20 replies to this topic

[accinfo]

I know they are supposed to play a lame duck season next year in the ACC but I would think they will try to hasten their exit. It could have been the last time they ever play down there. I guarantee there will not be any scheduled games between the two teams. Will winning a road conference basketball game ever mean as much to a group of fans as winning at Duke? My 50 something view point tells me no. I am sure younger generations will not miss what they don't know but it will take many years for that to change.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I know they are supposed to play a lame duck season next year in the ACC but I would think they will try to hasten their exit. It could have been the last time they ever play down there. I guarantee there will not be any scheduled games between the two teams. Will winning a road conference basketball game ever mean as much to a group of fans as winning at Duke? My 50 something view point tells me no. I am sure younger generations will not miss what they don't know but it will take many years for that to change.

I'll miss seeing MD playing at Duke (and several other ACC venues).. but I'll also be looking forward to MD playing a new set of opponents.

Ultimately, the only thing I'll ever really care about is how MD is playing, not whom they are playing.

Are you saying you think this will be the last ACC season?

[BSLMikeLowe]

They will not play Duke twice next season (only Pitt and UVA). SO it very well could be the last game there.

[accinfo]

I'll miss seeing MD playing at Duke (and several other ACC venues).. but I'll also be looking forward to MD playing a new set of opponents.

Ultimately, the only thing I'll ever really care about is how MD is playing, not whom they are playing.

Are you saying you think this will be the last ACC season?

I agree that most hard core fans like yourself feel the way as you do. They follow MD, recruiting, etc, but the more casual fan base doesn't understand MD leaving the ACC. If MD is a very good team they will overcome that sooner then later.

They would like to exit the ACC soon if they could reach a settlement on this exit fee. So there is a chance they could not play in the ACC next season.

[SportsGuy]

I will expect MD and Duke to be lined up to play in the tourney quickly....you know, in one of those "random" tourney pairings.

[Oriole85]

I know they are supposed to play a lame duck season next year in the ACC but I would think they will try to hasten their exit. It could have been the last time they ever play down there. I guarantee there will not be any scheduled games between the two teams. Will winning a road conference basketball game ever mean as much to a group of fans as winning at Duke? My 50 something view point tells me no. I am sure younger generations will not miss what they don't know but it will take many years for that to change.

If they do it will have to take effect with the start of the football season with schedules already out or in the process, that might be difficult. Also, I would think Rutgers would have to agree to move up as well as the Big 10 wouldn't want an odd amount of teams between divisions. It's definitely possible, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I wouldn't rule out a game down the road. It might be some years but it happens.

I agree with your latter point to some extent. Rivalries evolve, Duke has been a bigger one of recent but it wasn't always this way.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I will expect MD and Duke to be lined up to play in the tourney quickly....you know, in one of those "random" tourney pairings.

If not the tournament, then certainly in the ACC/B1G Challenge. As long as both teams are good, ESPN will make sure MD/Duke happens at some point, so long as the series continues.

[DJ MC]

I will expect MD and Duke to be lined up to play in the tourney quickly....you know, in one of those "random" tourney pairings.

I bet they end up in a few of those early-season tournaments on opposite sides of the bracket, as well. Especially if Maryland remains a good program.

[bnickle]

I'll be honest, at this point, Duke is like any other ACC program. It's just another conference game on the schedule. Now, there is no doubt for a number of years at the turn of the century MD-Duke was fun. It was just terrific basketball, and there was a real rivalry there. Now, with MD falling off I don't view Duke any differently than any other program. It baffles me why MD fans get so up, so excited for Duke games at this point and time. It's not close to being a rivalry right now.

[Oriole85]

I'll be honest, at this point, Duke is like any other ACC program. It's just another conference game on the schedule. Now, there is no doubt for a number of years at the turn of the century MD-Duke was fun. It was just terrific basketball, and there was a real rivalry there. Now, with MD falling off I don't view Duke any differently than any other program. It baffles me why MD fans get so up, so excited for Duke games at this point and time. It's not close to being a rivalry right now.

I still expect it to be rocking at Comcast when they play students who wait til the last minute to go to get bad seats. But I was kind of thinking that myself today when I missed the first 10 minutes of the game. A decade ago, I would've dropped everything I was doing to see the start of the game.

[NewMarketSean]

It was fun while it lasted but I say good riddance too.

As MD tries to reinvent itself I think it's a good move to the new conference with new rivalries to make. Especially since the ACC expands to absurd levels.

MD had a good run there, but they've always kind of been the outsider with UNC and Duke.

[SportsGuy]

I'll be honest, at this point, Duke is like any other ACC program. It's just another conference game on the schedule. Now, there is no doubt for a number of years at the turn of the century MD-Duke was fun. It was just terrific basketball, and there was a real rivalry there. Now, with MD falling off I don't view Duke any differently than any other program. It baffles me why MD fans get so up, so excited for Duke games at this point and time. It's not close to being a rivalry right now.

Yea, Duke has won 10 out of 11 and most of the games have been blowouts. The rivalry is pretty much gone and only exists in the eyes of the MD fans.

And now, with no Gary, it loses a lot.

[glenn__davis]

I'll be honest, at this point, Duke is like any other ACC program. It's just another conference game on the schedule. Now, there is no doubt for a number of years at the turn of the century MD-Duke was fun. It was just terrific basketball, and there was a real rivalry there. Now, with MD falling off I don't view Duke any differently than any other program. It baffles me why MD fans get so up, so excited for Duke games at this point and time. It's not close to being a rivalry right now.

Yeah, I agree with this as well.

But that was some darn good college ball there for about a 5-6 year stretch. Don't know how many caught the Indiana/Michigan St. game yesterday, but that was a really high-level game that reminded me a lot of those Duke/MD contests.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I'll be honest, at this point, Duke is like any other ACC program. It's just another conference game on the schedule. Now, there is no doubt for a number of years at the turn of the century MD-Duke was fun. It was just terrific basketball, and there was a real rivalry there. Now, with MD falling off I don't view Duke any differently than any other program. It baffles me why MD fans get so up, so excited for Duke games at this point and time. It's not close to being a rivalry right now.

While some Terps fans may not want to face reality, this is true. And based on some of his recent comments, K apparently doesn't see the reality either, or is being disingenuous (especially with his hypocritical remark about MD being an outsider in the B1G). With the exception of the 2009-10 season (Greivis' senior season) the UM/Duke series hasn't been anything special since the early half of the 2000s. That's mostly due to MD's drop-off, but also partially due to the changing nature of the ACC (expansion) and college basketball in general. Even if the Terps were staying, they'd only be playing Duke once in most seasons. Like it or not, constant change and chasing dollars is the new reality in college sports....so may as well embrace the benefits of it rather than focusing on what was lost. I for one look forward to the novelty of playing Big Ten teams soon, and as time goes by hopefully establishing some new rivalries.

[Oriole85]

While some Terps fans may not want to face reality, this is true. And based on some of his recent comments, K apparently doesn't see the reality either, or is being disingenuous (especially with his hypocritical remark about MD being an outsider in the B1G). With the exception of the 2009-10 season (Greivis' senior season) the UM/Duke series hasn't been anything special since the early half of the 2000s. That's mostly due to MD's drop-off, but also partially due to the changing nature of the ACC (expansion) and college basketball in general. Even if the Terps were staying, they'd only be playing Duke once in most seasons. Like it or not, constant change and chasing dollars is the new reality in college sports....so may as well embrace the benefits of it rather than focusing on what was lost. I for one look forward to the novelty of playing Big Ten teams soon, and as time goes by hopefully establishing some new rivalries.

Constant change might be relatively new, but chasing dollars isn't. It's a business, no matter what anyone says. Any college president from Wallace Loh to Gordon Gee will tell you, whether you like it or not, football and (usually to a lesser extent), men's basketball are the first impressions that an outsider will have to that school.

[Mike B]

Despite all the love K gets from the national media he can be an arrogant self serving guy. What he says about Maryland leaving the ACC and being an outsider holds true about any of the other schools jumping conferences. I think Maryland BBall is on the way back and nothing the crazies said was original or unexpected. It was bound to happen.
Duke may have the high road now but time will tell if the ACC remains healthy.

[DJ MC]

Constant change might be relatively new, but chasing dollars isn't. It's a business, no matter what anyone says. Any college president from Wallace Loh to Gordon Gee will tell you, whether you like it or not, football and (usually to a lesser extent), men's basketball are the first impressions that an outsider will have to that school.

This is correct. I would be lying if I said that the biggest reason I ended up originally attending Maryland wasn't my established fandom for basketball and football.

[Mackus]

I'll greatly miss the rivalry with Duke. Some of my absolute favorite and absolute worst memories have come within that matchup, and isn't that what we all watch sports for? The Steve Blake steal was possibly the single greatest moment in MD basketball history, and it was made even greater by having experienced the agony of the 10-point meltdown the year before at Cole or the 22-point lead blown in the Final Four.

And sure, the rivalry hasn't been a contest at all recently, but I still loved every second of Vasquez leading the Terps to a win over Duke a few years ago at Comcast. That win meant more than a similar one over another team would have (for example the triple-double Vasquez game over UNC). It's just a bit different with Duke. Maybe that's just me, my best friend went there and is a huge fan, so the rivalry extended beyond the court for me. I don't really think it's exclusive to me, though. There is just a different buzz when Maryland plays Duke, even if it is one of those years where you expected Maryland to get waxed.

[Adam Wolff]

I'll greatly miss the rivalry with Duke. Some of my absolute favorite and absolute worst memories have come within that matchup, and isn't that what we all watch sports for? The Steve Blake steal was possibly the single greatest moment in MD basketball history, and it was made even greater by having experienced the agony of the 10-point meltdown the year before at Cole or the 22-point lead blown in the Final Four.

And sure, the rivalry hasn't been a contest at all recently, but I still loved every second of Vasquez leading the Terps to a win over Duke a few years ago at Comcast. That win meant more than a similar one over another team would have (for example the triple-double Vasquez game over UNC). It's just a bit different with Duke. Maybe that's just me, my best friend went there and is a huge fan, so the rivalry extended beyond the court for me. I don't really think it's exclusive to me, though. There is just a different buzz when Maryland plays Duke, even if it is one of those years where you expected Maryland to get waxed.

The 10 point meltdown is still the most painful thing I've ever had to watch as a fan. I was even young during that season, so I'm sure it would be even more difficult for me now.

Not having Duke on the schedule will definitely take some getting used to. Hopefully some new rivalries against the top tier Big 10 teams will prove to be as thrilling (and heartbreaking) as a lot of the memories against Duke.

[glenn__davis]

The 10 point meltdown is still the most painful thing I've ever had to watch as a fan. I was even young during that season, so I'm sure it would be even more difficult for me now.

That was bad, but the Final Four game was worse IMO, both because of the meaning of the game and because of the awful one-sided officiating in that one. I've said many times before, I'm not a believer in conspiracy theories or that MD gets the shaft on calls or anything like that, but if there ever was a game to make me re-think that, it was that game. It had already been bad late in the game, when Boozer practically threw Baxter down to the floor, and Baxter was called for his 5th foul instead. Just an awful, awful call. I think I'll always remember Baxter slumping to his knees in disbelief at that one.

Now ultimately MD shouldn't have let it come to that, but that was such a painful game. I remember reading lots of commentary from around the country about how badly MD got shafted in that one.

And Mackus, I don't know, that UNC game was special too. An amazing performance by Vazquez, plus I think the Terps were down something like 9 with around 2 minutes to go. I think that was just as enjoyable as the Duke game if not more so. Just my opinion, obviously.