The "real" reaction in Maryalnd to the Terps to the B1G

[Townie72]

When Maryland announced it was going to the B1G there was a flurry of statements from the school and people like Gary Williams --- who serves as a $400K/yr consultant --- about how great this was going to be.

Now we are getting the actual reaction of the populace. The first I have read is a piece by Blair Lee in the Montgomery County Gazette (attached)

http://www.gazette.net/article/2012...14/-blair-lee-terps-for-sale&template=gazette

You might think that Blair Lee is some hack journalist writing a small time column for a local rag. That would be a mistake. Blair Lee is a member and heir of of one of Maryland's powerful families. He's writing this column as a hobby and not as a source of income. Everybody of note knows who Blair Lee is and what the Lee family has been in Maryland for generations. Few know that Kevin Anderson is the MD AD or that this guy Loh is the new president.

His criticism of Maryland's move is stinging.

The decision can't be reversed. But Loh and Anderson are now really out on a limb.

 

[All4SU]

He gets right to the heart of it.

 

[PeteCalvin]

The truth always comes out. Like Len Elmore said when the move was announced, there will be hell to pay for this move. It may not happen today, next month, or next year, but buyers remorse will someday set in, and it will be the fans that lose out. The very people UMD is trying to attract back to the stadiums will forget about their program. I have to think that, in particular, the MD lacrosse fans are already bracing themselves for mediocrity and boredom.

 

[Alsacs]

Maryland sold out for the money. Can anyone blame them? It is part of the reason SU is leaving the Big East for the ACC. If Debbie Yow didn't destroy the Maryland AD office with her horrible moves and the ACC contract was close enough to the B1G's Maryland would never go anywhere. They are going to a more stable conference and will be handsomely paid to be part of that conference.

 

[GoSU96]

When Maryland announced it was going to the B1G there was a flurry of statements from the school and people like Gary Williams --- who serves as a $400K/yr consultant --- about how great this was going to be.

Now we are getting the actual reaction of the populace. The first I have read is a piece by Blair Lee in the Montgomery County Gazette (attached)

http://www.gazette.net/article/2012...14/-blair-lee-terps-for-sale&template=gazette

You might think that Blair Lee is some hack journalist writing a small time column for a local rag. That would be a mistake. Blair Lee is a member and heir of of one of Maryland's powerful families. He's writing this column as a hobby and not as a source of income. Everybody of note knows who Blair Lee is and what the Lee family has been in Maryland for generations. Few know that Kevin Anderson is the MD AD or that this guy Loh is the new president.

His criticism of Maryland's move is stinging.

The decision can't be reversed. But Loh and Anderson are now really out on a limb.

Damn

 

[PhatOrange]

Maryland sold out for the money. Can anyone blame them? It is part of the reason SU is leaving the Big East for the ACC. If Debbie Yow didn't destroy the Maryland AD office with her horrible moves and the ACC contract was close enough to the B1G's Maryland would never go anywhere. They are going to a more stable conference and will be handsomely paid to be part of that conference.

Yes you can blame them. Money doesn't equal success, as evidence by the number of bad programs in the big 10. money also doesn't mean their AD will be managed better.
their immediate money grab was very short sighted and the fanbase will pay the price.

not to mention, who can say where everything will be in 15 years. tv contracts and current money won't stay the same. the acc 'could' end up on top if some of their football programs get back to championship levels.

 

[jr4750]

He gets right to the heart of it.

Yep, not a good thing to have one of your benefactors that disappointed...

 

[rrlbees]

sounds like a bunch of belly aching.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Thanks for sharing that Townie.

BTW, the Blair name means something in Maryland also. Am I correct in guessing that Mr. Lee is a descendant of the Blair family that features prominently in Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals?

 

[Chip]

sounds like a bunch of belly aching.

Maybe, but where is he wrong? If you're a Maryland fan who enjoyed being in the ACC (strange as it sounds that a fan of any school would be happy in their conference in this day and age), wouldn't you want to do a lot of belly aching? They are in the Big 10 because of 2 reasons. 1. Location, 2. Mismanagement. If either one was different, there's a good chance they go nowhere.

 

[rrlbees]

Maybe, but where is he wrong? If you're a Maryland fan who enjoyed being in the ACC (strange as it sounds that a fan of any school would be happy in their conference in this day and age), wouldn't you want to do a lot of belly aching? They are in the Big 10 because of 2 reasons. 1. Location, 2. Mismanagement. If either one was different, there's a good chance they go nowhere.

Eh, he doesn't like the move and I am sure other MD fans don't. But I lived there for 5 years and I know a lot of people still and many are glad. MD fans have belly ached forever that they wanted out of the ACC because of the "Carolina mafia". They have always felt they got screwed. They'll probably still get screwed in the B10 though. I don't know what happened with Yow and the "books" but she got another job real quick doing the same thing. She was also one of the people that Swofford put in front of the original ACC expansion, so she must have some respect. She was SU's biggest advocater then too.

As far as on the field and the hindsight now about the coaches, their fans did nothing but bitch about Fridge and Williams. Local kids weren't falling all over themselves to go there either. Md and it's fans got exactly what they have wanted for a long time.

 

[Rocco]

people like Gary Williams --- who serves as a $400K/yr consultant --- about how great this was going to be.

translation: longer job longevity for GW = winning

 

[Scooch]

As long as the ACC remains a relatively-intact, viable conference for SU I couldn't care less what becomes of Maryland.

 

[storange]

As long as the ACC remains a relatively-intact, viable conference for SU I couldn't care less what becomes of Maryland.

ditto

 

[FAL]

Maryland sold out for the money. Can anyone blame them? It is part of the reason SU is leaving the Big East for the ACC. If Debbie Yow didn't destroy the Maryland AD office with her horrible moves and the ACC contract was close enough to the B1G's Maryland would never go anywhere. They are going to a more stable conference and will be handsomely paid to be part of that conference.

I can't dispute what you say, but the fact remains that the Maryland fans and teams are getting royally screwed by management mishandling. Plus Maryland's move was dictated by financial mismanagement; SU's move was dictated by conference mismanagement. Big difference.

 

[44PRIDE]

I wonder if the ACC would allow MD to return if they couldn't pay the exit fee...

 

[javadoc]

As long as the ACC remains a relatively-intact, viable conference for SU I couldn't care less what becomes of Maryland.

Would love to have them back for travel purposes and nothing more.

 

[masonorange]

As someone who spent the first 18 years of his life in Montgomery County, MD and who now only lives 30 minutes away... I have no clue who Blair Lee is

 

[riskylogic]

^^^
I never heard of him either, and I've been here for the last 23. But still, he nailed it. The swipe at the state was right on too.

 

[All4SU]

By the way, how do i get a job as a "special consultant" to SU for $400,000. Nice gig for Gary Williams.

 

[dollarbill44]

By the way, how do i get a job as a "special consultant" to SU for $400,000. Nice gig for Gary Williams.

Win a NC in hoops?

 

[edowd26]

As someone who spent the first 18 years of his life in Montgomery County, MD and who now only lives 30 minutes away... I have no clue who Blair Lee is

He comes fr a long line of Blaire Lee's. He is the Fourth. His family was pretty prominent in the state of Maryland. Just googled it.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

By the way, how do i get a job as a "special consultant" to SU for $400,000. Nice gig for Gary Williams.

Maybe if your name is James Arthur Boeheim?

 

[baggerbob]

The milk cow is going to dry up for the Big 10 network, and I suspect very soon congress will force cable companies to allow individuals to pick and choose their own bundles. Murdoch with all the trouble he and son are in over in Britain, should be very careful of causing any waves over here. He very well might find himself divesting his holdings in both countries.

 

[All4SU]

Win a NC in hoops?

I am REALLY close on this one...really, really close.