Terrence Ross?

[El_Diablo]

Please tell me, everyone who read this article read the comments at the bottom. Especially the one about how desperate Coach K is to have to recruit kids who have verballed, and how a recruit like this will not help us get closed to a championship. They obviously have no idea about our incoming classes. The class of Maryland fans never ceases to amaze me!

The article itself is partially to blame for that. It urges caution because "it's hard to point a finger when we don't know all the facts," but then blasts Coach K for stooping to Calipari's level for actively recruiting a committed player, which is completely unsubstantiated.

[roywhite]

While I agree that our incoming class is much better, there still are some things that bother me. Did Coach K actively recruit Terrence Ross? It seems kinda dirty to do that. How exactly was the decision made?

I don't think we know for sure what the timeline is here. It appears that Ross has de-commited from Maryland and is considering other schools, including Duke. Coach K is normally very scrupulous and ethical in his recruiting contacts, plus he has a lot of respect for Gary Williams at Maryland. Ross did not sign a LOI in the November signing period, and sources have said that he has withdrawn his verbal commitment to Maryland. Young people change their minds on such matters.

Things appear to be above board here, but Terps fans may feel differently.

[Duvall]

They obviously have no idea about our incoming classes.

As of today, we only have one incoming class.

[Hermy-own]

I agree - if Coach K did recruit him while he was committed to MD, that is below board. I don't think K would do something like that though, he knows how to do things the right way (i.e. Austin Rivers).

I feel sorry for Maryland. Gary Williams is a good coach who deserves good recruits. Also, the ACC is going through some down years and I look forward to the conference returning to dominant form. I would rather see Terrence go to an ACC school instead of out of conference.

If he ends up with us, well, then everything worked out fine.

[El_Diablo]

Terrence Ross: UMD FANS IT IS NOT FOR CERTAIN THAT I AM GOING TO DUKE. CHILL OUT!!

Ehhhh...it appears the Maryland fans are showing their true colors.

[Oriole Way]

I agree - if Coach K did recruit him while he was committed to MD, that is below board. I don't think K would do something like that though, he knows how to do things the right way (i.e. Austin Rivers).

I feel sorry for Maryland. Gary Williams is a good coach who deserves good recruits. Also, the ACC is going through some down years and I look forward to the conference returning to dominant form. I would rather see Terrence go to an ACC school instead of out of conference.

If he ends up with us, well, then everything worked out fine.

I could be wrong, but I really doubt that Coach K would have been initiating any contact with Ross while he was verbally committed to Maryland. However, I have no doubt that Josh Hairston has been encouraging Ross to consider joining him at Duke ever since Hairston joined Montrose Christian's program. I think there's certainly nothing wrong with that.

I don't think it's any different than deciding on a college and informing family and friends before enrolling, then having a change of heart when a friend convinces you to join him at a far superior college.

[El_Diablo]

I could be wrong, but I really doubt that Coach K would have been initiating any contact with Ross while he was verbally committed to Maryland. However, I have no doubt that Josh Hairston has been encouraging Ross to consider joining him at Duke ever since Hairston joined Montrose Christian's program. I think there's certainly nothing wrong with that.

I don't think it's any different than deciding on a college and informing family and friends before enrolling, then having a change of heart when a friend convinces you to join him at a far superior college.

I agree--the fact that he didn't sign an LOI (despite the verbal last April) says a lot. He obviously was not sold on Maryland.

I think it's pretty natural for a high school basketball player to have an interest in playing for Duke, especially when we have a need for the player, and another teammate (Hairston) is already a committed Blue Devil who is probably talking about how much he loves Duke. The inconsistent theories (is Nike telling Ross where to play...or has Coach K secretly been recruiting him for months without reporting it to the NCAA?) are MUCH less plausible in my book.

[Daniel tosh]

Does anyone know for sure if he was at the game last night or is that just a rumor?

[Icarus09]

While I agree that our incoming class is much better, there still are some things that bother me. Did Coach K actively recruit Terrence Ross? It seems kinda dirty to do that. How exactly was the decision made?

It's important to keep in mind that this person who wrote the initial article is obviously writing from a pro-Maryland lens. Given the rather paltry amount of information right now, he is simply speculating like everybody else. While it is possible that Coach K recruited the committed Ross, it is also possible that his teammate's commitment to Duke is what piqued Ross' interest in the Devils.

[RaineyDevil]

I don't think it's any different than deciding on a college and informing family and friends before enrolling, then having a change of heart when a friend convinces you to join him at a far superior college.

I agree. Without signing a LOI, I think its fair game for any coach to actively pursue a player. Now a days, someones word doesn't really mean much without their signature...even then it is not set in stone.

[oldnavy]

While I agree that our incoming class is much better, there still are some things that bother me. Did Coach K actively recruit Terrence Ross? It seems kinda dirty to do that. How exactly was the decision made?

I do not think that you can make the assumption that because the kid says he is considering Duke that K or any of the staff "recruited" him. In fact, I would be willing to bet the farm, that K and the staff have not had any contact with him. My guess is that this kid is getting an earful from Hairston and he is thinking about it. Would it surprise anyone if he is just doing this to get attention??

What bothered me about the comments the reporter made, were that he automatically assumed that K had undercut Williams and actively recruited the kid. And worse, he had a thinly veiled threat that something awful would happen if TR came to Duke on his trip to the Comcast center...

Just when I think the UM crowd cannot sink any lower... they do.

[airowe]

Did Coach K actively recruit Terrence Ross?

Quite the opposite, actually.

[DevilHorns]

Quite the opposite, actually.

If I had to make a bet, I would agree with you. But, the fact is none of us know (at this point) why Ross chose to decommit from MD and how he became interested in perhaps joining Duke.

Its hard to say if UMD fans are overreacting, IMO. They should be smarter about it, and not bashing the kid who I bet is internet savvy enough to read what people think of him. They are still a favorite, if not the favorite.

[Greg_Newton]

Ehhhh...it appears the Maryland fans are showing their true colors.

LOL@ Maryland fans ruining any chance they may have still had with him. Not that he was likely to re-commit anyway, but there's no way he goes back after feeling the wrath of their little hate-filled hearts...

[Huh?]

As of today, we only have one incoming class.

Was that post necessary?

[Duvall]

Was that post necessary?

Well, we don't actually have any commitments from classes beyond 2010. So referring to future recruits beyond next year is probably a mistake.

[Tim1515]

LOL@ Maryland fans ruining any chance they may have still had with him. Not that he was likely to re-commit anyway, but there's no way he goes back after feeling the wrath of their little hate-filled hearts...

I do feel bad for these kids in a situation like this...a high school basketball player shouldn't be getting ripped on by college basketball fans. At the same time...it would be ignorant to think Irving wouldn't get a similar response from Duke fans.

[roywhite]

I do feel bad for these kids in a situation like this...a high school basketball player shouldn't be getting ripped on by college basketball fans. At the same time...it would be ignorant to think Irving wouldn't get a similar response from Duke fans.

Do you mean Barnes?

If so, I don't think Barnes got ripped or got a hostile direct response from Duke fans to him after he committed to UNC.

So, if I understand your point, no, I don't see it as similar.

[Tim1515]

Do you mean Barnes?

If so, I don't think Barnes got ripped or got a hostile direct response from Duke fans to him after he committed to UNC.

So, if I understand your point, no, I don't see it as similar.

I do not mean Barnes...Harrison never committed to Duke.

[SeattleIrish]

Here's an interesting article from that same web site, testudo times, 13 days earlier:

http://www.testudotimes.com/2009/12/...-terrence-ross

One of the quotes:

If it were Ross who was really having second thoughts--why not just open it back up and still consider Maryland. He didn't rescind his verbal--and has repeatedly said that he remains committed. In fact he doesn't even want to talk about it--that doesn't sound like a kid who is having second thoughts at this point in time to me.

It's a bit hard to say, on one hand, that he should open it back up if he's having doubts, and then rip on him when he does so.

s.i.

p.s. - for those interested in the rankings. Telep said, after seeing him play a game, "It's clear we have him rated about 60 spots too low!".