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The Maryland basketball season doesn’t TECHNICALLY tip off until next Friday against Charleston Southern; but even an exhibition game tonight has me salivating. I LOVE College Hoops. And for the first time in a few years, I have a real genuine excitement about the long-term potential for this Maryland team. Here’s my thought process….

As far as the ACC is concerned, the Terps do NOT have the talent of North Carolina, and Duke is built better than they are. They have the capability to compete with any team in the league, but they should absolutely finish somewhere between 3rd and 5th in the league-with Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State and Wake Forest also in the mix.

This team will need to get more consistent outside shooting from Greivis Vasquez, Adrian Bowie, Cliff Tucker and Sean Mosley to compete for a conference title. Mosley especially might never be a natural shooter, but he at least must be a threat. They’ll need to muscle up inside as well, as Jordan Williams and James Padgett will help-but Dino Gregory and Landon Milbourne will be the guys to start.

And the team will ultimately revolve around Greivis Vasquez. This is his team. As we saw last season, when everything went wrong (remember the home game against UNC), sometimes Greivis could still save things. He’s much more mature than when he came to College Park, and this is his chance to leave a legacy.

I’ll say the Terps finish 4th in the ACC and end up in the Sweet 16. I reserve the right to change my mind anytime between now and March.

Let’s see what everyone else has to say…..

Best of Monday’s WNST Blogs:

Glenn Clark doesn’t know if Chris Chambers would necessarily be a great fit in Baltimore

Chris Pika says Ravens lead NFL in penalty yards

Glenn Clark, Drew Forrester say Flacco was best Raven in win over Broncos

Nestor Aparicio says former Ravens Exec Kokinis joins Phil Savage in being fired by Browns

Glenn Clark gives highest praise to special teams for win over Denver

Bob Haynie wonders who has been ‘most surprising Raven’ in ‘09

Derek Arnold says Ravens didn’t want to let another game ‘slip through (their) hands’

Glenn Clark can’t blame Jamal Lewis for wanting to get out of Cleveland

Glenn Clark says start of college hoops season at Maryland, UMBC, Loyola amongst highlights of week

Drew Forrester says Nestor Aparicio dispatched of Denise Koch in Baltimore Sun contest

Ed Frankovic says Ovechkin ‘week to week’ with upper body strain

RAVENS:

The Official Site’s John Eisenberg says Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Kelley Washington team’s new ‘three headed monster’

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Jared Gaither’s neck ‘felt fine’ after win over Broncos

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Harbaugh told Derrick Mason to let him handle officials

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Lardarius Webb TD ‘just one highlight’ for Ravens’ special teams unit

The Official Site says Harbaugh declined comment on Ngata’s injury during Monday press conference

The Official Site says Ravens partnered with Shoppers Food and Pharmacy, Maryland Food Bank

Bengals Official Site says team needs to sell 4,500 more tickets to Sunday’s game at Paul Brown Stadium to avoid blackout

Bengals Official Site’s Geoff Hobson says Roy Williams returned to practice Monday

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says no rest for Ravens defense with Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Green Bay coming up

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Ravens 3rd in NFL (behind Colts, Dolphins) in converting 3rd downs

The Sun’s Mike Preston says Carson Palmer and Cincinnati will ‘challenge’ Ravens’ secondary with downfield passing

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Harbs told media Hauschka put in extra work on 43 yard FG try

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Ngata injury not considered ‘serious’

The Sun’s Mike Preston says Josh McDaniels was really impressed with Flacco

Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson says Domonique Foxworth knows Ravens can’t get ‘too high’ after win

Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson says players credited Kelley Washington for win over Broncos

Frederick News-Post’s Stan Goldberg says Kelley Washington thought win over Broncos ‘stress reliever’

Cincinnati Enquirer’s Joe Reedy says Andre Smith could make NFL debut Sunday for Bengals

The AP’s Joe Kay says Cedric Benson, Jeremi Johnson healed during bye week

Sporting News’ Clifton Brown has Ravens 10th in power rankings

NBC Sports’ Mike Florio has Ravens 9th in power rankings

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Ravens were 11/18 on third down in win over Broncos

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Lardarius Webb ‘star’ for Ravens in win

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Ravens may have done ‘favor’ to Steelers by exposing Broncos

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Terrell Suggs thought Jarret Johnson’s early sack ‘really big’

TERRAPINS FOOTBALL:

The Official Site previews Saturday’s trip to Raleigh

The Official Site offers complete Maryland-NC State release (pdf)

The Diamondback’s Adi Joseph says Don Brown’s D-Line has improved throughout season

The Diamondback has Terps 12th in ACC

Washington Post’s Eric Prisbell says Maryland/Virginia Tech to kick off at 1pm next Saturday

Washington Post’s Eric Prisbell says Terps, Wolfpack battling to avoid being worst team in ACC

Washington Post’s Josh Barr says Wise DE Rashaan Moore committed to Terps

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Terps-Hokies headed to ESPN360

Sporting News’ Matt Hayes has Terps 12th in power rankings

ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich has Terps 11th in power rankings

Terrapin Times’ Keith Cavanaugh says Charles Bankins thinks Travis Baltz ‘cerebral’ (must subscribe)

Terrapin Times’ Claire Knudsen profiles freshman Travis Hawkins (must subscribe)

Turtle Sports Report’s Matt Birchenough says Bergen Catholic lineman Zach Sparber has been ‘hearing from’ Maryland (must subscribe)

TERRAPINS BASKETBALL:

The Official Site previews tonight’s exhibition opener with Indiana University (Pennsylvania)

The Official Site offers complete Terps-Crimson Hawks preview (pdf)

The Sun’s Jeff Barker expects more inside scoring from Dino Gregory

The Sun’s Jeff Barker says Vasquez was surprised to see Cal, Georgia Tech ranked ahead of Maryland in AP poll

The Sun’s David Zurawik says ESPN’s “30 For 30” series tackling Len Bias death tonight

Examiner Matthew Bouchard not happy with University’s new policy for student ticket scanning

The Diamondback’s Eric Detweiler says Joe Lombardi’s IUP team should be ‘pretty good’ this season

Washington Post’s Steve Yanda says Greivis Vasquez knows Terps ‘can’t wait’ to face someone else tonight

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says games like tonight’s becoming rare as teams shift to more closed scrimmages

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Hawks’ roster includes Boston College transfer Akida McLain

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Vasquez, Eric Hayes impressed by improvement of Gregory, Adrian Bowie

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Goins won’t play or practice until talking to his doctor

Terrapin Times’ Dan Painter says Lakewood (NJ) prospect Jarrod Davis could be on Terps’ 2011 radar (must subscribe)

Inside MD Sports’ Seth Hoffman says whether or not to start Eric Hayes biggest question facing Gary Williams in exhibition game

TOWSON BASKETBALL:

The Official Site says former Tiger Dwayne Purnell passed away last week

TOWSON LACROSSE:

The Official Site says Tigers assistant Nadelen named to Team USA

NAVY FOOTBALL:

The Official Site previews Saturday’s trip to South Bend

The Official Site offers complete Midshipmen-Fighting Irish release (pdf)

Annapolis Capital’s Bill Wagner says Mids lost to Owls ‘in trenches’

Annapolis Capital’s Bill Wagner says Marcus Curry probable for Notre Dame Saturday

South Bend Tribune’s Jim Meenan says Ricky Dobbs, Midshipmen will bring ‘confidence’ to game against Irish

Go Mids offers Navy-Temple report card (must subscribe)

UMBC LACROSSE:

The Official Site says former Retrievers Westervelt, Mundorf named to Team USA

SALISBURY FOOTBALL:

The Official Site says Andrew Geisert honored by ACFC

SALISBURY LACROSSE:

The Official Site says former Sea Gull Eric Martin named to 2010 US National Team

HORSE RACING:

Daily Racing Form’s Jay Privman says Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird worked 5 furlongs Monday in preparation for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Classic

Thoroughbred Times’ Jeff Lowe says Woolley thought Mine That Bird ‘sharper’ in Monday work at Santa Anita

BALTIMORE MARINERS:

The Official Site says AIFA team re-signed Jamaal Stokes

SOME QUICK THOUGHTS:

Terps in the NFL Week 8……

-Browns LB Eric Barton had 2 tackles in a 30-6 loss to the Bears
-49ers TE Vernon Davis had 3 catches for 20 yards and a TD in an 18-14 loss to the Colts
-Vikings TE Jeff Dugan had 1 catch for 2 yards and a TD in a 38-26 win over the Packers
-Eagles LB Moise Fokou had 2 tackles (1 solo) in a 40-17 win over the Giants
-Ravens CB Domonique Foxworth had 2 tackles (2 solo) and defended 2 passes in a 30-7 win over the Broncos
-Dolphins TE Joey Haynos had 2 catches for 20 yards and a TD in a 30-25 win over the Jets
-Vikings LB E.J. Henderson had 2 tackles (2 solo) in a 38-26 win over the Packers
-Vikings LB Erin Henderson had 2 tackles (2 solo) in a 38-26 win over the Packers
-Raiders WR Darrius Heyward-Bey had 1 catch for 10 yards in a 24-16 loss to the Chargers
-Chargers LB Shawne Merriman had 7 tackles (7 solo, 2 sacks) in a 24-16 win over the Raiders
-Jaguars P Adam Podlesh punted 7 times for 309 yards (44.1 avg) and 2 inside the 20 in a 30-13 loss to the Titans
-Dolphins DT Randy Starks had 7 tackles (7 solo, 1 sack) in a 30-25 win over the Jets
-Vikings S Madieu Williams had 5 tackles (4 solo) in a 38-26 win over the Packers
-Seahawks CB Josh Wilson had 2 tackles (1 solo) and defended a pass in a 38-17 loss to the Cowboys

-Former Morgan State TE Visanthe Shiancoe had 1 catch for 12 yards and a TD in the Vikings’ 38-26 win over the Packers
-Former Morgan State RB Chad Simpson had 1 catch for -1 yards in the Colts’ 18-14 win over the 49ers

Talk to you tomorrow.

-G