Honorable Mention: Tennis-ATP Tour WTA Tour BNP Paribas Open (Friday-Monday 2pm from Indian Wells, CA live on Tennis Channel); Women’s College Basketball: ACC Tournament-Maryland vs. Georgia Tech/Wake Forest (Friday 6pm from Greensboro, NC live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS); Boxing: Tavoris Cloud vs. Bernard Hopkins (Saturday 9:30pm from Brooklyn, NY live on HBO), Friday Night Fights: Victor Cayo vs. Emmanuel Taylor (Friday 9pm from Atlantic City live on ESPN2); MMA: Bellator MMA (Thursday 10pm from Temecula, CA live on SpikeTV)

10. Stars (Thursday 8pm Rams Head Live); Ballyhoo! (Saturday 7pm Recher Theatre); Machine Gun Kelly (Sunday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Oak Ridge Boys (Friday 6pm & 9pm Rams Head on Stage), Leon Redbone (Saturday 8:30pm Rams Head on Stage), Standing in the Shadows of Motown feat. Peabo Bryson & Leela James (Monday 6pm & 9pm Rams Head on Stage); Joe Nichols (Saturday 7pm Rams Head Center Stage); Rusted Root (Saturday 6pm 9:30 Club), Dropkick Murphys (Sunday & Monday 6:30pm 9:30 Club); Scott Weiland (Monday 8pm Howard Theatre)

If you like music and live in Charm City, you’ve probably seen Ballyhoo! at some point in the last 24 months.

No band has greater benefitted from car rentals than Rusted Root. (If you don’t already get it, you will.)

Dropkick Murphys are coming. Let this be a reminder that we’re only days from St. Patrick’s Day.

Recently Scott Weiland was fired by Stone Temple Pilots. It was uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as the meeting his solo project Scott Weiland had the same day where the need to fire Scott Weiland was also discussed…

9. Tom Arnold (Friday & Saturday Baltimore Comedy Factory); “Wreck-It Ralph” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Oz The Great And Powerful” out in theaters (Friday); Baltimore St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Sunday 2pm Downtown Baltimore)

With all due respect to Tom Arnold, I’d rather be seeing Chris Farley AS Tom Arnold…

And I like this pre-St. Patty’s Day St. Patty’s Day. So here’s this.

(Continued on Page 2…)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After defeating 14th-ranked NC State on Wednesday, Maryland continues a difficult stretch of its schedule when it visits North Carolina Saturday at noon. Starting with the trip to Chapel Hill, the Terps will play four of their next six games on the road, including a clash at Duke on Jan. 26. Maryland will be looking for its first win at North Carolina since Jan. 19, 2008, when it defeated the then-No. 1 Tar Heels, 82-80.

Storyline

• In defeating the Wolfpack, Maryland evened its conference record at 2-2 and got its first win over a ranked opponent since March 3, 2010, a Greivis Vasquez led victory over Duke at Comcast Center.Alex Len, who scored the final six points for the Terps, tipped in a missed shot by Pe’Shon Howard with 00.9 seconds to give Maryland the 51-50 victory.

• Solid defense played a big role in the win. Maryland held NC State to 31.1 percent shooting after the Wolfpack entered the game ranked first nationally in field goal percentage at 52.8. The Terps have held each of their four conference opponents under 38 percent shooting, and they lead the ACC and rank third nationally by holding opponents to 35.1 percent shooting on the season. NC State also came into the game leading the league in scoring offense at 81.5 points per game, but was held to 16 first-half points and 50 points total, a season-low for the Wolfpack.

• Len, who is averaging 13.5 points per game, has been Maryland’s most consistent scorer. He’s reached double figures in 14 of 17 games and is averaging 14.3 points per game in conference play. Seth Allen, meanwhile, is averaging 11.8 points per game in league play. Allen, who had a streak of four straight games in double figures snapped when he had just four at Miami, started at the two-guard against NC State. Nick Faust got the start at point guard against the Wolfpack and had six points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Maryland-North Carolina Series History

• Maryland trails the all-time series 57-118, which dates back to 1924. North Carolina has a 56-16 advantage in Chapel Hill and has won four straight overall in the series. Maryland’s last win came on Feb. 7, 2010, and its last win at Carolina came on Jan. 19, 2008.

• The series has seen a variety of streaks over the past 10 years. Maryland won five of six from 1/9/2002 to 1/14/2004, and then Carolina won five straight from 2/15/2004 to 2/26/2006. The Terps then won four of five from 2/25/2007 to 2/7/2010 before the Tar Heels started their current four-game winning streak.

Turgeon-Williams Connection

• Mark Turgeon has a long-standing connection with Roy Williams. Turgeon was an assistant coach at Kansas under Williams for four seasons (1988-89 through 1991-92), including the 1991 season when Kansas was the national runner-up.

Quick Hitters

• The 13-game winning streak Maryland went on this season is tied for the second longest in school history, trailing just the 14-game streak the Terps went on in 1931-32. Maryland also went on a 13-game win streak in 2001-02, the year they went on to win the national title.

• It was also the 11th time in school history Maryland has put together a 10-game winning streak. In the past 30 years, Maryland has gone on a 10-game winning streak on six occasions, and in each of the previous instances it has gone on to play in the NCAA Tournament.

• Logan Aronhalt is averaging one 3-point field goal made for every 7.2 minutes on the floor. By comparison, the ACC leader in 3PT FGs made, Scott Wood of NC State, makes one every 12.3 minutes on the floor.

• Charles Mitchell earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Dec. 31 for his play against Delaware State on Dec. 29. Mitchell came off the bench to score 19 points and grab 14 rebounds, both career highs. Mitchell is the second Terp to earn weekly ACC honors; Alex Len was Player of the Week on Nov. 12.

• Seven of the 10 players in Maryland’s regular rotation are underclassmen and 80 percent of Maryland’s scoring (58.8 of 73.4 points per game) is coming from underclassmen. Additionally, Maryland’s top four scorers are underclassmen.

• When Seth Allen, Jake Layman and Shaquille Cleare drew starts against UMES, it marked the first time Maryland started three true freshmen since Dec. 28, 1993, when Keith Booth, Matt Kovarik and Joe Smith did vs. Hofstra.

• Maryland has assisted on 62.8 percent (285 of 454) field goals this season. The Terps have recorded double-digit assists in 16 of 17 games this season (exception is four at Miami).

• The Terps have made more free throws than the opponent has attempted this season (246 to 241). Maryland is 10-1 when making more free throws than the opponent.

• At least eight players have scored in 15 of Maryland’s 17 games this year. The exceptions are vs. George Mason and at Miami, when just seven players scored.

Rare Performance

• When freshmen Seth Allen and Jake Layman both reached the 20-point plateau against Virginia Tech, it marked a rare performance. Prior to Allen and Layman’s performances, a freshman had scored 20 or more points in a game just 10 times since 1994-95 – with none of those occurring in the same game. In fact, the last time two different freshmen scored 20 or more points in a game in the same season was 1992-93 when Exree Hipp and Johnny Rhodes did it.

Field-goal Percentage Defense

• Maryland leads the ACC and ranks third nationally in field goal percentage defense at .351. The Terps have held 11 of the last 13 opponents under 40 percent shooting, with Stony Brook and IUPUI being the exceptions. Maryland has held each of its four ACC opponents under 38 percent shooting, and the opponent field goal percentage has decreased in each of the four league games (VT – .373; FSU – .367; Miami – .349; NC State – .311).

• Since 2000, five Terrapin teams have held the opponent under 40 percent shooting. Of those five, four went on to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Hot Shooting

• Though Maryland’s shooting has cooled off the last three games – the Terps have shot under 40 percent in each of the past three contests – they rank second in the ACC behind NC State in field goal percentage with a .474 mark. Maryland has shot above 40 percent in 12 of 17 games this year and above 50 percent in nine games.

• The last time a Maryland team shot better than 48 percent on the season was 2001-02, when the Terps connected at a .482 mark. Since the 1990-91 season, just four teams have done it: (also 1994-95, .498; 1998-99, .495; and 2001-01, .484).

Super Subs

• Maryland’s bench has been an asset all season, as the Terps’ non-starters have outscored the opponents non-starters in 15 of 17 games (exceptions are Kentucky & George Mason).

• On the year, Maryland’s bench has a 454-185 (26.7 to 10.9 per game) advantage over the opponent. Most recently, Maryland’s bench outscored NC State’s 14-0.

• Though he has started three games, Seth Allen has been the biggest contributor by averaging 8.5 points per game when he doesn’t start.

• Logan Aronhalt has also been a consistent contributor as a long-range specialist. He is six 3-point field goals made shy of qualifying for the ACC lead, but his .509 mark from beyond the arc would lead the league. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 14 of 17 games this season.

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Orlando Salida vs. Mikey Garcia (Saturday 9:45pm from New York live on HBO), Sergey Kovalev vs. Gabriel Campillo (Saturday 9pm from Uncasville, CT live on NBC Sports Network); Women’s College Basketball: NC State @ Maryland (Thursday 8:30pm from Comcast Center live on Comcast SportsNet), Maryland @ Georgia Tech (Sunday 3pm from Atlanta live on ESPN2); Soccer: MISL Baltimore Blast @ Syracuse Silver Knights (Friday 7:30pm Sunday 1:30pm from Syracuse, NY live on MISLtv.com); High School Basketball: Perry Hall @ Woodlawn (Wednesday 6:30pm), Perry Hall @ Milford Mill (Friday 7pm)

10. Superstars of 70′s Soul Jam feat. The Stylistics, Peaches and Herb (Saturday 8pm 1st Mariner Arena); The Darkness (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head Live), G. Love & Special Sauce (Sunday 8:30pm Rams Head Live); Hollywood Undead (Sunday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Gin Blossoms (Tuesday 6pm & 9pm Rams Head on Stage), Eric Benet (Monday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); 2 Chainz (Saturday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Ellie Goulding (Sunday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Janelle Monae (Sunday 6pm 9:30 Club); WAR (Thursday 7:30pm Birchmere); Morrissey (Wednesday 8pm Strathmore); Smokey Robinson (Friday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Soundgarden (Friday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Tim Reynolds (Sunday 8pm & 10pm Blues Alley); Augustana (Monday 7pm U Street Music Hall)

I’d like to do like 100 more things this week that involve the Gin Blossoms…

I hate admitting how much I enjoy this Ellie Goulding tune…

I’ve been a Janelle Monae fan since the first time I knew there was such a thing as Janelle Monae…

Soundgarden, huh? I’ll sign up for just about anything that involves Chris Cornell singing tunes…

9. Baltimore County Winter Restaurant Week (Tuesday-Monday throughout Baltimore County); Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade (Saturday 12pm MLK Boulevard); “Taken 2″ available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Broken City” and “The Last Stand” out in theaters (Friday)

My favorite part of Taken 2 was when Liam Neeson was talking about Tim Tebow…

On the list for Winter Restaurant Week? The Grill at Harryman House. Where a burger looks like this…

Ummm…yes.

(Continued on Page 2…)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland closes out its 2012 campaign when it visits North Carolina this Saturday at 3 p.m. for the first meeting between the schools since 2008. The Terps have won five of the last six in the series, though the Tar Heels hold a 36-21-1 all-time edge, including a 20-14-1 advantage in Chapel Hill.

First-and-10

• The Terps have lost five straight after a rash of injuries has taken its toll on both sides of the ball. Ten Terrapins have been lost to season-ending injuries, all of them potential starters. Of the 10 starters lost, four are quarterbacks, leaving freshman Shawn Petty, a former linebacker, as the team’s starter. Maryland has been without leading rusher Wes Brown and leading tackler Demetrius Hartsfieldthe past two weeks, both of whom suffered season-ending injuries. Combined with Perry Hills’ season-ending injury in October, that meant the Terps were without their leading passer (Hills), rusher (Brown) and tackler (Hartsfield) the last three games of the year.

• Hartsfield, who suffered a torn ACL during the Georgia Tech game, had been the leader of a defense that ranked in the top-10 nationally for the first eight games of the season. One of four team captains, Hartsfield has remained Maryland’s leading tackler and ranks 15th in school history with 338 in his career.

• The toughest part of Maryland’s schedule has coincided with Maryland’s ills. The Terps faced the top four offenses in the Atlantic Coast Conference in November – Clemson ranks first, Florida State second, North Carolina third and Georgia Tech fourth. Still, the Terps possess a top 15 defense. Maryland ranks 15th nationally in total defense (322.5 ypg), 20th in rushing defense (123.9 ypg) and 27th in passing defense (198.6 ypg). In 11 games, Maryland has held its opponent under 100 rushing yards five times, and under 55 yards four times.

• Maryland has an experienced front seven highlighted by senior defensive linemen Joe Vellano and A.J. Francis, and senior linebackers Kenneth Tate and Darin Drakeford. Maryland’s 6.6 tackles for loss per game rank 29th in the FBS and its 2.55 sacks per game are tied for 25th. Vellano, who has played through an ankle injury for much of the year, is fourth in the ACC and is tied for 30th nationally with 1.27 tackles for loss per game. Vellano and Drakeford are tied for fifth in the conference with 6.0 sacks, and Cole Farrand has also provided solid play, with his 71 tackles ranking second on the team behind the injured Hartsfield. Against Florida State, Tate became the first Terrapin to record 3.0 sacks in a game since Shawne Merriman on Nov. 2, 2002.

• Petty took the reins at QB against Georgia Tech and has started the past three games. Petty starred on both sides of the ball and was an All-Met selection at Eleanor Roosevelt HS in Greenbelt, Md. As a quarterback, he threw for 1,300 yards and 15 TDs, and ran for 550 yards and 10 TDs. In his two games, Petty has completed 23 of 49 passes for 292 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. Against Florida State, Petty hit senior wide receiver Kevin Dorsey for a pair of scores as Dorsey surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards.

• Against Clemson, Brandon Ross took over starting duties at running back for the injured Brown and responded with the best game of his young career. Ross ran 16 times for 100 yards, an average of 6.25 yards per carry, and had a 44-yard run which is the longest by a Terrapin this season.

• Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been Maryland’s most dynamic playmaker this season. His 766 receiving yards rank 10th on Maryland’s single-season list, while his 1,648 all-purpose yards rank fifth. Against Virginia, the freshman returned the game’s opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and vs. Boston College he had a career-high 11 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with a pair of touchdown catches against Georgia Tech and over his last seven games is averaging 88.6 receiving yards per game. Diggs has earned ACC weekly honors four times this season: he received Rookie of the Week honors against West Virginia, Wake Forest and Boston College; and Specialist of the Week honors against Virginia.

Quick Hitters

• Maryland is one of seven schools to have started three different players at quarterback this season (also Southern Miss – 4; and Colorado State, Kentucky, Minnesota, Tulane and Utah – 3).

• The combination of a talented 2012 recruiting class and a number of injuries has led Maryland to play 15 true freshmen this season. That’s tied for the third most in the FBS, behind only Texas and TCU who have each played 16.

• The quarterback position has been hit hardest by injuries, leaving the Terps in what seems to be uncharted territory. Four Maryland QBs have suffered season-ending injuries this year: C.J. Brown was lost in August with a torn ACL; Perry Hills was lost in the NC State game with a torn ACL; Devin Burns was lost after replacing Hills in the NC State game with a Lisfranc (foot); and Caleb Rowe was lost for the year after suffering a torn ACL in the Boston College game. An inquiry among FBS media relations contacts turned up no results of any school having a similar injury situation at quarterback this season or in the past.

• Perry Hills, Caleb Rowe and Shawn Petty have all started at QB this season. It’s been nearly 30 years since Maryland last started three quarterbacks in one season. The last time was 1973, when Ben Kinard started six games, Bob Avellini started three games and Al Neville started two games.

• Maryland has lost 10 players to season-ending injuries this year, four of which are quarterbacks. QB C.J. Brown (knee), WRKerry Boykins (hip), RB Wes Brown, QB Devin Burns (foot), PK/P Nick Ferrara (hip), LB Demetrius Hartsfield (knee), QB Perry Hills (knee), WR Marcus Leak (toe), DL Andre Monroe (knee) and QB Caleb Rowe (knee) have all been lost for the year.

• Stefon Diggs has earned ACC Player of the Week honors four times this year. Diggs won Rookie of the Week for his play against West Virginia (9/22), Wake Forest (10/6) and Boston College (10/27), and Specialist of the Week against Virginia (10/13).

• Diggs ranks fifth in the conference and first among freshmen with 76.6 receiving yards per game. Diggs, who has 46 catches for 766 yards, already ranks 10th on Maryland’s single-season receiving yards list (see list page 6).

• Diggs is the only Maryland freshman to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games (vs. West Virginia and Wake Forest) since at least 1985, the earliest game-by-game statistics were recorded at the school.

• Maryland allowed Wake Forest to complete just 32.4 percent of its passes (13 of 38). That is the lowest percentage by an opponent with at least 30 passing attempts since Duke went 13 of 42 (30.9%) on Nov. 14, 1998.

• Joe Vellano’s father, Paul Vellano, was inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 5. The elder Vellano was a first team All-American in 1973, while Joe was a second team All-American in 2011. The father-son combo represent one of four known father-son All-America combos to attend the same FBS school (also Lee and Travis McGriff at Florida; Kevin and Drew Butler at Georgia; Archie and Eli Manning at Ole Miss).

• Fourteen players saw their first career action for Maryland against William & Mary, and 27 players have seen their first career action for Maryland at some point this season (15 true freshmen, eight redshirt freshmen, one sophomore, two juniors, one senior).

• The Terps are holding opponents to 3.34 yards per carry, which is ranks 14th nationally. Of the opponents’ 408 rushing attempts this season, 246 (60.3%) have been for three yards or less (28 of 41 vs. William & Mary; 28 of 39 vs. Temple; 25 of 40 vs. Connecticut; 20 of 25 vs. West Virginia; 21 of 29 vs. Wake Forest; 25 of 42 vs. Virginia; 18 of 26 vs. NC State; 21 of 27 vs. Boston College; 18 of 56 vs. Georgia Tech; 26 of 42 vs. Clemson; 16 of 51 vs. Florida State).

• The Terps have done a good job controlling the clock. In 11 games, Maryland has had the ball for an average of 31:10 to 28:50 for the opponent. That’s a major upgrade compared to 2011, when Maryland averaged just 25:16 a game to 34:44 for the opponent.

Maryland-North Carolina Series History

• Saturday’s game will mark the 70th meeting between the Terrapins and Tar Heels. North Carolina owns a 36-32-1 edge in the all-time series. The two schools first met back in 1920 when Maryland blanked Carolina 13-0. Maryland is 14-20-1 against North Carolina in games played in Chapel Hill.

• The teams last met in 2008 in College Park, a 17-15 Maryland victory. The Terps have won five of the last six in the series.

• The Tar Heels have won four of the last six meetings in Chapel Hill. The last meeting in Chapel Hill was in 2007, a 16-13 North Carolina victory.

Head Coach Randy Edsall

Opening Statement:

“Before I begin I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. This weekend we play North Carolina, which is a team with a very fast paced offense. When you take a look at it, there are a lot of similarities between their offense and our offense, and same thing on defense. They are terrific offensively and they have an outstanding quarterback. Another guy, who you don’t really hear about, is their left guard Jonathan Cooper, who is outstanding and is one of the best. They have been able to generate a lot of points, so we have a tremendous challenge defensively. They also have a defense that will bring pressure and they have a lot of good athletes. Going to their place is also a challenge because they have a very good environment but our guys are going to be ready to go. It is the last time that our 17 seniors get to put on a Maryland uniform so we want to make sure that we can go down there and finish on a high note and go into the off-season with a good taste in our mouths.”

On the reaction of the team to Maryland joining the Big Ten and if it was a distraction:

“They good thing for us was that the announcement came on our day off, so there was no distraction from our normal routine. The team was really excited about it, but all of that has now been decided and is done and over with. All of our attention today is focused on North Carolina so we just have to go to the practice field and take care of our preparations. Everything is pretty much normal for us, which how we need to have it.”

On what he is thankful for this season:

“I am thankful for these players, our seniors, and everybody else. All of the things that we want to do as a program are growing and getting better. I am thankful for the kids we were able to redshirt. I saw some numbers the other day of where they were in September and where they are now here in November in terms of the weight that they have put on and the strength that they have gained. I just know that everything is headed in the right direction. The players know it, the coaches know it, the recruits know it, and it is just unfortunate that we were beset with the injuries, but the will and the spirit of these guys has never wavered. They continue to do all of the things that are expected of them to be outstanding players in an outstanding program.”

On if he has seen the same sort of focus from the seniors this week:

“Yes I have. Statistics tell you that this will be the last time that [many of them] will play, not only for Maryland, but also for their careers. The one thing that I try to instill in our guys is to never have any regrets. I know that none of our players are going to have any regrets about not giving everything that they have. When you walk off that field, it is over for at least another year. For our seniors it could be over for good. I think what you always want to do is when you are ending the season or ending your college career you want to be able to walk off the field knowing that you gave everything that you had to help your team win. I know that all of our guys will do that.” 

On his own memories and thoughts from the last game he played in his college career:

“I do have some memories. It was a bowl game and it was a great experience. For me, I knew it was the last time I was ever going to put the uniform on and play so it is all about going out there and helping your team win and to know that you are part of something special. They are all winners regardless, but what you want to do is make sure that you can walk off winning on the scoreboard.”

On if he thinks Maryland can compete in the Big Ten:

“I don’t think there is any doubt. There is no doubt we can compete and do well in the Big Ten. That is all due to recruiting, developing players, and players understanding what the expectations are. People will always have their opinion. But the only opinions that really matter to me are the ones in the building that are going out there each and every day and doing the things necessary in order to win. We will be fine. We will have the right people here, we will have talent, and we will develop talent in order to ensure that we are going to be competitive and win.”

On if he touched base with the recruits:

“Yes we did. There are no issues. Monday is the big night for us, with regards to recruiting, so we were able to touch base with them and tell them exactly what went on. Just like with everyone else, these kids react to the news, but when you get a chance to talk it through with them we can clear the whole thing up. We do not have any issues with recruiting due to the change in conferences.”

On his initial reaction to joining the Big Ten:

“I was ecstatic. I thought it was a home run for the university and I thought it was great for the athletic department. I really wanted to commend our leadership for making the tough call. It takes a lot of guts to do that. If you take everything and look at it, this was a decision where there was no way they could pass up this opportunity. It really enhances this university academically and financially, and it helps the student-athletes in a big way. It will allow the athletic department to better serve and better fund the student athletes and their programs in terms of what they need. I think the academic affiliation also helps our professors and gives them better resources so be able to go and be better. When you have a situation where you are given an opportunity to enhance that many constituents, you really cannot walk away. In the ever-changing world of college athletics, it is great to be involved with forward thinkers who see where everything is going to go so that you do not get left behind. I was just happy for everybody and it made this institution that much better and that much stronger and it will make this athletic department that much better.”

– Terps –

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Robert Guerrero vs. Andre Berto (Saturday 10pm from Ontario, CA live on HBO); Women’s College Basketball: American @ Maryland (Wednesday 4pm Comcast Center); CFL: Grey Cup-Calgary Stampeders vs. Toronto Argonauts (Sunday 6pm from Toronto live on NBC Sports Network)

10. Bob Dylan feat. Mark Knopfler (Tuesday 7:30pm Verizon Center); All Time Low (Friday 7pm Rams Head Live Saturday 6pm Recher Theatre); Charm City Devils (Friday 6:30pm Recher Theatre); Laughing Colors (Wednesday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Citizen Cope (Wednesday 7pm Friday 8pm 9:30 Club), Of Monsters And Men (Sunday 7pm 9:30 Club); Duncan Sheik (Sunday 7:30pm Birchmere); Ballyhoo (Wednesday 9pm Greene Turtle Aberdeen); B.B. King (Saturday & Sunday 8pm Howard Theatre); R. Kelly (Saturday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Led Zeppelin “Celebration Day”, Phillip Phillips “The World From The Side Of The Moon”, Coldplay “Live 2012″, O.A.R. “Live on Red Rocks” and AC/DC “Live at River Plate” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I’ve been playing an ATL song on the show recently. Might not be my thing, but if you name a song “For Baltimore” you can be sure I’ll be in on it.

I saw Citizen Cope again this summer, I remembered I freaking LOVE seeing Citizen Cope…

Of Monsters And Men won’t make a ton of critics’ choice lists this year, but they should…

I watched O.A.R.’s Red Rocks show live on AXS TV back in the summer. It was tremendous. Of course it was.

9. D.L. Hughley (Friday 8:30pm Warner Theatre), Jay Mohr (Saturday 8 & 10:30pm Magooby’s Joke House), Donnell Rawlings (Friday-Sunday DC Improv); “Life of Pi“, “Red Dawn“, “Rise of the Guardians“ (Wednesday) and “Hitchcock” out in theaters (Friday); “The Expendables 2″ available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); Festival of Trees (Friday-Sunday Timonium Fairgrounds)

If you can’t remember how you know Jay Mohr, the answer is from his AWESOME annual stop to see WNST at the Super Bowl…

(Continued on Page 2…)

Drew Forrester is right.

(You better make sure you pocket that one away for the future there, Forrester.)

He wrote Saturday morning here at WNST.net that if the University of Maryland were to jump ship from the ACC to the Big Ten (or B1G if you will), the move would be made entirely based on money.

He’s right about that. Of course, as it always is with Drew-he’s not right about everything.

Drew also said such a move would “stink…plain and simple.”

I’m not buying that whatsoever. I know he isn’t either.

Maryland to the Big Ten rumors have been reheated in recent days, and it appears as though this time there’s the actual bite that has been missing during previous rounds of rumors. In fact, a detailed ESPN.com report said Saturday school President Wallace Loh and Athletic Director Kevin Anderson were directly involved in negotiations.

The single biggest reason why a move like this WOULDN’T happen would be the $50 million exit fee the ACC is charging for a member institution to leave, but there’s monetary incentive for the B1G to be willing to help there.

Should the B1G be able to lure Maryland (and Rutgers as reports have indicated the league would also like to add), they would immediately open up three top 30 markets for likely pickup of the Big Ten Network (New York, Washington and Baltimore). Adding these three markets would prove quite lucrative for a league who created the first ever 24-7 sports television network.

That fact has been deemed understandable by most fans, but what some have struggled to understand is why Maryland would want to give up money-making basketball games against the likes of Duke and North Carolina.

Perhaps Saturday’s football game should teach you a lesson.

To understand why the move would make sense for Maryland, you must first be willing to accept a simple fact. No matter how important basketball is to your program, football is the money maker at (damn near) every major Division 1 university.

Let that sink in.

Maryland needs football revenue. It’s why they’re rotating through many different Under Armour uniforms right now. They’re hoping that with actual healthy players in the near future, they might be able to win games under Randy Edsall. If they do, that will go a long way to helping the program make money. In the meantime, their most lucrative opponents at Byrd Stadium include the likes of Virginia Tech and Florida State.

And thanks to this picture posted by InsideMDSports.com Saturday, here’s what we’ve learned about the lucrative nature of a game against Florida State…

There is no guarantee that a late season game against an Ohio State or Penn State or Michigan or Wisconsin would be significantly better attended than Saturday’s game given the dreadful state of the Maryland program after losing FOUR quarterbacks. But if THIS is as good as the ACC has to offer in football, what really is there to lose by making the jump?

There absolutely WOULD be something lost in basketball with a move to the B1G. Games against Duke and North Carolina have been perhaps the most significant athletic events the school has hosted in the last decade. That said, the conference has been a watered down mess outside the two power programs, and replacing Duke and Carolina with games against Michigan State and Indiana annually (or biannually) doesn’t sound like a terrible consolation prize. Games against Ohio State Wisconsin could serve as replacements for what would have been gained from the pending additions of Pitt and Syracuse to the ACC.

But Maryland’s reason for interest in jumping ship to the Big Ten is still much more tied to football, and namely the Big Ten Network.

The thought process is quite simple. Every Big Ten football game played every year is on television.

I want you to think about that.

Every single game is on television…not ESPN3.com.

That value cannot be dismissed in making a determination for the University of Maryland. Even the early season games against the likes of James Madison or Florida International would actually air on TV in (presumably) almost every home in the area and in other Big Ten markets, which would now include the crucial recruiting areas of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Every single game would also be available for viewing parties of alumni groups in bars and restaurants in those same markets.

Does that make sense?

On top of that, every program aired 24 hours a day, seven days a week on BTN serves as very affordable advertising for the athletic department and university as a whole.

If Maryland makes the move to the B1G, it will ABSOLUTELY be all about money.

It will NOT however “stink”.

Everyone knows (including Drew) that the only thing that actually matters in college athletics is money.

That’s “plain and simple.”

-G

Norfolk, Va.- The UMBC men’s soccer team advanced to the second round of the NCAA College Cup as the Retrievers played Old Dominion to a 0-0 double overtime draw, but advanced, 4-2, in penalty kicks.

UMBC is now 11-4-6, while Old Dominion’s season comes to an end at 11-3-3.

UMBC junior goalkeeper Phil Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) played the starring role for the second consecutive game, stopping a pair of penalty kicks.

After senior Milo Kapor (Toronto, Ont./Emily Carr) converted the first kick, Saunders saved ODU goalkeeper Victor Fracoz’ attempt.  UMBC’s Mamadou Kansaye’s (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) and Monarchs’ forward Chris Harmon matched successful kicks,  but UMBC senior back Liam Paddock’s (Worcestershire, England) attempt was saved by Francoz.

But on ODU’s tying attempt, Saunders again dove to his right and stopped the effort of Jordan LeBlanc. Both UMBC’s Kadeem Dacres (Rosedale, N.Y.) and ODU’s Ivan Militar converted, setting up Retriever senior Dave Vaeth (Dundalk, Md./Patapsco) for the game-winning opportunity. Vaeth buried his attempt into the upper left corner of the goal, setting off a wild celebration by the visitors.

UMBC will advance to the second round for the second time in three years and will compete at defending national champion North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

UMBC junior forward Pete Caringi III (Perry Hall, Md./Calvert Hall) was unable to start and played only the final 26 seconds of regulation and final 20 seconds of overtime after a free kick opportunities. Caringi suffered an ankle injury early in the America East championship game vs. UNH and did not return.

The first half was evenly-played, as both teams managed only three shots each. The Monarchs’ best opportunity was their first, as Gideon Asante hit a shot wide right from eight yards out in the 18^th minute. UMBC’s best chance came late in the half, as Dacres hit a rising shot from 17 yards out on the left wing which went over just the crossbar.

In the second half, Kansaye’s 50-yard free kick had to be parried over bar, giving UMBC its first corner of the match in 58’ The Retrievers attempted four corners in the second stanza, but the best chance, an Oumar Ballo (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) header in the 59^th minute went wide of the near post.

Old Dominion outshot UMBC, 10-6. Saunders and Francoz both made three saves in 110 minutes of play. Saunders recorded his fourth consecutive shuout.

GERMANTOWN, Md. – Top-seeded Maryland defeated No. 2 North Carolina 2-1 to win its third title in five seasons Sunday afternoon at the 2012 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship.

The Terps (17-1-2) picked up goals from freshmen Dakota Edwards and Schillo Tshuma to win their fifth overall conference tournament crown (1996, 2002, 2008, 2010, and 2012) in front of 9,341 fans at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Edwards, after a subpar semifinal match, rose to the occasion in the title contest, notching Maryland’s opening score in the 11th minute. The defender grabbed a corner kick from Dan Metzger and muscled his way to a goal to the lower left from two yards. It was the first goal North Carolina (15-3-2) had surrendered since Tshuma tallied the game-winner in overtime in the earlier meeting between the two teams on Oct. 19 in College Park.

Maryland would continue to put the defending national champions on their heels throughout the first half, winning the shot battle 6-1.

Tshuma put the Terps on top 2-0 in the 62nd minute with an incredibly angled strike from the near sideline off a throw-in from Mikey Ambrose. It was the rookie’s eighth goal in 2012.

UNC forward Rob Lovejoy sliced the lead in half with 4:32 remaining but a calm and collected defensive effort held on for the win.

“I’ll cherish this one forever and I think our alumni and fans will as well,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “Today we played a great game, our best of the game of the year. I thought today we were very sharp in all phases of the game and deserved the victory against one of the great teams in soccer and certainly the best defensive team we’ve seen in the nation.”

2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year Patrick Mullins was tabbed the ACC Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player and was joined on the all-tournament squad by John Stertzer, London Woodberry, Tshuma and Edwards.

Maryland will find out its NCAA tournament destiny Monday at 5:30 p.m. when the bracket is announced on NCAA.com