Miller’s ‘answers’ won’t squelch State speculation

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WRAL’s Ken Medlin summarized it perfectly…

Miller took the middle ground — he didn’t deny interest, and he didn’t make a play for the job.

In this article, the N&O’s Luke DeCock attempts to break down the different angles of the

But State fans looking for a glimmer of hope will see one there. And maybe there is one. It was an odd moment. If Miller wanted to send a message, that’s how he would have done it. Who knows?
Earlier, while discussing Arizona’s tradition, Miller referred to himself in a somewhat odd way, given the rumors swirling around.

“You look at the history and tradition of our program under coach (Lute) Olson, players, teams, we take a backseat to nobody,” Miller said. “I happen to be the coach right now, and we’ll see where we go. We’re proud of going 29-7 on the year.”

DeCock says that ‘State fans looking for a glimmer of hope will see one there’.

Actually, I don’t have to see a glimmer of hope there. I don’t have to read anything into Sean Miller’s comments as what Sean Miller does NOT said speaks volumes. It doesn’t require a translator to interpret silence.

Sean Miller has been phenomenally consistent since the day the NC State job officially opened — he has consistently NOT made a public statement disavowing interest in the NC State job. No matter how many ways you want to slice it and wish it away…he has been given multiple opportunities to lay the issue to rest and he has not once taken the opportunity to do so.

That hasn’t stopped everyone other than Sean Miller from chiming in for him. Last week, Miller’s Athletics Director, Greg Byrne, (who kinda comes across as a douche) tweeted that Sean would have no interest in the NC State job. TWEETED it, no less. Great job, Greg!!! That will put it to rest. Nothing like coming our strong in a forum where nobody can ask you a question and proclaiming that there would be no more talk about Sean leaving for other jobs! Way to put that behind you.

Elsewhere, brainiacs in the media have been quick to proclaim that Miller would not be interested in NC Sate. Moron fans who couldn’t tell you David Thompson from Fred Thompson can’t fathom the thought. Heck, The Sporting News‘ Mike DeCourcy even interviewed someone who may have once landed at the Phoenix airport (two hours away from Tucson) who has said that Sean Miller will not be interested.

Yet, SEAN MILLER HAS NOT SAID HE IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE HEAD COACHING JOB AT NC STATE.

Why do you think that is?

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92 Responses to Miller’s ‘answers’ won’t squelch State speculation

  1. EdMar 03/24/2011 at 8:32 AM #

    We need Duke to beat Arizona by one or two points after coming back from ten points down in a controversial and ref aided comeback that would make Coach Miller want to meet Duke one or two times a year.

    PS: If we get Miller, Arizona would probably add Wolpackers to their anti-immigration law. Think of the harm to Arizona , we gave them Sendek and took Miller.

  2. Raleighpack 03/24/2011 at 8:35 AM #

    Miller is smart. With no flat denial, he is just keeping the heat on Arizona to pony up better terms and much more $$$. I have the feeling this will end badly for State fans.

  3. LRM 03/24/2011 at 8:48 AM #

    The one thing I have to keep reminding myself is that just because this thing isn’t happening on my preferred timeframe, doesn’t mean it isn’t going exactly as designed.

  4. WestCoast 03/24/2011 at 8:56 AM #

    A generic answer from Coach Miller at best! If the wife wants to come, he’s coming; Tucson isn’t exactly one of the top places to live even in the state of AZ. However, that walk across campus right now with all the coeds lying out in their bikinis directly in the middle of the campus would be tough to pass up! Trust me; it made me late for a meeting on the AZ campus a few years back.

    EdMar, you have the perfect ending that would help solidify the deal, how else would he get back at Duke.

  5. NCSU84 03/24/2011 at 8:58 AM #

    Miller is the head coach of AZ (AZ, not ASU) and he has his team in the sweet sixteen. Why would he leave a successful program and come to NCSU? I would think that AZ would have the wherewithal to match or exceed any $$ offer we could make. Can someone clue me in?

  6. ShavlikLeague 03/24/2011 at 9:01 AM #

    Howler nailed it. Want to know which way SM is leaning? Get an insider on his wife’s circle of friends. You’ll have your answer after their next bunco get-together…

  7. albunde6 03/24/2011 at 9:18 AM #

    To quote the beavers in my pond, “dam, damdam”.

    Yes I am in panic mode. I know that based on past perfromance, we are the only school that could go to the beach and fail to throw a ball in the water while standing in the water.

    I hope that DY will prove me wrong.

  8. tann84 03/24/2011 at 9:21 AM #

    lol@EdMar

    Also someone bug his wife’s phone. Too bad Arizona fans aren’t like Yankee’s fans and can do the work for you. (If you don’t remember, Yankee fans cursed and harassed cliff lee’s wife when he was playing there for texas, which made it a lot easier for cliff I imagine to take the phillis contract as oppose to the Yankee contract, how dumb are some people?).

    I’m not reading into anything SM says. I do think its telling that he didn’t shut the door on it and even if he did I would still wouldn’t read into it. I am pulling for duke though, why? Because the deeper SM goes in the tourney the harder it will be to pry him from UAz. I wouldn’t mind if it took 5 mil a year to get him. I’d donate to help the cause and I’m not even an Alumni. Plus it would be nice about friday of next week to know who the next coach at NC state is and to know that the program will be in good hands for the next 20 years.

  9. PackerInRussia 03/24/2011 at 9:48 AM #

    Based on the very few interactions that I’ve seen Sean Miller have with the press, he seems to be the kind of guy who actually listens to the questions and gives real answers rather than spit out cliches (BTW, one reason that I like him). He had to know he was going to get that question and probably had an answer planned. He could have said what he did for two reasons:
    1) He didn’t want to be a jerk and tell State fans “no” straight up, so he made it more about Arizona and his desire to be there rather than his desire to not be at State;
    2) He has some interest, but no coach is going to admit that while in the middle of coaching in the NCAAT. But, he didn’t take the normal path of flat-out lying (akin to the cliches and coachspeak that he seems to avoid), so instead he reshapes it to talk about Arizona’s great program.
    Either way, I think there was a reason for the way he said it, but only he knows the reason.

  10. LifeLongWolf 03/24/2011 at 9:49 AM #

    Howler and ShavlikLeague, y’all are exactly right. The bunco comment kills me!

    I’ll ask my wife to ask around at her next bunco event. I’m sure they all know each other, these women’s groups. These bunco groups and book clubs are just a front for some damn cabal. I wonder if Debbie is the GrandPooBah or something? Maybe having a woman AD is an advantage, in that it gives her an inside track on the wives of coaches? Anyone know if DY is in a book club?

  11. quypack93 03/24/2011 at 10:03 AM #

    Dear Pack Fans,

    How long have Barnes and Donovan been at their current respective schools? Over ten years right? Do you think during that time, no other big schools have approached them, behind the scene, about leaving Texas and Florida, respectively, to come to their schools? They are still there because, most coaches, when having a head coaching positions at a major programs, just don’t make lateral moves. It has nothing to do with State. We need to not having a crazy list of all these so-called “name” coaches and checked them off as if we are the only basketball program in DI basketball. During Donovan’s and Barnes’s current runs at Texas and Florida, Kentucky had hired two head coaches, I believe, do you do think they wouldn’t have loved to have either Donovan or Barnes in those two hires? Of course they would. Remember how hard it was for UNC, yes, I mean that UNC, to hire a coach after Roy said no the first time?

    We are setting ourselves up for a major disappointment if all we do is going through a list of “name” coaches at other major programs. We are begging for Miller to come now but he would have loved to come to us five years ago without our begging. We didn’t get him because he wasn’t “name” enough. As matter of fact, if you go back to the Les Robinson days, could have hired any of these coaches: Barnes, Donovan, Tubby Smith, Marshall, Miller, Grant and the list goes on and on. We didn’t get them because we didn’t have the courage to scout young and up and coming coaching talents. We took the safe rout every time and now we come begging them because some other major programs gave them the opportunities to become a “name” coach. We took the easy way out with Les and Sidney (both alums). I don’t have a problem with the Sendek hiring, my problem was us keeping him too long.

    What I am saying is we need to do our best in identifying a good young coach from a mid-major program and give him a shot. That’s how you build success, loyalty and longevity in your program. It worked for jus with Jimmy V, it is still working great for Duke after thirty years.

  12. Clarksa 03/24/2011 at 10:28 AM #

    ^please tell me why going after proven head coaches first is a bad idea? All we are doing is asking if they are interested, if not, we move down the list. Seems pretty simple to me…

  13. packof81 03/24/2011 at 10:28 AM #

    I’ve asked the same question several times. Why would _____ want to leave _____ to take the NCSU job? I haven’t heard an answer that makes sense yet.

  14. PoppaJohn 03/24/2011 at 10:33 AM #

    ^^^ “As matter of fact, if you go back to the Les Robinson days…”

    NO THANK YOU!!

  15. UnclePen 03/24/2011 at 10:38 AM #

    I happen to be the coach right now, and we’ll see where we go.

    I’ll take that as a Yes…

  16. BJD95 03/24/2011 at 10:39 AM #

    Yes, Miller originally turned down AZ, then re-considered. I firmly believe his hesitation was based on wanting the NC State job, if and when Fowler was out of the way.

    We couldn’t make that happen fast enough, and AZ was too good an opportunity to turn down in the hopes State would get its shit together quickly.

  17. packalum44 03/24/2011 at 10:43 AM #

    “Tucson is not the city that it is cracked up to be. The only thing this city really has going for it in U of A. Most of Tucson is GHETTO. The only nice places to live in Tucson are in The North and NW part of town.

    So much of Tucson is tagged up by the gangs. Tucson is basically Gangland Graffitiville. The city looks real nice when you are driving by on Interstate 10. In fact it looks actually beautiful with the mountain backdrops. The problem starts when you start trying to get around Tucson.”

    http://www.city-data.com/forum/tucson/6548-dont-believe-hype-tucson-arizona-phoenix.html#ixzz1HWtovRZB

  18. Raleighpack 03/24/2011 at 11:09 AM #

    “We are setting ourselves up for a major disappointment if all we do is going through a list of “name” coaches at other major programs”

    Yes, quypack93…spot on.

  19. quypack93 03/24/2011 at 11:12 AM #

    Clark, all I am saying is that these sort of moves rarely happen. If we just go down the list and end up with some that is at the “bottom” of the list, most fans will be disappointed. And, if you are the chosen coach, how would you feel if you were the number 7th on the list? This “winning the news conference” approach is how we ended up with Sidney five years ago. Miller could have been a State lifer if we had the courage to hire him instead of Lowe. We are skating to where the puck is instead of where it will be.

  20. nav 03/24/2011 at 11:15 AM #

    ^Wrong. We ended up with Sidney 5 yrs ago because Lee was incompetent.
    If Lee would have put forth a reasonable offer to Barnes to start with who knows where we would be today.

  21. drspaceman 03/24/2011 at 11:19 AM #

    @paulalum44:
    I haven’t been to Tucson myself, but quoting city-data.com comments forums for information about the safety/quality of a city isn’t particularly helpful. i doubt one could find a more alarmist/classist/racist group out there (at least among the non hate-group sites).

  22. quypack93 03/24/2011 at 11:21 AM #

    Yes, Lee was more than incompetent. His incompetency was in part because he wanted a “trophy” wife to make him looks good. Record showed that Miller was there for us and he was never contacted because we didn’t want to take a chance on a “no name” coach.

  23. newt 03/24/2011 at 11:27 AM #

    It is not difficult to get somebody to give you an honest listen, but getting them to sign on the dotted line to make a major change is very difficult.

    Yes, we should ask these major guys because they have a higher probability of success; but don’t get down if we wind up needing to go the Coach K, Skip Prosser, Jim Valvano route of hiring up from a lesser program. Roy Williams was hired at Kansas as a top assistant at UNC. Pitino was hired to Kentucky from Providence.

  24. stephen 03/24/2011 at 11:31 AM #

    I don’t see him coming. Zona is ranked as the number five program over the last 25 years, State is no where near that. Zona came in and crushed State this year. Why would a coach a team that will soon be competing for a national championship give that up to start over at State. Zona owns West Coast recruiting. Both UCLA and Zona are the brand out west, which is evidenced by how easy Miller is able to recruit to Zona. State has to compete with so many top schools for east coast recruits, and Zona is more successul out east than State. Miller would leave if the Pitt job opened or if Duke came calling, but outside of that, why would he leave a nationally renowned program for one that plays in the cellar of the ACC year in and year out. State should hire a diamond in the rough and stick with him for years.

  25. stejen 03/24/2011 at 12:12 PM #

    I really don’t know what people are expecting Miller to say. It is probably a given that he has been contacted by Yow but also a given that he asked her to wait until his season was over before they had a serious discussion as he has a lot on his plate now. That is what I got out of the interview. I did not get the impression he was saying “yes” “no” or “maybe” but that he is happy at AZ and is not going to talk about changing jobs until the season is over.

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