This one, I can answer -- during the 1999 ACC Tournament in Charlotte, I had a seat just a couple of rows behind the Maryland bench. That was supposed to be a great Maryland team -- with Steve Francis, Laron Profit and Lonny Baxter (Juan Dixon came off the bench). They finished second to unbeaten Duke in the ACC, but they were struggling in the semifinals against a much weaker UNC team (the worst team, in fact that Guthridge coached -- the one that lost to Weber State a week later).
Gary spent almost the entire second half ranting and raving. He wasn't just talking to the guys on the bench, but to us fans in the lower rows. Stuff like:
"How can that $^^%$ play basketball for half his life and not know how to (*&^$#$ block out!"
At one point he started screaming at his sports information director, who was one of the official scorers -- not for a screwup at the scorer's table, but because the team was playing so lousy -- and it sure sounded like Gary thought it was his fault the Terps were getting beat.
It was quite a show, the highlight coming with Brian Bersticker hit a crucial basket for Carolina ... Gary spun around and stared right at the guy next to me and screamed, "Brian Bersticker ... Brian *&^$ Bersticker ... Brian ^*^$ *&$# Bersticker ... Brian %$#@& *&^%& %$#@ Bersticker??!!"
I didn't know Bersticker had so many colorful middle names.
PS I think Vitale's condemnation of Sampson is a sign that the Indiana coach is dead meat. You're right that Dickie V will go to the ends of the earth to defend a coach. The only other time I can recall Vitale ripping a coach was when he went after Jim Harrick at Georgia.
Gary Williams appeared -- even more than he normally does -- as if he would suffer a stroke on the sideline.