This is a good team for the coaching style of Gary Williams. They seem tough, willing to play defense at a frenetic level, and have young men committed to a team rebounding concept.
Teammates Adrian Bowie (sophomore guard) and Sean Mosely (guard/forward freshman) have been junkyard dog tough in crunch time. Many already know YMCA style Dave Neal (senior center), Grevis Vasquez and Eric Hayes (junior guards) can carry their own in conference play. The heat gets turned up as the Terps head to two locations where they have not been exceedingly successful, Miami and Florida State.
This is the longest road trip of the year. It is good to get it out of the way. There is a reasonable chance that we will get one win at the least from the journey. Then we have Virginia in College Park on Tuesday. Here is to some success in the sunshine state.
So how about that coaching style? The yelling, scowling, sweating, twirling, cussing Gary Williams is a Maryland icon. He is not as lovable as Earl Weaver (former Baltimore Orioles manager). Not as much spittle flies as the former Steelers coach Bill Cowher.
He comes across as a defensive coordinator for a football team. The team is a lot more about defense, 40 minutes of hell and being tougher than the other team. That is tougher in both body and mind. When one plays defense at the level the Terps do, it helps in your weaker moments to look over and see Gary exhorting the troops. It lets you know you can give it that extra effort.
I see this as team, in the end as a Gary Williams successful team. It works Gary’s way. As we rev up in ACC play, 15 regular season games to go, I see that it may be morning in Terpland.
Where Do I begin. Last night was devastating. For 30 minutes, Maryland played with “fire in their belly” and ran Miami off the court. It appeared that Miami was out of shape and over the hill. Adrian Bowe was blowing by defenders. Gary wasnt yelling (well lets just say as loud as he usually is). Baxton Dupree was…..well, he was still Braxton Dupree.
How did they let this happen? A 17 point lead with 12:30 to go in the game on the road in the ACC. A 7 point lead with 2:45 to go. A 1 point lead with 41 seconds to go and a devastating rainbow prayer 3 by Calvert Halls own Kevin McClinton (nice recruiting Maryland).
How? I dont get it. I mean I understand this team is not very big and not a typical Maryland team, but how could they let this happen? Is it coaching? Is it leadership? Is it talent? Is it the lack of local recruiting? Oh and I forgot to mention this is the 2nd game in a week this occured. Remember Morgan State. How could we forget.
I have a friend who lives in Miami and goes to all the games. He actually went to Maryland for 2 years till he failed out. He sent me a text with 15 minutes to go saying he felt like he did when the Ravens beat the Dolphins in the first round of the playoffs. At the end of the game he send me a text that simply said “What a choke job.” I hate to admit it but he was dead on. CHOKE!
I must say for 30 minutes last night I was VERY impressed with our team. When the game ended I wasnt surprised. You cant get mad if you lose a game you werent suppose to win.
I guess this game was just another stop down the long dark ACC road we are all traveling down this year. Oh well. Go Terps!