Reflections on INRCP

Well, we struggled against it, but basketball season at the University of Maryland is over. No more watching the Terps on the court - even when they play badly, that's sad news.

Basketball at UMD officially ended last night when the Lady Terps lost in the Elite Eight to a Stanford squad that featured a 41-point scorer, Candice Wiggins. I had a feeling, and I mentioned it last week, but I still thought that the Terps were the better team. It was simply a matter of who was hot and who was not last night, as the Cardinal hit 14 three-pointers in the game and were 66.7% from long range in the first half. It was tough to see Crystal Langhorne and Laura Harper end such storied careers so close to a second national championship, but I take rest in the fact that they did at least win one, and not many players can say that.

The men's season ended some time ago against Syracuse when the Orange basically decided to school the Terps. To their credit, they did beat Minnesota and played potentially the most individually talented team not to make the Big Dance.

It was a very disappointing season - the worst since 1993. I fail to see why it was a "rebuilding year," because in midseason the Terps did show that they had the salt to beat a top team in UNC. The wheels came off.

However, despite the disappointment and the heartache, I'm most upset that basketball is done. More than anything in sports, I love the thrill of being in the stands, watching the game unfold, seeing the coaching adjustments, watching players take their game to the next level. Even though this men's team broke my heart and I wanted the women to win it all one more time, they gave me much more joy than pain.

Really, that's what this project has been all about. The future of sports writing is about the fans - catering to what they feel and think more than what they see. I've tried to create a fan's eye view of this team, tried to share with you why I love being here, what I perceive and what I take from my observations.

You know, all that junk.

Again, I would like to thank you all for the support and making this site bigger than I imagined. Writing is in my future, and this project - started as a hobby - has helped me express one of my passions and helped me get positioned for a career in the field.

Now, we have something important to discuss: Now that basketball is done, what's happening to INRCP?

The quick answer is that I don't know. As you might know, I've been slacking off a bit. I want to keep writing, but I also have other commitments and I don't want to give any readers false hopes. So here's what I can promise:

- NFL MOCK DRAFT brought to you by NFL insider Kyle Miller, the best draft expert that lives in my suite.

- MEN'S & WOMEN'S SEASON REVIEWS to take a look back on the season that was.

- RECRUITING UPDATES and a look at the starting basketball lineups.

- SPRING FOOTBALL and position battles as that unfolds.

- MILDLY AMUSING VIDEOS for your convenience. Like this one.

- JEROME BURNEY HIGHLIGHTS which will be starting now:



Also, we have crowned a new People's Champ - BAMBALE OSBY. Too bad he's graduating. Second place was Greivis Vasquez, so I suppose he's now People's Champ. If you have a problem with this, leave a comment. But the third place champ is Earl Badu, who graduated several years ago (and is the in the People's Champ Hall of Fame), and fourth place is DAVE NEAL, the reigning champ. So we'll see how that goes.

Well, tough going for the women, but then again, there's always lacrosse ...

... no, you're right. It's definitely not as good. (West Coast readers: This is what lacrosse is.)

Go Terps! And go Vikings! (Couldn't pass up a high school shout out. Girls lacrosse starts at Mount Hebron.)