Maryland Malaise
I don’t know what’s worse, the performance of the Terps yesterday or my reaction to the loss. As big of a game that was, as much as it was a chance to really get serious about making the NCAA Tournament, as much as I cheered every basket made down the stretch. After about 2 minutes, I was over it. It used to take me hours to get over losses for this basketball program, now not so much.
I realize I don’t live on campus anymore, I don’t attend classes, I don’t see the players in the dining hall, that I now have a career, and kids who require my attention, but still this doesn’t feel right. And though I think a small part of me is maturing past the point of where College Sports defines my happiness, another factor is that we stink.
To those who have been following this blog, you probably think I am a blow hard who is only happy when I have something to rail against, but I promise that isn’t the case. I am a positive person, I want Edsall to succeed, I want Byrd Stadium sold out every Saturday, and would LOVE for Kevin Anderson to go down in history as the greatest AD ever. I really don’t care who is in charge as long as things are going well. But things are NOT going well.
With Duke up next on the schedule, Maryland is about to go through 4 seasons worth of “Revenue” sports without a post season appearance. Think about that for a second. We made the NCAA Tournament for 11 straight years from 1994-2004. We have gone 3 years since (07, 09, 10). In football we were terrible during the 90’s but from 2001 to 2010, we made 7 Bowl appearances. So to go back and find where we last had two straight seasons without a Basketball or Football post season appearance, you are looking at the early 90’s. Remember my depressing fact from Signing Day? Where these kids are now being born around 1995….well they have not known an unhappier time in College Park during their lifetime.
Now there are signs of improvement, but to even get to this point, is a disgrace. But with the lack of wins, the lack of excitement, the fact that we are leaving the ACC (and during a low point which makes the departure feel almost like an escape) I’ve just been losing my drive for Maryland Sports.
The fact that our decision to leave the ACC was made by the most un-successful tandem since the early 90’s (when we had reason to be unsuccessful in basketball) just amazes me. The fact that Wallace Loh could pull off this coup while the Board of Regents sat back, is head scratching, and as we continue our march toward irrelevance in both sports, I can only say I’m stunned that no one else is calling for a change in the Athletic Department.
The greatest enemy of our beloved Terps isn’t a blogger who calls out Wallace Loh or Kevin Anderson. It’s the guy who no longer cares. And unless we all start making some noise and demanding change, there are going to be a lot more people falling victim to this malaise. The only question I have, is why is it taking so long?
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February 13th, 2013 at 7:07 am
I think it is a sign of the problems with college athletics. With the “football factories” in the $outh, it makes it very hard for other teams to compete and with the NBA (and ESPN – show a highlight of a 15 ft jump shot off the dribble) having ruined college basketball, there are no major teams that are junior/senior laden, thus the rise of the mid-majors. If you look at Duke, the students no longer take their full allotment for every game and the U MD athletic department is begging us TC members to buy up UNC tickets, so they don’t have to go on public sale.
I think Maryland is fine. This generation of basketball players doesn’t seem to be that coachable. I’ve been lucky to have opportunity to witness a practice and see a scouting report and I’ll just say the coaches are coaching, but the players have very short memories and attention spans. I saw them get taught exactly what to do during a press (position by position 1-5) and then the next day at the game, see them not do anything they were coached the day before.
What I’d like from Maryland basketball is 10-8 or better in the conference, play in the semi-finals of the conference tournament, and make the tourney, while graduating everybody that stays 4-5 years.
From Maryland football, give me 8-4, a real bowl that I can attend, graduate everybody that stays 4-5 years and put 2-3 players in the NFL each year.
Anything more than that, I think we have to be lucky or cheat. If every once in a while, hoops makes an Elite 8 or football makes a run at a BCS bowl, it is icing on the cake. To consistently do better, I think “other factors” come into play, and we’d get caught and get the wrath of the NCAA that they wouldn’t put on the traditional powers. Remember the old joke, that the NCAA was so mad at Kentucky over the cash in the DHL envelope that they gave Cleveland State 5 years more probation for Manute Bol back in the day.
February 13th, 2013 at 7:52 am
If our Football Program was an 8-4 team every year, I too would be pleased. I think asking for more is a bit on much, but 8-4 would keep me happy and interested. Also putting guys in the NFL. I was very proud to watch a Super Bowl where both Torrey Smith and Vernon Davis played key roles. Sure VD had more success, but Torrey was definitely on the mind of the Niner’s secondary throughout. Anyway, thanks for reading and writing a well thought out response.
February 15th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
That was a much better response than I’m used to reading on here. Bob, I think your thoughts are legit. I used to get so mad after a basketball loss that it would ruin my entire Saturday. Now, the wife asks if I’m mad and tell her give me 5 minutes and I will be over it. I’ve grown to accept the ups and downs. Losing more than winning will do that to you. I’m really excited about our football recruiting class. It’s too bad that I fear that our coaches won’t be able to utilize that talent to it’s fullest potential. I should probably be happy to attend the Military Bowl year after year. The Orange Bowl is such a distant memory. What was that like…..the 2000′s or something?