Snapping the Turtles

Down by Coach K Court

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I had a chance to attend the Maryland/Duke game this past Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. My dad and I were fortunate to attend the game with a couple who are huge Duke fans and have one of the most ideal set-ups I have ever seen for attending a sporting event. We met them a few miles away from the university and rode in with them because they had a parking pass - not just any parking pass, I think we had a parking spot closer to the gym than Coach K. And because we arrived early, they were able to take us courtside as the teams were warming up, making sure we got a few pictures and a chance to see the players up-close. It was my second time attending a game at Duke, but it had been over 8 years since my first visit and it was cool to see a few of the new things that have been added to the arena. It was awesome to see a new national championship banner hanging in the rafters along with some additional retired jerseys and some other banners celebrating specific accomplishments.

From our seats

One of the best parts about attending the game was the aspect of this being Duke's first game since their improbable comeback victory over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. In a sense, this was the opportunity for the Cameron Crazies and the Duke crowd to celebrate the victory and congratulate the team on their win. The pregame introduction of the team included a highlight video from the UNC game and concluded with Austin Rivers' game winning shot - which brought the crowd to a deafening level and was the loudest it got in Cameron Indoor Stadium the entire day. However, even amidst all the post-UNC euphoria, Duke still had a game to play against a physical Maryland team. The Blue Devils got off to a slow start and struggled offensively in the first half, but played with a defensive intensity that had been missing for much of the season and really disrupted the Maryland offense. The offense picked up in the second half and Miles Plumlee did his best Dwight Howard impersonation as Duke put the Terps away in a decisive victory.

Here were 3 things I noticed during the game:

1. The Cameron Crazies don't realize how important they are. This student section has the ability and reputation of being the most intimidating crowd in the country, but this group isn't living up to it. They don't have as much energy and they seem to lose interest unless Duke is playing very well. As Coach K was walking off the court going into halftime, he gave the Cameron Crazies a piece of his mind and appeared to be yelling at them in an attempt to get the more involved in the game. With only three home games remaining, I hope they make the most of their opportunity.

2. 

   Cameron Crazies

   Andre Dawkins is a head case. It's one thing to be a streaky shooter - it's another to be a player who completely checks out of the game when his shot isn't falling. Unfortunately, Dawkins seems to be the latter. Andre has the athletic ability to be much more than a catch-and-shoot perimeter player, but he is content to stand outside the 3-point line and jack up threes. I've also noticed an increasingly disturbing trend of him trying to instigate issues with the other team. It's time for Andre to just shut up and let his play do the talking.
3. Miles Plumlee played BIG. Everyone talked about the number of rebounds Plumlee had, which was phenomenal - but that wasn't the only thing that stuck out about his game. Plumlee was the most assertive I've ever seen him. He was setting good screens on the perimeter and then rolling hard to the basket and calling for the ball. He also did a great job of establishing low post position and making himself a big target for receiving an entry pass from the perimeter. If Miles continues to play with this type of confidence and aggressiveness, Duke becomes a completely different team.

For a college basketball fan, seeing a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium should be on your bucket list. For a Duke fan, seeing a game at Cameron is something you will never forget. Having a chance to experience the history and excellence of this great program is something truly special. And it's always good to Duke dominate Maryland. 

Down to Durham

Yesterday was a great day. I took a trip down to Durham with my dad to watch Duke play Maryland at Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was my second time seeing a game at Duke and it was a great game to attend - I plan to post more about the game later this week. And before we made the trip, I did some research on Urbanspoon about potential places to eat in the Durham/Chapel Hill area before the game. There were a few places that looked appealing, but there is something special about ACC Basketball and BBQ so we decided to try Allen & Son.

When we pulled up to the restaurant, we felt like we were about to enjoy a local landmark that focused on serving great food and didn't worry about presentation or being fancy. The atmosphere was quaint and had tacky decorations, but that's not uncommon for many local restaurants in the South. Once we sat down and received menus, we were a bit surprised at the prices of the food. $10 for a BBQ Plate with slaw and hush puppies, $4.25 for a bowl of Brunswick stew, or $6.00 for a BBQ sandwich seemed a bit steep, but we thought it might have something to do with the portions. My dad is somewhat of a Brunswick stew connoisseur, so he ordered a bowl of stew (which came with hush puppies) along with a BBQ sandwich and a side of onion rings. Then, I tried to order.

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a difficult customer when it comes to dining out. I'm more the type that would rather just let something go than point out a mistake to the server or send food back because I'm unhappy with it - I don't like the confrontation. I'll eat something I don't even like because I don't wait to be a pain. So, I decided to order the BBQ sandwich with a side of hush puppies. So far, no problem. However, I noticed that the BBQ sandwich came with slaw on top of it and I tend to be rather picky when it comes to coleslaw. I asked the waitress if I could get the slaw on the side instead of on the sandwich because I wanted to try it to make sure I liked it before putting it on my sandwich. I do this all the time and it's NEVER been an issue - until now. 

She told me I couldn't have the slaw on the side. I figured there was a misunderstanding and she must have thought I was asking for an extra side of slaw - I tried to explain, "No, I would like the slaw that is going on the sandwich to be left on the side." She understood but it didn't matter. She informed me that we would be charged extra for having the slaw on the side. Stunned, I said, "Wait a second - you're going to charge me extra for the slaw you were already going to serve me if I want it put on the plate instead of on the sandwich?" She wasn't willing to budge and asked me if I wanted the slaw or not. I responded that I'd take the sandwich with the slaw and I would just scoop it off if I didn't like it. I tried to express how ridiculous this was but it didn't seem to phase her. Looking back, I was more accommodating than I should have been - we should have just walked out on principle.

At this point, I was thinking this place better serve the best freaking BBQ in the country to put up with this nonsense. Once our food came, our mistake in choosing Allen & Son had been fully realized. For $7.50, my BBQ sandwich and hush puppies were little more than disappointing. AND THERE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A TABLESPOON OF THE INFAMOUS COLESLAW ON MY SANDWICH! The meat was a little dry and the hush puppies were good, but I wish there had been more than four of them. And as for my dad's Brunswick stew, I've been served bigger samples of soup at Costco than what he received in his $4 "bowl." Lacking in size and flavor but heavy on the price tag ($25.00) is a terrible description for any meal and that's how I would describe what we had.

Unfortunately, our pregame meal was the low point of an otherwise great day. The basketball was great and the crowd at Cameron Indoor Stadium was energetic, creative, and memorable. I wish I could say the same about the food and the experience at Allen & Son. Two thumbs way down!

The Duke Way

My God, a Freshman!

I can still remember when I became a fan of Duke basketball. It was 1998 and Duke was playing Florida in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Gators were a young and improving team while Duke was a dominant powerhouse - I still argue that is the most talented team in Duke history (Brand, Avery, Maggette, Langdon, Battier, Carrawell, OH MY!). The key moment for me was in the second half when Corey Maggette took the ball in transition for a dunk for the Blue Devils. Maggette dunked the ball and then used the rim to pull himself up above the basket to slap the backboard! Here's the video. It was one of the most intimidating plays I have ever seen and the crowd nearly blew the roof off Cameron Indoor. Maggette received a technical foul for hanging on the rim but it didn't matter - the message was sent and Duke ended up blowing Florida out in that game. That incredible moment was when I became a die-hard Duke fan.

Since then, I have enjoyed following one of the most successful programs in the history of college sports. From 1998 until now, Duke has played in 4 Final Fours, won 2 National Championships, and 10 ACC Championships. Actually, there is only one season in that time period that could qualify as being "disappointing," which was the 2006-07 season when the Blue Devils struggled to a 22-11 record and were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Other than one tough year, it has been a great ride as a Duke fan and it's great to be a fan of a team who receives so much hatred because of their standard of success. And that standard exists because Mike Krzyzewski refuses to settle for anything less.

McRoberts owes him an apology.

At one point during last night's game against North Carolina, I wrote on Facebook that this year's team is the most frustrating Duke team I can remember. The 2006-07 squad was frustrating, but I think it was more of a case of one player being incredibly frustrating - I still can't stand you, Josh McRoberts. But this year's team can be maddening at because it feels like they have so much potential. Tyler Thornton can't play tough defense without fouling. Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee back down from any sort of physical play in the paint. Andre Dawkins has more ability than anyone on the court but can't keep his head in the game. And Seth Curry is hesitant to be the incredible scorer everyone knows he can be. This team doesn't lack ability - but they seem to struggle in areas related to effort, confidence, and chemistry. Thank goodness they are coached by the game's best.

Austin Rivers takes what he wants!

Coach K knows how to bring the best out of his players. That's why Duke was able to come back last night against UNC when it seemed like all odds were against them. Coach K is able to instill a belief in his players that they are never out of a game, and one or two key plays could shift the momentum. A belief that leads to Tyler Thornton hitting a clutch 3 to start the comeback after he'd missed his previous 5 attempts. A belief that leads to Mason Plumlee coming up with a huge steal after he'd been destroyed by Tyler Zeller in the post for most of the game. And a belief that gave Austin Rivers (Can he please now be basketball's version of The Honey Badger?!) the confidence to stick the dagger in UNC's heart with an improbable buzzer beater. This is why Duke players believe they can win any game - even if they don't always pull off the comeback. And this is a big part of why it's so great to be a Duke fan. Because with Coach K at the helm, no matter who they play...I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!

A Different Duke Team

Pregame - when Tech fans were excited.

On Thursday afternoon, I received a great surprise. I found out my boss had tickets to the Duke/Virginia Tech game and she happened to have an extra ticket that wasn't going to be used. She offered me the ticket - and even better, she offered it for FREE! So I spent Thursday evening headed to Blacksburg with my boss, her son, and her boyfriend and we made it to Cassell Coliseum just before the game. It was a great time and I really enjoyed watching Duke shut up the Virginia Tech crowd in a convincing victory. Here were a few things that stuck out to me from this game:

1. Seth Curry is an enigma. Aside from Austin Rivers, Curry might have more potential than any other player on the team. Yet, he seems to be playing with the confidence of someone who is hoping for a chance to get in the game during a blowout. I really think Curry has struggled to figure out his role this season - switching back and forth between the primary ballhandler who runs the offense or the second guard who plays off the ball and looks to score. The environment at Cassell Coliseum couldn't have been easy either. At one point I told the guy beside me, "It must be weird playing a tough road game and looking up in the rafters and seeing your dad's picture and jersey hanging for the other team." I was happy to see Curry make some nice plays down the stretch and get to the free throw line - I just hope he can consistently produce throughout the entire game.

2. Jeff Capel has taken a very active role as an assistant coach. I wasn't sure how Capel would transition into his new position as an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski. Coming from a major college program (Oklahoma) where he had a decent amount of success, I thought Capel might be more of an observer or a quiet presence on the bench so as not to take the attention away from Coach K or the other assistants who have more of a relationship with the players - I was way off. Capel was very assertive with the team and took charge of many of the timeouts, getting in the faces of many of the players. He was especially energetic with the young players and seemed to take advantage of any opportunity to offer some coaching to Quinn Cook and Austin Rivers. I don't know how long Duke will have him on the sidelines, but Capel appears to have fully embraced his role as an assistant. Good for him!

3. Duke needs a physical post presence. Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly are match-up problems for many teams - Plumlee's speed in transition and Kelly's perimeter game make them tough to guard. Unfortunately, both of them seem to present defensive liabilities for Duke, particularly Kelly. Both of them have the ability to block shots and Mason has become an excellent rebounder, but there are too many possessions where they get beat by other physical players in the paint. I think Duke is the best team in the country at drawing charges from players driving in out of control from the perimeter - the problem happens when Plumlee or Kelly decides to flop into the front row instead of banging and not giving up position. This point is very supportive of the constant statement, "DUKE NEEDS TO RECRUIT MORE BIG BLACK POST PLAYERS!". I'm looking at you, Tony Parker!

Week Five Football

There are some great games featuring Top 15 teams this weekend. As the college football season moves deeper into conference play, we'll begin to see the contenders who will compete for a spot in the BCS Championship game. I could have easily picked 3 intriguing games from the SEC this weekend, but there are a couple other match ups that could turn into instant classics.

#13 Clemson vs. #11 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. - It's time for the Virginia Tech football season to begin. After four games to start the season against cupcakes, the Hokies will face a different kind of test with Clemson. Finally a game Virginia Tech fans can be excited about. For Clemson, this is their opportunity to really prove something. Beating an overrated Auburn team and a beat up Florida State team on your home field  doesn't say a whole lot. The play of Tajh Boyd and the emergence of Sammy Watkins has been huge for Clemson and the play of these two will be critical to Clemson's success. If Boyd can run the offense and deal with the Virginia Tech crowd and Watkins can find some holes in the Virginia Tech secondary, Clemson could pull the upset. And if David Wilson can have a big performance for Virginia Tech, it could be a long night for Dabo Swinney.

#3 Alabama vs. #12 Florida, Gainesville, FL. - Alabama takes it's freight train of a team to a showdown in the Swamp against the Gators. Similar to Virginia Tech, Florida has been able to test drive its new offense against some weak opponents. Now, they get to see how it works against the Alabama house of horrors. I can't wait to see the head games that take place between Nick Saban and Charlie Weiss. Saban seemed to solve Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas offense with relative ease last weekend, so we'll see if the speed of Florida can make a difference. This will also be the first major test for Alabama's quarterback, A.J. McCarron. If McCarron can manage the game and avoid turnovers, Alabama can rely on Trent Richardson and the powerful Crimson Tide offensive line. And if Richardson gets going again, the Tide will continue to roll.

#8 Nebraska vs. #7 Wisconsin, Madison, WI. - This is quite a welcome party for Nebraska to the Big 10. Playing against Wisconsin for a night game in Madison is never easy and the Badgers have been playing at an extremely high level. To me, the key for both of these teams will be the play of the quarterbacks. Taylor Martinez has the ability to carry the Nebraska offense or run it into the ground. He needs to be able to make big plays without making big mistakes. On the other end, Russell Wilson just needs to keep doing what he's been doing for Wisconsin. If Wilson is accurate and effective with the play action pass, Wisconsin should be in very good shape.

Conference Play is Underway: Week Four

Before I get to the three games I am looking forward to this weekend, what the heck has happened to N.C. State? Has it really been that long since Philip Rivers and T.A. McLendon had the Wolfpack competing at the top of the ACC? Last night, N.C. State was DOMINATED by Cincinnati and the 30 point margin doesn't indicated how bad it really was. I'm guessing there will be a new head coach in Raleigh next year. Now, onto the weekend's games.

Trent Richardson shedding defenders.

#14 Arkansas vs. #3 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. - The offensive wizard against the defensive mastermind. Bobby Petrino and his high powered offenses have never defeated Nick Saban. It will be interesting to see how Arkansas quarterback, Tyler Wilson, handles starting in his first SEC road game and the Crimson Tide secondary. It would help Wilson a great deal if Arkansas can manage to establish some sort of running game with Ronnie Wingo Jr. On the other side of the ball, Arkansas must figure out a way to stop the two-headed monster rushing attack of Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. In three years of watching Alabama, I still don't know if I've seen Trent Richardson tackled by one defender. Arkansas must stop the run and force A.J. McCarron to throw the ball for the Alabama offense. In their first three games, Alabama has yet to really be tested. We'll see if Arkansas can put up a fight.

Justin Blackmon is scary good.

#7 Oklahoma State vs. #8 Texas A&M, College Station, TX. - Defense could be optional in this one. Oklahoma State comes into this game averaging 52 points per game. Texas A&M is averaging 41.5. Last year, Oklahoma State won 38-35. On paper, you would think this will be an absolute shootout. With all the hype about the offenses, we'll probably get a turnover filled battle full of field possession and field goals. I hope not. There will be a tremendous amount of offensive talent on the field. Oklahoma State wide receiver, Justin Blackmon, is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and Texas A&M has great offensive balance with Ryan Tannehill and Cyrus Gray. As is the case when good teams play each other, limiting mistakes and capitalizing on turnovers will be huge. The crowd at Kyle Field could also be a major factor. 

Ga. Tech is annoyed with defense.

North Carolina vs. #25 Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA. - In their first three games, Georgia Tech has put up video game statistics. They lead the nation in points per game (59!) and total offense per game (675 yards!). Actually, that's even hard to do in a video game unless you play quarters that are longer than 5 minutes, which means you're lame anyway. I heard that Roddy Jones was tweeting about how amazing this offense is and couldn't believe he gets to see it, which prompted an angry Joe Hamilton to call in to a sports radio show in Atlanta and chastise Jones for not being more involved in the offense. We're still awaiting word on Reggie Ball's opinion because he forgot which day he was supposed to call in to the show. This weekend, Georgia Tech will finally face a true opponent. I look forward to seeing if North Carolina's speed can present a challenge to the Georgia Tech triple option.

Week Three in College Football

Regarding the three games I said would be worth watching last weekend, I ask, "WERE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!" Georgia and South Carolina put on quite a show. Texas came up big in the 4th quarter against BYU. And USC made a key special teams play to put the game away against Utah. I really don't think this weekend will be as exciting, but here are three more I'm looking forward to.

Can Maryland top these?

No. 18 West Virginia vs. Maryland - College Park, MD. - If nothing else, everyone is excited to see what uniforms the Terrapins will break out for this game. After surprising everyone with their uniforms for the opener against Miami, the wardrobe choices for the Terps have been quite the buzz. Regardless of the outfits, I think this game will reveal a lot about these two teams. How will the West Virginia offense fare against a legitimate opponent? Can West Virginia avoid the slow starts that have plagued them in their previous two games? Will Maryland quarterback, Danny O'Brien, be able to build on his strong performance against Miami in the season opener? If Maryland is able to knock off the Mountaineers and go to 2-0, fans in College Park should feel very good about the direction of the program under Randy Edsall.

No. 21 Auburn vs. Clemson - Clemson, SC. - Clemson fans are probably still upset about the outcome of last year's game against Auburn. Like nearly every other opponent the Auburn faced, Clemson had the Tigers on the ropes before giving up a lead and watching Cam Newton lead his team to an improbable comeback victory. This season, it has been the same song with a different cast of characters for Auburn. In their first two games, Gene Chizik's team has narrowly escaped defeat by making clutch plays down the stretch. On one hand, you feel like Auburn has played with fire for the past 15 games and their luck is bound to run out at some point. On the other hand, you think Auburn has now been in so many close games that the pressure doesn't affect them anymore. The first two victories came in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium. We'll see how much of their mojo travels with them for a road game at Clemson.

Even the mascot was intimidating in the 1990s.

No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Florida State - Tallahassee, FL. - It must be nice to pull for a team that isn't afraid to play a strong non-conference schedule. Georgia's Athletic Director, Greg McGarity, has basically said the Dawgs are finished playing tough non-conference opponents while he has a role in the scheduling. Way to expect greatness! Saturday night, Oklahoma heads to Tallahassee for a game that will capture most of the attention of the college football audience. The game is in primetime on ABC and I'm sure people at Florida State are talking about this game as an opportunity to show that the 'Noles are back. If you ask some, this could be the match up of the best offense in the country (Oklahoma) against the best defense in the country (FSU). I don't know if that's the case, but I do know there will be a LOT of talent on the field Saturday night. In my opinion, I don't know if Florida State will ever get back to the level the program was at in the 1990's. The talent and intimidation level of those teams was incredible. They beat teams before the games even started with the way they could intimidate an opponent in warm ups. You never expected them to lose a game. Ever. Actually, it's the same feeling I get when I watch Alabama play.