"Fomer players, forever fans"

[killerleft]

There's an excellent read over at the Chronicle by Ben Cohen. He talks with several ex-footballers who are excited about the 2008 Devils.

http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2008/10/01/Football/Former.Players.Forever.Fans-3462857.shtml

[CameronBornAndBred]

Thanks for the link, good read there. I met Maurides after the game as we waited on players to exit. He was really excited, and definately proud of what these guys have accomplished. It's nice to see those guys leave the locker room with big smiles on their faces.

[blazindw]

And not just players too...the former student managers, video people (like myself), we're all bananas over this team. When you get to be behind the scenes of a major D-I team of any sport (especially football and basketball), you take everything home at night the same as the others. It is especially pleasing to see former players returning to games, as that is a part of the college tradition too. Those that are still playing can still learn from those that have graduated, because even though the results didn't show in the win/loss column, the players of years past played their butts off. I know they feel every bit as proud of the team this year as if they were the ones running out of the tunnel on Saturdays.

[dukeberto]

And don't forget the student trainers Donald!
My friends think I'm crazy because I root for the football team more than for the basketball team... now they are looking to me to get them tickets for the games since we are showing signs of life...
Better late than never I say

[blazindw]

And don't forget the student trainers Donald!
My friends think I'm crazy because I root for the football team more than for the basketball team... now they are looking to me to get them tickets for the games since we are showing signs of life...
Better late than never I say

In my mind, when I said managers, I meant trainers as well. Who could forget you guys. I never got any of the perks that you guys got when I was doing video, so your pull for football tickets is 1000 times better than mine these days...I always wanted the letter jacket too, but for some reason I didn't qualify.

[LetItBD08]

My friends think I'm crazy because I root for the football team more than for the basketball team... now they are looking to me to get them tickets for the games since we are showing signs of life...
Better late than never I say

So does that mean your friends who thought you were not crazy and enjoyed talking about how the resurgence was going to happen will have a better chance of scoring tickets from you in the coming years?

While we're at it, as someone who's been through a lot of teases and blowout losses the past four years and stayed till 0:00 (there were seven of us students left at the end of one blowout loss last year...we counted...didn't take that long), I'm absolutely obsessed with this year's football team. A couple of us recent grads in the Chicago area are really excited about this team even if we did not seen many wins in person in our time in Durham. Anyone in the Evanston area up for watching the game this weekend at a local bar? Northwestern has a bye, so hopefully we'd actually be able to get a TV. Comcast doesn't carry ESPNU up here.

[dukeberto]

The letter jacket IS pretty baller... and yes, those that actually pulled for the team get priority over the rest of those fools haha

And anyone in the Atlanta area that wants to get together to watch Duke football, we will be at the game on saturday but every other game that has been on TV we have watched at the TacoMac in Midtown, we are always looking for more to come by!

[bjornolf]

As a former player, but not one they'd ever bother talking to at the Chronicle, I'm definitely jacked about this year's team. This is the most excited I've been since my sophomore year when we went to the Hall of Fame bowl to play Wisconsin.

[Richard Berg]

I went to every game from '99-05 in person (including all away games except FSU), and have been in the stands as a spectator most games since then. All my fellow DUMB geeks and I are pumped about this season, and we don't even have a direct connection to the team.

I will vouch for Zach being a model alumnus and ambassador for his team, having interviewed him for a job a few years back. Glad to hear he is still working and successful in RTP -- will have to catch up with him at the next game.