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CNN Saturday Morning News
The Novak Zone: Interview With Gary Williams
Aired March 08, 2003 - 09:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Gary Williams, the Maryland coach, is going to be talking with Bob Novak now and the full-court press on Wednesday in this week's edition of "The Novak Zone."
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), "The Novak Zone."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to "The Novak Zone." I'm Robert Novak.
We're at the Comcast Center, the beautiful new basketball arena on the University of Maryland campus. Our guest is Gary Williams, head basketball coach of the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins.
Coach Williams, there has been -- this should be the happiest time in college basketball. We're running into March madness. There's just been one scandal after another of abuses by college basketball, St. Bonaventure, University of Georgia coach under fire, Fresno State, and this old Michigan scandal.
Is there something endemically wrong in college basketball?
GARY WILLIAMS, MARYLAND BASKETBALL COACH: Well, I think there's pressure to win, and sometimes some shortcuts are taken. But I think we all have to look at it as college basketball coaches and, you know, make sure these things don't happen again, because it's not necessary to be successful, to do things like that.
You can get the right type of people that are very good basketball players that will do whatever it takes academically and in terms of putting the time in to make sure they're working toward their degrees and still play basketball. And I think we can't get away from that, because we are college coaches, we are not professional coaches. We're college coaches.
NOVAK: Coach, you've had an experience this year that very few coaches have. First time you've had it. You're the coach of the defending national champions. Has it been different? Of course, you lost four of your starters from last year, but has it been a different situation? Have people been kind of targeting you a little bit more?
WILLIAMS: Yes, I think so, especially early, when you get a chance to play the defending national champion, and, you know, you're in December, whatever, they're big games for a lot of teams. And, you know, as you said, Bob, that's the first time we've ever had to do that. But at the same time, it's a great feeling to walk into a game knowing you're the defending national champion. And, you know, you have a lot of pride in that. And hopefully that helps you play better.
And I know it's been a motivator this year for our team to gradually improve as the year went on. We wanted to continue to be a good basketball program, and especially our seniors this year took that as a mission, you know, to see how good we could be by this time of year. And we've worked very hard to keep improving.
NOVAK: Coach, every time somebody walks into this gorgeous new arena -- seats almost 18,000, it's state of the art -- they're blown away. This is -- is it different playing here than at Cole Field House, which was kind of developed into a classic college pit where it was very hard for visiting teams?
WILLIAMS: It's different. I don't think there's any doubt about it. It takes awhile for an arena to get its own identity. I think with the crowd coming in here, as opposed to Cole, when you went into Cole, seemed like everybody had their sleeves rolled up. It was always going to be hot, didn't matter what it was like outside, and you were ready, I mean, if the fans were ready for a game.
Here, they command, you know, they see, they walk through the concourses, they see the nice exhibits. You know, it's, like, kind of like a great place for the whole campus. And then you come in here into the basketball part, and it is a great arena.
And we'll establish our own tradition here, you know, as time goes by. But you have to have some big games here, I think, for that to happen. And I think our crowd got used to how it looks, how it feels to be here. And that takes time. That just doesn't happen the first day you move in. It's like moving into a new house. It takes awhile to get comfortable, as opposed to the old house.
NOVAK: Coach, you've been coaching college basketball since 1969, when you had the coach of the Maryland freshman team. You were just right out of college yourself, and you'd played for Maryland. That long period of time, how have the young men changed from what they were when you first knew them?
WILLIAMS: Well, I think they're -- they've changed in terms of, they're not as broad with their interests as they used to be. Basketball's become such a specialist-type game that they put all their time and efforts into basketball. You get very few players now that were multisports stars coming out of high school.
I think it hurts some guys, because they don't have the hand-eye coordination, maybe, from baseball or football or whatever. And so I think that part's changed.
And then the other part is, is the NBA influence on the college game. Really, when I played in the '60s and even into the '70s, there was very little influence from the NBA. But now most players, to play at an ACC level, come in with the idea that if they have a good career, they might have a shot at the NBA. So they make a lot of their decisions based on how that's going to affect them three, four years from now. And it's not always a good thing.
NOVAK: Coach, in the interests of full disclosure, I am a passionate Maryland basketball fan.
WILLIAMS: I know that.
NOVAK: You were kind enough to give me a championship ring from last year. And I was at your great game last Sunday night at Raleigh, North Carolina. You won on a last-second shot, tremendous game. I sat in front of some North Carolina State (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, I'm not -- I don't get to hear the Maryland students very much, but these North Carolina students, they were just -- their language was so abusive, so juvenile, so filthy. Is that a change for the worse in college basketball.
WILLIAMS: It is. I -- you know, the freedom of speech that, you know, we all cherish is important. But there's a fine line there where you become almost inciting-a-riot-type situation, which you can't do. And, you know, we've been guilty of it here. You know, other places besides NC State we've heard it.
And it's got to stop. You know, college students do not have the right to do that at games, because there's a lot of kids there, there's a lot of women sitting in the same area. And it just shouldn't work that way.
NOVAK: And now the big question for Gary Williams, head basketball coach, University of Maryland.
Coach Williams, there is a -- these student athletes really have a tough life. They play a very rigorous schedule. And yet they have to go to school at the same time. There has been repeated proposals that maybe they should be given some kind of cash stipend, maybe just expense money. What do you think of that?
WILLIAMS: When I was in school -- I played from '64 to '67 -- we received $15 a month cash as part of the NCAA basketball scholarship. Say that would be around $100 today. And it would just give some of these players who don't have any money -- in other words, they get a scholarship, but that doesn't put any money in their pocket -- a chance to be like the rest of the college students.
And I'd be all for it. I really think, especially with the money that's generated nowadays from major college basketball, that there would be nothing wrong with that.
And I'd like to take that a step further. And they have set up some emergency funds for travel, somebody in the family dies or whatever, but just to give a kid a little bit of a clothing allowance, where not necessarily give them cash, but let them get a nice coat. You know, you get a guy from Florida that doesn't have any money, it gets pretty cold up here in the wintertime. And they don't always have the right coat.
So, you know, hopefully that will be looked at as changes are made in college athletics.
NOVAK: What other changes would you like to see made in basketball?
WILLIAMS: I'd like to see players have a window of five years to play. In other words, the average college student goes to school for 4.8 years now to get a degree. Forget athletics. So I'd like to have five years of eligibility. And that would keep that kid in that might go to Europe and play right after his senior year instead of coming back and get his degree.
I think you'd have a lot more people getting their degrees if you had a five-year eligibility period.
NOVAK: Coach Gary Williams, congratulations on another terrific year.
WILLIAMS: Thanks, Bob.
NOVAK: The best is yet to come, I think.
WILLIAMS: We hope so.
NOVAK: And thank you for being in "The Novak Zone."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 8, 2003 - 09:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Gary Williams, the Maryland coach, is going to be talking with Bob Novak now and the full-court press on Wednesday in this week's edition of "The Novak Zone."
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), "The Novak Zone."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to "The Novak Zone." I'm Robert Novak.
We're at the Comcast Center, the beautiful new basketball arena on the University of Maryland campus. Our guest is Gary Williams, head basketball coach of the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins.
Coach Williams, there has been -- this should be the happiest time in college basketball. We're running into March madness. There's just been one scandal after another of abuses by college basketball, St. Bonaventure, University of Georgia coach under fire, Fresno State, and this old Michigan scandal.
Is there something endemically wrong in college basketball?
GARY WILLIAMS, MARYLAND BASKETBALL COACH: Well, I think there's pressure to win, and sometimes some shortcuts are taken. But I think we all have to look at it as college basketball coaches and, you know, make sure these things don't happen again, because it's not necessary to be successful, to do things like that.
You can get the right type of people that are very good basketball players that will do whatever it takes academically and in terms of putting the time in to make sure they're working toward their degrees and still play basketball. And I think we can't get away from that, because we are college coaches, we are not professional coaches. We're college coaches.
NOVAK: Coach, you've had an experience this year that very few coaches have. First time you've had it. You're the coach of the defending national champions. Has it been different? Of course, you lost four of your starters from last year, but has it been a different situation? Have people been kind of targeting you a little bit more?
WILLIAMS: Yes, I think so, especially early, when you get a chance to play the defending national champion, and, you know, you're in December, whatever, they're big games for a lot of teams. And, you know, as you said, Bob, that's the first time we've ever had to do that. But at the same time, it's a great feeling to walk into a game knowing you're the defending national champion. And, you know, you have a lot of pride in that. And hopefully that helps you play better.
And I know it's been a motivator this year for our team to gradually improve as the year went on. We wanted to continue to be a good basketball program, and especially our seniors this year took that as a mission, you know, to see how good we could be by this time of year. And we've worked very hard to keep improving.
NOVAK: Coach, every time somebody walks into this gorgeous new arena -- seats almost 18,000, it's state of the art -- they're blown away. This is -- is it different playing here than at Cole Field House, which was kind of developed into a classic college pit where it was very hard for visiting teams?
WILLIAMS: It's different. I don't think there's any doubt about it. It takes awhile for an arena to get its own identity. I think with the crowd coming in here, as opposed to Cole, when you went into Cole, seemed like everybody had their sleeves rolled up. It was always going to be hot, didn't matter what it was like outside, and you were ready, I mean, if the fans were ready for a game.
Here, they command, you know, they see, they walk through the concourses, they see the nice exhibits. You know, it's, like, kind of like a great place for the whole campus. And then you come in here into the basketball part, and it is a great arena.
And we'll establish our own tradition here, you know, as time goes by. But you have to have some big games here, I think, for that to happen. And I think our crowd got used to how it looks, how it feels to be here. And that takes time. That just doesn't happen the first day you move in. It's like moving into a new house. It takes awhile to get comfortable, as opposed to the old house.
NOVAK: Coach, you've been coaching college basketball since 1969, when you had the coach of the Maryland freshman team. You were just right out of college yourself, and you'd played for Maryland. That long period of time, how have the young men changed from what they were when you first knew them?
WILLIAMS: Well, I think they're -- they've changed in terms of, they're not as broad with their interests as they used to be. Basketball's become such a specialist-type game that they put all their time and efforts into basketball. You get very few players now that were multisports stars coming out of high school.
I think it hurts some guys, because they don't have the hand-eye coordination, maybe, from baseball or football or whatever. And so I think that part's changed.
And then the other part is, is the NBA influence on the college game. Really, when I played in the '60s and even into the '70s, there was very little influence from the NBA. But now most players, to play at an ACC level, come in with the idea that if they have a good career, they might have a shot at the NBA. So they make a lot of their decisions based on how that's going to affect them three, four years from now. And it's not always a good thing.
NOVAK: Coach, in the interests of full disclosure, I am a passionate Maryland basketball fan.
WILLIAMS: I know that.
NOVAK: You were kind enough to give me a championship ring from last year. And I was at your great game last Sunday night at Raleigh, North Carolina. You won on a last-second shot, tremendous game. I sat in front of some North Carolina State (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, I'm not -- I don't get to hear the Maryland students very much, but these North Carolina students, they were just -- their language was so abusive, so juvenile, so filthy. Is that a change for the worse in college basketball.
WILLIAMS: It is. I -- you know, the freedom of speech that, you know, we all cherish is important. But there's a fine line there where you become almost inciting-a-riot-type situation, which you can't do. And, you know, we've been guilty of it here. You know, other places besides NC State we've heard it.
And it's got to stop. You know, college students do not have the right to do that at games, because there's a lot of kids there, there's a lot of women sitting in the same area. And it just shouldn't work that way.
NOVAK: And now the big question for Gary Williams, head basketball coach, University of Maryland.
Coach Williams, there is a -- these student athletes really have a tough life. They play a very rigorous schedule. And yet they have to go to school at the same time. There has been repeated proposals that maybe they should be given some kind of cash stipend, maybe just expense money. What do you think of that?
WILLIAMS: When I was in school -- I played from '64 to '67 -- we received $15 a month cash as part of the NCAA basketball scholarship. Say that would be around $100 today. And it would just give some of these players who don't have any money -- in other words, they get a scholarship, but that doesn't put any money in their pocket -- a chance to be like the rest of the college students.
And I'd be all for it. I really think, especially with the money that's generated nowadays from major college basketball, that there would be nothing wrong with that.
And I'd like to take that a step further. And they have set up some emergency funds for travel, somebody in the family dies or whatever, but just to give a kid a little bit of a clothing allowance, where not necessarily give them cash, but let them get a nice coat. You know, you get a guy from Florida that doesn't have any money, it gets pretty cold up here in the wintertime. And they don't always have the right coat.
So, you know, hopefully that will be looked at as changes are made in college athletics.
NOVAK: What other changes would you like to see made in basketball?
WILLIAMS: I'd like to see players have a window of five years to play. In other words, the average college student goes to school for 4.8 years now to get a degree. Forget athletics. So I'd like to have five years of eligibility. And that would keep that kid in that might go to Europe and play right after his senior year instead of coming back and get his degree.
I think you'd have a lot more people getting their degrees if you had a five-year eligibility period.
NOVAK: Coach Gary Williams, congratulations on another terrific year.
WILLIAMS: Thanks, Bob.
NOVAK: The best is yet to come, I think.
WILLIAMS: We hope so.
NOVAK: And thank you for being in "The Novak Zone."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
