Terps Sports

Couldn't disagree more.

We are in a new era. We have recruited well and fast, getting top names (Cleare), fast risers (Layman), out-of-nowhere not-yet-hot-prospects (Dodd) and a high profile transfer for our first class. And Turgeon got a late start. We have laid the groundwork with the DC and Baltimore communities (although Bino was starting under Gary) and we have made an all-out effort with a level of recruit we'd never have bothered with before. And it is clear we have plan Bs and Cs at every step of the way.

We are going up against Kentucky. Kansas and Carolina and Duke can't all beat each other out every time.

Every non-inside piece of information I am aware of suggests we have been real contenders here, not just a courteousy listing like Hodge or Gay.

It's always been an uphill battle. My gut when I heard the announcement timing was that it had to do with James Young nosing around Kentucky.

Whatever. I'm not giving up by any means, but I also don't by any means believe this is any way a make-or-break for our recruiting outlook or our program outlook.

Without the twins, its a motivated gary level class. Gary had cleare himself. Being a "contender" for a player means absolutely nothing to me. If he cant land the twins, who he has deep connections with, how can you reasonably expect other top players to reject the blue bloods and come here? If we cant win with UA and grandma's cooking, please tell me how they can go head to head with the blue bloods and win.

I don't think this is make-or-break for our recruiting, but it's pretty big. How often do you have so many cards fall the right way for major recruits (family nearby, relationship with coach, UA connection, friend on team)?

That's why I'm really worried about the choice, because things never seem to go our way. Every time Maryland seems to have a Mike Leach, we get a Randy Edsall.

Please let the good guys win for once.

So what's the alternative?
Recruit nothing but 2nd and 3rd tier guys and hope you either find diamonds in the rough or that you can coach up the little engines that could to occasionally take the big boys?
I'm not naive enough to not recognize that there is a power structure in place that's tough to crack, but I don't think that means we throw in the towel on all top ranked kids.
I'm not saying Turge should just recruit the Rivals top 10 list without regard to their relationship to Maryland, but he absolutely has to keep working the local kids and the kids with previous connections to Maryland.
That's basically what Izzo does at MSU. He has gotten his share of 5 star kids, but for the most part they are midwest guys that he has a better shot at. Izzo has admitted frustration with not being able to recruit on the same level as UNC/Kentucky/Kansas, etc., and I think he'd admit he can't canvas nationally like a Calipari can, but that doesn't mean he doesn't strategically target certain top kids he knows he has a better chance at.
And if Turge proves his worth as a coach, he will win more and more of the battles.

If the twins come to Md, does Kentucky go after Peters or Jordan?

I am going to give a presentation in KY next week. Please, please let the Harrisons come so I can walk around with a shit eating grin wearing Terp gear.

Lexington?

It's Maryland or SMU.

Damn, that was ONE HELL of a jinx he put on himself AND Ped State!

FEAR THE TURTLE, indeed!

???

Gary had Cleare and Justin Anderson in his last class (alex len and faust say hi as well). Very comparable to the turge class sans the twins. Unless the next KD or melo grows up a maryland fan, its always gonna be the same refrain. Being "in the mix" for good players means NOTHING if you don't get any of them. And my point is, this class is comparable to a Gary class when he actually was trying. Getting the twins puts it in the above and beyond territory. I give limited credit for getting Wells but gary tried to go down that same road and got rejected by the administration. Gary got sick of being playing 'the game" because he knew the results before it even started so he just said fuck it. Now we hire 400k a year "assistants" and full backing of the UA amateur army. Its not too much to ask for some real results and not bullshit about "high profiles" that don't mean dick on a basketball court. Kentucky, UNC, Duke are ALWAYS going to have a higher profile and if cant get the twins, who play for UA and have local ties, what is gonna stop other coaches from coming in and continuing to poach the local talent? NOTHING, just like always. Until the twins, or that next KD or whomever actually suits up for MD, its gonna be the same old shit. He has to break through, not almost break through.

It's been one freaking year since he took over. One year! Jeez!!
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UA will have plenty of other talent come thru its program. Every single year some stud grows up in the shadow of Maryland. I disagree the twins are a special case. They aren't even from here.
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Give the man a couple years to bring in some 5 stars. I'm not completely giving up on the twins yet. But if they did choose KY, it's not the end of the world.

Very good point, and Maryland has put themself in the best position they possibly could have for the Twins.