Oct. 17, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Gary Williams, coach of the University of Maryland program that begins defense of its national title with the start of practice Saturday, easily recalls the first time he experienced the same type of anticipation prior to a season. It was the fall of 1969 and he was the 24-year-old, first-year junior varsity coach at Wilson High in Camden, N.J.

It was his introduction to the world of head-coaching responsibilities.

And, be it while leading a bunch of 15-year-olds dreaming of one day playing on the varsity, or leading a team into the an NCAA championship game in Atlanta with 53,000 in attendance and a worldwide TV audience watching, coaching is coaching.

"This," he said, the day before the 2002-03 version of the Terrapins held their version of Midnight Madness in the school's brand-spanking new Comcast Center, "is my favorite time of the year."

Read the entire article by FOXSports.com college basketball correspondent Frank Burlison.