Olympics are a GREAT thing for Duke...

[SupaDave]

I've seen this topic volleyed just a little but I'd like to give my two cents on it.

With all the worry about recruiting I've never been concerned that we would have any kind of real drop off. My boys say I'm a little too overly optimistic. But for me - it's not too hard to be happy about consecutive 20 win seasons. Not to mention if just a couple of things go our way in the last couple seasons things would have been much different.

Anyway, with the recent additions of Andre Dawkins, Mason Plumlee, Miles Plumlee, Olek, and Elliott, I feel like we are about to go on a MAJOR run.

We got something Old Roy just wont be able to top once the summer is over and some of Roy's recruits are already starting to lose their luster. The Wear twins MAY be good but anyone notice where the Lopez brothers are now?

This summer, EVERY teenager in America will get to watch Coach K not only win the Gold medal for the Olympics but just maybe they might get to see Coach K totally chastise Kobe and Lebron on the bench.

The significance? Kobe and Lebron will most likely take it as if they were a Duke player. Sure, it may not be as vehement but I'm sure he's gonna HAVE to be Coach K at some point during the Olympics. (personally I love it when he gets pissed)

That's a HUGE helping of respect to be beamed into people's homes. This will be the MOST watched team since the Dream Team and expectations are SUPER high. Not to mention the star power that has matured and the role players that are undeniable.

Coach K will become a MEGASTAR - not Coach - but STAR.
http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=08_moly_redemption

Seriously, think about the medal ceremony where Coach K takes a back seat to the players and gives them all the credit. There's even a few of HIS former players on the team. Wouldn't YOU want to play for that guy?

We might have lost some calm on the bench but ever since Wojo got in McRoberts face (when he was crying during the Carolina game) I have had the utmost confidence in Wojo's coaching skills. He took action - and he wasn't having that. (as a personal aside - that should have been enough to let McRoberts know that he wasn't ready for the NBA).

Ok, so everyone knows the names: Vinson, Wilson, Hairston, Boynton, and so on and so forth but I gurantee you that we'll be pulling off more than that.

Coach K will be front and center more powerful than anything an American Express commercial has ever portrayed...

[Grounded]

I couldn't agree with you more! :D

[Bob Green]

I agree with your post 100 percent. Some Duke fans expected an immediate recruiting payoff with players lining up to commit to Duke because Coach Krzyzewski is the Olympic Coach. Reality is that the payoff will happen but it will happen over time.

Once the USA wins the Gold, select young potential megastars are going to want to play for Coach Krzyzewski.

[DukePA]

Add me to the list of those that agree with SupaDave. I've always been a glass half-full person when it comes to Duke Basketball and I'm just flat-out psyched about the upcoming olympics and Coach K. Dave, thanks for articulating what I've been feeling for quite a while.

GO USA!! GO DUKE!!! GTHC, GTH!!

[wilko]

Every kid from the Brittish Isles to the Aleutian Isles with any basketball ambition and talent is gonna know about Duke/Coach K and Stanford/JD. You just cant buy that kind of publicity. Thats a TREMENDOUS recruiting coup.

I remember one spring break me and a buddy were heading to Fla. We were so strung out and road weary we had to have a pit stop at the Flea-bag Arms just to regain composure so we could pass for moderately coherent. So we check in and catch some snippet of a game. Bob Bender had Just been named HC at Washington... and it was literally the Bob Bender show. At every stoppage of play, he got screen time. I think the announcers were having a side bet on who could work his name into the conversation the most. It was surreal. It was a Bob Bender infomercial.

Hopefully the Olympics will have some of that flavor for Duke and Stanford.

More recently Cutcliffe at the Duke-UNC game with the past 2 Superbowl winning QB's he has coached. Are you Kidding me? We are seeing an uptic in that impact every other day it seems with a signing here and a commit there. Just wow!

I think that the Olympics are going to bring the same kind of "bounce" to Duke Basketball on an international level the likes of which we havent yet dreamed.

If Roy wants to binge on 1 and done players, Fine. As the DBR has been touting for years the marketability of a player can translate far beyond a "contract" to play on the court if he has built in appeal and name recognition. What better way is there for a budding international superstar than to build a brand identity at Duke.


All Team USA has to do is WIN and avoid scandal.
Simple plan, right?

[jimsumner]

FWIW, K was asked this question yesterday at the press conference. He indicated that he did not expect a recruiting bump and that he expected recruits would continue to make their decisions based on players already in the program, style of play, and the usual variables.

Not sure I agree with him.

[johnb]

I agree, more or less, but Coach K does play to his players, and I doubt if he spends a whole time of time chastising Kobe and Lebron. Not only might they not like being yelled at on national television, they play at a level that--if they were on the Duke bench--K might be fairly satisified to let them do their thing rather than micromanage. I could be wrong, but I don't think he yelled at Elton or Christian or Shane when they were at their peak.

Oh, one more quibble. We have a great roster of super guys/players, but I wouldn't be quick to diss the team down the road. We have the makings of a top 10 team; they're preseason #1.

[Bluedog]

Anybody see that one hour special last night on ESPN2? Like "Road To Redemption" or something like that. Anyways, it was quite interesting. Lots of great quotes from Coach K as well as from LeBron and Kobe. Some of the moments were produced as kinda sappy, but overall, it showed Coach K in a great light and I found it to pump me up more about this team. K really loves Jason Kidd - he seems to be the leader on and off the court, has great experience, and is almost another coach.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

FWIW, K was asked this question yesterday at the press conference. He indicated that he did not expect a recruiting bump and that he expected recruits would continue to make their decisions based on players already in the program, style of play, and the usual variables.

Not sure I agree with him.

I think his answer was pure coach speak. Underneath he's thinking "Gary's gonna have a cow and Ol' Roy's gonna have a ram horns backwards after we win the gold..." :D