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