The Arizona fan base was less than 48 hours removed from the anxiety and stress of Sean Miller's dalliance with Maryland when the third-year Wildcats coach began the process of assuaging any lingering concerns.
Miller spoke to reporters at a news conference on Monday, insisting that the contract extension he agreed to with Arizona on Saturday night is a sign he'll be "here for the long haul." He also addressed misconceptions that have emerged that his wife isn't happy in Tucson, that he and Byrne don't have a good relationship and that he's eager to move back to the East Coast.
"(The Maryland job) was opportunity that I really felt in the best interests of our own family and myself I had to at least pause and consider," Miller said.
"Nobody's happier to be a head coach at any place in the country than I am here at the University of Arizona.� if the deeper meaning of this weekend is that I'm here for the long haul, unconditionally, then that's what that means. I am. I'm excited to be here, and I believe we can do some magical things."
The fear that Miller might accept the Maryland job was so fervent among Arizona fans because of how great a setback it would be to a Wildcats program just beginning to emerge from a period of coaching turmoil and uncertainty. Under Miller, Arizona reached the Elite Eight last season and has signed a highly touted recruiting class for next year.
The consensus among the national media was that Miller was likely to accept the Maryland job because he's a lifelong East Coast resident with ties to the Washington D.C. area and to the ACC. There were also reports that Miller hadn't received the raise or charter flights for the team he was expecting from athletic director Greg Byrne, a storyline the Arizona coach did his best to quash on Monday.
"Greg Byrne and I have a tremendous relationship," Miller said. We have from the moment he got here. He's been a breath of fresh air, not only for me, but I believe for the entire athletic department. I don't think there's a more hard-working, high-energy, somebody who really gets what college sports is today, than him.
"The athletic department and his team, and Greg have done everything that we need to be successful and we continue to look and say, `how can we be better?' This weekend didn't change that in any way. This weekend wasn't about, in my mind, leverage. We've had talks all the way from the time he was hired all the way through this weekend."
There also had been speculation that Miller's wife, Amy, and his family wanted to move back East, where they lived until the coach left Xavier to come to Arizona in 2009. Miller shot down that theory as well, insisting that his sons would be "crushed" to leave Arizona and his wife "loves Tucson" as well.
"Just so you know, one of the big reasons we are here today is because of her," Miller said. "Not just when we left Cincinnati, but in the fact that we're here today on Monday.
"If Greg Byrne and my wife took a hit because of me, shame on me, because that's the furthest thing from the truth. The fact that that's over with right now, and I'm looking at all of you, it's almost embarrassing. I want to coach our program, and deal with our team, and the future here is very bright."
Alice Dodd Kate Walsh Autumn Reeser Camilla Belle Blu Cantrell
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