Fall 2008 End of Semester Awards!

Here are the results to the end of the semester awards for the Fall of 2008. Thanks to everyone who voted!!

2008 Athlete of the Year: Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson

2008 Team of the Year: World Series Chanpion Philadelphia Phillies

2008 Non-NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB: Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps

2008 Upset of the Year: New York Giants defeating the 18-0 New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl

2008 Knucklehead of the Year: Plaxico Burress

2008 Future Athlete of the Year: Tampa Bay Rays 3B Evan Longoria

Once again thanks to all who voted and participated in the show this year!!

Stay tuned for show time for next semester and Happy Holidays!

Jin Soo Kim... Not so Fast my Friend

According to the Washington Post, the first attempt to academically qualify Jin Soo Kim for this upcoming season has been denied. Kim who was injured and is a 6'7'' small forward from Connecticut has until Thursday to submit further documentation to try and reverse the decision. We will keep you posted here at the SCC Show.

Norman Chad to be on the SCC Show

The Steak, Crab, & Curry Show is scheduled to have Norman Chad of ESPN's World Series of Poker on their show on Wednesday, October 15 for an interview. Chad is also a graduate of the University of Maryland. Send your questions to steakcrabcurry@gmail.com !

LCS Predictions

As heard on the Steak, Crab, & Curry show last night, we rolled out our NLCS and ALCS Picks. So let us just get them down in writing.

Steak: Phillies over the Dodgers
Red Sox over the Rays

Crab: Rays over the Red Sox
Dodgers over the Phillies

Curry: Phillies over the Dodgers
Rays over the Red Sox

CRUCIAL CLEMSON VICTORY!

Ask and you shall receive. Well, I asked for a victory in Death Valley and I received one. Although things did not look promising after the first half where the Terps looked left for dead going into halftime down 17-6. The defense allowed close to 200 yards rushing and Spiller and Davis looked "un-tackle-able".

Things turned around though, was it a pep talk by the coach at the half? Was it a veteran leader stepping up and getting his team riled up? Or perhaps it was the realization that there was still a chance to steal a game on the road and set the tempo for the ACC season.

Heyward-Bey ripped off a 76 yard sprint to shift the momentum and countless receivers contributed with 6 different guys getting into the action. One interesting thing to note, Heyward-Bey did not account for a reception in the game.

What exactly happened to the Clemson offense in the 2nd half? They had zero points and did not pose much of a threat after halftime. I know for one thing for sure though, the Terp's d showed some heart and passion. Personally, I love the linebacking group that lines up every game. The secondary has it's moments as well.

Who deserves the gameball for this game? Well I think it has to be split between Chris Turner for showing poise and accuracy and also the defense for stepping up to the challenege in the second half and slowing down a dyanic running duo.

Now let's carry on this momentum to an inferior team, the Wahoos of Virginia or whatever they call themselves these days.

Gary Sick of hearing of GUS

Just a quick note to pass along, in a recent article in the Post, Gary Williams was talking about the new freshmen Steve Goins who was cleared to play early in the week. Steve Yanda was reporting on the the story and asked about Gus Gilchrist.

When asked whether Gilchrist's departure had anything to do with Goins' decision
to come to Maryland, Williams replied thusly: "This has nothing to do with Gus
Gilchrist. I'm tired of hearing about Gus Gilchrist. He was never here. Steve
Goins came here because he wanted to play basketball at the University of
Maryland."

It seems that Gary is a little sensitive about the whole Gus Gilchrist situation. A situation that I am still unclear of what exactly took place.

Fast Start in the ACC is CRUCIAL

So here we are, the start of the ACC season for the Terps and what should we expect? Well for one, a lot of balance. The preseason favorite, Clemson was ranked #9 in the preseason polls and was just as quickly knocked out of the rankings by 'Bama. Other perennial teams like Virignia Tech, Florida State and Miami aren't going to scare anyone this season. Wake Forest looks like the strongest of the bunch at this point.

So what does this all mean? Well a FAST start in the ACC is CRUCIAL. Convienantly enough the Terps ACC season starts with the orange and purple of Clemson in Death Valley, the preseason favorite. So what better way to prevent the 1-4 ACC start of last season rearing its ugly head once again this season than to defeat Clemson in Death Valley.

The key to the game will be to slow down the combo of Spiller and Davis, while getting Green and Scott rolling for the Terps.

In my opinion, The Terps ACC schedule is pretty friendly outside of the Thursday night clash in Blacksburg against the Hokies of VT. The ACC is definitely up for the grabs and if the offense that appears against CAL and Eastern Michigan appears more than the offense that was present for Delaware and Middle Tennessee State, then the Terps should do just fine. However, if it doesn't it could be a long season.

Once again, a fast start is crucial especially against preseason favorite Clemson.

-Steak

Steve Goins officially Joins Terps!

Steve Goins, the 6'10'' Chicago native have officially been cleared to join the Maryland Men's basketball team for the upcoming season, as reported by the Diamondback.

Goins will be the 12th player under scholarship for the Terps, leaving one spot open for the upcoming season. It has been rumored that Korean player Jin Soo Kim will be that player once he is also cleared for eligibility by the NCAA.

Steve Goins averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds in his final high school season. Goins will be listed as the tallest player on the Terp's roster and will have to help bolster a depleted frontcourt. Braxton Dupree and Jerome Burney figure to get the majority of the minutes.

Goins is thought to be a raw talent as of right now, but the Terps will definitely need some minutes from the big guy.

It will be interesting to see how the Terps starting lineup shakes out as of now. If they want to go small, I could see the lineup looking like this:

C Braxton Dupree

F Lance Milbourne

F Cliff Tucker

G Greivis Vasquez

G Eric Hayes

Or if they want to go bigger:

C Braxton Dupree

F Jerome Burney

F Landon Milbourne

G Greivis Vasquez

G Eric Hayes.

Stay tuned for more Men's Hoops news!

--------------------------------

And as always tune into THE STEAK, CRAB, & CURRY SHOW tonight from 7-9 PM EST LIVE on www.wmucsports.com. 980 ESPN's Kevin Sheehan will be on the show, as well as Foxsports.com's Dayn Perry. We can be reached at steakcrabcurry@gmail.com

Curry on the Cal Game

If you have been listening in on the Steak Crab and Curry Show then you know all three of us talk about the fact that the Terps always play to the level of their competition. Saturday's game against California was no exception as the Terrapins beat the Golden Bears 35-27. Maybe it was the noon game time (which is 9 am in California) or maybe it was just a good team finally finding their identity; either way the Terps looked good taking care of the 23rd ranked team in the nation. Maryland's two running backs Da'Rel Scott and Davin Meggit chewed up the Cal defense for 169 yards and 3 td's. Chris Turner who threw 3 picks against Middle Tennessee State last weekend did not commit a turnover on Saturday while going 15/19 passing with 156 yds and a td. But it was the Maryland defense that really surprised people including myself. They held RB Jahvid Best to just 25 yards rushing after he ran for 311 yds in Cal's first two games. They also sacked QB Kevin Riley 5 times and forced him to throw an interception.

I cant be happier for the players and coaches of this team especially after the dissapointing loss to Middle Tennesse last weekend. This just goes to show that we have a very tough team that is willing to go toe to toe with anyone in the country. With a balanced offense that doesnt turn the ball over and a defense forcing turnovers and sacks I really feel that the Terps have a good chance of being ACC Champs. One thing that has been worrying me is our kicking game. Egekeze has not made a field goal all year and when the Terps get to conference play, every point counts and could be the difference between win and a loss. I don't know who Coach Friedgen can turn to for field goals; maybe a soccer player on the bench or someone else but this needs to be taken care of asap.

Im looking forward to the game on Saturday against Eastern Carolina because it gives Maryland a chance to build off of this past weekends win. For once in my collegiate career I want to see our football team absolutely decimate an opponent; blow them out of the water by 50 points. Saturday will give us an opportunity to do just that and hopefully our team is up for the challenge.

As always...GO TERPS

Kevin Barnes Unleashed!

Kevin Barnes made a name for himself last weekend against Cal...just ask Jahvid Best about it.




And the conclusion to this play...




Well that was pretty gross.

Top 10 Terrapins of All-Time

SI.com recently put together a top 10 list of all-time Terrapins. You can check out the article here.

Here is the run down of the list:

10. Scott Milanovich – Football QB – 1993-1995

09. Len Bias – Basketball – 1982-1986

08. Stan Jones – Football – 1950 – 1954

07. Jen Adams – Lacrosse – 1998-2001

06. Renaldo Nehemiah – Track – 1978-1980

05. Boomer Esiason – Football – 1981-1983

04. Crystal Longhorne – Basketball – 2004-2008

03. Joe Smith – Basketball – 1994-1995

02. Randy White – Football – 1971-1974

01. Juan Dixon – Basketball – 1999-2002

Do you agree with this list? Comment below!

Da'Rel Scott and Coach Friedgen

Note: Game reactions to the CAL game to come. Sorry for the lack of posts recently. We will up the ante shortly.

Some news to pass along to begin with, Da'Rel Scott is listed as questionable for the upcoming tilt with Eastern Michigan. Scott has a sprained AC Joint in his shoulder and will be limited to non-contact drills this week leading up to the game. Against CAL, Scott ran 19 times for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns. Scott has been the anchor of the offense early on in the season and will counted on for the rest of the season.

Coach Ralph Friedgen also did admit that he is considering a kicking change, with Obi Egekeze 0 for 5 so far, Friedgen will look at other options.




Coach Friedgen on Sportscenter this past weekend.

Tim Kurkjian to Join the SCC Show

TIM KURKJIAN IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR ON THE STEAK, CRAB & CURRY SHOW ON ITS OPENING SHOW.

KURKJIAN WILL JOIN THE SHOW AT ABOUT 8:30 PM ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10.

AS ALWAYS YOU CAN HEAR THE SHOW ON http://www.wmucsports.com/.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR TIM, POST THEM IN THE COMMENT SECTION.

Crab's Picks

Crab's 2008-09 Playoff Picks

AFC

North- Pittsburgh Steelers
East- New England Patriots
South- Jacksonville Jaguars
West- San Diego Chargers

Wild Card- New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts

NFC

North- Minnesota Vikings
East- Dallas Cowboys
South- New Orleans
West- Arizona Cardinals

Wild Card- Green Bay Packers, New York Giants


AFC Champions- Jacksonville Jaguars over the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC South showdown.

NFC Champions- Dallas Cowboys over the Minnesota Vikings


SUPER BOWL CHAMPS- Dallas Cowboys over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the year that America's team returns to the top after 2 years of being overrated and a disappointment in the playoffs.

Steak's NFL Forecast

Let me roll out my forecast for the upcoming season and get these picks written down so I can brag about how good they are (or bad) in January:

NFC EAST: Dallas Cowboys
NFC NORTH: Minnesota Vikings
NFC WEST: Seattle Seahawks
NFC SOUTH: New Orleans Saints
NFC Wild Cards: Philadelphia Eagles & New York Giants

AFC EAST: New England Patriots
AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC WEST: San Diego Chargers
AFC SOUTH: Indianapolis Colts
AFC Wild Cards: Jacksonville Jaguers & Denver Broncos

NFC Championship: Minnesota Vikings over New Orleans Saints
AFC Championship: San Diego Chargers over Indianapolis Colts

Super Bowl: San Diego Chargers over Minnesota Vikings

MVP: LaDanian Tomlinson

Curry's Predictions

Curry's NFL Predictions (just peeking into my crystal ball)

AFC

East- Patriots
North- Browns
South- Colts
West- Chargers
AFC Wild Card- Jaguars and Steelers


NFC

East- Eagles
North- Vikings
South- Saints
West- Seahawks
NFC Wild Card- Cowboys and Giants


AFC Champion- Chargers
NFC Champion- Saints

Superbowl Champion- Chargers
MVP - LaDainian Tomlinson

Steffy Out 3 Weeks

Well the QB controversy just got a little more injury because of Steffy's injury to his right thumb. Whether you believe it or not, Turner will almost certainly start with Portis contributing significantly.

Coach Ralph Friedgen confirmed through an ACC conference call today that Jordan Steffy was out indefinitely. According to the WMUC Football blog, Portis and Turner both took 1st team reps. You can read that blog here.

THE SCC SHOW RETURNS

The Steak, Crab, & Curry Show will be returning to WMUC Sports airwaves on Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

The Show will run every Wednesday for the Fall semester from 7-9 PM.

As always the show can be heard on www.wmucsports.com, you can call in at 301-314-9979, or IM us at wmucsports, OR e-mail back to this account steakcrabcurry@gmail.com.

Of course you can also read our blog at http://steakcrabcurry.blogspot.com/ for all of your up to date banter!


We look forward to another great semester with some great guests, debates, lists, and all-out awesomeness.

Pass along the word about the show!

Dre Moore Released

With NFL rosters being trimmed to 53 players this past Saturday, a lot of Terp undrafted free agents did not fair to well.

- The Washington Redskins cut Andrew Crummey and TE Jason Goode, however Crummey was resigned to the practice squad

- The Green Bay Packers released '07 free agent Conrad Bolston and TE Joey Haynos, Haynos was re-signed to the Packer practice squad

- The Dallas Cowboys released running back Keon Lattimore

- The Jags waived corner back Isiah Gardner, but he was also able to land a gig on the practice squad

- Lance Ball was able to make the St. Louis Rams' practice squad after a successful training camp

- 4th Round draft pick, DT Dre Moore was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after showing up overweight to camp and never really grasping the playbook. There was also a rumor that Moore was never really on the good side of coach Gruden.

- In some good news, undrafted rookie linebacker Erin Henderson has appeared to have made the Minnesota Vikings and join his brother and former Terp, E.J. on the team

Hoops Schedule Released!

The 2008-2009 University of Maryland Men's Hoops Team schedule has been released according to the Baltimore Sun and the Terps website.

Some of the highlights include:

- Home opener vs Bucknell on November 14th

- 11/27-11/30 The Old Spice Classic in Orlando, FL -- Opening round game against Michigan State

- 12/07 vs. George Washington at the Verizon Center in the BB&T Classic

- 01/10 ACC Opener Vs. Georgia Tech at Home

- 01/24 @ Duke, 02/25 VS Duke

- 02/03 @ UNC, 02/21 VS UNC

You can check out the entire schedule here.

DJ Strawberry Traded!

According to the Houston Chronicle, The Phoenix Suns have traded former Terps and combo guard DJ Strawberry to the Houston Rockets for fellow-ACC alum Sean Singletary.

The Suns acquired Singletary to use primarily as a spot point guard behind both Steve Nash and Goran Dragic, figuring to not play many minutes.

Strawberry has a decent chance of making the squad, with his contract becoming guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster.

Lots of Terp Goodness

Lots of Terps Goodness of news and notes and predictions has come through with the ACC Blog on ESPN.Com. One of our favorite writers and ACC beat reporters, Heather Dinich has recently updated her blog with a rankings of the hardest schedules and games to watch in the ACC. Some of the highlights below:

ACC's Hardest Schedules:

1. Georgia Tech -- Paul Johnson has back-to-back road games in the ACC against Boston College and Virginia Tech in the first three weeks, plus road trips to Clemson, UNC and rival Georgia. Yikes. The only breaks are the fact Wake and Maryland aren't on there. And Duke is.

7. Maryland -- The Terps get road trips to Clemson and Virginia Tech, plus a tough nonconference home game against Cal and a visit from Wake Forest. By the time these guys play Duke again, the Blue Devils just might win.

12. North Carolina -- The Tar Heels don't play Clemson, Wake Forest or Florida State -- three of the top teams in the Atlantic Division. And they've got Virginia Tech early (Sept. 20). If there was ever a year for Butch Davis to take advantage of his schedule and a watered-down division, this would be it.

Top 10 Games To Watch:

5. Maryland at Clemson, Sept. 27: Ralph Friedgen loves playing in Death Valley, and the Terps have a team that could surprise a few people, the Tigers included. The addition of first-year offensive coordinator James Franklin, backup quarterback Josh Portis, and a veteran offensive line make Maryland a dark horse.

You can read the full posts and Heather's preseason predictions here.


5 DAYS TIL KICKOFF!

Steak's Cut on the QB Situation

The answer to the summer long debate about who should and who would be the starting quarterback for your Terrapin offense on August 30th, opening day, has finally been addressed. The answer is Senior Jordan Steffy.

Steffy and his 5 career starts and 14 overall games played will be lining up behind Preseason All-ACC center Edwin Williams against the Blue Hens of Delaware, with Chris Turner listed second on the depth chart and Josh Portis third.

But is this the right choice?

The answer in one word is no. In my opinion, Steffy should have been listed third on the depth chart with Chris Turner given the first opportunity at the starting job and Josh Portis in between.

Shouldn’t the guy who defeated two Top 10 teams in a season be given a fair opportunity to continue his success? An unrated squad led by Turner went on the road and put up 34 points on Rutgers, who continued to slide out of the rankings for the remainder of the season.

Is that not enough? How about a 42-35 shootout at home against #8 Boston College? Turner essentially went blow for blow with Heisman candidate and top rated quarterback in the country Matt Ryan and came out on top!

When given the opportunity at the beginning of the season at a Top 10 team in West Virginia, Jordan Steffy came up very small. Other than that, Steffy did not face much competition and the results were mediocre. The quarterback position is fortunate enough to be graced with one of the most exciting receivers in the country, Darrius Heyward-Bey and when you fail to get him the ball through out a game it frustrates the fan base constantly.

If you would like to argue that Steffy had a completion percentage of 67.3 versus Turner’s 63%, which shows consistency in a lot of people minds, then I will refute that by saying Jordan is a classic conservative and check-down quarterback who can manage a game. Similar to another quarterback in town a few years back in Baltimore who a little bit of success, Trent Dilfer.

I would be remiss, if I did not point out the fact that those Ravens had the best defense in the league, something of which the Terps don’t currently possess at this time and point.

So I say, why not live a little? Why not throw the deep ball? Why not utilize Mr. Heyward-Bey, a top 10 talent in the ACC hands down? Why not use Chris Turner, who the students and fan base fell in love with and who managed the Terps to some huge victories last season?

Turner’s 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio isn’t all that much to get excited about, but I must also point out that Turner’s longest touchdown pass of the season was 78 yards, almost 40 yards longer than Steffy's longest touchdown pass. Ok, so Turner is a little more erratic with his throws but from his games last year I think it also shows that he willing to take chances and utilize his options.

According to Coach Ralph Friedgen, none of the quarterbacks really separated themselves in both spring practices and summer camps. So I ask why you landed on Jordan Steffy as your starter.

Coach Friedgen also mentioned that Josh Portis will be used in specific situations. I am very pleased to hear this revelation about the quarterback situation. Portis’ skill set and mobility should not go untapped and hopefully we will be able to see what the Florida transfer can do when given the opportunity. You see this situation work out a lot of times in places like Florida, LSU, and Virginia Tech most recently.

Don’t get me wrong though, it is not as if I won’t root for Jordan Steffy when opening day kicks off, but in my opinion Chris Turner had earned the opportunity to try and continue where he left off last season.

Chris Turner Close to Transferring

According to the Washington Post, Quarterback Chris Turner was seriously considering transferring from Maryland after the quarterback decision by Coach Friedgen.

After Jordan Steffy was announced as starter, Turner took a solid 2 days and several chats with family members to make the decision to stay a Terp.

When asked how close Turner had come to transferring, John Turner (father)
said, "All the pieces were in the right place if he wanted to."

YOUR STARTING QUARTERBACK...

Well it is official, the three-man race for starting quarterback for the University of Maryland football squad is over...for now... Jordan Steffy is your starter.

After the morning practice today, Coach Ralph Friedgen announced that senior Jordan Steffy would be starting against Delaware when the team opens up the season against Delaware on August 30. Turner is listed as 2nd on the depth chart and Portis will be 3rd.

Although, Friedgen did say that Portis will definitely play in games and will some sort of X-factor role. Friedgen also did not rule out the possibility of playing 2 or even 3 quarterbacks in a game!

Is this the right decision?

Source: UMTerps.com, ACC Blog - ESPN.COM

BONUS CUTS:

- Cornerback Richard Taylor was taken to the hospital today after practice

Terps in the NFL

The Baltimore Sun did an excellent job of running down some of the recent football Terps and their where abouts this training camp. The only Terp to be drafted this year was Dre Moore, who went to Tampa Bay. Here are some of the highlights of the article:

-According to Scout.com, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden thinks defensive tackle Dre Moore -- Maryland's lone draft choice -- has a ways to go before making an impact:It was obvious, though, that Gruden thought fourth-round pick Dre Moore, a defensive tackle out of Maryland, was behind the rest of the class."You know, this is not a game where you want to do too much thinking at that position," Gruden said. "You've got to get off the ball, you've got to be disruptive, and he is getting better. I think he's getting in better shape. The tempo and the speed of this game is probably a little bit foreign to him but he does have talent."

- Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that an injury to backup linebacker Heath Farwell will open the door for Erin Henderson to receive more playing time.Childress said Henderson, the undrafted free agent, will get more reps in practice. Henderson has shown flashes in camp and had a solid debut Friday with five tackles.

- An injury to Green Bay Packers backup tight end Tory Humphrey could pave the way for Joey Haynos to claim the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that Haynos' speed and blocking have impressed Packers coaches:Haynos is extraordinarily long-levered at 6-8, 268 pounds. He primarily worked as a blocker and possession receiver at Maryland, where he had 67 receptions for 687 yards and three touchdowns over his last two seasons. McAdoo said Haynos is the most fundamentally sound blocker among the rookie tight ends, and in training camp, Haynos has shown an ability to get downfield, too.

You can read the rest of the article here . A highly recommended read!

BONUS CUTS:
- SI.com has its ACC preview up, the Terps are predicted to finish 3rd in the Atlantic at 4-4 in ACC play
-They also pegged Darrius Heyward-Bey as the 5th most outstanding player in the ACC

Terps Links

Here are a roundup of some of the Terps football stories going around town:

* New Offensive Coordinator James Franklin has put a spark into the Terps offense this offseason

* Recruited as wide receivers, Nolan Carroll and Terrell Skinner have made smooth transactions to the secondary

* Incoming freshman Kenny Tate has also been asked to move from receiver to safety for the upcoming season

* The Terps will lean on the senior offensive line this season

* Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said yesterday that defensive lineman Travis Ivey will miss the next three to six weeks because of a broken foot

* Josh Portis has been making a case to be named the starting quaterback for week 1

Terps Football News & Notes

After not posting for a few days, here are some of the news and notes of the Terps Football squad courtesy of www.UMterps.com:

* The coaching staff had a chance to evaluate the film of Saturday's scrimmage with the off day. Friedgen echoed what he mentioned after the scrimmage, "there were good things and some things we've got to get a lot better at." He praised the work of the secondary which had two interceptions (Nolan Carroll and Kevin Barnes) and thought the offensive line didn't play as well in the scrimmage as it had during the first week of practice. Individuals who stood out included Travis Ivey, Jeremy Navarre and Rick Costa

* As far as the quarterbacks, Friedgen pointed out that offensive coordinator James Franklin's thoughts were that Chris Turner and Jordan Steffy were `about even again', and that Josh Portis `played better and managed the game better, but missed a couple throws.' Friedgen still thinks that Portis has shown improvement since the spring and practiced well in Monday's first workout

* University of Maryland senior quarterback Jordan Steffy has been nominated for the 17th annual Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association recently announced. Steffy, a fifth-year player from Leola, Pa., joins 70 fellow nominees who were selected from the more than 50,000 football student-athletes at all four-year collegiate institutions based on their exemplary involvement with charitable organizations and community service projects

James Gist to Italy??

In a brief note, www.rotoworld.com reported that an Italian website had wrote that Spurs 2nd round pick James Gist was going to be signed by a professional Italian team. However, the website was written in Italian and tough to translate.

The San Antonio-Express News denied that report, and said that Gist had not signed overseas. If Gist did sign though, the Spurs would be able to retain his rights for when and if he did come back to the U.S.A.

Stay Tuned as we will try to keep you posted on Gist's hoops career.

Terps Football Odds N Ends

Here are a few links about the Terps Football squad so far this Training Camp:

- E.J. Henderson is trying to find his way on the Vikings Roster

- Lance Ball is performing well at scrimmages for the St. Louis Rams

- Have the Terps hit a ceiling under coach Ralph Friedgen?

- Josh Portis is impressing at camp with his QB play

- The Dallas News did an interview with undrafted rookie Keon Lattimore of the Dallas Cowboys

Terps Football News & Notes

Heather Dinich of ESPN.com updated her ACC blog recently with some news and notes from practic here:

" *The secondary has to replace three of four starters from a year ago, but this group led a ramped up defensive charge in the first day of full pads. DB's Nolan Carroll, Jeff Allen and Kevin Barnes each made interceptions. Carroll produced what was perhaps the play of the day when he dove to make a shoestring catch on a pass deflected by defensive lineman Mack Frost.

* The defense implemented blitz package drills for the first time.

* Is former Florida QB Josh Portis finally making a move? Ralph Friedgen said Portis looked the best on Wednesday.

* The standout offensive play, though, came from redshirt freshman receiver Tony Logan, who caught a touchdown on a deep fade pattern, prompting offensive coordinator James Franklin to exclaim, "That's beautiful! I love these touchdowns -- the defender can't find the ball!"

Football Schedule W's & L's

As do most people who cover a specific football team both professionally and in the college ranks, it is always a fun exercise to take a look at the schedule and predict W's and L's before the season starts.

Steak here, to lay out my W's & L's for the season:


08/30/08 vs. Delaware --> W

09/06/08 at Middle Tennessee State --> W

09/13/08 vs. California --> L

09/20/08 vs. Eastern Michigan --> W

09/27/08 at Clemson --> L

10/04/08 at Virginia --> W

10/18/08 vs. Wake Forest --> L

10/25/08 vs. North Carolina State (Homecoming) --> W

11/06/08 at Virginia Tech --> L

11/15/08 vs. North Carolina --> W

11/22/08 vs. Florida State --> W

11/29/08 at Boston College --> W


Wow, So I have them at 8-4. Did not really realize that one. Hey, to quote Kevin Garnett, "ANYTHING'S POSSIBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

I actually think that the VT game could be the surprise Win of the year, but I am gonna play safe to begin with and of course until we find out who is starting for the Terps.

We will have to get the predictions of Curry & Crab as well.

Jackson's Loss, Ball's Gain?

With the Stephen Jackson missing up to 2 weeks in Rams training camp, Ex-Terp and undrafted free agent Lance Ball has been given extended looks in the backfield. In an article about all the undrafted picks with Rams, Ball receives some praise:

With Jackson making Rams nation nervous, Lance Ball has been given plenty
of extra time to make an impression in camp. The Maryland product has been
running well and making catches, even scoring one of two TDs in last weekend's
scrimmage. It'll be tough for Ball to make the 53-man roster once Jackson comes
back, with Brian Leonard guaranteed a spot and Antonio Pittman getting the third
thanks to his downhill speed. If he continues his camp run through the
preseason, he'd be hard to turn away from the practice squad.

Could be tough for Ball to make the roster, but at least he is making the best of the opportunity.

UMD Football: News & Notes

A few more notes from the 2nd day of practice for the Terps at Training Camp courtesy of www.umterps.com:

*The Terps have only practiced for two days, but Friedgen indicated after Tuesday's practice that some players atop the depth chart are being pushed. Redshirt freshman Torrey Smith is pushing incumbent starter Isaiah Williams at X receiver. Williams has started the last two seasons, but Smith was singled out in the spring as a potential difference maker by Friedgen and the rest of the coaching staff.

*Senior left tackle Scott Burley, who was a second-team All-ACC choice, is trying to fend off a challenge from Bruce Campbell, who played as a true freshman last season.

*Friedgen also singled out freshman running back Davin Meggett for his play during camp. Meggett has not only showed quickness running the ball, but also blocked a punt in special teams drills.

Terps' Burning Questions

Heather Dinich, who covers the ACC on ESPN.com with a very up to date blog, answers three burning questions about the Terps heading into the 2008 season.

"1. How will the ongoing battle at quarterback affect the team chemistry?
This is a similar situation to what's going on at Virginia Tech, and who knows, maybe Friedgen will play both Jordan Steffy and Chris Turner in situations that play to each of their strengths. Regardless of what happens, they both have reason to believe it's their job. Steffy looked legitimately good this spring, but Turner proved he was more than capable last year when Steffy suffered a concussion.

2. How much more productive will the offense be under first-year coordinator James Franklin?
This was a smart hire because Franklin recruited half the players he's now coaching, and his addition to the staff allows Friedgen the luxury of being the head coach without having to worry about calling the plays. Look for Franklin to throw more deep balls this season and for receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey to catch them.

3. How important is this season for Friedgen?
Maryland has had three losing seasons in the past four years. No wonder the local media isn't chipping at the lock on the gate to see spring practice. In 2006, the Terps beat Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl, but that was their lone bowl win since the 2003 Gator Bowl. The athletic department is heavily invested in stadium renovation and trying to sell luxury suites. Somehow, though, (namely a sweet contract and a metro audience where the Ravens, Redskins, Orioles and Nats divert some of the attention) Friedgen has escaped the hot seat. "

Heather was a guest on the Steak, Crab, & Curry Show last Spring and the interview can be heard on our podcast. The podcast is available for download on iTunes.

You can also read the ACC Blog by Heather here.

**Also, on the blog, Heather broke down the power rankings of the ACC:

The Terps were ranked 4th with the description "The Terps could be this year's darkhorse, as Ralph Friedgen made a smart off-season hire in offensive coordinator James Franklin and has playmakers with the potential to flourish in the West Coast offense. The key will be how he uses -- not appeases -- his quarterbacks."

Maryland Football News & Notes

Here are a few early notes that have come out about the Terps Football Team:

* Freshmen Kenny Tate, who was ranked as the 16th best wide receiver nationally, will be asked to move to strong safety for the season and may return to receiver next year

* Sophomore Dominique Herald, a linebacker-safety, was suspended for the opening game for violating team rules.

* Offensive lineman Tyler Bowen, defensive lineman Joe Vellano and wide receiver Kevin Dorsey will miss August practices with injuries

* Offensive lineman Evan Eastburn transferred out of the program. Defensive tackle Dean Muhtadi was placed on scholarship earlier in the summer. If another scholarship opens up at some juncture, chances are it goes to Olugbemi Otulaja

Heyward-Bey Featured!

Terps' wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is starting to gain some serious attention as a stud wide-out in the ACC this season. The redshirt junior's numbers have grown in each season and he is poised for another big season.

The Washington Post staff writer, Steve Yanda, did a great job of praising and preaching the talents of Heyward-Bey. Heyward-Bey talked about the adjustments he had to make going from high school to college Division-I ball,

"the transition was a struggle. In high school, the routine had been simple -- sprint off the line, blow past the secondary, catch the deep throw, accelerate toward the end zone."

You can read the full article here.

The Debate rages On

Rivals.com recently took a look at the ever-growing debate of where Gary Williams stands in relation to his job status. Two different writers for the site took opposing sides and offered their best arguments for each case.

Coach Williams is responsible for the only Men's National Championship in school history and was able to reach back to back Final Four's, something coach Lefty Driesell was never able to accomplish.

Here were the stated arguments:

Writer Andrew Skwara puts GARY WILLIAMS ON THE HOT SEAT:

"Last season sealed it for me. Maryland didn't just disappoint. The Terrapins underachieved – woefully. This should have been the team with which Williams beat back the critics. He had one of the nation's best playmakers at point guard (Greivis Vasquez) and another guard (Eric Hayes) who could also dish the rock. Vasquez ranked first in the ACC in assists and Hayes was sixth. There was also depth and experience on the inside. Senior big men James Gist and Bambale Osby ranked second and third in the league in blocks and fourth and 11th in rebounding.
The potential was there. The Terps knocked off then-No. 1 North Carolina in the Dean Dome.
However, that same team lost to Ohio and American at home. Maryland went 1-6 against the top five teams in the ACC. The Terps lost six of their last eight games, including four by double digits. The bulk of the blame has to go to Williams. He's not getting the most out of his players, not even close. That becomes a bigger problem when you're not a great recruiter, something Williams has never resembled. Williams has a great résumé and it's tough to look past that national title, but I think someone else can do better. Maryland, with the fertile D.C. recruiting area nearby, has a big fan base and one of the nicer arenas on the East Coast. If Williams doesn't get it done this season, I say give someone else a chance. "

Editor Bob McClellan says GARY WILLIAMS IS NOT ON THE HOT SEAT

"I can't argue that Williams' recent teams have underachieved, particularly last season.
But I come at this from a different perspective. My alma mater is Northwestern, a school that has never been to the NCAA Tournament. As in never, zip, bupkus. So when you talk about getting rid of a guy who has brought your school its only national title, not to mention another Final Four appearance and a bunch of NCAA bids in a row, it's kind of hard for me to fathom.
No, Maryland isn't on a par with Northwestern. But in a league with North Carolina and Duke, Williams got the Terps to the Holy Grail. The Left-hander couldn't even do that, but Williams did. I'm not saying you can live off a national title forever, but you ought to be able to come pretty close. He still gets players a lot of other schools would like to have. I'm somewhat alarmed that he isn't getting more out of them, but who's to say he can't find a way to light the fire this season or next? Williams hasn't forgotten how to coach. It's not like he has been losing lately, it's just that he hasn't been winning enough. His teams have won at least 19 games for the past 14 consecutive seasons. A couple of the recent NIT teams were "just-missed" NCAA Tournament teams. Maryland would be foolish to jettison Williams. Until he fields a losing team, he ought to be considered plenty safe."

You can read the full article on Rivals.com here.

Where do you feel the Gary Williams debate is at?! Please do comment.

Terps Open Up Football Season

Tomorrow, Monday, the Terps will open up the preseason camp at 4:15 EST PM. The Terps will embark on a 3-way grueling schedule that will lead up to the home opener against Delaware on August 30th.

The Terps will first and foremost need to take care of the QB issue. Who will start week 1, Jordan Steffy or Chris Turner? Or perhaps Josh Portis??

The Terps seem to be set on using Da'Rel Scott and Morgan Green at running back to split the duties and will have All-ACC candidate Darrius Heyward-Bey to anchor the passing game. An experienced offensive line will return to protect whoever the quarterback may be. It will also be interesting to see how the addition of offensive coordinator James Franklin will factor into the attack.

Here are some preseason predictions and accolades that UMTerps.com has gathered:

Maryland Preseason Rankings/Honors
Team
National Rankings:
34th...Lindy's
42nd...Athlon

ACC Predictions:
4th/Atlantic...Athlon
4th/Atlantic...Lindy's
5th/Atlantic...Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA)
6th/Atlantic...The Sporting News

Unit Rankings:
1st-ranked OL in the ACC...Athlon
1st-ranked OL in the ACC...Lindy's
2nd-ranked Special Teams in the ACC...Lindy's
4th-ranked LBs in the ACC...Athlon

Individual
Scott Burley, #77, Offensive Lineman
Honorable Mention All-America...The Sporting News
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon
Second Team All-ACC...Lindy's

Darrius Heyward-Bey, #8, Wide Receiver
Honorable Mention All-America...The Sporting News
Fastest Receiver in ACC...The Sporting News
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon• Second Team All-ACC...Lindy's
16th-ranked WR in Nation...Lindy's

Dave Philistin, #34, Linebacker
Nagurski Trophy watch list
Butkus Award Candidate...The Sporting News
First Team All-ACC...The Sporting News
First Team All-ACC...Blue Ribbon Yearbook
First Team All-ACC...Lindy's
11th-ranked ILB in Nation...Lindy's
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon

Jaimie Thomas, #76, Offensive Lineman
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon
Second Team All-ACC...Lindy's

Edwin Williams, #60, Offensive Lineman
Rimington Trophy watch list
Preseason All-ACC...Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA)
All-ACC...The Sporting News
First Team All-ACC...Lindy's
First Team All-ACC...Blue Ribbon Yearbook
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon

UMD: Best Athletic Facilities!

The Princeton Review conducted a study in which it polled 120,000 students at 368 different colleges about different school's academics, campus life, sports, etc.

The survey was 80 questions long and the results were published in the annual Princeton Review Guide.

Based on the results, the University of Maryland was voted as the top athletic facilities in the nation beating out Texas A&M, Florida, and Tenneesse! Maryland also ranked highly in college newspaper and how well the students pack the stadiums!

Preseason Coaches Poll

The Preseason Coaches Poll was released today and the Top 5 goes like this ...


1. Georgia (22)
2. USC (14)
3. Ohio State (14)
4. Oklahoma (3)
5. Florida (5)

Where do the Terps check in?

Answer: Honorable Mention Section with 4 Votes

Other ACC Teams in the Top 25: Clemson (#9), Virginia Tech (#15)

Others Receiving Votes: Florida State, Boston College, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia Tech

UMD Hoops Get Good News !!

The Terps Hoops Team finally got some good news this offseason! According to Foxsports.com and Jeff Goodman, Recruit Sean Mosley received a qualifying SAT score and will be eligible for the upcoming season for the Terps.

Mosley will join Vasquez and Eric Hayes as a potent three guard rotation that could give other ACC teams problems this season. However, the Terps are still looking for some big man help.

Q & A with Da'rel Scott

The University of Maryland recently ran a question and answer with Terp's Running Back Da'Rel Scott. The article can be found here.

What did you learn from playing with former Maryland running backs Lance
Ball and Keon Lattimore?
"I learned a lot of things. They helped me mature
with my footsteps, with seeing the holes and just staying in the game. They
helped me with being mentally ready because it's a big jump from high school to
here."


What have you been up to this summer?
"Just working out. I'm trying
to get my legs stronger. I've been taking classes, too. My anatomy class is
killing me. This past summer session was pretty much all about my summer
classes."


Walk us through your daily routine.
"I wake up, go to my lab for my
anatomy class, work out, go back to anatomy class, then I have to work out
again. I had to split up my workouts because of class, since it's pretty much
two classes. It's four credits with the lab and the class."


How are workouts going this summer?
"They're going really well. I'm
just trying to get better. I'm just working out with the team and trying to make
them better as well."


Are there any games you are looking forward to in particular?
"All of
them."


Would you say that the summer schedule is easier or harder than the fall
schedule?
"I think it's harder now because it's a lot more aggressive now
because we're trying to get better. During the season, we're maintaining."


How have things changed under the new offensive coordinator, James
Franklin?
"Things are going really well. I have a good relationship with him
because he recruited me when I was in high school. He's made a good amount of
changes. The running style is different. I like this style a lot better because
we run a lot of off-tackle stuff. Since I'm an outside running back, it's more
my style."




Upcoming key dates:

Aug. 2 - Freshmen report to campus

Aug. 3 - Varsity reports to campus

Aug. 4 - Football preseason camp opens/Media Day

Aug. 30 - Season opener vs. Delaware

ACC Hate-O-Meter

On ESPN.com they are running some rankings of the most hated College Football Programs across the country. Heather Dinich is the blogger for the ACC and she presented her rankings of the most hated programs in the ACC:

I warned you. Today is trash talkin' Tuesday. Here's your chance to weigh
in. But first, digest this: The most hated teams in the ACC, ranked from most to
least, based on things seen, read and heard over the years.

1. Miami -- They've got the tradition, the swagger and the
attitude.

2. Florida State -- Opponents hate them because they dominated the
league and the TV ratings for so long, and their own fans hate them when they
lose. Remember the clamoring for the dismissal of Jeff Bowden? Way to show the
love.

3. Virginia Tech -- The Hokies came into the ACC and won two titles in
four years. And even when they're down, they're predicted to win. And just being
associated with Michael Vick is a public relations nightmare.

4. Clemson -- The Tigers make their own fans so frustrated they can't
see straight sometimes. And FSU fans haven't exactly looked forward to the
Bowden Bowl in recent years.

5. Virginia -- Even the Cavaliers' own fans have called for the firing
of Al Groh on numerous occasions, and those outside the program love to rip on
the preppy fans.

6. Maryland -- This is still a basketball school, and opposing fans
throughout the league have carried that venom for Gary Williams into Byrd
Stadium.

7. Boston College -- Maybe it's that smug Northeastern mentality that
can sometimes be as frosty as the weather. Or the fact these guys are Yankee
winners who took some of the spotlight away from an otherwise "southern"
conference.

8. Georgia Tech -- The Yellow Jackets have been just good enough to
ruin somebody's party, and some outsiders knock 'em for being
know-it-alls.

9. NC State -- Most of the hate here comes from No. 10. It could also
be because of Julius Hodge and Chuck Amato, two brash and outgoing
characters.

10. North Carolina -- Most of the hate here comes from No. 9. Well,
that, and the fact everyone is sick about hearing how the Tar Heels are actually
going to be good soon.

11. Wake Forest -- Good luck trying to find one bad word about Jim
Grobe. Then again, fans hate it when somebody plays by the rules AND wins.

12. Duke -- How could you feel anything but sorry for these guys? The
only reason to dislike Duke if you're an ACC fan is because their losses pull
the conference down like a lead weight. Good grief, last in even the
hate-o-meter.

Old Spice Classic

When word came out that the Maryland Terps and the Georgetown Hoyas would be in the same hoops tournament this upcoming Thanksgiving, every basketball fan in the DC Metro area was hoping that the teams would square off.

Well word came out about 10 minutes ago, and Georgetown and Maryland will be on the opposite sides of the bracket. G'town will square off against Wichita State, and the Terps will face Michigan State in the opening round. The only way these two teams will be able to square off will be in the Finals, an unlikely situation.

It's a damn shame these two teams don't meet annually in a cross-town rivalry type deal. It would be a huge success and could be played at the Verizon Center.

Who else would love to see the teams play every year?

Edwin Williams

According to the Baltimore Sun, University of Maryland Center Edwin Williams (Sr.) has been named to the pre-season All ACC Team (#60).

Williams has started 26 consecutive games for the Terps and has also been placed on the Rimington Trophey Watch, awarded to the Nation's top Center.

"Williams, a fifth-year senior from Washington D.C., also earned preseason all-conference honors from Athlon, Blue Ribbon Yearbook, Lindy’s and The Sporting News."

DJ Strawberry at the Point!

2nd Year NBA guard and former Maryland Terrapin DJ Strawberry has been playing hoops in the summer league for the Phoenix Suns' squad. According to http://www.rotoworld.com/, DJ has been averaging 18 points a game and 3 assists a contest for the team. Showing that he is capable of scoring the ball while also distributing.

GM Steve Kerr was quoted as saying that DJ has been running the point in the league but he sees him more as a combo-guard with his height. Eventually the Suns would like to see Strawberry try and spell Steve Nash for a few minutes at a time through out the season at the point.

Blake & Hayes

Remember those instant comparisons of Eric Hayes to Steve Blake as soon as Hayes was recruited by Gary Williams to play at Maryland?

Well according to a report at www.insidenova.com, Hayes will be spending 10 days in Portland to practice and be tutored by Steve Blake on running the point and running the Maryland offense.

"So when looking for someone to teach him more about running Maryland's offense,
playing the point or even preparing for the NBA, it made perfect sense for the
Potomac High School graduate to enlist the services of Steve Blake. "He's got
the same type of game I have," said Hayes, who leaves Tuesday to spend 10 days
working out with Blake in Portland, where Blake plays for the NBA's Trail
Blazers. "He brings the same athleticism to his game like the way I play. He
made it to the NBA with what he had. I can try and pick up some pointers and
possibly do it myself."

Hopefully this practice session between Maryland past and future results in Hayes improving his distribution skill set and also his leadership skills as him and Vasquez will be relied on heavily to lead the team this season as the veterans. You can read the entire article here.

Sam Hollenbach

Former Maryland starting QuarterBack Sam Hollenbach was released today from the Washington Redskins in order to make room for this year's crop of rookies and free agents.

Sam never got into any game action and spent the majority of the year on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie free agent. It is tough to imagine seeing him latch on anywhere else in the NFL.

Gist in Summer Camp

Maryland student newspaper The Diamondback has the scoop on James Gist heading to rookie summer league camp for the Spurs in Vegas. Just don't make it rain to hard Mr. Gist.

"Gist is currently working out in Reno, Nev. On July 9, he'll report to San
Antonio and join the rest of the Spurs' rookies and young players in
preparation
for the NBA's Las Vegas Rookie Summer League.The Silver Spring
native and
2007-08 Second Team All-ACC performer was drafted by the Spurs in
the second
round with the 57th overall pick.Contracts are not guaranteed for
players taken in the second round, and earning a roster spot on an established
Western Conference power like San Antonio may prove to be challenging.NBA teams
are limited to 15 players on a roster, only 12 of which can be active. The Spurs
have 9 players under contract with another, first-round draft selection George
Hill, on the way."

Check out http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2008/07/03/Sports/Gist-Heads.To.Nba.Rookie.League-3387636.shtml for more on the story.

A Very Important Year for Gary!

Dana O'Neil of espn.com recently wrote an article that documents the decline of the hoops program of UMD since the 2002 title run and how Gary Williams may be feeling the seat beneath start to heat up.

Here are some highlights from the article...

"Williams, once lauded for resurrecting Maryland from the depths of NCAA probation, now enters his 20th season dogged by questions about himself, his program and his status with the university administration.
"Is this a big year? Absolutely," said Kent Greenway, coach of the Richmond Squires AAU team, a power in the D.C.-Baltimore-Virginia hub. "People are questioning how good of a coach Gary is, how good of a job the team is doing recruiting and whether the AD wants [Williams] out. This is a very, very important year."
Yet, in a season with conceivably so much on the line, Maryland starts with only 10 scholarship players. Shane Walker transferred, would-be recruit Tyree Evans never got past the administrative smell test and heralded rookie-to-be Gus Gilchrist elected to transfer to South Florida, where he hopes an appeal will restore a year of eligibility. "

Dana also takes a look at some of the local talent that has slipped through Gary's grasp.

" In the past two years, the Maryland area has produced three top-five NBA
draft picks -- Texas' Kevin
Durant went second and Georgetown's Jeff Green
fifth in 2007, and Kansas State's Michael
Beasley went No. 2 just this past Thursday. Mix in Carmelo
Anthony in 2003, and you get an idea of just how deep the talent pool is
around College Park.
"There's no reason they're not getting some of these
guys," said Curtis Malone, co-founder of the powerful D.C. Assault AAU team.
"It's a great campus, a great facility, great conference. Gary is a good coach.
There's so much talent in the Baltimore-D.C. area, they should be getting more
kids to stay home. I can't put my finger on it."

Here is the link of the article. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=3469331

It is a great read and with Shane Mosley as the only incoming freshman as of now, it makes me a little worried about the prospects of the upcoming Terp season.

Hoops Team set to add a BIG!

In a tumultous offseason that included the losses of James Gist, Boom Osby, Jason McAlpin, Gus Gilchrist, Shane Walker, Bobby Maze, and Tyree Evens, the Terps may be getting some good news soon.

A Chicago native Steve Goins (forward/center, 6'9", 260 pounds) appears to be on his way to College Park for the upcoming season according to Jeff Ermann of turtlesportsreport.com (http://maryland.scout.com/2/766140.html).

According to scouthoops.com, Goins is the 27th ranked center in the nation. Goins averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks last year at Currie Metropolitan High (Ill.), on a team that had balanced scoring. Goins was also offered scholarships by South Florida (GUS GILCHRIST!) and Illinois-Chicago. He was also recruited by Kentucky, DePaul, and Minnesota.

James Gist: Your new San Antonio Spur

With the 57th Pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, The San Antonio Spurs have selected Forward James Gist from the University of Maryland.

Gist averaged 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game this past season and was the team leader and captain.

A few articles to note talking about James Gist and his selection to San Antonio.

The Diamondback : http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2008/06/26/Sports/Gist-Drafted.By.Spurs.With.57th.Pick-3385946.shtml

The Washington Times : http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/d1scourse/2008/Jun/26/gist-spurs-second-round/

The Baltimore Sun : http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/basketball/bal-gist627,0,558825.story

Having landed on the 2007 NBA Champions, things could have been worse for James. The Spurs also have a pretty good track record of drafting players who can succeed in the NBA. The Spurs currently have 7 unrestricted free agents, (Brent Barry, Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley, Damon Stoudamire, Robert Horry, Jacque Vaughn, and Dermarr Johnson), leaving them with 8 players under contract and 3 new draft picks coming in. So there is definitely space on the roster for Gist to make the team.

The issue with being drafted in the 2nd round is that it is not a guaranteed contract for players and they have to work their way on the roster, which should not be a problem for the Forward from the Terps.

I project Gist starting the season off having trouble finding minutes, but at some point when given the chance will prove himself as a small forward who will also have the capability to guard some power forwards in the league. Gist will provide a mid range jumper, which a great instinct for blocking shots and rebounding.

James Gist was the 7th Terp to be drafted in the past 8 years (Strawberry, Wilcox, Dixon, Blake, Morris, Gist, Baxter).

Congrats James Gist!

2008 NBA Draft Day

Today is the day for the 2008 NBA Draft and Terp alum James Gist is the only Maryland player expected to potentially get drafted this evening.



Here are a few articles on the local product talking about his preperation for the draft.

University of Maryland student paper The Diamondback:
http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2008/06/26/Sports/Gist-Awaits.Future.In.Nba-3385421.shtml

The Washington Times:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/25/certainty-a-luxury-for-gist-in-draft/

Some of Gist's stop and destinations during workouts: Houston; San Antonio; Sacramento, Calif.; Chicago; Portland, Ore.; Cleveland; Toronto; and Milwaukee. Less than a week ago, Boston called to arrange a workout less than 36 hours before the draft.

Gist has been on a world tour and has been predicted to go in the last 5 to 10 picks of the second round to going undrafted and having to work his way into the league.

Steak's prediction: 52. Miami Heat - James Gist SF University of Maryland

Best of luck James!

Terps > Tar Heels

Rivals.com writer Andrew Skwara recently answered a few questions in his mailbag. Check out this question and answer...

Do you really believe Maryland's guards are better than North Carolina's?
Steven Smith from Jacksonville, Fla. -----

"Ty Lawson may not be part of the ACC's best backcourt.When I made the statement in my June 11 mailbag that Maryland would have the ACC's best backcourt next season, I must admit I didn't think Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson would pull out of the draft. But I still stand by the statement.

Nobody at any position may be as fast as Lawson, but Maryland's Greivis Vasquez is a better all-around point guard. Vasquez is a much better finisher around the basket (thanks largely to a 7-inch height advantage) and is one of the best playmakers in college basketball. If he were playing alongside Tyler Hansbrough, Vasquez would get the kind of attention Lawson does.

Though I'm not a big Ellington fan, you have to give him the edge over Maryland's Eric Hayes. Ellington is a good perimeter shooter but doesn't do anything else particularly well. Still, opponents have to be concerned with him. You can't say the same for Hayes, whose best attribute is his passing ability.

I think it's the return of talented sophomores Cliff Tucker and Adrian Bowie that give the Terps a slight edge. Both earned their way into the rotation last season and gained some valuable experience. Look for each to improve significantly and become among the best reserves in the league. The Tar Heels return seniors Marcus Ginyard and Bobby Frasor, who missed most of last season with a torn ACL. Ginyard is a good defender but limited offensively. Frasor is an adequate backup point guard. Neither is going to make big strides at this point in his career. The

Tar Heels are adding guard Larry Drew, the No. 71-ranked prospect in the class of 2008. However, the Terps are adding guard Sean Mosley, ranked 62nd. That makes it tough to say anyone has the edge when it comes to newcomers."

Food for thought.

Former recruit should stick to his Day Job...

Summer league camps and games have opened up for the Tennessee Vols and new recruit, point guard Bobby Maze has apparently made quiet an impression. (For those who do not know, Maze was once a commitment for the upcoming Maryland Terp season, but was not able to hold onto the commitment because of certain reasons). He has a grasp on the starting point guard gig for the upcoming season after impressing a lot of the local media.

"Although he only scored 14 points, Maze delivered nine assists and showed a great ability to penetrate the lane and find the open man.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Maze was, in warm-ups he was taking mid-range jumpers and nailing them. Far too many modern players neglect the mid-range game in favor of jacking up ill-advised threes. Maze looked content to shoot the 15-footer, and he looked proficient at doing it. That's something UT needs." - The Mountain Press

However, the reason for bringing up the fellow Maze is because of the rap and youtube video that has recently appeared. In light of Shaq's freestyle on Kobe, I figured it would be an entertaining post to add the piece of art by Bobby Maze or should I say B. MAZE AKA BE AMAZED.



- Steak

Some People Never Learn and Some Feuds Never Die

Ladies and gentlemen, Don Imus is back at it. This morning on his radio show Imus was in a long and of course deep conversation about Adam “Pacman” Jones and his various run-ins with law enforcement. During his co-host’s explanation about Pacman’s night club incident Imus can be heard asking his co-host what color Pacman is. The reply was that Pacman is an African American to which the ever so eloquent Imus can be heard saying, “Well, there you go."

The audio clip can be heard here....http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_audio/062308_imus.mp3

Now to some this may not seem to be a very serious transgression, but keep in mind this is not the first time Imus has said something inappropriate on the air. His “nappy headed hoes” remark caused a public outcry which led to his temporary suspension from the radio. I don’t know about the rest of you but I think enough is enough. This guy doesn’t deserve to be on the air anymore talking about sports or anything for that matter. Its sad that he was given a second chance and yet again his racist sentiment came out during a live show.

In other news....

The hottest new rapper in the streets right now is not Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, or even Kanye West. It’s the diesel himself, Shaquille O’Neal who has been making headlines with his new freestyle rap. In most rap songs the artist has a victim who he “disses” constantly and poetically. In Shaq’s new rap this individual is none other than the NBA’s MVP Kobe Bryant. "You know how I be," Shaq rapped. "Last week Kobe couldn't do without me." This is just a small excerpt from the soon to be grammy winning rap that Shaq performed in front of a live audience in a Phoenix nightclub. Throughout the whole song O’Neal can be heard making fun of Kobe and his inability to win a championship without him. Shaq also sang about how Kobe (during his rape trial) ruined his marriage by alleging that he had been with different women while married and paid these women up to $1 million in hush money. The video can be seen here on our blog:

O'Neal denies that the freestyle was meant to be a diss but more of him just joking around. He says in freestyling it's all in fun and in no way meant to harm Kobe. Well if those of you reading this blog have watched the video clip I think its safe to say this will not be taken as a joke. His raps were offensive and the fact that he is trying to play this off as a joke is even more rediculous than the rap itself. It will be interesting to see what Kobe is going to do about this rap. He may have to hit the studio to come up with his own diss on the Big Cactus. Either way, it's still pathetic and annoying to see two grown men bicker like little kids. And if you ask me, Shaq should be spending more time in the gym working on his conditioning then in nightclubs performing raps.


-Curry

Q&A with Jason McAlpin via UMTERPS

The University of Maryland's atheltic website, www.umterps.com recently had a question & answer session with former Terp swingman Jason McAlpin.

umterps.com: What are have you been doing since graduation?
Jason McAlpin: I am interning at Under Armour and working in their footwear division. It's going really well, this department is really growing so it's a good situation for me. I met Kevin Plank and Ryan Drew during the season. We stayed in touch and they brought me on to their rookie program.

umterps.com: You majored in marketing at Maryland, so how much are you able to apply from the classroom to the internship?
JM: A lot, really. A lot of what you learn in school is high-level marketing that you may not get a chance to utilize until you have your own company. I'm able to take a lot of the marketing principles and use them. I will be reaching out to some athletes to get their feedback on how performance is important to them, and what they associate with the Under Armour brand, and that's something I picked up in school.

To read the rest of this interview go to ... http://umterps.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/062008aaa.html

Scott Van Pelt Interview

Recently the website, http://www.examiner.com/ ran an interview with Maryland Terp alum and ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt. It was a rather brief interview, but interesting to pass along none the less.

Here is what SVP had to say about the Terps ...

"Well, I do my best to follow them. I try to get to at least two football and two basketball games a year. I think that Maryland has two fine coaches in Ralph Friedgen and Gary Williams. It drives me crazy to see people talk about firing him. He has done a great deal for Maryland basketball and in my mind, has earned the right to leave when he wishes. He came back to his alma mater and made it a top-name basketball school again. He is a class act and we are lucky to have him. Personally, I hope he will be around Maryland for a long time."

To read the entire interview go to, http://www.examiner.com/a-1454142~Examiner_Exclusive__ESPN_s_Scott_Van_Pelt.html

ACC Football Breakdown

www.bleacherrepots.com recently had an interview with Patrick Hite from accnation.com to talk about the upcoming ACC College Football season. Some Interesting notes to pass along from the interview...

-"In the Atlantic, I like Maryland as a surprise team. They need to settle on a quarterback. Chris Turner finished strong last year after replacing Jordan Steffy. Those two will be in the mix again, as will Josh Portis, who may be the most talented. Whichever player nails down the job, they'll have great receivers, starting with Darrius Heyward-Bey, as targets.
There's talent, if not experience, at running back, but the backs will benefit from what could be a great offensive line. The offense will have to carry the defense early, but if some of the younger players come around on defense, the unit could be good enough to keep the Terps in games. I don't think Maryland will sneak past Wake and Clemson, but an eight-win season is not out of the question."

"Chris Turner got his chance last year when Jordan Steffy was injured. Turner led Maryland to a couple of big wins, including one over Boston College, and is the likely starter come Aug. 30. But look for Turner to have a short leash. Steffy will likely get a chance if Turner falters. I really like Florida transfer Josh Portis, who missed last season at Maryland after some academic issues, but I don't believe he'll get a chance unless things go south in a hurry for the Terps. "

To read the entire interview go to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/31649-ACC-Football-Complete-Breakdown-With-Patrick-Hite-220608


Where do you think the Terps will go this season?

-STEAK

Vasquez out for 2 months

The Washington Post is reporting that Terps Junior guard Grievis Vasquez will be out of action for about 2 months due to left ankle surgery. This should not significant impact the upcoming season, but it is noteworthy to report. Vasquez had a bone spur and excess cartilage removed.

"Vasquez had apparently been bothered by some ankle pain for a while and just got something done to take care of it well before the season started. If he recovers on time, he'll be playing again a week or two before fall classes start in College Park.
And if not? Well, Maryland would probably not like to think about what it will do without the Venezuelan, who is quite clearly the best player on the Terrapins' roster for next season. With virtually nothing proven on the inside, Vasquez will be absolutely critical to any hopes Maryland has for a decent year."

- The Washington Post

A memorable U.S. Open.... right?

So i have just finished watching the U.S. Open on a relaxing Sunday night. And what more could you ask for when watching golf on a warm summers night? You have Rocco Mediate, having to qualify for the Open over the last couple of weeks, 46 years old, plays the best four rounds of golf of his entire life, and finishes one under and in position to win the U.S. Open (at this point you don't even need to play the oldest player to win the Open or oldest player to win his first major card.) But then there was Tiger, one shot behind the clubhouse and overall leader going into the 72nd hole at a major tournament. In one of the most dramatic finishes in recent major history, Tiger hits it in the rough, lays up, and goes up and down to tie Mediate. It was golf at its greatest. The feel good story of the long shot on the verge of his first career major championship being stopped by arguably the most prolific golfer of all time to force a playoff. The PGA tour couldn't have asked for anything more. On Fathers Day, when everyone is home spending time with their families, relaxing in the family room, the PGA has a playoff between the most recognizable figure in sports and the player who has no right being there with him. Personally, I felt as if I was watching game 7 of the World Series and going to extra innings. The PGA was in a win-win situation no matter who came out on top. But in a single sentence it was gone. The excitement, the energy, the feeling you were watching history... all gone.

"Tomorrow these two players will meet for an 18 hole playoff..."





Please, someone tell me this isn't true. Someone must have made a mistake. How could NBC and the PGA postpone this event for an episode of SNL no one will watch. It was so easy, just bring Rocco and Tiger out to the first tee box and have a playoff. You have every father in America watching this major and their families gathered around to spend time with them on Father's Day. You have the feel good story and the best golfer in the world tied after 72 holes. It was a gift delivered to the PGA. They would have the most talked about sporting event of the weekend, even while the Euro Cup, NBA Finals, and inter-league play were going on. But in the same fashion that Bud Selig ended the 2002 all-star game, the PGA postpones the playoff until Monday. And to make it worse, it will start at 12 P.M. eastern time. Unfortunately for the PGA (and more so for the fans) the world can't take off tomorrow. The playoff will go viewed by a select few that will be lucky enough to call out sick, or take a four and a half hour lunch. I for one will be at work, sitting at my desk, feeling like I turned off a movie in the last 10 minutes and will read about the ending later the next day. Disappointment, disbelief, unfulfilled... not the adjectives you would expect to describe how you feel when Tiger sinks a put to force a playoff. But thats how America was left feeling on this Father's Day. A great event, postponed to the middle of a Monday, left to read about history rather than watching it.

-Crab

Terps Football Faces Three Tough Opponents to Start the Season

The Maryland Terrapin football schedule has been recently updated with game times for the first three games of the year. Usually in college football, big programs like to schedule “tune up” games in order to set the tone for the rest of the year. Sometimes this can backfire as we have seen from last year’s amazing upset by Appalachian State over perennial Big Ten powerhouse Michigan.

The first three games of the year as always for the Terps are against non-conference opponents who include the Delaware Blue Hens, the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, and the Golden Bears of California. Now I don’t know about the rest of you but I am pretty happy about this opening three game slate that we have. Fortunately for Maryland we will not be playing against the 6’6’’ behemoth Joe Flacco from Delaware because he entered into the 2008 NFL draft and was taken by the Baltimore Ravens (I still question the pick because I think Troy Smith is their guy). We will also avoid having to contain their monster running back Omar Cuff (398 carries for 1945 yds last season) who has graduated and is currently trying to make an NFL roster.

This game will be pretty exciting because of the close proximity of the two schools and the fact that we have not faced off since 1948. In the all time series, Delaware owns a 5-3-1 record against the Terps, but Maryland has won the last three times. Hopefully the game and the atmosphere will allow both schools to continue to compete against each other. Delaware is a good team that went 11-4 last season and lost in the FCS Championship Game to Appalachian State.

In the second game of the year the Terrapins will face off against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders whose last game against Maryland was in 2006. The Terps defeated the Blue Raiders 24-10 in that game by scoring 17 first half point and adding an insurance TD in the second half. Two key drops by Blue Raider receivers that would have been touchdowns helped propel Maryland to a victory even though Middle Tennessee outgained the Terps in total yards. This is a team that always plays Maryland hard and would love to come away with an upset in College Park.

The last of the opening three games will be at home played against the Golden Bears of California in the first meeting ever between both teams. Cal had a 7-6 record last year despite starting the season ranked in the top #25 and even being ranked as high as 2 behind the eventual National Champions LSU. The Bears have lost key players to their team who include All-American and Heisman hopeful wide receiver DeSean Jackson who has been drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. They have also lost wide receiver LaVelle Hawkins who was a great number 2 receiver to Jackson and running back Justin Forsett who led the Pac-10 in rushing td’s last year. They do however still retain their gun-slinging QB Nate Longshore who threw for over 2500 yds and 16 Td’s last season. It remains to be seen how well he can produce after losing three offensive studs in Jackson, Hawkins, and Forsett.

This will be an exciting game for both Cal and Maryland who coming off of last year’s seasons, are two teams with a lot to prove. Both teams had talent and showed flashes of greatness but did not capitalize on it for a number of reasons i.e. injuries and inexperience. From last year, Maryland looks to be the stronger team with more of its core players still here. Cal has lost its offensive spark and will need to find a player to step their game up in the way DeSean Jackson did last year.

These first three games look to be exciting tests for the Maryland Terrapins and should be a good indicator of where this team may be in November. My hope is that the Delaware and Middle Tennessee State games will provide us with enough of a lead to put in backups and hopefully give them some valuable game time experience. The better prepared everyone on this team is, the better our outlook for the 2008 season will be.