The (Maryland) State of Basketball and David Stern's Worst Fears

Fear the Turgeon

First of all, I'd like to start off by apologizing for tweeting on Friday that according to sources, Sean Miller has been agreed to terms with the University of Maryland and had  left the University of Arizona. My source, which has been reliable in the past, apparently was misled by, what is now a famous either botch-up by Kevin Anderson or one of the biggest coaching plays by Sean Miller. I'm inclined to believe the former from what I have heard.

The Turgeonator

Last night, the Terps hired Mark Turgeon (and shockingly did not hire me), formerly of Texas A&M. The Turgeon hire is extremely similar to the Randy Edsall hire in the fall. The Terps swung out and missed on their sexy picks - Miller and Mike Leach - and instead hired coaches from schools, that are not famous for the sport they coach - Connecticut and Texas A&M. There has been speculation that if the Kansas job opens up...which given Bill Self's national title and his recruiting superiority and relatively young age is not going to happen for a while, Turgeon would take it in a heartbeat. I don't think Maryland fans have to worry about that...at least for the near future.  It's going to be weird next season watching Maryland games without Gary Williams ranting and raving at the referees and at his own bench on the sideline. However, it's time to move on.

Jersey Shore doesn't have anything on Gary Williams

There's no point blaming Jordan Williams for Gary's departure. It's well known that Gary would have left when Jordan departed for the NBA so if Gary wasn't going to leave this year, it would have been next year. The biggest word about the Maryland program is potential. As good a coach as Gary was for 22 years - and let there be no doubt, he was a damn good coach - many of his teams had no business going as far as they did - he did not rub noses with the AAU circuit and kiss ass to get the top recruits in Maryland.

The DMV - specifically Prince George's County, Baltimore, and DC - is loaded with basketball talent. This has been historically one of the best basketball regions in the country - further proven by Kevin Durant's and Greivis Vasquez's heroics in the 3OT game. With Maryland, George Mason, and George Washington all hiring new coaches, Georgetown has the inherent advantage in the area. It's now up to Turgeon to re-establish Maryland's recruiting advantage in the state. it is imperative that Turgeon keeps Bino Ranson and Rob Ehsan around - they have a  pipeline into the recruitment of the area and could be key in him gaining respect with the area coaches like Stu Vetter and Mike Jones. While 2011 might be a lean year, 2012 is shaping up to be a great recruiting heist for the Terps. The Terps have could be on the verge of getting two top front court players - Justin Anderson who committed from Montrose Christian and more importantly Shaquille Cleare, a top three center from Houston who was deciding between Texas A&M and Maryland and all reports indicate he is definitely going to choose Maryland, especially after Turgeon took the job. All in all, if Maryland fans are really the fans they say they are, and if the Maryland job is really as good as the fans say it is, then the fans will give Gary the ultimate tribute by attending all home games, not just Duke and North Carolina, but also Miami, Boston College, and NC State.

Vasquez and Durant in high school with legendary coach Stu Vetter

David Stern's Nightmare

After the Lakers went out in a crumbling heap, David Stern has to be praying for the Heatles and the Mavericks to meet in the finals. Imagine the ratings of a Hawks-Grizzlies series going into the lockout. I'm definitely rooting for the Mavs to meet the Hawks in the finals. It's time for Dirk to win a championship and besides how fun would it be to see Joe Johnson, out of all the free agents last summer, be the first to take his team to the finals. Fun indeed.

There's no one David Stern hates more right now than Zach Randolph

Other Shenanigans:

• I'm thrilled with the Redskins draft. 12 players, most of them defensive is a great way to start infusing young talent to a roster that is the oldest and one of the worst in the league. The NFL and the players need to end this damn lockout already. I can't take 3 months of baseball in the summer with no offseason NFL talk.

Ryan Kerrigan should have never cut off his hair

• A good NBA playoff game beats a good NCAA tournament game any day. Watching the Grizzlies-Thunder game last night was like watching Butler-Pittsburgh on steroids...and not just any steroids. I'm talking Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa steroids circa 1998.

Sosa with the Orioles was hilarious for any one...including Sammy Sosa

• The Dodgers might not make their payroll for the month. Frank McCourt should be tarred and feathered. It's amazing how stupid some rich people might be.
• A rumor suggests Pau Gasol might have been distracted with his relationship with his girlfriend and Kobe's wife had something to do with spurring her on. Apparently, Kobe and Pau didn't speak during the playoffs...this is the second person Vanessa Bryant has interfered with - the last being Karl Malone..then again Malone made some ridiculous comment about hunting for young Mexican girls. No, it's more like no one on the Lakers can guard Dirk. Unless the Lakers change their roster mightily during this offseason, Dallas and Nawleans just gave everyone the blueprint on how to beat the Lakers..small quick point guards who can run the pick and roll.

Silvia Lopez Castro, Gasol's ex-girlfriend thanks to Kobe's wife.

• The Wizards unveiled new jerseys today. They're going back to the red,white, and blue. Unfortunately, they won't change the name of team..Bring back the Bullets!

This is gorgeous. I almost teared. Easily the best looking jerseys in the NBA

• The baseball season is so long that being depressed over a ten game losing streak or getting super excited about a ten game winning streak is just dumb. Unless you're the Pirates, then you just have to be happy you have one win right now at least.
• Jim Tressel just continues to break rules left and right. There goes his image...bring along the calls for Urban Meyer in two years. 

• Phil Jackson's done and he went to 13 finals in 20 years. That's insane. It's also insane that for those 20 years, he had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal. Anyone arguing that Kobe is better than Michael needs to go back and watch some of Jordan's playoff games.That guy was a man on a mission.
• I'm not watching hockey till next year's playoffs. Once again, I'll jump on the bandwagon and more than likely, once again the Capitals will lose to an inferior team. Maybe the New York Islanders this time....and how the hell is Nashville in the Western Conference?
• How good is the Maryland job really? Here's a rough list of school s that I think have better jobs than Maryland - Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Florida, Texas, Kansas, Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Syracuse, Connecticut, Louisville, Arizona, UCLA, and Memphis. Still, Maryland's a damn good job and good for Mark Turgeon.
• I'm 21 bitches.