Ribbons

[joe2010]

Hi, I'm a Carolina student and have lurked DBR for about 2 months and just recently registered, this is my first post. First off I want to say that I really have come to enjoy reading this message board even though I am a member of IC premium, and you all have given me a higher opinion of Duke fans in general. Though I may not always, or often, agree with some of the subjective opinions on here

I also want to thank you for the respect you have shown regarding Eve Carson. I had met her once during her campaign and had seen her around innumerable times, and while I cannot say I knew her terribly well, all the kind things being said about her seemed evident from my brief interactions with her, and that is why her loss is affecting me more than just about any other death I can remember. The moment of silence and the blue ribbons were very classy and respectful and I have come to expect no less from Duke University.

That said, I was confused that K and staff were not wearing the same ribbons. I was not sure if this was because they declined to wear them or not, if that was the case I cannot figure out a reason why they wouldn't wear them (after all, K wore a gold tie for Skip @ WF). I'm hoping that there was a mistake and they simply ran out of them before someone thought to send a few to the coaching staff, and it was not a decision made by K.

Any ideas as to why they wouldn't?

[zingit]

I don't have an answer to your question as to why they weren't wearing a ribbon, but I do know that Coach K was very emphatic at last night's meeting with the Crazies how important it was to be respectful tonight (even telling us not to chant "Go to Hell, Carolina"), so I know for certain that there was no intentional disrespect there.

Edited to add that maybe the ribbons just didn't get to them. The Crazies got theirs from the line monitors, so I don't know exactly where they came from, and if the coaches would have gotten them.

[Bob Green]

I cannot answer your question, but I assure you it was not a deliberate slight. Coach K is a West Point graduate and former military officer and I know, without a doubt, that he will always be respectful of others.

[chris13]

I don't know either, but I wanted to put this quote from Roy Williams on this thread because I think it shows the genuine appreciation the UNC team and community has for Duke's support during this difficult time.

I honestly believe that I would say this even if we had lost the game; I truly, truly appreciate Duke University, Mike [Krzyzewski] and his staff for being willing to do certain things tonight. It was their idea; they initiated a lot of the things; we had the ribbons and Eve [Carson]’s name on our jerseys. To have a moment of silence and to have the teams come together before the game, I think it says a lot about college athletics, the ACC and it says a heck of a lot about Duke University. I’m lucky to be involved in such a great rivalry.

[gofurman]

It's a good question. I wondered the same and I am a huge Duke fan. I am sure it was no slight meant. Please tell some of your IC buds to check this site out - too many get all their fuel from TDD and never check this out. DBR is very classy and civil or at least I think so

[joe2010]

Thanks for clearing it up somewhat, I can often be guilty (as can many Heels fans, and Duke fans of Roy/UNC) of trying to find an excuse to call the other school classless or whatever, but this is something I definitely hoped was just a mishap. I'm more convinced this was the case.

[DukeFencer]

Carolina coaches were wearing the ribbons, so it shouldn't have been a matter of the ribbons not getting to the teams...

[BlueHeaven]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It brings tears to my eyes and I am so proud of my school and Coach K for showing the respect UNC deserved and deserves. Enjoy your win!

[JasonEvans]

Carolina coaches were wearing the ribbons, so it shouldn't have been a matter of the ribbons not getting to the teams...

How do you have any idea what was or was not given to Coach K before the game? My bet is that he and the coaching staff did not know about or get the ribbons and that is why they were not wearing them.

The notion that there was some kind of intentional slight on the part of K and the coaches is beyond absurd -- especially in light of all Duke did do to recognize this tragic situation.

--Jason "sometimes there is a moment that reminds us of just how unimportant the rivalry really is" Evans

[Drebly1]

How do you have any idea what was or was not given to Coach K before the game? My bet is that he and the coaching staff did not know about or get the ribbons and that is why they were not wearing them.

The notion that there was some kind of intentional slight on the part of K and the coaches is beyond absurd -- especially in light of all Duke did do to recognize this tragic situation.

--Jason "sometimes there is a moment that reminds us of just how unimportant the rivalry really is" Evans

Well said. No matter which side of the fence you are on, it would be absurd to think that K and his staff would reject a ribbon if given one.

[dukie8]

Well said. No matter which side of the fence you are on, it would be absurd to think that K and his staff would reject a ribbon if given one.

why would k be at the mercy of someone giving him a ribbon? wouldn't he have at least a little say in making sure that he and his staff had them if he wanted them to have them on? it is perplexing to me too.

[kramerbr]

I think Coach K deserves a little more respect then that. This is the same guy who wore a gold tie (Wake Forest's color) at WF for their game to honor Skip. I highly doubt he's going to turn down wearing a tiny ribbon to honnor a young woman. Especially after all of his comments and the fact he has three daughters of his own.

[dukie8]

I think Coach K deserves a little more respect then that. This is the same guy who wore a gold tie (Wake Forest's color) at WF for their game to honor Skip. I highly doubt he's going to turn down wearing a tiny ribbon to honnor a young woman. Especially after all of his comments and the fact he has three daughters of his own.

i don't see how you can compare the 2. prosser was a good friend of k's, whom he had known for years, and who was the coach of the opposing team until he tragically passed away. i'm not taking anything away from eve carson, because she seemed like a brilliant young woman, but she had nothing to do with the game last night, k didn't know her and i wouldn't be surprised if not a single duke player had even heard of her until this past week. with that being said, i still am very surprised that k didn't have the ribbon on because it really is not a big deal to pin it on and a very big deal not to pin it on (i sure he is getting slammed all over the place for it).

to guess that he didn't have one on because nobody handed him one before the game is ridiculous because, as someone else noted, he is extremely anal about everything leading up to a game and if he wanted one on, he would have had one on.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Coach K honored Eve through his comments over the course of days leading up to the game. He spoke to the students about honoring her in his pre game visit to tent city. She was honored and remembered in numerous ways last night. The moment of silence which was observed involved all of us in Cameron. The way the two teams faced each other on the court for the moment of silence certainly reflected what both coaches wanted to do to set the tone for honoring Eve.

The fact that so many different kinds of ribbons were handed out was an indication of the spontaneous grass roots effort made by the students. Ribbons were not being passed out at every entrance.

Sometimes there are situations in life which defy analysis. I think that trying to analyze why Coach K didn't wear a ribbon demeans his efforts to be respectful in honoring Eve.

[Section 8]

Well, I got to the game fairly early, and actively looked for a ribbon to wear, but they were all gone. WRAL talked to the grad students who assembled them on the 6:00 news, and they said they had time to make about 5,300, so obviously not everyone got one. It apparently took 4 hours just to cut the ribbon.

[DukeFencer]

The notion that there was some kind of intentional slight on the part of K and the coaches is beyond absurd -- especially in light of all Duke did do to recognize this tragic situation.

--Jason "sometimes there is a moment that reminds us of just how unimportant the rivalry really is" Evans

I was certainly not implying that K and staff intentionally rejected the offer of ribbons.I was trying to convey that I do not think it was a case of line monitors forgetting to get around to giving them to the Duke staff, since the giving of ribbons was a very intentional act and not simply "Hey anybody want to wear a ribbon for a cause."

[JBDuke]

Time to shut this one down. Anyone that paid attention to the run-up to yesterday's game knows that Coach K was sensitive to the situation. Anyone that claims that his not wearing a ribbon was a deliberate slight is trolling. Speculating about why it happened is mostly unfounded and not worthy of our time.

If anyone has confirmed information to add, PM me and I'll reopen the thread. Otherwise, this thread is CLOSED.

[MulletMan]

There were hundreds of ribbons given out to students, staff, ushers, etc. The UNC coaches and staff had thier own ribbons that they brought. The others were handed out to anyone who wanted them outside of the stadium. They were not sent to or offered to the basketball coaches, because, well, they were kind of inaccessible.

Those who think this was a deliberate action by the coaching staff are... well... I suppose since I'm a moderator, I will not finish that sentence.

[DukeFencer]

"Krzyzewski Addresses Duke's Honoring of Slain UNC Student"

http://www.wral.com/sports/story/2550702/

Quote: "Asked by WRAL about that Monday, Krzyzewski responded: “With the ribbons, the students wore those. That’s something the students were doing. We were going to honor [Carson] with what we were doing before the game. I thought overall everybody there, Duke, North Carolina, everyone was on the same page.”

Krzyzewski said the idea of ribbons came up when he talked to the Duke students the night before the game.

“I said that’s something that’s great. They did everything well. It shows what student to student would do…,” he said. “It wasn’t something we as a staff did. I thought it was appropriate to have that distinction.” (End Quote)