How can one be sure?

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Does anybody have tips on how to be sure you are giving tickets to a true blule Duke fan when offering here online? The folks around our seats would really give me a hard time the next game if I ever gave 'em up to the opposition.

Love, Ima

[JasonEvans]

Does anybody have tips on how to be sure you are giving tickets to a true blule Duke fan when offering here online? The folks around our seats would really give me a hard time the next game if I ever gave 'em up to the opposition.

Ask them to answer a couple simple questions--

Did you go to Duke? If so, when? If not, how did you come to be a Duke fan? When did it happen?

Based on those answers, it should be easy to ask a followup question or two to quickly verify the answers. Get a phone number so you can ask the questions in real-time, not over the internet where they can go on-line to figure out the answer.

My favorite ploy is to ask if they went to Duke and when they say yes, simply ask them where they lived each year they were in school. A former student can answer this without hesitation and their answer would make sense. A liar is always tripped up by this. There are a million other questions that a true Duke fan has no trouble answering that are hard for a non-Dukie.

-Jason

[Lavabe]

My favorite ploy is to ask if they went to Duke and when they say yes, simply ask them where they lived each year they were in school. A former student can answer this without hesitation and their answer would make sense. -Jason

I'd avoid the "where did you live" question. I lived in Stonehenge, but that name died off a while ago. Is there an Animal Quad? Frankly, I can't keep up with the newer buildings.

How about asking what they think of the journalism or communications departments?

Cheers,
Lavabe

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I'd avoid the "where did you live" question. I lived in Stonehenge, but that name died off a while ago. Is there an Animal Quad? Frankly, I can't keep up with the newer buildings.

How about asking what they think of the journalism or communications departments?

Cheers,
Lavabe

I think "where did you live" is a reasonable question to ask, especially for someone who's been around a while, as most ticket holders have been. And if they said they lived off campus as a freshman they are probably lying, as there was only one person in my entering class (1972), who did, and I would guess others in that situation may have also, but it would be a specific, obvious answer. Actually, I can think of a second specific reason why a freshman would live off campus, but at Duke that is most rare. And no, attending Duke while on a "work release" program is NOT an acceptable answer

If I was not familiar with Stonehenge (or Lancaster, or Mirecourt, etc., I might ask what quad, or what house it was to verify the validity.

[YmoBeThere]

simply ask them where they lived each year they were in school.

Don't let them see my signature before you ask...

[ohioguy2]

A good question--I am not a Duke graduate, our son is--I have been an avid Duke fan since his arrival on campus a dozen years or so ago--I certainly do not remember where he lived (at least the name). I will be trying to obtain tickets for the Miami game--I have women's season tickets and would love to see the men while we are in town. If you asked for the names of my college dorms, the answer which includes Hepburn and McFarland would probably confuse most people.

[JasonEvans]

A good question--I am not a Duke graduate, our son is--I have been an avid Duke fan since his arrival on campus a dozen years or so ago--I certainly do not remember where he lived (at least the name). I will be trying to obtain tickets for the Miami game--I have women's season tickets and would love to see the men while we are in town. If you asked for the names of my college dorms, the answer which includes Hepburn and McFarland would probably confuse most people.

I am not saying that knowing the names of dorms is some pre-requisite to being a Duke fan. But there are other ways of figuring out if someone is a Duke fan or an imposter from another school. In your case I might ask if you knew the names of any of the son's professors or if you could recall how Duke had done his senior year (what year did he graduate). I might ask if you attended his graduation and, if so, where the ceremonies were held or what hotel you stayed in when you came to graduation. I might even ask who spoke at the graduation. I don't necessarily know the answers to all of these, but the style in which you answered the question would tell me if you were genuine or not.

-Jason "no non-Duke fan would ever get my tickets!!" Evans

[ohioguy2]

I am not saying that knowing the names of dorms is some pre-requisite to being a Duke fan. But there are other ways of figuring out if someone is a Duke fan or an imposter from another school. In your case I might ask if you knew the names of any of the son's professors or if you could recall how Duke had done his senior year (what year did he graduate). I might ask if you attended his graduation and, if so, where the ceremonies were held or what hotel you stayed in when you came to graduation. I might even ask who spoke at the graduation. I don't necessarily know the answers to all of these, but the style in which you answered the question would tell me if you were genuine or not.

-Jason "no non-Duke fan would ever get my tickets!!" Evans

Fair enough--I could answer those questions (except for the grad speaker--not that I was not paying attention, but it was VERY hot and she was not memorable).

[mapei]

I didn't attend Duke, but I would have a bit of trouble remembering each place I lived as an undergrad at my school!

[DU82]

Does anybody have tips on how to be sure you are giving tickets to a true blule Duke fan when offering here online? The folks around our seats would really give me a hard time the next game if I ever gave 'em up to the opposition.

Love, Ima

In addition to the other things mentioned, you can check the number of messages sent in the counter in the header (if it's a lot of messages, they are participating on this board, and are more likely to be fans.) You could also ask established posters for people they know who are looking for tickets. I'd be happy (in a private message) to forward you the names/numbers of some local folks who would absolutely love to go to games, and cheer for Duke. (Some don't have any direct association with the university, so they'd probably fail some of the "tests" already mentioned.)

(For the record, the original House CC was my living quarters for all four undergraduate years, and Hanna Grey, president of the University of Chicago (I think) was the graduation speaker in '82.)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I didn't attend Duke, but I would have a bit of trouble remembering each place I lived as an undergrad at my school!

That memorable, huh? If you had joined a fraternity, or other selective living group, chances are pretty good that your undergrad days would have been far more rewarding on a personal level, and you would have a larger group of life-long friends with which to communicate/see/email/reunion with. Nothing personal against you, mapei, as we don't actually know each other, but I thoroughly enjoyed my undergrad days and (most of) the people I lived with, and seeing them when the opportunity arises, like Friday night when a fraternity brother from San Francisco was on campus for a meeting and the game. He made the effort to let me know he was going to be here and we had drinks and dinner at the Washy Duke before the game.

To get back on topic for this thread, I have no idea who my graduation speaker was. I do remember sitting in Wallace Wade under a very bright, hot sun with a 101F temperature and not passing out from it. My daughter graduated Magna Cum Laud, I graduated with Great Relief!

[Carlos]

I've always had really good luck with the "if I find out you're a [opposing school] fan I'll hunt you down like a dog and torment you for the rest of your life." Sure, I've had to retain a lawyer or two over some misunderstandings as a result of this, but it's usually quite effective.

[devildeac]

That memorable, huh? If you had joined a fraternity, or other selective living group, chances are pretty good that your undergrad days would have been far more rewarding on a personal level, and you would have a larger group of life-long friends with which to communicate/see/email/reunion with. Nothing personal against you, mapei, as we don't actually know each other, but I thoroughly enjoyed my undergrad days and (most of) the people I lived with, and seeing them when the opportunity arises, like Friday night when a fraternity brother from San Francisco was on campus for a meeting and the game. He made the effort to let me know he was going to be here and we had drinks and dinner at the Washy Duke before the game.

To get back on topic for this thread, I have no idea who my graduation speaker was. I do remember sitting in Wallace Wade under a very bright, hot sun with a 101F temperature and not passing out from it. My daughter graduated Magna Cum Laud, I graduated with Great Relief!

You always told me you graduated Thank You Laud-y

[eran]

You could always ask for several pictures of the people in Duke outfits.

I've got lots of cute pictures of our kids in the Duke outfits if you want to send tickets my way!

Eran

[Cavlaw]

I remember where I lived, but, never having lived on West, would be hard pressed to challenge any random quad names that a prospective buyer gave me. Not that I have any tickets to give away...

[hurleyfor3]

If I was not familiar with Stonehenge (or Lancaster, or Mirecourt, etc., I might ask what quad, or what house it was to verify the validity.

I would think someone from your time would ask not which quad, but which federation.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I would think someone from your time would ask not which quad, but which federation.

I don't want to upset the time-space continuum, but I believe the Federation came before Star Fleet.

In my day, the "new dorms", ie Edens Quad, were Lancaster (where I lived freshman year), York, Mirecourt and, and, and I don't remember the 4th dorm. Anyone know what those dorms are called now, since "new dorms" is 35 years and one WEL out of date?

[devildeac]

I don't want to upset the time-space continuum, but I believe the Federation came before Star Fleet.

In my day, the "new dorms", ie Edens Quad, were Lancaster (where I lived freshman year), York, Mirecourt and, and, and I don't remember the 4th dorm. Anyone know what those dorms are called now, since "new dorms" is 35 years and one WEL out of date?

a. the 4th dorm was Burton where I lived for 2 years.
b. I do not know what they are called now(even though I just had a child graduate and another is there now as a freshman )

[merry]

I would think someone from your time would ask not which quad, but which federation.

I remember when Southgate (then co-ed) tried to federate with Gilbert Addams (then all female). Ha ha! Those were the days.

[Exiled_Devil]

To offer up a couple of other ideas (as a non-alum, but the spouse of a double-Dukie), you could ask when they first became a fan, favorite moments, who were the starters the first year of their fandom.

You could also just give them to me

Exiled