Maryland SG Chris McCray ruled academically ineligible

[dh2k3]

He's the team's leading scorer (15.2 PPG), senior team captain, supposed leader, and this guy can't even stay eligible. Pathetic.

The last 3.5 years have been incredibly frustrating for Maryland basketball fans. Gary Williams would rather play golf than recruit, so the result is that we NEVER bring in high-level recruits.

We have a recent national championship, arguably the best facilities in the country, a popular media market, and yet we can't keep a single McDonald's All-American who lives in our own backyard. Any time a top 20 program gets involved with one of our recruits, it's over. Gary will always get outworked on the recruiting trail. The result is that all of that momentum from the 2002 national title has been pissed away.

Check out the results of the 2002 recruiting class, which came in following the national title and has done nothing but embarrass the program on and off the court. These guys are this year's senior "leaders":

- Chris McCray: arrested and suspended earlier this year for fighting in a bar, now ineligible as a senior.
- Nik Caner-Medley: just as famous for getting drunk and picking fights as he is playing basketball. Arrested a year ago for doing just that back home in Maine.
- Travis Garrison: underachieving McDonald's All-American. Recently arrested and suspended for allegedly groping and then slapping a woman in a bar.
- John Gilchrist: selfish player who led Maryland to an ACC tourney title, but also refused to run Gary's offense and became a team cancer. Went pro early, now another dumbass playing in Europe.

These guys came in with their heads pumped up from day one, just because they were coming to play for the defending national champs. Since then, they've sucked on and off the court. I hate to bash players, but I can't wait until these guys are gone. Good riddance.

Unless we get some new blood into this program and turn things around, we're looking like another Arkansas. Win a championship, then fade into mediocrity.

[swlpack]

Gary seems to have lost the handle some since winning the title, not only on the discipline of his players but, as you said, on the quality level of talent that is coming into the program. With the conference on unstable footing this year with so many teams reloading, I have Maryland as one of four teams penciled into the Big Dance (Duke, State, and BC the others). Should be interesting to see how losing McCray affects that status.

[Wufpack]

Ouch. Mega ouch. It will be very hard for UMD to get back to the tourney this year. You would've thought Gary would've woken after missing last year...I guess not.

Will Gary pull a Hewitt/Tarver and reinstate McCray?

[jgully]

I"m thinking not. They said he didn't pass 6 credits last fall. That's terrible. How can you be in only 2 classes and fail one or both?

[penn_state_xc]

Gary Williams has never been known to bring in 5-star McDonald's AA recruits, Travis Garrison was the first McDonald's AA ever in Terps history if I'm not mistaken. Gary has always won games by just working the tails off of good but not great players, a blue-collar style if you will. I remember reading how Juan Dixon was never highly regarded as a recruit because he was too skinny and short, but Gary saw the potential in him and well...you know the rest of the story.

[maniacpilot931]

Gary Williams has never been known to bring in 5-star McDonald's AA recruits, Travis Garrison was the first McDonald's AA ever in Terps history if I'm not mistaken. Gary has always won games by just working the tails off of good but not great players, a blue-collar style if you will. I remember reading how Juan Dixon was never highly regarded as a recruit because he was too skinny and short, but Gary saw the potential in him and well...you know the rest of the story.

Well ever heard of Shane Clark? Kid commits to Nova two years ago. Top 30 player for sure. Then he changes his mind and decides to got to Maryland. Shows up this year for Maryland and they say "oops we fucked up, we dont have your forms from your prep school". He says fuck that, and recommits to Nova, and got to suit up this semester. Hasnt had that much time since he started practicing late, but when he does get in you can def see the huge potential there.

UMD doesnt have much. I have a close friend thats in the Maryland's band, and even he cant do anything but sigh these days.

[dh2k3]

Gary Williams has never been known to bring in 5-star McDonald's AA recruits, Travis Garrison was the first McDonald's AA ever in Terps history if I'm not mistaken. Gary has always won games by just working the tails off of good but not great players, a blue-collar style if you will. I remember reading how Juan Dixon was never highly regarded as a recruit because he was too skinny and short, but Gary saw the potential in him and well...you know the rest of the story.
Keith Booth and Danny Miller were McDonald's All-Americans too. Booth was terrific, Miller was a role player. Mike Jones has also been a McDonald's AA since then, and despite being a fan favorite, has done very little.

True, Gary was able to build his program on diamonds in the rough. However, after winning a national championship, he shouldn't have to do that anymore. He shouldn't have to settle for mediocre, unheralded recruits when his program is coming off a recent national title, 2 Final Four's, and they have a sparkling new on-campus arena. The fact of the matter is that the odds of a top 40 recruit succeeding are much higher than the odds of a lesser known recruit succeeding. Not every mediocre recruit can be molded into an ACC-caliber player, and we've learned this the hard way. Over the past five years, we've had at least 6 guys with full scholarships who have never come close to being ACC-caliber players. The UNC's, Duke's, UConn's, and Michigan State's of the world don't waste scholarships on scrubs. They get their asses out on the recruiting trail and bring home the goods. Plain and simply, Gary doesn't like recruiting, so he doesn't do that.