Great for a Game

Welcome back guest blogger - MPLT's husband, Chad:

"Did you see us against Boston College yesterday? Man we looked GREAT!!!"

Yes, these were the first words out of my fanatical father-in-law's mouth regarding his beloved Maryland Terrapins.

My father-in-law goes up to Maryland ("the Holy Land") every couple of months to visit family. Now you need to understand this family and their allegiance to their team. I am someone who can relate because I continue to avidly support a football team who never ceases to disappoint me year after year (NC State). A dog always goes back to his own stink. But this is the life we choose and relish in our own misery.

My father-in-law's brother at one point during any given season wants to make Gary Williams the Governor of Maryland and then the next game when they lose to a directional school (e.g...SW college, NW college, SE college) he wants Gary to be banished from the state entirely. The two of them will spend hours during the season talking about how this is "the year." It actually brings me a great amount of amusement.

I start to get excited a couple of months before the season starts because I know my father-in-law's brother will start sending out emails regarding Maryland's star prospects for the following year. He has a friend whose buddy washes Gary's car when he is playing in Greensboro or something like that. These emails start circulating throughout the family and everyone starts getting the FEVA! At some point before the season some bluechip recruit will supposedly "verbally commit" to Maryland according to one of our family sources. This same recruit will back out within one month. This happens EVERY year. We then talk about at least one in-state recruit from the past 15 seasons that Maryland didn't make an attempt to go after. RECRUITING in state talent is the issue...RECRUITING!!!We will watch games this season where Maryland will go up early and then the other team will go on a 20 point run. At this point my in-laws will insist on everyone going back to the seat they were in when Maryland was winning, start eating what you were eating when Maryland was winning and return to the same breathing pattern you had when Maryland was winning. You may even find someone come in with some chicken bones and incense.

Then after the game we will call my father-in-law's brother and put him on speaker phone like a post game recap. I actually find myself enjoying the atmosphere more each year.



This is fun for me because it actually mortifies all of my friends who are also ALL NC State graduates. These guys get so offended when I act like I am showing Maryland any support. They are more offended about the idea that I would support this school in any capacity than if I spit on their grandparents' graves. They look at me in disgust when I tell them that I am going over to my in-law's house to watch the Maryland game. "AFTER THE WAY THEY DISRESPECT EVERY OTHER ACC TEAM!" That is the type of comment my friends feed me. They actually questioned my marriage to a Maryland fan. "How can you marry a woman who supports that team?! I mean what will your children think!" So this is another kind of enjoyment and drama that I get to experience from Maryland basketball.

So when my father-in-law came in today saying "WE LOOKED GREAT!" I knew that it had begun. There has not yet been a defining moment this season where he has shown excitement just to be let down by his team. But now that moment has arrived. And we will experience these emotions several more times during the season. I will watch my family laugh and cry. Curse Gary and love Gary. I will hear about the next big Venezuelan recruit who Keith Booth scouted from a tip he received from a day laborer.

So at least for the win against Boston College, the Maryland Terrapins are GREAT FOR A GAME in the eyes of their loyal fans!