Favorite Player Poll Final 8- Dawkins vs. Hurley

[elvis14]

VOTE FOR BOBBY HURLEY!!!

This one's easy, vote for Bobby! Championships, assists records, heart. Plus its seemed like when you were watching back then Hurley had that knack for hitting the 3 or making a big play just at the right time. Just when a team thought they were going to get back in a game, Bobby would hit a 3 and kill their spirit! This is an easy vote, Bobby Hurley. Plus as a little dude I always described Bobby's game as "His game is what my game would be if I was any good" :-)

[hurleyfor3]

so... who'd you vote for?

Well, I tried to compile some evidence rather than merely blaring my opinion in 48-point purple text. There's a reason I chose the username I did.

Whoever wins this one should have an easy walk into the championship matchup. I don't see JWill or G-Man touching either of these two.

[EarlJam]

HURLEY! HURLEY! HURLEY! HURLEY!

Vote Bobby.

-EarlJam

[elvis14]

Well, I tried to compile some evidence rather than merely blaring my opinion in 48-point purple text. There's a reason I chose the username I did.

I thought the purple was a nice touch. Hope it's not too annoying, I was laughing the whole time. If only I could have made it blink! I really did vote for Bobby for the reasons I stated after the 48-point purple text.

[JasonEvans]

Mid-day returns: I checked a little while ago and JD had a brief 2 vote lead. It has evaporated though. Currently, Bobby leads by 6 votes, 36-30.

--Jason "the Hurley posters have been loud lately-- where are JD's army?!?!" Evans

[hurleyfor3]

I thought the purple was a nice touch. Hope it's not too annoying, I was laughing the whole time.

Oh, by all means leave it up.

Mid-day returns: I checked a little while ago and JD had a brief 2 vote lead. It has evaporated though. Currently, Bobby leads by 6 votes, 36-30.

He started to pull away once I started posting to this thread

Something else about Hurley: He was the first (modern) Duke player other fans went out of their way to jeer. That has to count for something.

[mr. synellinden]

What happens in the event of a tie?

I have been going back in forth in my mind on this one because although I think Dawkins was the better player I can't decide who I like as a player more.

Dawkins was a dominating player from the guard position who in a sense "founded" the Duke program. Without him, do we get Ferry? Without Ferry, do we get Laettner, Hurley and Hill in back to back years? He could put a team on his back and, was the player who made playing for Duke seem cool. If you were 10 years old in 1986 and you were playing basketball in the schoolyard with your friends, you'd say "I'm Dawkins!" He was cool - he had a smooth style on the court and could do things to make you jump out of your chair, like the reverse dunk against the guy from Navy in 1986.

Hurley was the tough as nails kid who came in and took control of the Duke team from day one. He was the perfect point guard for those early 90s Duke teams and a leader in every sense of the word. People talk about his toughness and leadership and hitting big shots but don't often talk about what a great passer he was - what great court vision he had. You don't set the career assists record just by playing in a lot of games. He hit the most important shot in Duke history, won two titles, and NCAA MOP and carried the team on his back in the 1992 Final Four.

How do you decide between the two? Do you penalize JD for not winning a title? Do you penalize Hurley for being the third best player on those teams?

I am going to take a while to decide on this one. I might abstain.

[EarlJam]

I thought the purple was a nice touch. Hope it's not too annoying, I was laughing the whole time. If only I could have made it blink! I really did vote for Bobby for the reasons I stated after the 48-point purple text.

I was inspired by your post, but opted for what is close to a Duke blue font. I also named my lizard Hurley (that's not a metaphor).

-EarlJam

[dw0827]

This one really really sucks . . .

Hurley and Dawkins were both great college players . . . but very different players. Therefore, hard to compare their "greatness" statistically.

I don't believe that Dawkins had the same level of talent surrounding him that Hurley did. So, I pose the following questions to myself: How would Hurley have done with the level of talent that surrounded Dawkins? And how would Dawkins have done with the level of talent that surrounded Hurley?

Make it simple for me. Dawkins.

[dw0827]

What? Now I'm a victory cigar? I need Bill to show me the ropes! Cuz I ain't gonna smoke the damn thing.

[EarlJam]

How would Hurley have done with the level of talent that surrounded Dawkins?

He would have kicked "A" and would have made Alarie, Henderson and the cast around Dawkins that much better. Not to beat a dead large mammal, but Bobby's PG abilities were remarkable. His court vision was amzing and he was relentless warrior who hit clutch shots, hounded the opposition on defense and could rally his team with his combination of skill and intensity.

The '86 team would have been just fine with Bobby at point, championship caliber (IMHO, of course).

-EarlJam

[mr. synellinden]

He would have kicked "A" and would have made Alarie, Henderson and the cast around Dawkins that much better. Not to beat a dead large mammal, but Bobby's PG abilities were remarkable. His court vision was amzing and he was relentless warrior who hit clutch shots, hounded the opposition on defense and could rally his team with his combination of skill and intensity.

The '86 team would have been just fine with Bobby at point, championship caliber (IMHO, of course).

-EarlJam

An interesting question - if you replace T Hill with Dawkins on the 91 - 92 teams, and take away Hurley, are the 91-92 teams better or worse? Do they win both titles? I say better and yes but I'm not so sure. That doesn't make Hurley or Dawkins more of a "favorite" in my eyes. I was leaning towards JD but then I started thinking about all the big shots Bobby hit and the way he QB'ed a team that ran more than people might remember. Those 91-92 teams ran all the time - I have visions of Hurley on the break with GHill, THill, Brian Davis and Antonio Lang on the wings. What made Hurley so great in that offense was that he had distance runner like conditioning. He NEVER got tired. I am specifically thinking about the big shots he hit against IU in 92, the big 3 against UNLV in 91 and the huge three he hit against Kentucky in 92 (Duke's first basket of OT) after (I think) Mashburn hit a 3 for the first score of OT. Hurley's three came right after he missed a 3 but (I think) Grant got the rebound and kicked it right back to Hurley and he launched another 3 and nailed it.

Damn, I really can't decide.

[johnb]

I can't do blinking lights, but:

Bobby had several GREAT Duke years. Dawkins has had 20 GREAT Duke years.

Advantage JD.

[Fish80]

Bottoms! Nothing But Net! How many big ones has he hit . . .

This one deserves to be close. But I have to go with Johnny D on this one.

By the way, does anybody know if any of these former players are reading and watching this "competition"?

[mapei]

I voted for Bobby who, perhaps more than anyone, changed me from a casual observer into a passionate Duke fan. The case for either is very strong, but I go with my heart on this one.

[mr. synellinden]

I voted for Hurley - I went with my heart. Two Gold Trophies.

Without Hurley I don't experience the greatest two sports moments of my life. 1. Winning our first national championship during my senior year; 2. Being in the Spectrum to watch DUKE 104 UK 103.

But JD has pulled ahead now.

This one is going down to the wire. A tie is very possible.

[mapei]

I think the JD supporters are more committed to getting the vote out.

[elvis14]

I can't do blinking lights, but:

Bobby had several GREAT Duke years. Dawkins has had 20 GREAT Duke years.

Advantage JD.

Yeah yeah yeah, this is a vote for the favorite Player so I'm not too wrapped up with Coach Dawkins. I'm voting on Hurley the Player over JD the Player. They were both so good but I just loved Hurley's game.

[millerecu]

I had to go with JD. Only due to the fact he is still such a vital part of DUKE!!

[OldPhiKap]

Dawkins put K on the map. At the time, you had Dean, Lefty, Valvano (who had his championship), Cremins (who had the FOY every darn year), and the guy at Virginia that also owned Food Lion. Without that great '86 squad, you have to wonder if Duke would have stuck by K for all those years or if the recruits that followed would have come.

Hurley is probably my second favorite player all time. But Dawkins has to be #1.