Sean Miller changed from business attire and pulled a red Wildcat basketball shirt over his head Thursday afternoon. For the next 5 minutes and 19 seconds, there had never been anything like it in the history of Tucson sports.
In the most dramatic moment of Arizona's basketball season, the Wildcats won The Big One eight hours before Thursday's game against Stanford.
What is bigger than Miller insisting he has "done nothing wrong?''
It goes beyond any victory in the Pac-12 Tournament.
What tops Miller declaring he will coach the Wildcats again, fighting back against those who suggested he cheated while recruiting?
"I'm sickened we're in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons,'' he said.
Miller walked into a hushed media room Thursday at McKale Center and in a solemn tone ended the uncertainty — will he stay or will he go? Almost instantly, the man in red reading from a prepared script ended six days of anxious uncertainty.
He was dynamic, he was resolute and he was explicit.
In an emphatic and sobering 5:19, Miller railed against those who suggested he has stepped outside the bounds of NCAA rules. He said everything but "in your face.''
Accompanied by his attorney, Miller left the room without taking questions.
The only thing missing was the pep band playing "Bear Down, Arizona'' and Arizona president Robert C. Robbins declaring that Miller will remain at the school far beyond the NCAA Tournament and someday deliver the Wildcats to the Final Four.
That was the only thing missing.
Barely 12 hours after the calendar flipped to March, Miller stepped into the madness and assured the university that he is their man. He didn't say "now and forever,'' but those are questions and topics for another day.
