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FerryFor50
02-27-2009, 09:20 AM
http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/for_the_record/posts/53381-the-list-the-five-toughest-college-basketball-crowds

I'm not a huge fan of CNNSI these days.

They fired/bought out some of their best writers (Marty Burns, Jack McCaullum, etc). Then they start adding these remedial blogs to their main page as if it's the same level of quality, pretty much marketing them as official CNNSI material. Some of the writers are ok, but most of them are completely ridiculous. (Andrew Perloff comes to mind)

At any rate, this author claims Comcast is #1. Yawn.

killerleft
02-27-2009, 09:55 AM
This particular list gave higher marks to vulgarity than it did to creativity. And there were bonus points for "thrown objects that hit the mark".

hurleyfor3
02-27-2009, 11:07 AM
From the article:


That's certainly not the worst that the Terps supporters have done in their long lives: they've hit a player's mom in the head with a water bottle, forced players and parents to change their phone numbers and are prone to rioting after games.

Funny thing is, all those incidents involved Duke, and that I know of, only Duke. (The changing-phone-numbers was JJ.) But I think the writer is correct in that Maryland fans are the most hostile.

I went to a game at Allen Fieldhouse last weekend. Say to say it, but Kansas kids are better than Duke students now at antics during opponents' free throws.

FireOgilvie
02-27-2009, 11:28 AM
From the article:



Funny thing is, all those incidents involved Duke, and that I know of, only Duke. (The changing-phone-numbers was JJ.) But I think the writer is correct in that Maryland fans are the most hostile.

I went to a game at Allen Fieldhouse last weekend. Say to say it, but Kansas kids are better than Duke students now at antics during opponents' free throws.

What'd they do?

hurleyfor3
02-27-2009, 11:31 AM
What'd they do?

Most of the stuff Duke students do, or used to do 10-15 years ago. So yeah, they ripped us off, but then everyone does. Their student sections wrap around the entire end zones, and go higher up into the stands. The effect is better especially comapared to just the band doing it in Cameron.

Bluedog
02-27-2009, 11:38 AM
Most of the stuff Duke students do, or used to do 10-15 years ago. So yeah, they ripped us off, but then everyone does. Their student sections wrap around the entire end zones, and go higher up into the stands. The effect is better especially comapared to just the band doing it in Cameron.

I've heard rumors in the past that they were thinking of changing the sides of the band/grad student section, so the opposing team has to at least shoot free throws with the grad students behind the basket in the SECOND half as opposed to the first. Since the people beside the band generally do nothing. (Although this was a few years ago, and nothing has happened, so probably nothing is going to happen). An easier solution would be just to change the bench locations since that wouldn't involve reconstruction of the bleachers (since grad student section is now bleachers, while part beside band is individual blue cushy seats). But I know that Coach K is opposed to changing the bench locations, so obviously they wouldn't do that. I know for a fact that Mickie Krzyzewski is in favor of making the band/grad student switch (she said as much a few years back; again, not because the band is bad, just because they are in a relatively small section behind the basket)....Not sure how much power she has, or if it really makes that much of a difference. But it would seem that you'd want your opponents' free throws tougher in the second half rather than first.

I recall reading a scientific article about free throw distractions - and Mark Cuban took the scientists advice and tried the antics for a few games. Essentially, the argument was that if everybody just flails their arms randomly it makes no difference as it's just random noise that the shooter can block out. What makes it harder is coordinated movements so it looks like the backboard is moving slightly since behind it is moving in coordination in a certain direction....At least, that was the gist, I believe.

FireOgilvie
02-27-2009, 12:14 PM
What are the rules about what fans can/can't do to distract free throw shooters? I've always thought it would be cool to see all of the fans behind the basket hold giant blue pieces of paper and right before the shot, everyone turns the sheets around to show a bright red side (something like that). It would be like a big stop sign. I'm sure that has to be illegal... if there are rules. That would be incredibly distracting.

DukieInKansas
02-27-2009, 12:15 PM
I've heard rumors in the past that they were thinking of changing the sides of the band/grad student section, so the opposing team has to at least shoot free throws with the grad students behind the basket in the SECOND half as opposed to the first. Since the people beside the band generally do nothing. (Although this was a few years ago, and nothing has happened, so probably nothing is going to happen). An easier solution would be just to change the bench locations since that wouldn't involve reconstruction of the bleachers (since grad student section is now bleachers, while part beside band is individual blue cushy seats). But I know that Coach K is opposed to changing the bench locations, so obviously they wouldn't do that. I know for a fact that Mickie Krzyzewski is in favor of making the band/grad student switch (she said as much a few years back; again, not because the band is bad, just because they are in a relatively small section behind the basket)....Not sure how much power she has, or if it really makes that much of a difference. But it would seem that you'd want your opponents' free throws tougher in the second half rather than first.

I recall reading a scientific article about free throw distractions - and Mark Cuban took the scientists advice and tried the antics for a few games. Essentially, the argument was that if everybody just flails their arms randomly it makes no difference as it's just random noise that the shooter can block out. What makes it harder is coordinated movements so it looks like the backboard is moving slightly since behind it is moving in coordination in a certain direction....At least, that was the gist, I believe.

I read the same thing about free throw distractions - it is more effective for the section to move together to the right or left as the shooter is ready to release the ball. I don't remember the Mark Cuban aspect of the story.

hurleyfor3
02-27-2009, 12:25 PM
What are the rules about what fans can/can't do to distract free throw shooters? I've always thought it would be cool to see all of the fans behind the basket hold giant blue pieces of paper and right before the shot, everyone turns the sheets around to show a bright red side (something like that). It would be like a big stop sign. I'm sure that has to be illegal... if there are rules. That would be incredibly distracting.

No artifical noisemakers, including whistles and band instruments. I think lights of any kind are verboten as well -- laser pointers definitely are.

But I like the idea of changing colors. Wake for one has those giant swirling things. What about giant replicas of backboards and nets? That would be worth trying.

FireOgilvie
02-27-2009, 12:48 PM
No artifical noisemakers, including whistles and band instruments. I think lights of any kind are verboten as well -- laser pointers definitely are.

But I like the idea of changing colors. Wake for one has those giant swirling things. What about giant replicas of backboards and nets? That would be worth trying.

The spinning swirls are really cool... I think that's the one good thing the Wake students do. I hate the tie-dye. I think a "wall" of one color that suddenly changes before the shot... that's intense. I've always thought it would be really striking to see... I wonder if anyone has ever done that. It'd also be cool if everyone had paper with 2 different colored sides and people were flashing them back and forth... that would probably be pretty effective. I think something like blue and neon yellow would be good.

Edit: Giant backboards and nets is really funny.

UrinalCake
02-27-2009, 12:49 PM
If memory serves correctly, the result of the Cuban study was that the most effective distraction was some sort of wiggly noodle-type thing made in Japan. So Cuban gave them out to fans during the following home game, and the road team happened to shoot really well that game, so he gave up with the experiment.

I'd really like to see an analysis of free throw percentage by Duke's opponents both home and away, as well as for Duke's own players. I kind of think that when it gets so eerily silent for our guys at the line, that in itself is kind of a distraction.

blazindw
02-27-2009, 01:30 PM
The spinning swirls are really cool... I think that's the one good thing the Wake students do. I hate the tie-dye. I think a "wall" of one color that suddenly changes before the shot... that's intense. I've always thought it would be really striking to see... I wonder if anyone has ever done that. It'd also be cool if everyone had paper with 2 different colored sides and people were flashing them back and forth... that would probably be pretty effective. I think something like blue and neon yellow would be good.

Edit: Giant backboards and nets is really funny.

Maryland had the swirly pinwheels too. I don't like them, plus it doesn't work.

bjornolf
02-27-2009, 01:50 PM
Maryland had the swirly pinwheels too. I don't like them, plus it doesn't work.

They even had a Scheyer face ON a pinwheel. That was GREAT!

Reisen
02-27-2009, 01:54 PM
SI's website has definitely gone downhill, especially with their best writer, Grant Wahl, on sabbatical. I have to do with reading freakin' Seth Davis, who I can't stand (how'd we give him a degree, anyway?)...

FerryFor50
02-27-2009, 02:46 PM
SI's website has definitely gone downhill, especially with their best writer, Grant Wahl, on sabbatical. I have to do with reading freakin' Seth Davis, who I can't stand (how'd we give him a degree, anyway?)...

Ugh.

Seth Davis is AWFUL. Did you read his latest rationalization of why he ranked WFU ahead of Duke in the latest poll, even though Duke had just beaten WFU head to head?

First was the "prediciton":

No. 8 Wake Forest (20-4) at No. 9 Duke (21-5)

I would never assert that Duke can't win this game, but there's no logical reason to believe it will. After the Blue Devils lost four out of six games, Mike Krzyzewski shook things up yet again, inserting freshman guard Elliott Williams into the starting lineup for Thursday's game against St. John's. Williams performed respectably in the 76-69 win, scoring 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting, but he certainly didn't look much like a point guard (0 assists, 3 turnovers). Meanwhile, Greg Paulus, the senior who had been promoted over sophomore Nolan Smith in Coach K's last change, played just five minutes. There's nothing wrong with tinkering, but it's better to do this kind of stuff in early December, not mid-February. Wake Forest also recently lost four out of six, but the Deacons appear to have snapped out of it by drubbing Florida State and Georgia Tech at home by a combined 41 points. Jeff Teague has been mortal over the last month, posting just one 20-point-plus game in his last seven outings after eclipsing that mark six-straight games. But that's nothing compared to the problems the Blue Devils are having right now.
Wake Forest 76, Duke 68

Then, the rationalization:

"Elsewhere, I continue to vote the Duke Blue Devils several spots behind where my fellow voters have voted them. You'll notice I kept my same ACC order of Wake Forest-Clemson-Duke. This was one of those cases where I took the season's head-to-head results into account. Wake and Duke split their regular season games, and Wake won at Clemson while Clemson rocked Duke by 27 in Littlejohn."

Eh?

FerryFor50
02-27-2009, 02:48 PM
Another "great" Davis prediction:


No. 7 Duke (23-5) at Virginia Tech (17-10)

The Hokies badly need this one to earn an at-large bid, while you have to wonder how much the Blue Devils have in their tank following Wednesday's tough victory at Maryland.
Virginia Tech 75, Duke 70


Seriously? You think they'll lose because they "don't have much left in the tank" after an 11 point win?

hurleyfor3
02-27-2009, 03:03 PM
Folks, please keep it on topic. This thread is to discuss the overall quality of SI journalists and/or what the nation's toughest crowds are, not to make fun of Seth's predictions in particular.

Lord Ash
02-27-2009, 03:25 PM
You know, if you ask me, the Terps might indeed have a claim to being the toughest cword... I mean, what other crowd boos their own player? Seriously... they curse at their own best player! Crazy tough!

shadowfax336
02-27-2009, 03:40 PM
Yeah I mean when Duke walks into Cameron, the crowd actually tries to support and make it easy for them. How can they call themselves a tough crowd if they can't even get up for trying to make it hard to play for Duke??

I mean what type of tough crowd actually tries to support a team? Maryland shows no favoritism, you have to give them that. No moments of weakness.

OJD88
02-27-2009, 03:45 PM
He doesn't make a particularly strong argument for Comcast being the toughest place to play. I would definitely put it up there, but not in front of Cameron. It can get very loud, and I can only imagine its potential if we were to start pumping out consistently competitive teams.
Just curious, where would you rank ACC arena's? You could argue certain places may have advantages over the other, but just generally speaking...I think my list would start off something like: CIS, Comcast, RBC...Dean Dome...

OJD88
02-27-2009, 03:55 PM
Re: Vasquez being booed

I was at that game. I've heard the story told in every possible way, but the truth is there was a student in section 112 (courtside) that was heckling him throughout the game. If you notice, he directs his attention to this one particular student. Basically he was yelling racial epithets and him and mocking the hell out of him. At one point Greivis turned to the kid, told him to shut the f- up. While I don't condone what he did (and Gary gave him a talk after the game), I can definitely understand his reaction. As for older alumni who may boo him - I have no answer to that. Some people just don't like him I guess. Just wanted to make note that the boo-ing has been greatly exaggerated, and its a shame that such a small minority of vocal fans create a negative image of the overall fanbase. Then again, this is what we're used to.

bjornolf
02-28-2009, 09:04 AM
With regard to Vasquez being booed...

Well, he DID say he liked the hostile crowds on the road...maybe they were just trying to oblige him, thinking it would make him play better? ;)

tele
02-28-2009, 09:40 AM
Vaquez is from S. America isn't he? He may have a slightly different frame of reference. Maybe SI should send the author of this toughest crowd article to a Boca Juniors game, wearing the opposing teams colors. There was also that soccer player that scored the own goal in the world cup, was he columbian? His home fans were very hostile toward him if I recall correctly.

Hancock 4 Duke
02-28-2009, 11:04 AM
The Maryland fans were complaining about Duke bias when they were number one on the toughest places to play. Come On!

tele
02-28-2009, 11:33 AM
Folks, please keep it on topic. This thread is to discuss the overall quality of SI journalists and/or what the nation's toughest crowds are, not to make fun of Seth's predictions in particular.

Ok, how about: SI, one of the five toughest publications to take seriously especially in regard to predictions,, and not to name one (seth) writer, or point the finger at anyone in (davis) particular. Better?

VAGentleman05
02-28-2009, 11:49 AM
Just curious, where would you rank ACC arena's? You could argue certain places may have advantages over the other, but just generally speaking...I think my list would start off something like: CIS, Comcast, RBC...Dean Dome...

RBC Center #3? My driveway's more intimidating than that place. I don't find the Smith Center particularly imposing either, though it can get loud. The dark horse in the ACC is Littlejohn Coliseum, with its scary combination of noise and purple.

captmojo
02-28-2009, 01:31 PM
Tallahassee intimidates me as a listener, with the guy that always sits directly behind the announcers and his constant stream of obscenities that are as never-ending as is seemingly this far too wordy sentence. :cool:

kaufmjo
02-28-2009, 05:06 PM
Wow what happened here??? Guys need to settle down and play some defense.

LetItBD08
02-28-2009, 06:16 PM
It's kind of difficult to be considered one of the toughest crowds (whatever that entails) when you can't consistently pack your stadium. There were a couple of times this year when I was watching a Md home game, and it just felt empty...a magnitude below the intensity of the games last week. This is a picture from earlier in the year against BC:

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=681&d=1235862857

The team deserves better than that. (I have to admit, I actually like the players on Md this year. I hope they make the tournament.)