Yardbarker: Dave Neal

Your Week Thirteen College Football Announcing Schedule

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:09:00 -0500

Here is your Week Twelve announcing schedule brought to you by SI's Cheerleader of the Week. This week's cheerleader is Katelynn from the University of Oregon. Her favorite movie is Love and Basketball, and she thinks she's lame for not being on Twitter (you're not Katelynn....you're not). Ready??? OKAY!!!Friday, November 27thRutgers @ Louisville (ESPN2, 11am)- Eric Collins, Brock HuardTemple @ Ohio (ESPNU, 11am)- Trey Bender, Tom LuginbillIllinois @ Cincinnati (ABC, Noon)...

Your College Basketball Schedule For The Week Of 11/23

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:43:00 -0500

It's Feast Week time, and that means there are multiple Tourneys going on throughout this jam- packed seven days. Here's your schedule....Tuesday, November 24thMaui Invitational, Consolation: Chaminade v. 24 Vanderbilt (ESPN2, 1:30pm)- Carter Blackburn, Jimmy DykesMaui Invitational, Consolation: Colorado v. Arizona (ESPN2, 3:30pm)- Carter Blackburn, Jimmy DykesCancun Classic, Semifinal: Cleveland State v. Kentucky (CBS College Sports, 4:30pm)- Thad Anderson, Rich ZvosecMaui Invitation...

Terps preview, It's that time of year again

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:27:20 -0500

Team Name: Maryland TerrapinsLast Years Finish: Lost to Memphis in the second round of the NCAA tournament 70-89. Finished the season 21-14 (7-9). Defeated #5 Michigan State, #3 North Carolina, # Wake Forest. Key Additions: F Jordan Williams (Torrington, CT), F James Padgett (Brooklyn, NY)Key Losses: Dave Neal What they're saying: "In 2007-08, he led the country in turnovers with 149. While maintaining his flair, he cut the mistakes down to 98 last season. And where would his ...

Maryland Will Miss Not Having Dave Neal To Kick Around Anymore

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:44:46 -0500

It’s a sobering reality for any senior athlete. You get to a tournament or a big game, and if you haven’t signed with an agent in a secret backdoor deal, you realize that you are looking at the last moments of your public playing career. That’s life for Dave Neal now. The undersized, overachieving forward who [...]

Maryland Basketball - Expect the Soul Crushing Defeat

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:11:13 -0500

No need for a caption. The picture says it all.
In response to Brien's Post on February 22 after the Terps upset North Carolina, I had this to say in the comment section:

Every year we get a marquee win against UNC or Duke down the stretch, just enough to make people talk about us getting off the bubble. Then, inevitably, we choke against a team that in eminently beatable and a game that we should win, and we play ourselves right into NIT contention. That said, based upon our game yesterday, now, if we win our two games against eminently beatable opponents, UVA (on the road) and NC State, we should be tourney bound at 8-8 and wins over Michigan State and UNC. However, if this year bodes like years past, we'll choke one of those games away.

Brien responded to my comment as follows:

Wow, Jeremy, that's an unbelievably negative thing to say in the wake of the biggest win of the year.

Look, believe it or not, I'm not out to play who's right or who's wrong. I think all Terp fans are demoralized beyond belief after yesterday's soul-crushing, gut-wrenching loss to the woeful Virginia Cavaliers, which barring a miracle in Atlanta, ended the Terps' NCAA hopes.

But, in reality, should any Terp fans really be all that surprised by what happened yesterday? Was I really all that off base in my prediction? At the time, I was doing it off-the-cuff from my recollections of the past few years, without actually taking a look back. Well, turns out the numbers from the past few seasons show that every Terp fan should have expected the collective bed-shitting that we saw yesterday.

2004-2005 Season:
- Terps beat top-5 ranked Duke, leaving them with 5 games left in the ACC season.
- Terps lose 4 of 5 of those games, including games against UVA, Clemson, and Virginia Tech, who combined to end the season with a 46-45 record.
- Terps blown out in the first round of the ACC Tournament in Washington, DC by woeful Clemson, who finished the year at 16-16 overall.

2005-2006 Season:
- Arguably the season that the Terps got totally screwed for an NCAA Tournament bid, finishing 8-8 in the conference.
- They win their first round ACC Tournament game, but get blown out in the second round of the ACC Tournament by Boston College, a team that the Terps had already beaten. A win here would've guaranteed the Terps entry into the NCAA Tourney in "the year of the mid-major."
- Instead, the Terps get to host the NIT, and it comes out later that Gary had already told the team they would turn the bid down but was forced into it by Debbie Yow, who had already promised the NIT that Maryland would host a first-round game. Maryland comes out listless and gets blown out by MAAC "powerhouse" Manhattan.

2006-2007 Season:
- The Terps most recent NCAA appearance
- Terps run off an amazing seven straight wins to end the season, including a season sweep (2 wins) over top-15 Duke, and a win over top-5 UNC.
- Terps have the chance to earn a very, very high seed in the NCAA Tournament but, instead, as the 17th-ranked team in the country, lose to a 12-20 Miami Hurricanes team (the bottom seed) in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
- Terps do make the NCAA Tournament as a four-seed, beating Davidson in the first round, before losing to five-seed Butler in the second round.

2007-2008 Season:
- Terps are 8-6 with 2 ACC games left and the chance to firmly clinch a high NCAA seed.
- Terps lose a close game to doormat Clemson on Senior Night at Comcast Center
- Terps get blown out by UVA on the road to end the season, finishing 8-8, and placing them firmly on the bubble. For all intents and purposes though, a win in the first round of the ACC Tournament gets them off the bubble and in the tournament
- Terps head to the ACC Tournament and get beaten by Boston College in the first round in that "must win" game, and head back to the NIT for the third time in four seasons.

2008-2009 Season:
- Terps enter final game of the season at 7-8 in the conference, going on the road to Charlottesville to face a UVA team that was 3-12 in the conference, 9-17 overall. UVA students are on "senior recess" (don't even get me started on this shit), and Terp fans fill up a good 20% of the John Paul Jones arena, making it "Comcast South" for the afternoon.
- Terps blow an 11 point first-half lead, can't beat the zone defense, can't keep their heads on straight at the end to have awareness as to what kinds of shots they need, and lose.
- Terps now need at least two wins in the ACC Tournament to even be considered for one of the final slots in the tournament, in a year when mid-majors are weak and lots of other bubble teams have choked down the stretch (see Wildcats, Kentucky; Rams, Rhode Island)

So in the words of Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday, "I don't know what to say, really." I mean, this Terps basketball team has given fans pretty solid heartburn and heartbreak down the stretch in each of the past five seasons.

Is it coaching? I actually don't think so, because I think the Terps executed pretty damn well against Duke, Wake, and NC State, earning close losses against top-10 teams Duke and Wake, and a great road win against NC State. But, then again, yesterday, how could the team seem so startled and get the deer-in-headlights look the second they went against a zone defense.

Is it motivation? Dave Neal called out the rest of his team yesterday after the game asking how anybody could not be motivated to play a game with so much on the line. Greivis Vasquez admitted that UVA wanted the game more. How could you let a team want it more when everything is riding on the game?

Is it talent, or a lack thereof? I think we may be onto something here. So the greater question is how did Maryland fall totally off the wagon when it came to getting talent on their roster, especially big men who could break the zone and get inside?

Terp fans feel sick this morning. I think Denny Green said it best, "WE HAD THEM WHERE WE WANT THEM!!!"

Maryland: Stats Per 40 Minutes

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:22:34 -0500

Converting common statistics to per forty minute numbers does have it's faults but it can illuminate strengths or weaknesses of certain players. Here is a collection of stats for this Terps squad with commentary to follow. Note this includes ACC games only.

Player Points/40 min Vasquez 18.5 Tucker 15.8 Milbourne 15.6 Bowie 15.1 Hayes 13.3 Neal 12.7 Dupree 11.9 Mosley 11.2 Kim 6.3 Gregory 6.0

No real surprises here. Vasquez is still clearly the best offensive threat this team has but Milbourne and Bowie can be threats, if inconsistently. Tucker is a significantly better offensive option off the bench than any other guard at the moment. His numbers are probably inflated by the two UNC games but he is in a bit of an offensive groove right now and when he starts hot he can do real damage. Dave Neal isn't nearly the offensive threat he would seem to be if you just watched the Wake Forest game. Neal's offensive abilities are rather one dimensional but he can be productive when teams key on Vasquez and let him drift out to the perimeter. Mosley is still struggling to produce on offense but his strengths are on defense and rebounding (as you'll see in a moment.) Gregory is a non-factor on offense and clearly the worst regular rotation player at scoring.

Player Rebounds/40 min Kim 7.8 Mosley 7.0 Dupree 7.0 Neal 6.6 Milbourne 6.0 Gregory 5.8 Bowie 5.4 Vasquez 5.3 Tucker 4.9 Hayes 3.6

You can probably throw out the Dupree and Kim numbers, though I don't think either of them are bad rebounders. Their paltry playing time inflates the few rebounds they grab but for a bean pole Kim doesn't do a half bad job rebounding. Mosley shows his worth in this statistic with a very impressive number, even better than the starting "forwards" on the team. Neal and Milbourne are not great rebounders so their stats are what I would expect though Milbourne should probably do better than he does with his physical ability. Gregory has a surprisingly low number for a player who should be all about hustle, defense and rebounding. Bowie is a great rebounder for his size and Vasquez grabs what you'd expect from a 6-5 guard. Tucker and Hayes are not particularly disposed to grabbing rebounds either in body frame or instincts.

Player Assists/40 min Vasquez 5.5 Hayes 4.5 Bowie 4.5 Tucker 3.4 Mosley 2.98

This is a stat you'd expect Vasquez to lead the team in and he does so comfortably. Interesting that Hayes and Bowie are at the same level plus Bowie is far better at driving the lane. Based on where they play in the offense Mosley and Tucker are not going to have high numbers. Tucker is more a wing and Mosley is playing more inside these days but I'd say they are about equal.

Player Turnovers/40 min Bowie 4.1 Vasquez 3.5 Hayes 3.0 Mosley 2.6 Kim 2.4 Milbourne 2.1 Dupree 2.1 Tucker 1.9 Gregory 1.4 Neal 1.2

Surprised Vasquez was not at the top? Bowie's decision making with the ball is his only drawback as a point guard. His lack of outside shooting makes him more suited to that position than the "two" guard. As you saw above his assist totals are fine but he needs to cut down on the turnovers, often charges. Vasquez is high because of the risks he takes trying to make a play but his ability to break down defenses is worth the extra half turnover you give up instead of someone like Hayes who doesn't provide many opportunities for his teammates. Clearly Dave Neal's steady play and low turnover rate are what earns him minutes, along with his shooting. He doesn't handle the ball as much as some other players so it is a little skewed but he does have better numbers than Gregory or Milbourne. You shouldn't turn the ball over much when you mostly shoot jumpers and set screens but he does a good job not turning the ball over willynilly.

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Jeff Teague Has a Message for Players Who Like to Take Charges

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:13:39 -0500

Video of Wake Forest's Jeff Teague dunking over Maryland player Dave Neal. It was Senior Night for Maryland and Neal was the only senior. Ouch. Stay tuned for the last replay on the video for the best angle.

Video: Jeff Teague's Dunk Over Dave Neal

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:15:39 -0500

That was nasty.

And you really sorry for Maryland senior David Neal who just three minutes prior was the toast of the Comcast Center after knocking down three straight three pointers to give Maryland a six point lead with seven minutes left. The crowd was rocking, his father was getting face time on TV, it was a Senior Night dream come true. Yeah, not so much now as Wake popped off an 11-0 run and Teague put Neal on the wrong side of the highlight reel.

And the best line on this dunk came from commenter Brick Tamlin over at 850’s blog who said:

When asked for comment, Greg Paulus remarked, “I’ve seen better.”

Nice.

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Duke Loss Not All Bad

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:45:02 -0500

Yes, it was heartbreaking. Maryland played well for most of the game but let Duke get away from them in the end.

The Glass is Half Full for the Terps

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:03:16 -0500

After a few weeks of nothing but "The Sky is Falling" comments from Terps fans, I thought it was time to review what's going right with the team and the program.
Every other Terps blog commented on the Washington Post's 3-part article about how Gary can't recruit called "Missed Shots." I didn't read the articles, but I read some of the reactions to them, and the one thing I had to say is that Gary has never been an "All Star Team" recruiter. Some coaches like to assemble the best players they can find into an all-star team and think that gives them the best shot at winning. Gary's philosophy has always been that it's more important to have good character guys who work hard and play together as a team. That's what brought home a National Championship, and I trust him to keep going with that approach.
The game against Virginia Tech yesterday was a great showing by the team. Tech never gave up, and Seth Greenberg kept making adjustmets, but the Terps managed to maintain a 6 point lead for most of the game. When the Hokies finally managed to get the lead down to 3, instead of folding the Terps went on a 6-0 run to take control back.
Making the NCAA tournament is still a long shot, but it's not out of the question. The Terps are now 5-5 in the ACC, but have a brutal schedule coming up with 4 out of the next 5 games against Top 12 teams. To make the tournament, they'll need to win against some very good teams.
The future looks bright for the team. Even though Dave Neal is graduating and Hayes and Dupree haven't progressed as quickly as fans would like, there are lots of reasons to be hopeful for next year. The two biggest ones are Landon Milbourne and Sugar Sean Mosley.
Milbourne has grown by leaps and bounds this year, and while he still does a disappearing act for long stretches of games, but he's becoming a reliable scorer. While he's not a really big player (he's only listed at 6-7) his strength lets him play like a much bigger man.
Mosley was expeceted to make an impact this year, but early in the season he struggled to find his groove. Now he's an indispensable part of the team, bringing a Byron Mouton-ish hustle and intensity to every play. He makes all the little plays: steals, drawing charges, tough rebounds, drawing off-the-ball fouls, and earning held balls. Hopefully his work effort will rub off on the rest of the team.
So while this hasn't been a banner year for the Terps, we still have it pretty good, and there's every reason to think that things will be even better next year.

Dave Neal Controls the Universe

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:10:20 -0500

Seems like the Maryland men

Crippled Economy Impacting Broadcaster Assignments?

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:34:43 -0500

Athens, GA (Dec 9, 2008) - Dave Neal, a play-by-play announcer from Atlanta, is sitting two seats down from me, calling the men's basketball game between Virginia Tech (5-3) and Georgia (5-3) on FSN South. Neal has been a longtime mainstay announcer from Atlanta, working for Raycom, FSN South, ...

Some Thoughts On My Last RAYCOM SEC Football Event

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:07:42 -0500

Athens, GA (Dec 5, 2008) - Fourteen and a half years ago, I moved to Athens, Georgia. One of the first people I introduced myself to was Claude Felton, who is by far at the top of any legendary sports information directors list. He hooked me up with the folks at Jefferson Pilot Sports. This ...

It's the end of an era

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:24:18 -0500

Fans who visit Oxford for Friday's Egg Bowl will get the honor of watching a rivalry game in person. Those who stay at home in front of their TV will get the honor of seeing history. Or something like that. See, Friday's game is the final broadcast for Raycom Sports (aka Jefferson Pilot and ...

It's the end of an era

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:23:06 -0500