Not sure how you came to the conclusion that he improved men's basketball, they just missed the postseason for the second time in two years. I like to think the team under Turgeon is heading in the right direction, but the jury is still very much out on him. And by the same measure, if Edsall can turn it around, he'll look pretty good, although I'm not so optimistic on that front.
I think that people understand that Turgeon was working with a relatively bare cupboard this year (at least, as compared to years past), so people gave him a pass for missing the postseason. With everything coming in, most believe that Turgeon was the correct choice as coach, and that basketball is clearly looking up. At this point. If Turgeon winds up sucking (which I don't think he will), then obviously that comment changes in a big way. But still, at this point in time, KA's selection there has people believing that basketball is going in the right direction. Hence my comment that he improved men's hoops.
Likewise, if Edsall turns it around this year, KA hiring him looks a lot better than it does now. However, at this point in time, I would argue that KA looks bad for hiring Edsall.
I agree with his legacy including sports being eliminated since he was the one in charge when that happened, but doesn't that fall more to Yow? She oversaw the football renovations, where there hasn't been nearly the interest there was early in Fridge's tenure AND men's basketball went from all sellouts in ACC games to a handful a year(GW deserves blame with that as well). And I'm not even as harsh on Yow as most, after all plenty of sports prospered during her tenure, I just think she mismanged some things and could've had better relationships with her two top coaches (GW and Fridge).
Ultimately, KA cut the sports. Yow didn't. That falls on KA. Not saying it's fair, but that blood is on his hands, so to speak.
As I said then, every D-1 BCS school is choosing football since that's where the $$$ is. And that's what KA is trying to do that with the "good to great." I'm no KA fan, but clearly he empathized with that statement, he wanted football to be just as good if not better than basketball. So if Maryland is "choosing" under KA's watch atleast, they are choosing football IMO.
Sure, everyone wants football to be good. I get that. The problem is football is a big expense/big reward kinda sport. So, if you choose football, it is ultimately being done at the expense of other sports, including basketball.
Football at Maryland has traditionally been a money loser. For many years, basketball was the only thing bringing money into the athletic department. So, at some point, they decided to emphasize basketball and see what happened with football. During the 2000s, this changed somewhat, but basketball was still the more recognized program, so they continued to emphasize it a bit more than football (although the disparity shrank).
Personally, I think they are still choosing basketball over football. Evidence of this can be seen in who was hired for each of the vacancies. Basketball got a guy who was a nationally well reputed coach. Football got a guy who, wasn't as reputed as the guy they hired for basketball, even though there was a guy out there that a lot of people thought was a much better option.
Don't get me wrong, I think football can be good on a regular basis at UM. I just question if they are ready, willing, and able (mostly willing and able) to put the money forth to make it be good on a regular basis.
Perception is reality.