Frese's Run Is Remarkable in Every Way

Brenda Frese and Mark Thomas's twin boys -- Markus William and Tyler Joseph -- are one week old today, in case you haven't received a birth announcement from the Maryland women's basketball coach and her husband.

We'll excuse Brenda and Mark for that oversight -- and who knows if they'll be at today's game against Florida State at Comcast Center, when the fourth-ranked Terrapins will go after their 28th win in 30 games on Senior Day.

It's a day to celebrate a senior class that not only helped produce a national title two years ago but also four straight 20-win seasons (111 wins overall, if you're counting), 18 consecutive home-court victories and a 76-69 triumph at Duke last Sunday, the day the twins were born.

The Terrapins "had a kick in their step," Duke Coach Joanne P. McCallie said, according to Sports Illustrated.

"We were so excited for Coach B," said senior Crystal Langhorne, whose jersey gets hoisted to the rafters today in tribute to her leadership and four-year scoring average (16.1). "Her having those babies last Sunday gave us an extra burst of energy . . . and while she hasn't been with us recently, and it's different without her, she prepared us for when she would be taking her time."

Thomas said Friday that the first week "has been overwhelming for us," adding that the team visited Frese and the babies for the first time at their home on Thursday. "Each of the girls held the babies and it was so nice to see their reaction."

The Terrapins, who have been coached in Frese's absence by Daron Park, will go into the postseason with their top players -- seniors Langhorne and Laura Harper and juniors Kristi Toliver and Marissa Coleman -- looking to duplicate the championship run of two years ago. The other seniors -- Jade Perry and Ashleigh Newman -- are primed as well.

"This team is more experienced than the championship team," Langhorne said. "We know not to take anything for granted."

What is taken for granted, however, is the "holy cow" aspect of this story, which even the back-to-work writers in Hollywood would have trouble matching.

A Ritual Lives

I know, I'm supposed to be agonized and conflicted by the start of spring training after reading the incriminating Mitchell report, which might contain more pages than Al Saunders's playbook, assessing the guilt or innocence of Roger Clemens, watching Andy Pettitte confess all at a Yankees news conference and staring at Nats catcher Paul "Mitchellman" Lo Duca.

But it wasn't that way on Thursday, at least to me and about 100 fans watching as the assembled pitchers, catchers and position players trying to make the 2008 Nationals gathered on four perfectly manicured fields in Viera, Fla.

Some bits and pieces: