Tough loss last night. Wake is good. Maryland almost had them but the shots stopped falling for Greivis and Hayes, never fell for Milbourne, and one electric night for Dave Neal wasn't enough. On to UVa Sunday afternoon with a chance to get back to .500 in the ACC. I think Maryland needs three wins to get in, Sunday at UVa, then 2 in the ACC tournament, including one over a ranked team. Short of that, it's not happening.
GA
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
There Will be Blogging
We are live from Comcast Center tonight Terps Nation. As noted earlier, I was the fill-in host for the pre-pre-game show and will later host the post post game show. Always fun to swoop into the press center on occassion, some early observations:
Subway is tonight's game sponsor, hence the 6" turkey sub I enjoyed as part of a box dinner, complemented by a side of Utz and a large, crunchy chocolate chip cookie.
Very nice moment before the game honoring Mayrland senior Dave Neal where his whole family came on the court and he received a framed jersey. You can tell this guys' teammates love hm.
We've got a "Dave Neall, clap clap, Dave Neal clap clap chant going people.
Dave Neal signs seen:
"Dirty Dave"
"I crave Dave"
35 on the court, #1 in my heart
We love you Dave
In case you were wondering, I plan to file a series of stram of consciousness obvservations as this game goes on.
So I hosted the pre-game show and was going to bring on my friend Jeremy, who runs the very popular Turtle Soup website, where you can find Maryland fans (forgive me) twittering on about everything in that night's game in real time. Jeremy lives in Chicago. He was very excited about the potential guest slot. But when I got to the arena, I was told by my producer that since Subway is tonight's game sponsor and Jared is here at the Comcast Center, I would be doing a segment or two (of the five, 3 -minute segments I get) with Jared. Oh... Kay. So I call Jeremy and tell him the news, which he found more entertaining than actually going on the air... and then Jared bailed! Decided he was too tired from his meet and greet with Maryland VIPs to go on. Let's add "stood up by Jared" to my on-air resume.
Where are we? OK, let me set the scene for you. there's about 3 minutes left in pre-game and the teams are just shooting around. Gary is about to walk out on the court, the cheerleaders are lined up in the runway and here he comes:
Gary gives the big fist pump AND THE CROWD GOES WILD
This is going to be fun.
We have now reached lineup introductions and I would say the place is 85-90 percent full. Exactly how late do you need to start a college basketball game to get this crowd to show up on time?
The guy next to me is drinking Pepsi out of a can a little too close to my new Macbook for comfort.
Dave Neal just got introduced. I'm kinda bummed I can't cheer right now. I guess I could.
Wake's size is going to be a problem.
Terps wearing gold unis again tonight; haven't played poorly in them yet.
Chippy foul called on Dave Neal 2 minutes into the game, his second. Hello Dino.
We have reached a point where it's "greivis, do whatever you need to do." 10-9 Wake, 16:13 to play in the first half.
Braxton Dupree has now been on the floor for more than five minutes, does Gary owe him money?
Note to Wake: we are not about to be destroyed by Chas McFarland, OK? Not going to happen.
I don't know if Greivis has yet reached the unconcsoiuc Juan Dixon in 2002 status, but he is definitely in "Walt Williams in 1992" territory.
When has Wake basketball not been counterfeit?
Jared from Subway is now doing a Subway promo on the court. Five dollar footlongs. Go away Jared.
Dave Neal is back at 2:02, that was a 15 minute rest. Md keeps turning the ball over , it's 27-22, was 27-16, not a high scoring affair people.
Wake trapping zone giving Md problems but they finally break the drought, 29-24 on a mosley layup from GV.
I keep fighting the impulse to clap.
Huge 3 and even bigger smile from Dave Neal at the half. Have I mentioned I love that guy?
Subway is tonight's game sponsor, hence the 6" turkey sub I enjoyed as part of a box dinner, complemented by a side of Utz and a large, crunchy chocolate chip cookie.
Very nice moment before the game honoring Mayrland senior Dave Neal where his whole family came on the court and he received a framed jersey. You can tell this guys' teammates love hm.
We've got a "Dave Neall, clap clap, Dave Neal clap clap chant going people.
Dave Neal signs seen:
"Dirty Dave"
"I crave Dave"
35 on the court, #1 in my heart
We love you Dave
In case you were wondering, I plan to file a series of stram of consciousness obvservations as this game goes on.
So I hosted the pre-game show and was going to bring on my friend Jeremy, who runs the very popular Turtle Soup website, where you can find Maryland fans (forgive me) twittering on about everything in that night's game in real time. Jeremy lives in Chicago. He was very excited about the potential guest slot. But when I got to the arena, I was told by my producer that since Subway is tonight's game sponsor and Jared is here at the Comcast Center, I would be doing a segment or two (of the five, 3 -minute segments I get) with Jared. Oh... Kay. So I call Jeremy and tell him the news, which he found more entertaining than actually going on the air... and then Jared bailed! Decided he was too tired from his meet and greet with Maryland VIPs to go on. Let's add "stood up by Jared" to my on-air resume.
Where are we? OK, let me set the scene for you. there's about 3 minutes left in pre-game and the teams are just shooting around. Gary is about to walk out on the court, the cheerleaders are lined up in the runway and here he comes:
Gary gives the big fist pump AND THE CROWD GOES WILD
This is going to be fun.
We have now reached lineup introductions and I would say the place is 85-90 percent full. Exactly how late do you need to start a college basketball game to get this crowd to show up on time?
The guy next to me is drinking Pepsi out of a can a little too close to my new Macbook for comfort.
Dave Neal just got introduced. I'm kinda bummed I can't cheer right now. I guess I could.
Wake's size is going to be a problem.
Terps wearing gold unis again tonight; haven't played poorly in them yet.
Chippy foul called on Dave Neal 2 minutes into the game, his second. Hello Dino.
We have reached a point where it's "greivis, do whatever you need to do." 10-9 Wake, 16:13 to play in the first half.
Braxton Dupree has now been on the floor for more than five minutes, does Gary owe him money?
Note to Wake: we are not about to be destroyed by Chas McFarland, OK? Not going to happen.
I don't know if Greivis has yet reached the unconcsoiuc Juan Dixon in 2002 status, but he is definitely in "Walt Williams in 1992" territory.
When has Wake basketball not been counterfeit?
Jared from Subway is now doing a Subway promo on the court. Five dollar footlongs. Go away Jared.
Dave Neal is back at 2:02, that was a 15 minute rest. Md keeps turning the ball over , it's 27-22, was 27-16, not a high scoring affair people.
Wake trapping zone giving Md problems but they finally break the drought, 29-24 on a mosley layup from GV.
I keep fighting the impulse to clap.
Huge 3 and even bigger smile from Dave Neal at the half. Have I mentioned I love that guy?
Breaking News - I'm hosting Maryland pre and post-game tonight
Just got a call from Terrapin Sports Radio network; yours truly is pinch hitting for the regular pre- and post Johnny Holliday Terps radio coverage tonight.
So we'll break it down, Md. vs. Wake at 8 p.m. for a half hour before turning things over to Johnny and Chris. Then about half hour after the game ends, I'll be back on to take calls.
So please tune in, call, oh yeah.
GA
(feeling a bit rusty)
So we'll break it down, Md. vs. Wake at 8 p.m. for a half hour before turning things over to Johnny and Chris. Then about half hour after the game ends, I'll be back on to take calls.
So please tune in, call, oh yeah.
GA
(feeling a bit rusty)
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Solid W over the Wolfpack, this Might Just Happen
Drink it in. That's the refreshing taste of a satisfying road win in the ACC. Just feels refreshing, doesn't it?
GREAT win at N.C. State Sunday night on the back of a vintage Good Greivis performance. How does 33 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and one turnover sound? Pretty good? You gotta give it to Grevis, when he is good, he is real good and can carry a team on his back like no one in a Terps uniform since a guy who wore #3, people. You know who I'm talking about. The guy currently riding the pine on the Wizards, which is a travesty for discussion on another day.
But I digress ... At 7-7 in the ACC with two challenging but winnable games left on the docket -- home vs. Wake and at UVa -- Maryland might just do it. And wouldn't that feel good Turtle fans? My thought is they have to win both and go 9-7 in the league, 20-10 overall to nail down a bid. If they go 1-1, I think Maryland has got to win at least one ACC tournament game, and even then they're not a shoe-in. But go 9-7 in the ACC and Maryland can't be ignored.
Here then, are a series of thoughts and observations following Sunday night's 71-60 win:
If there is a Dave Neal fan club, I would like to join it and if there is not, I would like to be president, so long as being president of the Dave Neal fan club does not require any actual commitment of time. I got lots of man love for Dave Neal. I mean this is a guy whose career in College Park could easily have been made up of a series of Mike Grinnon-like mop-up minute appearances.
But here is the beefy, lovable Neal in his senior year, playing big minutes and making big shots on a team that might just sneak into the tournament. Remember that Gary started the year starting Braxton Dupree at the center and probably hoped to use Neal for 10-15 minute a game, if that. But as the season evolved, it's been Neal who has seized the starter's role and given Maryland a consistent and, dare I say it, entertaining boost. What's better, I ask you, than watching DN pull up for a 3-point set shot and knock it down? Or take a pounding in the lane and get up off the deck full of red-faced intensity? Love that guy.
I'm liking the rotation that Gary has finally settled on -- starting Greivis at the point with the ball in his hands as much as possible (not the 2 or 3), Bowie at the two, Mosley at the 3, Milbourne at the 4, and Neal at the 5. Then at the 15-minute mark, Eric Hayes checks in and plays 30-35 minutes the rest of the way at point and 2-guard. Hayes has been very solid the last few weeks. Confident and clutch. The other rotation guys are Cliff Tucker on the wing, Dino Gregory up front, and Braxton Dupree buried on the bench.
We know Maryland can win at UVa next Sunday night, but can they beat Wake Tuesday night? Well, it won't be easy but it's not exactly impossible either. Wake is a solid 22-5, but before winning at UVa Saturday (70-60) they had lost their last four ACC road games, including Ls at Ga. Tech, Miami, N.C. State and Duke. So there you go, they ain't all that on the road.
After its three-part rectal examination of a series into the state of Maryland basketball last month, the Washington Post saw fit Sunday to run yet another enterprise story about Gary's program, this time with a focus on the recruitment of NY hoops hotshot, Lance Stephenson. Apparently Stephenson is being recruited not just by Maryland, but also by Under Armour, to potentially wear their moisture-wicking basketball shoes if he makes it to the NBA and they make basketball shoes.
Now, Under Armour is the official provider of athletic gear for Maryland teams, and founder Kevin Plank is on the university's Board of Trustees, so the Post went a diggin, and as far as I can tell, didn't find anything too scathing. Here's a link to the story, which I didn't read because I didn't feel like reading another 2500 words about the gross underbelly of college basketball, because it makes me not want to watch the games, and I really wanted to watch Maryland-N.C. State on Sunday night.
Before Kevin Plank named Under Armour, Under Armour, do you think he considered: "Polyester. Who knew?"
I really think Maryland will win its next two games and go to the tournament. We're doomed.
GREAT win at N.C. State Sunday night on the back of a vintage Good Greivis performance. How does 33 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and one turnover sound? Pretty good? You gotta give it to Grevis, when he is good, he is real good and can carry a team on his back like no one in a Terps uniform since a guy who wore #3, people. You know who I'm talking about. The guy currently riding the pine on the Wizards, which is a travesty for discussion on another day.
But I digress ... At 7-7 in the ACC with two challenging but winnable games left on the docket -- home vs. Wake and at UVa -- Maryland might just do it. And wouldn't that feel good Turtle fans? My thought is they have to win both and go 9-7 in the league, 20-10 overall to nail down a bid. If they go 1-1, I think Maryland has got to win at least one ACC tournament game, and even then they're not a shoe-in. But go 9-7 in the ACC and Maryland can't be ignored.
Here then, are a series of thoughts and observations following Sunday night's 71-60 win:
If there is a Dave Neal fan club, I would like to join it and if there is not, I would like to be president, so long as being president of the Dave Neal fan club does not require any actual commitment of time. I got lots of man love for Dave Neal. I mean this is a guy whose career in College Park could easily have been made up of a series of Mike Grinnon-like mop-up minute appearances.
But here is the beefy, lovable Neal in his senior year, playing big minutes and making big shots on a team that might just sneak into the tournament. Remember that Gary started the year starting Braxton Dupree at the center and probably hoped to use Neal for 10-15 minute a game, if that. But as the season evolved, it's been Neal who has seized the starter's role and given Maryland a consistent and, dare I say it, entertaining boost. What's better, I ask you, than watching DN pull up for a 3-point set shot and knock it down? Or take a pounding in the lane and get up off the deck full of red-faced intensity? Love that guy.
I'm liking the rotation that Gary has finally settled on -- starting Greivis at the point with the ball in his hands as much as possible (not the 2 or 3), Bowie at the two, Mosley at the 3, Milbourne at the 4, and Neal at the 5. Then at the 15-minute mark, Eric Hayes checks in and plays 30-35 minutes the rest of the way at point and 2-guard. Hayes has been very solid the last few weeks. Confident and clutch. The other rotation guys are Cliff Tucker on the wing, Dino Gregory up front, and Braxton Dupree buried on the bench.
We know Maryland can win at UVa next Sunday night, but can they beat Wake Tuesday night? Well, it won't be easy but it's not exactly impossible either. Wake is a solid 22-5, but before winning at UVa Saturday (70-60) they had lost their last four ACC road games, including Ls at Ga. Tech, Miami, N.C. State and Duke. So there you go, they ain't all that on the road.
After its three-part rectal examination of a series into the state of Maryland basketball last month, the Washington Post saw fit Sunday to run yet another enterprise story about Gary's program, this time with a focus on the recruitment of NY hoops hotshot, Lance Stephenson. Apparently Stephenson is being recruited not just by Maryland, but also by Under Armour, to potentially wear their moisture-wicking basketball shoes if he makes it to the NBA and they make basketball shoes.
Now, Under Armour is the official provider of athletic gear for Maryland teams, and founder Kevin Plank is on the university's Board of Trustees, so the Post went a diggin, and as far as I can tell, didn't find anything too scathing. Here's a link to the story, which I didn't read because I didn't feel like reading another 2500 words about the gross underbelly of college basketball, because it makes me not want to watch the games, and I really wanted to watch Maryland-N.C. State on Sunday night.
Before Kevin Plank named Under Armour, Under Armour, do you think he considered: "Polyester. Who knew?"
I really think Maryland will win its next two games and go to the tournament. We're doomed.
Gary Williams and the Talking Points - When is Enough Mediocrity Enough?
On Friday, The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon filed a column that presented the key talking points in support of Gary Williams:
Remind me, one more time, of how many national championships Maryland had won before Williams arrived? Remind me, one more time, how many Final Four trips Maryland had made before Williams arrived? Remind me, please, of who left a comfortable job with a perennial 20-win team at Ohio State to come bail out his alma mater, whose program was about to receive sanctions just short of the death penalty. Maybe their memories are short; mine isn't. Maryland basketball after Len Bias's death was on life-support. It was nothing.
These are bullet points A, B, and C in defense of Gary Williams: he brought the program back from the brink, he took the program to 2 Final Fours, he won a national championship.
And while I agree that these accomplishments have earned Gary the full respect and appreciation of Terps fans forever, I do not agree that they grant him a free pass forever.
Here's my gripe. And it's not a "fire Gary" kind of a gripe, but it's a "c'mon Gary, at least acknowledge that this isn't good enough," gripe.
Here it is: The Terps have not been a nationally relevant, week-in, week-out top 25 college basketball program since the 2002-2003 season. That's six seasons.
The Terps went on a great late-season run in 06-07, when D.J. Strawberry and company ran the table from 3-6 to 10-6 in the ACC to get back in the top 25 and earn a 5 seed in the tournament. But other than that run, and the John Gilchrist-led blitz in 2004 to win the ACC tournament, Maryland fans have watched rather average squads for a long period of time.
Whenever Gary is questioned about his recent record, or his recruiting, he falls back on the talking points: I brought this program back, I went to 2 Final Fours, I won a national championship. He's right, and no one can ever take those accomplishments away.
But that said, isn't it absurd that James Gist went to one NCAA tournament?
Gary always says, "judge me by my record. I stand by my record."
Here are the ACC records since 02-03: 7-9, 7-9, 8-8, 10-6, 8-8, and so far this year, 7-7. During that periond, Maryland has two NCAA tournament appearances and two wins.
The conference record comes out to exactly .500 for past six seasons time period, which isn't horrible, but at least a rung or two below the top tier in the ACC, which is where we want to be.
And here's one more point I never see anyone make: If it were not Gary, don't you think it would have been someone else?
What I mean to say is that had Gary Williams not "saved" Maryland basketball following Bias' death and the sanctions brought on the school in the wake of the Bob Wade era, don't you think Maryland basketball would have recovered eventually? Now, we may never have won a national championship -- and that's a BIG mark in Gary's favor -- but Maryland basketball was not going to stay down forever.
Before Gary Williams arrived in College Parks, fellas who wore the jersey included Buck Williams, Albert King, Len Bias, Len Elmore, Adrian Branch, Mo Howard, Ben Coleman, John Lucas, Brad Davis ... the list goes on. Maryland is, after all, a basketball school.
My point is not that Gary Williams does not deserve our respect and appreciation for everything he's done for Maryland basketball. But I am saying he is not above thoughtful criticism; and those who point to the 3 talking points (saved the program, went to 2 final fours, won a championship) in his defense, are relying on data that's now seven seasons old.
No matter what happens on the court this season, I don't see the university making a change anytime soon, and I personally don't want one.
I like Gary a lot as a coach and motivator and would like to see him get back on top. To be sure, the man has endured an avalanche of criticism this season, much of it justified. And as that has gone on, his troops have responded, playing their best ball of the season when it matters.
I guess the toughest part is drawing some sort of a line: how many 7-9 and 8-8 seasons and embarrassing losses to subpar teams warrant a change at the top? For everyone who loves Maryland basketball, I hope we never have to find out.
Remind me, one more time, of how many national championships Maryland had won before Williams arrived? Remind me, one more time, how many Final Four trips Maryland had made before Williams arrived? Remind me, please, of who left a comfortable job with a perennial 20-win team at Ohio State to come bail out his alma mater, whose program was about to receive sanctions just short of the death penalty. Maybe their memories are short; mine isn't. Maryland basketball after Len Bias's death was on life-support. It was nothing.
These are bullet points A, B, and C in defense of Gary Williams: he brought the program back from the brink, he took the program to 2 Final Fours, he won a national championship.
And while I agree that these accomplishments have earned Gary the full respect and appreciation of Terps fans forever, I do not agree that they grant him a free pass forever.
Here's my gripe. And it's not a "fire Gary" kind of a gripe, but it's a "c'mon Gary, at least acknowledge that this isn't good enough," gripe.
Here it is: The Terps have not been a nationally relevant, week-in, week-out top 25 college basketball program since the 2002-2003 season. That's six seasons.
The Terps went on a great late-season run in 06-07, when D.J. Strawberry and company ran the table from 3-6 to 10-6 in the ACC to get back in the top 25 and earn a 5 seed in the tournament. But other than that run, and the John Gilchrist-led blitz in 2004 to win the ACC tournament, Maryland fans have watched rather average squads for a long period of time.
Whenever Gary is questioned about his recent record, or his recruiting, he falls back on the talking points: I brought this program back, I went to 2 Final Fours, I won a national championship. He's right, and no one can ever take those accomplishments away.
But that said, isn't it absurd that James Gist went to one NCAA tournament?
Gary always says, "judge me by my record. I stand by my record."
Here are the ACC records since 02-03: 7-9, 7-9, 8-8, 10-6, 8-8, and so far this year, 7-7. During that periond, Maryland has two NCAA tournament appearances and two wins.
The conference record comes out to exactly .500 for past six seasons time period, which isn't horrible, but at least a rung or two below the top tier in the ACC, which is where we want to be.
And here's one more point I never see anyone make: If it were not Gary, don't you think it would have been someone else?
What I mean to say is that had Gary Williams not "saved" Maryland basketball following Bias' death and the sanctions brought on the school in the wake of the Bob Wade era, don't you think Maryland basketball would have recovered eventually? Now, we may never have won a national championship -- and that's a BIG mark in Gary's favor -- but Maryland basketball was not going to stay down forever.
Before Gary Williams arrived in College Parks, fellas who wore the jersey included Buck Williams, Albert King, Len Bias, Len Elmore, Adrian Branch, Mo Howard, Ben Coleman, John Lucas, Brad Davis ... the list goes on. Maryland is, after all, a basketball school.
My point is not that Gary Williams does not deserve our respect and appreciation for everything he's done for Maryland basketball. But I am saying he is not above thoughtful criticism; and those who point to the 3 talking points (saved the program, went to 2 final fours, won a championship) in his defense, are relying on data that's now seven seasons old.
No matter what happens on the court this season, I don't see the university making a change anytime soon, and I personally don't want one.
I like Gary a lot as a coach and motivator and would like to see him get back on top. To be sure, the man has endured an avalanche of criticism this season, much of it justified. And as that has gone on, his troops have responded, playing their best ball of the season when it matters.
I guess the toughest part is drawing some sort of a line: how many 7-9 and 8-8 seasons and embarrassing losses to subpar teams warrant a change at the top? For everyone who loves Maryland basketball, I hope we never have to find out.
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