116 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

UMTerps: Maryland Unveils Throwback Uniform Honoring Driesell Era

https://umterps.com/...ng-driesell-era

 

In a nod to the Lefty Driesell era, Maryland basketball has unveiled its newest throwback uniform set to debut when the Terps host Michigan State at the XFINITY Center on January 21, 2024 which will be televised nationally on CBS. To commemorate the impact of Driesell and the teams of the 1970s, the Terps will honor them during the game as part of the event.

 

[BSLZackKiesel]

IMS: Kevin Willard reveals a major future destination for Maryland basketball, reviews "eye-opening" scrimmage

https://247sports.co...363786/#2289008

 

Sounds like Maryland will be headed back to the Maui Invitational Tournament in 2026.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Honestly I can't stand when coaches bitch about the schedules. Laying the groundwork for excuses just is not the energy I want from the guy running the program. And you may want to go ahead and grasp that Big Ten conference schedule - it's the league you're coaching in.

 

Big fan of Willard, for now - but this type of stuff wasn't what he led with when he got the gig. Now he's reverting to Turgeon'esque small D energy, I have no time for it.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Coaches griping about the schedule is a time-honored tradition they all adhere to. I don't read much into it and typically tune it out unless it's something egregious....like Turgeon complaining about a tough schedule when he plays the weakest OOC slate you can imagine. What I have zero tolerance for is coaches who complain about NIL and the transfer portal while they cash multimillion dollar checks and job-hop on a whim. I've yet to hear anything like that from Willard, so we're good.

[Mike B]

The Big 10 does schedule wierd and it seems like they protect their flagship schools but no worse than the ACC did.  

I am anxious for the games to begin and to see what the new guys bring to the table.  

[You Play to Win the Game]

Coaches griping about the schedule is a time-honored tradition they all adhere to. I don't read much into it and typically tune it out unless it's something egregious....like Turgeon complaining about a tough schedule when he plays the weakest OOC slate you can imagine. What I have zero tolerance for is coaches who complain about NIL and the transfer portal while they cash multimillion dollar checks and job-hop on a whim. I've yet to hear anything like that from Willard, so we're good.

Fair enough. It's not how I'd handle it or like to see it handled, but you're not wrong. It's a waste of energy. 

[BSLZackKiesel]

IMS: Kevin Willard on "putrid" offense, bench struggles and schedule hurting Terps

https://247sports.co...erps-220419524/

[You Play to Win the Game]

Schedule hurting the Terps eh? More loser talk.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Sounds more and more like that loser Turdge every time he opens his mouth.

[You Play to Win the Game]

”It's been a weird start to the season. Obviously, playing on Tuesday, not Monday, and having an early-season tournament for our second and third games ... Not really having a lot of time to make the corrections from game to game that usually this time of year, you really focus on. So we didn't play very well in Asheville. Davidson played defensively very well. UAB really junked it up on us [defensively]," he said. "We thought we were gonna see more of a 1-3-1 and they played more of a 2-3 matchup that caught us off our heels. It's disappointing to me, the way we played, but to me, it wasn't really overly surprising."

Why not?

"For the fact that you don't really do that to your team early in the year. You don't throw your team and play three games in six days and not have time to look at film, not have time to work on things, not have time, especially when you're incorporating four main pieces," he said.

"The schedule really hurt us a little bit and it's not getting better. But we had a good two-hour film session today, a good two-hour practice, working on some things offensively, 'cause really, it's offensively."

So Willard and the Terps couldn’t figure it out - but Davidson and UAB handled it just fine?

What hot garbage this mindset is. Turge 2.0. I guess he was just in “new coach” character last year because I don’t remember hearing any of this BS nonsense last year.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Has already slowed the offense down to Turdge levels too. Amazing the powers that be settled on more of the same when fans were the most apathetic about the program in 30 years

[CantonJester]

I don't get complaining about the schedule, other than it being a convenient scapegoat.

 

Flip that dialogue, where Maryland beats two cupcakes to start the season, and they then lose their 3rd game of the season by 15 points at home to a team of similar strengths.

 

"Well, we didn't have a tournament to battle-test these kids. We'll look into scheduling one for the upcoming seasons."

[BSLChrisStoner]

So Willard and the Terps couldn’t figure it out - but Davidson and UAB handled it just fine?

What hot garbage this mindset is. Turge 2.0. I guess he was just in “new coach” character last year because I don’t remember hearing any of this BS nonsense last year.

If you are Willard, it's something you can think, but really zero benefit to saying out loud. 

Davidson is an A10 team, so they aren't horrible, and they have plenty of experience.... but that was a pretty limited team athletically, and MD barely won on the boards. That's... not good. 

Similar with UAB...  an AAC team...   so understand they have 'some' talent..... but losing to both Davison and UAB back-to-back is ridiculous. 

Yes, you are working in some youth, and new depth....  but your 3 best, and very experienced players were back. 

 

Yes, you have less practice time than teams in the past had. 
Yes, the season starts early now  (Joe Smith's first game, day after Thanksgiving).... 

But that's just the way it is for everyone. 

You don't have to be a finished product now here in November, but you do have to be ready to go when the lights turn on. 

 

You finished over .500 in Conference play last year... you won 22 games... you won an NCAAT game....  
Figure it out, no steps back.

[Ravens2006]

I'd like to see Willard's teams improve as the season goes on. Like Izzo and MSU has often done. So in that regard, I'm not too worried about the "so far". Would rather see a trending up trajectory come February and March. The opposite of Maryland football basically.

[Mackus]

I'd like to see Willard's teams improve as the season goes on. Like Izzo and MSU has often done. So in that regard, I'm not too worried about the "so far". Would rather see a trending up trajectory come February and March. The opposite of Maryland football basically.

I struggle to remain open minded and forward thinking at times like this, but this is a really good point. My biggest gripe with Turgeon was that we always stunk if Feb and March.

As long as we don't dig a hole so big we can't get out of it and into the tourney, I'll forgive a lot of early season woes.

[BaltBird 24]

IMS: Kevin Willard on "putrid" offense, bench struggles and schedule hurting Terps
https://247sports.co...erps-220419524/

Lol. You're Maryland. I don't want you hear you crying about scheduling when you're losing to Davidson and UAB. You weren't in an early season tournament with college basketball powers.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Even if they finish the season playing better than they started, there’s still no reason to publicly whine about the soft schedule they had to start the year. It’s what the French would call small d___ energy. Sorry, I have Home Alone on my mind, ‘tis the season.

[makoman]

He definitely shouldn't be whining about the schedule. Especially since, I assume, he had a part in scheduling it (this tournament was announced earlier this year wasn't it?).

 

Still, it doesn't really matter. Win and none of this matters. No one cared about "upward rising arc" or "not quite ready to win the division" or whatever it was in October. We hang on the words of the people involved with our teams, but that's always way secondary to the on field/court product. 

[glenn__davis]

Even if they finish the season playing better than they started it, there’s still no reason to publicly whine about the soft schedule they had to start the year. It’s what the French would call small d___ energy. Sorry, I have Home Alone on my mind, ‘tis the season.

Hopefully he doesn't end up being "les incompetents".

[You Play to Win the Game]

He definitely shouldn't be whining about the schedule. Especially since, I assume, he had a part in scheduling it (this tournament was announced earlier this year wasn't it?).

 

Still, it doesn't really matter. Win and none of this matters. No one cared about "upward rising arc" or "not quite ready to win the division" or whatever it was in October. We hang on the words of the people involved with our teams, but that's always way secondary to the on field/court product. 

 

Very true. I cared about it, because it was kind of embarrassing in hindsight. But yeah, win and it goes away.