Friday, March 14, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
If They Only Had Some Heart....
When you attend college and root for your school's athletic teams, it is often said that you bleed the respective school colors (for me that's Maryland red, white, black and occasionally yellow).
But this year, I think my heart is only pumping out black and white, like really old televisions.
The Maryland men's basketball team is very young but does have some good veteran leadership in forwards James Gist and Bambale "Boom" Osby, who both are up there in ACC statistics as well. They have an enthusiastic point guard in sophomore Greivis Vasquez, who makes more mistakes per game than Robin Wright Penn makes in "Jenny's" life during "Forrest Gump". Playing the supporting roles are a plethora of players who on any night, can step up and have a great game that helps their team or who can disappear into nonexistence.
With talent, swagger, youth and veteran leadership this team has shown it can compete with the best teams in the country despite not receiving any respect from analysts early in the season. This team beat North Carolina when they were #1 back in January at Chapel Hill and played UCLA and Duke (twice) close.
And with just over a month left in the season and the team climbing ESPN's bracketology rankings, a NCAA Tournament birth seemed almost certain. But during this season, like David Carradine in the second Kill Bill movie, the Terps took five steps forward before their heart(s) and futures stopped.
The Terps had a number of opportunities to seal the deal but couldn't quite figure out a way to do it. Immediately after they upset North Carolina, the led against then-No. 3 Duke by nine points at halftime yet blew the lead on their home court. After beating some bottom dwellers and losing to Duke at Cameron Indoor, the Terps blew a 14-point lead against Virginia Tech. And the final dagger came last Sunday against Clemson where they led by 20 and somehow lost in the final seconds.
These blown opportunities really cost Maryland as they traveled to Virginia in a must-win situation last night. But Cavaliers senior Sean Singletary really stepped up his game and outplayed the entire Maryland team for his final home game.
And just like that, the Terps are now in a more impossible situation than Tom Hanks actually rescuing Matt Damon in "Saving Private Ryan". They probably have to win the ACC Tournament in order to make it to the dance and that path most likely leads through UNC and Duke. And unfortunately for the Terps the tournament takes place in North Carolina.
But this year, I think my heart is only pumping out black and white, like really old televisions.
The Maryland men's basketball team is very young but does have some good veteran leadership in forwards James Gist and Bambale "Boom" Osby, who both are up there in ACC statistics as well. They have an enthusiastic point guard in sophomore Greivis Vasquez, who makes more mistakes per game than Robin Wright Penn makes in "Jenny's" life during "Forrest Gump". Playing the supporting roles are a plethora of players who on any night, can step up and have a great game that helps their team or who can disappear into nonexistence.
With talent, swagger, youth and veteran leadership this team has shown it can compete with the best teams in the country despite not receiving any respect from analysts early in the season. This team beat North Carolina when they were #1 back in January at Chapel Hill and played UCLA and Duke (twice) close.
And with just over a month left in the season and the team climbing ESPN's bracketology rankings, a NCAA Tournament birth seemed almost certain. But during this season, like David Carradine in the second Kill Bill movie, the Terps took five steps forward before their heart(s) and futures stopped.
The Terps had a number of opportunities to seal the deal but couldn't quite figure out a way to do it. Immediately after they upset North Carolina, the led against then-No. 3 Duke by nine points at halftime yet blew the lead on their home court. After beating some bottom dwellers and losing to Duke at Cameron Indoor, the Terps blew a 14-point lead against Virginia Tech. And the final dagger came last Sunday against Clemson where they led by 20 and somehow lost in the final seconds.
These blown opportunities really cost Maryland as they traveled to Virginia in a must-win situation last night. But Cavaliers senior Sean Singletary really stepped up his game and outplayed the entire Maryland team for his final home game.
And just like that, the Terps are now in a more impossible situation than Tom Hanks actually rescuing Matt Damon in "Saving Private Ryan". They probably have to win the ACC Tournament in order to make it to the dance and that path most likely leads through UNC and Duke. And unfortunately for the Terps the tournament takes place in North Carolina.
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