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• Late Hits archive

Maryland: Faithful Late Hits readers (both of 'em) demanded an up arrow for Maryland after its big win over Cal on Sept. 13. Given Maryland's propensity to win one, lose one, the arrow judiciary board preached patience.

The wait is over.

After the Terps' big win at Clemson, the Atlantic Division title actually is in play for Big Fridge and the Turtles. Feels like 2001. Maybe Britney Spears will make a comeback. Oh, wait.

Blue ACC schools: UNC overcomes the loss of quarterback T.J. Yates and beats Miami. Duke overcomes being Duke and beats Virginia, ending a 25-game ACC losing streak.

Duke and Carolina are fighting for quasi-supremacy in the ACC, at least in the Coastal Division, and basketball season doesn't start for another 42 days.

Could their year-end tussle be for more than the Victory Bell? Hmmmm, maybe.

Georgia: Take note, Mark Richt, special uniforms by definition are "special." You can't bust out the black shirts three times in a nine-game span, which is what Richt did for Georgia's big showdown with Alabama.

Turns out the Dawgs were dressed for their own funeral. The worst part of their 41-30 loss to the Tide is that now Nick Saban, the Volchok of the SEC (if it was "The OC"), is squarely in position to justify his $4 million salary.

Orange ACC schools: Tommy Bowden being Tommy Bowden, you can almost excuse, or at least set your watch by, Clemson's disappointing ACC losses.

But Virginia, a four-touchdown loss to Duke? Really?

Tommy and Al Groh should become friends on the social network that one enterprising fan, likely from Virginia Tech, created called "Coachbook." They're both members of the "soon-to-be unemployed" network.

'THE GREATEST FAN OF YOUR LIFE'

Tom O'Brien, a transplanted Bostonian, solicited fan advice in the preseason for a song, a la Red Sox seventh-inning anthem "Sweet Caroline," for Wolfpack fans to embrace between the third and fourth quarters.

After little fanfare, and even less ingenuity, State settled on "Hey Baby." The other choices — "You Give Love a Bad Name"and "Start Me Up" to name two — were uninspired, but State should have consulted Late Hits.

Edwin McCain wrote the song, perhaps with State fans in mind, that would have been perfectly suited for the Carter-Finley sing-along. McCain's saccharin-soaked "I'll Be," while
inextricably linked with "Dawson's Creek," would still work for lovelorn Wolfpackers, especially this verse:

"I'll be your crying shoulder/I'll be your love suicide/and I'll be better when I'm older/I'll be the greatest fan of your life."

BOTTOM OF THE BCS

The six worst teams in the BCS

1. Syracuse: Leads the league in anachronisms.
2. Washington State: Charter members of the "Torbushed" club.
3. Virginia: Honestly, 31-3?
4. Rutgers: Order has been restored to the universe.
5. Arkansas: Mr. Texty Fingers looks pretty good right about now.
6. Iowa State: Perpetually rebuilding.