When Fran Dunphy made his first appearance as the new basketball coach at Temple, he said it was like getting divorced from his old family at Penn.
A new man is marrying into the Quakers family this afternoon, and only time will tell how he will fit in with his new in-laws.
Glen Miller will be the new head of the Palestra household. With that comes more responsibility and greater expectations than anything the ex-Brown coach experienced in his former jobs.
Miller has proven to some extent that he can be successful. He led a 28-1 season at Division III Connecticut College and posted one of the better stretches in the history of Brown basketball -- for what that's worth.
But Penn is in a different league. And there is more to being the basketball coach here than Xs and Os.
It begs the question of what kind of family man Miller will be.
Over the past several years when his teams have met Penn on the court, Miller hasn't exactly sent the message that he would fit in on the other sideline. He's been brash and outlandish at times, a great departure from Dunphy, who we have come to know as a mountain of respect.
Many Penn fans remember Miller's 2003 tirade at the Palestra when he tore into the referees after a close loss.
"We got jammed up our asses by three officials," Miller said. "It's a matter of playing five against eight the whole freakin' game."
Is that the kind of thing you want to hear from a Penn coach?
He went on:
"That's why there's such an imbalance in this goddamn league, because you can't go to Penn and Princeton and get a fair shake. Our guys outplayed them the whole freakin' game."
I would be embarrassed if that was the new image of Penn basketball. It's simply not acceptable here. Not at the Palestra. Not in Philadelphia.
These sentiments hint at Miller's temper, but also show that he's a ferocious competitor. Dunphy was that as well, but his class always came first.
The impending transition will not be easy. It would be difficult no matter who the new coach was; it's always hard to replace a member of the family who has been a fixture for 17 years.
And Penn basketball is more of a family than any other group I've encountered at this university. There are alumni and supporters who have literally attended every game for better than a decade. These people care deeply about their Quakers and will not be tolerant if their program is not in good hands.
That means more than winning.
That means coaching the team in a classy way that honors the tradition of Philadelphia Big 5 basketball.
That means reaching out to the community and setting a good example.
Dunphy did all of those things. He worked hard to build this program into what it is today, one that is greatly respected both here and across the country.
The Penn basketball family will not appreciate someone who comes in with a big ego and a list of demands.
This is not to say Miller's agenda will be so galvanized. But he is signing on knowing that he's not the most popular choice with plenty of alumni and even current players. His first duty before he unpacks his bags will be building relationships with his new city and his new family.
Miller may have a contract signed with the athletic department to be the coach, but that alone does not empower him. Only a conscientious effort to learn and to grow within the culture in place here will do that.
As he accepts this opportunity and makes his vows today, Miller will be accepting the keys to the Palestra. It's nothing like the Pizzitola Center. It's a place where egos get checked at the door because inside, each individual is just a small fragment of history.
Penn is a place that demands character, and has little patience for characters. It's in Miller's hands now to choose his path.
Jeff Shafer is a senior management and marketing concentrator from Columbia Falls, Mont., and former sports editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian. His e-mail address is jshafer@wharton.upenn.edu
