A Message to Penn State and the Big 10

The Maryland Terrapins solidified their place in the Big 10 with their pregame actions on Saturday.  Just as Maximus deliberately turned his back on Commodus in Gladiator, the Terps showed an equal amount of disrespect towards the royalty of the Big 10.  Penn State is one of the premier programs in the Big 10, and their newly ordained subjects showed them what they thought of being perceived as their inferiors.  It is no secret that the Big 10 regulars and their fans were not too high on letting Maryland and Rutgers join their pretentious club, and the fans have gone out of their way this season to express how Maryland does not belong in this conference.  By not shaking Penn State's hands, the Terps showed Penn State what they thought of their program and the Big 10 as a whole.  Maryland has decided to embrace their Lone Ranger status once again as the outsiders of an established elite.  In the ACC they were looked down upon by the whole of Tobacco Road.  Now they reprise that role in the Big 10 as the misfit university who had the hubris to disrespect Penn State in their own house.  They are now the villains of the Big 10 with a newly formed border war and a bounty on their head. 

Whatever the end game was for not shaking hands, Maryland got a renewed rivalry with Penn State at least for the short term.  Penn State fans will not forget this, and they will be gunning for Maryland next season in Baltimore.  They also have placed a huge target on themselves when they face Michigan State and Michigan in the next three weeks.  They are part of the Big 10 elite, and while I'm sure these programs have no love for Penn State they are not going to let some Johnny-come-lately do that to one of their long time brethren.  Do not be surprised if Michigan State decides to run up the score on the Terps if they find themselves up by a healthy margin, and look for both teams to show Maryland no respect when they take the field.  The Terps must embrace the mentality that it is now the Big 10 against Maryland for the near future. 

All Big 10 teams, especially Pen State, will now be gunning for them and Maryland must weather the storm under the shelter of a unilateral vision, which is to embrace the role of villain and be the thorn in the Big 10's side.  Except Randy Edsall made some half assed apology for the team's actions in the post game interview.  Why?  You're telling me that the team made this decision without Randy Edsall's knowledge.  Bull Crap.  He knew they were going to do that, he may have even told them to do it, but what he should have done was not apologize.  Edsall's post game apology seemed insincere and backhanded.  Owning up to it would have been honest and it would have showed Penn State that we are serious about this annual match up.  Edsall should have framed his response in this manner:

"The no handshake is what it is.  We felt that Penn State was not taking this game as seriously as we were, and we wanted to show them that this is not just another game for us.  We wanted to show them how serious this matchup is for us, and how badly we wanted to be only the second Maryland team in history to beat Penn State.  They know how serious we are now about this annual matchup and we cannot wait to play them next year in Baltimore."

That is not too abrasive, and it frames the non handshake as a competitive gesture rather than a sign of disrespect.  It was disrespectful, but that response would have softened the blow a little by saying it was more about pumping up Maryland than disrespecting Penn State.  Whatever the motive, no one will debate the fact that Maryland is now a marked program by Penn State and the Big 10 elite, and we have carved out our place in the Big 10.  People will be writing how Maryland has no class and should be ashamed of their team.  I would be more ashamed if I were a Penn State fan.  Penn State let the Terps disrespect them like that in their own house and lost.  Its not like the Terps are Alabama.  Penn State could have taught Maryland a lesson in manners, but instead they must wait a full year to exact revenge upon their newfound nemesis.  Let the rivalry begin.