Arizona coach Sean Miller denies Pitt reports
By Nick Tylwalk
Pitt’s men’s basketball job is vacant since Jamie Dixon decided to head to TCU, but Arizona’s Sean Miller says he’s not taking it.
Want a great example of why sports news stories are great in the social media era? Reports emerged just yesterday that Arizona men’s basketball Sean Millr would not be interested in taking the job at Pittsburgh, where he played his college ball. Then today, this, from Rich Walsh of Pittsburgh TV station KDKA:
One problem: People in Arizona insisted that Miller was not in Pittsburgh at all. That’s kind of an important element to the story.
The coach himself ended up weighing in, putting at least a temporary end to the speculation:
So that’s that — for now. Walsh later tweeted that he had made not claimed Miller took the job, only that it was offered. That’s technically correct, but the “Miller is in town now” thing is what has earned Walsh the holy wrath of Twitter. Helpful reporters also provided photographic evidence of Miller’s whereabouts:
Much of the fascination with the story has centered around the idea that Pitt is considered by most hoops observers to be a step down from Arizona, a perennial basketball power that plays in a much weaker conference (sorry Pac-12, but it’s true for this season for sure). However the allure of an alma mater can be powerful, as evidenced by Dixon departing to open up the Pitt gig in the first place.
Fortunately, Twitter will no doubt be Johnny on the spot, tracking any flights from Tucson to Pittsburgh and scrutinizing them carefully. You know, just in case.