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I usually don't like to write glowing stories about somebody without at least adding a critical aspect.
It's a fundamental of proper journalism.
But I couldn't think of, nor could I find anybody who would say anything negative about Crystal Langhorne.
Though the Terrapin women's basketball team will most likely play its first two rounds of the NCAA tournament at Comcast Center, yesterday was the final official home game for Langhorne and the other seniors.
After the game, her name and number, "1," were unveiled as her jersey dropped from the Comcast Center rafters.
It's only fitting when people look up at the ceiling, Langhorne's name will be up there, accompanied by the number one.
Because if you look in the Terps' record books, "one" is the position where you're most likely to find her. Langhorne is the all-time scoring, rebounding and games started leader. The 6-foot-2-inch, headband-donning forward has also taken the most shots in Terps history, of which she has hit a record (and mind-blowing) 65 percent.
In addition, she was the No. 1 player on the No. 1 team in 2006, as she led the Terps to their first national championship.
With emotions hampering Langhorne from composing a full sentence as she addressed the Comcast crowd, Langhorne said:
"To me, there are two important decisions in life - where you go to school, and who you marry. I just hope I marry someone who's as good of a decision Maryland was."
But it's the university that's the lucky one for having Langhorne. It's no coincidence that the Terps' winningest four seasons are the four that included Langhorne.
And it's no coincidence that over 16,000 people showed up for Senior Day - the fourth-largest crowd in ACC history. That's because Langhorne was the main factor in shaping the program into what it is today.
"She's been a leader from the minute, from the day she stepped on campus," coach Brenda Frese said. "Crystal is a winner through and through. We may not ever, ever get an opportunity to coach a player like Crystal again."
Quite simply, Langhorne is the greatest woman to ever grace a basketball court at this university, and grace is exactly how she did it.
She had grace on the floor, using a sophisticated set of inside post-moves and cotton-soft touches around the basket to score at will. She also had grace off the court, where she constantly carried herself like a pro.
If I tried to list all of the accolades she racked up in her collegiate career, this column would have to end shortly thereafter for lack of available space. But it's Langhorne's personality that those close to her rave about most.
Former Terps assistant coach Jeff Walz, who coached Langhorne for three years before taking the lead job at Louisville this year, paid the senior forward the ultimate compliment.
"Two years ago, I was talking to her parents," Walz said, "and my wife and I had just had a daughter, and I told them, 'If my daughter grew up to be like Crystal, I'd be a happy parent.' She takes care of business in the classroom, and she's a coach's dream."
Langhorne also made a quick impression on assistant coach Daron Park, who described the joy of coaching her from a more jealous standpoint.
"I'm kicking myself that I didn't get here three years earlier," Park said.
I covered the women's team last season and was thankful that the star player, the go-to person for interviews, was so kind and easy to converse with. She was soft-spoken, but well-spoken and tried to respond as directly as possible.
After the team unexpectedly lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, several players were crying in the locker room and others gave menacing glares as if to say, "don't bother me right now."
Langhorne handled the situation with the utmost class, treating the media the same way she would if the team had just won a regular season game. She always stayed on that even-keel.
After the hundreds upon hundreds of hoops she scored on the court, Langhorne never resorted to the showmanship or boasting that so many collegiate athletes do today. In fact, the only time she gets really animated on the floor is when one of her teammates makes a big play.
"Team achievements are always more important than individual," Langhorne said. "You may be able to do a lot of stuff on your own, but to win championships, you've got to work as a team."
If she can help lead the Terps to another championship, there will be another banner next to Langhorne's name, and an unmatched legacy for future Terps to live up to.
But if you ask those who are close to Langhorne, the legacy of her as a competitor and as a person is already completely built.
"I was more impressed with her as a person than I was as a basketball player," Walz said. "A lot of people get to see how special she is on the floor, but not enough get to see what she's like as a person."
Maybe now you have a better idea.
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