Scheyer the spokesperson?

[wisteria]

OK.. this is just some random thought that I had when I was reading various Duke-related articles.

Is it just me or that Scheyer has appeared more and more often to talk about the team, to represent the team? I mean... of course Markie is our captain, but we all know he isn't that great at public speeches. Sorta like Shelden, I guess. But Scheyer just seems to know the right thing to say every time. And he appears a lot in those blueplanet videos too.

I like it. And I think he'll be a terrific captain when the time comes.

[SilkyJ]

OK.. this is just some random thought that I had when I was reading various Duke-related articles.

Is it just me or that Scheyer has appeared more and more often to talk about the team, to represent the team? I mean... of course Markie is our captain, but we all know he isn't that great at public speeches. Sorta like Shelden, I guess. But Scheyer just seems to know the right thing to say every time. And he appears a lot in those blueplanet videos too.

I like it. And I think he'll be a terrific captain when the time comes.

I havent really noticed it, but I have noticed that Gerald is very eloquent. I've been watching the post-game interviews every week and I think Gerald is far and away the most well spoken person on the team. Greg is pretty good too.

[crote]

This actually brings up a point I've been wondering about. Our guys always seem very, very polished in post game interviews. They handle the media really well, and always seem to give extended and interesting answers.

Given this, I wonder: do they player's get any "coaching" on how to handle the media?

[SilkyJ]

This actually brings up a point I've been wondering about. Our guys always seem very, very polished in post game interviews. They handle the media really well, and always seem to give extended and interesting answers.

Given this, I wonder: do they player's get any "coaching" on how to handle the media?

Absolutely they do and have for years.

Also remember the type of players we recruit. These are educated young men who are smart (for D-1 bball players) who come from good backgrounds and are serious about furthering their education. I think that has a lot to do with it as well.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

This actually brings up a point I've been wondering about. Our guys always seem very, very polished in post game interviews. They handle the media really well, and always seem to give extended and interesting answers.

Given this, I wonder: do they player's get any "coaching" on how to handle the media?

I do believe they are educated as to how to speak in public, including what to say, how to say it and what not to say. I hope (and believe) they are coached to lose the "you knows" and the "um's and uh's" which every youngster typically says subconsciously as a verbal pause because they don't know what they are going to say until it comes out of their mouth. Nothing more irritating than hearing a player say "you know" 15 times in a 25 second answer. Just listen to player interviews from some other teams.

The best freshman first post-game interview I have ever heard was Jason Williams'. He sounded like a senior - poised, polite and eloquent.

[Turtleboy]

Amphibious. As long as we're criticizing.

[jma4life]

I actually thought Demarcus was one of the better speakers on the team. Maybe he's not the best public speaker in front of something like a large banquet (not that I would know) but at press conferences or one on one interviews (at least the ones I've read/heard), he's been as well-spoken as anyone else on the team.

[wisteria]

I actually thought Demarcus was one of the better speakers on the team. Maybe he's not the best public speaker in front of something like a large banquet (not that I would know) but at press conferences or one on one interviews (at least the ones I've read/heard), he's been as well-spoken as anyone else on the team.

Maybe I was just too biased because I like Scheyer a lot.

I guess I didn't make myself clearly by saying Demarcus's not great at public speech. I was just trying to say that Demarcus seems to be kind of "shy", just the type of person who won't merrily chat away unless asked to. ( Not that I know anything about him personally. It's just an impression.)

By the way, I agree with the "you know" comment. Surely they use the phrase A LOT. (Maybe I would be the same if I were surrounded by dozens of reporters.)

[Lavabe]

Don't forget Scheyer's comedic appearance on DUI video! He doesn't even have to speak on that one!

Cheers,
Lavabe

[billybreen]

Don't forget Scheyer's comedic appearance on DUI video! He doesn't even have to speak on that one!

Cheers,
Lavabe

Wow, DUI still exists? I think the first DUI crew was my year ('00), and I didn't know it became an institution.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Amphibious. As long as we're criticizing.

Fair game for sure, but the spell checker didn't underline the word so I thought I was OK. Apparently it doesn't check the title bar. Mea culpa. I'm an engineer, dammit, not an English major.

[dukejunkie]

I do believe they are educated as to how to speak in public, including what to say, how to say it and what not to say. I hope (and believe) they are coached to lose the "you knows" and the "um's and uh's" which every youngster typically says subconsciously as a verbal pause because they don't know what they are going to say until it comes out of their mouth. Nothing more irritating than hearing a player say "you know" 15 times in a 25 second answer. Just listen to player interviews from some other teams.

The best freshman first post-game interview I have ever heard was Jason Williams'. He sounded like a senior - poised, polite and eloquent.

Ozzie- it is a fact that they are taught to lose the "you knows" and the "um's and uh's". They have been for years. Ever since taking one of my most intense, difficult, yet rewarding classes at Duke (I will be impressed with whoever can figure out the class and professor), I have been peeved by the use of "like" and other fillers associated with lazy speech. It was brought to our attention that Duke makes sure that players are prepared to speak with the media in an educated manner. To this day I look for the differences between the average NBA post-game interview and a Duke alum's.

It's all part of Coach K's main draw to recruits. It's not just about basketball.

[SeattleIrish]

Those who blanche at the overuse of "You know...", will not enjoy the post-game interview with Gerald AT ALL. I believe it's still linked on the main page.

s.i.

[Jumbo]

Ozzie- it is a fact that they are taught to lose the "you knows" and the "um's and uh's". They have been for years. Ever since taking one of my most intense, difficult, yet rewarding classes at Duke (I will be impressed with whoever can figure out the class and professor), I have been peeved by the use of "like" and other fillers associated with lazy speech. It was brought to our attention that Duke makes sure that players are prepared to speak with the media in an educated manner. To this day I look for the differences between the average NBA post-game interview and a Duke alum's.

It's all part of Coach K's main draw to recruits. It's not just about basketball.

No offense, but I think this perpetuates the "Duke as snobs" myth. There's really nothing wrong with a few "likes," "you knows" and "umms." It's not lazy speech as much as coloquial talk. In the scheme of things, it's just so minor.

[77devil]

No offense, but I think this perpetuates the "Duke as snobs" myth. There's really nothing wrong with a few "likes," "you knows" and "umms." It's not lazy speech as much as coloquial talk. In the scheme of things, it's just so minor.

I think describing it as colloquial talk is too generous. It is a bad habit that is often indicative of poor writing skills. One technique that I suggest that people use to correct these speech habits is to read the best English prose out loud for 15 minutes a day.

[Oh Canada]

It's very refreshing to listen to the Dukies in their post gamers.

Glad we don't have any AI's on the team. "Practice. We're talking bout practice"!

[wumhenry]

I haven't read or seen the other interviews mentioned here, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well-spoken Singler is in the published transcript of a recent interview. 'Course, in a printed interview "you knows" and other semantically vacuous timefillers can be edited out.

[Jumbo]

I think describing it as colloquial talk is too generous. It is a bad habit that is often indicative of poor writing skills. One technique that I suggest that people use to correct these speech habits is to read the best English prose out loud for 15 minutes a day.

I'd like to think that I'm a damn good writer. That doesn't mean that when I'm chatting with friends casually, I don't throw a few "likes" or "you knows" into the conversation as I'm thinking of what I want to say next. Not to mention that writing and speaking are inherently different skills.

[77devil]

Not to mention that writing and speaking are inherently different skills.

I could not disagree more. My experience for several decades with highly educated professionals from some of the most selective graduate schools in the country is that quality of the two are highly co-dependent. It's certainly not a scientific study but the premise has held, in my experience, with few exceptions. And besides, one of my favorite professors at Duke, Harold Parker, would agree.

[Jumbo]

I could not disagree more. My experience for several decades with highly educated professionals from some of the most selective graduate schools in the country is that quality of the two are highly co-dependent. It's certainly not a scientific study but the premise has held, in my experience, with few exceptions. And besides, one of my favorite professors at Duke, Harold Parker, would agree.

Perhaps professional writing and public speaking are somewhat connected. But I highly doubted. More to the point, do you really have a problem chatting with a friend who says something to the effect of, "I don't know, we could go out for dinner, or, like, go to the movies or something." I mean, that's just casual conversation. It's the same way that "btw" or "LOL" or other shortened forms of language are acceptable on a message board.

I can understand pushing people to speak professionally in a public setting. But I think holding kids up as a paradigm of virtue because of that ability is not only wrong, it's snooty. And you can be darn sure that when these kids are hanging out with one another, they're, like, not worried about colloquial speaking, you know?