OK, here are the facts. Maryland had a preseason ranking of #3 in one poll and #6 in another. Maryland entered the NCAA Tournament as the #2 seed overall with the privilege of hosting the tournament right up until the College Cup, soccer's Final Four. They were considered among the best if not the best defensive teams in the country, having won their previous 15 consecutive games by allowing only 4 goals in that stretch. They were also healthy. This isn't like last year when Doug Rodkey and Casey Townsend were injured the majority of the time.
This excellent Maryland defense gave up 3 goals to Michigan. A Michigan team that was unranked in the preseason -- arch-rivals Michigan State were ranked #24 preseason; no sign of the Wolverines -- and were unranked through the beginning of November. In fact, Michigan doesn't show up at all in the national rankings until the NSCAA's final regular season poll on 16 November when they enter at #19. They earned a #10 seed after beating Penn State in the Big10 final.
Anyway you slice it, Michigan's win over Maryland was a major upset. Anybody who tries to say it is not a disappointment is truly drinking the Kool-Aid. That or they expect unconditional love from the fans, media, and anyone else involved in the sport. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. Michigan beat one of the elite teams in the country in their house, Ludwig Field. You can't argue with results.
Sasho Cirovski said in the post-game that this does not diminish what the Terps accomplished during the season. That is true, but it is also irrelevant -- who is going to remember the 15 consecutive wins now? The fans of Maryland Soccer WILL remember the ACC Tournament Championship. What else? By Cirovksi's own admition, the standards of this program are very high -- standards that he had everything to do with creating -- you can't lose a game like this and complain if the fans are disappointed and if the media calls it for what it is. That's life in the big city.
If you think disappointed fans and media are being unfair, just have a look at our Premium Board this morning. I went to check to see if there were any more comments about Men's Soccer this morning -- sure, if you first can wade through 10 pages -- no exageration, just count them -- of angst over Maryland Football going to the Military Bowl to face Least Carolina. I said before and I'll say again: non-revenue sport coaches do not have to face that kind of thing from their fans.
All that said, there is no doubt in my mind that Men's Soccer will be back next year, probably as strong as ever. Yes, losing Jason Herrick, Billy Cortes, Greg Young, et al, is not going to be easy, and given the anticipated defection to the pros of Zac MacMath and possibly Matt Kassel and Casey Townsend (I have no inside info, just saying it may happen) the Terps will be challenged in terms of experienced hands in the lineup.
But, as we have seen so many times before, by the shear weight of his recruiting, Cirovski will always have a team that is tournament ready. He has guys sitting on the bench that have been chomping at the bit to play. You look at guys who have been hovering on the perifery of starting time like Sunny Jane and John Stertzer; guys like London Woodberry who have great talent...you can go over the roster all day and see positive stories. One way or another, they will be back and will contend. They always do. We recovered from the Bradley Debacle in 2007, we will recover from this as well. We haven't forgotten what happened in 2005 & 2008 either. If that isn't fair enought then I can't help you.
This post was edited on 12/6 12:59 PM by Fekula
This excellent Maryland defense gave up 3 goals to Michigan. A Michigan team that was unranked in the preseason -- arch-rivals Michigan State were ranked #24 preseason; no sign of the Wolverines -- and were unranked through the beginning of November. In fact, Michigan doesn't show up at all in the national rankings until the NSCAA's final regular season poll on 16 November when they enter at #19. They earned a #10 seed after beating Penn State in the Big10 final.
Anyway you slice it, Michigan's win over Maryland was a major upset. Anybody who tries to say it is not a disappointment is truly drinking the Kool-Aid. That or they expect unconditional love from the fans, media, and anyone else involved in the sport. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. Michigan beat one of the elite teams in the country in their house, Ludwig Field. You can't argue with results.
Sasho Cirovski said in the post-game that this does not diminish what the Terps accomplished during the season. That is true, but it is also irrelevant -- who is going to remember the 15 consecutive wins now? The fans of Maryland Soccer WILL remember the ACC Tournament Championship. What else? By Cirovksi's own admition, the standards of this program are very high -- standards that he had everything to do with creating -- you can't lose a game like this and complain if the fans are disappointed and if the media calls it for what it is. That's life in the big city.
If you think disappointed fans and media are being unfair, just have a look at our Premium Board this morning. I went to check to see if there were any more comments about Men's Soccer this morning -- sure, if you first can wade through 10 pages -- no exageration, just count them -- of angst over Maryland Football going to the Military Bowl to face Least Carolina. I said before and I'll say again: non-revenue sport coaches do not have to face that kind of thing from their fans.
All that said, there is no doubt in my mind that Men's Soccer will be back next year, probably as strong as ever. Yes, losing Jason Herrick, Billy Cortes, Greg Young, et al, is not going to be easy, and given the anticipated defection to the pros of Zac MacMath and possibly Matt Kassel and Casey Townsend (I have no inside info, just saying it may happen) the Terps will be challenged in terms of experienced hands in the lineup.
But, as we have seen so many times before, by the shear weight of his recruiting, Cirovski will always have a team that is tournament ready. He has guys sitting on the bench that have been chomping at the bit to play. You look at guys who have been hovering on the perifery of starting time like Sunny Jane and John Stertzer; guys like London Woodberry who have great talent...you can go over the roster all day and see positive stories. One way or another, they will be back and will contend. They always do. We recovered from the Bradley Debacle in 2007, we will recover from this as well. We haven't forgotten what happened in 2005 & 2008 either. If that isn't fair enought then I can't help you.
This post was edited on 12/6 12:59 PM by Fekula
