The D.C. area has two programs that are considered top-notch basketball programs. The Maryland Terrapins and the Georgetown Hoyas. Normally, with two teams as good and as close as these two are, it would be a natural fit for a rivalry. But these two have not taken the court against each other in eight years, even worse, they have not scheduled one against one another in 15. So how can this be, that these two natural rivals don't play each other?Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun provides some good insight into the problem. A lot of this goes back to when Lefty Driesell and John Thompson were the coaches of Maryland and Georgetown respectively, and they had a feud, which would transition to Gary Williams when he took over the Terrapins. And because of the scheduling strategies that go on in the NCAA, both are probably worried about facing one another. It is hard to imagine that location is the issue. Even though they may disagree on either the Verzion Center or the Comcast Center, a neutral setting could be found easily. For now, one has, in Orlando. Seems very odd that Orlando is the reunion place.
Thompson and Driesell seem to not feud anymore, and I hope Maryland and Georgetown can put this problem aside. Maryland seems to be trying to rebuild some of its local ties, including once in a while playing Navy in football. But this would be the most important one, rebuilding a tie and having the two best teams in the D.C. area play each other. Let's hope it is not eight years before Maryland and Georgetown meet again.
(Photo credit: SFGate Sports (Maryland), Georgetown athletics (Georgetown))
2 comments:
Let's keep it a forgotten rivalry after today's result.n
lol, well, I am still happy they took the court. Though, when they shook hands, it seemed like Thornton III and Gary didn't wish to renew the rivalry with that handshake.
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