MOTM: Duke vs. Davidson (Nov. 8, 2013)

[JBDuke]

Oh for Pete's sake! What a nonsensical response! PC/Feel Good? Ptui! Orange slices for the players and participant trophies? Bruised egos? I suggested no such thing. This response presumes way too much. I come from an era where the only reward for players, win or lose, was a hot shower. We neither needed nor wanted anything past a handshake from a teammate. I bet these players feel the same way today.

The MOTM vote is nothing more than an artificial altar where a fan may genuflect toward a given player. What is the need for this? It's certainly not aimed at the team as a whole. Its only purpose is to serve as a public (and often inaccurate) assessment of who played best. But it can have no real purpose beyond rating players against one another. Teams don't do that internally so why should fans? In fact, such a procedure puts fan egos ahead of the team.

Rating players in this way can be seen as far more offensive it we were doing it the other way: What if we voted for goat of the match and publicly scored it the same way? If we did that, I can assure you that there would be deserved outrage coming from all directions. MOTM is simply the other side of that coin. But it contains all the same shortcomings of a goat vote.

Let's remember, we are FOR everyone who puts on the jersey. We don't have to go publicly any further than that. Our private opinions about a player's worth need to remain private.

Oh, I think the MOTM tradition is okay. After all, sports discussions are rife with similar things. The conference does a player of the month, a tourney MVP, all-conference teams, etc. National organizations do similar things recognizing individuals for their performances in team sports. Even Coach K does end of the year awards for individuals and singles players out for praise or criticism in press conferences. All that we're doing with MOTM is giving folks a chance to recognize and vote for the player that they thought contributed most to the win. This doesn't mean that others didn't contribute. It does allow for differences of opinion, so that folks can explain why they voted for, say, Tyler Thornton coming off the bench for 10 minutes, but rallying a defensive effort that turned the game around rather than Mason Plumlee contributing 20 points and 10 boards.

Now, bashing on other players isn't tolerated in these threads any more than it is in other threads. A "Goat of the Match" poll would be very much contrary to the culture we try to foster here.

[jv001]

Have we ever had a unanimous choice for MOTM? If so, I can't remember it. Shows that fans see things differently. I could have picked any of Parker, Hood, Quinn and Sheed. They all played well enough to be MOTM. GoDuke!

[JBDuke]

Have we ever had a unanimous choice for MOTM? If so, I can't remember it. Shows that fans see things differently. I could have picked any of Parker, Hood, Quinn and Sheed. They all played well enough to be MOTM. GoDuke!

Yes, we've had a few. And the vote has been rigged a few times. (After Austin's buzzer beater in Chapel Hill, I created the poll with two options - "Austin Rivers" and "Someone else - and you better have a good explanation". I don't think anyone took the bait.)

[Wander]

Teams don't do that internally so why should fans?

I'm pretty sure many athletic teams, including Duke basketball, often do just this sort of thing, if sometimes informally.

[oldnavy]

Our team is about the team concept. This year coach is re-emphasizing TEAM by noting that the team is essentially positionless, meaning that there are many moving parts. In fact we played 12 guys, eight of whom had double digit minutes. Four players reached 20 points or higher, the range being only 20-22, an insignificant differential. One cannot declare one of those MOTM without dissing the other three. In fact, I think using offensive "star power" as a valid measuring stick is close to ignorance. It's too easy to look at offense when there are plenty of other skills which contribute.

I say let's drop this whole MOTM thing and just enjoy. After all, we are FOR this team as a whole. Let's keep it that way by doing/saying nothing divisive. IMO, the MOTM vote is insidiously divisive.

Bull. If this isn't straight out of the "lets not, say anything good about someone, because unless we say something good about EVERYONE, someone is going to be hurt" camp I don't know what is.

Your opinion goes against just about every team and coach that has ever given out a game ball or player of the game award, or even those little stickers on the helmets which I would guess includes about 99.99% of all coaches.

Is your issue with fans having an opinion about MOTM specifically? If so, then lighten up, it is just the opinion of internet posters. I am doubtful that anyone in the locker room give a rats behind on our MTOM poll.

[duke4ever19]

Teams don't do that internally so why should fans?

Ever heard of a team giving out a game ball?

Growing up playing basketball in high school, we always gave a game ball to one of the players after a big win, especially in the playoffs. Go on youtube and type in "game ball dedication" and you will get lots of results showing teams recognizing outstanding effort on the court, or maybe honoring a player for achieving a milestone. I know it happens in the NFL all the time.

I'm assuming to, be consistent, you are also against player of the game/week/month/year honors? What about Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four? Hall of Fame? It goes without saying that these conference and national honors go far beyond us fans having a good time on an internet forum by choosing a best performance.

[Newton_14]

Easy folks. Tone it down a touch please. Let's celebrate an outstanding win.

As for the vote, any of the 4 kids that broke the 20 point mark deserved a vote as all 4 had a big hand in the win.

[oldnavy]

Easy folks. Tone it down a touch please. Let's celebrate an outstanding win.

As for the vote, any of the 4 kids that broke the 20 point mark deserved a vote as all 4 had a big hand in the win.

Agree. Not sure why the OP ever had an issue with this to start with? Any 4 of those guys deserve the win, the MTOM just gives us a chance to say why we think our pick is deserving. Doesn't mean that we think poorly of the three we didn't vote for or that this is divisive in any way at all.

[sagegrouse]

Oh for Pete's sake! What a nonsensical response! PC/Feel Good? Ptui! Orange slices for the players and participant trophies? Bruised egos? I suggested no such thing. This response presumes way too much. I come from an era where the only reward for players, win or lose, was a hot shower. We neither needed nor wanted anything past a handshake from a teammate. I bet these players feel the same way today.

The MOTM vote is nothing more than an artificial altar where a fan may genuflect toward a given player. What is the need for this? It's certainly not aimed at the team as a whole. Its only purpose is to serve as a public (and often inaccurate) assessment of who played best. But it can have no real purpose beyond rating players against one another. Teams don't do that internally so why should fans? In fact, such a procedure puts fan egos ahead of the team.

Rating players in this way can be seen as far more offensive it we were doing it the other way: What if we voted for goat of the match and publicly scored it the same way? If we did that, I can assure you that there would be deserved outrage coming from all directions. MOTM is simply the other side of that coin. But it contains all the same shortcomings of a goat vote.

Let's remember, we are FOR everyone who puts on the jersey. We don't have to go publicly any further than that. Our private opinions about a player's worth need to remain private.

I hope Devildeac doesn't see this rant. -- Your friend, Sage

[devildeac]

I hope Devildeac doesn't see this rant. -- Your friend, Sage

I read it and I like both you guys so I'm staying out of it.

[BD80]

Let's just give them all participation "trophy's" and orange slices after the game. Heaven forbid that we single out a player who had a great night over all the others who maybe had just a really good game. Sure wouldn't want to hurt any of these children's feelings.

I voted for Quinn Cook, because I think he played an amazing game at the point. He was the straw that stirred the drink. Does that lessen, JB, or RS, or RH's outstanding play? Not in the least. That is my opinion, and I would not argue with any one who voted for one of the others.

But, just to make sure we don't bruise anyone's ego, trophy's for all, including the guys who got 2-3 minutes PT, because well they tried hard too by gosh by golly!!

This PC/feel good mess has got to stop at some point folks, really... in this game it was particularly hard to pick a MOTM because so many players had great games, but doesn't the team itself pick individual winners at it's end of year banquet?? Don't coaches give out game balls, yet folks (that have probably never played a competitive game outside Dungeons and Dragons), think we are damaging the psyche of this fragile children.

You better stay off MY lawn too!

In a sense Rodney and Jabari cancel each other out, they provide the same sort of offensive flexibility. Quinn is unique in his ability to push the ball and break down defenses (and ankles) off the dribble.

As the team gels and gets to know each other in game situations, I think you'll see more and more of Quinn excelling in the break, and particularly the secondary break. As we start overplaying passing lanes more, there will be even more fast break opportunities. Quinn will be MOTM more than once.

[JNort]

Our team is about the team concept. This year coach is re-emphasizing TEAM by noting that the team is essentially positionless, meaning that there are many moving parts. In fact we played 12 guys, eight of whom had double digit minutes. Four players reached 20 points or higher, the range being only 20-22, an insignificant differential. One cannot declare one of those MOTM without dissing the other three. In fact, I think using offensive "star power" as a valid measuring stick is close to ignorance. It's too easy to look at offense when there are plenty of other skills which contribute.

I say let's drop this whole MOTM thing and just enjoy. After all, we are FOR this team as a whole. Let's keep it that way by doing/saying nothing divisive. IMO, the MOTM vote is insidiously divisive.

Im sorry but I think this whole post is fairly ignorant and unnecessary. Yes we play as a team and win as a team but every game there are gonna be players or a player who go above and beyond in their performance. Last year many times Mason led the team in stats but I did not vote for him because I thought he played like his usual self. MOTM is not an MVP vote it is a congratulatory vote for someone who went above and beyond. I don't even know if I have ever seen 1 guy get all the votes anyway which further emphasizes the team playing well. I think If you read my post earlier in this thread I said something along the lines of I voted for Cook for the way he ran the offense. His scoring was just a bonus.