<p>UMCP is an excellent school. Much better than in the past. And their athletic department’s rise from the ashes after the Len Bias incident is very admirable. Their athletic department could have been like a SMU after that, i.e., incredibly diminished. </p>
<p>A certain group of students (year after year) act poorly. It is part of the culture. I was attending the BBT classic last year when Maryland was playing. A group of Maryland students were eating by invitation only at the Acela club at the Verizon center - likely sons of BBT execs - and they were wearing bright red F___ Duke t-shirts - Duke wasn’t playing in the classic. Classy bunch - I felt badly for the parents who brought their elementary school kids there (a real treat for elementary school kids), and had to see these morons. Way to represent Maryland. The manager eventually told them to put coats on as parents complained. There is a different ethic today. When I was on athletic scholarship, the school make it clear I was representing the school in public all of the time - meaning making the school look dim in any way was a sure way to get in trouble and lose my privileges. These guys were not athletes (that was clear), but one wonders what kind of ethic prevails. </p>
<p>In the past, Maryland students were well behaved and great fans. It has changed to some degree. </p>
<p>Maryland is not really Duke’s rival, either athletically or academically. UNC-CH is far more so. This of course irritates Maryland students. </p>
<p>I find it a shame that UMCP is in Prince Georges County - like it or not - it makes it a less attractive place. PG County is a fascinating train wreck -very high crime - one of the worst school systems in the state - despite having a relatively high per capita income - in fact the county fractures the nationwide correlation between income and education achievement - big time. And it will continue to have challenges as the rapid gentrification of DC takes place. This doesn’t mean the UMCP is all that dangerous - on campus is nice- but its location is a downer. One of course can argue, until you visit on the weekends and find many, many students leave. This may sound critical, but surrounding schools - Towson, Georgetown, American, Georgetown, etc. are all much nicer places. They often have trouble recruiting against UVa for athletes - the locale can’t come close to C’Ville. It matters.</p>