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Greetings Testudo Times Readers,
In case you haven't noticed (and you probably haven't), I took a little summer sabbatical over the last couple months. After an offseason that included Greivis returning, Mychal Parker committing, and the football team training, it's time to return, once again, to College Park and the Testudo Times blog. I'll be taking some of the MM duties from bbroman as his schedule starts to heat up. (I know, I'm disappointed too.) So without further ado, your links for the day...
Former D.C. Blue-chipper Eyeing MD Transfer
You have to be an IMS subscriber to read the full article but you can still get a significant amount of info from the jump. Basically, Tony Tucker, a sophomore defensive end who was ranked as one of the ten best at his position coming out of high school, is looking to transfer from Pitt to MD because of family reasons. You would assume that the staff would have interest seeing as Tucker is a talented player and D-Line is somewhat of a weak area. The question then becomes, could Tucker get cleared to play this season or would he have to sit out a year or transfer to a D1-AA school instead. Predicting how the NCAA will rule in terms of clearing people and eligibility is pretty much a crapshoot but it's a situation worth keeping an eye on. If Tucker is somehow cleared to play for this season, it would be a huge boost to a young defense on the rise.
D1SCOURSE Takes a Look at Men's BBall Non-Conference Schedule
No earth-breaking news here but Pat Stevens does throw in some interesting numbers, compiling the 08-09 records and RPIs of all the non-conference opponents the Terps are slated to face this season.
Basically, Maryland will play four top-100 teams from last season in its 14 nonconference games --- barring a surprising meeting with Colorado.
The Terps will play just as many teams from the bottom 30 --- basically, the bottom 10 percent --- of Division I, plus a Division II team.
D1SCOURSE's prediction for the OOC schedule: Gary and Co. shouldn't be any worse than 11-3 entering ACC play.
My take: I'd be a little disappointed with anything worse than 12-2. Man, I can't wait for basketball season...
A Closer Look at Gloria Friedgen
Jeff Barker from The Baltimore Sun has a nice piece about Gloria Friedgen and her many roles on the Terps football team. The article covers what it is like to be the wife of a major Division 1 football coach and her role as "permanent team Mom."
Redshirt Freshman Hartsfield Ready to Contribute
Hartsfield is slated to start at weakside linebacker for the Terps this fall and has had a pretty impressive camp by all accounts. Fridge and Linebacker's Coach Al Seamonson have some high praise for a guy they think can be a four year starter and a player at the next level.
"The way he's played in the spring and the way he's playing right now, we're excited about him," Friedgen said. "And the fact he has four more years of eligibility, we're very excited about. He's playing with much more confidence than he did last year."
Former Terrapin, Stephon Heyer Wins Redskins' Starting Right Tackle Job
I'm not a Redskins fan but I can still find it in my heart to congratulate a fellow Terrapin. To come into the league as an undrafted free agent and work all the way up to a starting right tackle is pretty impressive...
ESPN biased towards UNC, Dook- D1SCOURSE
ESPN's family of networks will be televising 24 games involving either Dook and/or UNC. Maryland? We get three games on ESPN. All three are against either Carolina or the Dookies. In fact, ESPN will not be televising one ACC conference game that does not involve at least one of the two Tobacco Road schools. I guess it pays to win two national championships in five years. Or in Duke's case, it just pays to be hated.
Men's BBall Season Tickets Available to General Public
If you're not a multi-million dollar booster or a student you probably haven't been able to catch many ACC Terps game in person. Well, for the first time in a while, season tickets are now available to the general public. The seats aren't great (between row 16-19 in section 204, 211, 217, or 224) and the price is $600 a ticket. But hey, can you really put a price on Greivis shimmying or Gary's fist pump?