Official Maryland Terps Thread 2.0

[Halcyon]

The Maryland boards I post at are exploding at this Mike Leach possibility. It would be a huge hire or the new AD. I love Fridge because he's lead us to this point and rebuilt the program, but Leach could take us to the next level, of national prominence. It would be a huuuuuuuge hire to get this guy.

[Wizardspride]

The Maryland boards I post at are exploding at this Mike Leach possibility. It would be a huge hire or the new AD. I love Fridge because he's lead us to this point and rebuilt the program, but Leach could take us to the next level, of national prominence. It would be a huuuuuuuge hire to get this guy.

I agree with you Halcyon but forcing Ralph out leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[Halcyon]

Yeah it does feel wrong, I love what Ralph's done for the program. Those first three years were magical and this year was fun too. But I love Maryland, and I want to see sustained greatness, long term. If this is the only way to get it, so be it.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

The Maryland boards I post at are exploding at this Mike Leach possibility. It would be a huge hire or the new AD. I love Fridge because he's lead us to this point and rebuilt the program, but Leach could take us to the next level, of national prominence. It would be a huuuuuuuge hire to get this guy.

Mike Leach is absolutely the biggest Pr!ck in college athletics.

I'm a forty year terps fan but I would stop watching if this dou(hbag were hired. I'm serious. This guy is bad news... Self centered, self righteous.. An awful role model. A very bad person.

Don't do it. The Fridge ain't the coach he once was. ... But he represents the school well and is a caring, decent leader of young men... And oh yeah, he's the acc coach of the year.

[Ruzious]

The Maryland boards I post at are exploding at this Mike Leach possibility. It would be a huge hire or the new AD. I love Fridge because he's lead us to this point and rebuilt the program, but Leach could take us to the next level, of national prominence. It would be a huuuuuuuge hire to get this guy.

I agree with you Halcyon but forcing Ralph out leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

A very bad taste to me, as well. Combined with the Skins benching McNabb in favor of Grossman makes this the day football died in the area, imo. If Maryland fans really believe that hiring someone else is the answer, that's delusional. It would take a miracle for Maryland to ever be a top football program. The enthusiasm/money for college football in this part of the country doesn't come anywhere near other parts of the country - where it's a religion. Maryland not drawing fans this year is on Maryland fans - not on Ralph. The team played very well, and the fans didn't show up. I feel like Terp nation let a helluva football coach down and let Maryland down.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Living in Hawaii I am still awake and think you guys will be pleased to wake up and find the Terps hired James Franklin.

[lupin]

James Franklin was introduced by Vanderbilt today, according to the Post.

[Wizardspride]

I have a big problem with the new AD (who has been on the job about 2 months) making a decision on Ralph this quickly.

Ralph is a Terp.

But what I really fear is that we're going to lose this incoming recruiting class which is probably Ralph's best one to date.

I hope this guy knows what he's doing.

[Wizardspride]

Just heard that the Friedgen family is devastated and that the players are livid.

[MF23]

The age discrepancy between the supporters of this is large. The older seem conservative and loyal to Fridge while the younger are willing to change for a chance at national relevance.

Maryland football has the chance to be very large. Every year MD/Balt., DC are producing NFL caliber talents. The money is there with Kevin Plank. Leach's name probably has national acclaim and if that's the case it would be a catalyst for growth.

Fridge has been a good influence on that program. His players usually stay out of trouble and graduate. If the changes take place I hope that stays the same.

[Wizardspride]

There are rumors that Torrey Smith and Kenny Tate are so pissed that they are all but gone to the NFL.


And this is the BIG ONE! Danny O'Brien is being wooed by James Franklin.

This could be a disaster.

[Ruzious]

The age discrepancy between the supporters of this is large. The older seem conservative and loyal to Fridge while the younger are willing to change for a chance at national relevance.

Maryland football has the chance to be very large. Every year MD/Balt., DC are producing NFL caliber talents. The money is there with Kevin Plank. Leach's name probably has national acclaim and if that's the case it would be a catalyst for growth.

Fridge has been a good influence on that program. His players usually stay out of trouble and graduate. If the changes take place I hope that stays the same.

There's some truth to your first paragraph, but the problem is... both groups are small. If you've ever been to an SEC or Big Ten football game, you realize - old and young fans care a helluvalot more about their football teams than fans of any atlantic coast teams do. It's their lives. The interest and money that they have there simply isn't here. There's no reason to believe that Maryland is going to be a top program just by bringing in a bigger (figuratively speaking) coach than Fridge. Firing Fridge... an excellent successful coach who loves Maryland and is universally revered and loved by almost every player he's coached and has run a program we can be proud of on and off the field... this is a real low point. It feels like a slap in the face to me, so I can only imagine what it feels to Fridge and his players and family. I grew up a Terp fan, I'm a MD alum - class of 84... Any success going forward the program has will likely feel hollow to me.

[P'Oed]

time for a new direction IMO. Tired of the "playing not to lose" attitude that Fridge seems to instill every year. Honestly, it can't get much worse. We're 8-2 and playing in the f'ing Military Bowl. Time to try to get some respect.

As for Torrey and O'Brien being unhappy? Well....see ya. Great talents with great potential but it's not like I'm gonna cry my eyes out if they would bolt.

[MF23]

There is that fine line between sport/emotion and business. There are a few reasons I could see why the AD is doing this. He doesn't have an attachment to Fridge. He's not his guy. The football team doesn't really finish in the black. Coach Williams has the only revenue generating program at UMD. Fridge's contract and consistencies with asking for renewals don't hold the weight they once did. The program is around .500 after those first 3 years. After Franklin's departure along with likely 2 or 3 coaches the decision to do this seems like a very practical. The school isn't throwing Fridge on the street, he's probably going to receive millions, which is a lot.

The AD is showing he has some **** in doing this and if they do sign Leach I think it's a good business decision

[Ruzious]

time for a new direction IMO. Tired of the "playing not to lose" attitude that Fridge seems to instill every year. Honestly, it can't get much worse. We're 8-2 and playing in the f'ing Military Bowl. Time to try to get some respect.

As for Torrey and O'Brien being unhappy? Well....see ya. Great talents with great potential but it's not like I'm gonna cry my eyes out if they would bolt.

Was that intended to be a funny post?

The only reason MD is in the Military Bowl is because of poor attendance.

They had an outstanding season, and "playing not to lose" is invented BS. And they aren't 8-2.

Respect? Really?

How do you plan on winning when your best players prematurely leave?

[Wizardspride]

time for a new direction IMO. Tired of the "playing not to lose" attitude that Fridge seems to instill every year. Honestly, it can't get much worse. We're 8-2 and playing in the f'ing Military Bowl. Time to try to get some respect.

As for Torrey and O'Brien being unhappy? Well....see ya. Great talents with great potential but it's not like I'm gonna cry my eyes out if they would bolt.

Was that intended to be a funny post?

The only reason MD is in the Military Bowl is because of poor attendance.

They had an outstanding season, and "playing not to lose" is invented BS. And they aren't 8-2.

Respect? Really?

How do you plan on winning when your best players prematurely leave?

+1+1+1+1

[P'Oed]

time for a new direction IMO. Tired of the "playing not to lose" attitude that Fridge seems to instill every year. Honestly, it can't get much worse. We're 8-2 and playing in the f'ing Military Bowl. Time to try to get some respect.

As for Torrey and O'Brien being unhappy? Well....see ya. Great talents with great potential but it's not like I'm gonna cry my eyes out if they would bolt.

Was that intended to be a funny post?

The only reason MD is in the Military Bowl is because of poor attendance.

They had an outstanding season, and "playing not to lose" is invented BS. And they aren't 8-2.

Respect? Really?

How do you plan on winning when your best players prematurely leave?

Ah, typo, my bad. Meant to say 8-4.

But why exactly do they even have poor attendance? Because Fridge will NEVER be able to win the big one. I went to that school for four years of his tenure and how many times did I see them blow a huge game against FSU or Wake that could've gotten them to an ACC Championship game because of not being able to take a game by the balls? Sorry, I like Fridge but I'll be happy to see them go in a new direction. THey need someone with some clout that can actually recruit the ridiculous amount of talent in the area that always seems to go elsewhere. Agree to disagree I guess.

[Wizardspride]

time for a new direction IMO. Tired of the "playing not to lose" attitude that Fridge seems to instill every year. Honestly, it can't get much worse. We're 8-2 and playing in the f'ing Military Bowl. Time to try to get some respect.

As for Torrey and O'Brien being unhappy? Well....see ya. Great talents with great potential but it's not like I'm gonna cry my eyes out if they would bolt.

Was that intended to be a funny post?

The only reason MD is in the Military Bowl is because of poor attendance.

They had an outstanding season, and "playing not to lose" is invented BS. And they aren't 8-2.

Respect? Really?

How do you plan on winning when your best players prematurely leave?

Ah, typo, my bad. Meant to say 8-4.

But why exactly do they even have poor attendance? Because Fridge will NEVER be able to win the big one. I went to that school for four years of his tenure and how many times did I see them blow a huge game against FSU or Wake that could've gotten them to an ACC Championship game because of not being able to take a game by the balls? Sorry, I like Fridge but I'll be happy to see them go in a new direction. THey need someone with some clout that can actually recruit the ridiculous amount of talent in the area that always seems to go elsewhere. Agree to disagree I guess.

I would have preferred that Franklin be given the job since he is known for his recruiting.

[P'Oed]

I just want Maryland football to be BIG and I don't ever think that's gonna happen under Fridge and Franklin.

[Wizardspride]

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/2 ... t-in-limbo

There is miscommunication and confusion going on at Maryland right now.

Maryland AD Kevin Anderson is strongly considering asking coach Ralph Friedgen to take a buyout and retire, ESPN.com's Joe Schad is reporting. Friedgen did not answer his cell phone for immediate comment, and a source said he went home instead of participating in a scheduled teleconference with Anderson and reporters Friday afternoon.

The program is being torn apart at the seams, and there's literally nothing this staff can say to hide it from recruits.

Forget next year, these guys don't know if they'll be employed next week.

Earlier Friday, offensive coordinator James Franklin left to be Vanderbilt's head coach, and he reportedly plans to take several assistants with him. Sources said that Friedgen left the office Friday without talking to any staff members about the situation, and everyone was left wondering about their future. The assistants, their families and the players are the ones who have been hurt the most by the upheaval at Maryland -- not Friedgen. He'll get a cool $2 million out of the deal.

If Maryland is going to salvage this mess (and what an embarrassing, disorganized display of leadership this has been), it's going to have to come from Kevin Plank.

Plank, founder of Under Armour and former Terp, has the money. Maryland can't afford to both fire Friedgen and hire a big-name coach. He has ties to former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, but Leach still has some legal baggage and hurdles to overcome in that regard. Plank respects Friedgen -- Maryland was the first program in the country to endorse his product -- but he respects the program more.

If he wants a change, he's got the money and the power to make it happen.

It's not Plank's job, though, to take care of the current staff and players -- it's Friedgen's, and today, he didn't get it done.