Duke-Alabama Football At Wallace Wade

[Atlanta Duke]

This is from college football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alabama-Duke at Dome almost done: Just talked to Joe Alleva, the outgoing athletics director at Duke who is headed to LSU this summer. Alleva told me that before he leaves Duke he hopes to sign a contract to play a football game with Alabama in the Georgia Dome in 2010. Duke has a home game with the Crimson Tide that year and the Atlanta Sports Council has pitched moving the game to the Georgia Dome for more money and recruiting exposure. Alleva said that new head coach David Cutcliffe, an Alabama grad, has signed off on the idea. “It just makes sense for Duke,” Alleva said.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/sha...ch_says_a.html

Meaning Duke is going to lose anyhow so why not make some $$ out of the deal by splitting the gate for a Georgia Dome filled with Bama fans in Atlanta?

[Duvall]

This is from college football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alabama-Duke at Dome almost done: Just talked to Joe Alleva, the outgoing athletics director at Duke who is headed to LSU this summer. Alleva told me that before he leaves Duke he hopes to sign a contract to play a football game with Alabama in the Georgia Dome in 2010. Duke has a home game with the Crimson Tide that year and the Atlanta Sports Council has pitched moving the game to the Georgia Dome for more money and recruiting exposure. Alleva said that new head coach David Cutcliffe, an Alabama grad, has signed off on the idea. “It just makes sense for Duke,” Alleva said.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/sha...ch_says_a.html

Meaning Duke is going to lose anyhow so why not make some $$ out of the deal by splitting the gate for a Georgia Dome filled with Bama fans in Atlanta?

Screw that. I'd rather cancel the game. Let Bama find its patsies in FCS.

[DevilWolf]

Am I the only one who remembers how we had Bama beat on their home turf before (shocker) a missed field goal changed the entire game late in the third quarter?

I want another shot at these guys, especially in 2010. I'd rather the game be in Durham also, but I'm all for allowing our guys a chance to play a big game in an NFL stadium. You know how K prepares our basketball team for the post season by playing big games in neutral locations? Keep in mind by 2010 we might also be preparing for big football games in the post-season at neutral sites as well.

[Acymetric]

This is from college football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alabama-Duke at Dome almost done: Just talked to Joe Alleva, the outgoing athletics director at Duke who is headed to LSU this summer. Alleva told me that before he leaves Duke he hopes to sign a contract to play a football game with Alabama in the Georgia Dome in 2010. Duke has a home game with the Crimson Tide that year and the Atlanta Sports Council has pitched moving the game to the Georgia Dome for more money and recruiting exposure. Alleva said that new head coach David Cutcliffe, an Alabama grad, has signed off on the idea. “It just makes sense for Duke,” Alleva said.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/sha...ch_says_a.html

Meaning Duke is going to lose anyhow so why not make some $$ out of the deal by splitting the gate for a Georgia Dome filled with Bama fans in Atlanta?

Are there all that many Bama fans in Atlanta? I mean, I'm sure theres a good bit, but I'd expect it to be more GT and Georgia fans. I'm sure there's some Duke fans in the area (my Dad for one) that would go, especially if we're as good as I'd like to think we'll be by that time. Plus I think it would be cool to see Duke in a huge arena...getting to play in an NFL stadium might even be a slight recruiting draw for that class...

[CameronBornAndBred]

Plus I think it would be cool to see Duke in a huge arena...getting to play in an NFL stadium might even be a slight recruiting draw for that class...

I think seeing them play in Wade with a capacity crowd would be a better draw. It's a great stadium when it's filled.

[Duvall]

Are there all that many Bama fans in Atlanta?

Doesn't matter - Atlanta is two hours from Birmingham and less than three hours from Tuscaloosa.

[Acymetric]

Doesn't matter - Atlanta is two hours from Birmingham and less than three hours from Tuscaloosa.

Well honestly, I don't think Duke fans would outnumber Alabama fans by a whole lot if we played in Wade either. I know, hopefully people really start coming out, but truthfully there are Alabama fans everywhere and the ones that are far removed from the school would come out for their one chance to see their team play. There would be a lot of "Crimson" in Wade for that game, I think.

Seeing Wade packed full would be great, but there are plenty of other games where I think fans are going to turn out (UNC, possibly some other ACC teams...). This is a good opportunity to play in a big venue, make some money, get some exposure for the team as we're improving. Would there be a better chance of the game getting tv time (even on a less popular channel, say cstv or espnu) if its in a bigger arena like this?

[devilirium]

Would be better for us if the game was played in Wallace Wade, but you have to remember that the storied out of conference teams haven't played at Wallace Wade in a long time (unless you want to count a team like Navy that the really great teams in the early 60's or perhaps Miami with Bernie Kosar in the early 80's) We played Alabama in Birmingham in '72 and there was no return game. We haven't played Tennessee at home since the late 50's. Stanford, when they were really good, played us at WW in the '71, I think. We played Ohio State at the Horseshoe in the early 80's with no return game.

And, to alter your comment, it's a great stadium when it's filled with home fans. The Virginia Tech game last year was a full house, and it was like Lane Stadium south for the Hokies. Hell, we even played Sandman to greet their team in deference to VT.

And to add to Devil Wolf's point, I remember. I made the pilgrimmage (one of about 20 Duke fans). Duke was in the game with about 6 min. left in the 4th qtr. Saban will have his team better prepared than Shula, though.

[DevilWolf]

And Cutcliffe will have us better prepared than Roof. :-)

[davekay1971]

And Cutcliffe will have us better prepared than Roof. :-)

Bama would kill us. Plain and simple. That being said, it's still probably a good game for Duke. Actually, it's a no-lose situation for Duke (except that we will lose the game). It'll generate money for the athletic department, give us some regional/national TV exposure, and if Duke plays at all well, it'll be a recruiting draw along the lines of "Wow, Duke's not rolling over, this new coach really must be turning Duke football around".

I don't much like Duke being someone else' patsy, but, realistically, that's where are football team has been since the mid 90's. We've been an automatic win for most of our opponents for years.

[Kdogg]

Duke has done this in the past. My freshman year we moved the home opener against FSU to the Orange Bowl. Overall I think the positives out ways the negatives.

[bluedev_92]

Screw that. I'd rather cancel the game. Let Bama find its patsies in FCS.

As opposed to finding its patsies in the ACC?

[Huh?]

2010? Saban will have Bama a National Title contender by then. That might be a rough one, or maybe Renfree will be leading us too a huge upset.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Duke has done this in the past. My freshman year we moved the home opener against FSU to the Orange Bowl.

Yes, and alot of people complained. The coach at the time said he would never give a home game away again. But then again he wasn't coach for very long.

[ugadevil]

2010? Saban will have Bama a National Title contender by then. That might be a rough one, or maybe Renfree will be leading us too a huge upset.

What makes you think Saban will stick around until 2010? I'm sure something else will come up that peaks his interest. I like the idea of this game. Hopefully, it will produce an atmosphere that comes along with a big bowl game. Possibly, a taste of what it would be like to play in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl?

[wilson]

I'm excited about the game, and I will definitely go. In fact, it looks to me like a tailor-made event for the Atlanta Mafia.
Will we get trounced? Probably.
Will it be a big-game atmosphere? Perhaps not; it seems that an intense, competitive game is a prerequisite for that. But it will be full-ish, at least with Alabama fans having made the couple of hours' trip east. The Georgia Dome is a great atmosphere with a big crowd, and if this one is anything like a Peach Bowl crowd, people will get their money's worth.

[blublood]

And to add to Devil Wolf's point, I remember. I made the pilgrimmage (one of about 20 Duke fans). Duke was in the game with about 6 min. left in the 4th qtr. Saban will have his team better prepared than Shula, though.

Yeah, that was one of the most perversely great games I've ever been to. The sound of 80,000 fans falling completely silent was terrific; I've never been in that tiny of a cheering section, hated by that many people simultaneously.

Bama always travels well and Atlanta is straight over on I-20. For sure, they will have what amounts to a homefield advantage.

[Bluedawg]

This is from college football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alabama-Duke at Dome almost done: Just talked to Joe Alleva, the outgoing athletics director at Duke who is headed to LSU this summer. Alleva told me that before he leaves Duke he hopes to sign a contract to play a football game with Alabama in the Georgia Dome in 2010. Duke has a home game with the Crimson Tide that year and the Atlanta Sports Council has pitched moving the game to the Georgia Dome for more money and recruiting exposure. Alleva said that new head coach David Cutcliffe, an Alabama grad, has signed off on the idea. “It just makes sense for Duke,” Alleva said.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/sha...ch_says_a.html

Meaning Duke is going to lose anyhow so why not make some $$ out of the deal by splitting the gate for a Georgia Dome filled with Bama fans in Atlanta?

Don't forget we are moving into a new era for Duke football. We won't be an "easy win" anymore

[RelativeWays]

This could be awesome. My dad is a huge Bama fan and we could get tickets to go to see our favorite teams play each other. Granted, Alabama would probably fare better than 2 years ago but you never know. We could have taken UL-Lafayette....I think.

[Festus13]

This is from college football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alabama-Duke at Dome almost done: Just talked to Joe Alleva, the outgoing athletics director at Duke who is headed to LSU this summer. Alleva told me that before he leaves Duke he hopes to sign a contract to play a football game with Alabama in the Georgia Dome in 2010. Duke has a home game with the Crimson Tide that year and the Atlanta Sports Council has pitched moving the game to the Georgia Dome for more money and recruiting exposure. Alleva said that new head coach David Cutcliffe, an Alabama grad, has signed off on the idea. “It just makes sense for Duke,” Alleva said.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/sha...ch_says_a.html

Meaning Duke is going to lose anyhow so why not make some $$ out of the deal by splitting the gate for a Georgia Dome filled with Bama fans in Atlanta?

I wouldn't go so far as to say that " .... Duke is going to lose anyhow .... "! Duke barely lost the last time they played Alabama (at their home field), Duke has the new Coach, the new attitude (just look into their eyes), and some time to develop before this proposed game. Challenges are what make teams better and develop character in young men!