Back to the Wall discussion
This thread has taken every twist and turn imaginable and I have to admit that I haven't read every page. I am though a little disappointed in the main theme of the last page and a half of comments so I pose the following question for your response to get the focus back on Wall.
I think there is a good argument to be made that John Wall needs Duke more than Duke needs John Wall. A few of the bases for my argument would be as follows:
1) Wall needs an image adjustment to solidify him as a top pick in next year's draft. Yes he is likely to go high anyway but he wants to be sure that he is going to maximize the money he might be able to make... i.e. be in line for endorsements as well as being taken high. Many of you don't seem to think so but I would bet a small fortune that Wall would be a choirboy while at Duke if he chose to come.
2) His real money is going to be made in the NBA as a distributor and not necessarily a scorer. I won't take the time to develop this as an argument here but those who have watched him play should know by now that his game is best suited for playing a style where he is pass first or finish off the drive.
3) People overlook his tenacious defensive skills which I think he really wishes to showcase as a part of his skill set. Cal's system isn't all that known for stressing tough defense (although I'd argue that Cal should get a little bit more credit than he does for that). Duke's best defender is almost always in the running for National Defensive Player of the Year.
4) Like them or not, Beckwith and Clifton have been good influences on Wall and although they wouldn't have the kind of access to him that they have now, they probably would have more if he stayed closer to home than if he were to go to Kentucky or the state of Florida.
5) Everyone has already seen what kind of things Wall can do in a free flowing NBA style offensive system but I think he'd gain the most from being able to showcase what he can do in a different type of system night in and night out against a level of competition that is consistently better across the board than the SEC is right now.
6) This one goes back to number one but I also want to add that showing everyone that he can handle the demands of a Coach like K and an academic atmosphere like the one at Duke would also put to rest all of the other "concerns" that people have raised about his character. For big man prospects I don't think character issues tend to matter as much on draft day but for wing players (given that they are usually plentiful) it can make a difference in terms of which slot you go.
7) JW's biggest percieved attribute is his quickness and I think playing at Duke will highlight that. Every time on the court he will be clearly the fastest man wearing royal blue and white... he might not get to show that off at any of his other choices (State and Baylor aside).
Any way...what do you all think? Again forgive me if this discussion to place earlier...I'm not reading back through over 2000 posts...
Bigotry in unexpected places
Quote:
Originally Posted by
allenmurray
As someone with deep roots in rural NC I find your statement to be untrue. Perhaps the company you chose to keep was that way, but it is not my experience. I'll put my rural NC bona fides up against anyones. We are not all anti-semitic racist hillbillies, whether we graduated from UNC or not.
I believe ,derayb, you are correct about why Wall should come to Duke. I posted earlier (days? weeks? years? ago) from the perspective of a parent (Wall's momma) who loved her son that Duke would be the best place for him to gain stability. He would be surrounded by people of high character and tough love who gave a damn about him as a person.
It would be a slam dunk for character and talent cultivation. If Wall were my son, he would be going to Duke.
Now, as far as rural Southerners being bigots...here goes. Rural folks often grew up in the South in a checkerboard living arrangement with blacks. I have had a ton of black friends tell me the rural and non-metro South was where they really knew who their white friends were.One was the local NCAA attorney who had gone to Columbia Law on an Earl Warren scholarship. Although our politics were often at odds, we spent many honest times talking from the heart about everything. Black classmates often remarked that there was an honesty between people of different races in the South ,as much as they hated the uncivil laws, and that they had experiences as I(and probably many, including Allen Murray and Stray Gator, on this board) in which their childhood buddies included kids of another race.
Bigotry exists and often in unexpected places. I was fortunate to attend 2 fine (supposedly progressive) schools in the North beginning in the mid 1960s. I had a strong Southern accent. I got into fights in college because I was looked at in a negative way by more sophisticated folks from north of the Maison Dixon line. After the grades came out and after more than a few fist fights,my circumstances changed for the better. Still some folks had hated me because of my accent.To them I had to have been a Klansman because of my origin. I think growing up in the rural South is a blessing and I remember vividly being instructed by my parents (also rural Southerners) to respect every man and woman and to admire anyone who did a good job in something (painting, shining shoes, teaching). This was true of people of all races and religions---some of my Jewish pals had more pronounced Southern accents than I.
Sobriquet, you might consider that stereotypes are often wrong.It is a form of bigotry ,as well, to classify people (as groups) unfairly.You obviously are a pretty smart person so maybe you can realize that bigots exist everywhere and that there is also a lot of goodness everywhere.
Best regards--Blueprofessor:)
The end of the signing period means nothing
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BlueinBlo
It's like the last day in the spring signing period. .
Wall can wait to commit until after the 20th. Letting that deadline lapse has no bearing.
Now the KSR report that he wants to do it on the 20th is something different, but there is nothing compelling him to make a decison at any point prior to the close of enrollment at any of the colleges he's interested in. They'll all hold a spot for him, I'd assume.
I'd just as soon he gets it over with, since I'm a pessimist, and would prefer not waiting on what I assume will be bad news.