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Chaos Revenant wrote:And the mismanagement of Maryland athletics continues.

Selling out MD basketball and the great tradition for a bit more football revenue? Sounds like a Maryland move.

They're nearly as badly run as the Wiz.

Maryland adds a four-star guard for their first commitment in 2014.



Mark Turgeon and the Maryland Terrapins continue to accumulate talent. The 2014 class is now off to a good start for Maryland with the addition of Romelo Trimble.

The Arlington (Va.) Bishop O'Connell standout is one of the better scorers in the 2014 class, and he has also been working on developing into a point guard. Trimble, who starred for D.C. Assault during the summer, became the first commitment to Maryland on Thursday morning.

The commitment, which was confirmed by DC Assault coach Damon Handon, is a big one for the Terps as Trimble is currently seen as the No. 57 player in the class.

Also once again this signals what Turgeon and his staff are trying to do by locking down their home base first, and then plucking in some quality prospects from across the country.

Trimble chose Maryland over Cincinnati and Rutgers, and is a huge first commitment in the 2014 class.

A Likely Decision

The Terps football staff has landed one of its top remaining 2013 prospects.

As expected, Belle Glade (Fla.) athlete Will Likely today made public his verbal commitment to Maryland during a 5 p.m. announcement at his school.

Likely, a dynamic 5-foot-7, 175-pound playmaker, rushed for 1,223 yards on 90 carries (13.6 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns as a senior, caught four touchdown passes and posted a total of six for scores between punts and kickoffs. He could play cornerback or receiver at Maryland, and is expected to factor into the Terps’ return game.

“Likely, on the field, is very similar to former Florida State cornerback Greg Reid. He is an athletic, hard-nosed game change. He plays fearless and has a ton of confidence. His vision and instincts are probably his best qualities, as he has a knack for finding the football and getting his hands on it. Schools like Florida State, Miami, Florida and especially South Florida will regret allowing this talent to leave the state,” said Tom Loy, recruiting analyst for Noles247.

The No. 32 cornerback in the nation according to 247Sports, Likely was also seriously recruited by LSU, Florida State, Wake Forest, Louisville and others. While it’s unknown if the Seminoles or Tigers had tendered firm scholarship offers, there seems to be a consensus in Florida that Likely would have been a blue-chip national recruit were he a few inches taller.

“Will Likely is a dynamic athlete who makes an impact in every phase of the game. His future in college will be as a defensive back, likely cornerback, and also on special teams. As a defensive back, he will be picked on at times due to his height but his explosive athleticism allows for him to make up for that deficiency,” said 247Sports Florida analyst Chris Nee.

“He has quick feet and quick hands allowing him to make a play on the ball. On special teams, Likely is an excellent return man with great vision and nice wiggle to allow him to make it through tight spaces

Mike Strohmeier ‏@CoachStroh


IWCC WR Deon Long is the #1 ranked JC player in the nation, and the first #5star since #CamNewton #ReiverNation

Deon Long is actually 21 years old. It only seems like he's 30.

The headliner of this year's Rivals.com junior college Top 100 has lugged around a load of buzz for years. He was a certifiable high school star. At one time, he was the No. 1 prep school player in America. He made a brief stop at the University of New Mexico, and now he's the country's top junior college prospect.

The Iowa Western wide receiver's road to the BCS level wasn't short, but every winding inch of it was decorated with accolades.

Long was the same old Long this season. Sub-4.4 speed? Check. A pair of NJCAA records? Check. A junior college national title? You get the point.

Impressive as his season was, though, it somehow seems even more so when his position coach offers some perspective. Long may be the oldest player in this year's ranking, but it might be wise to hold off on the corny over-the-hill jokes.

"He did all it while only playing in two fourth quarters all year," said Iowa Western offensive coordinator Mike Strohmeier. "He was actually pulled by halftime in most games. I truly believe he will make an immediate impact at Maryland."

There's little reason to question Strohmeier's projection. Long racked up 100 receptions for 1,626 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. All three statistics ranked first among junior college players. Early in the year, he hauled in 20 passes in a single game. His stats only restate everything people knew long ago: Deon Long is a special talent. Always has been. Always will be.

There's a reason he's the first five-star junior college prospect since Cameron Newton.

"He has shown he can do it at all levels," said Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell. "He has taken a very, very roundabout route to college. But we feel he's the kind of player that can come right in at Maryland and be an all-conference difference maker and in a year or two be an NFL first-round talent."

The NBA announced today that New Orleans Hornets guard Greivis Vasquez was named the Western Conference Player of Week for games played Monday, December 24, through Sunday, December 30. This is the first time in Vasquez’s career that he has won a Player of the Week honor.

Vasquez led the Hornets to a 2-1 record, averaging 21.0 points, 10.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 53.1 percent from the field. The Hornets guard recorded a career-high 27 points to go along with eight assists and six rebounds in a win over the Orlando Magic on 12/26. In the following contest, Vasquez narrowly missed recording his first career triple-double with 20 points, 14 assists and a career-high nine rebounds. In his final contest of the week, Greivis recorded 16 points, eight assists, four rebounds and four steals while guiding the Hornets to a win over the Charlotte Bobcats on 12/29 despite being down as many as 21 points. Through the end of the week, Vasquez ranked fourth in the NBA in assists per game (8.8)

The NBA announced today that New Orleans Hornets guard Greivis Vasquez was named the Western Conference Player of Week for games played Monday, December 24, through Sunday, December 30. This is the first time in Vasquez’s career that he has won a Player of the Week honor.

Vasquez led the Hornets to a 2-1 record, averaging 21.0 points, 10.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 53.1 percent from the field. The Hornets guard recorded a career-high 27 points to go along with eight assists and six rebounds in a win over the Orlando Magic on 12/26. In the following contest, Vasquez narrowly missed recording his first career triple-double with 20 points, 14 assists and a career-high nine rebounds. In his final contest of the week, Greivis recorded 16 points, eight assists, four rebounds and four steals while guiding the Hornets to a win over the Charlotte Bobcats on 12/29 despite being down as many as 21 points. Through the end of the week, Vasquez ranked fourth in the NBA in assists per game (8.8)