Maryland Basketball: Better Than You Think

A week from now is the commencement of the Maryland basketball season as they host Northwood on the afternoon of Nov. 8. The Terps are coming off a disappointing season - again - as they were again chosen to play in the NIT instead of the NCAA tournament. Early season losses to Ohio and American (they play American again, by the way) really hurt the Terps at the end of the year, as did losing both games to fellow bubble team VT. Perhaps most important of all was the collapse at home to Clemson - blowing a 20+ point lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game.

It wasn't all bad, though, and that should be duly noted. The Terps beat UNC at UNC. Despite all of the above, the Terps were perhaps a win away from the NCAA tournament. Positive notes from last year include the elevation of play from Greivis Vasquez, who, as a sophomore, was Second Team All-ACC and had numbers to be on the first team. Landon Milbourne took a big step forward last year, too. As a freshman, he only averaged 1.0 ppg and 0.8 rpg, but last year upped his totals to 8.2 ppg and 3.5 rpg. Of course, when you think of Landon Milboune, you tend to think of this. 

However, because of last year's finish, coupled with the loss of starting power forward James Gist and center Bambale Osby, the Terps are officially projected to be 7th in the ACC (see where all the conference teams stack up here), and lower in other publications. In ESPN's Dick Vitale's preseason top 40, the Terps do not make an appearance. 

Questions abound about the program. Sportline.com's college basketball writer Gary Parrish has Gary Williams on his list of top 10 coaches to be fired. Many people are beginning to grow tired of upper-echelon recruits from Maryland leaving to go to other schools (Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, and Ty Lawson are only a few examples). Many people are beginning to grow tired of the NIT appearances (3 of the past 4 years) after the team's 2002 national championship. Many people are beginning to grow tired of the top recruits that Maryland gets (Mike Jones, for example) not panning out. Many are considering this to be a make or break year for the longtime coach.  

However, after extensive thought and watching the team's intrasquad scrimmage, I've decided that Maryland turns it around this year. Here's why. 

Backcourt: One of the best in the ACC

- Eric Hayes has played the best out of every member of the team this offseason. He could always shoot, but some questioned his ability to get open and his ball control, especially during big games. The big games part we won't know about until it happens, but I can tell you that this will be a Eric Hayes we haven't seen before. He has perfected the one-hand floater and can still bomb from deep. In addition, he can take defender off the dribble, something he hasn't been able to do before. I saw him do it multiple times against Adrian Bowie, one of the Terps' fastest players and bester defenders. 

- If Hayes can successfully run the point like he has done during practice, Greivis Vasquez will be allowed to play his more natural position: shooting guard. This will take the ball out of his hands less, meaning less turnovers. However, this will also mean that his assists (he was tops in the ACC last year) might also decrease. Nonetheless, this is the better position for Vasquez because of how well he slashes to the basket. He is not a terrific shooter, but when he gets hot, he can knock 'em down. 

- The bench is what makes this backcourt so great, though. Besides Hayes, the best player in the scrimmages has been Cliff Tucker. He has not been solid defensively, which irks - to say the least - Gary Williams. He has shown quickness and athleticism I didn't know he had, though, and has been knocking down his jumpers from everywhere.

- Adrian Bowie is still afraid to shoot the ball, and doesn't run the offense that well. However, his quickness allows him to be lethal in transition, and one of the Terps' better defenders.

- Sean Mosley is the real question mark. He hasn't done too much in the scrimmages, but will certainly get better throughout the season. Right now, he is one thing that the Terps really lack: a solid, reliable player. He won't have many turnovers, he'll stick to his guy defensively, and he'll knock down a jumper. He needs to get more involved in the offense.

Frontcourt: They won't score, but you may have a tough time scoring against them.

- Of course, this group took a huge hit with the losses of Osby, Gist, and top recruit/transfer Gus Gilchrist. Those losses hurt less than you think, though, when you look closely at the numbers. 

- Jerome Burney this year will play the role of Bambale Osby. Osby had 11.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg, as well as 69 blocks. Jerome Burney will match those numbers. He has looked like a monster on the defensive end, blocking 6 shots in the latest scrimmage. His height (6'9) and athleticism will allow him to be near double digit rebounds every game. 

- Landon Milbourne and Braxton Dupree will play the role of James Gist. Gist put up big stats last year: 16 ppg, 8 rpg, 77 blocks. Gist, and this went largely unnoticed, largely disappeared when it mattered, though. Consider his 8 points against Ohio. Consider his 3 points and 4 rebounds against American. I will give him credit for his strong performances against UNC and the first time against Duke, but where was he at the end of the year? 7 points vs. VT, 10 points at Miami, a 31 point explosion against Wake, and then shooting less than 50% for 15 against Clemson. 

Meanwhile, Milbourne has impressed me. He's 6'7, but plays taller because of how tall he can jump. He can also knock down the outside jumper much better than Gist. If they put Milbourne as a power forward, he will also be much quicker than those he's matched up against and should be able to drive past them from the perimeter. 

He'll hold his own defensively, but that is where Braxton Dupree steps in. Nobody will make bigger strides this season than Braxton. He was making progress towards the end of the first semester last year, but then dropped off after showing up well overweight after Christmas. He's in shape, now, however, and Gary Williams has made sure of it. In the previous scrimmage, the team played four 10-minute segments of the black team having 7 players and the red team having 5. Gary kept switching the teams so some players could get rest. The only player who he kept on the red team all four times? Braxton Dupree. He'll be a force defensively, and if he develops some moves offensively, it will just be a bonus.

- Newcomer Steve Goins has size, but is unpolished and probably won't get much playing time.

- Dave Neal will be Dave Neal. Don't make fun; he will play a key role on this team. 

Intangibles: All of them

- Gary Williams is feeling the heat.

- This isn't the first, and won't be the last, time that Gary will overachieve with his talent.

- This is an embarrassed team. They came to play for Maryland, not Florida State. They know they need to be better. 

- Comcast Center will rock it this year. Everyone knows how important of a season this is. 

Bottom Line: You heard it here first, the Terps get back in the dance. 

- There is little lost from last year's team that won't be adequately replaced this year.

- A very young team last year is a whole year more experienced.

- Vasquez won't have to play point, and will be the leader that Gist should have been. 

- Projected starting lineup: 

PG: Hayes, backed up by Bowie

SG: Vasquez: backed up by Mosley

SF: Milbourne, backed up by Cliff Tucker

PF: Dupree, backed up Neal

C: Burney, backed up by a rotation

- Other lineups I see involve three guards with Vasquez at the 3; a three guard lineup with Milbourne at the 4 and Dupree at the 5; 4 guard lineup with Burney at center. Not lying. 

- The keys will be if Hayes can play a solid point guard for the entire year, and whether Milbourne can defend against power forwards in the ACC. I think they will.

Prediction: 21-9 (9-7)

(Photo Credits: AP and The Washington Post)

My Long Overdue Post on the Phillies

Let's be real here for a second. I do not have access to players or coaches for interviews. I was not in Philadelphia to see Game 7, or any game for that matter. There is nothing I can tell you specifically about the game that ESPN has not already, or that you probably did not notice for yourself. So, because of that, here are my quick-hit thoughts on the series itself, how it was covered, and the reaction. 

1. The city of Philadelphia does not read this blog. That was a joke. But seriously. In case you missed it, earlier in the week, I posted about how Philadelphia's first championship since the 76ers in 1983 was diminished.  Philly didn't care, and why would they? No matter how it went down, the fact will remain the same: The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 World Series, and they celebrated it like none other. The entire city was out in the streets many hours past the end of the game. They celebrated like they had every right to. But, speaking of Philadelphia ...

2. Philadelphia fans really are that obnoxious. If you watched the post-game coverage, you know exactly what I'm talking about. They booed - about three different times - the man who was presenting them with the World Series trophy. Look, Bud Selig leaves a lot to be desired, but you just won the World Series. Can't you be happy? For once? 

3. According to ESPN, the Rays lost the World Series. My roommate had to point this out to me about 19 times before I finally started believing: ESPN has more than just a Red Sox-Yankees-Cowboys-Sidney Crosby-Duke basketball-USC football bias. It extended to the Rays. Or maybe it was just a bias against the Phillies. Who knows? But I digress.

The fact remains the same that the story ESPN was pushing before, during, and after the series was not a championship for Philadelphia, but a loss for the Rays. 

Before the World Series, you could have watched Baseball Tonight for a good 15 minutes and not realized that the Phillies were even playing in it. It was the Rays' Cinderella season, the Rays' never-give-up attitude, the Rays' triumph over Boston. All the Phillies had done was cruise through a terrible National League.

During the World Series, even when Philly went up 1-0, then 2-1, then 3-1, it was never "The Phillies are getting closer to history." It was always "What do the Rays have to do to get their bats going again?" Forget how good the Phillies pitching was. The worst was leading up to Game 5b. What we were supposed to watch for was not whether Philadelphia would celebrate their first championship in 25 years; no, the most important thing was to watch young phenom David Price work his magic. 

Then, after the game, there was far too little "These Phillies really were terrific" and far too much "The Rays had a great season." That stuff should be saved for a few days. Let Philadelphia soak it all in. 

4. Pitching and defense really does win you championships. Case in point. It was just that nobody thought Philadelphia would have more of both. The key plays: Iwamura mishandles a bloop fly ball that knocks in a Phillies run. Chase Utley is alert in the field and goes home with a ball that saves a run. Feliz hits a ground ball that would normally be an out, but because the Rays were playing in, squirts up the middle to knock in another run. It wasn't shown in the highlight video, but in the 8th, with a man on, Utley and Rollins put together a perfectly executed double play to get the impossibly fast B.J. Upton out. Then, in the 9th, it was Brad Lidge's destructive slider.

Congratulations to the Phillies. Tampa, you will be around a long time. Right now, though, it's all about Philadelphia. 

(Photo Credits: AP)

Mike Singletary Went Too Far

Odds are you've seen Mike Singletary's rant during his post-game press conference. If for some reason you haven't, you can watch it here.

I feel hypocritical because I, like you in all likelihood, had the immediate reaction of "That's awesome!" when I first saw this video. And, in a way, I still think so. It's refreshing to hear a coach in the NFL speak his mind. All over the place, you have tumult going on in NFL locker rooms that isn't exposed.

A perfect example is the situation in Baltimore. All John Harbaugh will say is that "Chris McAlister has a bad knee." That was the reason he didn't play in a single preseason game. That was why he barely practiced during training camp. Was that why, in his first four games of the year, he absolutely shut down Chad Johnson (1 catch for 22 yards), Braylon Edwards (3 catches for 27 yards), Hines Ward (2 catches for 57 yards) and Justin Gage (0 catches), all the while getting three interceptions in that span? No. McAlister is fine, he just made Harbaugh angry because he didn't want to play in training camp. Harbaugh is doing everyone a disservice by not coming out and saying the exact reason McAlister is being disciplined. It's getting hard to ignore, as he was inactive for this past Sunday's game against the Raiders. 

All that aside, let me explain to you why what Mike Singletary did was wrong. Mike Singletary called Vernon Davis off the field after the penalty. Completely acceptable.

After Davis got to the bench - without mouthing off to his coach - Singletary went after him again. It was a stupid penalty, and Singletary wanted to let him know who was in charge. Completely acceptable.

I start to take issue with what happened next. Davis went to a new seat and Singletary went back to his business. Singletary then sought him out and rounded on him a third time, this time telling him to hit the showers. Coach your team, don't focus your energy on one player. Also, don't treat the one player like he is a kid in high school. This is a grown man, a professional athlete. Treat him with respect. 

Then, there was the press conference. How long did Singletary have that planned? It seemed like a planned speech that he delivered while on a crazy power trip. 

It's not like Davis was being a prima donna the entire game. It went unnoticed, but watch this (go to 1:00 in). Davis is actually the only 49er who cares enough to run after Josh Wilson when he makes the interception. You can distinctly see number 83, Arnaz Battle, just give up. 

Plus, learn the rules. You don't get penalized for playing with ten players. That kind of thing just irritates me. 

(Photo Credit: AP)

Phillies' Glory Soured

The entire city of Philadelphia should have celebrated their first championship since 1983 last night. Instead, the sell-out crowd at Citizens Bank Park went away soaked and unsatisfied. Sadly, the rain is only the tip of the iceberg. 

The series, for starters, is not drawing any ratings. The truth is that baseball relies on their ratings coming from the two teams' markets. Nothing against the Philadelphia market; I expect they're holding their end. I have a hard team believing that Tampa is doing the same, though. The Tampa Cinderella story was the main story line promoted by ESPN coming into the game, as well. After so long, though, it got old. 

Second, the umpiring has been absolutely abysmal. I've never seen more wide strike zones in my life. It actually seems like the area of the strike zone is the same; the dimensions are just different. There's been no leniency with high and low, but if it gets within the height, it's going to be called a strike. 

Then, there was the Longoria call. It's one thing if the ump is far away and can't make the call. He was right there, though. If there's one thing this series will give us, it may be an expansion of instant replay.

Third, overall shoddy play. The Phillies have pitched well, but you can't give them all the credit for Longoria/Pena going 0-29. The Phillies are up 3-1 in the series despite having something like three hits with RISP the entire series. 

Fourth, the rain situation. Thank goodness the Rays scored that second run. 

There were so many variables that lead to good choices or bad choices, so I'm going to run through them now, and whether it was a good call or bad call.

A. The game was played to begin with. Bad call. Give a 6-year-old a five minute lesson on how to read a Doppler Radar. He could have told you there was no way this game should have been played. This isn't football. This isn't soccer. The fact that the game was played in that weather was a disservice to Philadelphia fans and to the players themselves, who easily could have been hurt.

B. The game wasn't called around the third, when the intensity really picked up. Bad call. Before it got to give, just end it. Both starters would only go a few innings and would be available on only a few days later in the series. Then, you wouldn't have to deal with the whole "They played their five and were up" nonsense.

C. The game was not called until Tampa tied it. The only good call. Bud Selig said that if it weren't tied, then the game would go to rain delay until the umpires saw fit. I'm talking 24 hour rain delay. Players sleeping in the clubhouse. It would have been an absolute fiasco (more than it already was), and there would have been 100 people in the ballpark to see the end. 

You just have to feel for Philadelphia fans. They've been waiting for this for so long. Their team is stacked, and the World Series is theirs. Odds are, they will still eventually win this, and Philadelphia will go insane. The memories won't be looked upon fondly by any other fans, though. It will be even worse than Super Bowl XL,  which is now known basically for its terrible refereeing. 

Poor Philadelphia.

(Photo Credits: AP)

Looking Back

With so many sports going on at once, how can you keep track of them all? You don't have to, but I will. Every Monday* I will look back and hit briefly upon the five story lines that stuck out from the previous weekend.

* Editor's note: I know it's Tuesday, and there are a few things in here for which I will say "look for it later." Look, I'm a student like you. I get busy. It will come.

1. The Philadelphia Phillies can pitch. Just look at the stat of the week. They've been absolutely abysmal with runners in scoring position, but it just goes to show that baseball can be traced back down to one golden rule: If you have pitching and defense, you can win almost every game. The Phillies have had a tremendous amount of both.

Look Tuesday and Wednesday for my World Series update and my thoughts on the rain situation.

2. Terps' ACC chances: Why not? They, like so many others, control their own destiny. I know they have a brutal schedule coming up: At VT, home for FSU and UNC, and on the road against always tough BC. This is a team that's a bit of a head case, though, and that's why I think they will win the ACC. Let me explain that.

If the Terps win the ACC Atlantic, they will win the ACC championship. In my opinion, UVA is going to fall off. They've done enough to establish that Maryland's loss to them was not a terrible loss by any means, but I think they will start to lose again. The next two contenders for the Coastal will be VT and UNC. If Maryland wins the Atlantic, it will be because they beat both of those teams. Maryland is the type of team that you can just tell says to itself, "Well I beat you once, I can do it again." Just my thoughts.

I'm not sure Maryland will win at VT next Thursday, but I do think they will win out at home. If they do, they will make it to the championship game. The FSU game is the important one.

3. BCS trouble is brewing. The BCS right now is absolutely praying that Penn State does not win out. If they do, there may be a fiasco.

The best case scenario is that Texas wins out, Penn State wins out, and Alabama loses bad to somebody they shouldn't.

After that, it gets scary. If UT, Bama, and PSU all win out, PSU is the third man there and doesn't play in the national championship. 

If Texas loses, for example to Texas Tech this week, assuming that Texas Tech doesn't win out, the only two BCS teams undefeated would be Alabama and PSU. However, if Texas loses in close fashion and beats the snot out of everyone else they play, there's a strong chance Texas plays in the national championship ahead of Penn State anyway.

If Alabama loses, but USC starts beating everyone by 50 again, there's a chance they could move ahead of PSU as well.

Of course, this not to mention the fact that Utah, Ball State, and Tulsa are all undefeated as well.

4. Predict for me right now who will be in the playoffs in the AFC, because you can only choose 6 out of 13 teams that are still very much in the hunt. Plus, there is only one guarantee. (It's the 7-0 team.)

What about Pittsburgh, you say? Let's say they lose at Washington on Monday night, which is certainly very plausible. And let's say the Ravens win at Cleveland this week, which is certainly very plausible. All of a sudden, the Steelers are only a game up on the Ravens, and have yet to play in Baltimore. (Pitt hasn't swept the season series since 2002.)

New England actually looks in the best position out of everyone else. At least they're finding a rhythm. Buffalo just lost to Miami. Nobody in the AFC West can play defense. It's kinda crazy.

Last note here: there are only 7 teams in the conference with a winning record right now. If the playoffs ended today, either the Jets or the Ravens would get in at 4-3 (please don't ask me to do tiebreakers.) That means that the Dolphins, Browns, Colts, Jags, Texans, and Chargers are only one game out with three wins. It's anybody's race.

Except for the Bengals, Chiefs, and Raiders.

5. The NFC BEast is back. Dallas beats a good Tampa team on the road. Philadelphia beats a good Atlanta team, and shows how good their offense can be with Brian Westbrook. The Skins didn't make it look pretty, but got the job done against the Lions. All the Giants did was waltz into Heinz Field and 

thoroughly outplay the Steelers. 

Because they might beat themselves up, the NFC South could still sneak in a wild card team. The NFC East removed all doubt this weekend, though, as to whether they were slipping. 

It Could All Be Over

Tonight, the Phillies and Rays meet for what could be the final game of the 2008 Major League Baseball season. This World Series has been a letdown for many fans - the Rays were America's darling after their magical turnaround and playoff run - but not for me.

It's been tough to watch each and every inning, and I admit that I have not been able to. But what I have seen has been great. Cole Hamels has emerged as one of the best active playoff pitchers. Jimmy Rollins has proven that he is the key to everything that the Phillies do. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have finally woken up. Even Joe Blanton has elevated his game - he even managed to hit his first career home run.

And, amazing, the Phillies have scored runs. The first three games, they struggled to score. They began the series inept at clutch hitting, but still managed to score runs. Small ball is still alive, even with a team like the Phillies.

The Rays, however, have finally run out of gas. Thier two best hitters - Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria - have gone 0-for-series (0-29 combined). That's right, not one...single..hit. That's not to say they're bad hitters. Far from it. Longoria is young (he's 23 in his first big league season) and Pena is a pure power hitter (.247 average during the season with 166 K's). The Phillies have just adjusted and exposed their weaknesses.

Because of that, the Phillies are 27 outs away from winning the World Series. They are the best team in baseball. And the Rays, who had baseball's storybook season, are right there with them. Next year, they could be a scary team. Let's just hope tonight's game 5 is as exciting as the other games this season.

Power Rankings: Week 8

I've pretty much laid out the guidelines for my power rankings in past weeks. So, here it is for Week 8.

1. Tennessee Titans (last week: 1; change: 0): I'll do you a favor. If the Titans lose at the Colts tonight, flip them and the Giants. That's all I will drop them. 

2. New York Giants (2; 0): Well, that settled the number 2 team debate. They beat the Steelers at Heinz Field, and with a little better red zone play, it wouldn't have been close.

3. Carolina Panthers (7; +4): They leapfrog the Steelers, Bills, and Bucs, who all lost. They also leapfrog the Redskins, for reasons explained below.

4. Washington Redskins (5; +1): They won, but in ugly fashion - again. They have to play better if they want to beat the Steelers this week.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (3; -2): Big Ben has to take care of the ball better for this team to succeed. He has grown dramatically as a quarterback, but this should still be a ball-control offense.

6. Buffalo Bills (4; -2): A setback against the Dolphins this week. They're now tied with the Patriots, who seem to be getting more and more momentum. They have a big divisional matchup against the Jets this week.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6; -1): They don't deserve to be this high; I know. I just have problems punishing a team too much for one individual game.

8. Green Bay Packers (8; 0): Don't expect me to drop the Packers too low after next week if they lose at Tennessee.

9. New England Patriots (19; +10): So they gained 10 in one week. A culmination of them destroying Denver on Monday night and them beating the Rams, who were my upset special of the week, convinced me. They're not championship caliber, but they're certainly playoff caliber.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (10; +2): How much of a difference does Brian Westbrook make on this team?

11. Chicago Bears (11; 0): They have a trap game versus Detroit this week before Tennessee comes to town. 

12. Arizona Cardinals (12; -2): That was a loss in Carolina that validated them. Were it not for some shoddy special teams play, they could have won that game.

13. Atlanta Falcons (13; -4): A loss that drops them four, but you have to give them credit for playing with the Eagles. Roddy White is spectacular.

14. Dallas Cowboys (16; +2): I cautiously move them up 2 after a victory against a good Tampa Bay team. Why are they now the same the record, but Dallas is still 7 spots behind them? If Romo were their quarterback right now, I would think differently.

15. Indianapolis Colts (15; 0): Win or lose tonight, they wouldn't move within two places either side of this until they show me some consistency.

16. Baltimore Ravens (16; +2): You have to love it when Flacco and Smith are on the field at the same time. 

17. Jacksonville Jaguars (13; -4): They confuse me. A lot. This is very similar to the Tampa-Dallas situation, where Team A and Team B have the same records. Team B just beat Team A at home. Team B is still a ways behind Team A, though. I do this because Jacksonville's been in every game, and Cleveland's only played two good games all season. I have no qualms.

18. New Orleans Saints (20; +2): A win huge for them to get right back in it in the NFC South. I'm not sure the English really cared, though.

19. Denver Broncos (14; -5): They move down 5 spots (which might be friendly) after their Monday night debacle.

20. San Diego Chargers (17; -3): They're still in okay position to make the playoffs because of their division. This has to be a disappointing year for them nonetheless.

21. New York Jets (21; 0): I couldn't figure out where to move them, so I didn't. They won, which I can't punish them for. (Ignore the fact I punished Houston for it last week.) I will tell you, though, the following three teams really pushed them for this spot.

22. Miami Dolphins (22; 0): They got a big win to preserve their playoff chances. If they get a couple wins in coming weeks, they're right in the middle of it.

23. Cleveland Browns (26; +3): I'm stunned they beat Jacksonville at Jacksonville, but maybe I shouldn't be. They could be getting on a roll. We'll have a better assessment after they host Baltimore this week.

24. Houston Texans (27; +3): Their last two games have been against the worst two teams in the league. At least they played better against the Bengals. 

25. Minnesota Vikings (23; -2): They drop two in their bye week because of how impressive the Browns and Texans were last week.

26. St. Louis Rams (24; -2): Is Jim Haslett a good head coach, or was Scott Linehan just that bad?

27. Oakland Raiders (25; -2): The Raiders still have ways to go. But I'm impressed with Russell. 

28. Seattle Seahawks (29; +1): They bump up one for beating the 49ers. Just because.

29. San Francisco 49ers (28; -1): More on the Mike Singletary rant on this blog later.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (30; 0): Larry Johnson should be ashamed. Talk about a waste of talent.

31. Cincinnati Bengals (31; 0): I don't care how bad they played against the Texans, or how close the Lions came to the Redskins.

32. Detroit Lions (32; 0): The Lions are still my pick to go winless.

Division Standings: No change in the top 4, though the AFC East almost took number 3 this week. A couple flip flops from there, as Cleveland and Baltimore's jumps move the AFC North into 5th. The AFC West unseats the NFC West for last; it hurts when your best team is ranked 19th. 

1. NFC East (average rank: 7.50)

2. NFC South (10.25)

3. AFC South (14.25)

4. AFC East (14.50)

5. AFC North (18.75)

6. NFC North (19.00)

7. NFC West (23.75)

8. AFC West (24.00)

Homecoming for the Terps

In a little over an hour, the Maryland Terrapins will take the field against the N.C. State Wolfpack. At 2-5, N.C. State looks like a team that the Terps should handle just fine. The Wolfpack have lost to South Carolina (34-0), Clemson (27-9), USF (41-10), BC (38-31), and Florida State (26-17). Their only wins have come against William & Mary and ECU, who was exposed as a flash in the pan early on. They are not the pushovers of a couple of years ago, but they are also not as talented as the Terps - on paper.

But knowing this team, that does not come anywhere near a guarantee for victory. Each week seems to present a new team to Terps fans, and the fans' frustration is clear. Losses to Middle Tennessee State and the University of Virginia have prevented the team from a possible top 10 BCS ranking. After all, the Terrapins have beaten three top 25 teams.

Today is just another trap game for the Terps. Luckily, it is a home game. Byrd Stadium should be packed with fans ready to cheer the Terps to victory. Weather conditions are less than idle, but regardless, the stands will be loud for the Homecoming game.

There are three questions facing the Terrapins this week:

1) Which Chris Turner will show up? The epitome of the team's Jekyll and Hyde play, Turner has been mediocre in the two losses, a combined 33-62 with one touchdown and 4 interceptions. He has played so well, however, in the other 4 wins (Jordan Steffy played the majority of the Delaware game), that he is now the top-rated passer in the ACC. If Turner plays well (and is protected), the Terps usually win.

2) Will Da'Rel Scott break out of his funk? The sophomore running back struggled last week, fumbling 3 times (two of which were recovered by Wake Forest). He did, however, average 4.1 yards a carry and has been outstanding all season. The offensive line has to open holes for him and he has to prove he has recovered from his injury. If he struggles early on, expect a large dose of true freshman Davin Meggett.

3) How will the defense play? Last week, the ACC's leading passer was held to less than 200 yards passing and 50% completions. The Maryland defense was suffocating all game long and made plays on third down. If the Terps are going to win today, the defense has to step up and play like it did last week. They have pressure N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson and force turnovers. The offense should be able to take care of the rest.

Prediction: Maryland 28, N.C. State 13. The game will remain close until the 4th quarter, but Maryland will eventually pull through and take a crucial victory before heading Blacksburg in a big matchup against Virginia Tech.

(Photo credit: Washington Post)

Rays Should Not Despair

After losing Game 1 at home 3-2 to the Phillies Wednesday night, many Rays fans probably immediately started to worry. It was game 1, and they immediately surrendered the momentum they had. It was a home game, and they had the best home record in the majors. Kazmir gave them a good outing. 

It's not all bad, though. 

The winner of game 1 has won 63 of the 103 World Series that have been decided in the best-of-7 format. That's really not that significant, because there are numbers that go in the Rays' favor, too. Consider that the team with home-field advantage has won 18 of the past 22 meetings. 

Rays fans should also bear in mind that while the Phillies put their ace out on the mound for game 1 (Hamels, who was absolutely brilliant), Tampa's Garza won't come out until game 3. 

One more note: Upton, Pena, and Longoria combined for an 0-12 for Tampa Bay. No, this can't be counter-argued by saying "well Howard was terrible, too." Ryan Howard has been terrible this entire postseason, while those three at the top of the Tampa lineup have been dynamite. 

If Tampa loses game 2, then it's time to worry. But until then, know that most things will only get better. 

NFL MVP/LVP

I made a comment earlier about how I was going to start doing a MVP/LVP for the NFL every week. Rather than start this week, I think I will wait until next week to do a halfway type thing for the season. So look for it then.

Looking Back

With so many sports going on at once, how can you keep track of them all? You don't have to, but I will. Every Monday I will look back and hit briefly upon the five story lines that stuck out from the previous weekend.

1. Maryland proved - again - that it has the talent to win the ACC. Yes, the entire ACC. As we know, though, we won't really have learned anything about the Terps until after this coming week, after another classic trap game. This time it's against NC State, 0-3 in the conference. Please don't lose.

2. The AFC Wild Card race is going to be a good one. The Patriots got a leg up on the competition just a minute ago with a 41-7 thrashing of Denver. The Jets, Ravens, Jags, and Colts all sit right behind them at 3-3, and the Chargers confuse at 3-4. 

3. Meanwhile, the NFC Divisional races look to be the hot thing. In the East, all four teams have shown definite strengths and weaknesses, and any of the four could be there at the end of the year. In the North, the Packers and the Bears stepped forward with huge wins this weekend. In the South, the Bucs and Panthers both look extremely strong, but don't count out the Falcons. In the West, the Rams - yes, the Rams - may be charging, and you can't say with certainty that the Cardinals won't choke. 

4. The Rays earned their trip to the World Series. The odds were stacked against them.

 After letting down from a 7-0 lead in game 5, the Rays lost in game 6, and had absolutely 0 momentum in game 7. But thanks to a pitching gem by Garza, they somehow did it. I've been riding the Phillies bandwagon the entire postseason, but they're going to have to overcome a Rays team with an absolutely unreal amount of spunk.

5. For lack of anything else, have you seen Colt McCoy's stats? This guy is so by far and away the Heisman trophy winner through the halfway point it's not even fair. The numbers: 81% passing, 1894 passing yards, 19:3 TD:INT, 371 yards rushing, 6 TDs

The only one close is Bradford, but he doesn't have the rushing yards, and he doesn't play for the number one team in the nation.  

NFL Power Rankings: Week 7

FAQ: "Why do you not do these on Tuesday, after the Monday night game, so you have a full week to work with?" All other power rankings come out on Tuesday. I'm just doing you a favor and giving you something to read about the NFL on Monday. 

1. Tennessee Titans (last week: 1; change: 0): I feel smart for having them above the Giants when few did last week before the Monday night game.

2. New York Giants (2; 0): They ran into a desperate Cleveland team and lost, then beat the 49ers in a terrible game. They're still the second best team in the league.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (3; 0): They're impressive.

4. Buffalo Bills (5; +1): They proved they should be up here with a solid all-around game vs. San Diego

5. Washington Redskins (4; -1): I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and saying Cleveland may be decent.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7; +1): I'd talk about the Bucs' game, but from what I heard it was about as good as watching the Lions-Texans game.

7. Carolina Panthers (9; +2): They could be higher. But I'm still not sold on their consistency

8. Green Bay Packers (16; +8): They proved a lot this week, destroying a Colts team that many (including myself) thought was back on track.

9. Atlanta Falcons (10; +1): A product of some upper teams falling.

10. Arizona Cardinals (11; +1): A product of some upper teams falling

11. Chicago Bears (19; +8): I'm finally sold on Kyle Orton. And I think the defense is better than it's playing.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (13; +1): Who would have thought that a game at Seattle next week would become a game they should - and really need to - win?

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (14; +1): They need to beat Cincinnati to stay within distance of the Titans. Right now they're one of the many teams in the AFC at 3-3, which would be good enough for a wild card spot.

14. Denver Broncos (18; +4): They moved up leading up to their Monday game because everyone around them is plummeting.

15. Indianapolis Colts (16; -9): My big drop of the week. I didn't think they were as good as I had them last week, but they looked so good in destroying the Ravens. They're becoming as inconsistent as the Chargers. 

16. Dallas Cowboys (8; -8): I had enough. They're 4-3, losing 3 of their past 4. Once they start winning again, I'll recognize all the talent they have.

17. San Diego Chargers (12; -5): If they were going to get it together this year, it would have been by now. That includes getting a win against a good team in Buffalo. I'm just not sold.

18. Baltimore Ravens (22; -4): I wanted to put them higher, but I can't move them above the Colts. Right now I think every team above them would win on a neutral field. A season-saving victory against the Dolphins, however.

19. New England Patriots (21; +2): They move up two because the next three teams were so terrible this week.

20. New Orleans Saints (17, -3): I at least thought they would put up a fight against the Panthers

21. New York Jets (15, -6): They had a chance to get a leg up and go 4-2. Then they lost to the Raiders.

22. Miami Dolphins (20; -2): Not this year. Again.

23. Minnesota Vikings (23; 0): I wanted to move them down because they put up 41 points in a game and lost. But I can't reward the Rams that highly because of the past few years of ineptitude.

24. St. Louis Rams (30; +6): They beat a Redskins team in a classic trap game and a Dallas team in shambles. If they win on the road in New England next week, they will skyrocket. 

25. Oakland Raiders (28; +3): Sebastian Janikowski. What a man.

26. Cleveland Browns (27; +1): Since last time, they beat the Giants and lost a close game to the Redskins. Derek Anderson is still their quarterback, though.

27. Houston Texans (24; -3): Now I'm getting like the BCS. They beat the Lions, but because it was the Lions in a close game, I move them down 3. I don't like it either. Look, though. The Rams beat the Cowboys soundly, the Raiders beat the Jets, and the Browns beat the Giants. Much more impressive than squeaking by the Lions.

28. San Francisco 49ers (25; -3): The Giants were incompetent and San Francisco still managed to lose. They're good at that.

29. Seattle Seahawks (28; -3): No ifs, ands, ors, or buts. They're terrible.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (29; -1): I think how Tony Gonzalez handled the situation was terrible. But can you blame him?

31. Cincinnati Bengals (31; 0): I really was tempted to move them down into the cellar this week. However, ...

32. Detroit Lions (32; 0): The Lions have a decent chance at 0-16. 

Division Rankings: No big change from last week, except the NFC North, which leapfrogged from 7th to 5th due to big rises from the Bears and the Packers.

1. NFC East (Average Rank: 8.75)

2. NFC South (10.5)

3. AFC South (14.0)

4. AFC East (16.5)

5. NFC North (18.5)

6. AFC North (19.5)

7. AFC West (21.5)

8. NFC West (22.75) 

Amazing

Blogging straight after the Rays game. I'll post later with more stats, pictures, and whatnot and a preview for the World Series, but I just have to share my initial joy coming out of this game.

And I'm not even that big of a baseball fan.

This was a truly terrific baseball game. It was well-played by both teams. The atmosphere at Tropicana Field was absolutely absurd; you really have to hand it to them down there. And the Rays, you can just tell how young they were in their celebration. It was pure jubilation.

What a night for the Rays. 

The Play of the Game

Anybody who watched the Wake game last year and the Cal game this year should know what the play of the game was during that domination of Wake.

The 4th quarter started with Maryland up 19-0. A minute later, they punted. Within two minutes after that, Wake had the ball in Maryland territory, driving. A few key defensive stops got it to 4th down and 6. Skinner dropped back, and found his man wide open across the middle.

Or so it appeared.

Jeremy Navarre, running the complete opposite direction stuck his right arm back and tipped the ball, forcing the incompletion. It reversed all momentum that was building up.

This is not to take away from Heyward-Bey's incredible one-handed juggling act on a 41 yard completion, or Danny Oquendo willing himself to a touchdown, which sealed the win. Those were great individual efforts. The most important play came from Navarre.

Weekend Watch

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been on here for a little while. In any case, here's what I (and you, of course) should be watching for this weekend.

1. Whether the Rays can punch momentum in the face. They were up 7-0 in the 7th inning. The Red Sox couldn't get an out while they were in the field, and the Rays were pretty much doing whatever they wanted. Then came Big Papi, and we all know where that went from there. 

Of course, none of that will matter if the Rays take game 6, which will be tomorrow at 8:07 p.m. If it goes to 7, though, it will be a miracle if the Rays take it.

2. Whether Maryland can become consistent with their inconsistency. If everything goes according to plan with the season, they will beat number 21 Wake Forest. Things wont be easy, though, even if the "good" Maryland shows up. (We're going to assume they do because if the "bad" Maryland shows up, they will be beaten by 50.) Wake Forest boasts one of the top defenses in the country, and specializes in getting turnovers. If Chris Turner can throw one interception or less, however, Maryland will win. 

3. The NFL's contenders will continue to separate themselves from the pretenders.

Games to keep an eye on include:

MIN at CHI (for control of the NFC North); BAL at MIA (the winner will be back in the wild card chase, the loser won't); NO at CAR (for a leg-up in the NFC South); IND at GB (GB needs this because of the earlier NFC North game, IND needs to get rolling on a streak); CLE at WAS (we'll know a lot more about CLE after this week); DEN at NE (I've hated on them both, but the winner will impress me)

Next week, I will hit upon all these and more when I look back upon the weekend. Other things to look forward to include the power rankings, and the inaugural MVP/LVP for the NFL.

I won't be at Maryland Madness tonight due to a prior commitment; someone let me know how it is and how the team looks. Basketball preview will certainly come soon. Have a good weekend everyone.

And I hate to say "I told you so" about the Phillies while I was on air, but ... 

Polamalu Speaks His Mind

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is known as a quiet player. He's very respectful, religious, and isn't as "rah-rah" as someone like Joey Porter. He just plays the game of football with reckless abandon, plowing through blockers to get to the ball carrier and running sideline to sideline to make plays. He doesn't celebrate, he doesn't taunt, he doesn't draw attention to himself.

That's why it's so surprising that he spoke out against the NFL today. In the last 2 weeks, 4 different Steelers have drawn fines from the NFL. James Harrison was fined $20,000 for alledging that the officials in the Steelers-Jaguars game "might have [had] money on it." Nate Washington was fined $7,500 for taunting. Ryan Clark was also fined $7,500 for unnecessary roughness (a late hit).

And finally, wide receiver Hines Ward was fined twice (for a total of $15,000) for unnecessary roughness, when he was not penalized on the play.

Even Chad OchoCinco, an intra-division rival who is known for his antics, disagrees with the fines to Ward:

"Unnecessary roughness? That doesn't make any sense. I am serious; that doesn't
make any sense at all. Hines has always been probably the best darned blocker in the NFL. I don't understand where you get unnecessary roughness from. That is not even a rule."

-Bengals WR Chad OchoCinco

I can understand why Washington, Harrison, and Clark were fined. But Ward's fines are ridiculous. So ridiculous that one of the most soft-spoken players in the game feels to the need to say something about it. Polamalu said the following (along with the quote to the left of the post, under "explosive comments") :

"I think regarding the evolution of football, it's becoming more and more
flag football, two-hand touch. We've really lost the essence of what real
American football is about."

-Steelers SS Troy Polamalu

Polamalu is exactly right. Under Roger Goodell, the NFL (nicknamed the "No Fun League") has enacted heavy measures against celebrations and hits, especially against the quarterback. Because of these new measures, defensive players must watch their hits against the quarterback, because if they hit him too hard or too low (or high), then they will be penalied and fined, though it is not always consistent. Simple celebrations, such as a dance in the endzone, are now penalized.

With the new rules and the fines being dished out, Polamalu believes the game "loses its essence" and becomes a "pansy game."

Careful there, Troy. Soon you'll be joining your teammates in paying your fines to the NFL.

Crosby vs. Ovechkin, 2008 edition

In the 2005-2006 season, Alexander Ovechkin beat out Sidney "The Next One" Crosby for the Calder trophy, awarded to the top rookie in the NHL (as voted by the writers).

The next season, Sidney Crosby one-upped his counterpart, winning the Art Ross Trophy(NHL points leader), Hart Trophy (MVP as voted by the writers), and Lester B. Pearson Award (MVP as voted by the players). He also took his team to the playoffs, where they were beaten by the Ottawa Senators in 5 games (Crosby had 3 goals and 2 assists in the series).

Never to be outdone, the following season (07-08) Ovechkin raised the bar one notch higher, winning the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy, the Lester B. Pearson Award, and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, awarded to the player who leads the league in goals at the end of the season. Ovechkin scored 65 goals, breaking the record for goals in a season by a left winger (previously held by Luc Robitaille, with 63). He also led his team to a division title and recorded 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) in the first-round series with the Philadelphia Flyers (the Caps lost in 7 games).

That same season, Crosby missed most of the season with a high ankle sprain but returned to lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in 6 games.

Tonight, they renew their rivalry in Pittsburgh in what is sure to be another great game. What's special about the Ovechkin - Crosby rivalry is that it isn't just about the two players. The Penguins and the Capitals have had a rivalry for a number of years and the Ovechkin vs. Crosby storyline only adds fuel to the fire.

The only question remaining is, who will up the ante this year? Will Ovechkin lead his team to a deep playoff run, or will Crosby repeat last season's postseason success?

Good Times in the City of Brotherly Love

If you're a Philadelphia sports fan, it doesn't get much better than this weekend.

All four NFC East teams were playing games they were supposed to win, but only the Eagles got into the win column. The Redskins and Cowboys were stunned by the Rams and Cardinals, and the Giants were shellacked on Monday night at Cleveland. Then, reports came out that Tony Romo will be out for a month with a broken pinkie.

The Phillies last night used a four-run eighth to their advantage. They beat the Dodgers 7-5 to take a 3-1 series lead. It could be all over on Wednesday as Cole Hamels, who has been terrific this postseason, takes the mound to try to get Philadelphia into the World Series.

Even the 76ers won a preseason game at the Raptors!

(I'm skating around the fact the Flyers gave up 4 goals in the third to lose to Montreal, but it can't all be good.)

Looking Back

With so many sports going on at once, how can you keep track of them all? You don't have to, but I will. Every Monday I will look back and hit briefly upon the 5 story lines that stuck out from the previous weekend.

1. The Big 12 officially has the depth to compete with the SEC as college football's best conference. What a huge Saturday, and nobody made more noise than these two conferences. To say that another conference is even close is absolutely absurd. What we are witnessing happen is teams beating each other up in conference play. This will lead to teams getting worse bowl games than they deserve, which will lead to the Maryland's of the world being absolutely torched.

Consider:

Texas is now the number one team in the country after beating Oklahoma, but if you don't think Oklahoma is still a top 5 team, you didn't watch that game.

Kansas looked dominant. They're 16 and should be higher.

Oklahoma St. is undefeated. It really wasn't that huge of an upset over Missouri.

2. Wake Forest is the best team in the ACC. Which means that Maryland will probably beat them Saturday. If Maryland does, the Coastal is there for the taking, because the next three best teams (VT, GT, and UNC) are all in the Atlantic.

3. The MLB playoffs are fun again. After some boring divisional series, the championships series are already heating up. Tampa Bay proved their mettle - again - by outlasting the Sox in game 2 after being blanked by Dice-K in game 1. And the Dodgers certainly made things interesting last night in their beat-down of the Phillies, especially Hiroki Kuroda, who threw the ball on a line at Shane Victorino's head.

I love the Dodgers player, who, after the game said: "It wasn't at his head, it was over his head."

Yea, he ducked.

4. Contender or Pretender? 

Contender: Colts, Jags, Chargers, Bucs, Cardinals

Pretender: Pats, Dolphins, Ravens

5. Matt Ryan is already better than a lot of starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Did you see that throw he made with 6 seconds left to put the team in field goal range? Terrific throw. Every time I see a Falcons highlight, it's Matt Ryan heaving the ball 40 yards downfield right on the money. 

Meanwhile, Joe Flacco is playing like ... a rookie from Delaware who should be the third string quarterback on his team this year but, due to a couple injuries, is forced to start behind a young offensive line and with a new head coach.

He will get better, but it may not be this year. 

NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

FAQ: "Why did you not have these until week 6?" It is too early at that point to tell who is for real, and who is for not.

"Is this based off a number system?" No, and I won't use "well I didn't really do anything, the numbers told me" as an excuse.

"You're an idiot. How could you?" Leave a comment and I'll tell you.

And with that (with selected comments) ...

1. Titans: I have the Titans as my number one for two reasons. First, they have a better defense than the Giants. Second, their turnover differential is tops in the NFL. That wins you games.

2. Giants

3. Steelers: The Steelers have managed to win some brutal games against rivals without some of their best players. When they get them back, they will be even better.

4. Redskins: I, wish a few others, saw this Redskins loss coming. The Rams had everything to play for; the Redskins had nothing. It does not differ my opinion of them. Look for them to rebound next game.

5. Bills

6. Colts: Perhaps I shouldn't be so high on the Colts - after all, they dismantle the Ravens every year. Peyton Manning sure did look good, though.

7. Buccaneers: I love the NFC South. The Falcons impress me every week. Got a tough victory at home this week after a huge victory at Lambeau last week. The Bucs' only two losses have come on the road against the Saints and at Denver. The Falcons have a solid team, top to bottom. The Saints are a little low, but the game against the Vikings left a bad taste in my mouth. You have to win a game like that.

8. Cowboys: Never thought I would have the Cowboys as low as 8. T.O. is beginning to be a problem. It will only get worse.

9. Panthers

10. Falcons

11. Cardinals

12. Chargers

13. Eagles: A huge week for the Eagles as they get a victory combined with a Dallas and Washington loss.

14. Jaguars

15. Jets: If Thomas Jones can perform like that all the time, this team will be hard to stop.

16. Packers

17. Saints

18. Broncos: The Broncos are leading their division at number 18, while the Chargers are sitting behind them, occupying my 12 spot. Does it make sense? I'm not sure. But the Chargers start slow every year, and they dismantled New England last night. Denver is turnover-prone. And let's face it - defend him as I may - who knows what would have happened when they played each other were it not for Ed Hochuli?

19. Bears

20. Dolphins: The Dolphins would be so much higher if they beat Houston.

21. Patriots: Yea, the Patriots. Matt Cassel can't throw the deep ball, which is the only route Randy Moss is willing to run. Their defense is showing signs of aging and a thin secondary. Nothing convinces me this is a playoff team.

22. Ravens: Ouch. Well, at least there's no talk of poor clock management. 

23. Vikings: I don't look fondly towards you when you struggle with the Lions.

24. Texans

25. 49ers

26. Seahawks: The biggest shocker of the entire year for me. You can only carry the injury excuse so far. 

27. Browns

28. Raiders

29. Chiefs

30. Rams

31. Bengals: Ryan Fitzpatrick is the Bengals' quarterback right now, so I pity them. 

32. Lions: And there is the fact that the Lions are the definition of ineptitude. 

For those, who are curious, division rankings (and these, I did just do the math):

1. NFC East (Average Ranking = 6.75)

2. NFC South (10.75)

3. AFC South (11.25)

4. AFC East (15.25)

5. AFC North (20.75)

6. AFC West (21.75)

7. NFC North (22.5)

8. NFC West (23.0)

Baltimore, why are you so enamored with John Harbaugh?

After three straight losses - two of which the team should have won and one that was an utter blowout - Ravens fans are still in love with the whole John Harbaugh thing.

Why?

All I'm hearing from people is "Wow, so Flacco sucks" or "Our O-line is not living up to expectations."

It just seems funny to me that last year - with virtually the same exact team - the Ravens struggles were all Brian Billick's fault. This year, though, Harbaugh can do no wrong.

Never mind the numerous balls he should have challenged, but didn't (Derrick Mason in the endzone?). Never mind the press conference lies (two weeks ago, Kelly Gregg would be back in a couple weeks; now he's on the IR). Never mind the fact that the Ravens came into Indy with the single worst possible game plan they could have had.

The Ravens have a team with a poor offense, with poor discipline, and that can't play consistently. Gee, Billick could have done that.

A Home Opener to Remember

There are so many things to talk about after last night's Capitals home opener, that I won't even begin to discuss the miniscule game itself (the Caps won 4-2).

Instead, I will break down the wonderful Caps' introduction video and the video recapping the past season.

The first video, which is intended to get the fans pumped up about the game, was pretty cool in my opinion. It might have been a little corny, but I thought it was awesome and hilarious at the same time. The video is below.



A couple thoughts. One, whoever decided to do makeup on Backstrom made him look like a woman. Two, the Brashear clip was awesome and the characters they made of the players were spot-on. And third, it makes me get excited for the season/game. The clips thrown in were great and the song was perfect. It may be cheesy, but I liked it.

This video is a recap of last season's run and the memorable moments from Bruce's first game to the clinching of the division. I've seen some better videos made by fans, but I'm sure this one was required to be shorter and it was still pretty good.




But the best thing about last night is the new system they have for the players' pictures. When they introduce a player in the beginning or after a goal, the pictures they used are straight out of GQ. They have the players modeling with leather jackets (apparently Poti, Steckel, and Semin wear the same jacket), hockey sticks, and other fashionable attire. Makes the goals even sweeter when the opponent has to look up at the faces of models staring down at their faces.

A couple examples:

Brooks Laich


















Alex Ovechkin






















And, finally, Jose Theodore (this one's for all the ladies out there)

A Shot in the Mouth

Talk about a bad way to start the season.

The Capitals came out and were dominant in the first 5 minutes. Then, they had a goal waved off. Then they took a penalty.

And then they fell apart. Goal. Goal. Goal. It was like an artillery barrage that just couldn't be stopped.

Quickly, they were down 3-0. The team was on its heels and was shellshocked. Then, Alexander Semin came through with a wrist shot from the top of the circles to send the team into the locker room down by 2. A shorthanded goal by Dave Steckel - set up by a nice play by Semin - was quickly negated by another Atlanta goal, but then the game changed.

Tom Poti was clipped in the forehead and the Caps were given a 4-minute powerplay. The knew that the powerplay was the chance they needed. Mike Green fired home two one-timers to tie the game at 4, and it looked like the Caps would be able to win despite their poor play.

After 2, it remained deadlocked at 4, but the Caps were pressuring Kari Lehtonen all period long. A cover-up in the crease by an Atlanta defenseman led to a penalty shot for the Caps, which was taken by Alexander Ovechkin. Fans - myself included - felt that Semin should've shot it, because he was having a great game and is usually successful in a breakaway.

As it was, Ovechkin missed, adding on to a list of missed chances by the reigning Hart Trophy winner. Even on TV, you could see the life sucked out of the team. Atlanta quickly grabbed the momentum and eventually scored to make it 5-4. Less than 30 seconds later, it was 6-4. Soon thereafer, it was 7-4.

And the Caps were left to re-assess their goaltender situation on the long flight home from Atlanta. But, at least for me, there is reason for optimism.

1. Jose Theodore is known for his inconsistency. Hopefully this just means it was a bad game and on Saturday he will be great.


2. The powerplay and offense was solid all night long. They took 40+ shots and Lehtonen was the main reason the game didn't turn the Caps' way in the 2nd and 3rd periods.


3. Alexander Semin was the best player on the ice. He made plays all game long and ended up with a 3-point night.


4. I believe head coach Bruce Boudreau will fire this team up for the home opener. I don't see this game affecting this team for more than a couple of hours. There is no doubt in my mind that the team won't play well on Saturday. Theodore will be fine and Brent Johnson was solid in relief (though he was let out to dry late in the game). Plus, they finally get to return and feel the excitment from the fans. That can do a long way to rebounding from this debacle of a season opener.
   

Last season the Caps started off an impressive 3-0. By Thanksgiving they were in dead last. So, a first loss doesn't mean that they won't make the playoffs or win the division. After all, the Detroit Red Wings lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs, another team predicted to be in the cellar.

Step in off the ledge, Caps fans. There's 81 more games to win.

Chills of Excitement

As many of you know, the Washington Capitals begin their 2008-2009 season tonight.

And, as many of you know, I cannot wait. Tonight, in Atlanta, the Caps begin a season in which, for the first time in 4 years, there are expectations of greatness.

Gone are the days in which experts predict a last-place finish or say, "if they could get some help around Ovechkin..."

Gone are the days in which Caps fans would curse Ivan Majesky, Mathieu Biron, or Kris Beech for poor play.

And gone are the days in which I would resign myself to, "this year is a rebuilding year, as long as the players develop then I'm happy."

Now, I expect a win every night. I expect the team to beat the elite teams in the NHL and I expect the special teams to produce like I know they're capable of. No more "rebuiling" excuses. No more, "just wait till next year."

And I couldn't be more happy about it. This team has me more excited than any other Caps team in the past. With this team I see the potential for DC's first Stanley Cup, and I see the potential for a new dynasty in the NHL. General Manager George McPhee has done an outstanding job rebuilding this team and he's built them for success for many years to come.

From just looking at the roster, an outsider wouldn't see much to get excited about. This is, generally, the same team as the one that got beat in game 7 of the quarterfinals by the Philadelphia Flyers. The only new moves were replacing Cristobal Huet with Jose Theodore, a step down in some people's opinion.

But not mine. Last year, the Caps made their run with Olie Kolzig in net. Huet came in at the end and ultimately was the deciding factor, but the bulk of their success came with Kolzig in net. All the Caps need is for Theodore to be better than Kolzig, which should be no problem for the former Hart Trophy winner.

The key to this team's excitement is the vibe you get from watching the interviews and reading the quotes. The team is committed and the players all believe 110% in their head coach, and there are no internal conflicts. From top to bottom, you see ferocious dedication to winning and you see a team that is good enough to be able to sustain injuries and still compete.

If someone - even Ovechkin - goes down, there is enough depth to provide scoring from other parts. And in Hershey, there are players like Chris Bourque and Karl Alzner ready to step in and make a difference.

This is new era in Capitals hockey and the area as a whole is starting to recognize it. They are becoming one of the elite franchises in the NHL and the sky is the limit. It's just a matter of performing like they're capable of.

And it starts tonight. Get ready Caps fans, because it's going to be one hell of a ride.

Coming Attractions

TnT Sports is stepping up.

After a few weeks of mainly talking about the NFL and Terps football, we're branching away to give you a preview of the NHL season, especially the Caps, and to talk some baseball.

This will be the first broadcast that we record; consequently, this will become our first podcast. It may take a few days, but we're going to put the podcast links onto this blog here. So, for all of you that have class and are missing out on listening to the show, here's your chance.

It may not be ready this week, but soon we will be able to take your calls, as well. We'll update you when that's happening.

Plus, in additional weeks, we may even get some guests.

You guys will be the first to know. Thanks for reading/listening, and be sure to tune in and IM into wmucsports today at 4 for the show.

Another slip-up in Charlottesville

Maybe before the game, the USC Trojans snuck into the home locker room, tied up the Cavaliers, and suited up against the Terrapins.

Maybe that wasn't Marc Verica picking apart the Maryland secondary, but rather Mark Sanchez.

Maybe that wasn't the Cavaliers' offensive line dominating the Terps' front seven, but USC's hogmollies opening up holes for Joe McKnight.

Maybe that wasn't the Virginia defense smothering the Maryland offense, but rather Ray Maualuga and the impressive USC defense.

Please tell me I'm right. That couldn't have been the Virgina Cavaliers on the field on Saturday night. The same Cavaliers that gave up 31 points to Duke. Duke! No, not the basketball team. The football team. The team that hadn't won an ACC game in 3 years.

The team that put up 31 points and held the Virginia offense to a meager field goal.

How can Duke, the perennial ACC cupcake, slaughter Virginia, but the Maryland Terrapins, the team that beat Clemson in Death Valley, can't even attempt a field goal?

Please tell me it was all a bad dream. Tell me UVA secretly knew all of our plays beforehand, or tell me that the Cavaliers were really USC in disguise. Saturday night couldn't have happened. Not with Ralph Friedgen at the helm. He's known for the consistent play of his team.

Oh, wait....

Looking Back

With so many sports going on at once, how can you keep track of them all? You don't have to, but I will. Every Monday I will look back and hit briefly upon the 5 story lines that stuck out from the previous weekend.

1. It stunk to be a University of Maryland fan this weekend. After being annihilated against an inferior opponent, all Maryland players had to say for themselves was pretty much exactly what they had to say after losing to Middle Tennessee State, along the liens of: "Oops. We weren't ready to play. Trust us, we're still really good, though." 

Combine that with men's soccer giving up 3 goals in 1:23, completing a collapse to Clemson in what coach Sasho Cirovski called one of the most embarrassing moments of his career, and the school's athletics really did us proud.

At least field hockey won.

2. That being said, it might be even worse to be a Cubs fan. Your team absolutely destroys for 162 games this season. You're playing the worst team to make the playoffs this year. 

And then you get outscored 20-6 and get swept.

I mean, I suppose they're used to it. But still, don't you feel for them a little bit? Just a little?

3. Meanwhile, the Phillies continue to be the most overlooked team in baseball after take the series 3-1 against the Brewers. They will have home field advantage in their next series against the Dodgers, and they have to be considered the favorites to win, even after what LA did to the Cubs. I understand Manny is elevating his team's hitting to a whole new level, but Manny doesn't pitch, and the Dodgers won't have enough firepower to overcome the Phillies bats.

4. Hockey begins! The 2008-09 NHL season is officially underway with a couple games in the Czech Republic and Sweden. With the Capitals last year becoming relevant in the NHL, there has been a renewed interest in the sport around the D.C. area. Of course, having the best player in the game certainly helps matters. Listen Wednesday for a hockey preview on the broadcast.

5. Do upsets even exist any more in the NFL? SI.com's Don Banks examines the question in this article. I recommend the read. If you don't have time, a quick look at the standings will tell you all you need to know.

The little team that could

The Tampa Bay Rays just keep surprising America.

First, they were above .500 by the All-Star game. Then, they won 80 games. Then, they won the division.

And now, they won a playoff game. For the first time.

But it's not just about winning that playoff game. It's about that atmosphere, that emotion, that drive that makes playoffs of any sport wonderful. Watching a (finally) packed Tropicana Field was a great sight. The fans pumped up the players, and the players responded by giving the fans something to get excited about.

And it couldn't have come from anyone better than Evan Longoria. In his first playoff at-bat (the first pitch he saw, actually), he took Javier Vazquez deep to left field for the first run in Rays' playoff history. Then, he hit an identical shot off of Vazquez in the 3rd inning to give the Rays a lead they would never surrender. They held on to win 6-4, a huge first win for a franchise that has been in a famine of success since their beginning.

The 22-year old rookie became the 9th player in major league history to hit 2 home runs in first playoff game. He joins a list that includes Chipper Jones, Troy Glaus, Ken Griffey, Jr., and, of course, the legendary B.J. Surhoff.

Tampa Bay couldn't have asked for a better game out of their young third baseman. Let's just hope he can continue to power the team all the way to the World Series.