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. 

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!

The Bucket List

ESPN sent Dan Shulman and Bob Knight to cover the Duke/Maryland game, which is one of their better college basketball crews. Shulman has become one of the best play-by-play announcers for the network and does a great job covering multiple sports. Bob Knight, while somewhat brash, provides thorough analysis and sticks to the focus of covering the game.

That being said, it'd be great for Bob Knight to expand his vocabulary. During the second half of last night's game, I began to notice Knight's constant use of the word "bucket." Nearly every possession involved phrases such as - "great job of getting to the bucket," "he worked hard for that bucket," "a good possession that ended in a bucket," "he kept his man from making the bucket," or "they could really use a bucket here." With 7:15 remaining in the second half, I decided to keep track of the amount of times "bucket" was said. Through less than a fourth of the game, Knight used the word 13 times and I'm pretty sure he said it at least ten other times in the 2nd half before I started keeping track. There might have been more "buckets" than there were points. By the time the game ended, my bucket was overflowing.

As I said, I think Knight is one of ESPN's better college basketball analysts. He focuses on the game (paging Dick Vitale), he doesn't spend most of the time criticizing the players and officials (looking at you, Len Elmore), and he doesn't try to come up with useless, creative phrases (I'm tired of hearing about "valentines,' Jimmy Dykes). It just sounds like he needs someone to send him a thesaurus. Until then, I expect "The Bucket List" drinking game to become a popular aspect of any ESPN game covered by The General. 

Best & Worst

Best - The Army vs. Navy Game

Navy QB Kriss Proctor

I'm coming at this from a biased perspective, but there is something special and unique about an Army-Navy football game. Most nationally televised games feature players and coaches who are doing everything they can to promote themselves for a better job or a chance at the NFL - the next step has already been decided for the players from both of these service academies. Even if you aren't a fan of college football or sports in general, you can watch this game and feel an incredible sense of pride and patriotism in seeing some of the best leaders our nation has to offer, on the field and in the stands.

Now, as a Navy fan, yesterday's game was a great way to end the season. For a team that has had so many struggles and heartbreaking losses, it was awesome to see the Midshipmen be able to finish a close game. A defense that has been torched all season came up with big turnovers and a huge stop in the 4th quarter, a senior kicker who has a had a nightmare season hit a clutch field goal, and a quarterback who's battled injuries all year made some key runs to help his senior class go out on top. In a way, it's just a football game - and in a way, it means everything. Every day of the year, these two schools think about beating each other. At Navy, they say "BEAT ARMY!" after nearly everything they do. "BEAT ARMY" as they turn the corner to go down the hall. "BEAT ARMY!" as a plebe finishes a set of push ups. And for the 10th year in a row, "BEAT ARMY!" on the football field. Mission accomplished. Go Navy!


Worst - The Cincinnati vs. Xavier Brawl

Yancy Gates looking for more...

If the Army-Navy game is the standard for everything great about college athletics, the end of the Cincinnati-Xavier men's basketball game is the standard for everything wrong with college athletics. In a rivalry game that had turned into a blowout (Xavier won 76-53), the game finished with an on-court brawl. It began with trash talking from both teams and quickly escalated into a fight with Cincinnati's Yancy Gates punching a Xavier player in the head and then other Bearcats kicking the Xavier player while he was on the ground. It didn't get any better after the game - Xavier's players were proud of how they stuck up for themselves and didn't back down from a fight while Mick Cronin, Cincinnati's Head Coach, promised heavy consequences for his players.

A strong message would have been dismissing Yancy Gates, the team's best post player, off the team. Instead, the university announced it will suspend Gates for six games. How convenient that five of those games will be against insignificant non-conference opponents. Gates will miss also miss the Big East conference opener against Pittsburgh. No Xavier player will be suspended for more than one game. In short, both teams displayed embarrassing and unacceptable behavior - and neither institution or coach has enough backbone to assess the discipline and consequence the players deserve. It doesn't get much worse than that.