re becoming more and more familiar with “one-and-dones,” those players that only come to college for one year before they move on to the big bucks that come with an NBA contract. With the one-and-done becoming more popular, we are losing some of the elements of college basketball that I love oh so much.
When I think of the one-and-done, I right away think of Carmelo Anthony, who led Syracuse to the 2003 national championship. I don’t doubt that Jim Boeheim enjoyed the year he spent with Melo. But, can anyone honestly see Boeheim being asked a question about Melo and being on the verge of tears for 8 seconds before he began to speak? I most certainly can not, which makes me appreciate the video of Gary that much more.
As we say goodbye to Greivis, Landon Milbourne, and Eric Hayes, it is important that we truly appreciate what they represent. They are a dying breed in college basketball. Three seniors who all improved drastically since their freshman years. Three seniors who brought a new brand to Maryland basketball after the post-national championship years which many Terps fans don’t look too fondly upon. Three seniors who had an incredible relationship with their coach, especially Greivis, the most legendary of the trio.
All of this is represented in that 8-second pause. Gary’s silence speaks far louder than words ever could.
Blog fron Josh Fendrick Terrapin Class 2013
freddy from boca
well written. nice job.
· 11/12/2019