Despite All the Questions, Nats Still a Delight for Young and Old

In general, Thompson said, George Mason's success might increase pressure on Larranaga's peers, whose bosses will take note of the Patriots and say, "If they can do it, you can do it.' "

In Boston tonight, the surprising Maryland women's team, with its 32-4 record, goes against North Carolina. It's a Final Four semifinal no one expected in Coach Brenda Frese's fourth season in College Park.

Interest in Maryland's team has built throughout the season, but still gets nowhere near the attention paid to men's basketball. Still, Frese put a team on the court that was exciting, and like the George Mason men, appreciative of whatever notice and coverage came its way.

Kristi Toliver, Shay Doron, Crystal Langhorne, Laura Harper, Marissa Coleman and Jade Perry have combined to make this the most formidable women's team in College Park in nearly two decades. "It's a special team," said Frese, who came to Maryland after one season at Minnesota and has been the target of some unfair barbs from jealous competitors. Frese's predecessor, Chris Weller, coached the team for 27 years, compiling a 499-286 record, including two NCAA Final Fours. She created a foundation for Frese to build upon -- beginning when women's coaches had offices the size of broom closets and budgets barely able to buy the broom.

Corner Kicks

· D.C. United, one of the mainstays of Major League Soccer in its 10-year history, opens its season today at RFK Stadium against the New York Red Bulls (formerly the MetroStars) with high hopes. Club President Kevin Payne, the perennial optimist, believes the team will be sold in the near future to local investors, contend for a fifth championship and in our lifetime play in a new soccer stadium in Southeast's Poplar Point. "We're young, but have the makings of a good team," he said. Of course, the feature attraction, Freddy Adu, enters his third pro season nearing his 17th birthday. "Freddy will be a contributor," Payne said. "But it's hard on him, with all the hype surrounding his turning professional" three years ago.

U.S. team coach Bruce Arena continues to caution against expecting too much from Adu, whom Arena brought into his camp this winter for a look. "Just remember his age," Arena said.

· The Wizards winning three of the first six games on their current road trip bodes well for their finishing the season on a high note. One of the keys to the recent success has been the play of center Etan Thomas, who replaced Brendan Haywood this week and played well against Golden State (four points, five rebounds) and Sacramento (12 points, eight rebounds). "I'm happy to be part of this now," Thomas said this week. "We have scorers; that's not my role."

· Dave Kindred, who back in the day used to write an excellent column for The Post, has written a wonderful book on the relationship between Muhammad Ali and the late Howard Cosell. It's called "Sound and Fury: Two Powerful Lives, One Fateful Friendship." Free Press is the publisher, at $27, and if you're not satisfied Feinstein will refund your money from the profits of his forthcoming book on George Mason titled "The Last Patriot."

Have a comment or question? Reach me attalkback@washpost.com.