Don't know if anyone has seen this, but in lieu of our Terps making the tournament (while avoiding NIT bubble0logy), let's discuss another bubble. As in Bubbles. As in the Wire.

I generally don't pay much attention to Simmons, but this is great - Who is The Wire's greatest character?

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7646862/smacketology-#8212-tournament-determine-wire-greatest-character

Your regions: West Bal'mer, East Bal'mer, Hamsterdam, and The Ports. Win

Your #1 seeds: Omar, Avon, Bunk, Stringer Bell.

At a glance, Eastside looks like a loaded bracket: Stringer, Herc, Wee-Bay, Bodie, Marlo, Kima...tough.

I envision a thread full of greatest quotes and moments. My name is my name. Go.

Thought it would be interesting to take a look at how Maryland's football coach..."expenditure" compares to other schools.

I'm not on one bus versus the other YET, but I thought it would just be interesting to see how our fearless leader stacks up salary-wise to his peers.

Before anyone says anything, yes, take into account that most of the coaches on this list are not first year coaches. Related: consider that the coaches who had records as poor as Edsall's have been fired (but again, they weren't first year coaches).  Also related - there are only a handful of schools with records approaching anything close to as poor as Maryland's.  From what I can recall, Kansas (2-10), Mississippi (2-10), and New Mexico (1-10) have all already parted ways with their coaches.  I can't recall any news on other poorly performing teams (BC, Duke, Navy, maybe Texas Tech at 5-7) as of yet

Take away what you will...my initial reaction:  KA and Maryland WAY overpaid  - especially when looking at some of the other names on the list (availability and performance based history notwithstanding).  I think it's sort of akin to going house shopping and paying full asking price on the first or second house you see without even doing an inspection.

This isn't necessarily meant to be some argument for firing Edsall or not - merely an apples to apples comparison.  On a strictly performance based examination, it's clear that he failed.  On an examination of whether or not it was a fiscally sound hire, especially given the current department's fiscal health, the administration failed.  Those are the only conclusions that I would offer that I think most folks here could agree on.

Our fearless leader is in red (#32).  Our ACC brethren are in blue.  After Edsall, I chose a few other programs I thought might be of some relevant interest (beat Maryland, nationally prominent programs, etc).  Overall, 64 coaches made over $1M, with 32 making over $2M (Edsall was the cutoff for the $2M club).  Top ACC salaries (Edsall notwithstanding) are not really surprising (Didn't expect to see Wake pay so much).  As expected, SEC and B12 dominate, with a sprinkling of a few other conferences.

Just saw this via twitter:(@bluedevilnation)

The McGary camp has pulled back on decision date and may take more visits. It seems as if they want to make a well thought out choice now.

Perhaps we get the visit after all?  It might be 1 in a million (well, 1:6 really), but it's a chance.  Makes me wonder if the most recent push by Turgeon and co might have made an impact?  Just when I was ready to move on...

Anyone else seeing twitter blow up with shaq committment?

@DaveTelepDave Telep wow, checking into Shaq Cleare. Might have just committed to Maryland. Wow.
@BSnowScoutBrian Snow Shaq Cleare is off the board to Maryland per a source
@insidemdsportsJeff Ermann BREAKING: Shaquille Cleare has committed to the #Terps! More to come ... @TerrapinNationTestudo And here. we. go. RT @BSnowScout: Shaq Cleare is off the board to Maryland per a source #Terps
Here we go people!  All aboard!  Let the dominoes fall!!

I was thinking about this the other day...how much of a difference does UMD being a UA school (in addition to its birthplace as well as the man who created it) mean to a recruit?  I see lots of references to it across many posts, but never have I seen a recruit say "Yes, I chose Maryland, and it's awesome that they're a UA school"  Maybe they CAN'T say as much, I don't know.

I fully understand the influence that brands have, especially over a 17 or 18 year old kid.  The name and the swag that comes along with it.  UA has crafted the "protect this house", bad ass, go to war image.  If I were younger, I'd think it's the shiznit too.  Actually I'm not younger, but I still think it's the bee's knees.  This pondering is not to defame or minimize UA and the inroads it has made in the apparel, branding, and recruiting wars.  I'm 100% a UA/Plank/Maryland fan.  

It's more to ask how much of a difference you think  it makes when a recruit is down to a final list of schools...I'd imagine that who the coach is, school prestige, chance to win championship, playing time, hotness of girls, etc all play a bigger role in their decision.  As long as the gear is free, whatever, give it to me.  Or are the brands reaching kids at such a young age now that it really does play a factor?  "I like both coaches the same, but school X rocks UA and school Y rocks Nike, and that's why I went with school X".  

Like everyone else on the site, I've been caught up in the drama of the last week or so.  It's actually probably a good thing I've been traveling heavily for work so I don't have as much time as usual to poke in on TT.

One thing that struck me today while waiting for another delayed flight is that TT is an awesome (for the most part) community run by great and talented moderators.  The two Bens and Dave are not "professional" journalists by definition.   Personally, I think the depth and quality of their writing would easily compete with and beat much of the writing put out by the so-called pros.  We need to step back and realize that these are guys like us, with other, regular 9-5's, lives, and things going on.  To get the quality of writing, coverage, and analysis that we do in the quantity that we do, is impressive to say the least.

Additionally, I think that the community at large does a great job contributing to the Fanposts and shots.  I rely just as much on that little bar on the right as I do the main page.  It really does lend to a complete atmosphere and one where you can really see the love that fans have for all things UMD.  I poke around on the SB sites for the other ACC schools, and they don't hold a candle to our writers and fans.  I'm from Boston originally and know what a passionate fanbase looks like - in my opinion, us Terps rank right up there with the best.

So, kudos to you, TT "management" and community and thank you.  Let's take a second to step back and realize that no matter what happens with Turgeon's new staff, next year's team, the 2012 class, football, or any and all things Terps, we have the best fans and this here is the best site!

From cnnsi.com:

10. MARYLAND

The Terps were the second-most efficient team that missed the NCAA tournament this year, and they could be an above-.500 ACC team in 2011-12 -- but that's only if sophomore center Jordan Williams pulls out of the draft. He was their centerpiece last season, averaging 16.8 points and 11.8 boards, and they might not even be an NIT team without him. Scouts still have doubts about Williams and list him as a second-rounder with an outside shot at the first. "His productivity as a rebounder is incredible," said one scout, "but I've never seen him make jump shots, or show any sort of dribbling ability, and it's a crime that they list him as 6-10." No matter what Williams' actual height is -- 6-8? 6-9? -- he's said to be leaning toward remaining in the draft and hiring an agent.

I like to check out the opposition's view on a game...BTP does a very nice in-game chat  window...pulled a few gems from the game last night:

"

"so sid called a timeout five seconds before the TV timeout"

"I didnt even think about the Debbie Yow angle tonight. I wonder if she gave Sid extra incentive to beat her former employer."

"gary just outcoaches sid"..."yes"..."every year same thing"

"who is greogry"..."does he miss?"

"these just for men commercials are astoundingly bad" (guess it wasn't a "local market" thing, unfortunately.  Or fortunately, depending on how you look at it)

"who is this DUDE?"..."career high of course"

"where did this stoglin guy come from"

"I think going to NC State made me an alcoholic"

"Sidney Lowe Career Conference Road Wins = 7. CAREER."

And the best one of all?

packfanatic17: 

why cant we beat maryland in anything

TERPS