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Uncle Drew
07-27-2008, 01:12 AM
While working on a painting Saturday afternoon I was flipping through channels looking for something to watch. Normally I'll put it on a game to listen to then look up every few minutes to actually look at the screen. As I watched the channels go by I saw an image of a Duke football player so I backed it up to see what it was about. Seems Raycom is runnig a series of specials about College Football in the South, since they do ACC and SEC games. Apparently they highlight some of the past greats from all the schools, the prior segment had been on Dooley at UGA.

To my amazement the segment was about Duke and wide reciever Clarkston Hines. It told about his career at Duke under Spurrier, how he broke all kinds of school and conference records. It interviewed him recently from his home in Charlotte and he said he is very hopefull about Cut and the changes being made. He watched an old video of some of his highlights in front of the camera with his kids who had never seen him play. (If it were my kids it would be running 24/7 on a continuous loop!) It was really cool to hear him talk about his last season and the game at UNC where Duke won 41-0. I was also shocked to know he married a UNC grad. I guess nobody is perfect.

Seems word is getting around about the changes at Duke under Coach Cut and I haven't seen this much talk about Duke football in a LONG time. I have to say I am very encouraged with the recent commitments of a few recruits that seem to be well above the average Duke recruit of recent years. Throw in the fact that Cut wants to bust their glutimus maximuses and get them in football shape is all the better. I hate to be freakin' optimistic but I think Duke might actually turn this thing around. Now everybody keep you fingers crossed we can do some work with the offensive line to give QB's time to throw and backs a hole to run through. The D was solid last year but seemed to play 75% of the game, with a more potent offense that should ease up. And let's hope the new staff has watched enough game film of the past two years to work on the kicking game and fix that! Anyway I'm rambling.

It was just nice to see some attention focused on a great Duke player from not too long ago. (Bu I have to remember before any of the present players were out of diapers or born.) I'd just like to see another Clarkston Hines, Ben Bennet, Ray Farmer or Randy Cuthbert come through at one time and see how we'd do. Heck I'd settle for Dave Brown!

mgtr
07-27-2008, 02:33 AM
Well, I am impressed. While most of us, asuming we are doing anything more important thant guzzling a beer, might be working on painting (as in the side of a building), you are working on a painting (as in Picasso or Rembrandt). I will readily admit how impressed I am. I have never in my life (which streches over a considerable period) started a sentence with the phrase "While working on a painting". I may have to give it a shot in the future (using the phrase, not actually working on a painting.)

Uncle Drew
07-27-2008, 12:24 PM
Well, I am impressed. While most of us, asuming we are doing anything more important thant guzzling a beer, might be working on painting (as in the side of a building), you are working on a painting (as in Picasso or Rembrandt). I will readily admit how impressed I am. I have never in my life (which streches over a considerable period) started a sentence with the phrase "While working on a painting". I may have to give it a shot in the future (using the phrase, not actually working on a painting.)

If it's any consolation later that afternoon I could have started the paragraph with, "I was working on a fifth of Patron tequilla". Glad I saw the show earlier or I would have sworn it was the alcohol making me see something positive about Duke football past and present.

CameronBornAndBred
07-27-2008, 04:59 PM
If it's any consolation later that afternoon I could have started the paragraph with, "I was working on a fifth of Patron tequilla". Glad I saw the show earlier or I would have sworn it was the alcohol making me see something positive about Duke football past and present.

If it's a commission, I always quit painting before the tequila comes out. If it's for myself, it depends on how much I like it before I head to the liquor cabinet. Pretty cool catch on the Clarkston Hines thing. I'm with you, I'd have made those videos my kid's bedtime viewing.

flash
07-27-2008, 06:36 PM
On a more somber note. Former Duke football player passing. Per todays News and Observer Glen E. Newman, MD passed away yesterday after courageous battle with cancer. Played linebacker for Blue Devils is late 60's.

chrishoke
07-27-2008, 07:14 PM
On a more somber note. Former Duke football player passing. Per todays News and Observer Glen E. Newman, MD passed away yesterday after courageous battle with cancer. Played linebacker for Blue Devils is late 60's.

We need more linebacker doctors.

RIP

I worked with Clarkston's dad - man, Clarkston was great.

dukemomLA
07-28-2008, 01:37 AM
Does anyone know if C. Hines has been invited to the Duke games this year? Has Coach Cut initiated any contact with him? Just curious. That video clip and contact with Clarkson should be an inspiration to this year's team.

UncleBill
07-28-2008, 03:57 PM
Clarkston had some great passing QBs tossing the ball his direction on a regular basis (Slayden, and then Dilweg) but they still managed to let him make some seriously acrobatic catches, those games were a heck of a lot of fun to go watch, even if I knew I had to be up too doggone early Sunday morning the clean the stadium. I didn't know him as an undergrad, but knew folks who did. Really nice guy from what I hear, as many of the football players were.

6th Man
07-28-2008, 04:40 PM
I went to all of the home games last year and sat behind Clarkston at one of the home games. Told him he was my hero back in the day, and he laughed like I made him seem ancient. He was really cool and it was interesting hearing him talk about the plays. He definitely understood what should have been happening. I saw him at one other game as well last season, so he is there watching. He was a human highlight reel. Held the NCAA TD receiving record for like a day. He also did it without an ACL. Truely amazing feat.

Uncle Drew
07-28-2008, 04:57 PM
If memory serves me correctly a lot of the teams especially under Spurrier seemed to have potent offenses but lacked a strong defense. I remember an ad for Duke promoting "Air Ball" (Not a good theme for basketball season!) because Duke used to air it out so much. Those games it seemed like Duke had to out score the other team. It made for some exciting games.

Remembering that has made it really odd the last few years under Roof to see pretty darn good defenses but a lack of ability to move the ball. I don't know if it's each coaches specialty that got brought to the forefront or which side we got better recruits for. But I'd love to see a Duke team for once in my life that excelled in both. Come on Coach Cut, I know you're reading this!

dukemomLA
07-29-2008, 02:32 AM
Has Coach Cut been in touch with Clarkson??!! I think it's a HUGE mistake if that hasn't happened. (Just IMHO) -- as one who knows nothing.

Capn Poptart
07-29-2008, 10:39 AM
"Airball" was the marketing slogan for Franks' first year.

Talk about the need for truth in advertising. :rolleyes:

Highlander
07-29-2008, 10:49 AM
"Airball" was the marketing slogan for Franks' first year.

Talk about the need for truth in advertising. :rolleyes:

IIRC, it was "Airborne", and it was a play on the "Airball" tag that Spurrier had while he was here, since Franks was a Spurrier assistant.

Sadly, "Stillborn" would have been a more apt term to describe our offense under Franks.

Olympic Fan
07-29-2008, 11:17 AM
Clarkston had some great passing QBs tossing the ball his direction on a regular basis (Slayden, and then Dilweg)

Incomplete list ... after doing nothing as a freshman in 1986 (under head coach Steve Sloan), Hines had his first big year (57 catches for 1,093 yards and 11 TDs) as a sophomore in 1987, when Steve Slayden was in his senior year at QB.

Hines had another big year in 1988 (68 catches for 1,067 yards and 10TDs) when Anthony Dilweg was in his one year as the starting QB.

Billy Ray started the season in 1989, but was hurt after eight games. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Dave Brown, who started and went all the way in the last three games (four, counting Texas Tech in the bowl). I don't have the breakdown between the two QBs, but Hines had his best year in 1989 with 61 catches for 1,149 yards (the school record) and 17 TD receptions (the school record).

One of the most amazing moments in Duke football history came in Brown's first start, at Wake Forest in 1989 -- thanks to Hines. After a 1-3 start, Duke had won four straight behind Ray (a transfer from Alabama) and at 3-1 in the ACC race, the Devils were still in a battle with Clemson, N.C. State and Virginia (all with one loss at that point) for first place.

But with Ray out and a kid who had never played QB, we didn't know what to expect. Wake took the opening kickoff and drove to midfield before they were stopped. Their punt was downed at the Duke three-yard line.

Tough place for a youngster seeing his first action. On first down, Brown dropped back into the end zone and lofted a deep pass down the middle to Hines, who caught it at about the Duke 40, juked the safety and went all the way for a touchdown. That 97-yard TD is still the longest pass play and the longest play from scrimmage in Duke history.

Duke won 52-35 as Brown threw for 444 yards (251 for 3 TDs to Hines). A week later, Brown threw for 374 yards ("only" 131 to Hines) in a 35-26 victory over N.C. State. In the final week, he threw for a school record 479 yards (162 to Hines) as Duke won 41-0 and earned a share (with Virginia) of the ACC title.

It says a lot about Hines that he had his three big years with FOUR different starting quarterbacks -- Slayden, Dilweg, Ray and Brown.