Uva

[The Rick]

As Orioles fans shouldn't we all know about prospects not panning out?

Especially Gilchrist and Garrison; those two could have been building blocks instead of roadblocks.

I didn't watch most of the game, so I won't comment on it specifically, but it sounds like the same thing that has been said all year: inconsistency and streaky.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head here. Great post.

[ccbird]

I'll bet Bob Wade is available.

No doubt he'll recruit better than Gary.

Seriously though the biggest problem is talent. I still can't fathom why people still say the talent is there. It's not , it's really not there to challenge in the ACC. Our guards are probably middle of the pack but still in the lower half of talent in the conference but the post players are atrocious. Not one big man with a post move or the ability to be strong inside and finish and we run the flex offense where most often the first look is a big man. That combination is a recipe for disaster and has been a big contribution to our poor play the last 4 years. And that goes on Gary. He has to know the players he brings into the program and if your gonna go get big men who don't know how to play the post then you've got to be willing to accept change and play to those players strenths or your teams strenths and become more of a guard oriented team.

Overall though I'll be glad when this senior group is gone and I can basically erase the last 4 years and the last two classes from my memory. You know I actually can handle the dissapointment the last two classes were on the talent level but what drives me crazy and why it has become so hard for me to watch the team the last few years has more to do with the poor basketball fundamentals, selfish play, and mental mistakes.

Gary gets a do-over and the chance to right the ship with players that fit his style of play. The NC afforded him that. But I've said it before and I stand firm that if you want this program as an elite program, as a top 10 program that Gary isn't the guy. He doesn't get the talent and doesn't try to get the talent to consistently be a top tier program. Make no mistake the 2001-2002 teams were the anomalies in Gary's career. The bringing together of Juan,Lonny and Steve Blake were once in a lifetime deals. Three pretty lowely rated guys who overachieved and had great desire that drove the team to a NC. Every other team Gary has had whether it be an overachiving one like in '93 or '97 or an underachieving one like '94 or '99 has failed to get past the sweet 16. So is it possible Gary gets us "back"?? Yeah, as long as your definition of "back" is being a fairly consistant tourny team with a sweet 16 run here and there.

[BaltimoreTerp]

No doubt he'll recruit better than Gary.

Seriously though the biggest problem is talent. I still can't fathom why people still say the talent is there. It's not , it's really not there to challenge in the ACC. Our guards are probably middle of the pack but still in the lower half of talent in the conference but the post players are atrocious. Not one big man with a post move or the ability to be strong inside and finish and we run the flex offense where most often the first look is a big man. That combination is a recipe for disaster and has been a big contribution to our poor play the last 4 years. And that goes on Gary. He has to know the players he brings into the program and if your gonna go get big men who don't know how to play the post then you've got to be willing to accept change and play to those players strenths or your teams strenths and become more of a guard oriented team.

Overall though I'll be glad when this senior group is gone and I can basically erase the last 4 years and the last two classes from my memory. You know I actually can handle the dissapointment the last two classes were on the talent level but what drives me crazy and why it has become so hard for me to watch the team the last few years has more to do with the poor basketball fundamentals, selfish play, and mental mistakes.

Gary gets a do-over and the chance to right the ship with players that fit his style of play. The NC afforded him that. But I've said it before and I stand firm that if you want this program as an elite program, as a top 10 program that Gary isn't the guy. He doesn't get the talent and doesn't try to get the talent to consistently be a top tier program. Make no mistake the 2001-2002 teams were the anomalies in Gary's career. The bringing together of Juan,Lonny and Steve Blake were once in a lifetime deals. Three pretty lowely rated guys who overachieved and had great desire that drove the team to a NC. Every other team Gary has had whether it be an overachiving one like in '93 or '97 or an underachieving one like '94 or '99 has failed to get past the sweet 16. So is it possible Gary gets us "back"?? Yeah, as long as your definition of "back" is being a fairly consistant tourny team with a sweet 16 run here and there.

The problem with what you are saying is that those two fateful classes had a LOT of "talent". The problem is that most of it was in the form of potential, which went unfulfilled.

It seems illogical to blame the coach, who got much more out of much less through his coaching previously, so it goes to either talent evaluation, or player character.

Besides, like you said, before that two-year stretch we were a perennial Sweet Sixteen team. Since once you get to that point anything can happen, would we really be complaining if that is what we got back to?

Especially since fifteen years ago the program was nothing?

[rolliefingers]

As Orioles fans shouldn't we all know about prospects not panning out?

Especially Gilchrist and Garrison; those two could have been building blocks instead of roadblocks.

I didn't watch most of the game, so I won't comment on it specifically, but it sounds like the same thing that has been said all year: inconsistency and streaky.

But it's been pretty much every single player since Blake graduated. At what point do we chalk it up to recruiting the wrong players and stop saying Player X, Y and Z "didn't work out"?

[BaltimoreTerp]

But it's been pretty much every single player since Blake graduated. At what point do we chalk it up to recruiting the wrong players and stop saying Player X, Y and Z "didn't work out"?

Not true.

McCray, Caner-Medley, Strawberry, now possibly Gist all performed at least to, if not exceeded expectations from their freshman years. Hell, maybe even Bowers depending on how you thought of him when he came.

The problem is that the BIG guys--Garrison, Gilchrist, Jones, Ibekwe--have not. That is where the decline has come from: counting on those players to increase the talent level of the program from the championship years, and having them fail.

I do, though believe part of it IS recruiting the "wrong" players, meaning players that aren't willing either to work to improve themselves or (in Gilchrist's case, and a lesser extent guys like McCray and Garrison) simply play under a coach like Gary Williams.

A balance needs to be found, and we will be finding out over the next couple years if it has been or not.

[YardBirds13]

Wow. What an interesting game. Why do the Terps completely ignore Gist for such long stretches of the game??? Gist is a beast, if they give him a chance. Maybe it's Gist not asserting himself in the post for position, but I can't fathom why he doesn't get a touch in the post on every posession. He could be 1st team All-ACC if they let him.

Anyways, anyone who watched tonight saw Singletary's worst game of the year. He turned the ball over, and forced more passes then he has all year, and you could tell in the last 8 minutes he wanted to do it himself, but he couldn't. Great job by Vasquez shutting him down. Reynolds single handedly won us this game. He was incredible.

I'll tell you guys, I was sure Maryland would take care of business tonight, and honestly, as a baskeball fan, I was really disaapointed in the way the Terps played the first 15 minutes of the game. They looked so flat in what should've been the biggest game of the year for them (considering their situation).

Anyways, it is a terrribly long shot for them to make the tournament now, and they HAVE TO beat Duke on Sunday to have any chance at the tournament.

I like Maryland's chances next year, BTW, because I think Hayes, Vasquez and Gist as your three starters is a solid, solid team. Throw in the left-overs from this years team and the incoming Freshmen and I like Maryland next year, but wow, this year's team has certainly been disappointing.

FYI, I thought Maryland would be a 10-6 type ACC team this year.

[Mackus]

Terrible loss, no other way to look at it. I'll be very pleased when this class of seniors is gone. Those two recruiting classes are the biggest black mark on the program since Gary took over, IMO. At least they caught fire for a weekend three years ago and got us an ACC championship, because its been disappointment after disappointment the entire rest of the time.

I still hope this team makes the NCAAs, and I think they still could, but I don't think they will anymore. They just don't seem to care at all.

[Danielos38]

I'll say this again...Gary needs to go.

This team won't win this year, or next year, or the year after it. Things are just terrible. Gary has managed to turn one of the top programs in the nation into a joke.

I have come to the conclusion that this would be the absolute worst move possible for the Terps. If you fire Gary, who is out there that is going to come and save the program? When you hire a new coach it takes years for him to get his own players, which means even more years of NIT seasons for Maryland. Respect the coach who brought you Maryland's only National Championship. If Gary is fired, it would be a horrible, horrible mistake.

[Dr. FLK]

The problem with Gary is two-fold.

1) He cannot recruit good talent. How much talent has he gotten since his recruiting buddy left to coach Loyola? It seems like any decent player from MD leaves to play out of state. That's pretty sad considering the Terps have a Nat'l Championship banner hanging in one of the best BBall facilities in the country.

2) When he did have good talent, he really did nothing with it. He won a Nat'l Championship with a completely loaded team. But, look at all of the talent he had over the years that underachieved. He loves to let the inmates run the asylum so to speak. For example, when Steve Franchise was there, Gary let any ideas of a legit half-court offense go away to make him happy, and the team ended up looking like a playground team (and were dismantled by real coaches).

But, Gary is an icon and will never leave MD. It's almost considered blasphemy to doubt him. So, Terp's fans will have to learn to live with recruiting classes like last year's (a stunning year, wasn't it) and start liking the NIT (at least it means more home games).

[BaltimoreTerp]

Wow. What an interesting game. Why do the Terps completely ignore Gist for such long stretches of the game??? Gist is a beast, if they give him a chance. Maybe it's Gist not asserting himself in the post for position, but I can't fathom why he doesn't get a touch in the post on every posession. He could be 1st team All-ACC if they let him.

The problem is, he's not consistent enough to be called a "beast" yet.

He looks good at times, but others he isn't worth having on the court (again, sounds like the team as a whole). He IS getting better, though, which is very important.

Anyways, anyone who watched tonight saw Singletary's worst game of the year. He turned the ball over, and forced more passes then he has all year, and you could tell in the last 8 minutes he wanted to do it himself, but he couldn't. Great job by Vasquez shutting him down. Reynolds single handedly won us this game. He was incredible.

I'll tell you guys, I was sure Maryland would take care of business tonight, and honestly, as a baskeball fan, I was really disaapointed in the way the Terps played the first 15 minutes of the game. They looked so flat in what should've been the biggest game of the year for them (considering their situation).

Anyways, it is a terrribly long shot for them to make the tournament now, and they HAVE TO beat Duke on Sunday to have any chance at the tournament.

I like Maryland's chances next year, BTW, because I think Hayes, Vasquez and Gist as your three starters is a solid, solid team. Throw in the left-overs from this years team and the incoming Freshmen and I like Maryland next year, but wow, this year's team has certainly been disappointing.

FYI, I thought Maryland would be a 10-6 type ACC team this year.

All they need is consistency.

[Flosman]

In this thread there have been alot of comments about Gary and this recruit or that one not developing. However what I see has the turning point in the program was Wilcox's early exit. We really have not had a inside force since he left. I know he would have been gone by now but we would not be looking at 3 consecutive NIT appearances either. Maybe then a Durant type player or two looks at MD as a suitable semi-pro situation. The shame is you can't blame him for going but he really needed more development.

I have resigned myself that this team is bound for another NIT bid. I just can't see them putting the run together that would be necessary to make it. Basically winning all of the games we would have tought they should at the begginning of the season and win 2 out of four against Duke/UNC. Just can't see them putting together that kind of run.

[Mackus]

In this thread there have been alot of comments about Gary and this recruit or that one not developing. However what I see has the turning point in the program was Wilcox's early exit. We really have not had a inside force since he left. I know he would have been gone by now but we would not be looking at 3 consecutive NIT appearances either. Maybe then a Durant type player or two looks at MD as a suitable semi-pro situation. The shame is you can't blame him for going but he really needed more development.

Maybe the Gilchrist/Jones classes didn't have enough talent to be a legit Final 4 contender, but none of these past 3 teams should have even been on the bubble for an NCAA berth. They each had plenty of talent to be a consistent top-25 team. They just never played consistently at all.

[Flosman]

Maybe the Gilchrist/Jones classes didn't have enough talent to be a legit Final 4 contender, but none of these past 3 teams should have even been on the bubble for an NCAA berth. They each had plenty of talent to be a consistent top-25 team. They just never played consistently at all.

I agree they have had talent but they have not had an inside force since Wilcox left. MD during the run of great years had guys like; Smith, Baxter, Wilcox who could really bang. Gist looks to have that potential but is really more suited to being the second inside threat. Ibekwe has just played poorly recently. Which is odd because he appeared to have developed early in the year. BTW I think the Gary's teams get better has the year progresses school of thought can be put to bed now. Early this season we were playing great D and well enough on the offensive end to look impressive. Heck we are missing layups on a regular basis. DJ looks like he could not make a FT to save his life, Jones will be a none factor for atleast a ten minute stretch in every game. The team does not get position and rebound at all. All of the big men look to have stone hands at times. Besides that the team is great.

[rolliefingers]

I agree they have had talent but they have not had an inside force since Wilcox left. MD during the run of great years had guys like; Smith, Baxter, Wilcox who could really bang. Gist looks to have that potential but is really more suited to being the second inside threat. Ibekwe has just played poorly recently. Which is odd because he appeared to have developed early in the year. BTW I think the Gary's teams get better has the year progresses school of thought can be put to bed now. Early this season we were playing great D and well enough on the offensive end to look impressive. Heck we are missing layups on a regular basis. DJ looks like he could not make a FT to save his life, Jones will be a none factor for atleast a ten minute stretch in every game. The team does not get position and rebound at all. All of the big men look to have stone hands at times. Besides that the team is great.

Haha. How was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

[Dr. FLK]

In this thread there have been alot of comments about Gary and this recruit or that one not developing. However what I see has the turning point in the program was Wilcox's early exit. We really have not had a inside force since he left. I know he would have been gone by now but we would not be looking at 3 consecutive NIT appearances either. Maybe then a Durant type player or two looks at MD as a suitable semi-pro situation. The shame is you can't blame him for going but he really needed more development.

Lots of teams have players leave. UNC had an entire roster leave after their championship year. And, 2 years later, they are back in the top 5. Md has 1 PF leave early, and they completely collapse.