Men's Basketball Banquet

[Raleighfan]

I've been to the banquet most years since 1990 and yes, he usually does come up with a great speech. And sometimes, his best speeches have been years when the team didn't go as far as expected/when there was an element of disappointment. I remember one year the banquet fell on Debbie K's birthday and he gave a really nice speech about her and how important his family is to him---didn't have much to do with basketball but gave good insight into what kind of person K is. One thing that made last night's speech memorable was that he took away the podium so it was as if he was speaking one-on-one and not to a crowd.

[weezie]

Well I, for one, was flabbergasted at K's speech last night. He called out all those who were doubting his passion for coaching at Duke, anyone who questioned his assistants as not being talented enough, and any other misinformed souls who think his Olympic commitment is harming the Duke program. He asked that this team be given the chance to become a great Duke team, to be allowed to mature and become Duke men of honor and pride. To give them their time on the stage and to not constantly criticize and compare to other Duke teams of the past. Nothing is guaranteed, no one is entitled to win without struggle, was his basic theme.
He spoke without a podium and paced the stage like he was coaching a game, leaning over for emphasis and nearly shouting with intensity.
DeMarcus was wonderful, speaking without a script and smooth as silk. He used his time to encourage and challenge the team to have the hunger and fire to fight next year. He commiserated with Zoubek about the injuries and he gave the team to Paulus and charged him with keeping it all together.


And, PS, we're getting a new scoreboard next season.

[roywhite]

Well I, for one, was flabbergasted at K's speech last night. He called out all those who were doubting his passion for coaching at Duke, anyone who questioned his assistants as not being talented enough, and any other misinformed souls who think his Olympic commitment is harming the Duke program. He asked that this team be given the chance to become a great Duke team, to be allowed to mature and become Duke men of honor and pride. To give them their time on the stage and to not constantly criticize and compare to other Duke teams of the past. Nothing is guaranteed, no one is entitled to win without struggle, was his basic theme.
He spoke without a podium and paced the stage like he was coaching a game, leaning over for emphasis and nearly shouting with intensity.

Sounds like a very powerful speech. Flabbergasted?...not sure what you mean by that in this context?

[Cameron]

And, PS, we're getting a new scoreboard next season.

NO! Please make this not happen. Not sure why I just wrote that to you, weezie, but that's what came out as my heart dropped to the floor, so I'm just going to leave it.

Anyone else upset with hearing this? Wow, that makes me sad. It's such a part of Cameron's mystique.

[weezie]

He pulled no punches. It was my impression that he hears the complaints/criticisms and rejects any denigrations of his coaches and players. I thought it was great to hear him speak without having to filter his comments through the anti-Duke media bias. It was a not so subtle right hook against the stupidity of Duke hatred.

And, he still loves Duke, loves coaching and plans on coaching for a long time, which was very good news.

If K had ordered the audience to run through a brick wall, I think there would have been a considerable line of folks volunteering to go first. He's all that...

[weezie]

NO! Please make this not happen. Not sure why I just wrote that to you, weezie, but that's what came out as my heart dropped to the floor, so I'm just going to leave it.

Anyone else upset with hearing this? Wow, that makes me sad. It's such a part of Cameron's mystique.

I don't think it's such a bad idea. I'd like to know how many timeouts we have left. And certainly, why must we sell advertisement to "Crocs" shoes for heaven's sake like we have up there now. I just wish I had the cash to christen a new "weezietron" scoreboard. Don't worry, "Cameron the stadium" is still the ubercoolest...standing on the center circle and looking up was a real treat last night. Eating dinner on the free throw line was nearly a religious experience. That basket is surely a whole lot further away than it looks on tv. And then you add in 9K sweaty fans!

[roywhite]

He pulled no punches. It was my impression that he hears the complaints/criticisms and rejects any denigrations of his coaches and players. I thought it was great to hear him speak without having to filter his comments through the anti-Duke media bias. It was a not so subtle right hook against the stupidity of Duke hatred.

And, he still loves Duke, loves coaching and plans on coaching for a long time, which was very good news.

If K had ordered the audience to run through a brick wall, I think there would have been a considerable line of folks volunteering to go first. He's all that...

Excellent...thanks for the report and the follow-up.

[Dukeford]

I think the rule of thumb is not to ask players for autographs or photos. The night is dedicated to all the players and their families (specifically the seniors) so they generally ask that their privacy is respected.

Is there any particular time when it "is" ok to ask for autographs?

The reason I ask is because I took my son to a game in Jan 07, a non-conference game, which is when tickets are least expensive.
After the game I waited with him for over an hour in hopes he could get a few players autographs. There were only about 20 kids waiting so it wasn't a huge crowd, but nobody came out and signed for the kids.
Finally, Jon Scheyer came back in the gym at the far end, the doors closest to the parking lot. He was very friendly and signed and let people get pics with him. It probably took him less than 10 min. So he's a good guy! But he was the only one.

I know it has to be a hassle sometimes for these guys. But when you have a 12 year old that worships Duke basketball and keeps up with all the players, and you have to pay around $100 per ticket just to go to a scrub game, it means a lot to the the younger fans if they can get an autograph.

One of the other parents waiting that day said the the players rarely ever stopped on their way out to sign.
Is there ever a "fan night" or something like that?

By the way, Jay Bilas never acts like he minds signing for a kid.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Is there any particular time when it "is" ok to ask for autographs?

The reason I ask is because I took my son to a game in Jan 07, a non-conference game, which is when tickets are least expensive.
After the game I waited with him for over an hour in hopes he could get a few players autographs. There were only about 20 kids waiting so it wasn't a huge crowd, but nobody came out and signed for the kids.
Finally, Jon Scheyer came back in the gym at the far end, the doors closest to the parking lot. He was very friendly and signed and let people get pics with him. It probably took him less than 10 min. So he's a good guy! But he was the only one.

I know it has to be a hassle sometimes for these guys. But when you have a 12 year old that worships Duke basketball and keeps up with all the players, and you have to pay around $100 per ticket just to go to a scrub game, it means a lot to the the younger fans if they can get an autograph.

One of the other parents waiting that day said the the players rarely ever stopped on their way out to sign.
Is there ever a "fan night" or something like that?

By the way, Jay Bilas never acts like he minds signing for a kid.

Today at the Spring Scrimmage Kyle Singler was signing autographs and posing with fans for pictures in the concourse area near the north gate. Many people sought out Greg Paulus where he was seated in the stands. Both seemed genuinely glad to interact with fans of all ages.

[Cameron]

weezie:

I don't know, to me anyway, it's kind of like taking the Green Monster away from Fenway and adding an updated aquarium tank wall, something that's new and more metro. Obviously this is a very large overreaction on my part, but you get my point

It's just makes me sad. I always love looking at 'ol Blue when I walk into Cameron. She's a legendary fixture. I think about the camera zooming into the 95-95 tie after Capel's shot, the 77-75 victory over Carolina, etc. Just so many memories, so many historic moments in Duke culture. Maybe I'm just being too sentimental. I don't know.

As for the speech, though, thank you very much for that recap, weezie. Very nice to hear. (FYI, I'd be right there with you running into that wall, because I know Coach wouldn't allow us to not knock it down. We'd bury that sucker).

I LOVE DUKE!

[Dukeford]

Today at the Spring Scrimmage Kyle Singler was signing autographs and posing with fans for pictures in the concourse area near the north gate. Many people sought out Greg Paulus where he was seated in the stands. Both seemed genuinely glad to interact with fans of all ages.

That's good to hear, I guess you just have to time it right.
I emailed the coach's office the week before we went to the game and asked if there were opportunities to get autographs. I got a reply back but the answer was just that "sometimes" they come back out and sign.

[geraldsneighbor]

Indian recently put in one of those giant HD scoreboards in at their building. Is that what we have to look forward too, because it seems like it'd be a tight fit getting a huge scoreboard in Cameron.

[weezie]

...it's kind of like taking the Green Monster away from Fenway and adding an updated aquarium tank...

Manny tossing chum to Orca? "Cameron the uberfan," simmer down there, son!

[Cameron]

^^Haha

[Raleighfan]

I went to both men's & women's banquets and noticed that the Brodheads were MIA. Not a word was mentioned about them at either banquet. In the past, if the Duke prez hasn't been at the banquets, he/she usually leaves a message explaining why they can't attend, giving thanks and best wishes to team/esp. departing seniors, thanking fans, etc. This year...nada. I thought it was a little curious.

[-jk]

weezie:

I don't know, to me anyway, it's kind of like taking the Green Monster away from Fenway and adding an updated aquarium tank wall, something that's new and more metro. Obviously this is a very large overreaction on my part, but you get my point

It's just makes me sad. I always love looking at 'ol Blue when I walk into Cameron. She's a legendary fixture. I think about the camera zooming into the 95-95 tie after Capel's shot, the 77-75 victory over Carolina, etc. Just so many memories, so many historic moments in Duke culture. Maybe I'm just being too sentimental. I don't know.

Meh. You're showing your age. Or your youth, anyway: There've already been several scoreboards in Cameron over the years. Thirty or forty years ago, they used to keep live player stats on scoreboards high on the walls behind the end zones - long before the current scoreboard put them over the court.

As long as they don't do silly graphics during free throws, add too much more annoying advertising, etc., I'll be content. Heck, I'd love to have timeouts remaining, and perhaps a few more live player stats beyond points and fouls.

But no silly graphics! And please Lord, let's not try to emulate the pro arenas with those annoying ribbon things.

-jk

[geraldsneighbor]

Waht about an exciting movie clip or a noise meter during timeouts? hhahaha

[Cameron]

Meh. You're showing your age. Or your youth, anyway: There've already been several scoreboards in Cameron over the years.

And being under the age of 30 equates to? Not being as good a fan?

Anyway, my contention wasn't that Duke's only had one scoreboard and should keep it (as I was already aware that Duke's had other boards); it was merely that I have fallen in love with our current one, and wish to see it stay. Either way, I will move on I am sure. Duke isn't defined by a scoreboard. And neither is Cameron Indoor, which evolved into the real life Field (in her case, court) of Dreams long before the big screen film.

[devil84]

Anyway, my contention wasn't that Duke's only had one scoreboard and should keep it (as I was already aware that Duke's had other boards); it was merely that I have fallen in love with our current one, and wish to see it stay.

I, too, like the current scoreboard, but there are so many light bulbs burnt out that sometimes it's very hard to distinguish 3s from 8s, and sometimes even 0s! I've been wanting them to fix that problem for YEARS.

Like -jk says, as long as there's not silly graphics or tons of advertising, I'm happy.

[LetItBD08]

I went to both men's & women's banquets and noticed that the Brodheads were MIA. Not a word was mentioned about them at either banquet. In the past, if the Duke prez hasn't been at the banquets, he/she usually leaves a message explaining why they can't attend, giving thanks and best wishes to team/esp. departing seniors, thanking fans, etc. This year...nada. I thought it was a little curious.

I believe President Brodhead was at the Duke University Improv "Big Show" Friday night at the same time. I wouldn't read too much into it. DUI's show raises a lot of money for a good cause and had a funny movie clip cameo of the pres. There's a chance he was invited to that before the basketball banquet. By the way, Nolan Smith made an appearance on stage at the end of DUI's show. He probably had to book it from Cameron to Page after the banquet (in case anyone was wondering why he wasn't around signing autographs).