Bench

Maryland big man Jordan Williams is leaving College Park. The sophomore more or less confirmed on his Twitter account this afternoon the reports that he has hired an agent and is going pro, something that has been speculated the past several weeks. That’s right, order your Bakersfield Jam jerseys now, folks, because Williams is going to the D-League! Just kidding. Williams is entering the June 23 NBA draft , though I guess a season in the NBA’s Development League isn’t out of the question depending on which team drafts him next month.

The day after U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden, dozens of people flocked to the Pentagon Memorial to honor loved ones, neighbors and perfect strangers who died in the Pentagon attack nearly 10 years ago. They bore flowers and tiny flags and carried themselves, for the most part, like visitors to a cemetery. In contrast to more raucous gatherings in New York and at the White House, there were no whoops or cheers here on two pebble-covered acres on the Pentagon's south side. Mourners left bouquets in pools of water trickling beneath 184 stone benches, each engraved with the name of someone killed when a hijacked plane crashed into the massive building.

This week, Watchdog brings you updates on some previously unresolved problems. Update: A bench has been replaced at a Randallstown bus stop. Roslyn DeGraffinreid called to thank Watchdog last month because a broken wooden bench in the 9100 block of Liberty Road has been replaced. DeGraffinreid works nearby and waits for the bus at that stop after tiring shifts at a nursing home. "You all called the right people and now it's fixed so we can get to sit down," she said in a message to Watchdog.

Orioles position players won't have their first full workout until Monday, but manager Buck Showalter is already looking forward to the competition for the final bench spot. "The bullpen and the bench, if we stay healthy, I hope it will be real tough on us," Showalter said. Barring injuries, three of the four bench spots appear to be set or close to it. Cesar Izturis will be the team's primary utility infielder, while Felix Pie or Nolan Reimold will serve as the fourth outfielder.

What happens if Judge W. Kennedy Boone III blows a .07 after lunch? Does he just return to the bench that day, or is the bailiff authorized to send him home with a designated driver? Does Judge Boone get to resume his duties, or does another judge of the Washington County Circuit Court relieve him of his docket? I realize that a .07 blood-alcohol level is not considered intoxication under Maryland law, but it's pretty close. I raise these questions because Judge Boone, who presides in Hagerstown, has been ordered to take a blood-alcohol test twice a day — once before he goes on the bench in the morning, and again after lunch.

It's no secret what Cliff Tucker wanted Wednesday for his 22nd birthday. The Maryland senior has been hoping to win back the starting position he lost five games ago. But Tucker didn't want to complain, particularly on his special day. So he gladly settled for scoring a season-high 21 points off the bench to lead a 74-55 victory over Wake Forest that was Maryland's first Atlantic Coast Conference win of the season. Maryland (11-5, 1-2 ACC) needed Tucker's shooting and energy on a night when leading scorer Jordan Williams shot 2-for-13 from the floor but still managed his 10th straight double double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Maryland coach Gary Williams won't commit to using the same starting lineup after a loss to Temple in which the starters — except center Jordan Williams — came under criticism. The Terps (6-3) host UNC-Greensboro (0-7) on Wednesday night. The lineup "will be clear at about 6:15 [Tuesday night after practice] and I'm not going to tweet it," the coach said Tuesday. "Why would you tell Greensboro who we're going to start? I'm not that nice. " Senior starters Cliff Tucker, Adrian Bowie and Dino Gregory and junior starter Sean Mosley all found themselves benched for extended periods of the 64-61 loss to Temple on Sunday night in the BB&T Classic in Washington D.C. "The best message is the second half when we subbed.

It didn't start well for Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. when he took the job in 2002. In his first week, he clashed with the County Council over top-level appointments — the first of several public spats that generated friction between the executive and legislative branches. Some people thought the former Circuit Court judge was crazy to trade the quiet solitude of a judicial chambers to run an organization with thousands of employees and a budget that now tops $2 billion.

South Baltimore's newest bar has been open for less than a month. It's so new, it doesn't even have decorations on the wall, except a clock and an alarm box. The toilet still has a remove-before-using sticker. So few have stepped inside, it still has that new apartment smell. When I spoke with manager Stephen Gronowski recently, he hadn't even settled on a name yet, wavering between The Park Bench or just Park Bench. Still, I went down for an early look last Friday, and found a bar that, though short on pizzazz or notoriety, shows a lot of promise.

Manager Buck Showalter finally completed his 2011 staff Tuesday by selecting a bench coach who spent years battling the Orioles at Memorial Stadium. Looking for a quality infield instructor with the added bonus of managerial experience, Showalter hired an old friend, former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph. It's a reunion of sorts for Showalter, who gave Randolph his first big league coaching job with the New York Yankees in 1994. "It's kind of surreal in a way; as a young coach, I learned the ropes as a third base coach under Buck Showalter," said Randolph, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Orioles after spending two seasons as bench coach with the Milwaukee Brewers.