Girls Don't Know Sports

OPENING SWEEP! - Countdown to WINNING! - 79

2011-04-03T17:13:00.004-04:00

The Orioles are now 3-0, on the road, against the defending AL East Champs. This is not only the best possible outcome, but in my mind the most outrageous. The Orioles are in sole possession of first place in the AL East. I believe right now they embody WINNING! I can't even remember the last time I was so excited about the Orioles.

The Orioles pitching has been spectacular! The defense has been great. And the offense is getting it done. I know this is a small sample size, but this team looks really good. I feel validated in my ridiculous off season hopes and dreams of winning season. It's early, but I'm giddy and even more in love with Buck then I was at the end of last season. This is a man who does not tolerate losing. He makes ridiculous comments to fire up the team and the fans. Really, he says everything I want to hear.

Actually, right now the pretty much every Oriole is making me fall in love with them. We need to revel in this winning. If being an Orioles fan has taught me anything, it's that you have to savor the good times. This is a team we can cheer for. I can't explain how excited I am for tomorrow.

For me, the home opener is a holiday of sorts. It means baseball is really here. I don't have tickets this year but will definitely be getting in on the celebratory atmosphere and will be getting in my first game of the season later this week. It was much harder than usual to get a ticket this year. I'm guessing I'm not the only one filled with an intense feeling of hope and goodwill. I hope everyone out there will be cheering hard for our O's tomorrow. Let's see how far this we can go on this wild ride!

Phot0: http://roarfrom34.blogspot.com/2007/08/our-favorite-local-legend-passes-away.html

I'm Back and Ready for Opening Day and Countdown to WINNING!

2011-03-28T15:38:00.006-04:00

Hi All -

I'm not even sure anyone checks this site anymore but I figured that since the Orioles are about to start a season where people are thinking they could actually win games maybe I should bring back the Countdown to Relevance. Last year that countdown ended as quickly as it started since the O's were so abysmal at that beginning of the season. However, this year looks more promising. Also, I have more time on my hands so I actually believe that this year we will have a successful countdown. However, because last year's was such a failure, I'm changing the name to Countdown to WINNING!

Orioles fans were promised a team that wouldn't embarrass us this year. I team to be proud of, a team that would win enough games to not be a laughing stock and inspire us to believe that the turn around was real. It was team to restore our trust in our beloved franchise and give us legitimate hope for the future.

Somehow WINNING! seems to fit the Orioles perfectly. If they actually put together a winning season I will probably not be able to talk about it without screaming in a manical Charlie Sheen way. If they turn out to be a hot mess, well then it really will be Charlie Sheen's version of WINNING! Only time will tell which type of season this will turn out to be. I'm hoping for the kind of crazy that makes me believe we will not have another terrible losing season. But we'll see.

I'm not sure if anyone reads this anymore, but if you do then feel free to give me your thoughts on the season. I have read so much that my brain can't even process it all and I can't even hope to make an accurate prediction. But feel free to leave on in the comments below.

Picture of a WINNING! Orioles Team

Countdown to Relevance: 80 O's Notch First Win and the Home Opener

2010-04-09T08:07:00.007-04:00

So the O's were able to get their first win of the season last night. It's great they avoided being swept and that they are managing to keep games close. That bodes well for the season. There are a few areas that really need improvement though. First, let me admit that I did not watch all of last night's game, only the 9th inning. But I can tell you one thing from the games I've watched. This closer, Gonzalez, needs to step up and step up fast. Some fans, including me last night, are calling for his head. I was nicely reminded that it was only the third game of the season so maybe I should give him a little more time before trying to rush the field and remove him.

Maybe I should give him time. But as an O's fan, it's especially hard to be patient with erratic pitchers. I'm incredibly optimistic about the Orioles, but years of sloppy relief pitching and terrible bullpens have worn my patience thin. Giving a young star, like Wieters, time to mature was pretty easy. He slumped when he first got to the majors, but not for long and you could see the talent was there. I'm having a hard time seeing that talent in Gonzalez, and trust me I'm looking. I cling to even a glimmer of talent with the hope it will grow into something great. Now, I trust Andy McPhail to make good selections and find the right talent for the team. But everyone misses sometimes, right? I'm hoping I'm wrong and Gonzalez settles down and becomes a great closer, but right now his erratic throwing makes that hard to believe. On the other hand, you can't say he isn't exciting to watch. I've been on the edge of my seat both times I've seen him play.

The other major problem has been hitting with runners on base and in scoring position. The O's are getting the hits but not capitalizing on them. But with consistent hitting, I think this will improve as the season goes on. I'm not too worried about this only three games in. Ask me about it again in June. The Orioles have kept all the games close so far. And if they can improve here, the future of this team will be very bright.

Now onto a happier topic, the Home Opener. Yes, it's not technically Opening Day, but it still deserves to be celebrated as such. The beginning of baseball season in Baltimore is a glorious time. Everyone is excited for the game and the team. Many people still believe that this year, it will be better. The hope and enthusiasm is palpable. This is traditionally a holiday in Baltimore. Sadly, I have to work in the morning but will be attending the game. Bergesen will be returning to the mound and after a promising start last season before his injury, I'm excited to see what he can do. Hopefully the offense will light it up and hit in the clutch we won't have to rely on our closer.

LET'S GO O'S!!!

Countdown to Relevence: 80 wins, 159 games remaining

Photo

Countdown to Relevance

2010-04-05T21:18:00.006-04:00

Welcome back to baseball season. The days leading up to Opening Day are some of the best for rebuilding teams. For a few days we can truly believe we will contend in our division, that great things will be in store this year. This is a time of hope. Tomorrow will be a time for reality to start again. But this year, that hope seems less starry eyed and a little more realistic. I'm not saying that the O's will be contenders this year, not by any means. I'm hoping for relevance. Therefore, I'm starting a Countdown to Relevance. A non-losing season would make the O's relevant again. Right now the team is 81 wins away from that relevance.

Last year the O's got off to a fast start, followed by a terrible decline which led to a pitiful end to the season. This year the Orioles look well equipped to become relevant again. Youngsters like Wieters, Markakis, Bergesen, Matusz and Jones make this a team with some up and coming stars. Yes, the AL East is stacked as always.

This countdown will try to focus on the positive, the things the Orioles are doing right, the great moments, the great plays, the games they win and the players who play their hearts out to make the game worth watching. This is a countdown devoted to giving hope to Orioles fans. Yes, I'm sure it will be tough at times, but I'm willing to take on this challenge. I'm hoping this is not as futile as my countdown last season. Yes, I did abandon it due to shear desperation. Whatever, I have a good feeling about this season. You should too.

Countdown to Relevance: 81 wins, 162 games remaining

Basketball Season In Full Swing

2009-12-02T23:16:00.002-05:00

I am so happy for college basketball season to be back. The Terps got off to a good start and even broke into the top 25. They then fumbled in the Maui invitational to Cincinnati and Wisconsin. Both of those teams look poised to do good things this season. And the Terps managed to persevere against the Indiana Hoosiers in the ACC-Big Ten challenge. Overall, my Terps are looking good this year. I've heard naysayers talk about how in a month the fans and Washington Post will be calling for Gary's head. But I'm not so sure.

First of all, I want to enjoy the success while it's going on. Why assume bad things are going to happen? I'm trying to be positive. Maryland has a good mixture of young and experienced players. The new big freshman will need to grow as players to make Maryland great, but I think they have done well so far. The defense is playing well so far.

For that reason, I think Maryland can do well. The Terps tend to rely on their star shooters, like Vasquez and when he doesn't come through, the Terps are lost. But this year they have the defense working for them. The shots will start to fall more. They will struggle on Vasquez off nights, but I don't think it will kill them. There shouldn't be any games like last season's Duke blowout loss. I think that will bode well for Maryland.

This team also looks like a group of hard workers. They seem to have a drive early in the season that Gary's teams sometimes appear to lack. Even in their lackluster performances, the team did not give up, they always looked like they were working hard. This is good. I don't want to watch a team that doesn't try, even in the pushover games. In recent years, Maryland has lost to some cupcake team and then started to spiral downward. I think that can be avoided this year.

I don't want to be waiting anxiously on Selection Sunday, I don't want to be strung along throughout the season and have my emotions played with again. I don't want to mourn Maryland and I don't want to call for Gary's head. So I'm hoping the experienced Terps are teaching the freshman and that Maryland continues to improve over the season.

I have high hopes, here's hoping the Terps don't let me down.

GO TERPS!!

Stupid Sports Bet

2009-11-12T21:10:00.004-05:00

So before the college football season started I made an imprudent bet with another blogger about Maryland football. I had this crazy idea in my head that Maryland might actually be decent or even good at football this year. I was wrong. Very wrong. Maryland is terrible, but I'm not one to go back on a bet. So here's the wager that I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose.

The Maryland - Virginia Tech game is this weekend. I bet the fine people at College Game Balls that whoever won would get to redesign the other blog's banner. CGB is a VT blog, just in case you were wondering. They do good stuff, you should check them out either way. Honestly, I have even learned how to use any of the software to design a banner. So I'm guessing next week my banner will be a little obscene.

Maybe Maryland will pull some type of magical upset similar to what they did over Clemson. But they've lost to pretty much everyone else, so I'm not particularly hopeful. I've pretty much given up on this season of football. Maybe next year will be better, but for now I'm focusing on basketball season, which starts tomorrow for Maryland.

Don't be thrown if my banner looks different on Sunday. If I can fight off this I'll be at the game on Saturday cheering on the Terps. Maybe I'll see a miracle. But I'm think its more likely I'm going to see a train wreck.

GO TERPS!!!

Beaten By the Bungles

2009-11-09T22:31:00.004-05:00

The Ravens were terrible this weekend. Just awful to watch. They lost 17-7 to the rejuvenated Bengals, but the game wasn't even that close. Cincinnati dominated every aspect of the game. They stalled every aspect of our offense, the picked off Flacco, they sacked Flacco, they stopped the run and the Ravens seemed powerless to stop them. And with the Ravens' defense not playing up to it's reputation, the game was just painful.

The Ravens managed to mount some offense in the 4th quarter. But at that point it was too late. And any hope of a comeback was killed when Hauschka missed that 38 yard field goal. It would have put the Ravens within one touchdown with a little over 6 minutes left. But no, wide left, and the life that was starting to come back into the team was extinguished just like that. This is the second critical 4th quarter field goal that he has missed for the Ravens. I know Raven's fans have been spoiled by Matt Stover and his great accuracy. But still, I'm starting to worry about Hauschka's mental toughness.

Next week, hopefully the Ravens' can bounce back against the Browns and regain some of their swagger. The rest of the season is going to be hard. The schedule is unforgiving and the Ravens need to take next week and make a statement. They are going to struggle to catch even be a wild card team right now. They can't afford to give up the easier games. Here's hoping they can bounce back.

Photo: ESPN/AP/David Kohl

Mascot Halloween Costumes

2009-10-29T20:16:00.001-04:00

As Halloween quickly approaches, a lot of people are still scrambling for costume ideas. Don't worry, as a sports fan there are always a bevy of ideas to be had. Grab a jersey and some eye black and you can be pretty much any player. But there is a great untapped resource of Halloween costumes in the sports world. Yes, the Mascot, these are people dressed up in costume every game and are a great way to support your team and have a fun costume or even better mock another (rival) team.

I personally am going as a penguin for Halloween this year. I do hate the Pittsburgh Penguins, but love there cute Antarctic counterparts. So I will do my best to be completely non-threatening and no way a fierce rival a capital. I'm more of a penguin from one of those cute animated movies they keep making. However, I thought about it and decided some other fun/easy mascots to dress up as.

First, there are any mascots that are people, Steelers, Patriots, Volunteers, you get the idea. Grab a hard hat and some overalls and you too can be Steely McBeam, preferably some parody of. For some reason the idea of a pirate carrying home plate is particularly funny to me. Probably because the Pirates were so terrible, actual pirates would probably have had more luck steeling bases.

Generally, I think some of the best mascot costumes are probably those creature that doesn't exist and aren't based on anything in particular. A prime example is the Western Kentucky Hilltopper. It's a big red blob. Also, though it pains me to say it, the Philly Phanatic would be a good one as well. These costume goers must make sure that their costumes are somewhat relative. The Hilltopper probably doesn't work outside of Kentucky and many people outside of Philadelphia probably want to punch the Fanatic so beware.

I personally would like to see people as Terps or Ninja Turtles or any type of turtle one might fear. I think that would be great. But seeing someone wander around in a Raven outfit would also be nice. Even an Oriole would be nice to see. Maybe one with a short leash being held by Peter Angelos.

Overall, if you are still searching for a costume, think local, everyone wants to buy there teams mascot a drink. Plus minor league teams have some crazy names and mascots. Show your support for your favorite team or taunt a rival. It's a win -win situation.

FAILgate

2009-10-19T09:42:00.007-04:00

Oh, this title could refer to so many things. The Terps routing by Virginia, the Ravens coming back in the 4th quarter only to shank a 44 yard field goal. The miserable seasons both seem to be having now. My complete and utter lack of blogging for the last two weeks. So many things I wanted to write and just got caught up being distracted. I guess this might happen occasionally when someone starts a new job. So forgive me for the slacking. I promise to try and write more again, if there is still anyone out there reading.

I'm not going to talk about the Terps, I'm only going to say that tailgating in the cold rain sucks. And if possible, Maryland should try figure out a way to schedule homecoming for a day when it's not miserable out. This is two years in a row it's been terrible weather. If we are going to lose to a terrible team, I'd like to at least enjoy the tailgating. Come on now.

I also don't have many words for the Ravens right now. After an amazing start where there was talk of them being possibly the best team in the NFL, they seem to have fallen apart. Yes, they found their offense in the 4th quarter, but it didn't matter because of that lousy field goal attempt. People were calling for Stover, who is now a Colt. Something is just wrong in the world. I believe luck plays a big part in any season. And this season, it's against us. I don't know why, but we are not clutch this year. We just can't seal the deal. If you needed more proof than the Mark Clayton missed catch during the Patriots game, now you have it. A missed 44 yd field goal in a dome. No wind, no snow, not even any cold. A dome. Inside. I can't stop shaking my head every time I think about it. It's pathetic.

The Ravens have a bye week next week where hopefully they can regroup and come back strong. Unfortunately, their schedule remains much harder than expected at the beginning of the season. They face the surprisingly good Broncos and Bengals before playing the dismal Browns again. I hope that the Ravens are not relegated to the bottom of the AFC North with the Browns by the time they play again. This Ravens team has a lot of talent. But they need to step up and play every week.

There are some serious concerns about the defense. The cornerbacks can't seem to keep up and we need a real threat receiver, yes, Mason is good, but there is no fear there. Give Joe Cool someone to throw to and and Mason will get more looks by default. It all just makes me want to throw my hands up in the air. The AFC is too good as a whole to drop this many games so early and expect to make the playoffs.

Photo: ESPN/AP/Jim Mone

Never Say Never

2009-10-04T10:57:00.004-04:00

I had given up on the Terps. It was just too painful to watch their games. So I was shocked when my friend looked up the Maryland score on Saturday to find out they beat Clemson 24-21. I'm still not really sure how they did it. The clip on ESPN mentioned something about stellar defense and quarterback Chris Turner aka Napoleon Dynamite playing really well. I now wish I had watched this game because I can't really believe either of those things without seeing them.

I'm not sure if this is the Terps getting better or if it's just the classic Maryland is going to beat a few teams they shouldn't every season with absolutely no way to predict when they are going to show up and when they are going to get blown out. I hope it's the former, but realistically I think it's the latter. The Terps have played some ugly football games this season and while they probably are getting better, I don't expect them to show up and get lucky every week.

A big part of the win was Clemson missing two field goals in the fourth quarter. That's lucky, and I'll take it. But I'm quite ready to believe there is a big turn around. I will however actually make an effort to watch the game next week. And I might try to get an actual ticket to homecoming instead of just going to hang out with friends and tailgating.

I'm not going to get too excited. But it's good to know there is some life in this Terrapin team. We'll see what happens this weekend against Wake Forest. Will Maryland turn this season around and become respectable or will the Clemson game just be an unexplained high point of an otherwise lousy season? I guess we'll know soon.

GO TERPS!

Also, I know the photo says 2008, but how awesome is that maze. And since October is the official month of corn mazes, I felt that the picture was totally appropriate.

Ravens Domination

2009-10-02T09:31:00.005-04:00

Last week had some of the most dominating play ever by the Ravens. They totally destroyed the Cleveland Browns. They outplayed the Browns in every aspect of the game. The 34-3 win was so overwhelmingly one sided it almost didn't seem worth writing about. But then I thought about how depressing the Terps season is and how depressing the O's season is and I thought wow, not only do I need to write about this, I need to boast about this. The state of Baltimore area sports is a little sad right now. So back to the Ravens.

What can I say except wow. That is one balanced game. Yes, it was against the Browns who I believe have a good chance of matching Detroit's amazingly sad feat of last year. There is no way this team wins more than 2 games unless something drastic happens. And I only give them two because they do actually play the Lions.

The Ravens look really good this year. And for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, other people are going to know this because they are watching the games. Yes, other years people have known they were good. But now that the Ravens have an offense, other people are interested in watching their games. They are exciting. People are picking up Ravens players for their fantasy teams. People are paying attention in a way they normally don't. People respect a good defense, but they want to watch offense. And now the Ravens have that appeal. I believe this is why the Ravens have topped the power rankings for two straight weeks.

Yes, they have a tough schedule coming up. But I don't care, I still see them doing well. It's a little early to declare them a playoff team, but I think they've gotten off to a solid start. And at this point will own a tiebreaker over San Diego for a wild card spot or seed. I also have to give some love to the Bears. I believe the Steelers are going to rebound and that while the Bengals may be good or at least better this year, the Steelers are still going to be the biggest source of competition in the AFC North. As a result, I have to thank the Bears for their win over the Steelers. And as anyone who has read this blog regularly over the last year knows, I kind of love Jay Cutler. Not because he's hot, though some recent modeling pictures surfaced and he is kind of hot when put in the right clothing, but because he is a constant source of entertainment. So I'm glad to see him do well which means he'll be in the league for a while to entertain me. So thank you Chicago.

This week the Ravens take on the Pats who have struggled but seem to be finding their stride. I'm hoping we catch them before they have found it completely. It's going to be a good game and I'm excited to watch them. And for the first time, I think a lot of people outside of Baltimore are too.

GO RAVENS!!

Photo: ESPN/AP/Gail Burton

Young, Struggling Terps

2009-09-25T17:30:00.000-04:00

The Terps lost a heart breaker last weekend. I don't think it will be the last of the season unfortunately. After being blown out by Cal and barely beating JMU it wasn't that hard to see a game like this coming. But it's still hard to take. This season is going to be terrible. Really, really terrible. But I don't care, I love my Terps. It's really early in the season but I've already started the wait til next year talks. They're so young, there are are so many freshman, next year this team will be better. I keep telling this to myself. It's the only way I'm going to survive this season.

Luckily I was spared from watching the game on Saturday because my computer was acting up and wouldn't let me access ESPN360 which was the only medium broadcasting the game. So I put on the gamecast and took a nap. I woke up to find that Maryland had won 31-29. My gamecast must have not registered the last second field goal. I was surprised and perturbed when I went to read the recap of the game. But I think this is somewhat symbolic of how the Terps season is going to be. Any hope I have of them winning will be squashed by reality.

But it doesn't matter. I'll continue to root for them and hope for the best because it's the only thing I know how to do. Meanwhile, I'll be telling myself it has to get better and keep hoping that by the end of the season we will look like a promising young team with everything starting to come together.

Here's hoping they can pull it together against Rutgers tomorrow. GO TERPS!

Ravens Win, Top Power Rankings

2009-09-22T17:18:00.003-04:00

So normally I scoff at power rankings. At the end of the regular season it's about who wins the most games, not what some experts think. And at the end of the playoffs it's still about who won. Screw the odds makers and expert picks. Power rankings are basically something for people to talk about during the week between football games. Oh, ESPN says they're the best, whatever. In college football the rankings only matter because the BCS is worthless and ridiculous. But in the NFL they are completely and totally pointless. Except for this week.

This week I'm taking the chance to tell everyone that the Ravens are ranked No. 1 by ESPN and Yahoo! I don't care that it's two weeks into the season. I don't care that the Ravens can't seem to stop the pass. Right now there are impartial experts out there saying the Ravens are the best in league. And I like that. So whatever, I'll shelf my basic belief that the rankings are worthless for a week. (They are worthless.) But they do serve as a reason to bring up the Ravens and gloat about them.

The Ravens beat the Chargers, another AFC perennial powerhouse, 31-26 on Sunday. The game was exhilarating to watch with one of the best hits I've seen Ray Ray make in a long time. It was timely, hard and a game winner. Say what you will about Ray Lewis loosing a step or piling on but this hit was nasty.

This year's team is determined to win. Whether through the air or with a stifling defense. Yes, they have to improve against the pass. But the gains they've made on their own offense are startling. Watch out this week when the Browns come to town for a divisional match-up. The Browns look to under preform against everyone this season. Even the Bengals have already beaten what was supposed to be a good team, the Packers. Next week the Ravens will look to improve their play and wash away any doubt that they are a team to be reckoned with.

The thing I believe most contributed to the Ravens topping the rankings this week is the emergence of Joe Flacco as a legitimate passing threat. Two games into the season and I heard him being called the best deep passer in the NFL on ESPN a few days ago. Ok, so I guess that was one week into the season. Regardless, not since the one great season with McNair have the Ravens had a legitimate threat at quarterback. That year they won 13 games. Last year, with a rookie, they went to the AFC Championship game. This year it looks like the pieces are coming together and great things should be expected of this team.

On that note, GO RAVENS, and here's Lewis's hit on Sproles:

Photo: ESPN/AP/Denis Poroy

Football Season Is Here!

2009-09-14T11:02:00.003-04:00

The Ravens won! The Terps won! Even the Orioles won 2 out of 3 against the Yankees! It was a great weekend to be a Baltimore/MD sports fan. So what if the MD win was ugly. And who cares if the Ravens special teams leaves a little to be desired. It's still early in the season and there were a lot of good things that happened.

First of all, MD is going to struggle for any wins they can get this season. And for that reason, I don't care if it's ugly. This is not a national championship team. This is a young team trying to figure out what it's doing on the football field. I have faith that this team will continue to get better over the season. And since MD is always tumultuous to watch, I think they will still be able to finish with a decent, but not great record.

As for the Ravens, they won the opening game. That's whats important. At the end of the season, it's really all about wins and loses. Flacco looked good under center and the Ravens are undefeated right now. All of the sudden the Ravens have a passing game. So while the defense and special teams might not have shined yesterday, the Ravens have a new element to their game. And the special teams might be a bit rusty. But I'm happy with the play. If we can consistently pull out wins, I'm not that worried about how we get them.

Overall, it was a good weekend. And it's now football season. I can hardly contain my glee. I love everything about it. So exciting. Cheering on my team, tailgating with friends, talking trash about fantasy teams. Yeah, this is a great time of year.

Photo: David Bergman/SI

Heartbreakers....Countdown 28

2009-08-29T09:46:00.006-04:00

The Orioles have been up and down all season. And every time I want to give up on them, they come back with a great performance and convince me to give them another chance, convince me that they really are worth my time, that they really will get better and not break my heart all the time. Last night was one of those nights. After a heartbreaking loss in the 9th two nights ago, they come back with a 13-4 rout and all of a sudden I'm hopeful again. This season is done. But its good to see that the young O's aren't giving up. Maybe that means they'll work hard in the off season and next year will be better.

It looks like the foundation is coming together and next season will be better. But I'd like for the rest of the season to be bearable to watch. I live a block from Camden Yards and I like to go to games last minute since tickets are always available. But I'd like to think we have a chance of winning some of those games. This is an old story. I'm not sure how many times this summer the O's have had a good night and I'm praising the young players and fawning about how it's about to come together. I'm tired of writing it.

But that's the way it goes being a fan of a losing team you foolishly believe is on the cusp of getting better. I think I'm a pretty good barometer for the average fan. I want to give up on my team when they lose. I want to forget about this season and move onto the next sport. But as soon as they show signs of life I forget all that and just want to see them do well. I'm happy football season is here. But I'm sad this is another losing season for the O's. Technically they could go on a crazy tear and wind up with a winning season, but the odds of that are astronomical. Oh well, maybe next year.

By the way, I now have a blogger bet going for the Maryland - Virginia Tech game with College Game Balls, more details to come later. But if you are a blogger interested in a fun wager about competing teams. Let me know.

Let the Trash Talking Begin

2009-08-23T13:24:00.004-04:00

On of the best things about sports is being able to taunt your friends about the superiority of your team. While the teams might not be rivals, it's always nice to see your team win and get to rub it in your friends faces. Do I actually have any strong feelings about JMU? No. Not at all. But I know a couple of people who went there and as a result, will be giving them a hard time as the Terps pound them in their home opener. I don't get to have a lot of fun doing this during baseball season. Because even when the O's have a win over a friend's team, they can usually counter with something pathetic about my long suffering O's. But during football season, NFL and college, offer a new opportunity to compete with friends.

The season is so short that one game really does make a difference. And even if your team goes 1-16, if you beat your friends team, you can still make fun of them ruthlessly. You just have to take it for the rest of the season. Most of this is all in good fun and is a way to get more excited about the game and make it more interesting. I'm going to be looking for random sports bets this season with other bloggers. Though I personally think this will be more fun during college basketball season. Any bloggers interested in this. Or just some general fun back and forth banter let me know.

The trash talk has already started at College Game Balls, a Virginia Tech site I really enjoy. But to be honest, I'm not ready to fight back yet because this Maryland team is so young and so full of unknowns. Also VT was ranked 7th in the AP preseason poll despite some supposedly crippling injuries. I'll wait until a game or two into the season to start boasting about how our young offensive line is improving and shaping up to be awesome. Also, we are not playing at night this season and at College Park. Which drastically improve our chances.

Right now I'm going to focus on the beating we are going to give Cal. Basically we seem to beat them every chance we get. Whether it be in football or the NCAA tournament, we always seem to have their number. And by doing no research into their team this year. I will continue to believe this until I am proven wrong. Sure Cal is ranked 12th and Maryland didn't even warrant a vote in the "Others Receiving Votes" category, but what does that have to do with the actual game. Maryland will come through. I have a feeling. And I have history on my side. How could this possibly go wrong?

Pie Hits For the Cycle....Countdown 33

2009-08-15T16:44:00.006-04:00

Last night I had two different friends ask me if I wanted to go to the game. I was kind of tired so I decided to just watch it from my couch. Big mistake. Not only did the Orioles rout the Angles 16-6 but Felix Pie hit for the cycle. That's an amazingly rare feat, though it seems to have become somewhat commonplace this season. It is one of my dreams to see this in person. It was an all around good game for the O's.

Tillman got his first major league win. It seemed his nerves were calmed after a the Orioles 6 run first inning. The Orioles seemed determined to get him his win as they went on to score another 10 runs and tying a record with 9 doubles and 12 extra base hits. It was a good night to be an O's fan.

The team has been struggling a lot lately, only having won 8 games since the All Star break. Which is just depressing to think about. So to see an offensive explosion like last night gives a fan a little hope that the rest of the season isn't going to be so terrible. That they will occasionally give us something to watch and cheer for.

Overall the O's were great last night. But Pie was the star. He hasn't been playing regularly but really took this opportunity to step up and show that he belongs in the Majors. He is only the 4th Oriole in the club's history to hit for the cycle, the others being Cal, Brooks, and Huff. That in itself is pretty amazing. Congrats Pie. And watch out Reimold, Pie is gunning for your spot.

Photo:AP/Rob Carr

Pre Season Fun

2009-08-14T18:42:00.004-04:00

Yes, in general preseason games are meaningless and just excuses to get excited about football while nothing is really on the line. They give us something to talk about and analyze when it comes to rookies and free agents and the final roster. Remember that catch he had in that preseason game? He's got so much potential. That type of thing. But last nights preseason game was extra fun. The Ravens got to beat up on the Redskins.

Generally watching your team's second or third string beat up on another team's second or third string is not all that satisfying. Sure, it's fun, but not as good as watching your first string team pummel another team during the regular season. But in Baltimore there is not really a rivalry between the Ravens and Redskins fans, but at least a mostly friendly competition between fans of two team that almost never play each other during the regular season. And it is really satisfying to watch the Redskins get beat up. Even if it is their third string, because honestly, their first and second strings didn't look so hot either.

I'm not going to read too much into the 23-0 victory for the Ravens, but it was nice to watch. It made me feel a little better about our possible receiving options. I already felt good about our quarterback situation and our defense. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee both looked good. It's too early to form too many expectations. But overall it was a good showing for the Ravens. It's always fun to watch you team win. And also to watch them beat the Redskins.

Photo: AP/Nick Wass

Top Ten Reasons I'm Ready For Football Season

2009-08-12T13:08:00.003-04:00

10. More than one sport I care about is going on. Time to get excited about something other than a losing baseball team and hope the Terps can play well enough to avoid giving me an anxiety attack.

9. It means I can stop paying attention to the terrible end of the Orioles season and actually start cheering for a team with a possibility of finishing with a winning record be it the Terps or the Ravens.

8. Hope. There is nothing better than the beginning of the season before any games are played when you can believe anything is possible and your team has a real chance of winning it all.

7. Fantasy Football. Any friendly competition is a good thing in my mind. Drafting a great team, making good trades, deciding to play and sit the right players all so you can rag on your friends makes football season even more enjoyable. Plus, you can get interested in games you otherwise wouldn't care about at all.

6. Trash talk. All of a sudden everyone's teams are going to have great years, of course, yours will do the best. Oh no, that guy from VT is out for the season, now Maryland will dominate them for sure.

5. Great rookies and big busts? Will Flacco shine again this year? Will Cutler help the Bears become a competitive team? Who will be a surprise super star and who will be an over hyped bust? The suspense is killing me.

4. Tailgating. Drinking outside and playing games like corn hole, beer pong and ladders while eating delicious, unhealthy food. Does life get any better?

3. Rivalries. In football so many of the games are in your own division in the NFL and in your conference in college. So even if the other team is not a true rival, it's always fun to beat up on someone else in the division. And hoping the Ravens will take some revenge and pound the Steelers this year is going to be fun.

2. There are entertaining college and/or NFL games to watch up to four days/nights a week.

1. The Ravens and the Terps are going to be awesome. Watch out.

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Optimism Killers

2009-08-03T09:47:00.003-04:00

Before the All Star Break I had a lot of hope for the O's. They were playing well and I thought things were starting to look up. I guess I was wrong. It was a lie I told myself so many times I started to believe it. But it has become painfully obvious that it'll be at least another year before we can enjoy a winning or even a .500 season.

There was a lot to look forward to this year. Lots of young new players and prospects including Matt Wieters. There have been surprisingly good young pitchers like Bergesen and Tillman is looking good as well. The O's seem to have a stocked farm system and keep adding to it with trades like the Sherrill one. It appears with that we are banking on having out third baseman of the future. Which means Mora will probably be gone as soon as his contract ends. While the future is looking brighter and the next few seasons should be ones where the O's are improving, this season looks lost.

Yesterday the Orioles lost 18-10. That doesn't even sound like a baseball score. Even when they get their offense going, they let up more runs than they can score. It's embarrassing and I'm fearing that by September or even in a week I'll be too distracted by upcoming football seasons to even care about the O's any more. The Ravens are already starting to take over headlines and soon the Terps' season will be in full swing. And the O's losing season will be a distant memory.

I don't want to give up on the O's every August. But they leave me no choice. They are not only competing at baseball, but with the other sports teams that start playing in the fall. I love the O's. But sports is about hope and it's easier to get excited about teams that actually have a chance of winning something. The O's are on the right track. But they're not there yet.

In other random news, I've finished taking the Bar exam and I'm now living in Baltimore again. This really just means I'll be able to write more and hopefully be able to have more access to Baltimore sports. It'll be a lot easier for me to go to Terps games and whatnot. Sorry for the brief hiatus but the Bar basically consumed all of my time and energy. I hope to be writing more regularly from now on.

Oh... in case you still care, the O's are wins away from a .500 season.

Why I Hate The Wave

2009-07-18T22:11:00.001-04:00

Yes, I hate the Wave. I think it's dumb. Not only that, I think it's counter productive to sporting events. People almost always insist on starting the wave during baseball games when they are bored. And during Orioles' games, fans often need distractions. But that does not warrant the wave. It's dumb. And it seems to always happen when our team is pitching. This is extremely stupid. If you insist on doing the wave, do it when the opposing side is pitching, then it can at least be distracting to their pitcher and maybe help us some.

The problem seems to be that even when the wave starts when the other team is pitching, it never really seems to get going until the O's are up to bat. And after going around again and again and again it only seems to stop when our pitcher manages to give up a hit does it stop. Well, this is my plea to everyone...STOP THE WAVE.

Do we really need another way to put our team at a disadvantage? Even if you think I'm crazy, and that the wave is just idle fun. Think about it for a moment, does it ever actually help the team? Isn't that why we go to games, to support the team? Sure, drink beer, have fun, but there are plenty of obnoxious things you can do without the wave.

On top of everything else, if you are actually trying to watch the game, people standing up and down in front of you is the last thing you want. At least, it's the last thing I want. If you don't believe it's bad for the team, it at least has to be bad for the fans. Cheer, shout, spell out the team name. But please, please, stop the wave. For the team or your own good.

Quick apologies to any regular readers I might have left. I'm studying for the Maryland Bar Exam. The test is in about a week. I'm spending about 60% of my energy studying, 30% of my energy remaining sane, and 10% for everything else. It's cause me to neglect this blog for a bit. But I'm looking forward to having the time to blog again soon. Sometimes real life gets in the way. Thanks, everyone, for your patience.

Second Half Hope...Countdown 44

2009-07-08T16:07:00.004-04:00

The Orioles are now into the second half of the season still with a less than .500 record. This usually means terrible things. And in recent years past we fans have had no reason to hope that the O's would keep steady or even improve during the second half. Usually we'd wait until after the All Star break to write them off, but definitely by August our interest was waning and by September, did anyone even realize they were still playing baseball?

But this season, I have hope. Maybe not that we'll be better than we were that first half. I think streaky how the O's are going to continue the season, but then again, I don't think we are going to collapse at the end either. At least this is my hope. We have so many young players and even more potential players to bring up from the minors I'm hoping we can avoid a September full of loses.

While this countdown is probably futile now, I'm still going to continue with it. There is still the entire second half of the season to go and anything is possible. We have a legitimate outfield or young players. We have a what looks to be a solid infield and our pitching is somewhere around passable, but it's mostly young and hopefully that means improving as the season goes on. I mean this is the team that had the largest comeback in franchise history. And it was against the Red Sox. That is something to be happy and hopeful about.

Yes, we are going to blow games with dumb plays and bad base running. But whatever, they're the O's. And for the first time in a while, there's hope again.

Nationals, The Cure For Any Slump...Countdown 48

2009-06-27T10:31:00.003-04:00

I really do feel bad for the Nationals. When they first moved to DC I worried they would take away from the Orioles already struggling fan base. But instead, I think they might have done the opposite. They are so bad, they make the Orioles look good by comparison, and therefore have solidified some of the borderline fans. No one really wants to switch from a losing franchise to an even worse one. Maybe a few people, but overall, I really doubt there presence has hurt the Orioles much, and the Nats have managed to become the punchline of the league. Like I said, I do feel bad for them.

But when they play the Orioles, I can't help but be a little happy. I don't need to see the O's clobber them like they did last night 11-1. But I do like the O's to get every win they can. And playing the Nats is possibly the most perfect remedy to three game sweep by the Marlins before a series against Boston. At least I can be in good spirits this weekend before a week of Boston and the Angels. It seems this season that when the Orioles can get on a roll, they can win 5 or 6 out of seven games before they begin to slump again. So hopefully, they'll be able to steal a few from the Red Sox.

The Orioles were on fire last night with pretty much everyone being productive and scoring a season tying high of 8 runs in one inning. Melvin Mora seemed inspired by his move down to 7th in the batting order and was able to contribute 4 RBIs to the effort. And while Bergesen struggled, he was still able to get out of innings only allowing one run over 6 innings. Yes, I'm a huge fan of this rookie and I would greatly appreciate someone updating his Wikipedia page. Right now it only says he pitches for the Orioles and he went to high school in California. So will someone please get on that. Also, if anyone knows if he's single, please pass that on to me.

If the Orioles could find some consistency this season, it'd be great. So far their streaky play vacillated between great and gut wrenching. I'd just like to see some consistently good baseball. Yes, they are bound to have good days and bad days. But do they all have to come in row?

O's Are Clutch, Sweep Phils...Countdown 49

2009-06-21T16:31:00.004-04:00

Yes, the Phillies have been slumping at home and were without some of their key players, including Ryan Howard with the flu, but wins are wins. With the Orioles having such a dismal road record this season, I'm still happy when the O's can win anything on the road. A sweep of team away from home is music to my ears. And even a slumping Phillies team is still dangerous, they are still the defending World Champions, and they have the hitters to make any young pitching staff tremble.

But the Orioles manage to pull off the three game sweep by coming up with clutch hits late in the games and not allowing Philly to run away with any lead. The O's are now on a 5 game winning streak and playing some good baseball right now. The man of the moment has to be Robert Andino. In the 20 minute of the game I was able to stay awake to watch, (I know I'm lame) he just made all the plays. It's going to be hard for Izturis to come back and just reclaim his spot. Andino is seizing his opportunity and making terrific plays and even hitting in clutch situations.

I feel like the team is enjoying the winning and is starting to remember how fun baseball can be. They are in much better spirits and its showing while they are playing. This team has been nothing but streaky this season and right now is no exception. But something has changed. The Orioles are no longer winning based solely on their slugging. Now they are preventing teams from scoring runs and are winning close games. And that's something to look at with enthusiasm and hope it continues.

While a .500 season is still a long way off, 49 games to be exact, every little sign of hope is something to be happy about. And if for the first time in years, the O's could have a better record the second half of the season, it's possible. I'm not ready to count them out yet.

Photo: #49 Jason Berken

Orioles Win Series, Wieters Finds His Bat...Countdown 52

2009-06-17T22:11:00.004-04:00

After weeks of speculation as to what was happening with Matt Wieters bat, he finally did it, he hit his first home run and drove in his first couple RBIs. Now everyone can stop worrying and just let the kid play the game. He's been really good defensively and been calling good games. But now hopefully he'll be hitting home runs on a regular basis, hitting in the clutch and living up to all his hype. He came through tonight with a lead off double in the bottom of the 9th.

Hopefully the clubhouse has settled down and gotten back on track. After the error filled game a few nights ago, it's good the O's could pull one this series. Especially with a bottom of the 9th rally. It was a great way to end a series. I'm hoping they can keep this streak going over the weekend in Philadelphia.

It's good to see us winning and the countdown continuing. The O's are now a mere 52 wins away from a .500 season. So let's continue to cheer them on. Some of you may have noticed that I'm not updating this as often as usual. Part of that has to do with the rate the Orioles are winning games, but mostly it's because I'm studying for the Bar Exam and that takes a great amount of my time and energy. So sorry if I'm not keeping all you O's fan's updated as much as either of us would like. I hope all of you will bear with me through this next 6 weeks of studying and sparse updates. Thanks.

O's Stop Skid...Countdown 56

2009-06-10T14:25:00.004-04:00

The Orioles managed to stop there there slide and get back on track last night despite the terrible weather and win 3-1 against Seattle. Though I'm going to have to say I'm not a fan of this instant replay thing. I know its supposed to make the game better. But so far I've only seen the O's get screwed by it. And yes, I don't care if its more fair, I want my team to win. There is no review for other crucial parts of the game, calls of safe or out or catches. I'm tired of out home runs being taken away. Why doesn't it happen to the team we're playing. We give up enough home runs, some of them should be called back.

It's terribly annoying to me when a person is called safe or out and they are clearly not. Why can't the umpire review those plays. Getting into balls and strikes would be a little tedious and would drag the game on far too long. But maybe the MLB could set up a system like the NFL. Each team gets 2 or 3 challenges a game. Set up guidelines for what can be challenged and then add that to the managers job. It just makes more sense. At least to me.

Luckily last night the O's were able to overcome their lost home run and still win the game. I would just like to point out that I love Brad Bergesen. He pitched a great game last night. I also think another rookie deserves a fair amount of attention and praise, Nolan Reimold. The kid is batting .385 in his last five games and .295 for the season. He also gives us a legitimate out field that does not involve Pie, yes he still makes some mistakes, he's a rookie. But if we are able to keep bringing up guys like him in our farm system the future looks bright for the franchise.

Right now the O's are struggling and the countdown to .500 is looking more and more like it not going to happen this year. But it's nice to see the team putting the pieces in place for next year and the future. We just have to wait for it to all come together.

Wieters Debuts, Orioles Roll...Countdown 58

2009-05-30T16:09:00.004-04:00

Last night it seemed like I had gone back in time. Fans braved and waited out the pregame rains to stay around and watch the O's play. The stadium was full of fans wearing orange and cheering on the home team. Everyone seemed excited and happy and hopeful. And it was loud. It was awesome, the way Camden Yards was when it opened and the Orioles were winning and making the playoffs on a regular basis. It was awesome.

The big story of the night was the debut of top prospect Matt Wieters. While he had a slow offensive night, going 0 for 4, he played solid defense and managed to call a good game. Brad Bergesen pitched a solid eight innings and only allowed two runs. He was treated to a standing ovation when he left the game in the bottom of the 9th. It's the second time I've seen him pitch this season and truly believe his is the real deal. A solid starting pitcher on a team that sorely needs quality pitching. And even if Wieters bat was a little quiet, the rest of the line up more than made up for it.

Luke Scott hit a grand slam and followed that up with another home run his next at bat. The crowd went wild and Scott stole the show. It was just a great game. I traded an extra ticket to a friend in return for a home made sign (pictured above) and had the awesome opportunity to meet John Harbaugh while trying to get on the Jumbotron. He was very nice and is way hotter in person than on TV.

The O's have now won 5 in a row and 7 of the last 8. Hopefully people keep coming out to see this team. This young team is giving O's fans something to be hopeful about again. And right now, they're playing really good baseball. They are now only three games below .500 and only wins away from a .500 season.

GO O'S!

Orioles Start the Series Off Right...Countdown 61

2009-05-25T23:21:00.005-04:00

The Orioles have now won the first two games in their series against Toronto. So now they have won their last two series and 4 out of there last 5 games. Things seem to be looking up for the O's. Guthrie pitched an amazing game yesterday and Jason Berken won his Major League debut today only letting up seven hits and two runs in five innings. The Orioles found their bats and supported him with seven runs. The Orioles pulled off a win despite the miserable weather two days in a row with a 9-2 victory today and 4-1 victory yesterday.

But the turn around in wins isn't the only exciting thing happening with the Orioles right now. Hot prospect, Matt Wieters, is scheduled to make his major league debut on Friday against Detroit. He's been tearing up the minors and Andy McPhail seems confident that he will be able to call a game. He can learn a lot from veteran catcher Gregg Zaun and hopefully will be able to deal with the young, frequently changing pitching staff.

It's something to get excited about. A winning team and a new, young, switch hitting, power hitting catcher. The next couple of days should be fun. Yes, we've been winning agianst losing teams. But in order to get closer to having a winning season, the O's need to win the games they're supposed to win. Only 61 more wins to a .500 season.

Photo

Behind Enemy Lines: Yankee Stadium

2009-05-20T17:31:00.005-04:00

A few nights ago, my brother and I made the trip to Yankee Stadium. After scouring Stub Hub a week ago for reasonable tickets, and moving him into his new apartment we were ready to go in our Orioles' gear. In the end we were able to get cheap tickets, about $15 a piece including fees for decent seats behind the 3rd base dugout in the highest level. But overall we had a good view of the field. Maybe it was because it was a Tuesday night, maybe it's because the Orioles were playing, but we definitely got reasonable tickets at a very reasonable price.

We arrived at the stadium and saw it was littered with Orioles fans. Little orange dots amongst a sea of blue and white and pinstripes. It was nice to see some friendly faces. And actually, most of the fans were pretty nice to us. A few rowdy obnoxious Yankee fans got kicked out of our section. But they were quickly bored of taunting the Orioles fans and moved on to fighting amongst themselves. I have to hand it to the stadium officials, because they had no problem kicking out the idiots who were fighting or even the guys going overboard on the taunting.

Sadly, I think one of the reasons all the O's fans were able to handle the "you sucks," to the point the Yankees fans got bored and turned on each other is that it's the truth. Yeah, we know our team has been bad for over a decade. Yeah, you telling us is old news. We have to live the pain of cheering for a losing team. But we know when they finally do turn this ship around we'll be better for it. We stick with our team no matter what. So what if we've been losing for a decade, any sign of promise or hope is enough to excite us. I'll be ecstatic if we can finally have a winning season, a feat that is looking further and further away each game. Yankees fans are upset if they don't win a championship. There's something to be said for the happiness that comes with lowered expectations and hope.

After Brad Bergesen pitched a great game through the 6th inning, only letting up one two run home run in the first and pitching masterfully. At that point the game was still close, 2-1. We began to get excited at still being in the game against Sabathia in the 7th inning. But that was when all hell broke lose. The Yankees scored seven runs that inning off of three different pitchers including most off of reliever Chris Ray. When the inning finally ended, the guy sitting next to us, who had been very pleasant all game, turned and told us that his 10 year old son said he felt sorry for us. That it must be hard to watch your team blow it like that. We quickly responded that he shouldn't feel bad. We were used to it. If anything, I brought away from that game the Bergesen is a reasonable starting pitcher. And that makes me happy. Sure, it does suck to watch your team get blown out. But I also got to see Adam Jones make and incredible diving catch that topped the Sports Center highlights the next day. I got to see some great pitching for a while. And I got to see Yankees Stadium. All in all it was good trip.

It was a beautiful stadium and I'd be happy to go back and see another game there. I didn't really eat at the restaurants or special bars. Mostly it was a good game worth watching, spent drinking expensive domestic beers and eating some overpriced french fries. Maybe I'll go back to watch a team I care less about and actually do some exploring of the stadium. But what I saw of it, I enjoyed.

Photo: I didn't get around to uploading the pictures we took and now they are with my brother, still on his camera. So I borrowed a picture from someone else.

Too Much Drama in Caps Playoffs

2009-05-10T13:52:00.004-04:00

The Caps are now down 3-2 in a series they once led 2-0. They've had two overtime losses and now need to win the last two games of the series to advance. Otherwise, the hated Sid Crosby and his whiny batch of Penguins will advance. My theory on this series, the Caps need the drama to motivate them. After coming back from being down 3-1 to the Rangers, they were still riding high enough to win the first two games of the series against the Pens. Yes, the Caps have been playing hard. But they haven't been quite clutch enough.

Now that they face elimination, I think they will step it up again. They will not go down easy on Monday. I expect hard hitting, passionate play and an overwhelming offensive output. The Caps have played their best hockey in the playoffs with their backs against the wall. And hopefully they will do it again. As a fan though I could do without all this drama.

Ideally, the Caps would have completed a clean sweep of the Pens or maybe let them win one game on an off night. But this comeback has me and a lot of other fans on edge. While this is the type of series that the NFL brass have been hoping for, superstar vs. superstar, comebacks, overtimes, controversial plays and exhilarating goals, I don't really care what it's doing for hockey as a game. I want my Caps to advance. They have already gotten farther in the playoffs than any Caps team in over a decade, and I appreciate that. But these games are close. And with a little luck, the puck will bounce their way in the next two games.

The Penguins are managing to get an amazing number of shots off. And its unrealistic to expect this rookie goalie, Varlamov, to block over 40 shots a game. The guy has been great. And usually I'd call for the offensive powers of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Semin to step up. But now I'm calling for the defense to kick it up a notch. Help this kid out. The offense is trying and scoring. Help prevent a few of these shots on goal.

Really everyone needs to play their hearts out these next two games. Otherwise there will be a long offseasons with even larger expectations looming next season. But right now, I just want to see a little more hockey.

LET'S GO CAP!

Happy One Year Birthday, Blog

2009-05-07T13:03:00.003-04:00

On this day last year I put up my first post, A Letter to O's Fans. Over the last year, I've managed over 100 posts and had thousands of visitors from every state in the Union and a few other random countries. I'd like to thank everyone who has come to read my stuff at this site.

Over the last year, I've written about many different sporting events, on several different sites. I'm honestly a little surprised I've managed to stick with it this long, as I have a tendency to get bored or distracted and give up on hobbies.

I'll get back to the countdown after the next O's win, yeah, it's down to 70 now. And I'll hopefully be talking about the Caps beating the Penguins again soon.

I just wanted to thank everyone who's come here, read, emailed me, given me tips, given me opportunities to write on other sites, linked my site and commented on posts. I appreciate everyone's support and hope you continue reading.

O's Snap Losing Streak, Countdown Continues at 71

2009-05-05T12:20:00.003-04:00

The Orioles have been struggling lately. They had lost six consecutive games and won only 3 of the last 18 games. But last night they found their bats and were able to hold of the Rays with an 8-4 win. Markakis started the O's off early with a three run home run. And from then on the O's were able to keep creating offense and get the win.

Hopefully this win boosts morale and confidence among the team. They needed this win and hopefully a lot more. There hot start was a surprise to everyone, but this slump has managed to erase all of that early enthusiasm. No one likes to watch their team lose. And the O's have been losing for over ten seasons. I've decided to stop counting the number and just refer to it as over ten. Really it's just depressing.

I love baseball, but I understand why the O's struggle to get fans in the seats. While they do actually have a lot of good discounts and specials, $6 student tickets on Friday. It's hard to rationalize that when you have to spend more on a beer than a ticket. For all the O's promotions, they still are not putting out a winning product. While I appreciate the efforts and the discount tickets that are readily available, I'd rather have a winning team.

Though I am pretty happy about the free ticket to a game for your birthday. That's pretty solid Orioles.

Let's hope this game gets some momentum going and I can throw up a countdown post more than once a week. Oh, by the way, sorry for the brief blogging hiatus. I was finishing up papers and exams for my last semester of law school. It's possible I will disappear again next week due to excessive celebration of being done. Just a warning.

Maybe It is All Starting To Come Together...Countdown 73

2009-04-24T11:14:00.005-04:00

Last night Adam Eaton stepped up and managed to allow only four hits and no runs in 7 1/3 innings leading the Orioles to a 6-2 win. The White Sox have a powerful offense so it's not as if he was pitching against the Nationals. After two lousy starts maybe he finally found his groove. The big question this season has been pitching? Can the Orioles' starters eat up innings? Can they prevent the huge hemorrhaging of runs? Will the bullpen be able to preform in a close game? The first few games the Orioles bats were able to keep all those questions at bay. But now it is starting to look like a starting rotation is coming together.

Maybe last night was a fluke. But I hope not. Maybe Bergensen isn't ready for the majors. Again, I hope not. I think that after the first few weeks the talent is being assessed and the pitchers are starting to feel more comfortable in their roles. They are starting to settle in and step up. Maybe after all the times the O's have traded pitchers only to have them finally start reaching their potential, it's the O's turn.

The offense of the Orioles has not been in question this year. Everyone seems to have a hot bat. Yes, they have had some down nights, but that's to be expected. I think they understand they have to carry a lot of the weight for the team. Seven different Orioles were able to get hits last night including a couple of doubles by Huff and Scott. Only five other teams have scored more runs than the O's. Which is a good sign. If our pitching really is coming together, the Strive for .500 countdown can be a success. Only 73 more wins!!
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Let's go O's!

Young Pitching Pans Out...Countdown 74

2009-04-22T10:47:00.004-04:00

After a week of loses and injuries and inconsistencies on the mound the Orioles finally won another game. They beat the White Sox 10-3. Now they are back at .500 and only 74 wins away from a .500 season on the year. And games like last night's are the kind of games that give you hope for the future. The O's called up Brad Bergesen from Triple A and he was able to tame the big bats of the Chicago White Sox by only letting you three runs in 5 2/3 innings. That's a solid start and Orioles are looking for.

It's amazing that we seem to have a farm system once again. Woo hoo! The Orioles also gave this young started the run support he needed and more to gain his first major league win. If he works out the O's could have four decent starting pitchers. Guthrie, Uehara, Hendrickson and Bergesen. All have now had at least one solid start. Yes, there have been some bad games in there, but honestly, if I told you before the season that the Red Sox would sweep the O's in the first series against them would you have been surprised. No. The big surprise would have been the start.

Hopefully, the pitching is beginning to settle and the bats are staying hot. Hope that Strive for .500 actually makes it to zero is alive again. Don't burst my bubble. Last night was a good night.

Caps Step Up in Game 3, Ovie's Turn in Game 4

2009-04-21T13:24:00.005-04:00

The Caps played last night and stepped up their game. They beat the seventh seeded rangers to put themselves back into the competition. The Rangers lead the series is now 2-1 and the Caps play again tomorrow in an attempt to tie the series and show that the slow start in the first two games was not such a big deal. The Caps managed to find their offense last night and their young goalie stayed strong and allowed no goals for a final score of 4-0.

While the Caps came on strong, their star player still isn't living up to all his hype. Alex Ovechkin has yet to record a playoff goal. He had two assists last night. Which is good to see he's not trying to put all the pressure on him and let the team do some of the work in the win. A good leader should be willing to let others help.

But obviously a good leader also needs to lead. He's the top scorer on the team. Now that the Caps have won a game without him scoring he needs to step up and lead this offense. He is a viable threat and should be seen as one. Sure, I'm all for spreading the wealth and doing what it takes to win games. But I don't know how successful the Caps are going to be if Ovechkin can't get his swagger back. He is the spirit of this team.

Hopefully tomorrow he'll find his shot and truly lead his team. I'm not really sure they can win this series without his scoring. But then again, a win is a win. And I'll take it no matter who scores. I just want to see the Caps move on in the playoffs.

O's Win Again Despite Pitching Woes (Countdown 75)

2009-04-15T11:31:00.004-04:00

The Orioles managed to pull off another win last night with a 7-5 showing. They now sit atop the AL East and have won their first three series of the season. They've take two out of three from the might, spend happy Yankees, and two out of three from the AL Champion Rays. And they have a chance to sweep Texas tonight. The bats of the Orioles seem to be on fire. They've scored 50 runs already this season and the offense has showed little sign of slowing down anytime soon. They even have a chance to sweep the Texas Rangers tonight. If you had told me all those things before the season started I'd be ecstatic.

But looking at all that doesn't really show what's going on with this team. Just focusing on the positive paints an overly rosy picture of this team. Usually I like to focus on the positive. As an O's fan it's what you have to do to stay sane and keep caring. But I can't do that right now. Which is a shame because who knows how long we're going to be able to keep winning and be in first place. I really want to just focus on the positive but our pitching is in such bad shape that I just can't.

The Orioles used six different pitchers last night. SIX! Ok, so Simon is apparently injured and only lasted four outs. And our bullpen did step up and hold the Rangers off until Sherrill let up a two run homer in the 10th. Even Sarfate didn't allow any runs. But this is not a viable solution. The O's need starting pitchers. At this rate the bullpen will be worn out by June. Is it a possible game plan to just have a bullpen and have each pitcher pitch one inning every game? Could that work? Because it seems like the O's are working with something like that.

Hopefully, this is a minor injury for Simon and he will come back and be a consistent starter. I'm not asking for greatness here. I'm just asking for an average starter that can pitch more than two innings without blowing the game. Hendrickson is up tonight. His last outing was exactly what I was looking for in a starter. He pitched 5.1 innings and with one earned run. That is what a pitcher at the bottom of the rotation should be doing. I'm not looking for complete games. I am looking for more than one time through the line up. I'm hoping he brings his consistent game back tonight. I don't need flashy or dominant. I just want consistent wins.

Adam Eaton struck out six in four innings in his start against the Rays. He also allowed four runs. I'd like to focus on his ability to pitch strikes but I was at the game and he got blasted. Hopefully, he'll start pitching more strikes the other team can't hit. I'll cut him some slack because it was against the Rays. And they were in the World Series last year. But he wasn't that great for the Phillies last year. And it just makes me wonder what Baltimore is thinking.

With an offense and a start like this I want to be celebrating. Instead, I'm just worrying about when the other shoe is going to drop. I'll take the wins where I can get them. It's still early and there is still time for things to fall into place. But if the starting pitching doesn't improve, I'm not sure the countdown will make it to zero. Even though we seem to keep winning, I already feel like Strive for .500 is in jeopardy. Oh yeah, the Orioles are now only 75 wins away from a .500 season.

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O's Win Slugfest in Baltimore Jersey Debut.....(Countdown 76)

2009-04-14T10:46:00.005-04:00

Yesterday the Orioles out scored the Rangers 10-9 to win their fifth game of the season. I'm incredibly superstitious. So I'm not only happy for the win, but happy that the O's were able to win their first game with Baltimore back on the jersey. I'm glad the long awaited jerseys got a good start. Otherwise, it's possible that these jerseys would be considered jinxed. Returning Baltimore to the jersey should only be viewed as a good thing and a win helps that. At least in my mind. The Orioles did their best to return to old form at the end of the game and try to blow it. But they were able to hold on and win.

The pitching is looking more and more questionable, but as long as the O's bats stay hotter than their opponents I guess we can still hope the pitching comes together. I'm not going to give up on Uehara yet. He's had one good game and one bad game. I just hope he has more good games than bad this season. And when you can walk away from a bad game with a win I guess you have to look at it from the positive. In general the Orioles have problems with the Texas Rangers. Some of their most embarrassing games have come against them. However, he's still 2-0. So if he can get the run support than I guess I can't complain too much. Hopefully, this was just an off game. (I'm going to keep saying this until I have a definitive reason to believe otherwise.) The Orioles really need to have more than one consistent starter. I love Guthrie, but we really do need more.

At least the top of our batting line up, Roberts, Jones, and Markakis, are all batting over .350. I'm hoping the bats stay hot to help out the pitching as much as possible. Even without pitching huge offense is going to win us some games. And big bats and solid defense should help to lure free agents to the Orioles. If it looks like they are only a few pitchers away from being contender, which I'm not saying they are, that makes them more desirable to play on. After what the Rays did last year, it's hard to count any team out. The O's are now 76 wins away from a .500 season. Let's keep striving for .500.

For the Love of the Game (Countdown 77)

2009-04-13T10:15:00.004-04:00

Last week, I was talking to my friend about Opening Day. He's a Yankees fan and I was asking if he had watched it and what he thought. I said a couple things about how the Yankees looked pretty off and how he felt about all the big money deals and how they would work out this season. He didn't even know the Yankees had played and lost. He said his main problem with baseball is that the season is so long, that it's hard to care about any particular game. On one hand, I guess I kind of agree with that but on the other hand I think it's a total cop out.

Part of the beauty of baseball is the ridiculously long season. Sure, I don't get excited for every game, but I am excited while watching any game. It's true that you don't get a week to celebrate any particular victory, but you also don't have to spend much time dwelling on a terrible loss. A great part of baseball is there's always next time. And next time is usually pretty soon.

Yesterday the Orioles got blown out by the Rays 11-3. I went to the game and really just watched inning after inning of the Orioles' ineptitude. I usually don't see games like that until August. But I stayed the whole time. We put our caps upside down in the bottom of the ninth and managed to spur a three run rally. Not enough to come back, but enough to prevent a shut out. And the good thing is that there is another game today. Another chance to win and a reason to watch.

Streaks and momentum and all other sorts of intangibles that make it fun to watch sports come into the baseball rhetoric more than any other sport. I have no idea if it's real in the clubhouse, but I don't really care. I like that there's always another chance in baseball. I like that there are so many opportunities to watch games and even attend games. Baseball is probably the most accessible sport for fans. (Unless you're a Yankees' fans where I believe the cheapest tickets still run about $6 million.) But in general, there are specials and there are deals and there are ways to get affordable tickets. Well, maybe that's just the Orioles. But still, the long season is part of what makes baseball America's pastime. It really is always there for you to watch.

The countdown to a .500 season is still at 77 right now. And overall, the Orioles have been playing decent baseball. So far it looks like they have three starting pitchers and hopefully will be able to fill in the rest of the rotation as the season goes on.

LET'S GO O'S!

Strive for 5(hundred)....79 games

2009-04-09T13:23:00.004-04:00

Yes, the third game in the season is starting in a few minutes. So it is possible that in a few hours the Orioles will no longer be in first place or be undefeated. However, they will still have a winning record. But I ask everyone to just enjoy this nice start to the season. I feel that there is an actual possibility that the Orioles could have a winning season this year. Or at least not a losing season. So in an attempt to jinx them, I'm starting a countdown that I'm calling the Strive for 5 as in a .500 winning percentage. The Orioles are now only 79 games away from this mark.

I have no idea if I'll be able to keep up this countdown. I might forget about it. I might give it up in disgust and dismay sometime in July. I might go a few weeks without posting about it if anything else happens in sports that I might care about. I seriously doubt I will make one of these posts after every win. But I will give it a decent shot. There are just so many baseball games that it might be hard for me to keep up. Occasionally real life does get in the way of blogging.

Right now I'm going to focus on the positives of this seasons so far. We seem to have two capable starting pitchers. That is good to know. Our bullpen is a little shaky but Sarfate isn't the most solid reliever and that the O's were just trying to gauge his progress with a large lead. For the Orioles to be successful this year they need a competent bullpen. The jury is still out on what's going to happen there. I prefer to be optimistic about this.

I'm also happy about the Orioles outfield. They are young and fast with strong arms and a lot of range. I expect to see them make a lot of great plays this year and hopefully make the job easier for any of our young pitchers. And improvement in defense is an improvement for the team. Especially since the pitching is the biggest question mark this season.

I don't know how this season is going to turn out in the long run. And we'll see how Simon pitches this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed. This has already been a great couple of games to start the season. And any time the O's beat the Yankees is good by me. So let's go O's!

O-pening Day

2009-04-07T13:34:00.005-04:00

This is the best time of year to be an O's fan. Well it's probably good for any fan of a baseball team with a not so winning past. It's the beginning of the season and anything is possible. Yesterday it rained for all morning and I was a little worried. It looked as if the the game was going to get postponed. But fans still showed up to see the O's take on the Yankees.

It didn't seem like the best match-up to start the season. C.C. Sabathia was on the mound and the Yankees spent what seemed like a limitless amount of money this season to stack their team including hometown boy Mark Teixeira. But Baltimore fans showed up in droves to support the O's and boo the Yankees. And today, the Orioles are 1-0 after beating the Yankees 10-5.

The team played solid all day. Everyone seemed to contribute and the defense looked solid. It was reassuring to see a shortstop that didn't have any errors, let alone the kind of errors that make the blooper reels. It seemed like the day just got better and better. The rain stopped, the sun came out and the O's offense showed up ready to play.

I know its early in the season. But I'm hopeful. I think the O's could be over .500 this year. Yes, I think they can have a winning record. Well it's a tall order and a lot of it falls on young pitching. But I don't think its impossible. Who knows, the Rays went from never having a winning season to playing in the World Series. It's no less ridiculous to think that if the Orioles play solid defense all year full of good fundamentals and lacking in flashy, showy plays, that it could be a good year.

Don't talk to me about flaws and shortcomings right now. I'm all about hope.

Photo: AP/Susan Walsh

The Ridiculous Jay Cutler Saga Continues

2009-04-03T12:14:00.004-04:00

I love Jay Cutler, he might not be the greatest quarterback ever, well, he's definitely not, but he's so entertaining. He's constantly running his mouth, comparing himself to other quarterbacks and saying how much better he is then them. There are drunken pictures of him playing beer pong floating all over the Internet. He's diabetic and yet was in a McDonald's commercial. He whines and cries and fights with the new coach and anyone who will listen. And he still managed to put of ridiculous fantasy numbers.

I'm excited to see how this whole Chicago deal works out. Chicago gave Denver the football equivalent of a small fortune to get Cutler. Some people might think this is a bad trade, since Cutler's team only went 8-8 last year and missed the playoffs in a very weak division. But Cutler was very good at moving the ball. His team had almost no defense and no running backs. So his performance was solid. I don't know if he's worth every first round draft pick for the rest of eternity for the Bears, but I think it was a solid move on their part. At least they got rid of Kyle Orton. Plus now he has a whole new division's worth of players to feud with.

I might have to root a little for the Bears. If only so Cutler stays in the league longer to entertain me. Seriously, if his beer pong skills are any good I might love this guy. It's the kind of drama I need.

Just Post It

2009-04-02T21:16:00.004-04:00

I know I should be talking about the final four. I mean, that's the big thing happening in sports right now. But I'm just unmotivated. I feel like I should write something. Maybe it will get me in the mood. Instead I'm going to write a little about the stuff I should have been writing about.

I should have written something about the 25th anniversary of the Colts leaving. But after 25 years, a new football team, a Superbowl, and a new image for the city, I still don't know what to say. I don't remember the Colts being in Baltimore. I grew up in a city that was bitter about the way they left. Baltimore was like a spurned lover, they embraced there new team but still get angry and bitter every time the Colts come to town. And likewise, the team always seems to fall apart against the Colts. Like an ex the city is not quite over. We talk a big game, but it still hurts. It's been 25 years but Baltimore is still not over it.

The final four is happening this weekend. I have no clue who is going to win. Right now it's any one's game. I had Michigan State losing in the first round. But they man handled Louisville, the number 1 overall seed. If you've been reading this blog for any period of time you know I suck at predictions. So I'm not going to make any. Any team could win this thing. You're guess is as good and probably better than mine. I won't tell you which team I like, I don't want to jinx it.

Yeah, there's a lot of other stuff going on in the sports world. But sometimes real life gets in the way of blogging.

Shameless Self Promotion

2009-03-25T16:12:00.006-04:00

I just wanted to give anyone checking this site a quick heads up. I was asked to add content to Total Pro Sports. This sounds like a fun opportunity for me but as a result it means I will probably update this site even more erratically. I still plan to update regularly, but wanted to you all to know why posts might start to lag. Hopefully, it will not have a huge impact. I already am subject to the demands of school and other things happening in my life and I still plan on making time for this. But if you need a fix of my writing you can also check there. Here's the link to my first article. The Lady Terps Will Eat Your Children. Hope you enjoy it.

I also write pretty regularly for the Friday feature on Deadspin called Waxing Off. Most you probably stumbled across my site this way but I figured as long as I'm mentioning other places you can find my writing, I might as well make a note of it.

I also wrote a review of Camden Yards area restaurants and bars a while back for Fan Foodie. This is a great collaborative site to check out if you are traveling or going to any sports venue and want a feel for the local fair to prevent you from getting sucked into the local tourist trap or eating some terrible stadium food.

As always, thanks for reading.

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Good for Hockey, Good by Me

2009-03-23T20:01:00.005-04:00

A lot has been made recently of Alex Ovechkin's 'excessive' celebration of his 50th goal. Yeah, this was a few days ago, but I've been like the most people and spent the last week obsessing over college basketball. Now that my team is out and my bracket is totally busted, I can start going over the sports news I've been missing out on. One such piece of controversy, was Alex Ovechkin pretending to start a fire over his stick after scoring.

Ovechkin has always been known for his celebrations. Every goal he or a teammate scores he jumps up and down like a crazy person. He scores a lot of goals, third season in a row over 50, and he celebrates a lot. So far, this has been lauded as great for the game. An explosive player who shows great enthusiasm and truly enjoys playing the game. It has made hockey more fun for people to watch. People who nothing about hockey know who Alex Ovechkin is. He brought personality to the game. And it seems that he has done it for the love of the game, not for his own personal glory.

So why all the criticism? Yeah, maybe it was a bit of dick move, but it was fun. What's wrong with some celebration. I'm not saying he should start whipping out Sharpies and signing pucks, but an occasional over the top celebration is not a terrible thing. Not every goal celebration should involve antics or props, but an occasional clip is ok. It brings attention to the league. Suddenly people are watching hockey for something other than fights. And maybe, they'll be like me, they'll watch a little hockey for some other reason and realize that hockey is actually pretty fun to watch.

Purist will decry any change. But the league should embrace some fun. That's the point of the outdoor game right. To bring in new viewers. A star gets press and some interest and some fans. So let the guy play and have fun. The NBA just took out a huge loan and is still considered a run away more popular sport than hockey. Let the league address excessive celebrations if or when they get out of hand. Until then, enjoy the star power.

Random MMA

2009-03-22T14:17:00.006-04:00

In an attempt to distract myself from the rout of Maryland yesterday I was just surfing some random sports sites and stumbled across a video of a Mixed Martial Arts fighter addressing some type of cheating scandal. It had something to do with Vaseline and men being paid to kiss other men, whatever, not the interesting part. Apparently there are some hot MMA fighters out there. I guess I always figured that two men grappling with each other would have to be in good shape, but I also figured their faces would be a little busted, they're fighters, it made sense in my head. Well, there is at least on hottie out there, Georges St. Pierre, and he's also a pretty good fighter, or at least that's what his website says.

I know almost nothing about MMA, except they fight in a cage, and know a bunch of martial arts styles, wrestling moves and boxing techniques. Maybe one of my readers could educate me about this sport. I know it's ridiculous to say this, but if more of the fighters look like this guy, I could become a fan. I've seen a few fights but never really gave it much thought before. But there's nothing like a little eye candy to help relieve the pain of a hard loss.

I should be catching up on the massive amount of signings the Ravens have made during free agency or how the O's are doing in spring training, or any of the sports I really care about. But I needed a down day and though everyone deserved a mindless post after my angry rant about the ACC yesterday. Sorry about that, but it's my blog, so whatever. I'll get back to my regular sports soon.

Where'd My ACC Go?

2009-03-21T21:36:00.004-04:00

I'm not going to focus on how Maryland got blown out by Memphis. It was sad, but not really that surprising. I'm hoping that Vasquez will now stay around another year and lead a solid, experienced Maryland team deep into the tournament. But we'll all have to wait and see on that and how the new recruits turn out. Those are worries for next season. Right now my question is what happened to the ACC?

The ACC fielded seven of their twelve teams in this tournament. The only conference with a higher percentage of its teams going to the tourney is the Big 10 with 7 of 11 teams. Yes, even the unstoppable Big East did not bring more teams than the ACC or Big Ten. The Big East has approximately half of all Division I teams, so they should earn at least 7 bids on any given year. But the ACC decided not to show up for the tourney. Yeah, we had the numbers, but not the wins.

Only three teams were able to advance to the second round. Maryland, UNC and Duke. Of those teams, so far only UNC has sealed a spot in the Sweet 16. Maryland got blown out and Duke is still playing as I'm writing this. This is just pathetic. With so many top ranked teams the ACC should be fielding more than one or two teams in the round of 16. Maryland was the only bubble team of the ACC and even they managed to win their first game. They even won in an upset. I mean it's not that surprising that Clemson choked, but Wake and Florida State, what happened there? Yes, we should kick Boston College out of the ACC immediately. I whole heartily support that. But unfortunately, I can't blame them for the down year for the conference.

The ACC has a total of 10 National Championships, and you may as well start betting online that they are going to win a few more. The Big East has 8, three of which were won by teams before they were a part of the giant Big East. So shut up Big East, a few good seasons does not make you a totally superior conference. You need a few more years and National Championships to earn that. But damn it ACC, stop making my argument so hard. Even the Big Ten is doing better this year. And that's just sad since the ACC regularly schools the Big Ten in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. So when pitted against each other in the tourney when it counts you think the ACC could make a game of it. The ACC should not be the conference that upsets are expected against.

So shape up ACC. I expect better things from you next year. Relying on Duke to represent the conference is just disgusting. I'm torn between my natural desire to want Duke to lose and my desire to have more than one ACC team in the Sweet 16. Maryland preformed above expectations. Where are the rest of you?

Maryland Madness

2009-03-20T12:12:00.003-04:00

The Terps won!!! I was a little scared there for a few minutes, but they pulled it out. They did it. The team that most thought (including me) wouldn't make the tournament for most of the season just won their first round game. They beat the Cal Bears, 84-71, despite the fact that bears are a more ferocious mascot. I chalk this up to the Golden Bear not being a real animal. A turtle can outlast an imaginary creature any day. It doesn't matter, the game is over and Maryland was the victor. Now it's time to look forward to Memphis on Saturday.

This game will be hard for Maryland. But they have managed to beat some seemingly better opponents this season. Memphis also showed that it is vulnerable by playing a close game against a 15 seeded Cal State Northridge team. It's totally possible Maryland will fall flat and Vasquez will only score 10 points and foul out early in a blow out. But that's been a possibility every game of the season. Maryland has been playing surprisingly well lately though.

Maybe Maryland will be this year's Cinderella team. Can you be a Cinderella team if you are from a big conference even if you are a low seed. I guess we'll find out if Maryland can pull it off tomorrow. Right now I'm just riding the high that is a Maryland tournament win. Win or lose tomorrow, Maryland has come back from the dead this season to rally around their coach, prove sceptics wrong and not only avoid the NIT, but make it to the second round. This is something to enjoy.

Maryland was one of the few upsets the first day. People complain about the lack of upsets but doesn't that mean the Selection committee did a good job. Shouldn't most of the games be won by the higher seed. If it was all upsets wouldn't that be equally boring and questionable. I'm just looking for good games, and Maryland upsets of course.

GO TERPS!!!

March Giddiness

2009-03-18T22:15:00.003-04:00

I love March Madness. I love the first weekend the most. It's when the upsets happens, when the Cinderellas go looking for their slippers, and when you can spend several days in a row ignoring all your obligations and just watch basketball. And with all the terrible things happening in the world right now, we could all use a few days to focus on so pervasive that billions of dollars of production are lost. March Madness might not be what the economy needs right now, but it's exactly what people need right now.

Everyone fills out a bracket and gets a chance to win. Everyone gets to feel like they know whats going on. And even when you are crying over you're bracket a week from now, it'll be ok. All of the teams had a chance, well not the team the won the play in game, but you know, all the other ones. Everyone has someone to root for right now. Even if your favorite team didn't make it. There is some team that you are loosely affiliated with and can root for.

Personally I'll be pulling for Maryland. But being from Baltimore, I'd also like to see Morgan State do well. Maybe they'll be the first 15 seed to take out a 2 seed. Doubtful, but it'd be cool. I also will be supporting Temple. They don't hold the same place in my heart the Maryland does, but in general people don't feel as strongly about their grad schools as their undergrads. Well, at least that's how I feel. But I'd still like Temple to do well, and upsets are always fun as long as its not my team getting upset. And Dionte Christmas is explosive, I'm taking the guy from VCU to be this year's Curry but Christmas would have to be my second choice. I've probably just doomed both of those guys. But whatever, I have to put out a few predictions to be mocked.

Either way tomorrow should be great. It should be a national holiday in my mind. I'll have to add that to my platform for Sports Czar.

GO TERPS!!

Fear the Dancing Turtle

2009-03-16T18:57:00.005-04:00

Maryland is in! I was worried watching the selection show after they announced Arizona. There were only so many at large bids and so many bubble teams. But after what seemed like forever, Maryland was announced as a 10 seed. I was pretty happy with this. I thought we'd probably be more like an 11 or 12 seed. Whatever, the Terps are going back to the Tourney.

Now it's time to fill out brackets, speculate on upsets and wait for Thursday when we can all start blowing off class, work, and everything else because of the wonders of technology. The first weekend of March Madness is one of the best if not possibly the best sports event of the year. Again I'm biased as to what time of year it is when claiming this and which of my teams happen to be playing in the post season. But regardless of my personal seasonal penchants, how can you not love March Madness.

Every team really has a chance to win. Yes, it's an outside chance, yes, a 16 seed has never beaten a 1 seed, but it's possible. Everyone can have hope. The lowest seed to ever win a tournament was an 8 seed. That's a team that's predicted to be right in the middle of the pack, and they won. A few years ago, George Mason, an 11 seed made it to the Final Four. So while it seems unlikely that Maryland as a 10 seed is going to do a lot of damage, it's still completely possible. Maryland is the kind of emotional team that could make a huge run or completely fall flat in the first game.

At this time of year some people try to argue that the tournament should be expanded to let in a few more of the bubble teams. I don't like this idea. I love the 65 team format. I could do without the play in game, but the having teams on the bubble is part of what makes it fun. Not everyone should get in. But you should let some of the lesser/smaller teams in because that's what leads to great upsets and all the excitement. Making the tournament smaller would take away from the excitement.

Even if Maryland was on the other side of the bubble, I still wouldn't want to change the format. I would want to drive to Indianapolis and hurt a few people; but, that's the committee's fault, not the tournament set-up. Don't change a thing. This tournament is just about perfect. People just want something to complain about.

So enjoy the next few days of dissecting the bracket. I won't bore you with my picks, unless they turn out to be really good, then I'll gloat a little. Remember, fear the turtle.

GO TERPS!!!

Shall We Dance?

2009-03-15T14:06:00.003-04:00

The suspense is killing me. I want it to be 6:00 right now so I can know for sure if Maryland is in or not. I tried watching the ACC Championship game but watching Duke beat up on Florida State was too much for me. So now I'm trying to find ways to occupy my time for the next few hours so I can stop going over the reasons Maryland should get a berth in my head. I'm literally twitching in anticipation, though that might have something to do with all the coffee I drank this morning.

I'm not going to go over the arguments for Maryland again because if you have any interest in the ACC you've already heard them. So right now I'm just waiting and hoping that Maryland gets in and even better they play their first game in Philadelphia. I know that seems like a lot to ask. But I've never been to a tournament game before (ok, I did go to a NIT game once, but that doesn't really count) and would go nuts if Maryland was able to play in the city I happen to be living in. I have to believe that since Philly is so close to Maryland that the arena would be packed with red clad supporters.

Excuse me while I dream of seeing my Terps win their first round game in front of basically a home crowd. If they don't make the tournament I might wind up crying later tonight. But I don't really want to think about that. Right now I'm thinking about how much fun its going to be. I just want to dream about Maryland appearing on the bracket. Please don't burst my bubble.

Seal the Deal

2009-03-14T09:27:00.004-04:00

Personally, I think that after resoundingly beating Wake Forest yesterday, 75-64, Maryland has all but punched it's card to the big dance. But in an increasingly tight fight for those at large bids I wouldn't mind another win to shore up a spot. I mean, I wouldn't mind an automatic bid by winning the tournament either. That would be pretty ideal. But I'm nowhere near that hopeful and confident. If the Terps don't make the tournament with this resume I'll be screaming about a snub on Sunday night.

They have 4 really quality wins, three of those against top 10 teams. They have a few bad losses, but overall, they've stepped up as the season has gone on. And they only have two losses to really bad teams. And UVA beat Clemson when they were a top ranked team. So that loss isn't really that terrible, kinda, sorta.

Whatever, I'll save my arguments for later. Right now I want to focus on Duke. They beat Maryland twice during the regular season. The first time it was almost comical to watch. But Maryland seems to have tapped a new enthusiasm. They actually played better against Wake than they did against NC State. Stringing two wins together has been hard for the Terps this year, and two wins where they played better the second game seems even less likely. But that gives me hope that they'll show up again today ready to play and win.

The team seems to have rallied around Gary. Taking the criticism to heart and playing for to vindicate him as much as to win for themselves. It's very reminiscent of the 2004 ACC tournament. Duke is a really good team. And they tend to shine in the tournament, but if Maryland can keep buckling down and playing their hearts out, they have a good shot at beating Duke. Duke played a hard game against BC last night and I think Maryland will be able to challenge them again today.

LET'S GO TERPS!!! Silence the critics and stop the skepticism. Win today and show the selection committee that there is no doubt you belong in that field of 65.

Let Me Down Easy

2009-03-13T11:29:00.003-04:00

Dear Maryland Terrapins,

You are my favorite team. I have watched all season for many seasons. I've weathered the ups and downs. I've suffered with you and enjoyed your successes. So as a long time fan and alumna of the great University of Maryland please grant me one small request. If you are going to break my heart and crush my soul tonight by losing, please do it early. Get blown out by Wake. Make it almost comical, similar to that Duke game earlier this season where I really tried to give up on this team. You keep dangling this carrot in front of me and I really just can't take it any more.

I can't take the game being close until the last three minutes when you're small size become overwhelmingly evident and every shot gets blocked. I just can't watch another game like that this season. It's been a rocky year. I started mourning the end of the season only to have you come back from the dead. I watched as Gary and Debbie exchanged words and embarrassed the once proud program. I defended the team to friends who insinuated all was lost when the revival started.

Please, if I have to suffer through another year of the NIT, give me some time to accept that. Don't give me hope that Selection Sunday will be all smiles for me and all the other Terp fans out there. Ideally, you guys will win tonight. But I'm not sure I'm ready to believe that will happen. I'd love to see the team step up and come together. To play like you did against UNC or Michigan St. I'd love to see a team that won't give up and plays a full 40 minutes. But I won't hold it against you if you don't. I know its hard to keep up the emotional intensity. It's hard to play a fresh team when you battled hard the night before. And I know, no matter what happens tonight, I'll be cheering you on whenever your next game is, be in NCAA, NIT, or next season.

I can't give up on you. I'll be there for you regardless. So please, try to treat all the fans that feel the same way right. Don't tease us and play with our emotions only to let us down and hurt us. Let us know where you stand early on. It's the humane thing to do. Remember, we love you anyway.

Sincerely,

Meghan

GO TERPS!!!

Photo: found at the Baltimore Sun

Hope Hurts More

2009-03-10T16:18:00.007-04:00

I know I haven't written in a while but I just couldn't sit down and write this post. But every time I tried to write about something else it just seemed wrong. I wanted to just ignore the loss to Virginia, I want to just let my hopes and dreams die. I want to be able to accept that once again I won't be filling out a bracket that included Maryland.

But then there's the matter of the ACC tournament. In 2004, Maryland looked like it was sitting on the wrong side of the bubble, then they went on a tear and won the ACC tournament. And for that reason alone, I am forced to suffer through another few days of believing in a miracle. In 2004, the emotional and inconsistent leader, Gilchrist stepped up propelled the team to upset Duke's reign as ACC champ. This year, when Vasquez has shown up he has shown bright.

Maryland has already beat NC State, so the first round is not really impossible. And after getting beaten by UVA I'm guessing the team will want to salvage some of its pride. If Maryland can manage not to blow it again, they would move on to face Wake Forest. They were close to beating Wake last game. And while this doesn't bode well for them it is possible they could win. I'm not going to speculate past that round of the bracket. Even thinking about it makes me hopeful and I'm not ready to be that let down again.

After all this turmoil and all the ups and downs of this season, I kind of wish I had left Maryland for dead after the Duke game. I wish I had gotten on with my mourning, walked away and waited for next season. But a real fan can't do that. I'm tied to this team. I have to follow them. I have to watch the games and suffer through this tournament drought. And worst of all, I somehow still have hope.

No Better Time to Be a Terp

2009-03-03T13:49:00.000-05:00

It was a good weekend to be a Terp fan. The Lady Terps won the ACC, the men's and women's lacrosse teams beat Duke, and the men's basketball team kept their tournament hopes alive by holding on and beating NC State. The men are back to .500 in the ACC with two games left to play before the ACC tourney. It's nice to occasionally take time to look at the other sports at Maryland and see them doing well.

Sometimes I get so caught up with football and basketball that I forget that Maryland has other teams and that those teams are usually ranked near the top in the country. It's hard with the snow outside to remember that its spring time which means time for lacrosse. I never played lacrosse but it is pretty fun to watch. Watching guys beat each other with sticks is strangely appealing. Also, it's a great excuse to tailgate in the springtime. And any reason to tailgate is good with me.

Also, anytime a Terp team beats Duke is a good day. But maybe its not such a big deal in lacrosse since Maryland is 55-17 all time against Duke. I know Maryland is a hotbed for lacrosse but that is just a pathetic stat for Duke. I think of lacrosse as a Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina based sport. Right now there are five Maryland teams ranked in the top 20. I would guess that there will probably be around 5 Maryland teams in the 16 team tournament at the end of the season.

In general, I love tournament play of any kind. For the last two years, I've even filled out women's basketball brackets on a random ESPN group. And if they have a lacrosse bracket I'll probably fill that out to. The women's bracket is a little easier than the men's because there are clear powerhouses and number one and two seeds usually go pretty far. Also, this is easier for me because I always pick Maryland to go far and they tend to do well.

Basically, this winding, random post is me trying to say check out the other teams at Maryland or whatever college you tend to cheer for and show them some love. At Maryland they tend to be pretty good. I apologize for the rambling nature of this post but my brain is somewhat fried from working on a research paper. I just figured I should throw something up here before tonight's MD-Wake game. And the other teams do deserve some love for their achievements.

Duke Loss Not All Bad

2009-02-27T10:32:00.003-05:00

Yes, it was heartbreaking. Maryland played well for most of the game but let Duke get away from them in the end. There is still a glimmer of hope for Terp fans but I'm not going to go into that. Instead, here is my favorite highlight from the game. This helped me survive through several mind numbingly boring classes yesterday. In general, I'm not in favor of people getting hurt, and I hope this guy is ok. But man, that screen was nasty. The moral of this clip is Dave Neal = Brick Wall.

Fans Regain Swagger, Hopefully Team Follows Suit

2009-02-25T12:06:00.005-05:00

Maryland fans have a reputation of being mean, rude, crude, obscene, profane, and obnoxious. They have been repeatedly warned against wearing F*UCK DUKE shirts, scrawling inappropriate signs and making J.J. Redick cry. Maryland fans also like to riot after even minor upsets. Well, at least they used to. Over the past few years though Maryland has been riding the bubble every year and mostly been on the wrong side of it come March. I feel like the current Terps are missing out. The fans had lost some of their swagger.

But then the Terps beat UNC and the fans responded in kind. First came Operation Scheyerface. A student organized fans to print out black and white photos of Duke's Scheyer and wave them during the game. This should be entertaining. Then somehow some fans got hold of the hotel that Duke was staying at. Yes, prank calls ensued. This one if true, is probably the funniest:

“Hello, this is ****** with the Washington Times, sorry to bother you at this hour Mr. Paulus, but we are running a small piece tomorrow and I was hoping to take 2 minutes and ask you a question?”

Him: “Uhhh, sure”

“If you had to choose between Deron Washington, Danny Green, and Dwayne Collins, who’s nuts would you say tasted the best?”

Him: …click.

I don't care if it's juvenile, I still love it.

ACC fans are known for being terrible sports. But Maryland seems to get most of the bad wrap. Other teams used to chant "Crackhead parents, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap" when Juan Dixon played. Talk about classy.

But I'm glad Maryland fans seem to be back on their game. I mean, what's the fun of being a college sports fan if you can't get ridiculously obnoxious from time to time. That's part of the point of going to a school with a good program.

Hopefully the team will be inspired by the student's show of support, asinine as it may be, and play well. It would be nice to post a win over Duke this year. And they have looked beatable this season, just not the last time they played the Terps. But maybe this game Maryland can buckle down and play two great games in a row, something that has escaped them all season. Maybe Vasquez can find some consistency. I'm not really sure how the game will turn out tonight. But regardless, I'm glad the fans get to experience some old school Terps taunting.

GO TERPS!!

Photo: http://www.850thebuzz.com/blog/?p=7971

Hope Springs Eternal

2009-02-22T13:24:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon a graphic kept flashing across the bottom of the Maryland-UNC game. It was every major win by an ACC team over a top 10 ACC opponent. Even UVA had one. But next to MD there was a question mark. Every time it came up I felt the need to just shake my head. It was a huge gaping hole in an already very questionable resume for a NCAA bid. Maryland wasn't even on the bubble before yesterday. Then it all changed with a yellow clad, red hot Greivis Vasquez.

With the first triple double for Maryland since 1987, he kept the Terps in the game in the first half until someone else managed to hit a shot. The Terps who hadn't led all game managed to tie it up and send the game into overtime with 76 points. But Maryland managed to step it up in OT. And walked away from the #3 ranked UNC with a huge win 88-85.

All of a sudden Maryland is back to 6-6 in the ACC. Two of their next four games are very winnable, with UVA and NCST coming up. If they can win those, they become a legitimate bubble team by finishing 8-8 in the ACC. If they can also pull an upset against Duke or Wake Forest, a tourney bid becomes a real possibility. This erratic season is killing me but I have no intention of complaining if they can come back from the dead and make something happen.

Less than a month ago I was mourning the death of the Maryland season, Gary Williams and Debbie Yow were having a very public feud about recruiting and the Terps had suffered there worst loss in years against a hated Duke team. They couldn't hold onto leads in the second half, and everyone just seemed demoralized. But somehow this team made it through all that and started working its way back to .500. I keep giving up on them and they keep coming back and giving me hope. This is why no matter how bad they are I can't seem to abandon them. I can't stop watching.

This undersized team seems to have a big heart. Next year with a legitimate big man hopefully they will be a force to be reckoned with. But this season might have renewed my faith in Gary. Let's see if they can continue to rise to the challenge and maybe even make the tourney. I'm giddy with anticipation.

GO TERPS!!!

Photo: AP/Rob Carr found at ESPN.com

Hope for the O's

2009-02-20T15:13:00.004-05:00

I'm starting to get excited for the beginning of baseball season. For the first time in a long time I have hope of a winning season. Not a playoff team, don't be crazy, but a solid team that finishes around .500. Last season, I worried the Orioles would struggle to win 50 games, this year, I'm very hopeful.

The O's just signed Brian Roberts to a 4 year contract extension which should quell the trade rumors and lock him up for a long time. Hopefully, he will continue to be a productive second baseman and a team leader. He's one of the faces of our franchise now and I'm glad to see him staying in Baltimore.

The team has a lot of potential this year. There are a lot of young pitchers who are going to try and prove they can be legitimate options. There is also an experienced bullpen filled with long relievers. There will be a lot of shuffling in the rotation as the season progresses, but I think it will work out ok. And for the first time in a while I feel like the Orioles have prospects in the Minors. Yes, prospects. Some of which should come to fruition this season.

Matt Wieters, a great draft pick looks like he will be ready to play this season. The Orioles signed veteran Gregg Zaun to help ease the transition. Andy McPhail has been making smart move after smart move and hopefully his hard work will pay off this season.

I love the time before the season starts when you can hope for a different outcome. It's been a while since I've really felt the O's were turning around. It feels really good.

Photo: http://www.bleachernation.com/

Time to Dream the Impossible Dream

2009-02-17T11:16:00.003-05:00

The Terps are 5-5 in the ACC. I hope you took the last few days to dream that they could make the NCAA Tournament. I didn't look at their upcoming schedule. Didn't think about the flaws. Just reveled in the comeback they've made. They are now only 3 1/2 games out of first on in the ACC. Yes, they are 8th, but one more win and a couple key losses and they are in the thick of the competition. Beating Virginia Tech might have been the rallying point they needed to go on a great run.

Hope springs eternal, and suddenly the hope is back. It might dry up again tonight but for now I'm enjoying a few more hours of it. Four out of five of Maryland's next games are against top 15 schools. Tonight it starts with Clemson. But I'm hopeful. I'm not going to analyze the schedule for a couple days. I'm not going to think about it all. I have class during the game tonight, so I won't even be watching. But I think its better that way. I'll watch the gamecast sporadically but won't be able to focus too much on the game. If we win, I'll feel we're one step closer to an amazing comeback season, if we lose, at least I didn't have to watch.

I really want this to be more than a little glimmer of hope. The students seemed to have rallied around Gary and there seems to be a new sense of purpose with his coaching. Maybe that big Debbie-Gary feud is what the Terps needed for extra motivation. I'd like to think something good came out of all that embarrassing infighting. The recruits for next year are looking good, with one shattering the backboard at his high school game last week.

Hope has returned to College Park. Here's hoping it lasts.

GO TERPS!!

Photo

In McPhail We Trust

2009-02-11T15:51:00.004-05:00

Andy McPhail has not made any blockbuster moves this off season but I'm ok with that. He has worked to fill needed holes in the infield and outfield. He ventured overseas to Japan to find a starting pitcher, Uehara. He found a solid short stop in Izturis to fill the most glaring infield need and picked up a few utility players while he was at it. While the starting rotation is still very much in the air the O's look like they are going to have a solid bullpen with hopefully some players maturing into a starting material.

McPhail is slowly and quietly making this a legitimate team. He has no intention of rushing minor league prospects. And it seems after being terrible for so long we might actually have prospects in our farm system. Maybe this year the O's will manage a winning season. I'm hopeful. I've come a long way from last year thinking the O's would be lucky to win 50 games. They managed to win a few more than that and I think this team has only gotten better. I don't see playoffs in their future for a couple more seasons, but I'd be happy still watching good baseball in August and September.

So far McPhail needs to be given a lot of credit. He is not looking for a big name player to be a quick fix. He really is trying to rebuild the team. He has made good moves so far. Take Miguel Tejada for example. He was traded right before his value dropped markedly. He was named in the Mitchell report only days later. Then it came out that he had lied about his age and was actually two years older. And now he is facing time in a federal prison because of the steroids and lying to Congress. In the course of one season he has lost a considerable amount of trade value. McPhail managed to get rid of him and take some of the bad press spotlight off of the Orioles and their players.

He also negotiated the steal that was the Bedard trade. So what if he didn't get Teixeiria, it would have been nice but he is only one player. The Orioles have made that mistake too many times. I'm happy to see a team being developed. Maybe I'll be cursing this team again in April. I'm fickle and I admit it. But I think McPhail has earned the fans' trust. We need to support his efforts to stay away from the big blockbuster names and find solid players to help win games. New uniforms, new season, new hope.

Here's hoping for some Orioles Magic.

Photo: http://www.chicagotribune.com

Topsy Turvy Terrapins

2009-02-09T21:16:00.003-05:00

Maryland managed to hold off Georgia Tech last night extending their winning streak against the Yellow Jackets. It was a close game but a win is a win. And an ACC win is even better, even if its against the cellar dweller of the ACC. I didn't actually watch the game. I remembered how terrible the first GT game was and saw no reason to punish myself like that. I guess I was right since the Terps barely sneaked by with the win, 57-56, and only shot 35% from the field.

Regardless, I'm feeling optimistic. The infighting in the between Gary and Debbie is back to being private. The recruits for next season actually look promising. One recruit, Jordan, is 6'9 and has broken all sorts of records at his high school. We will actually have a legitimate big man next year. Maybe this means Gary has finally changed and his recruiting will get better. The Terps played pretty well against UNC even though they got beat. They still scored 91 points. Not a bad game at all.

So even after barely winning I am hopeful for the rest of the season. I'm in full on delusion mode right now. I believe Maryland could go on a ridiculous run like two seasons ago and still salvage this season. Maybe its the recent spring like weather. Maybe I just can't abandon my team no matter how painful it is or how much I want to. I don't care. I'm going to enjoy this brief respite from wishing the season was over. False hope is fine with me.

Six-Burgh

2009-02-02T22:26:00.003-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few days you are aware that Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl last night bring a record six Lombardi trophies to Pittsburgh. I hate the Steelers so I was kind of rooting for Arizona by default. Mostly I was not paying attention, to the game or the commercials. Mostly it looked like Pittsburgh was going to win, which was not really surprising at all. After the interception for a touchdown at the end of the first half I figured the game was over. Was there a worse possible way for Arizona to end the half? Instead of throwing a short pass for a touchdown to go into the half with the lead there's an interception and a touchdown.

At the half I declared the game over. Then somehow Larry Fitzgerald put the Cardinals back in the game. Everyone else in the room was cheering and excited. It was a Cardinals crowd by default. Some Kurt Warner fans, some Steelers haters, some lovers of the underdog story. I just shook my head. There was too much time left. I've watched the Steelers beat the Ravens three times this season. Big Ben is good at comebacks. The man has barely half a brain but this is where he thrives. I knew it was over.

People doubted me. But if I had been in Vegas I would have laid a ton of money on this. I just knew it. And it happened. Santonio Holmes comes up big in situations like this. He caught the 'touchdown' pass on the last drive against Baltimore to win the game. He managed to stretch his body further than I thought possible, but after watching the replay again and again it was a touchdown. I didn't really care that much about Arizona. I was just one of the many bandwagon fans who were ready to hop off as soon as the game was over regardless of the outcome.

Actually the loss didn't bother me that much. And I felt vindicated by my correct prediction. It also meant more shot of a smiling Mike Tomlin. Who knows, maybe they'll make a movie now about the Steelers. Omar Epps can play Tomlin. Yes, the resemblance is uncanny. Whatever, Tomlin is hot.

Utter Embarrassment

2009-01-30T13:26:00.003-05:00

The way the Terps have been playing lately is an embarrassment. The rout by Duke and the second quarter collapses have been terrible to watch. But all of that pales in comparison to the athletic department squabbles. The rumors of difference between Gary Williams and Debbie Yow have been circulating for a while. But they were pushed into the spotlight this week. Articles in the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun highlighted the growing rifts between the AD and Gary. One of the Assistant ADs, Worthington, basically blamed Gary for all the problems, especially the recruiting.

I'm not sure how an athletic department is supposed to work, but I'm pretty sure that unless you are really ready to fire you're coach you should be supporting him up until the last possible second. The news of the infighting was even a headline on ESPN the other day. People who knew very little about the situation, but know I'm a huge Maryland fan, were asking me what the deal was with all of it. And many people pointed out the ESPN article to me. It's not enough that the program is suffering, the team can't win, and we have a giant hole on the roster where a big man should be. Now we have a very public fight between two people who should be trying to help the program get better. Not trying to bring more shame onto it.

This whole situation makes me feel really bad for Gary. He obviously doesn't have the support of the AD. Or maybe her assistant spoke out of turn. Yow is in North Carolina for the funeral of her sister this week. Maybe she didn't know about this public fight until it had already began. But somehow I doubt this. Rumors have been circulating for far too long for this to just be a rough assistant's comments Either ways, there's no way that Gary can successfully run a program without that support. I know he's made some mistakes but this is only making him more sympathetic in my eyes. I've been calling for his head for a while, but now I'm starting to think he was just trying to do the right thing and maybe its Debbie Yow that should go. Maybe Gary is trying to change and get better. Plus Gary does have all those big donors so he's probably not going anywhere. Might as well make the situation better any way they can.

But Yow has helped all those other coaches win all those national championships in sports like field hockey, soccer, and competitive cheer. It's a tough call. Wait, no its not, Maryland is a basketball school, and that should come first, before football or anything else. And if they do somehow manage to find the money to buy out Gary, who would want to step in and take his place. No one if it means being thrown under the bus by the AD the moment things start going bad.

Overall, I'm more embarrassed by this behavior than the 41 point loss to Duke. Our program can recover from a bad year with some really bad losses; however, it will take a lot longer to recover from the vicious infighting and public disgrace. Work it out behind closed doors people.

On a Side Note:

Any time a coaching change is made in a program so important to the success of the ACC, it can be seen as a tremendous gamble.

If you indulge in online sports betting the gamble you take is greater still.

Remember to wager only what you can afford to lose. Have fun, but be smart about it. Know your limits.

Mourning Maryland: The Stages of Grief

2009-01-27T22:04:00.004-05:00

I am officially in mourning for the death of the Maryland basketball season. This probably started on Saturday when Maryland was humiliated by Duke. But I think I was experiencing the first stage, denial for the last few days. I still thought they're might have resurrect their season. Or maybe something good could come out of all of this. Maybe a change would be made. Maybe, they could learn and come back and show some improvement. Maybe make something respectable out of this debacle. That was obviously false hope and denial.

Right now I'm in the anger stage. How did they collapse again? How is Kim now ineligible? Why don't they have a center? When did they get so bad? How did this happen? What else could possible go wrong? Seriously, I can't believe this team. I'm just pissed at them all right now. Stupid Gary for not recruiting and coaching. Stupid Debbie Yow for not working better with Gary. Stupid Vasquez for playing consistently. I want somebody's head. At this point I don't care who. I just want blood.

The next stage is bargaining. Maybe I'm already there. I want something to change. I will not support this team anymore if nothing happens. It's really the only chip I have. It's not true. It's just the anger talking. I will always watch this team. Even when they are failing miserably.

After that is depression. I assume it will come after the next game, well next loss, probably the same thing. I'm sure I'll want to give up on the season since it doesn't matter any more. Maybe I'm already slipping into that stage. I'm definitely not there yet. But I can feel it coming on a little bit. Check with me after the next game. I can feel it coming it on.

Hopefully soon I'll be ready to accept this season as a failure. I honestly don't think we're going to even make the NIT the way things are going. This season might be the true low point in the great history of Maryland basketball. This team is just terrible and totally not competitive in the ACC. Sure, they were able to beat a couple Big Ten teams, but this is the ACC. And this is just sad.

Photo: http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2007_12_02_archive.html

Super Bore

2009-01-27T11:14:00.003-05:00

I don't know what my problem is. I love football. But I really just can't get into this years Super Bowl. Maybe it's because the Steelers beat my Ravens to make it, but I don't really think this is it. Maybe it just means the end of football season and that makes me sad. Or maybe it's because there just isn't a story line that I can get into this year. I don't really have a stake in either team.

I do hate the Steelers. But I think the AFC is better and the Steelers are legitimately better than the Cardinals. And I really can't get into this Cardinals underdog story. I love an underdog as much as anyone else. But for some reason this one just doesn't do it for me. Maybe it's because I have a little crush on Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Yeah, I think he looks good in that puffy jacket. He definitely is at the top of my attractive coaches list. And I really think defense wins championships. The Steelers play similar football to the Ravens. I know offense is exciting and what everyone wants to see. But I enjoy a good defensive battle. It comes from being a Ravens fan. And as much as I hate the Steelers I kind of want to root for the style of football I like more. Even if it is an arch rival. Plus, I'll feel a little better about the Ravens division and playoff loss if the Steelers win.

When I told my friend I just wasn't that interested he asked how I couldn't get into the Cardinals story. He pointed out my teams are all underdogs and I usually love this type of story. I said Kurt Warner really doesn't do it for me. I'm not really sure why. He immediately asked if it was the God thing. And he was right. I have mild religious associations and very little belief in God. I understand that Warner is actually a very pious man and seems earnest in his thanking of God for his good fortune. He did go from bagging groceries to a Super Bowl and now is in the middle of another amazing comeback. So maybe he really should be thanking God.

I find most athletes disingenuous and thanking God for more political reasons. I don't really understand this since many of them commit such ridiculous acts. But somehow if you thank God for your abilities than all the other stuff is forgiven. I'd rather see athletes thank their teammates and their families and act pious rather than sound pious. It generally just seems false to me and that is rather off putting. If God does really care about football or any sport than I feel completely justified in my lack of belief. They're way more important issues that God should be dealing with.

For all of idiotic behavior of Big Ben, and there has been a lot of it, he is usually mum on the thanking God stuff. He has started doing this recently and I can't really speculate on why he started doing this. But I respect him mostly for keeping football about football. And the amazing comeback of Warner, while great, is not a story that is particularly compelling to me.

The Cardinals are a decent team that has played some great football in the post seasons. But I don't think they are a championship team. Yes, Larry Fitzgerald is one of the top wide recievers in football and Anquan Boldin is probably the toughest player in the league right now. (He broke his face and was back in a couple weeks, steel plates and all.) But overall, I can't really care about this team enough to like them. Maybe it was their poor showing in a week conference, maybe it's that they've been irrelevant for so long and I kind of think this is just a brief flash. Or maybe it's because I really do believe they are going to lose on Sunday.

I know that they have been the underdogs most of the playoffs and have pulled of some surprising victories. But Pittsburgh is a more disciplined team. They are not going to give up a last minute score and if they control the ball they are going to keep it. They have the power to get at Warner and the players to cover Fitz and Boldin. They also have a quarterback that has won a Super Bowl. So all of Warner's experience isn't that huge of a factor.

I really don't know who too root for. Maybe I'll just watch the commercials like a regular uninterested girl. Or maybe I'll just hope for some good football. Or maybe I'll hope for a more interesting game next year.

Top Ten Reasons Gary Should Go

2009-01-25T14:26:00.005-05:00

Supposedly there are still some Maryland supporters out there that love Gary Williams and think it's just a down year and he should stay. After yesterday's rout by the hated Dookies, I would be happy if he was fired/resigned tomorrow. So here are some reasons he shouldn't be around next season.

10. He's a lecherous old man. Every student has seen him out at a College Park bar at some time drinking and hitting on college students. This might have been tolerable when he won a championship, but now it's just gross.

9. He doesn't have the backing of the Athletic Director, Debbie Yow. They are constantly at odds and this is only hurting the program.

8. The Terps just got routed by Duke, 85-44. The score at halftime was 40-15. It was the most embarrassing loss I've seen as a Terps fan. This team is not competitive. It is just sad.

7. The lack of a big man is ridiculous. Gary couldn't manage to get even one mediocre big man to come to Maryland this year. It's symptomatic of how far this great program has fallen. Now we have an undersized team that can't really compete in the ACC.

6. This program has fallen apart under him. They won the National Championship in 2002 and since then had a flash of brilliance in to win the ACC tournament a few years later. But mostly these have been barren times with NIT bids and early tournament exits. It just keeps seem to be getting worse.

5. He could have a heart attack at any moment. Between the booze and the sideline screaming he looks as though he could die at any moment. He has to change his shirt and jacket at half time because he gets so sweaty. I might not want him as a coach any more but I don't want the poor man to come to any physical harm. Maybe he'll retire due to 'health issues.' This could actually be the best possible solution.

4. He can't coach the players to play to their potential. Maryland managed to beat Michigan and Michigan state this season. This gave me hope that they could play well during ACC play. But even the in conference wins have been ugly. Gary can't seem to motivate these players.

3. The inconsistency with this team in maddening. The last couple games have just been bad, but Maryland the last few seasons tends to go on a great mid season run and then collapses. The Terps haven't been able to play consistently for an entire season in recent memory. And playing consistently bad is even worse.

2. He hasn't done anything lately. We haven't even been making the NCAA tournament lately. And Maryland shouldn't be a regular in the NIT. And it doesn't look like this year is going to be any different.

1. He can't recruit. This team can't get better if he can't get anyone to come to this program. And the worse we get the harder it will be to recruit quality players. And this team will only continue to get worse.

Alright, I Didn't Mean It

2009-01-23T10:17:00.003-05:00

I'm a liar, well, maybe I won't go that far. But I can be prone to exaggeration. A little while ago I said I hoped the Terps bombed the rest of the season and Maryland would be forced to fire Gary William. Well, I still want Gary gone, but I can't bring myself to root against my team. Or to even ignore them and stay away from the pain. I mean I'm also an Orioles fan, sports pain and disappointment are what I do. It's a way of life.

I just love college basketball too much. And I want to see my team win. I know that losing terribly might be better for my team in the long run. But I don't want them to suffer at all. Also, I'm not 100% sure that another crash and burn season will be the end of Gary. He has a lot of friends with deep pocket who are interested in having him stay. One thing is clear though, him and Debbie Yow have to figure a way to work things out or one of them has to go. Together they are terrible for basketball at Maryland.

But like that shitty boyfriend that brings you flowers and takes you out to a fantastic dinner the night you were planning on dumping him I just can't break up with my team. When they lost two ACC games in a row after barely beating Georgia Tech I though I could do it. Then they beat Virginia and suddenly I'm doubting my reslove. I want them to be good. I want them to win the tournament. I really want them to beat Duke tomorrow.

Yes, Duke is really hot right now. Ranked no. 2 in the country and on a nine game winning streak. Yes, they are playing at home where they are usually amazing. But miracles can happen. I thought Maryland would get crushed by Michigan and Michigan State this season and they pulled out wins there. And Duke has lost once this season so they're not unbeatable. A win like this would help restore my faith in this team. I've lost my faith in Gary but maybe the team can pull through despite him.

So come on Terps. Don't crush me again this season. I didn't mean it when I said I was ready to give up on this season. I'm just looking for things to get better. Is that too much to ask?

More Bad News

2009-01-19T12:56:00.003-05:00

The Ravens got smashed by the Steelers last night. All my screaming at the screen couldn't help the Ravens pull it out. The Ravens are going to need the entire off season to recover and get over all their injuries. And now Rex Ryan is leaving to be the new coach of the Jets.

It was bound to happen eventually. Rex Ryan has been in charge of one of the best defenses in league for the last ten years. Some team was eventually going to hire him even though his dad burned a lot of bridges in the league. He is just that good. I'm hoping things go well for him and that the Ravens can find another great defensive coordinator to replace him and keep the tradition of great defenses going.

This off season is going to be one full of changes. Ray Lewis might have played his last season as a Raven. Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs are also free agents. I think the Ravens might need to use the franchise tag on Ray Ray. He is a great emotional leader and a big part of the team. If they can't work out a contract extension it makes sense to give him the franchise tag and keep him around. Otherwise there could be more bad news for the organization.

I'm excited for next season. I think Flacco is only going to get better. The offensive line is young and getting better. And if we can get some more receivers and a kickoff returner this team could go all the way. Yes, we need some new coaches and new players. But Ozzie Newsome has done a good job with the franchise thus far and I think he'll continue to make good drafts and bring lots of talent to the organization.

Maybe next year will be the year. I guess we'll see. I'm hopeful.

Nevous Pregame Babble

2009-01-18T12:39:00.005-05:00

I keep saying that no matter what happens in the Ravens game today I'll be happy because I didn't expect them to be good at all. The fact that they made it this far is incredible given the make up of the team and my preseason expectations. And somehow I feel if I keep saying I'll be happy no matter what I'll start to believe it.

But they've come too far. And while the future looks bright for this organization, there is no time like the present. The Ravens are two wins away from the Lombardi trophy. And I feel fairly confident in saying that whoever wins this AFC game will win the Super Bowl. Defense wins championships and the AFC match-up is a battle of powerhouse defenses. But I'm not so sure the Ravens will be the team advancing.

The last time the Ravens lost a playoff game I'm pretty sure I was crying in the bar with my friends. And that game was against the hated Colts. I'm not sure which team I hate more, the Colts or the Steelers. And if history is any indication, I'll probably be a few beers deep by the end of the game. So losing will probably mean crying.

Despite my apprehension, I am glad for this match-up. The Ravens lost to the Steelers twice during the regular season. If they can't best the Steelers in this game, the Ravens don't deserve to be in the Super Bowl. And as hard as it is to beat a team three times in one season, it's a little easier if you have already beat them twice. Teams that have beat a team twice in one season are 11-7 in the third match-up.

Add to that how banged up the Ravens are. They haven't had a bye week all season. They had the second week of the season off because of the hurricane. But didn't know that was going to happen until that Friday so they trained all week. This Ravens team is tired and riddled with injuries. They played an incredibly physical game last week. The Steelers are rested and played a great game last week, but against not nearly as physical a team. The Steelers are coming in as the major favorites in this game.

The main thing the Ravens have going for them this season is that they seem to keep finding ways to win. Tennessee outplayed the Ravens in every category last week except turnovers and points. And at the end of the game points are what really matter. So we'll see what happens. All that's left to do is hope and see how the game plays out. We'll yelling at the screen probably won't hurt either.

GO RAVENS!!!

Photo: AP found at www.nypost.com

Looking for a Silver Lining

2009-01-17T17:56:00.004-05:00

Well, the Terps blew their second ACC game in a row. And suddenly the season isn't looking so promising anymore. Those out of conference wins are starting to look less and less meaningful. So I've started searching for a silver lining. Maybe the Terps will be truly terrible this year. I mean just bombing the rest of the ACC season and not even getting an NIT bid. I really don't think I can handle another mediocre season. If the Terps are abysmal all season then something great could happen. Maybe Maryland will finally fire Gary Williams. Maybe this terrible season is the death rattle we've all been waiting for.

So far in ACC play the Terps barely managed to beat Georgia Tech and have now lost to Miami and Florida State. I really don't think I can deal with another Maryland collapse. And I really think Gary Williams is done. He's lost whatever it is he once had. At some point we have to stop giving him support just because he won a National Championship. His grace period is over. He needs to produce results. And for the last few years those results have been failures.

I know it's early and maybe the Terps will rebound and play strong the rest of the season. That would be great. But I'm almost hoping that doesn't happen. I've lost the faith. And I really don't want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed by Gary's bad coaching. We need someone who can motivate players. And we need someone who can recruit players to come to Maryland again. This is a school with a great basketball tradition. And Gary Williams is killing it.

So bring on the pain. Bring on the losing. Bring on the blowouts to bad teams. I'm ready for it. Because hopefully that will mean the end of Gary and a new better era can start. Because this slow death march is killing me.

Living On Borrowed Time

2009-01-13T19:44:00.006-05:00

In general I don't really preview games. I'm really not that informed and am usually completely off base so I like to wait til after the fact and make comments based on 20/20 hindsight vision. It means that I am wrong much less often and I like that. Who doesn't? But I'm going to go out on a limb here and make some general observations about this week's playoff games. Yes, I am going to spend a words discussing the NFC even. This might be shocking for any regular readers. But since there are very few of you, well let me explain, usually I like to pretend the NFC does not exist unless a team in playing the Ravens, but since it's possible that the Ravens could be in the Super Bowl and have to play one of these teams I guess I should say something about the Eagles and the Cardinals. Oh yeah, and I live in Philly, so I guess how the Eagles do tangentially effects my life.

But first off, let's get this out of the way. The Ravens weren't supposed to be good this year. I have said this again and again. And that we have made it this far is still shocking to me. I spent most of the weekend in shock. Only now am I really starting to accept that the Ravens are playing the Steelers this weekend. And if I woke up tomorrow and it was all a dream, I'd be sad, but it might be easier to grasp than what is actually happening.

The Ravens were 11-5 this season and only lost to playoff teams. So it's natural to think that they might not be able to actually play against other playoff teams. But here they are. About to face the Steelers for the third time this season. And I am scared. Yes, it's hard to beat a team three times in one season, and these teams are pretty closely matched with one big drive being the difference in each game. But the Ravens are banged up after an ugly yet surprising win over Tennessee. Pittsburgh is mostly healthy and even Roethlisburger with his spinal concussion played great last week. Big Ben is playing in his third AFC championship game. He's won a Super Bowl. This is a team to be feared. Plus home field advantage for Pittsburgh and they're well rested. The Ravens are going to have to fight hard. But I don't care, this team wasn't supposed to be in the post season. I'm going to be happy regardless because, well, this team has already defied so many odds that I can't expect any more from them. I can hope and dream but they've already done so much for me.

Nothing about this playoff picture makes sense. Pittsburgh is the only high seed left. And somehow two 9 win teams, the Eagles and the Cardinals are in the NFC playoff games. The Eagles who were left for dead by most fans after they tied the Bengals. But they started their amazing comeback agianst the Cardinals on Thanksgiving. I think the Cardinals will be out for blood. But I also counted the Cardinals out all season. I mean its the NFC West, similar to the AFC West in its crappiness. But they stomped the Panthers last week in a win even Cardinals fans didn't see coming. I think Cardinals fans feel similar to the way I feel about the Ravens right now. I hope you win but you've already exceeded every expectation I've had. Three playoff games, two wins, two home games. Really we can't ask for much more. That's ok.

As for Eagles fans, well I'm going to blatently steal this blurb from DJ Gallo's NFL Hangover because he is way funnier than me. And it's the best explaination of how the city of Philadelphia feels right now.

With the Phillies fresh off a World Series title and the Eagles now improbably one win from the Super Bowl, Donovan McNabb says "The city of Philadelphia is buzzing." That shows how different the perspective is on the field compared to how it is in the stands. Philadelphia is not buzzing. It's well past buzzing. The fans of Philadelphia are full-on drunk. They know there is a massive hangover coming. They know they could throw up at any moment. They know they just inappropriately touched the complete stranger in front of them. They know they just spouted a string of profanity in front of a 6-year-old. They know they're eventually going to black out and wake up in the morning beside the Sixers. And who knows, they might even have to hold McNabb's hair while he vomits. But for now they'll have another drink and see what happens.

Overall, I have no idea who is going to win either game. I'm guessing the Eagles over the Cardinals. But last week if I had to pick a lock I would have said the Panthers over the Cardinals. So you can see why I don't tend to predict these things. And I think the Ravens could win, maybe, or Pittsburgh could do what Tennessee did and lose. That would be cool too. At least it's something to hope for.

GO RAVENS!!!!!

Did That Really Happen?

2009-01-11T17:23:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a great day for sports for me. Before the Ravens-Titans game I really believed the Ravens could win. My brother and I discussed how it was pretty much 50-50 and neither outcome would really surprise us. Then we actually watched the game.

I was still in Baltimore and after watching the first round of the playoffs in a tiny bar in Locust Point superstition brought us back to the same bar again. It was ridiculously crowded and hard to move. And by the end of the game everyone was screaming and pushing and drunkenly hoping against hope that we wouldn't find a way to blow it in the last minute. And then there was the eruption of cheers as Stover hit the final field goal and the Ravens stopped Tennessee.

I'm still not really sure how they won that game. Tennessee managed to outplay the Ravens for most of the game. The Titans ran and passed all over the Ravens and totally controlled the clock. They had more first downs and the Ravens defense looked totally incompetent on third down again and again. But Baltimore made the big plays when they needed to. And Tennesse fell short of the Ravens in the most important category, points scored. And in the end that's what matters.

It was ugly and not the best game the Ravens have played all year but I don't care. It's a W and I'll take it. This team that hasn't had a week off since the second week of the season somehow has worked their way into the AFC Championship game. Yes, they got some iffy calls go there way and got some lucky breaks. But this team has been making its own luck all season. They managed to get three turnovers from the Titans and didn't give up any of their own. Flacco played virtually mistake free ball. And everything managed to turn out all right.

I woke up this morning still a little in shock. Every once in a while last night I turned to my brother, my friends, or a random person at the bar and just said, "The Ravens won, they did it." Honestly, it's still sinking in. Ravens 13, Titans 10. I really believed they could win, I just wasn't sure it was actually going to happen. Wow, I feel great right now.

I think a text message I got from my friend after the game summed up perfectly how every Ravens fan was feeling. omfg omfg omfg omfg omfg omfg omfg omfg

Photo: Found at www.japantimes.co.jp

And Your National Champion Is....

2009-01-09T15:57:00.003-05:00

Ok, so Florida won last night. And made a good case that they are way better than Oklahoma. Either that or Tim Tebow is really the second coming of Christ and God just couldn't bear to see them lose. But I now want a playoff game between Florida and Utah. Which probably should have been a possible championship match up to begin with.

Florida lost one game this season. But after the loss to Ole Miss they won all their games until the SEC Championship game by at least 28 points. They made a good case and I have no problem with them being the champion. But poor Utah never even got a chance at the title. They managed to go undefeated all season. And then they thumped Alabama in their Sugar Bowl. Alabama spent a good portion of the year as the number one ranked team. Utah made a great case to be in the title bowl. The problem is no one heard it.

Voting members of the BCS poll have openly admitted that they never saw Utah play until the Sugar Bowl. Or that they really couldn't remember if they had or not. They just assumed since Utah plays in the Mountain West that they were not as good as the other teams. Now there's the problem with the BCS system. It's not just the computer polls, its also the people voting.

What better proof does there need to be to get a playoff system. One of the best teams in the country wasn't even watched by some of the voters. With a playoff system these questions would be answered. The Mountain West went 6-1 against the Pac-10 this year and won all their bowl games. That's more impressive than most conferences including the ACC and the Big Ten and they both get automatic BCS bids.

So once again there is a legitimate argument for two National Championship teams. If I was from Utah, I'd be claiming they are the actual National Champions. The BCS is so busted. President Obama will be inaugurated in a few days. So he has almost a whole year to fix this system. It really can't be that hard. Until then, we'll just have to settle for disputed championships

Red Hot Capitals

2009-01-07T22:37:00.004-05:00

The Capitals extended their winning streak to seven last night. But more importantly they beat the Flyers for the first time this season. After a painful elimination in the seventh game of the first round of the playoffs last year and a loss earlier in the season, the Caps needed this victory. No matter how far they have come this season, they still needed to beat the team that knocked them out last year. The Flyers were also the last team to beat the Caps this season. The Caps needed this win to really prove to themselves they can beat anyone.

The Caps are almost unbeatable at home this season. They have a commanding lead over the Southeastern conference and look to be a dominating force once playoff time comes. But until last night they still had one monkey on their back, the Flyers. And after overcoming that obstacle, they must have a fresh burst of confidence. It doesn't matter that they won in a shootout. All that matters is they won.

This Capitals team has been beseiged with injuries this season. And despite all that they have been playing their hearts out. And now that the Caps seem to be developing a real fanbase they are going to be even harder to contend with at home. If this team is mostly healthy for the playoffs look for them to go deep. Especially now that they know they can beat the Flyers.

I had hoped to get to a Caps game while I was back in Baltimore for a little bit. But it looks like it's not going to happen. I guess I'll have to wait and try to score tickets to the game in Philly when the Caps come to play the Flyers. I guess I'll see how mean Flyers fans really can be then.

Fan Foodie

2009-01-06T16:12:00.003-05:00

Check out this review I wrote of the Camden Yards food scene. Thanks to they guys at Hugging Harold Reynolds and Fan Foodie for including me in this.

http://fanfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/01/baltimore-md-oriole-park-at-camden.html

ACC Time: Fear the Turtle

2009-01-06T15:36:00.005-05:00

Well it's finally here. This might be the best time of the year in sports. The Ravens are in the playoffs for at least one more week and Maryland is starting ACC play. The NFL playoffs and March Madness are my two favorite sporting times of the year. And during each one I truly believe and will argue that it is by far the best. But that's not really important. The important thing is to enjoy this time of year.

Right now the Terps are 11-2 with one more game before ACC play starts for them. They have solid wins over Michigan and Michigan State and respectable losses to Georgetown and Gonzaga. If they win tomorrow against Morgan State they will head into ACC play with 12 wins. Yes, I am a math genius. This means if they win just half of their conference games, they have a good shot of making the tournament with 20 wins. It's still early, but hell, if Boston College can beat UNC in their ACC opener, maybe the Terps can make the tourney this year. It's not unreasonable to thing Maryland can win 8 games in ACC play.

I know its still early in the season and this team is very young but they do seem to be learning from their non-conference games. They are trying to get better and Gary Williams has been able to get them to show up against better opponents in seasons past. Not alway consistently, but he does usually have at least one big upset a season. Let's hope that upset was not Michigan State this year.

This is the time of year when college basketball gets really interesting. Yes, you pay attention to the beginning of the season to try to predict how you're team will play all year long. But this is the time of year you actually start to go out of your way to watch the games. Maryland plays Georgia Tech on Saturday. Hopefully I will already be out celebrating a Ravens win but either way I plan on trying to watch this game. Oh, ACC time, it's just so good.

M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D MARYLAND WILL WIN!

Ravenous Defense

2009-01-04T22:52:00.004-05:00

The Ravens were in top form today when they routed Miami 27-9. It seemed like every time Miami started to get something going the Ravens defense put a stop to it. Chad Pennington had a league low 7 interceptions during the regular season. He had 4 in this game. This was a game where everything went right for the Ravens and everything went wrong for the Dolphins. I mean, they're kicker even missed the extra point after their only touchdown of the day.

I feel a little bad for the Dolphins, but not too bad. While it was good to see Pennington show the Jets that they shouldn't have given up on him for another old gunslinger this season, it was even better to see the Ravens control this game and move onto the next round against Tennessee. I'm still a little in shock. I knew this game was winnable. That's not it. It's that the Ravens are in the playoffs at all. I spent the whole season trying not to get my hopes up. Just waiting for the inexperience to rear its ugly head. Waiting for the magic to end.

And now here we are. The Ravens are headed to the second round of the playoffs. They are playing some of their best football of the year. Ed Reed who started out the season with serious nerve damage to his neck had two interceptions today. One of several two interception games this season. And our inexperience rookie quarterback who didn't even get one vote for rookie of the year is doing the most important thing, he's not making mistakes. Sure his numbers weren't great today, but that's not what matters. Joe Flacco did give Miami a chance to come back in the game. And he topped that off with a rushing touchdown to seal the Dolphins' fate. He just played solid mistake free football.

I think the game next week will be much harder than today. But Tennessee is beatable. One big play or a different call and Baltimore could have won when they faced the Titans in the regular season. But this isn't the same Ravens team. This a team with a much more mature quarterback and a defense that is looking unstoppable. It's going to be a tough game. But not impossible.

I congratulated one of my friends on the Eagles win after the game today. His response...see you on Super Sunday. It's a little too early to start hoping for that. But man did the Ravens play great football today.

Terps Wack Wolf Pack in Potato Bowl

2008-12-31T18:17:00.006-05:00

The Terps won the Potato Bowl yesterday 42-35. And it was an exciting game to watch, even when it was sloppy and looked like the Terps were deliberately trying to mess things up. Luckily for them, Nevada, refused to take advantage of the multiple slip ups and let the Terps finish the season on a high note.

The games started off strange with several starting players being benched for violating curfew, including Da'Rel Scott. This prompted me to ask, what was so awesome happening in Boise that the players were willing to risk starting this bowl game? I mean it's Boise. Anyone?

The first quarter was rife with randomness. A missed extra point, a kickoff return for a touchdown and botched kickoff. It was full of fun and typical Terp ridiculousness. But the Terps managed to hold on to the lead and play the rest of the game reasonably well.

The Nevada defense was supposed to be really good at rushing the ball. But they hit the Maryland defensive line and were continually punished. Nevada seemed to have most of its success passing. But once the Terps managed to catch on to their passing scheme the defense was able to act.

Scott was probably the most valuable player for Maryland. Once he finally got into the game he seemed determined to prove that he deserved to play. And he proceeded to run all over Nevada's defense.

Overall, it was a fitting way to end the season. The Terps' play was maddening but totally expected in that it was totally unexpected. They might not be consistent. But at least they make things interesting. And hopefully next year they'll remember Boise and be inspired to get to a warm weather bowl instead.

For more on this and other college bowl games go to http://www.gunaxin.com/blog-bowl

Potato Bowl

2008-12-29T22:12:00.004-05:00

Schizophrenia seems to have its downsides. The Terps, at one point poised to go to the Orange Bowl, or at least the ACC Championship game faltered down the stretch and are now going bowling in Boise, Idaho. So instead of getting to play in the post season in some warm locale that fans are willing to flock to, the game will be played on the blue field at Boise State, estimated temperature at game time 34 degrees.

The Terps will be playing in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl against Nevada. This really sounds like one of those bowl games that people make up to make fun of the bowl system. But trust me, this is all too real. The sponsor, Roady's is the largest truck stop chain in the country. (I looked it up.) And it happens to be based in Idaho. I have no idea why it is the Humanitarian Bowl. I guess people in Iowa are just extra humane, or the truck stops promote being humane. Really, I would have guessed the potato bowl, but what do I know. If anyone out there can explain the bowl name to me I'd appreciate it.

Maryland is playing Nevada in the Potato Bowl. All I know about Nevada is that they play in the WAC conference. And apparently are not very good because they were also vanquished to the Potato Bowl. Sorry about this, but I refuse to do research about a team I won't think or hear about for years after Maryland is finished playing them in this meaningless game. So my next few predictions should considered with that knowledge.

I think Maryland will win this game. I say this just because I'm a Terps fan. They have played well in crappy weather all year long. They also play well in the afternoon, when this game is being played. If this was a big bowl game being played in prime time they'd probably lose. But if you look at the meaningless factors I've just mentioned they seem to have a pretty good shot.

I think it's justified to completely ignore Nevada in this assessment. Maryland didn't seem to care who they were playing all year. They played badly against bad teams and well against good teams until the end of the season when they just collapsed. They played better in bad weather and worse at night. This team has been impossible to predict all season, which is probably why they're playing in the Truck Stop Potato Bowl anyway. There is very little on the line for this game. I don't know which way that will break for Maryland. I'm still a little bitter this game is in Idaho. But I still hope we win.

GO TERPS!!!

For more on College Bowl season go to http://www.gunaxin.com/blog-bowl Articles about all the bowl games can be accessed here by tons of great bloggers.

Going to Miami

2008-12-28T20:08:00.003-05:00

The Ravens did it. They beat Jacksonville and are now on their way to the playoffs as the last wild card team. WOO HOO! Baltimore will now be playing the Miami Dolphins next weekend in Miami. This to me is just great. I had no thoughts at the beginning of the season of being in the playoffs. And now I think we have a winnable first round game.

I'm glad that Miami won out today. Otherwise, the Ravens would have had to play the Patriots in Foxborough. I think the Ravens got the better game. The Patriots won 11 games this season without their star quarterback and probably feel pretty ripped off right now to be ending their season without a playoff game. But my team gets to go so I don't feel that bad. And Baltimore has beaten Miami once this year so I think they are better prepared to beat them again.

Also, the Ravens have improved and grown as a team since they played at Miami. Joe Flacco is much more comfortable playing and has been given much more free rein. Also, the team is surprisingly healthy right now. With only a few big injuries and backup players ready to step up. This Ravens team is going to be hard for Miami to beat.

Today the Ravens looked like a team that was really having fun. Flacco was launching the ball down field. Mason and Clayton kept coming up big. Reed had two interceptions and there were a bunch of trick plays that kept the Jacksonville defense one step behind the Baltimore offense. Baltimore just dominated this game. It was fun to watch. I'm already excited for next weeks game.

GO RAVENS!!

Maybe Next Year

2008-12-27T14:16:00.005-05:00

This has been a year of unlikely happenings. And while the world seems to be falling apart everywhere you look with the economic crisis, the on going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the end of these being nowhere in sight, there have been some great things that have happened this year. And with the new year comes new hope.

I'm just going to talk about the good things in the sports world. Though I love politics, I've tried to keep this blog free of my personal views on the election. However, it is impossible to talk about things happening this year without at least mentioning the historic election of Barack Obama. And to tie this into sports somehow, he has expressed interest in getting a playoff system for college football. And for that policy he has my whole hearted support.

This year has been one of upsets and unlikely characters winning. The World Series featured the Tampa Bay Ray, who had never before had a winning season and the Philadelphia Phillies, whose city had suffered from a 25 year championship drought. The Phillies won and the in an even more unlikely turn of events, everyone is Philadelphia was happy for a few weeks. That was a truly amazing sight. The Rays gave hope to every small market team that with good management and a well stocked farm system allows a team to compete even in a division with the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Another surprise this year for me was the Ravens actually being competitive. With so much turnover and so many changes I picked them to go 5-11. They are now one win away from having the opposite record and going to the playoffs. My hopes for maybe next year turned into maybe this year. A win over Jacksonville tomorrow will cement a playoff berth and even a loss with some help could send them into the post season. The Ravens have been competitive all season and had some hard losses. Overall, they've been really fun to watch and it's been great to finally see some offense from this team.

The Terps football team was one of constant surprises. Each week a different team seemed to take the field. And they seemed to win the games they were supposed to lose and lose the ones they were supposed to win. They went from thoroughly enjoyable to completely unwatchable. It was a frustrating season, but they ended with a respectable record and a bowl game. So next year hopefully they'll be a tad more consistent and go to a bowl game in a warm city, instead of Boise. But a bowl game is always nice, expect another post about this soon.

The Terps basketball team is off to a great start this season. They are 8-2 and winning at the moment. They haven't lost any truly damaging out of conference games. They're only two losses coming to Georgetown and Gonzaga, both ranked. And they have managed upset wins over Michigan and Michigan State. They are playing well with a young team and look to be in a good position going into ACC play in the new year. Hopefully this season will end with a tournament appearance, and not the NIT. Right now things are looking good for the young Terps team.

I also discovered hockey this year. And apparently at the right time. The Caps went from being one of the worst teams in the league to winning their division and making the playoffs last year. Even though they were eliminated in the first round, they fought til the end and gained good experience. This season, the Caps have suffered injury after injury and are still leading their division by ten points. They could make a good run this season if they can get everyone or mostly everyone healthy by playoff time.

Even the Orioles seem to be moving in the right direction. They are shoring up their farm system and trying to sign young players to improve their core. They didn't get Teixeira, but not all is lost. The hometown boy probably wouldn't have been the savior they were looking for anyway. And while it's a slap in the face to go play in New York, that money can be better spent on quality pitching, a far more pressing need for this team. But with Baltimore back on the jerseys, maybe next season will be a winning one.

The Summer Olympics also took place this year. Michael Phelps popularized swimming and won a record eight gold medals. There was also some scandal involved with possibly underage gymnasts. And Usain Bolt shattered his world record 100 meter time even though he slowed down at the end to showboat. China dominated sports I didn't know existed like synchronized diving and trampoline. But the US had strong showing overall and I got sucked into watching sports I didn't care about and cheering for unlikely comebacks. I'm actually excited to see what happens in four years.

The new year is a time to look back and see how far things have come. Its a time to remember the good things of the year and think of ways to make the next year better. With so much turmoil and uncertainty in the world right now its nice to be able to look at sports think of the eternal hope of sports fans. Maybe next year things will turn around.

Thanks for everyone who has supported and read my blog this year. I've really enjoyed writing it and appreciate all the comments and criticisms. I'll try to get a few more posts up this year, but I thought I'd thank you all in advance. Have a happy new year.

Incontrovertable Evidence?

2008-12-18T00:03:00.004-05:00

So I know everyone has been complaining about the call at the end of the Ravens-Steelers game since the end of the Ravens-Steelers game. So I'm a little late in adding onto the complaining. However, I've been busy with exams so my complaining has mostly been directed elsewhere. But now I'm back to procrastinating, so here's the complaining. How could that call have been made?

That call was so close and it was originally ruled not a touchdown. If it had been ruled a touchdown on the field then there was not enough evidence to overturn that call either. It was just way to close. And the rules state that if there is not incontrovertable evidence then the ruling on the field stands, or something like that. And the ruling on the field should have stood.

The Ravens still control their own destiny. So if they win out their last two games then they will still make the playoffs as a wild card. If not then they will need some help. But if they miss the playoffs because of this I'm going to be really pissed. I know I've been talking all season about how the Ravens have done so much better than I expected and I'll be happy with whatever happens. But this is just so wrong. A season shouldn't be decided by one bad call.

If the Ravens win the next two games it won't really matter. But right now that's a big IF. This week the Ravens go to Dallas to play a resurgent Cowboys team. I'm not really sure how one moment the Cowboys seem ready to implode and the next moment they're destroying the Giants. The Ravens seem to be playing this team at the wrong time. And I'm a little worried.

I've tried to keep my playoff hopes under control. But Baltimore has been playing so well they started to creep into my mind. And no rookie quarterback, rookie coach, rookie runningback talk could douse them. I'm not ready to have those hopes dashed by a pretty boy, a drama queen and a bad call.

So Ravens, please win. Please. I'm a strong believer in maybe next year, but right now, I'm still not ready to give up on this year.

Photo: AP/Rob Carr found at http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/NFL/2008/12/14/7749046-ap.html

Hot Stove Hot Rumors

2008-12-11T23:26:00.004-05:00

Now that the Yankees have completed the C.C. deal, the Cubs Peavy deal fell through and the Mets have shored up their bullpen the big story is where will Teixeira fall. There are a few teams reportedly still in the mix for the switch hitting first baseman. And one of them is the Orioles. Teixeira is a Maryland boy and has said he would rather play on the East Coast for family reasons. And he grew up an Orioles fan so somewhere in his heart, he probably still has some tiny desire to play for this team. I'm just not sure that his coming to the O's would be best for this team.

He's a great player and comes with a big price tag. The Nats supposedly offered him $160 million for eight years. The Orioles have also made a big offer in the area of $140-150 million for seven years. I'm glad the Orioles are willing to spend big money to try and become competative again, but I'm not sure this is the best choice. I mean, he is young and really good, but we need pitchers more than a big bat. On the other hand, he could revitalize interest in the club, bring in fans and maybe provide a much needed spark to the team. He could also make it easier to trade Brian Roberts by providing another fan favorite.

So far Andy McPhail has done a good job and made good moves for the team. If the team keeps heading in the same direction in a few seasons, the Orioles might actually be competative again. At this point I'd be ecstatic abouts a winning season, even if they didn't make the playoffs. If McPhail thinks this is the best way for the Orioles to get better, I'm not going to question him too much. It's just hard to get used to the Orioles having competant managment.

The Orioles have managed to make some good moves so far this off season. They got a much needed shortstop, Cesar Izturis, I don't know much about him, but there is no way he's worse than the bumbling idiots they had last season. They traded catcher Hernandez to create a spot for top prospect Wieters and aquired a outfielder/utility man. They seem to be moving in the right direction. But what the O's really need is pitching. I hope McPhail will be addressing that issue soon. I'd really like a winning season soon.

Photo: Getty Images found at the Baltimore Sun

Is It a Dynasty?

2008-12-08T22:18:00.006-05:00

This weekend I switched up my studying schedule so I could attend the Fourth Annual Maryland State Beer Pong Tournament. My partner and I managed to get a wild card bid and had to face our arch rival in the first round. We've been doing this for four years, we do have an arch rival. Needless to say, we lost, and then we lost again. And were out of the tournament in a quick two games. This was neither surprising or unexpected. Neither of us play as much as we used to and the competition has gotten a lot better over the past few years.

The tournament started out with the National Anthem. A girl near me scoffed and made a comment about this not being a sporting event. She obviously hates America and is quite possibly a terrorist, who else makes insults during the National Anthem. Say what you will about beer pong, but it is very competitive. Ask most of the 56 teams that competed on Saturday. Or come watch another tournament. You have over 100 guys(mostly) competing against each other for a trip to Vegas to play in the World Series of Beer Pong for $50,000 and the title of Maryland State Champions. Tell me anywhere you can get that many people together and have it not be competitive.

I'll be honest, for my team, it was more about blowing off steam, hanging out with friends and an excuse to drink at noon on a Saturday, but even we came to play. Plus, its always fun when two girls can beat two guys at pong, even if it didn't work out for us this week. The team that actually won this tournament was the same winner as last year, Wet Ballz. They consistently rank in the top three in League Championships. You get the idea, they are the elite of the beer pong world. After losing in the first round they managed to fight their way through the losers bracket and to beat Redonkulous in two games.

I didn't actually manage to stay until the end. The beer and hunger got to me. Who could possibly have predicted that as a tiny girl I would be hungry and drunk before six hours of beer pong had finished up. I left to go get food and watch some college basketball and didn't make it for the final rounds of the tournament. I'm told that the matches were hard fought through multiple overtimes. So it looks like a Wet Ballz dynasty.

Major tournaments are springing up all over the place. There are leagues forming in most major cities and even an international tournament in Jamaica. And of course the World Series in Vegas right after New Years. So look for a league or some tournaments in your area.

Before you get too critical of MDbeerpong.com and similar organizations keep in mind that most of the people playing are young professionals who like to compete in every situation. Most of them developed a love of this game during college and don't see a reason to give it up because they now have graduated and moved on. It's not only about the competition, it's another way to socialize and have fun and maybe win some money and at least win some bragging rights. But a lot of is about competition.

Photo: Taken by me of Wet Ballz

The Battle of the UMs

2008-12-04T21:32:00.004-05:00

Classes ended for me yesterday. And I should be working on papers and studying diligently for exams. Instead I took a field trip to the Maryland game last night. Almost thirty of us from the Maryland Alumni Association got free tickets and chartered a bus down to College Park. We went to see Maryland beat Michigan 75-70.

Maryland seemed to struggle through the first half. It seemed like nothing would fall for the Terps. But Gary Williams must have given them some pep talk at half time. Because in the second half Maryland came out and fought back. Vasquez once again led the way scoring 23 points and getting 12 rebounds. Hayes did a good job with 13 points and 4 assists. And they managed to hold off Michigan and helped not only Maryland win but the ACC win the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the 10th a year in row.

Wow, the Big Ten is pathetic. You'd think that after 10 years they would manage to win at least once. As if one needed any more proof, but I think this is the final straw in the argument of which area of the country is better. Obviously the East Coast is far superior to the Mid-West. They can't even get their basketball teams to beat ours in a yearly challenge. It's just another reason for the East Coast to keep believing we're better than the people in fly over land.

Maryland still has a lot of work to do this season. But the schooling of the state of Michigan should bolster their chances of making the Tourney. And hopefully, the Maryland will play well at the BB&T Classic this weekend. It would be nice if they could play as well in this tournament as they do in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. We'll see what happens.

Just a note: I do have a fair amount of work to do on exams. So expect these posts to be less frequent and shorter for the next few weeks.

Photo: http://www.land8lounge.com/group/universityofmarylandalumni

ACC/Big Ten Challenge

2008-12-02T22:29:00.004-05:00

Yes, it's that time of year again, that time where the ACC gets to beat up on the Big Ten. It's called the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Teams from the ACC are matched up against teams from the Big Ten, actually eleven teams. I'm not actually sure why the Big Ten keeps taking part in this. After nine years, the Big Ten has not won a single challenge. This year they might have a chance. VT and Miami lost, but Clemson and Boston College have won. Duke is winning but the Virginia is losing in the second half. So it could be tied going into tomorrow.

Usually I would be worried, but the ACC tends to show up big in this matchup. So I still think they'll pull it out. Especially, since one of those teams in UNC. Now, I don't want to get all high on UNC, but they are good. So if the games tally is even tomorrow, the ACC just has to win two games plus the UNC game. Three out of the other four games are played with the ACC having home court advantage. And ACC teams play well at home.

Maryland plays Michigan tomorrow at the Comcast Center. Maryland plays much better at home with the fans all riled up. Maryland showed that it can come to play when they beat Michigan State last week. I think they'll show up tomorrow. After two humiliating losses, they need to re-earn the respect of the fans and show they can be a contender. This is a win that will matter come tournament selection time. And Gary Williams can't afford another year with his team in the NIT.

I'm heading down to College Park tomorrow. So I really hope that the Terps show up and play well. This is a game that they need to win. And it's not going to be a fun bus ride home if they lose.

GO TERPS!!

Higher Expectations Lower Spirits

2008-12-01T21:41:00.005-05:00

Yesterday the Ravens destroyed the Bengals 34-3. And honestly, the score probably could have been a lot worse for the Bungles. The Ravens now have an 8-4 record. They can't have a losing season. And somehow, they are still in the playoff race and could still win the division. Yet watching them demolish the Bengals was not that exciting. It was merely expected, the Bengals are so bad, it almost takes the sport out of the game. As I watched the game, I realized there was nothing the Ravens could do that would surprise me. Mark Clayton throws a touchdown, Clayton's one handed TD grab, Flacco throwing for 280 yards, none of it was that surprising, though that one handed grab was pretty sweet. But if it was going to happen, it would happen against the Bengals, they really are just that bad.

I just can't get that worked up about this win. The Ravens should beat the Bengals. If you had told me at the beginning of the season the Ravens would be 8-4, with a rookie coach, quarterback, running back, and no real bye week I would have been ecstatic. But now my expectations have been raised. I know they will win games against the bad teams, it's just a matter of by how much.

I like watching Flacco progress, I like seeing my team do well. But it's hard for me to get excited about a win like this. Next week, we'll play the Redskins, then the Steelers, then the Cowboys and the Jaguars. All of those teams are legitimate competitive teams. It's possible the Ravens could lose the last four games. I doubt this will happen, but I could believe it. And yet, I can't enjoy that win yesterday. I now expect the Ravens to compete on a high level and watching them play the Bengals was like watching them play my high school team. If the Ravens didn't win, something would be seriously wrong.

This was a rebuilding year, and while I'm glad the rebuilding is going faster than expected, I don't know why I'm not more excited. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, it's almost exam time and my stress level is pretty high, but I wasn't really wowed by this last game. I don't think I'll have to worry about this anymore, since the rest of the season should be good games or at least competitive ones. As a fan, I like to see a little competition. Is that too much to ask?

Photo: http://www.ravensgab.com/2008/07/28/paging-mark-clayton/

Terp is a Four Letter Word

2008-11-29T18:25:00.004-05:00

I'll admit I was totally unaware that a game was even going on Thursday. I was solidly in the grips of a food coma. And I really didn't expect much of the Terps playing agianst Michigan State, a team that came into the season with high expectations. So when I was out at the bar later that night trying to make sure I consumed the average 4500 calories, I was shocked to hear that Maryland not only beat Michigan State, but beat them by 18 points, 80-62. All of a sudden that damned hope started to seep back into my mind. My friend quickly pointed out that Maryland had to play Gonzaga the next night and would in all probability forget to show up. I nodded but the food/alcohol stupor numbed thoughts of a blow out the next day. All of a sudden I thought we could win the Old Spice Classic. I mean, Gary Williams could be an Old Spice spokesman. It would be fate.

I know that I caution everyone else agianst false hope about a flukie team. But I succumbed to it myself. So the next night I headed out with some friends to watch the game. Halfway through the second period, a large black box appeared on the screen of the TV I was watching, obscuring the game. The game was on several other TVs, all working fine, but they were all hard to see from where I was sitting. I am not joking. The TV I was watching censored the game. When the game ended, it went back to normal. I could see the edges of the screen but the game or the score. I chose to stay where I was sitting and forget about the end of the game. The Terps were outplayed the whole time I watched, I figured it wasn't going to get any better. I was right. Maryland lost 81-59.

Maryland shot a horrendous 37% from the floor and landed only one three point shot. I'm afraid that this team is going to take me on a rollercoster ride not unlike the Maryland football team. My problem is that I can't stop watching. It might be a depressing season, but everytime there is a bright spot, I'll be unable to suppress my foolish optimism and will get crushed once again. Gonzaga is a good team, there's no shame in losing to them. However, there's always a little shame in getting blown out. Hopefully, they'll use the Gonzaga game as motivation to play well agianst Georgetown on Sunday.

Sometimes I hate that I love sports so much. I'll have plenty of curses for this team as the season presses on. But I will still probably involuntarily finding myself defending them against naysayers. Even when I am saying the same things on a regular basis. I can't help it, as much as I hate this team some times, I will always hate Duke more. It's just the way it is. Stupid Terps.

Photo: www.puderluder.com

Topsy Turvy ACC

2008-11-26T12:28:00.004-05:00

So I'm home for the week and this means that I will be neglecting my blog while I do other important things like fill out my Bar application and stuff my face with as much Thanksgiving fare as is possible for a small girl. Yes, I'm one of those people that starves myself for a couple weeks before Thanksgiving so that I can come home and eat four times my weight in food in one day. This way after Thanksgiving, I really only have to starve myself for a short time before I resume the binge eating around Christmas. Yes, I am the epitome of 'healthy eater,' whatever, exercise is for people without the will power to just not eat.

Well, I'm back in Baltimore for Turkey Day and figured it was as good a time as any to give my thoughts on the ridiculousness that is ACC football this year. Now that Maryland has finally eliminated themselves, well I guess technically it was FSU that eliminated them, I can stop paying attention to college football and focus on the train wreck that is Maryland basketball. But I have some final thoughts about ACC football first.

All season, people have bemoaned the fact that there has been no clear front runner to win the ACC. Every week a new team was on top, I think before last week there were only three teams mathematically eliminated from playing in the ACC Championship game. And people seemed to think this was a terrible tragedy. I know I lamented about Maryland's incredible inconsistent play, and as a fan I wanted them to do better, but I think the conference is better for missing a clear number one.

Isn't this why teams are in conferences? They play other school with teams around the same caliber. The conference games are supposed to be competitive. Otherwise, what's the point? Just make it a free for all. Get rid of the conferences, the Big East is already trying to do this, why not just join in with them. While no one like their team to lose, everyone likes their team to be in the race, and a well balanced conference makes that possible. Maryland just had it backwards. They beat the good teams in the conference and were destroyed by the weaker teams. But what's the fun if there is no competition?

The ACC has never been a college football powerhouse. And honestly, it doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon. But at least most of the teams are competitive among themselves now. So complain about the lack of a juggernaut if you want to. I'm going to appreciate the even keel of this conference, even if it does make it topsy turvy. It makes me hopeful for next season. Because you can't be true sports fan if you don't believe in maybe next year.

Photo: umterps.cstv.com

Fun Times at Ravens Stadium

2008-11-24T17:33:00.005-05:00

Yesterday the Ravens pounded the Eagles 36-7 for a thrilling 60 minutes of game time. Luckily, it wasn't a close game so we, the fans, were not subjected to talk of possible ties and players who may or may not know the rules of overtime. This was, on a personal note, the game I was looking forward to the most all season. In Baltimore, there are several teams we love to beat, including the Steelers, the Colts(though that never seems to happen) and the Redskins, among others. But Philadelphia was really the team I was most hoping to win against. I even took the energy to bundle up in 400 layers and spent the money to go to the game.

I live in Philadelphia for school, so I have to put up with Eagles fans pretty much all year round. And while I was happy for the citizens of Philadelphia to win the World Series, and happier to join in their revelry, I have no love lost for the Eagles. Mostly, I just hate that stupid chant that seems to emerge any time there are more than two Eagles fans in the room, no matter what the event. It just annoys the hell out of me. Also, I now have a lot of friends who are Eagles fans, and there is always competition and friendly rivalries between fans. I knew that no matter what happened the rest of the season, if the Ravens lost to the Eagles, I would be hearing about it for years. And I just wasn't ready to deal with that.

So thank you, the Baltimore Ravens, for allowing me to hold my head up high upon my return to the City of Brotherly Love. Those four interceptions, the safety, the high score, and pretty much the complete dominance of the Eagles allowed me to go basically the whole game without hearing that stupid fight song. The only slip up was the runback for a touchdown. But that was over so fast and was the only pause in the thrashing you gave Philadelphia, that no time need be spent dwelling on it. The Ravens even succeeded in getting McNabb benched, a rare feat.

I actually like McNabb, despite his inability to manage the clock, his lack of knowledge about the rules of overtime, and his puking on the sidelines, he has always been a very likeable guy. He's always smiling and composed. He appears to be trying hard despite the situation, and he never seems to be on the wrong side of his teammates or coach. (With the exception of T.O., who seems to put himself on everyone's wrong side.) So while I'm a little sad it looks like McNabb's legacy is going to be mired in his overtime incident instead of all the games he won for the Eagles and his years of consistent play, I can't help but rejoice in my team's overpowering performance.

The Ravens were able to rebound from last weeks abyssmal performance and show their resilience. This team is now still in contention to win the AFC North, at 7-4, only one game behind the Steelers. And if the season ended today, they would claim a wildcard spot and make the playoffs. But right now that doesn't matter to me. This team has won the game I really wanted them to win, and has done much better than I expected this season. So right now I'm just going to bask in the glow of this win for a little longer.

Photo from the Baltimore Ravens

Vasquez Steps Up, Terps Stay Perfect, Fans Still Have Doubts

2008-11-22T12:32:00.005-05:00

A win is a win right, even when it comes in overtime against an America East Conference team. The Terps beat Vermont last night when Vasquez managed to tie the game in the last few seconds to force overtime. I would like to take a moment to say that this is disgraceful. While, I'm happy Maryland won, but they shouldn't be forcing overtime against small conference teams. They should b winning outright, by a large margin. I shudder to think about what's going to happen next Thursday when they play Michigan State. Hopefully I will be in a complete food coma by game time and won't notice the pounding my Terps will be receiving.

Right now though, I guess I should be basking in the fact that after playing three sub par teams we are still undefeated. Because the losses are going to start piling up pretty soon. Well maybe not that soon, maybe not until conference play, but they are going to happen. Maybe this team of youngster will surprise me the way Maryland football surprises me every weekend. Which could be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.

The upside of this team is that it is relatively young. With only one senior, hopefully they will be returning almost the entire squad next year. So as long as they can make progress through this season, next season should almost certainly be better. I know it's a little early to write off this season, but I think I might have a happier winter if I don't get my hopes up with this team. I'm just going to enjoy the wins, inevitably there will be one over a big team that we are not supposed to beat, and ignore the losses.

I know this is a pessimistic way to start the season, especially for one of my favorite sports, but I just don't have faith in Gary any more. He's let me down the last few years. He got my hopes up and then crushed them. I not ready for that type of heartbreak again. I'm not even ready to be cautiously optimistic. Maybe the Terps can show me that I should give them another chance. But I'm not counting on it this year.

Photo: Damian Strohmeyer from the Sports Illustrated Vault

Journey to Hockey Fandom

2008-11-20T21:15:00.004-05:00

So this is my first full season as a hockey fan. I guess I picked the right time to start being a Caps fan, they made a huge turn around last season and somehow made the playoffs, but left after losing the seventh game of the first round to the angry Flyers. Right now they are leading the Southeastern Conference with an 11-4-3 record. They lead with 25 points. I haven't actually watched any hockey this season, but I have been trying to follow the Capitals through news and standings. Yes, I'm a sorry fan, but I am trying.

I know how Alex Ovechkin left the team for a few games to be with his ailing grandfather in Russia. I know how Alex Semin stepped up in his absence and is maturing into real leader on this team. I know how Ovechkin has found his stride again and has become a point scoring machine. And I know that I should be paying more attention.

Hockey fandom is new to me. I forget that I like it until I start paying attention, then suddenly I realize that I missed it. It's weird to think a year ago I probably couldn't have told you a single player on the Capitals. Now, I try to follow what's happening with them on a regular basis. I'm not at the point where I go out of my way to watch games yet, but who knows what will happen as the season wears on.

The Capitals are shaping up to be a formidable team this year. Not just the Alex the Great show, well maybe the Alex the Great and Alex the Awesome. As this team matures and players come into their own and still work great together, this is a team that is built to win. And after a heartbreaking loss in the first round of the playoffs last year, they will have the experience to go farther and do better this year. I don't know what's happening around the rest of the league but according the the ESPN power rankings the Caps are 6th. But that's the same world wide leader in sports that didn't have hockey power rankings for two weeks with no explanation. So, take them with a few grains of salt.

I don't know what's going to happen. But so far I'm enjoying becoming a hockey fan, and I will really try to go to a game soon. I really want to be a better fan.

Sports Czar

2008-11-18T16:25:00.003-05:00

So, I've tried to avoid talking about politics on this site despite my mild obsession with it. But this is an issue I feel comfortable weighing in on and espousing my views since it does not seem to be a very partisan issue. Yes, I'm talking about the BCS playoff system and President-Elect Barack Obama's statements that the will through his weight around to get one. Several other sports bloggers have thrown around the idea of a Sports Czar or Playoff Czar. Since I am graduating in the spring and will have a law degree and need a job, I would like to throw my hat into the proverbial ring.

I'm sure when Obama says he's willing to throw his weight around, he actually means he'll tell someone to bug the BCS guys and make them fix this under some imaginary threat and the watchful eye of the president. Hey, if I was president I would use my newfound power to get random things I want done that would also make a bunch of people happy.

I would be happy to fill the role of person who works for President Obama with the BCS to get this playoff system into action. He will have a lot of other stuff to worry about, like fixing the economy, resolving the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in a reasonable manner, fixing healthcare, balancing the budget, fixing Social Security, all the while saving the environment, and increasing the standing of the United States around the world. So, I'd say playoff shouldn't be his top priority. However, all those are going to take a long time, so anything that can be done definitively and quickly will remind people that they still like President Obama, and that his administration can get things done.

The problem with the BCS system is that there is no clear champion. There's a championship game, but just some formula and voting system that no one really understands to decide who gets to go the bowl game. However, colleges like bowl games. They generate revenue for the schools and raise awareness for the programs. No one believes that the team that wins the Tire Bowl is a Champion of anything, but schools and alumni like it. They get to feel good about their teams.

So here is my proposal. First, a playoff system is not going to happen overnight, television contracts and whatnot. So before next year lets make the formula better. I would put Nate Silver in charge of this. He's a stat genuis who happens to like sports and politics and is a big supporter of President Obama. If he was able to predict the popular vote percentages within .1% then he should be able to come up with a better formula for the rankings. And we can keep the rankings. Everyone likes to see their team ranked, even if it doesn't mean much. Right now, there are power rankings for every sport for all sorts of random categories. So if we keep the rankings, we need to make them better.

Next, take the top eight teams for a playoff bracket. The top eight teams are usually pretty easy to figure out. I will talk to some consultants about whether all these teams have to have won their conferences or whether they are the top eight teams. This issue can be fully debated at another time. An eight team playoff will add three weeks onto the season. And only for a few teams. So schools could cut the season by one game and eliminate one of the cupcake teams they play. This will make college football more competitive and fun to watch anyway.

Also, lets keep the other bowls. Colleges still get to keep the promotion and the revenue. Fans still get to say they won a bowl. Those games are meaningless anyway, so why not keep them. They bring plenty of fans such as myself much joy from watching.

That's my platform on changing the college football system. I have already addressed the NFL overtime situation. So if there is anyone out there who would like to appoint me to be the Sports Czar or wants me to meet with the President-Elect, just let me know.

Ravens Get Giant Beating

2008-11-17T13:36:00.005-05:00

The Ravens lost yesterday at the Meadowlands to the Giants 30-10. They were outplayed in pretty much every aspect of the game. The Giants ran all over the Ravens' top ranked rush defense. They threw the ball well, and they shut down the Ravens' running game, putting more pressure on rookie Joe Flacco. But honestly, I'm not that upset.

Usually, I'm painfully pissed off after a loss, but yesterday, I just didn't have my usual ire. Maybe it's because Maryland has actually been winning recently and still controls its destiny in the ACC Atlantic Division. But maybe, it's because this Ravens team has already way exceeded my expectations. I picked them to go 5-11, they've already done better than that. This team has come a long way since the first preseason game where Flacco didn't have a clue.

Right now the Ravens are one game behind in the AFC North and well situated to get a wild card spot even if they don't win the division. Really, at the beginning of the season were we even talking about the playoffs? No. This was a rebuilding year, new coach, new quarterback, young offensive line and lot of injuries in the secondary. This team isn't giving up, they are going to continue to play solid the rest of the season, and next season is going to look even better.

The Giants beat the Ravens. The Giants looked like a better team. Really, the Giants looked like the best team I've seen all year. They are the defending Superbowl Champs. And they only have one loss and are leading what is considered the toughest division in the NFL, the NFC East. There's no shame in losing to the Giants, it's not like we tied the Bengals. That would just be shameful.

So instead of being angry about this loss, lets focus on the next game. The Ravens need to win against the bumbling Eagles team. I mean they tied the Bengals. And their quarterback was not aware that an NFL game could end in a tie. I mean it hasn't happened in six seasons, but that doesn't seem like much of an excuse.

So Ravens, please, try to learn from last week, and then go out there and pummel the Eagles in Baltimore. Otherwise, fans will have a real reason to be angry.

END NOTE: My ticket to the Ravens-Eagles games seems to have fallen through. So I am now in the market again for a ticket. Shoot me an email at meghanlg@gmail.com if you have an extra you are looking to get rid of. Thanks.

Photo: AP courtesy of the Charlotte Observer

Maryland Football Beats Yet Another Ranked Team

2008-11-16T17:36:00.003-05:00

The Maryland Terrapins have been perfect at home this year. And they kept up their unlikely streak of beating ranked teams by beating University of North Carolina yesterday 17-15. So after beating 4 ranked teams this season; Clemson, Cal, and Wake Forest, they have managed to climb their way back into the BCS rankings themselves. They are ranked 25 in the BCS poll and 22 in the AP poll. Most important though, is that the Terps control their own destiny.

Maryland plays next week against Florida State, who fell from the rankings after a loss to Boston College yesterday. The Terps are playing at home, in Byrd Stadium, so even though Florida State is no longer ranked, the Terps still look good to win this next game. Hopefully, it will be sunnier next week and for the sake of the fans in attendance. This week was the second miserable rain soaked game loyal Terps have had to sit through. And they were both close wins, the first being the Homecoming game against NC State. I'd be happy to keep winning in the rain, but it makes for sloppy play and discomfort for the fans who are a big part of the reason the Terps are undefeated at home.

Next weeks game is very important, because with a win give Maryland some seperation in the ACC Atlantic Division race. The ACC is such a mess that it could be a game to clinch the division depending on what happens in several other games. It would give them larger lead over Florida State and set them up nicely for their last game against Boston College. Could this team that has been hard pressed to string together two quality games actually compete for the ACC title?

Hopefully, the Maryland team that played yesterday is the one that will show up on Saturday. This team has lacked consistency all year hopefully they can find it for the last few games. It would renew my faith in Fridge and Maryland football in general. The last few seasons have been rough and it's nice to be able to watch a winning team again. It's really amazing how much a Maryland win improves my mood.

So here's hoping for a good game next week. GO TERPS!!

Photo from http://shutterbuggin.blogspot.com/2007/05/maryland-old-line-state-new-line-of.html

Terps Are Undefeated

2008-11-15T10:30:00.003-05:00

Last night, the Maryland mens basketball team had their season opener. They beat Bucknell 81-52 and are now undefeated on the season. Hopefully they will be able to continue winning on Tuesday when they play the Youngstown State Penguins. And since this is a team I've never heard of, I'm confident that the Terps can start the season 2-0. In fact, the Terps don't run up agianst any real competition until the fourth game of the season when they play against No. 7 ranked Michigan State. That will game will be a real test on these young Terrapins.

Regardless of how we do this year, it's always nice to start the season off with a few wins. It gets the confidence up and allows the team to find a good chemistry. And with the win over Bucknell last night, hopefully the team is finding a way to come together. Maryland was able to shoot 43% from the field and even managed a respectable 73% in free throws. For anyone who has watched this team in recent years, you have seen how terrible Maryland's free throw shooters have been. It's almost been like they don't want the easy points.

With only one senior on the team this year, David Neal, who isn't even a starter, the Terps are going to have to look elsewhere for leadership. If Vasquez has matured then he is the obvious choice. He has started since his freshman year, and led the team in minutes, rebounds and assists. He was second in scoring with 13 points, however he made only 5 of 16 shots, which probably means he still has work to do on his shot selection. Last year he had a tendency to try too hard and just throw the ball up there and make something happen. Hopefully this season he can learn to take less shots but score more points.

I'm hoping this team can come together during the beginning of the season and develop some great chemistry before heading into ACC play. The ACC is pretty stacked this year, with four teams ranked including the unanimous number 1. The Terps need to find their way before ACC play begins in January, otherwise, it's going to be a long spring, and another miserable March.

New Uniforms Hopefully Not the Only Change Before Next Season

2008-11-12T17:13:00.007-05:00

Today the Orioles unveiled their new uniforms. While I'm happy to report they have not only put Baltimore back on the away uniforms, they have also added a Baltimore sleeve patch to their home and alternate uniforms. I'm glad to see this change. When you have 11 losing seasons, you should try to placate your fans in whatever way you can. But hopefully, these new uniforms will just be one of many changes as we head into the new seasons.

The change the Orioles need most is a new shortstop. Baltimore went through one lousy shortstop after another last year. I'm pretty sure one game, one shortstop had 3 errors, including a ball go through his legs. I can't even remember which one, a testament to how bad they all were. For a team that has had historically good players in the shortstop position, it's hard to fathom how we have went from All Star to Single A players.

The uniform changes are a good analogy for Baltimore management. They waited too long to address the fans desires, and then made just enough changes to show that there has been some change. While they addressed the need to put Baltimore back on the away jerseys, they altered the oriole bird, but kept it as an ornithological correct depiction. I love the old cartoon bird and wished they would have gone back to that. Maybe it's about small steps. The bird was changed slightly so maybe, next year they'll make big changes.

I'm hoping the biggest changes are on the field and on the mound. In addition to a new shortstop, the O's should also be looking for a new first baseman. They have good catcher coming up in the farm system, so really shouldn't worry about that right now. And hopefully some of the pitching prospects will work out. But the Orioles shouldn't be tempted by some of the big names on the hot stove. Yes, it would be nice to think about Manny or Teixiera, but that big money could be better spent on some lesser known young players that will stay in the system a long time. And money definitely needs to be spent on some pitching before a first baseman or outfielder. While they are talented players and big bats, right now solid fielding and pitching will do more good for this team than big names.

I personally would love to see Teixiera return to the Baltimore area and play for the team he grew up cheering for. But, unless Baltimore is one piece away from contention, it doesn't make sense to splurge on him. And it would take a big splurge, because he's not going to come to a losing team willingly, when he can make good money with a contender. I'm just trying to be realistic. Also, anyone who watched this team at the end of the season last year knows they are way more than one piece away from a contender, though they seem to be trying to give up their losing ways.

I'm excited to see what other changes are in store for O's faithful over the off season. And hope that Andy McPhail continues to make smart moves and address the changes that need to be made as well as changes the fans want to be made.

College Basketball Season Starts, Feelings of Trepidation Begin

2008-11-11T14:46:00.003-05:00

Last night college basketball season tipped off with Duke beating some cupcake team. I know that's how big college programs start their seasons in every sport. Whatever, I'm fine with that, I like to see a win in the season opener as much as anyone. And with the Maryland team this year, we're going to need all the cupcake teams we can get, or maybe not.

Last season, Maryland gave up some easy wins to not very good teams, including American and Ohio. Yet, they managed to beat UNC while healthy, one of the few teams to do that. I fear that Maryland basketball might suffer the same problems as Maryland football, they play to the level of their opponent and forget to show up sometimes. This is a young team that is lacking in leadership and big men. Yes, they have Vasquez and Hayes as solid guard options, and that new freshman who was magically declared eligible, but this is a team that is going to struggle with consistency.

I know I'm sounding pessimistic again, as I tend to do at the beginning of any season for a team I follow, but lets be fair. I haven't had a reason to be optimistic before any season started this year. And with the Terps missing the NCAA Tournament 3 out of the last 4 years, and having an epic collapse last year, can I really get excited. I'd rather be surprised if Maryland does well than disappointed if they play terribly.

I believe that the ACC is the best conference in college basketball. Yeah, some people will argue that the Big East is the best, but I think they lose credibility when they have so many teams, they can't all play in the Big East tournament. The ACC was a little weaker than normal last year, but it's still a force to be reckoned with. And with 6 teams from the ACC ranked in the top 40 on rivals.com and 7 teams in the top 65.

This seems to be yet another rebuilding year for Maryland. Though I hope Gary will be able to motivate the team to somehow make the tournament. I'm tired of getting excited only to wind up watching the NIT every year. I'd rather go out in the first round to the Tourney than go deep in the NIT. And I think most people would agree.

I'm not going to make any preseason predictions as to what the Terps record is going to be. I really haven't put that much effort into analyzing the schedule and looking at how other teams are doing. And I really just have no idea what's going to happen. Maybe, Gary will get his alcoholic ass together and be able to motivate this young team and coach them into solid play, while showing the fans and alumni that there is a lot of upside for this young talent. And maybe, Gary will get so drunk he'll pass out mid game, leading everyone to think he finally had that heart attack everyone sees coming. Or maybe, he'll actually have a heart attack during an ACC game. Really, I can see any of these possibilities happening.

One thing I'm pretty certain of though, this whole, I won a Championship seven years ago routine is not going to fly much longer if the Terps keep missing the tournament. Maryland fans expect this team to be competitive every year and are getting tired of going to the NIT. If Gary doesn't turn things around this season, a lot more people will be calling for his head.

Photo: AP and found on the Baltimore Sun website

Ravens Are Bowl Eligible

2008-11-10T14:25:00.004-05:00

Well, I was wrong. Before the season began, I predicted the Ravens final record to be 5-11. As of right now the Ravens are 6-3 are tied with Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC North after a 41-13 win over the Texans. And the Ravens are looking better than anyone I know expected and have compiled four straight wins. The Ravens are taking advantage of the weaker teams they have to play and getting the wins they need to get. They have only beaten one team with a winning record, but two of the three games they have lost were very close. And as the Ravens seemingly get better each week, they will probably have a good chance to make the playoffs.

A lot of this renewed hope in Baltimore is due to the 'three headed monster" running back approach. Call me an elitist if you will, I am going to rename this the Ravens' Hydra. I think it sounds better, and makes sense. Running backs Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le'Ron McClain combine to tear apart defenses week after week. It seems as if a team tries to shut one down just has to worry about another. In a way, if you cut off one head, another grows back in its place.

One reason that the Hydra is so effective is the offensive line good play. This line was suspect coming into this season. Plagued with injury and inexperienced players, the O-line has overcome these obstacles and come together quite nicely. They open running lanes and help to make the big plays. They will however face a big challenge next week against the Giants' defense. And we'll get to see if the Ravens' offense is really coming together or has just capitalized against weak defenses.

The Hydra and the offensive line also allows Joe Flacco to excel. The Ravens are able to run the ball so there is less pressure on Flacco. And the offensive line relieves pressure by giving him plenty of time in the pocket. He's been able to mature from game to game and can lead the team down the field. He can spread the defense by throwing the long ball, man, he has a rocket for an arm. And it turn, this helps the Hydra to succeed. If a defense stuffs the box to block the run, he can throw a long pass and open up the field.

Every part of this team seems to be working together to make the other parts better. The second string quarterback, Troy Smith comes in and runs the option, he creates another threat and adds another highly skilled player to the offense. He enables Flacco to become a receiver, which helps to confuse defenses. And receiver Derek Mason has been running great routes making Flacco's passes look even better because Mason keeps coming down with the ball. Even Todd Heap was getting in on the action last week, reminding everyone why we used to love this tight end.

Cam Cameron has done a great job this year making this offense work. He deserves some type of award for finally giving Baltimore an offense. I'm happy Miami was so bad last year so the Ravens were able to pick him up. I guess something good came out of the 1-15 season.

But this is still a very good defense. Ray Lewis, who people were saying was past his prime, came down with two interceptions yesterday. He continues to be a dynamic force on the field and great leader on the sidelines. Even in his 13th season he continues to be effective in leading the defense which has not allowed a 100 yard rusher in recent memory. Only three teams this season have scored over 20 points on the season and only one team, the Colts, have scored over 30 points. Those are impressive numbers. This is a defense that cannot be overlooked, even though the offense has been shining this year as well.

Expect the defense to play a big part next week against the Giants, the defending Super Bowl Champions are 8-1 this season and are pulling away from the NFC East, considered the best conference in football right now. They are looking to be serious contenders again this year, and a win by the Ravens would be a big statement about how far this young Baltimore team has come.
It should be an exciting game next week. We'll see if the Ravens' Hydra combined with new dynamic offense and brutal defense can shut down the Giants' own three headed monster. It'll be a good test for the Ravens who have so far this season exceeded expectations. While playoffs this year would be great, knowing that we are able to compete with the best teams in the league will be a good enough result for me.

Fear the Turkey

2008-11-07T11:15:00.003-05:00

Last night Maryland went out on the national stage to make a statement. Unfortunately that statement was "this is not our year." Maryland has played well some games and dismally others. They are only half a game out of first place in the ACC Costal Division but they were outplayed in every way by Virginia Tech last night. All night they traded touchdowns for field goals or punts. They wasted excellent field position time and time again. And they put almost no pressure on the VT quarterback Sean Glennon, who is still recovering from a high ankle sprain. Maryland can't even rush a gimpy guy. That is not good.

The only glimmer of offense came when Heyward-Bey caught a pass from Turner and ran 63 yards to the end zone. It finally looked like there was a change in momentum. After that, a VT player was hit by the kickoff and Maryland recovered. But even with such great field position all the Terps could muster was a field goal to make the score 20-13 VT. And that was the end of the comeback for Maryland. The final score was 23-13 VT. I know that Da'Rel Scott is injured and so we have to rely more on the passing game. But this was a game of wasted opportunities much like this season has been one of wasted potential.

It's possible that Maryland could turn around and win the next three games and go to the ACC Championship game. As of now two out of the last three teams they play are ranked. And the Terps have been prefect this year against ranked teams. But last night showed that they are undersized and inconsistent. The defensive line averaged about 50 lbs. lighter than VT's offensive line. Fifty pounds is almost half a person, not a football player, but a person like me. Why are we so small?

The reason is that our recruiting sucks. VT is in Blacksburg, VA. It's a nice town, but it's in the middle of nowhere. And they recruit way better than Maryland, which is right outside of DC. How is this possible. Is our team that terrible that players are willing to go live in the middle of nowhere rather than play for us? Why can't we get bigger recruits? I know the ACC isn't really a football conference, and I can understand players wanting to live in boondocks to play for a SEC or Big 10 team. But we're losing these players to VT. Come on.

I know that it's not normal to do this with a winning team that has beaten a bunch of big teams this year, but I'm calling for Fridge's head. Or at least calling for some better recruiting. Yes, we've won the big games, but imagine how great we'd have been this year if we'd actually won the games we were supposed to win as well. It looks to me like there is a problem with the leadership. And maybe it's time for some new blood.

Maryland had the opportunity to be great this year. They could be dominating the ACC right now if they would just show up all the time. I know the team has made big steps since last year and I appreciate that. And maybe it'll continue next year. But it's just as likely that next year Maryland could finish at the bottom of the ACC.

So come on, I'd like a little consistency. And a bigger defensive line. I hope the Fridge is listening, because I doubt I'm the only Maryland alumni to feel this way.