Buy Duke's "Stock"

[CameronBornAndBred]

Seth Davis has an article up at SI.com, viewing the current teams as stocks. Here's what he had to say about the Devils.
"Duke: BUY

Previous rating: Sell

I was going to rate the Blue Devils a Hold, but after a stumble at Wake Forest on Sunday night, I've been convinced otherwise. There's nothing wrong with a flat conference road performance in mid-February, and this team has displayed more toughness (particularly on defense) than I had previously recognized. What's more, the Blue Devils get North Carolina at home in three weeks. If Duke can sweep the Tar Heels, it would put the Devils on the coveted Raleigh-Charlotte path to the Final Four."

For the rest of the article.

[weezie]

Holy smokes! Seth Davis has something intelligent and reasonable to say? I'm stunned...stunned I tell you!

Unlike the chorus of sports commentators on the radio in the past few days stumbling all over themselves to decree that Duke's glory days are long over and that K is sliding.

Thanks, Seth!

[EagleDevil]

Mostly, it goes to show you that many sports journalists are contrary for the sake of being contrary. The ones without much expert insight think it makes them look like "independent thinkers." Then they get to crow when they're right, and no one keeps a tally when they're wrong.

[wilson]

Ty Lawson still isn't playing. Methinks there are a few possible explanations:
a) He's steadily healing and waiting until he's really 100%, at which point the heels would be formidable (much as it pains me to admit that).
b) He's healing, but not going to be back at 100% until the offseason, and he wants to have as much in the tank as possible for the season's most important games.
c) He cares about nothing so much as his personal basketball future (his body language has certainly seemed to suggest this at times), and there's no telling what he'll give for the rest of the season.

It could also be a combination of above factors. Regardless, I don't think we'll be able to get a good handle on the kuralonna game until the day of (maybe even tipoff, kind of like last time). I do think, however, that the longer Lawson take to come back, the more difficult it becomes for kuralonna to get their mojo back.

[slower]

Holy smokes! Seth Davis has something intelligent and reasonable to say? I'm stunned...stunned I tell you!

Unlike the chorus of sports commentators on the radio in the past few days stumbling all over themselves to decree that Duke's glory days are long over and that K is sliding.

Thanks, Seth!

I don't read Seth enough to know whether he shows any "inclination" reuke, but he IS a Duke '92 grad. Does anybody know if he is prone to "Bilas Syndrome", just to "prove" that he's an impartial observer?

[slower]

by reuke, I meant re: Duke, of course

[CDu]

Ty Lawson still isn't playing. Methinks there are a few possible explanations:
a) He's steadily healing and waiting until he's really 100%, at which point the heels would be formidable (much as it pains me to admit that).
b) He's healing, but not going to be back at 100% until the offseason, and he wants to have as much in the tank as possible for the season's most important games.
c) He cares about nothing so much as his personal basketball future (his body language has certainly seemed to suggest this at times), and there's no telling what he'll give for the rest of the season.

It could also be a combination of above factors. Regardless, I don't think we'll be able to get a good handle on the kuralonna game until the day of (maybe even tipoff, kind of like last time). I do think, however, that the longer Lawson take to come back, the more difficult it becomes for kuralonna to get their mojo back.

I'm thinking it is a case of UNC knowing that they can win these games without Lawson, and that the tournament is when they want him healthy. Sure, there's a risk of losing a game here or there, but the regular season isn't what Roy is concerned about. Even if Lawson is close to 100%, it makes more sense for UNC to let him rest and be as close to fully ready for the NCAA tournament as possible.

Ankle injuries (like hamstring problems and back problems) can be notorious for their naggingness and potential for reinjury. The longer Lawson rests and rehabs, the less likely he is for reinjury before the tournament (both in terms of opportunity and health improvement).

I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't come back until one game before the Duke game. That way he can get lots of rest and still get a tuneup before the rematch. Then, if UNC wins that rematch, they'd be in line for the Raleigh/Charlotte path in the NCAA tournament.

[wilson]

...I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't come back until one game before the Duke game. That way he can get lots of rest and still get a tuneup before the rematch. Then, if UNC wins that rematch, they'd be in line for the Raleigh/Charlotte path in the NCAA tournament.

I think you're spot on...I agree with you completely, and that's what worries me.

[FerryFor50]

I don't read Seth enough to know whether he shows any "inclination" reuke, but he IS a Duke '92 grad. Does anybody know if he is prone to "Bilas Syndrome", just to "prove" that he's an impartial observer?

Glad I'm not the only one who notices this...

Unlike UNC grads in journalism, who have no qualms about pledging their allegiances.

[Turtleboy]

Where can I go to learn "body language?" Some folks sure are proficient. Is it hard to do? I would love to be able to judge a person's personal motivation by his body language.

[pfrduke]

I don't read Seth enough to know whether he shows any "inclination" reuke, but he IS a Duke '92 grad. Does anybody know if he is prone to "Bilas Syndrome", just to "prove" that he's an impartial observer?

Others who were on campus in '92 may have a better recollection of this, but I've always heard that Seth Davis was highly critical of the men's basketball team when he wrote for the Chronicle. I don't think he's ever been a particularly big fan of the program.

[hurleyfor3]

I wouldn't have called Seth's Chronicle columns "highly critical", but it is fair to say he was not as blindly enthusiastic as some of the other folks in sports were.

He did write a few good columns, and I do mean a few. More than none, less than all.