Congratulations on Another Great Season

[davekay1971]

No way we should let 20 minutes of pain take away from another great season. 30+ wins, an ACC championship, a Sweet 16 (I know, we all wanted more), and one of the most unforgettable senior seasons in Duke history.

[kong123]

As a UNC fan, I am glad your best players will never face us again. However, they are great players and have represented the game of basketball very well. Its sad Nolan played his worst game of the year in his last game, but thats how it goes sometimes.

[CLW]

No way we should let 20 minutes of pain take away from another great season. 30+ wins, an ACC championship, a Sweet 16 (I know, we all wanted more), and one of the most unforgettable senior seasons in Duke history.

Agreed. Just ran into the buzzsaw in the one and out format. Great seasons and careers for Kyle and Nolan. Loved watching those guys grow over the past 4 seasons.

[kinsman_bob]

When an opponent is unconscious , you are going to lose. I am proud of our guys for playing with class, not like UofA. They should be reminded that they haven't won anything yet, but there they were woofing and pounding their chests. Not a lot of class.

[camion]

Williams kept them in it in the first half and they flat outplayed us in the second. We just ran into a hot team. Congrats to Arizona.

I want to thank Nolan, Kyle and Casey for a great four years. You have given me many great memories and I will miss you all.

[tb3]

it is sad and disappointing right now but there are so many great happy moments that Kyle and Nolan have provided...THANK YOU GUYS

[NYBri]

Thank you, Kyle and Nolan.

Tough way to leave. I will miss you both.

I did note that Kyrie was on the floor at the end. I wonder if he will come back to remove that bad taste.

Just so sad for Nolan right now. 'Zona couldn't miss. Not much more to say about that half.

[northernduke]

What a great ride for the seniors and the rest of the team. They competed exceedingly well without their starting PG all season and measured up to the challenge. This loss doesn't take anything away from the season for me. Yes, it would have been great to win a NC, but I in no way expected such an outcome.


Thank you Kyle and Nolan!!! Underclassmen --- can't wait to see you back on the court next October!!!

[summerwind03]

As always, this Duke team made me proud. I'll miss Kyle and Nolan especially. Thanks for the ride.

[Utley]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have no tolerance for the whining/bashing. We were a really good special team. Fortune's friend last year - fortune's fool this year with Kyrie's injury and just not the right night to play AZ. Still think we beat them 6 or 7 out of 10.

Nolan and Kyle - you were warriors - I'll never forget last year. This year was a great trip as well.

[dukelilsis]

davekay1971, you took the words right out of mouth. While I have tears right now because I will never again get to see Nolan and Kyle in a Duke uniform, we all have to remember that there is only one team who ends their season in anything other than tears. Guys, if you happen to wander on here and read this, please consider this my thank you note to you. You have provided my family with many wonderful hours of basketball and lots of laughs on DukeBluePlanet. In addition, meeting Nolan will always be a highlight of my Duke basketball memories. We are fortunate to have two wonderful young men like Nolan and Kyle who have been commited to us for four years. We wish you all the success imaginable in the future and, once again, thank you. I just love you guys! This is one of my favorite Duke teams.


Go Marquette...

[DukeWarhead]

This will go down as a very good, but not great, season for Duke. Very similar to how JJ and Shel's senior season ended. (eventhough that wasn't a blowout.)
It's not how you get knocked down, it's how you respond. I just hope this ending gives some hunger and fire to next years squad - has them looking for redeption.
Stay Kyrie, Stay (one can dream.)

[monkey]

Well, your careers didn't end like we all hoped, but you left it all out on the floor. It's been a privilege watching you compete for four years.

Nolan - the way you've grown over the past couple of years has been spectacular. Your leadership and refusal to lose made this year great to watch. I wish you nothing but success at the next level.

Kyle - the heart of a warrior to the last. An all time special player. The player most likely to nail the key shot seconds after a third elbow to the face. Bruised and battered, you (like Nolan) are one of the greats. Thanks for four great years. Best of luck in the NBA.

I wish we had both for another four!

[NYC Duke Fan]

Well, your careers didn't end like we all hoped, but you left it all out on the floor. It's been a privilege watching you compete for four years.

Nolan - the way you've grown over the past couple of years has been spectacular. Your leadership and refusal to lose made this year great to watch. I wish you nothing but success at the next level.

Kyle - the heart of a warrior to the last. An all time special player. The player most likely to nail the key shot seconds after a third elbow to the face. Bruised and battered, you (like Nolan) are one of the greats. Thanks for four great years. Best of luck in the NBA.

I wish we had both for another four!

While I disagree that this was a ," great season", ,( I do not think it was at all), I think that your post was right on target and I concur with everything that you say !!!

[MChambers]

It's been an amazing four years with Kyle and Nolan (and Casey for part of that time). We've been privileged to have them represent Duke and I know they will be excellent professional basketball players and excellent people.

[RoyalBlue08]

To me, the game last night was more sad because we don't get to see Kyle and Nolan in the Duke uniform anymore. Winning the title takes a lot to go right. We can't expect it every year. But I for one will truly miss our seniors. Great players that represented the University with passion and class. Best of luck to both of them in their future careers!

[NYC Duke Fan]

This will go down as a very good, but not great, season for Duke. Very similar to how JJ and Shel's senior season ended. (eventhough that wasn't a blowout.)
It's not how you get knocked down, it's how you respond. I just hope this ending gives some hunger and fire to next years squad - has them looking for redeption.
Stay Kyrie, Stay (one can dream.)

I agree that this was not a great season. It is only semantics whethder it was a very good season. Certainly we did not meet expectations. We had senior leadership returning yet as a number 1 seed we get blown out in a Sweet 16 game...Incidentially since 200, we are 3-7 I believe in Sweet 16 games.

We really did not beat any good team except UNC twice all year.

The realistic point is that we will not be better next year. We lose our 3 best players and get one back in Rivers. The Plumlees and Kelly have not improved as much as expected and unless there is a metamorphasis over the summer we will probably be worse. I do not expect Marshall Plumlee or Gbinje,( spelling?) to have any impact either. Maybe Hairston can be better.

If Zeller, Hensen and Barnes all return and with the addition of McAdoo UNC will be much better. The irony is that at the

t
beginning of the year after a few games did anyone UNC to advance further in the NCAA tournament

[jdj4duke]

Odd but this one doesn't hurt nearly as much as some others. Pummeled into unconsciousness I suppose. I will be studiously avoiding ESPN Friday, and I will be in a Duke shirt all weekend.

Every year, at the first of May, I send a message to the graduating seniors welcoming them as fellow alums, and for bringing so many thrills and such satisfaction to all of us Duke fans. This year, the message will be a little more hearfelt given the committment that these seniors made to such an ambitious goal. I would venture that even with this ending, Kyle and Nolan would not second-guess their decision to return. And I don't think K will let them. It's at times like this I believe he does his best work.

If any of us had forgotten how astonishing winning the NC actually is, I think this year's team reminded us how incredibly well things have to line up. The amount of work these kids and coaches put in is astonishing. Their comportment as representatives of the Univeristy is beyond reproach, and the sportsmanship and graciousness after every game is what I will take away once again from what has been a terrific, and terrifically interesting, season.

After 43 years of watching the Blue Devil basketball worm turn every which way, my disappointment is not that the game was lost, or even that another crop of unbelievably talented, engaging, and "doing Duke proud" seniors has played a final game. It's that Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays won't have the same sense of anticipation and engagement for the next 7 months. There is just nothing that fills the void of waiting for game time. November is a long time away, but I am glad that I can look forward to a few more seasons and for being in some way a part of what is still a small but powerful tribe.

Thanks to DBR for putting out the best forum in sports, and to (nearly) all the posters who bring such an astonishingly high level of insight, humor, and general politesse in even the most disappointing times. Wait until next year-----

[weezie]

Thank you Kyle and Nolan and Casey.
Incredible four years, so many great games.
Kyle, Ironman, tougher than tough, blue steel, how I'll miss you!
Nolan, that smile, everybody's friend, how you've grown!

Very proud to be a Blue Devil with all three of you.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Thank you Kyle, Nolan and Casey for four great years and many many memories, 125 victories and last year's National Championship!

Thank you Kyrie for what you have given us this year, and for coming back in the tournament. Your injury was a freak and most unfortunate for you as a it robbed you of both the development you would have gotten as a player under K and the fun and joy of playing as a college player. Sure, you got some of that as a spectator, and you were an amazing teammate throughout your ordeal, but it wasn't the same by any means. I don't know what your decision will be in the next few weeks, although I expect you will be NBA bound. If that is the case I will respect and support the decision and root for you as your career progresses, just as I do for all Duke players in the NBA. If you come back to Duke next year, we can all start dreaming of the possibilities!

We had a great year that ended eleven days and three games too early. Arizona just flat out busted us by shooting lights out in the second half, and that happens. As Coach K said in his post game interview, we couldn't stop them. When they were open, they hit the shot. When they were closely guarded, they hit the shot. When they got the tip, it went in. Loose ball? They got it. Momentum was theirs as was the night. Congratulations and best of luck in the tournament.

Do you think there are some folks over in Raleigh salivating over the prospect over maybe getting Sean Miller to coach in Raleigh next fall (and beyond)? I do. He just proved he's not afraid or in awe of going up against us in a big game.

The spring football game is Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium. The weather will be crummy - light rain in the low 50's, but after last night, I need a catharses and will be there to root on the 2011 Blue Devils. I hope YOU are too!