Amaker at Harvard

[Orange&BlackSheep]

Thank you nameless mod. Thank you thank you thank you.

It was written phonetically so you read it with all the patrician affectation you can possibly muster. Perhaps the equivalent of kerlina. Perhaps.

[MCFinARL]

It was written phonetically so you read it with all the patrician affectation you can possibly muster. Perhaps the equivalent of kerlina. Perhaps.

Oh, but then doesn't it have to have an h or two, as in "Hahvahd"?

[OldPhiKap]

The grousing sage has this portrayed correctly as I understood it. The only difference being for me, of course, was the joy that Harvard bashing always brings (facts and truth being irrelevant) mitigated only by the ever present little devil on the shoulder reminding me of my teen idolization of the aforementioned backcourt back when you had to follow the ACC via [gasp] the newspaper if you did not live in God's country.

I was fortunate enough to have a few classes with Tommy. Great guy, very good student.

And I remember when you had to get the Blue Devil Weekly to read about games, because ESPN showed log-cutting contests and there was no such thing as "the duece" or the series of tubes we call the internet today . . . .

And, lest we forget, all Duke fans owe Princeton a big debt of gratitude. The Duke Boys tried to buy Princeton back in the day, and were politely declined. The reason West Campus looks the way it does is because they were copying Princeton -- with the Chapel 6 feet higher, of course, IIRC . . . .

[Orange&BlackSheep]

I was fortunate enough to have a few classes with Tommy. Great guy, very good student.

And I remember when you had to get the Blue Devil Weekly to read about games, because ESPN showed log-cutting contests and there was no such thing as "the duece" or the series of tubes we call the internet today . . . .

And, lest we forget, all Duke fans owe Princeton a big debt of gratitude. The Duke Boys tried to buy Princeton back in the day, and were politely declined. The reason West Campus looks the way it does is because they were copying Princeton -- with the Chapel 6 feet higher, of course, IIRC . . . .

That is the story as I have always understood it myself. Don't know about the height of the respective chapels. I do know the height of Princeton basketball was 1965.

[OldPhiKap]

That is the story as I have always understood it myself. Don't know about the height of the respective chapels. I do know the height of Princeton basketball was 1965.

"Tower envy." Goes all the way back to the Florentines, if not earlier . . . .

I generally pull for Princeton in the Ivy battles although I'll never pull against Tommy. Duke has been blessed to have many great backcourts, but my favorite is still Johny and Tommy.

[Kewlswim]

Hello,

Duke trying to buy Princeton, from what I've been told, is a nice story, but not true. Duke did copy the architecture of Princeton because the founders wanted the school to look ivy leaguish, but that is a far as it goes. Furthermore, the first few presidents (if I remember correctly) were actually Yalies, thus we get blue and white colors as are found at Yale.

As far as our tower being taller...well I didn't know that, but it does not surprise me. I've never been up in the tower, but if you go up there it is apparently easy to see how the school grounds are in the shape of a cross.

GO DUKE!

[77devil]

I do know the height of Princeton basketball was 1965.

Probably, although the mid 70's Tigers that were the 1975 NIT champs, AP # 12, and the 1976 undefeated Ivy League champs, 22-5 with two NBA draftees make a good case.

[77devil]

Hello,

Duke trying to buy Princeton, from what I've been told, is a nice story, but not true.

GO DUKE!

Here is a link to the Duke University archives.

http://library.duke.edu/uarchives/hi...tes/myths.html

"The origins of myths are difficult to pin down but this story perhaps begins with the legal language of the Indenture which established the Duke Endowment on December 11, 1924...

Oral traditions are an integral part of campus life but myths that distort history need to be refuted. Duke University has its own rich 152-year history that makes it the renowned institution it is today. Have you heard the story of the East Campus wall being ten feet high--three feet above ground and seven beneath? That is an entertaining story but it is not true either!"

While I remember the East Campus wall story being oft told back in the day, I can't quite remember the explanation for it. Something about a clever way to circumvent a covenant to build a ten foot wall I think.

[hurleyfor3]

It was written phonetically so you read it with all the patrician affectation you can possibly muster. Perhaps the equivalent of kerlina. Perhaps.

Then it shoulda been, "Amahkuh at Hahvahd".

I thought one condition in the Duke-buying-Princeton story was that Princeton had to change its name to Duke.

[duke79]

Then it shoulda been, "Amahkuh at Hahvahd".

I thought one condition in the Duke-buying-Princeton story was that Princeton had to change its name to Duke.

That was one of the versions I heard, as well. My understanding is that all those stories about the Duke boys trying to "buy" Princeton are totally false (but make for nice rumors, nonetheless, just like the stories about how the steps around West Campus were made from soft limestone, so they would wear down fast to give the campus a much older and prestigious look).

[CEF1959]

That was one of the versions I heard, as well. My understanding is that all those stories about the Duke boys trying to "buy" Princeton are totally false (but make for nice rumors, nonetheless, just like the stories about how the steps around West Campus were made from soft limestone, so they would wear down fast to give the campus a much older and prestigious look).

The myth is just a myth, as explained a few posts above, and in James B. Duke's several biographies. Here's the link to the Duke archives article posted above. http://library.duke.edu/uarchives/hi...tes/myths.html

It IS true, however, that the statue of JBD on East Campus stands up when a virgin passes.

[throatybeard]

I also thought Bill King shot down the story about the relative sizes of the respective chapels, but I can't find a link for this.

The interesting part to me is, what part of the Duke psyche is comforted by repeating these things decade after decade. I really doubt people at Princeton bother to talk about our Chapel.

[JBDuke]

...And, lest we forget, all Duke fans owe Princeton a big debt of gratitude. The Duke Boys tried to buy Princeton back in the day, and were politely declined. The reason West Campus looks the way it does is because they were copying Princeton -- with the Chapel 6 feet higher, of course, IIRC . . . .

The myth is just a myth, as explained a few posts above, and in James B. Duke's several biographies. Here's the link to the Duke archives article posted above. http://library.duke.edu/uarchives/hi...tes/myths.html

It IS true, however, that the statue of JBD on East Campus stands up when a virgin passes.

Ahem. Let me correct a couple of things here. First, it's not ME on East Campus, it's my pappy, Washington Duke. I'm always standing in front of the Chapel on West Campus, and I can assure you, there aren't enough virgins passing by on a regular basis to keep me standing all the time - I'm just standing because I like it that way.

As for the Princeton thing, that's just a bunch of vile slander. It wasn't my idea to change the name of Trinity College - that was President Few's decision, and I reluctantly agreed. I thought it might come off as self-serving, but Mr. Few convinced me that the institution needed to distinguish itself from the myriad of other colleges and universities carrying the "Trinity" name, and that my family's long association with the college (My pappy contributed significantly to Trinity 35 years before I set up the Duke Endowment to help them move to Durham, and my brother Ben also gave generously well before the turn of the century.) made "Duke University" a natural choice. To honor my father, I went along with President Few's request.

The University's archives have it right, should you wish to research it further. As for the bit about the height of the chapel, well, I can tell you it wasn't my idea. Might have been Few - he was a bit of a showoff.

[OldPhiKap]

Ahem. Let me correct a couple of things here. First, it's not ME on East Campus, it's my pappy, Washington Duke. I'm always standing in front of the Chapel on West Campus, and I can assure you, there aren't enough virgins passing by on a regular basis to keep me standing all the time - I'm just standing because I like it that way.

As for the Princeton thing, that's just a bunch of vile slander. It wasn't my idea to change the name of Trinity College - that was President Few's decision, and I reluctantly agreed. I thought it might come off as self-serving, but Mr. Few convinced me that the institution needed to distinguish itself from the myriad of other colleges and universities carrying the "Trinity" name, and that my family's long association with the college (My pappy contributed significantly to Trinity 35 years before I set up the Duke Endowment to help them move to Durham, and my brother Ben also gave generously well before the turn of the century.) made "Duke University" a natural choice. To honor my father, I went along with President Few's request.

The University's archives have it right, should you wish to research it further. As for the bit about the height of the chapel, well, I can tell you it wasn't my idea. Might have been Few - he was a bit of a showoff.

Actually, JB, you can thank the Supreme Court for breaking up American Tobacco!

And nice touch to honor old dad. Where is the Doris Duke Quad, BTW?




-- Your loving, tunnelling, doming, stack-loving, counter-clockwise-circling, garden-enjoying offspring, OPK

P.S. Back in the day, Domino's pizza offered free pizza if not delivered in 30 minutes or less. We would order a pizza to be delivered to the top of the chapel, and take the elevator up (now closed, sad to say). Many free pizzas to starving freshmen!

[CameronBornAndBred]

I really doubt people at Princeton bother to talk about our Chapel.

Of course not, theirs is shorter! I wonder if they capitalize theirs though...

[Jim3k]

Where is the Doris Duke Quad, BTW?

Up in Hillsborough, New Jersey, where it's always been. Known as Duke Farms.

[timmy c]

Tommy continues to have success at Ha(r)vard.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...winning-amaker

[miramar]

My negative opinion of Harvard was formed on my college tour of that exalted university, when the smug pomposity of the admissions office made me want to hurl. The guy from the admissions office basically told the room "We don't need you, you need Harvard...but you're probably not good enough." Not in those exact words, of course, but that was the message.

My daughter's local interviewer for Harvard was even worse. He basically started out by saying, And what can YOU offer Harvard? Her answer was pretty good: I'm not sure, but tell me, what exactly did YOU offer the school?

She was delighted to get out the guy's office as quickly as possible and had four great years at Duke.

[Acymetric]

My negative opinion of Harvard was formed on my college tour of that exalted university, when the smug pomposity of the admissions office made me want to hurl. The guy from the admissions office basically told the room "We don't need you, you need Harvard...but you're probably not good enough." Not in those exact words, of course, but that was the message. At that point I promptly came to my senses and reorganized my application list along appropriate priorities: first and foremost, it had to be a good ACC basketball school.

Duke, early decision application, here I come!

Harvard, sadly, didn't make my application list

I actually had the same experience at Boston University...the woman that talked to us was awful, and even though I loved the city I didn't even bother applying. Ick.

Good to see Tommy doing well, I loved seeing him on that video for Coach K when he passed Dean.

[pfrduke]

Big weekend for Tommy. The Crimson hit the road for the Princeton/Penn trip, taking on the two other undefeated teams* in the Ivy league on their courts. A sweep puts Harvard in the driver's seat for a bid; a split will keep things interesting for the return weekend when Harvard gets to host; getting swept will give them a lot of work to do to catch back up to Princeton.

The Harvard/Princeton game is on ESPNU tonight at 7:00 (and I'm hoping it's also going to be on ESPN3, as then I can watch from work).

*I'm going to assume, I think safely, that Penn beats Dartmouth.