No, this Sun Devil did not go to the dark side. I did watch a lot of March Madness though and I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and Arizona Wildcat Head Basketball Coach Sean Miller deserves a lot of credit. Not for getting to the Sweet 16 though. Some even believe U of A came up short this year in that department. My compliments have nothing to do with his team or even his coaching. I believe Miller deserves credit because in my professional world of media training and messaging coaching, Miller is the best. He is messaging perfection and a great soundbite. I’m not sure if Miller is just a natural communicator or if he received some really good coaching, but either way, the guy is good.

Don’t believe me? Check out his post-game interview following Arizona’s loss this year to Xavier:

Sean Miller Post Game Interview

First, this is not an easy task. The last thing any coach wants to do following a season ending loss is talk to the media. For many head coaches, this is also an emotional time, as he or she will never coach their graduating players again, With all of that said, Miller manned up to the microphone and delivered a text book post-game interview. I’m referring specifically to his remarks beginning at :42 into the video. Miller is humble and gracious. He credits his opponent and points out their strengths, while also admitting he made mistakes. He calls the opposing coach “awesome” and all the while, Miller does it in a style which is very human and real. His messaging technique is also unique. He is not the most dynamic speaker you will find but he has a strong command of his messages and where he wants to go. He is thoughtful and does not answer a question immediately- you can almost see the wheels spinning as he forms his messages internally before delivering. He speaks carefully and deliberately, but not too slow to cause the audience to become bored. His pacing is just right.

Sean Miller has been a head coach for a long time and clearly his experience and interview reps have paid off. Miller is a master when it comes to messaging and should serve as an example to all coaches in the spotlight.

I’m done. Go Devils!