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  1. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Nashville, TN
    Quote Originally Posted by Devilsfan View Post
    how we felt in three of our four banner years.
    What does this even mean?

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Durham, NC
    I'm definitely excited. I think this will easily be the best Duke team since 2010 (that is after Kyrie went down). I'm excited for Kelly and Mason playing together. I'm excited about athletic forwards Hairston and Kelly. Most of all I'm excited for Quinn Cook to become the next elite Duke point guard. Of couse this could all come crashing down if Coach K decides to roll out a lineup like this:

    Thornton
    Curry
    Dawkins
    Kelly
    Mason

  3. #23
    ^HAHA. I'm not sure what to laugh at hardest. This?

    Quote Originally Posted by loldevilz View Post
    I'm excited for Kelly and Mason playing together...Of couse this could all come crashing down if Coach K decides to roll out a lineup like this:

    Thornton
    Curry
    Dawkins
    Kelly
    Mason
    Or This?

    Quote Originally Posted by loldevilz View Post
    I'm excited about athletic forwards Hairston and Kelly.
    I did like the part about Quinn Cook tho

  4. #24

    Next Year

    On one hand I am excited about next year, on the other I am worried.

    I am excited to see Rasheed, Alex, and Marshall. I am excited about having senior leadership. I am excited because I think we can play much more as a team than last year.

    I am worried because neither Tyler nor Quinn has shown himself to be a great college level point guard. I am worried because I don't see a star who can carry the team. I am worried because we were weak defensively last year and am not sure where the improvement will come from.

    The potential is there.

    SoCal

  5. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Kewlswim View Post
    Hi,

    Feel free to move if this is more appropriate somewhere else.

    I think the team will be really exciting--a good set of veterans and rookies--with a slasher, shooters and a strong inside game. Our guards from last year will have another year under their belts. Coach K will have had another Olympic experience (he seems energized after these things). We will have come off a really bad NCAA tournament and though each team is different this team will have a chip on its shoulder. By the way, I don't consider losing to Arizona as we did a couple of years ago nearly as bad as losing to Lehigh in the first round in Greensboro this year. I also think the student body will be more behind the team this coming year because they will realize that they aren't guaranteed anything and that they should get behind the team. I can't wait. Heck it makes me want to get a graduate degree in some not so hard discipline so I can try out as a student manager and be there up close and personal for the glory. Then again, I think I want to stay home and my Labrador would miss me too much.

    GO DUKE!
    I'll become excited if I see some major improvement from the point guard position, one or two players besides Mason show that will be able to consistently rebound on both ends, a player or two (again, besides Mason) shows promise of being a real threat to consistently score while attacking the basket, and our defense shows dramatic signs of improvement. If most or all of these things don't appear to be happening it's going to be a difficult to get really excited about the season, because that will mean that we're likely going to have a similar outcome to this season--one-(or maybe two)-and-done in the NCAAs. And the way the season played out--losing to Florida State in a poorly-played game followed by playing mostly uninspired ball while becoming one of the only number two seeds to EVER lose to a 15th seed--was not very exciting as a Duke fan. Optimism is great and all, but I prefer to see some strong evidence for optimism before having it.

  6. #26

    I don't have the statistics in front of me...

    Hi,

    It seemed that last year's team did well on Offense until the last month or so of the season and then when Kelly went down it really got bad. So the chemistry to do well on offense was there at some point. I also think that people are awfully hard on Dre, it seems that he has had some issues at home (such as deaths in the family). I think that has to affect a kid in many ways.

    I had the impression that a lot of the defensive issues had to do with incorrect switches, not talking enough, and just plain not moving feet enough (isn't it funny that many sports have that same issue--tennis, hockey, football...I am sure I could think of more, when the feet stop moving defense/offense becomes really hard). Kendall Marshall could be seen moving his middle fingers to his thumb on both hands, I think that was a sign to his Tar Heels to talk more. I didn't see a single Blue Devil signal to the rest of the team to talk more. Maybe they had a silent or hidden signal for that. (Then again, maybe they team was really good at throwing their voices, so what looked like silence was really out and out yelling. )


    GO DUKE!

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven43 View Post
    I'll become excited if I see some major improvement from the point guard position, one or two players besides Mason show that will be able to consistently rebound on both ends, a player or two (again, besides Mason) shows promise of being a real threat to consistently score while attacking the basket, and our defense shows dramatic signs of improvement. If most or all of these things don't appear to be happening it's going to be a difficult to get really excited about the season, because that will mean that we're likely going to have a similar outcome to this season--one-(or maybe two)-and-done in the NCAAs. And the way the season played out--losing to Florida State in a poorly-played game followed by playing mostly uninspired ball while becoming one of the only number two seeds to EVER lose to a 15th seed--was not very exciting as a Duke fan. Optimism is great and all, but I prefer to see some strong evidence for optimism before having it.
    Maybe because I didn't go to Duke or have never lived in Carolina I don't have a similar level of angst as some. I guess I am just a different type of fan from those that need something to happen to get excited for next year. Duke basketball is one of my favorite diversions in life. I look forward to the season every year. I look forward to coming to DBR to discuss the upcoming season and what is happening during the season. I get very excited when the games start. I like the way coach K changes the style of play to try to best fit the team's personnel. I enjoy watching players' improvement from year to year. I am very interested to see how the players will have improved from this year. I am excited to watch four players' senior seasons and as always I hope they have years to remember. I am excited to see three new players try to figure out how they can best contribute to Duke basketball. I enjoy watching Duke Blue Planet videos so I can feel like I know these student athletes a little bit better. I like that there have been a lot of great kids go through the program in the last few years that I have gotten to watch and they have been excellent representatives of Duke University and college basketball in general. If they lose a basketball game that some people think they should have won, I am still going to be very excited for the next one and hoping to see improvement along the way. I will be hoping to see the team get better every game and will be optimistic that the team will do so until the last game they play whenever it may be. As I have the last few years (when I have started to watch almost every game as I have been able to with this neat internet thing) I will be very excited to watch almost all the games and will enjoy it all, even if and when Duke does not meet my (or others') expectations. I am a Duke fan because I love basketball and really enjoy following the team. I am on the next level of optimism just down from Ozzie and gumbomoop, I believe. Yes, I am very excited for next season to start and feel fortunate that this is somehow likely to be a top 10 team again, because of the great work the staff has put in on the recruiting trail, the efforts of the players who have bought into the system and the teaching the staff has done over the years. Go Duke! /rant

    Rant certainly not aimed at the above post as there have certainly been many who have stated that something has to happen before they will be excited for next year and may have more at stake in the outcome of the games than I do.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    The Republic of Texas
    I'm excited to see the improvements the players make. I think next year's team could have some guys who make big leaps in becoming better all around players (skill, leadership, etc.) A lot of time til then and until it matters most so I'm not going to get too worked up about. Plus, I don't "live and die" by what a bunch of 18-21 year olds do on a basketball court, haha.

  9. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post

    I am worried because neither Tyler nor Quinn has shown himself to be a great college level point guard. I am worried because I don't see a star who can carry the team. I am worried because we were weak defensively last year and am not sure where the improvement will come from.


    SoCal
    Improvement doesn't always come from just the addition of new players. It can help, sure, but a lot of the time improvement comes from players gaining experience and then carrying that into offseason training and into the next season. Remember the 2009 season for Duke and the following offseason? All the talking points were fairly similar: Duke can't stop dribble penetration, if Duke plays a team of quick guards they'll get destroyed just like they did agains Villanova, Duke has no interior presence, the Plumlee's better be the starters because Zoubek and Thomas were a waste of scholarships, Duke has no real PG as Scheyer does his best but he's better suited off-ball, Duke struggles with long athletic teams, on and on and on.

    At that time that group of players we had returning for that season were viewed as soft and unathletic as evidenced by the beatdown suffered at the hands of Villanova. While Duke added Andre, Ryan, and Mason (who EVERYBODY insisted must be the starter for Duke to be any good come March) it was actually the much-maligned returnees that made the improvements on so many of the weaknesses they had the season before. Will this group do the same? Who knows, but it's been proven time and time again that players and a team as a whole can get significantly better going from one year to the next without adding any new stud players.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by SilkyJ View Post
    ^HAHA. I'm not sure what to laugh at hardest. This?



    Or This?



    I did like the part about Quinn Cook tho
    I didn't mean that I'd be disappointed to see Kelly and Mason start. I just assume they will start no matter what. Thornton, Curry, and Dawkins could easily be our backcourt considering K's preference for seniority and experience. If that happens I will be immensely disappointed and perhaps lose some faith in K.

  11. #31

    nutters

    It's pretty hard not to just laugh at all the optimistic horse pooey being spread throughout this thread. Why? Let me count the ways:
    • Mason - regressing, as a number of experts have pointed out
    • Ryan - injury-prone his whole career at Duke, IIRC
    • Josh - never supports his teammates, bad influence
    • Marshall - another Plumlee? Another one? C'mon, enough already
    • Alex - another Singler, another Dunleavy? Right.... more like another Barnes
    • Andre - can't shoot, never could, needs to change his form, totally
    • Rasheed - overrated, disappeared in all-star games. Why did K give up on Tokoto?
    • Seth - bad genes, has never acclimated to ACC-level competition, big mistake leaving Liberty
    • Tyler - no clutch shot, no leadership, no defense, no spirit, no smile
    • Quinn - shoot-first PG, who needs that?
    • Todd - might be Duke's best big man, but he's in K's doghouse, forever, I guess
    • K - maybe the Magic will hire him this summer

    Optimism, schmoptimism, you nutters need to get real. Duke might - might - finish ahead of GT or BC next season, but 7 W's probably the ceiling in ACC. We're gonna regret making fun of Carolina for its NIT runner-up banner. At least they made the NIT. Duke won't even make the CBI or the CIT.

    Long, long season. Take it to the bank.

  12. #32

    Was this supposed to be a joke?

    Quote Originally Posted by gumbomoop View Post
    It's pretty hard not to just laugh at all the optimistic horse pooey being spread throughout this thread. Why? Let me count the ways:
    • Mason - regressing, as a number of experts have pointed out
    • Ryan - injury-prone his whole career at Duke, IIRC
    • Josh - never supports his teammates, bad influence
    • Marshall - another Plumlee? Another one? C'mon, enough already
    • Alex - another Singler, another Dunleavy? Right.... more like another Barnes
    • Andre - can't shoot, never could, needs to change his form, totally
    • Rasheed - overrated, disappeared in all-star games. Why did K give up on Tokoto?
    • Seth - bad genes, has never acclimated to ACC-level competition, big mistake leaving Liberty
    • Tyler - no clutch shot, no leadership, no defense, no spirit, no smile
    • Quinn - shoot-first PG, who needs that?
    • Todd - might be Duke's best big man, but he's in K's doghouse, forever, I guess
    • K - maybe the Magic will hire him this summer

    Optimism, schmoptimism, you nutters need to get real. Duke might - might - finish ahead of GT or BC next season, but 7 W's probably the ceiling in ACC. We're gonna regret making fun of Carolina for its NIT runner-up banner. At least they made the NIT. Duke won't even make the CBI or the CIT.

    Long, long season. Take it to the bank.
    Hi,

    If this was supposed to be funny, it wasn't.

    GO DUKE!

  13. #33
    Quote Originally Posted by Kewlswim View Post
    Hi,

    If this was supposed to be funny, it wasn't.

    GO DUKE!
    In an important sense, I agree with you. As the old saw has it, there’s no accounting for taste.

    As to the substance of this and many other threads, hard to comprehend how some posters see the Duke glass 90% full, while others see it more like 40%.

    Me, I’m a 99%-er, where the Devils are concerned, at least.

  14. #34
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by DukeWarhead View Post
    I would love to be really excited about next season, but like many folks on here, I am not sure what to expect of the team when it takes the floor next season. Will Alex come out gang-busters and be an offensive force? Will Andre have solved the random disappearing act? Can Mason carry the load? How much of a learning curve will Marshall have and how much can he contribute?
    I'm an optomist, so I always think that Duke is going to live up to its potential. That explains my bewildered dissappointment when Duke sometimes falls short of what I automatically assume it is capable of each year. (i.e. a Final Four) Maybe we get the best case scenario (2010 - totally playing to potential and exceeding expectations) or worst case (2012 and 2007 - not always playing with confidence and no real leadership; failing to figure out the character of the team).
    I hope Rasheed will be as good as I think he will be. Alex, too.
    Regardless, as long as Duke plays hard, together (no attitude, no bickering), gives it their all on defense and has confidence in themselves, then I will cheer like a crazy man. I think they will, so yes, I guess I'm excited. But it's some seriously cautious optomism.

    ...and just beat UNC twice. That's all I really want...
    Too many unknowns to get too excited? What!? I guess we have very different ways of enjoying a season. For me, finding out the answers to all my burning questions is exactly what makes an upcoming season so exciting in the first place. I can't wait to see who steps up and surprises us. It's gonna be fun to watch.
    Last edited by Jderf; 04-18-2012 at 08:51 AM.

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Jderf View Post
    Too many unknowns to get too excited? What!? For me, finding out the answers to all my burning questions is exactly what makes an upcoming season so exciting in the first place. I can't wait to see who steps up and surprises us. It's gonna be fun to watch.
    Exactly. Every season should be a cause for genuine excitement. Next year is no different. But regardless of that, I think the team will be very good. There's the potential to be special (if some guys make the jumps that they seem capable of making), but at the worst we'll be very good.

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven43 View Post
    I'll become excited if I see some major improvement from the point guard position, one or two players besides Mason show that will be able to consistently rebound on both ends, a player or two (again, besides Mason) shows promise of being a real threat to consistently score while attacking the basket, and our defense shows dramatic signs of improvement. If most or all of these things don't appear to be happening it's going to be a difficult to get really excited about the season, because that will mean that we're likely going to have a similar outcome to this season--one-(or maybe two)-and-done in the NCAAs. And the way the season played out--losing to Florida State in a poorly-played game followed by playing mostly uninspired ball while becoming one of the only number two seeds to EVER lose to a 15th seed--was not very exciting as a Duke fan. Optimism is great and all, but I prefer to see some strong evidence for optimism before having it.
    Let's do a thought experiment. What if none of those things happen? Will you watch any games? Will you wear any of your Duke t-shirts? Will you take the season off? What if those things don't happen for 2, 3, or even 4 years. Will you switch to rooting for another team? There's a name for fans that only show up when the weather report has sunny skies with no chance of rain.

    I don't think that's you. At least, I hope not. The point is, although dominant seasons with long runs into the tournament are sweet exclamation points in the life of a sports fan, there should be a firm foundation underneath it all that does not ebb and flow with the success of the team, but rather remains steady despite any difficulties encountered. That firm foundation shows up simply because our guys do. Simply because our coach does. Simply because we are Duke. That firm foundation (however difficult it is for each of us to maintain) is why we earn the privilege of relishing in the victories our team brings home. If we won't stand with them in defeat, we have no right to crash their victory parties.

    I understand your sentiment and your frustration, but I would encourage us all to constantly remember the core reasons why we love Duke. A tightly run system. Generally well-rounded true student-athletes. Young men trying their hardest and improving before our eyes, albeit sometimes slowly. A passionate fan base. Senior nights. The most intense rivalry in college sports. Etc, etc, etc. None of those things come and go. They're always there. Those are great reasons to show up. The prospect of exclamation points is nice, but shouldn't be a prerequisite for mustering at least some modicum of excitement simply because our guys will be back on the court.

  17. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by dukedoc View Post
    Let's do a thought experiment. What if none of those things happen? Will you watch any games? Will you wear any of your Duke t-shirts? Will you take the season off? What if those things don't happen for 2, 3, or even 4 years. Will you switch to rooting for another team? There's a name for fans that only show up when the weather report has sunny skies with no chance of rain.

    I don't think that's you. At least, I hope not. The point is, although dominant seasons with long runs into the tournament are sweet exclamation points in the life of a sports fan, there should be a firm foundation underneath it all that does not ebb and flow with the success of the team, but rather remains steady despite any difficulties encountered. That firm foundation shows up simply because our guys do. Simply because our coach does. Simply because we are Duke. That firm foundation (however difficult it is for each of us to maintain) is why we earn the privilege of relishing in the victories our team brings home. If we won't stand with them in defeat, we have no right to crash their victory parties.

    I understand your sentiment and your frustration, but I would encourage us all to constantly remember the core reasons why we love Duke. A tightly run system. Generally well-rounded true student-athletes. Young men trying their hardest and improving before our eyes, albeit sometimes slowly. A passionate fan base. Senior nights. The most intense rivalry in college sports. Etc, etc, etc. None of those things come and go. They're always there. Those are great reasons to show up. The prospect of exclamation points is nice, but shouldn't be a prerequisite for mustering at least some modicum of excitement simply because our guys will be back on the court.
    I agree with basically everything you wrote. Duke has been the school I have rooted for since 1978. I don't expect that to ever change unless Duke starts changing, and I think that is unlikely. There are so many things I love about Duke University and Duke basketball. I love the fact that Duke basketball has the highest of standards--striving for on-court excellence combined with adherence to high standards academically and morally. What more could you ask for as a fan? 95% or more of Duke basketball players are excellent citizens while at the university and beyond. That is an extraordinarily high rate of success, probably unmatched for a school that plays at such an elite level. I love that Duke is known far and wide for never giving up and always giving maximum effort no matter the situation or opponent. I love that Duke basketball players are such sterling examples of what I wish all student-athletes would strive to be as evidenced by their deference to referees (almost never strenuously arguing a call), respect for their opponents (almost never getting into fights), respect for the fans (almost never bad-mouthing opposing fans and very often saying positive things about Duke fans), deference to their coaches, respect for themselves (not covering themselves with tattoos and generally grooming and carrying themselves the way I think most parents would like their own children to do), and respect for the tradition of what it means to wear D-U-K-E on the front of their jersey. If my son ends up being a high-level basketball player and a good student my personal dream for him as far as college goes (though I wouldn't push it on him) would begin and end with Duke University. For a better example of what I am rather ineloquently trying to say read the following story http://www.theatlantic.com/entertain...of-duke/38379/

    To sum up, I will NEVER stop rooting for Duke basketball. The only thing that waxes and wanes to a degree is my enthusiasm for the success I expect the team to have on the court. And right now I see a lot of reasons to have real concerns, and that tempers my level of excitement. That does not make me a fair-weather fan. It just means that I am being true to my current assessment of the team.

  18. #38
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven43 View Post
    To sum up, I will NEVER stop rooting for Duke basketball. The only thing that waxes and wanes to a degree is my enthusiasm for the success I expect the team to have on the court. And right now I see a lot of reasons to have real concerns, and that tempers my level of excitement. That does not make me a fair-weather fan. It just means that I am being true to my current assessment of the team.
    Fair enough. Again, I do not believe you to be a fair weather fan. I would never make a judgment about somebody without knowing him/her personally over a long period of time.

    We are fortunate to be Duke fans. There are very special things we can relish every single year that do not wax or wane appreciably. Also, despite whatever limitations we'll have next year, I expect decent parity among the three Triangle teams, which should make for some nice matchups. If UNC had their stock of lottery picks returning to school again I might be a bit more ornery about it all.

    Thanks for the link to that article.

  19. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Kewlswim View Post
    Hi,
    Quote Originally Posted by Kewlswim View Post
    Hi,
    Quote Originally Posted by Kewlswim View Post
    Hi,
    Hey, how are you doing?

    Consider this a formal return greeting from myself and the rest of the DBR posters. You no longer have to start all your posts with "Hi"

  20. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by DukeWarhead View Post
    ...or worst case (2012 and 2007...
    If Duke's 2012 season is your "worst case" scenario, you need to re-think your expectations.

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