Lack of interest in this year's MBB team

[kaufmjo]

As a life-long Duke fan I've immersed myself from November to March in teams dating back to the mid 80's. That said, I can't think of a season I've been less interested in following than this year. Maybe because we are so young and dont have guys who we've seen around for a while develop into stars but I'm struggling to keep up my interest level. I hate to admit it but its true. Maybe also because the ACC is weaker this year as well. Anyone else feeling the same way?

[78Devil]

Yes, but in my case I think it is because of the recent trend of short term players -- after Kyrie being one and done, and now general expectation that Austin will be the same -- I'm finding it hard to let myself get too immersed or attached. There really is a difference when your stars stay for at least 3 years and that is your expectation from day 1.

Also, the "defensive intensity" is so much ingrained in us as Duke fans as part of our identity, that its hard to get as involved in a team where that aspect is struggling.

Having said that, its a very subtle difference between this year and past years, and I expect/hope that it will disappear as the ACC season gets started.

[sagegrouse]

As a life-long Duke fan I've immersed myself from November to March in teams dating back to the mid 80's. That said, I can't think of a season I've been less interested in following than this year. Maybe because we are so young and dont have guys who we've seen around for a while develop into stars but I'm struggling to keep up my interest level. I hate to admit it but its true. Maybe also because the ACC is weaker this year as well. Anyone else feeling the same way?

I recommend -- "Take two aspirin and log on again in the morning."

This should be a good year, but without the championship glitter and promise of 2010 and 2011. Nevertheless, there are no limits on how high this team will go. And BTW we are ranked (for now) #3 on AP. I guess we are all a little spoiled.

sagegrouse

[Bluedog]

As a life-long Duke fan I've immersed myself from November to March in teams dating back to the mid 80's. That said, I can't think of a season I've been less interested in following than this year.

You were more interested in 1994-95 than this year? I'm certainly interested in following this year to see how the team develops. This is not a "bad" team by any reasonable measure. They certainly aren't going to blow people out every game, but I find it almost more interesting to see how the various roles develop. We went into this season not really knowing how everybody was going to mesh, especially with a lot of young guys and expecting other guys like Mason and Kelly to step up for role players last year to leaders this year. Certainly, there are growing pains, but I personally find the various lineup choices and how players respond to adversity quite interesting. I haven't given up on this team at all, and think by the end of the season, we should be playing our best ball and have a chance to make some noise. Obviously, our defense must improve considerably as well as being less careless with the ball, but these are certainly items that can be addressed and this team has a lot of talent. Although I'm always interested in following every year since I started to do so, and this year is certainly no exception.

[loldevilz]

As a life-long Duke fan I've immersed myself from November to March in teams dating back to the mid 80's. That said, I can't think of a season I've been less interested in following than this year. Maybe because we are so young and dont have guys who we've seen around for a while develop into stars but I'm struggling to keep up my interest level. I hate to admit it but its true. Maybe also because the ACC is weaker this year as well. Anyone else feeling the same way?

I was really excited about this team during Maui and up to the OSU game, but the fact that Coach K completely changed a team that was doing so well has really turned me off this team. I'm still not sure why we got rid of the Seth Curry-Austin Rivers backcourt.

[MCFinARL]

This may be a transitional thing as much as anything else. I remain interested in the team, but I don't feel as emotionally involved as I have for the last couple of years, and I think the reason is likely that this team doesn't have the kind of senior leadership the last couple of teams have had. Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, and before them Scheyer, Thomas, and Zoubek, were 4-year players we saw a lot of and probably felt more invested in. I like Miles Plumlee, who seems to give his all and be a good team player, but I haven't seen him in a major role on the team before this year. And of course, it's really hard to follow an act like Nolan Smith, with his infectious personality and compelling personal story.

But if I'm a little more detached this year, I fully expect it's a temporary thing (likely to end as soon as February, in fact), and I'm not giving away my Duke gear.

[Kedsy]

Anyone else feeling the same way?

No.

My interest level does not depend on how good the team is or how many stars we have or how strong the league is.

[NSDukeFan]

One thing I love about college basketball is what was alluded to by the OP and that is the progression of players as they gain experience and improve. I also find it fascinating watching how coach K might change the team's styles to take advantage of the personnel. This is a younger team than the last couple, so there is more opportunity for players to grow into roles and improve and a lot of different talented pieces that could be used in many different ways.
So, is this a year that I am less interested than some previous?
Not at all.

[SilkyJ]

No.

My interest level does not depend on how good the team is or how many stars we have or how strong the league is.

I agree with Kedsy on the above. That said, I completely understand the below point. The one-and-done thing definitely has its effects in more ways than one.

Personally, I'm still just as into this team as I was all others and expect that will continue, but I can understand why the increasingly revolving door nature of the game would effect someone's interest level.

Yes, but in my case I think it is because of the recent trend of short term players -- after Kyrie being one and done, and now general expectation that Austin will be the same -- I'm finding it hard to let myself get too immersed or attached. There really is a difference when your stars stay for at least 3 years and that is your expectation from day 1.

[jimsumner]

Duke has a senior and four juniors in the rotation. Three of them are scoring in double figures and one is competing for the ACC lead in rebounds.

Duke has a more experienced team than it did in 1987, 2000 and 2007.

Watching role players become better players is one of the more fun things about following college sports. For me, anyway.

As for K, making tweeks, that's par for the course for developing teams.

K benched John Smith for Robert Brickey early in the 1988 season and Duke advanced to the Final Four.

K replaced Abdelnaby with Laettner midway through the 1989 season and Duke advanced to the Final Four.

Duke lost three starters from their 1990 team and K spent much of the 1991 season experimenting with the lineup, starting nine different players. That team won it all.

We all know how K retooled the team following Boozer's broken foot in 2001.

K moved 6-6 senior Dahntay Jones to power forward late in the 2003 season. That team won the ACCT and advanced to the Sweet 16.

K moved Jon Scheyer to the point in the middle of the 2009 season and Duke won the ACCT and advanced to the Sweet 16.
And that's hardly an exhaustive list.

So, I'm at a loss as to why anyone would be surprised or alarmed that K is still tinkering with a team in early January. Especially when we knew going into the season that Duke would utilize a number of different lineups and combinations in the early part of the season.

My two cents.

[MChambers]

Duke has a senior and four juniors in the rotation. Three of them are scoring in double figures and one is competing for the ACC lead in rebounds.

Duke has a more experienced team than it did in 1987, 2000 and 2007.

Watching role players become better players is one of the more fun things about following college sports. For me, anyway.

As for K, making tweeks, that's par for the course for developing teams.

K benched John Smith for Robert Brickey early in the 1988 season and Duke advanced to the Final Four.

K replaced Abdelnaby with Laettner midway through the 1989 season and Duke advanced to the Final Four.

Duke lost three starters from their 1990 team and K spent much of the 1991 season experimenting with the lineup, starting nine different players. That team won it all.

We all know how K retooled the team following Boozer's broken foot in 2001.

K moved 6-6 senior Dahntay Jones to power forward late in the 2003 season. That team won the ACCT and advanced to the Sweet 16.

K moved Jon Scheyer to the point in the middle of the 2009 season and Duke won the ACCT and advanced to the Sweet 16.
And that's hardly an exhaustive list.

So, I'm at a loss as to why anyone would be surprised or alarmed that K is still tinkering with a team in early January. Especially when we knew going into the season that Duke would utilize a number of different lineups and combinations in the early part of the season.

My two cents.

K moved some guy named Zoubek into a starting role. Before he did so, many folks on this board were convinced that Zoubek was more or less a lost cause.

[Matches]

I'll admit to feeling a bit less engaged this year - some years are just like that. Often it has little to do with the quality of the team. I was engaged all the way through the 95 season, was bored at times during 2010 (until the end). More likely it's me, not the team.

Isn't it perfectly natural for interest in hobbies, passions, pursuits etc. to wax and wane over one's life?

[brevity]

Anyone else feeling the same way?

Yes. I wouldn't expect much agreement in this particular forum, but you are not alone.

Being a college basketball fan is exhausting. Some sports, like the NFL, are easier because they start with a burst of intensity, maintain that level for most of the season, and then taper off a little at the end, but only enough to mentally prepare you for the playoffs. (I'm talking about the league as a whole, and not a specific team.) It's basically a one-day investment every week with a satisfying finish; even if the Super Bowl itself is subpar, the fan feels like the season as a whole was a journey worth experiencing and repeating next season.

College basketball is not built that way. No matter how good the nonconference matchups are in November and December, it always feels like a slow start. Most fans find themselves not paying a whole lot of attention until the conference games start in January, and by then they are playing catch-up. Syracuse, for example, is #1 right now, and I have a distinct lack of curiosity about them. (Part of the reason is that it's Syracuse, where they seem to accumulate an early undefeated record every year by never leaving home.)

As for Duke, I do have a tendency to follow the program with greater intent when I grow an attachment to a particular player, which gives me a stronger point of reference. Historically, these players have been upperclassmen, and not necessarily stars or even heavy scorers. I have not (yet) found that connection this season, which reduces my connection with this team as a whole, no matter how many games I see.

Finally, while few people would want to point this out, Duke players are roughly the same age as they've always been, but you are getting older.

[MChambers]

I'm feeling as engaged as ever, maybe more now that I have FIOS and can record games and watch when it's convenient. But having said that, I think I got spoiled with four years of Kyle Singler, the 2010 championship, and the amazing freshman talent of Irving.

Also, this year's team doesn't really have its identity yet, especially on the defensive end. Many on this board worried about the lack of a proven first rate defender on this team, and so far we don't have one. I'm starting to think Rivers may be the best, or at the most determined, perimeter defender, but that's a lot to ask of a freshman, especially one who is so good on offense.

[wk2109]

Yes. I wouldn't expect much agreement in this particular forum, but you are not alone.

Yes -- considering the fact that there are people who read/post on this board year-round and not just from November through March, there will probably be many who disagree with the OP.

I think a big reason for any lessened interest is the new era of Duke basketball in which we find ourselves. You can generally split this team's history, at least in the last couple of decades, into 4-5 year eras with those 2-3 players who define the era. We just finished the Singler/Scheyer/Smith era, which was preceded by the Redick/Shelden era, JWill/Battier era, etc. (How the eras are split will probably differ among fans.)

Who knows, maybe this will be known as the first year of the Cook/Gbinije/Murphy era and in 3-4 years, we'll be looking back at the '11-'12 season as the start of something amazing.

For me personally, my interest hasn't lessened this year, but it's different from the past couple of seasons. The best word for me is 'curiosity,' because I'm still wondering how good this team can be. Unlike almost everyone (and some Duke fans), I still can't completely concede that UNC is better this season. I think there's still some doubt, and I think this team can make a run to New Orleans.

[BluDvlsN1]

For me:
This is my time of the year!
I fell in love with this game before Bobby Knight was a reserve on the Ohio State championship team in the 60's!
The one Cincinnati beat 2 out of 3 years for the national championship!

I loved Knights motion offense at Indiana!

I loved Woodens run at UCLA, when freshman couldn't play varsity!
I loved the sign on Campus when Lew Alcindor was a freshman and they beat the national champion varsity in an inter squad game...the Banner... " Number 1 in the Nation... Number 2 on Campus!!

I thought ACC basketball was top notch then...
I followed Duke then, but broadly..

I read the Sports Illustrated article on K being recommended to Duke by Knight,was one of the best I had read!
I bought in immediatly on the core values of student/athlete and it has stood the test of time!

I walk through Cameron,see the banners, see the retired jersey's, see the Acc championships, see the national championships, walk through the hall by the elevators with ALL the memorbilia,and remember how it got there!
For me...nothing in college hoops compares... Nothing compares to the ultimate rivalry, nothing compares to this time of the year and Duke Basketball..

I'm old, till this time of year...then I'm a kid again..

Mike will motivate,train, tinker,adjust..and do what it takes to help each young man be the best he can be and put the best Duke team he's able to on the floor..
It ain't perfect...it's amateur athletics...we have it great and I can't wait till the next matchup..we win our fair share!! Maybe more!!!

But I have to say to a degree..we are spoiled and it shows in some comments!
I can hardly wait to see what adjustments take place!,

Standing joke at our house at Thanksgiving, my wife who loves sports as much as me and family sitting around the table..
I look at her and say..."let's talk...right after the Masters"

Tip it up, let's go...slap the floor..it's Duke basketball!!

And tomorrow is Christmas all over again ...IF your a real Dukie!!!

Are you??

[Bob Green]

Yes -- considering the fact that there are people who read/post on this board year-round and not just from November through March, there will probably be many who disagree with the OP.

My daughter has questioned me on why I spend so much time on DBR over the summer, she says "What can you possibly be discussing in July?" My answer is simple: a lot of important stuff!

Needless to say, I am totally engaged in following the team this season.

[Newton_14]

No.

My interest level does not depend on how good the team is or how many stars we have or how strong the league is.

What he said.

I am engaged as ever, and watching this team continue to develop is very intriguing and interesting. Some of us have an unfair advantage in that we can attend some games in person. For me, there is nothing like walking into Cameron and inhaling the atmosphere that is Duke Basketball in Cameron Indoor Stadium. There is just nothing like it for me. I live for those moments (which is why I bug the crap out of friends that have extra tickets! ) and the entire experience. From the moment my foot steps on campus and instantly feeling the vibe, passing the scalpers, seeing the Crazies in line, people milling about. Then you get in the building. Looking over at the various stars sitting behind the bench like Bill Cowher, Doc Rivers, Dell Curry (& Mrs Curry), a Dennard sighting, or Grant Hill. This season has been extra bonus time due to the NBA lockout, so many former guys showed up. Nolan, Kyrie, Grant, Gerald, JJ all caught games. Steph Curry has been there a lot. Then watching the current Blue Devils hit the floor, K running guys in an out searching for magic while developing the rooks. Watching MP3 go nuts on the bench, K barking at ref's, Collins, Wojo, Capel giving instruction when guys come off the floor. Crazy Towel guy, the Blue Devil surfing with the band, I could go on and on.

Watching our guys win again, and again and again. Looking up and hoping their is still a lot of time left on the clock in the blowout games, or hoping there is little time left in the close games (Belmont). Trying to capture all the key plays and good and bad from the game in mental notes, so I can try to accurately share in the post game thread what I saw out there.

Finally, looking forward to hurrying home so I can login and talk to all you fine folks about how the game went. I live for it. Some call it obsession, but I call it passion and pure enjoyment. Coming here to talk about it is a huge part of the experience. Getting the insight and perspective from others who watched the game either in person, TV, or the Web. Learning more about a game I dearly love from reading the DBR (some darn fine basketball minds on this board) and discussing the games...

Tired of it? Less enthused than years past? Not a chance.

[jv001]

I remember Duke basketball in the 70's when we were not so good. If the game wasn't on tv, I tried to find it on the radio. Since Coach K got the program to another level, I may have gotten a little spoiled and expect too much each and every year, but I don't give up on the team. I usually have my favorite players on every team. I see absolutely no difference in this team than the 1991, 1992, 2001 and 2010 teams. I want to watch every game and keeping up with the team on DBR and BDN is something I do every day. GoDuke!

[rthomas]

Back in the old days. And not that long ago really. There was maybe one, but not more than one or a maybe two meaningful games by this time of the year. Usually none. In the old days, January was the start of the year. I'm really excited. I can't wait for Georgia Tech tomorrow.