Funny how just a few hours can carry you over such a great chasm. I dripped into the unit at Big Pink just about one this morning, the sweetness of the victory tempered by the bone-deep chill from the dank pervasive rain.

I shook the parka off the balcony and left it draped over an armchair to dry along with the sodden ball cap and the squishy running shoes. It had been a good day, all things considered; with an excellent outcome for new Terp’s coach Randy Edsall.

The nice thing about being an occasional fan is that the associated emotion is tempered. Of course, beating Miami is always a good thing, and bless the Turtles. I was wearing my red t-shirt to show solidiarity, the UnderArmor silky one with the words “Fear the Turtle!” in honor of the Terrapin mascot of the University of Maryland. I t was supposed to shower, on and off, through the course of the afternoon and the game, so I added the hat and my water-resistant parka.

I forgot that “water resistant” does not mean “waterproof,” but it is hard to account for all contingencies when it is still warm, and just out of the pool. Martin-the-Polish-Lifeguard was gone, and in his place was Alexi, a thin blonde young man who asked for my pool pass as I signed the roster at the table by the gate. I didn’t have it, of course, and there was a tense moment until he realized that nothing mattered much this late in the season.

I got a decent swim in, something that seemed incongruous in the chill of night. “Done,” I thought. The pool is now closed during the week and I have to figure out something else to do for fitness. Damn, the summer went by swiftly!

My outfit had seemed perfectly sensible in the late afternoon as we prepared for the magical Mystery Tour route that Jake takes across the District to get us to the parking lot at College Park where we tailgate. Shorts, we reasoned, were the way to go in the rain, since jeans would just get soaked. That was good, as far as it went, but with the rain the temperature plummeted.

It was a big crowd, the parking lot was packed. There were hundreds of tents erected, and satisfied owners looked out from cover as those of us without tried to manage drinks, food and umbrellas in the rain. The“Man Up!” gang was in place when Jake wheeled the alternate lifestyle Subaru into the slot next to them, and they insisted we do shots with them as we began to set up to cook the brats and the pulled brisket, open some beers and pour some drinks. We got everything done in good order, though the rain came in big bands that drenched everything, and caused the back gate of the little SUV to become a compressed buffet.

We slogged over to the stadium in time to be seated for the Terps to come on the field. The rain let up a bit, and we alternately shrugged off and pulled on the sodden outerwear.

There were two new coaches facing each other across the gridiron. Massive coach Ralph Friedgen has been consigned to the ash-heap, with Randy Edsall taking the helm. Miami was playing its initial game under Al Golden without eight suspended players, including quarterback Jacory Harris, linebacker Sean Spence, defensive linemen Marcus Forston and Adewale Ojomo. You know Miami. Those rascals.

So, we had to feel good about the odds. The biggest deal was the throw-back uniforms for the Turtles, which featured elements from the Calvert Family banner that serves as the Maryland state flag.

“I think they were inspired by a Deck of Cards, like the Jack of Diamonds,” said Satchel.

“I like the helmets, but it does have an certain jarring sensibility. Maybe that is the point.”

Satchel thought they were inspired by  the motley of court jesters, but thankfully it did not turn out that way on the field.

The first half was close, with Cameron Chism forcing a Miami fumble that converted to a TD to take the lead in at the half, up 20-14. We fled to the concourse at the half to get out of the rain, and returned to our seats to watch Miami rally and threaten to take the lead.

Terp’s kicker Nick Ferrara kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:39 left to boost the Turtles into the lead, and then, during a last gaps surge, Miami threated, and Chism picked off a pass that should not have been thrown and romped 54 yards to seal the deal.

Turtles, 32-24 at the final.

We slogged back to the car, where we normally hold a post-game session until the parking lot clears out. The rain continued to fall, and we decided that desertion was the better part of valor.

I changed into sweats and a heavy long-sleeve shirt, and mixed the cocktail that we did not have in the parking lot. Tuesday morning already. School starts. The idiots in Congress are back. The topic of jobs and the economy are going to be the main event this week.

“Man,” I said to no one. “That was a summer.” I took a sip of the cold drink and shivered, looking out ar the rain coming down on the blacktop of Big Pink’s parking lot.

Copyright 2011 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com