Reeling Me Back In

"And then you do something like that and.... TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF!"

Ok, it wasn't quite that impressive. We still have Gonzaga today, and a match up with either GTown or Tennessee tomorrow. But, completely changed my attitude about this Maryland team. I didn't feel good about where they were headed this year, and clearly I misspoke.

The main reason I was convinced I was going to spend the next 4 months crying myself to sleep (aside from a lack of rebounding ability and 0 depth) was an impression I got of the team at the Terps v. Cal football game in September.

On my way to get some food, I spotted some basketball players wandering around the concourse. Fittingly leading this posse around was Mr. Vasquez. There he was, leading the younger players around like the pied piper, proudly wearing his OWN JERSEY. I can understand why he felt that nobody would recognize him since we were so terrible last year, but really? Your own jersey?

They say you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have. To me, his display that day told me that he was happy with the mediocrity. Didn't exactly exude confidence.

That being said, what was great about the win over the Spartans last night was that it was less about Greivis and more about the supporting cast, which is exactly what we'll need if we want to make any noise this year. Actually running plays on offense and making the extra pass was nice to see, and I don't know if I've seen a Maryland team draw more offensive fouls than they did last night. They're playing like a team because players are finally looking like they want to force the action.

Most notably, Hayes. I had a lot of negative things to say about him after last year, and into this summer, but he's really shown me something in the first four games. 13-6-5 last night was fantastic, but even better are the things he's doing that don't show up on the score sheet. Great D, hustle, and solid off the ball play tells me maybe his trip to train with Steve Blake this summer for a week ignited the fire in him.

Bowie is somebody I was excited for last year despite some things I heard about his lack of ACC quality potential from guys that had seen him in high school. He feels like your typical role player that Gary turns into a game changer. Dude can shoot, he crashes the boards, and he is fast. Gotta feel like when Mosley gets comfortable that he and Bowie are going to be a nasty duo in the next two seasons.

Two words... Dave Neal. Three words... three point shooter. What?

I don't think that all of a sudden we've shed all our vulnerabilities. We still don't have much down low. Vasquez is still shooting 8 3s a game, and although he seems to be taking care of the ball, the numbers don't really reflect his horrific shots late in the shot clock that should count as turnovers. And as far as last night, this team is not going to shoot 42% from outside while running into teams shooting 44% from the line that often either.

All of that being said, there is significant reason for optimism. Last year at this time, we were getting waxed by UCLA and Missouri, and we looked awful. In fact, in the post-BB&T tournament era (now just one game), we really haven't done well at all in these preseason tournaments. We'll see how the rest of this tournament plays out, but you've gotta feel like we're playing with house money the rest of the way in Orlando.

The best part is that I'm excited to watch them again. Gary, I'm sorry I doubted you. Clearly this is your kind of team.

As this team came to life last night, I felt dumb, and then dumber. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to redeem myself as a Maryland basketball fan.

Go Terps.

Empty Inside...

Back in the day, before the age of conference championship games, college football fans had a tradition. If their team was playing late in the season to clinch a spot in a BCS Bowl, an object relating to that bowl would be brought in huge numbers to the field so that if the team did manage to clinch the BCS berth, so much like a bachelor party hooker they could celebrate in lewd and inappropriate ways with said object.

Although I can't find any evidence of this being any of kind of tradition in College Park (let's be honest, we haven't had that many opportunities to create one), I'm sure there's something there. Pac-10 and Big-10 (11) schools for example shower the field in a very American Beauty-esque way with roses when they lock up a berth to the Rose Bowl. God help the opposing teams when the home team locks up a berth to the Watermelon Bowl. That could be trouble.

I'm certain some folks back in 2001 brought some oranges to share with Shaun Hill (pictured... how hammered do you think he got about 2 minutes after this picture was taken? empty shotgunned beers all over the locker room I'm sure) following their 23-19 victory over NC State in Byrd. Right?

Well, now that we have a conference championship game, that apparently non-existent tradition is over. Although technically the Terps could clinch a trip to Tampa Bay for a spot in the ACC Championship, no specific bowl bid can be assured. This Saturday evening in College Park, no one will be bringing bushels of beautiful Florida Citrus. No. No one will pelt the hated Seminoles with frozen oranges as they leave Chevy Chase Bank Field. Frankly, I had to beg Berg to once again make Orange Crushes despite the freezing weather so we could hold on to a sliver of the fact that superstition still is an important part of college football fanship.

I don't know who is going to win Saturday night (let's go Wake... really need one from you guys in Winston-Salem), but a little part of me will be looking to fill the void left by something that once was...


That's what she said.

Go Terps!!!

Kirk Cobain Called...

Ok, it wasn't that bad, but really I can only think of 2 sports weeks that were more miserable than what I (and all fellow Skins, Terps, and Liverpool fans) just went though.

1. September 18-19, 2004. This one is easy. Banes hooked me up with tickets to #21 Terps v. #7 Sheepfuckers in Morgantown. I was all kinds of amped up for this game, so much so that I promised myself that I wasn't going to drink on a Friday night and drive up to WVU at the asscrack to make game time. Needless to say, particularly for those of you who knew me Junior year (or know me now... let's be honest) I got hammered drunk that night before and woke up an hour and a half before game time. Drove up averaging roughly 90 mph to make it there just after the 1st quarter.

Getting to my seat and realizing that no familiar faces were anywhere near my seat, and the natives did not appreciate my presence, "I think you're in the wrong section boy...," I knew I was in for a long day. After 5 turnovers, somehow we were still in the game. 16-16. We were headed to Overtime. It was short lived, as we settled for a field goal, and they drove. Future NFLers Chris Henry and Dominque Foxworth battled it out in the endzone. Henry came out on top. My what a difference 4 years makes. Ballgame. 19-16. Miserable 3 hour drive home.

The next day, the Skins faced off against the G-men. Two not too good teams as I recall. The Giants owner, Wellington Mara had just died. After 7 turnovers, the Skins fell like 36-0.

12 turnovers. Losses to major rivals. I was on suicide watch.

2. I don't want to even look up the date on this one, but Maryland lost to Ohio and American back to back last year. You could hear the thud of the program hitting rock bottom in Shanghai.

So, here we were Saturday morning, a little hungover from Halloween. Liverpool v. Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool alone on the top of the table. Spurs at the very bottom. 90 minutes later, after a dominating performance and two shots off the post... Spurs 2, 'Pool 1.

Ok, no big deal, Huge Skins game on Monday Night. I can look past this. My boys, despite a strong start, were utterly dominated on both sides of the ball (Byron Leftwich... really? My mom moves better in the pocket). On the upside, I sit in the top row of the Club Level and turning around to check the tv screens, I noted Shawne Merriman sitting 3 feet behind me. Dude has a head the size of thanksgiving turkey. Fact. But I choked in the acknowledgement of his presence.

Anyways. Thursday. Terps. The resurgent, I can't believe this team is nationally ranked, lets go to c-stone for rails, then santa fe for $2 22s and watch us fuck up the Hokies, Terps. Despite my better judgement, I let myself get fired up for this game. Went to Bailey's in Ballston, got all drunk and obnoxious in front of the Arlington chapter of the Hokie alumni club. Very miserable loss. How is the only play we have to get a future first round NFL pick the ball a WR screen? That's like settling for a big mac when you have a gift certificate to the Palm. Its acknowledging that we don't have the ability to do anything past the line of scrimmage. Thanks Fridge.

Being a Terps football fan is like driving a car that's just crossed the 150K mile mark. Every time it turns on you feel like magic could happen. Somehow it starts and you can drive it for like 5 days. But when you really need it, at 2 AM trying to drive for a late night booty call... nothin'. It's not even that you never know whether or not it will start. It's just that you know that sooner or later, it's going to let you down, and probably in front of a lot of people that you just told to go fuck themselves.

On the upside. Skins are on a bye, just signed D'Angelo Hall, and are still in great shape for at least the wild card, and are in play for the division. Terps are still tied for the division lead. Liverpool are still tied for first. But much like the state of the economy, after a miserable week like this you start to think, "hmm... is this the bottom, or is it going to get much worse?"

Fortunately, unlike Mr.Cobain, it doesn't rain 300 days every year where I live. Don't be too concerned about any poorly placed shotgun barrels over here.

Get me some wins boys! This shit is terrible!