K on Duke football

[jimsumner]

K was asked about Duke football in the post-game presser. Said that whatever happens, should happen quickly. "Don't let it linger."

Had nice things to say about Roof. Suggested that TR may not have had all the support necessary to win.

But the most interesting thing to me was his critique of the concept that Duke should strive to be competitive in football. He was emphatic that Duke should strive to win championships in every sport, football included. He used the example of a hypothetical player being recruited by Duke. Duke tells him they aim to field a competitive team. Somebody else tells the same recruit that they are going to win championships. The recruit is going to go where he thinks he can win a championship. K sees this as part of a school culture that accepts less than the best.

FWIW.

[Jarhead]

As usual, we can expect K to tell it like it is. Good for him.

[Im4howdy]

...except about lacrosse

[LetItBD08]

...except about lacrosse

That seems to be the gut reaction, but Coach K was not all that silent about it as the media would lead you to believe. I remember him talking about it during the senior banquet that year, basically reminding everyone that Duke has to remain strong. Personally, I am happy that he didn't go around screaming his opinions right away. He did it in a patient manner that was comforting. My opinion though. Please don't open the floodgates.

[loran16]

Anyhow, since i didnt read the top post:

I dont think K cares too much about football. It'd have to be distracting at best, though youd think a good fball team would be a way to reduce pressure on the bball team.


=========================================
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73...id=652&yr=2005

Look at this page.

It's seriously screwed up.

Anyhow, atm we have Zack Asack's little brother coming in as a 2 star kicker....

[jimsumner]

Nothing K said disrespected the football team. His implied criticism, imo, was directed towards folks in suits.

[norduck]

How would anymore support from the men in suits improved TR's coaching and play calling ability?

[devilirium]

How would anymore support from the men in suits improved TR's coaching and play calling ability?

Oh, I dunno...these changes that are recently being discussed could've helped a lot had they been instituted a helluva lot earlier. More competitive admissions, better facilities, better academic support for players, etc. can lead to a greater talent base. Talent can mask mediocre playcalling.

Pretty hard to win a gunfight when you've brought a knife.

[norduck]

Talented coaching can also mask mediocre talent.

[RelativeWays]

I think K is referring to the overall attitude about football at Duke from the students to the AD to the alumni and boosters. In suggesting that TR maybe didn't have all the support he needed to succeed, there may be some truth to that, but as far as the execs and suits who spend the money and make the decisions, I can't speak to that. I can say, that the student body and the general Duke fanbase has been aloof at best when it comes to football. Sure, everyone wants a good football team, but most Duke fans don't invest a lot of emotion into the team, the common defense is to shrug it off with some petty comment like "oh its Duke football, who cares". I've been guilty of this. This year has been the 1st year in a long time where I actually followed the football team. I watched the games, checked scores for the non televised ones, watched the pre game and post game shows, watched the Ted Roof show on Sunday even went to WW to watch Duke play Wake. You know what? It hurt a lot, maybe even worse than last year's subpar BB season. I really cared about the teams success and was left with depression. Its hard to pull for a losing team, particularly one with the recent history that Duke has on the gridiron. But if the student body doesn't care, if the Duke fanbase doesn't care, then nobody buys tickets or football merchandise, the football program is a money pit and the suits are less inclined to invest more money in it. I'm going to do my part. I'll try to go to more games next year (I'll have a kid by them so how many I'll attend is a mystery), I'll buy football specific Duke merchandise, maybe a sweatshirt or something. We can do our part to help push the team a bit for TR or whoever the coach is next year, and show the suits that we do, as Duke fans, genuinely care about football.

[dukie8]

I think K is referring to the overall attitude about football at Duke from the students to the AD to the alumni and boosters. In suggesting that TR maybe didn't have all the support he needed to succeed, there may be some truth to that, but as far as the execs and suits who spend the money and make the decisions, I can't speak to that. I can say, that the student body and the general Duke fanbase has been aloof at best when it comes to football. Sure, everyone wants a good football team, but most Duke fans don't invest a lot of emotion into the team, the common defense is to shrug it off with some petty comment like "oh its Duke football, who cares". I've been guilty of this. This year has been the 1st year in a long time where I actually followed the football team. I watched the games, checked scores for the non televised ones, watched the pre game and post game shows, watched the Ted Roof show on Sunday even went to WW to watch Duke play Wake. You know what? It hurt a lot, maybe even worse than last year's subpar BB season. I really cared about the teams success and was left with depression. Its hard to pull for a losing team, particularly one with the recent history that Duke has on the gridiron. But if the student body doesn't care, if the Duke fanbase doesn't care, then nobody buys tickets or football merchandise, the football program is a money pit and the suits are less inclined to invest more money in it. I'm going to do my part. I'll try to go to more games next year (I'll have a kid by them so how many I'll attend is a mystery), I'll buy football specific Duke merchandise, maybe a sweatshirt or something. We can do our part to help push the team a bit for TR or whoever the coach is next year, and show the suits that we do, as Duke fans, genuinely care about football.

you make it sound like the team is doomed and never could be good because nobody goes to the games or "cares." ever been to a college swim meet? a college track meet? what about a volleyball game? the students don't show up to them either but you never hear those athletes blaming a lack of student or fan support for their ineptitude (if they are in fact inept).

[RelativeWays]

Football is also much more expensive than either a swim meet or volleyball and is relied on by many Universities to generate revenue for the athletic dept and the university as a whole. I'm also not sure how much financially Duke has to invest in fencing or some other non revenue sport in order to compete with other colleges and universities, whereas football is dependent on a much larger cashflow to be successful, particular in a BCS conference like the ACC. A lot of that revenue is generated by fan support, by the student body, the alumni, the general fan base of the team. You are more likely to invest money into something that you'll see a return in, right? Why invest in something that your target consumer doesn't seem to care about? I'm not saying that fan support has a direct or immediate impact on the plays that happen on the football field, but it does have a longterm impact on the program as a whole.

[hughgs]

you make it sound like the team is doomed and never could be good because nobody goes to the games or "cares." ever been to a college swim meet? a college track meet? what about a volleyball game? the students don't show up to them either but you never hear those athletes blaming a lack of student or fan support for their ineptitude (if they are in fact inept).

Actually, I hear about the lack of fan support from athletes in those sports all the time. It my not be covered by the media, but the athletes definitely notice.

[Bluedawg]

I dont think K cares too much about football. ....

I know for a fact that is incorrect.

[Bluedawg]

K was asked about Duke football in the post-game presser. Said that whatever happens, should happen quickly. "Don't let it linger."

Had nice things to say about Roof. Suggested that TR may not have had all the support necessary to win.

But the most interesting thing to me was his critique of the concept that Duke should strive to be competitive in football. He was emphatic that Duke should strive to win championships in every sport, football included. He used the example of a hypothetical player being recruited by Duke. Duke tells him they aim to field a competitive team. Somebody else tells the same recruit that they are going to win championships. The recruit is going to go where he thinks he can win a championship. K sees this as part of a school culture that accepts less than the best.

FWIW.

Here is the report form the N&O today:

"If you support Ted, then let's give him an opportunity to go [forward]," Krzyzewski said. "If not, don't let it linger."

"If Ted is given an opportunity to stay, we should support him in that way," Krzyzewski said, referring to broad support, including resources, from the university. "... I'm not sure he's had all of that."

"Duke should not play a sport where the goal is to be competitive," he said. "We should field teams only if the goal is to win and win with class and dignity. And if that isn't [the goal] we shouldn't field that team.

"I'm not blaming anyone in football or any sport. ... Duke should be competing for championships."

Krzyzewski was able to watch part of the Blue Devils' 20-14 loss at North Carolina.

"We were practicing yesterday but I actually thought, in the time I watched, that we outplayed [the Tar Heels]," Krzyzewski said. "I saw the last play [the missed field goal] of regulation. It's just disheartening. I felt bad for them."

[Bluedawg]

Football is also much more expensive than either a swim meet or volleyball and is relied on by many Universities to generate revenue for the athletic dept and the university as a whole. I'm also not sure how much financially Duke has to invest in fencing or some other non revenue sport in order to compete with other colleges and universities, whereas football is dependent on a much larger cashflow to be successful, particular in a BCS conference like the ACC. A lot of that revenue is generated by fan support, by the student body, the alumni, the general fan base of the team. You are more likely to invest money into something that you'll see a return in, right? Why invest in something that your target consumer doesn't seem to care about? I'm not saying that fan support has a direct or immediate impact on the plays that happen on the football field, but it does have a longterm impact on the program as a whole.

You are correct. Football is usually considered the "cash cow" for the athletic dept.

[alteran]

Why invest in something that your target consumer doesn't seem to care about? I'm not saying that fan support has a direct or immediate impact on the plays that happen on the football field, but it does have a longterm impact on the program as a whole.

I'm not saying there isn't an element of truth to what you're saying here. Fan enthusiasm would certainly help.

But as we all know, Duke hasn't struggled for a season or two, or ten, or twenty. If you treat Spurrier like the aberration he was, Duke has struggled in football for well over a generation. And depending upon how you reckon "struggled," Duke has been struggling since the early 60s. That's almost half a century.

Think about that.

It is simply unrealistic to expect fan enthusiasm when Duke struggles EVERY SEASON merely to be something other than the worst team in 1-A. Signing up for that isn't being a fan, it's being co-dependent. It defies human nature.

I don't say that with a feeling of joy. I have gone to many games and seen our guys leave their hearts on the field again and again. I just don't think you can blame people for not showing enthusiasm when time after time after time their hopes get absolutely, totally destroyed.

If Duke builds it, people will come. Short of that, people won't. Anything else is wishful thinking.

[killerleft]

First, why has it taken so long for Duke to try and level the playing field in regard to Football? Putting coaches out there with such a financial disadvantage is - I hate to say shameful - pretty sad. Probably no coach could succeed.

Can Coach Roof succeed with the supposedly large increase in support?

There's the million-dollar question. In so many ways, Ted Roof seems to be a perfect fit for Duke. As hard as he has taken each loss, I wonder why he would even want to continue. But anybody who has paid attention can see why his players back him so strongly.

I think (obviously I couldn't know this) that Ted Roof might actually stay AFTER he gets the ship righted, unlike many of the ladder climbers mentioned by others.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Given that the deck has been stacked against ALL Duke coaches for years, does Ted Roof deserve a chance to improve the program now that (apparently) he will have a fighting chance to do so? There is definitely no quit in him.

[Bluedawg]

First, why has it taken so long for Duke to try and level the playing field in regard to Football? Putting coaches out there with such a financial disadvantage is - I hate to say shameful - pretty sad. Probably no coach could succeed.

Can Coach Roof succeed with the supposedly large increase in support?

There's the million-dollar question. In so many ways, Ted Roof seems to be a perfect fit for Duke. As hard as he has taken each loss, I wonder why he would even want to continue. But anybody who has paid attention can see why his players back him so strongly.

I think (obviously I couldn't know this) that Ted Roof might actually stay AFTER he gets the ship righted, unlike many of the ladder climbers mentioned by others.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Given that the deck has been stacked against ALL Duke coaches for years, does Ted Roof deserve a chance to improve the program now that (apparently) he will have a fighting chance to do so? There is definitely no quit in him.

I read an interview with TR in his second year where he said that his first job was to bring the administration on board. With the proposed changes to WW, the new strategic plan and the renewed interest may be his success there will make it easier for the next coach.

[Duvall]

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Given that the deck has been stacked against ALL Duke coaches for years, does Ted Roof deserve a chance to improve the program now that (apparently) he will have a fighting chance to do so? There is definitely no quit in him.

Depends on where the $75 million is coming from. Deserve may not have anything to do with it.

Come to think of it, where *is* that $75 million going to come from?