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View Full Version : Calling Marty, Calling Marty, Come in, Marty!



Duke79UNLV77
05-19-2009, 09:11 AM
any chance the mighty pocius could change his mind? when he announced he was leaving, it sounded like he really enjoyed duke but simply wanted to get PT in the game he loves again.

well ... how could he not get PT next year? we have 3 guards and tend to like to play a 3-guard lineup. we've got major issues with guard depth even if there are no injuries or foul trouble.

how do we even run practices next year with just 3 guards? (coach, you have my number, and i'll be waiting by the phone.)

Fish80
05-19-2009, 09:14 AM
any chance the mighty pocius could change his mind? when he announced he was leaving, it sounded like he really enjoyed duke but simply wanted to get PT in the game he loves again.

well ... how could he not get PT next year? we have 3 guards and tend to like to play a 3-guard lineup. we've got major issues with guard depth even if there are no injuries or foul trouble.

how do we even run practices next year with just 3 guards? (coach, you have my number, and i'll be waiting by the phone.)

Maybe Kyle can play the 2 spot on occasion? He has a decent handle, and certainly can score. That would create "huge" match-up problems!

bdh21
05-19-2009, 09:26 AM
how do we even run practices next year with just 3 guards? (coach, you have my number, and i'll be waiting by the phone.)

We'll run practices with 4 guards next year. Transfer Seth Curry will be able to practice with the team next year, presumably the blue team.

Duke79UNLV77
05-19-2009, 10:46 AM
Maybe Kyle can play the 2 spot on occasion? He has a decent handle, and certainly can score. That would create "huge" match-up problems!

Last year Bobby Knight went on about how tough it would be to beat a team with 5 Kyle Singlers of varying sizes. Maybe, that's the plan.

DUKIE V(A)
05-19-2009, 11:14 AM
Would love to see Marty return but it seems that he would still be the #4 guard. I'm not sure how much PT he would get. I am interested to see us play some bigger line-ups.

By the way:

Who would win a game of five-on-five hoops: 5 Singlers (all regular sized) or 5 Ditkas (one in his prime, one aged, one mini, one with broken left ankle, one with severed right index finger)?

Edouble
05-19-2009, 11:20 AM
I don't think Marty would get any more PT this coming season than in the past. With Nolan, EWill, Jon, Kyle, Kelly, Lance, Z, and MP2 all ahead of Marty, I don't see how our Lithuanian friend would average more than 3 minutes/game.

Coach K generally just plays the best players. I don't think Marty would be one of the best 8 players, assuming we go 8 deep.

flyingdutchdevil
05-19-2009, 11:31 AM
In my time as a Duke fan, I never thought I would see the day when Duke is "undermanned" at the guard position.

That said, I think this a great opportunity for Nolan to show what he can really do. The added pressure of fewer guards will hopefully do him wonders.

roywhite
05-19-2009, 11:38 AM
In my time as a Duke fan, I never thought I would see the day when Duke is "undermanned" at the guard position.

That said, I think this a great opportunity for Nolan to show what he can really do. The added pressure of fewer guards will hopefully do him wonders.

To have a successful season (for Duke IMO this involves somewhere around 30 wins, ACC 1 or 2, NCAA Sweet Sixteen or better), several things have to go well, but I'd agree that Nolan is probably the #1 key. We've seen glimpses of his ability and periods where he struggled.

The shorter rotation could work well for him...plays a lot, gets more comfortable and confident, and less concerned with mistakes that might cost him a seat on the bench (few alternatives). He is certainly capable of being one of the better guards in the ACC, and that would make Duke a pretty good team.

JasonEvans
05-19-2009, 11:59 AM
In my time as a Duke fan, I never thought I would see the day when Duke is "undermanned" at the guard position.


Been around since the turn of the century?

The 1999-2000 team was much thinner at guard than next year's Duke squad.

Freshman Jason Williams was the only traditional guard on the roster. We had a fair number of natural small forwards like Dunleavy, Cwell, and the Badass but those guys are not what you think of when you envision the typical PG or SG (maybe Dunleavy, but not the other two). Boozer and Battier with help from Sanders, Christiansen, and Horvath were the inside presence on the team. Andre Buckner played a tiny bit in the backcourt when we really got desperate.

That team was muuuch thinner at guard... though it is not a stretch to say that we have no one on the roster with anywhere close to the perimeter skills of JWill.

--Jason "Marty ain't coming back folks-- end of story" Evans

Olympic Fan
05-19-2009, 12:23 PM
how do we even run practices next year with just 3 guards? (coach, you have my number, and i'll be waiting by the phone.)

Actually, Duke will have five guards available for practice next season.

As bdh21 noted, Seth Curry will be on hand and will be allowed to practice with the team, although not eligible to play in games.

In addition, Coach K redshirted Jordan Davidson last season -- for precisely this reason. If anybody saw the Blue-White game last fall, you'll note that Davidson is an exceptional walk-on. He definitely held his own against Smith-Scheyer and company in the game. I'm not suggesting he'll be a viable part of the rotation in games, but he'll provide a solid practice option.

I also like Jason's note -- he's right that Jason Williams was the only real guard in the rotation in 2000, although that team did have freshman Andre Buckner on the roster. Buckner was recruited to fill the role that [Curry] will fill next season -- as a practice player.

Practice won't be a problem ... and I don't think it will be a problem in games with just three true guards. Yes, K will have to change his strategy to some extent -- he won't be able to play as much three-guard as he has in recent years. But he's always been very flexible in that regard, shaping his rotation to fit his talent. Personally, no worries there.

If there's a worry, it would be over the health of Scheyer, Smith and EW. Any serious injury or long-term health issues to one of those three would be disastrous.

rsvman
05-19-2009, 12:43 PM
...
Who would win a game of five-on-five hoops: 5 Singlers (all regular sized) or 5 Ditkas (one in his prime, one aged, one mini, one with broken left ankle, one with severed right index finger)?

[Chicago accent] Ditkas. [/Chicago accent]

Fish80
05-19-2009, 01:27 PM
Would love to see Marty return but it seems that he would still be the #4 guard. I'm not sure how much PT he would get. I am interested to see us play some bigger line-ups.

By the way:

Who would win a game of five-on-five hoops: 5 Singlers (all regular sized) or 5 Ditkas (one in his prime, one aged, one mini, one with broken left ankle, one with severed right index finger)?


[Chicago accent] Ditkas. [/Chicago accent]

Singlers. Ditka can't guard Singler. Singler is tougher than Ditka. If they were playing football, Singler would still win.

Chemistry problems would plague team Ditka from day 1. Team Ditka couldn't even agree on a mascot. :eek:

FireOgilvie
05-19-2009, 01:48 PM
Actually, Duke will have five guards available for practice next season.

As bdh21 noted, Seth Curry will be on hand and will be allowed to practice with the team, although not eligible to play in games.

In addition, Coach K redshirted Jordan Davidson last season -- for precisely this reason. If anybody saw the Blue-White game last fall, you'll note that Davidson is an exceptional walk-on. He definitely held his own against Smith-Scheyer and company in the game. I'm not suggesting he'll be a viable part of the rotation in games, but he'll provide a solid practice option.

I also like Jason's note -- he's right that Jason Williams was the only real guard in the rotation in 2000, although that team did have freshman Andre Buckner on the roster. Buckner was recruited to fill the role that [Curry] will fill next season -- as a practice player.

Practice won't be a problem ... and I don't think it will be a problem in games with just three true guards. Yes, K will have to change his strategy to some extent -- he won't be able to play as much three-guard as he has in recent years. But he's always been very flexible in that regard, shaping his rotation to fit his talent. Personally, no worries there.

If there's a worry, it would be over the health of Scheyer, Smith and EW. Any serious injury or long-term health issues to one of those three would be disastrous.

It came out a few weeks ago that Jordan is leaving and won't be on the team next year. I assume that this is still the case.

I agree about the risk of injuries. One guard injury, and we're in bad shape. Two simultaneously, and we're probably done for.

JasonEvans
05-19-2009, 01:56 PM
I agree about the risk of injuries. One guard injury, and we're in bad shape. Two simultaneously, and we're probably done for.

In fairness, there are not many teams that can afford to lose two of their top 5 or 6 players (and I think all of us expect Nolan, John, and EMail to be among the top 5 or 6 in minutes played) and not have it create some real problems for the team.

--Jason "I am looking forward to Duke playing BIG for stretches next season" Evans

madscavenger
05-19-2009, 02:08 PM
..........................Who would win a game of five-on-five hoops: 5 Singlers (all regular sized) or 5 Ditkas (one in his prime, one aged, one mini, one with broken left ankle, one with severed right index finger)?

This isn't even close. Singler does not shy away from contact, in fact, puts himself in position to receive it via his aggresiveness on both offense and defence. Its part of his game. Bottom line: The second half would start with all 5 Singlers on the bench, hugging their crutches, and praying that if the Docs let them play they could take the court with them (the crutches, not the Docs). No players, no play. Forfeit. DITKAS win!! The highlight of the evening would be the post-game interview. Lets see Watson do it.:rolleyes:;)

FireOgilvie
05-19-2009, 02:23 PM
In fairness, there are not many teams that can afford to lose two of their top 5 or 6 players (and I think all of us expect Nolan, John, and EMail to be among the top 5 or 6 in minutes played) and not have it create some real problems for the team.

--Jason "I am looking forward to Duke playing BIG for stretches next season" Evans

Of course, but those teams would put in their backup guard. We would have to use Singler and Ryan Kelly or Olek at two spots. It's a strange situation. I (obviously) hope we stay really healthy.

Imagine a starting lineup with Elliot, Singler, Kelly, Lance, and Mason. Weird.

I really wonder if there is another team in the country with so few guards on the roster. I really doubt it. We're lucky to have 3 great ones, but a little bit of security is always nice. Too bad Curry can't play this year.

Duke79UNLV77
05-19-2009, 03:04 PM
people not concerned about guard depth have to assume singler will spend most of his time at the 3. that may be the case, but that also presents issues.

singler will have issues defending against an excellent 3-guard attack like nova's. (ok, we could't do much worse, but a lot of teams have a quick guard at the 3 spot.)

also, if our 4 and 5 men are both total non-scorers other than garbage points, that could stagnate the offense. picture times when mcclure and thomas were both playing at the same time. we have a lot of bigs, but if none of them can really score, we'll be playing 3 on 5 on offense a lot. let's hope for lots of off-season improvement, and MPII being more of a scorer than MPI.

of course, any foul trouble could also throw us off easily.

we did walk a fine line in 00, thanks to dunleavy's versatility and one of k's best coaching jobs.

shadowfax336
05-19-2009, 03:53 PM
But on the other end, Villanova's 3 would be guarding Singler and giving up 4-5 inches. If you don't think Singler could eat somebody like that alive, you haven't been watching :)

FireOgilvie
05-19-2009, 04:23 PM
But on the other end, Villanova's 3 would be guarding Singler and giving up 4-5 inches. If you don't think Singler could eat somebody like that alive, you haven't been watching :)

So you think we should have taken Henderson or Elliot out and put in Zoubek instead? Scheyer, Henderson, Singler, Thomas, Zoubek. I'm thinking that would have been worse. We would have put up 40 points. It's a trade-off.

geraldsneighbor
05-19-2009, 04:25 PM
Were an injury in the back court away from having Kyle Singler play Shooting Guard.

BlueintheFace
05-19-2009, 04:30 PM
Were an injury in the back court away from having Kyle Singler play Shooting Guard.

You gotta believe that, if one of the guards were hurt, Kelly would be seeing significant minutes. He is somewhat in the Dunleavy mold. He plays outside-in and can hit the three.

speedevil2001
05-19-2009, 05:07 PM
any chance the mighty pocius could change his mind? when he announced he was leaving, it sounded like he really enjoyed duke but simply wanted to get PT in the game he loves again.

well ... how could he not get PT next year? we have 3 guards and tend to like to play a 3-guard lineup. we've got major issues with guard depth even if there are no injuries or foul trouble.

how do we even run practices next year with just 3 guards? (coach, you have my number, and i'll be waiting by the phone.)

i think marty graduated...but seriously marty hardly ever played when he was at duke in his 4 years. even if he did come back, he would be mainly a guy would come in only if any 2 of the 3 duke guards were in foul trouble. plus i dont know how much he would be able to contribute anyways.

El_Diablo
05-19-2009, 06:43 PM
Well, it's time for a new walk-on to step up to the plate. In keeping with the recent trend, I'm guessing his name would be one of the following:

-Jordan Johnson
-John Davidson
-David Patrickson
-Patrick Jordanson

gumbomoop
05-19-2009, 08:25 PM
people not concerned about guard depth have to assume singler will spend most of his time at the 3. that may be the case, but that also presents issues.

singler will have issues defending against an excellent 3-guard attack like nova's. (ok, we could't do much worse, but a lot of teams have a quick guard at the 3 spot.)

For a different, and more positive spin, on this problem, check out posts #285-289 on the 2009-20010 MBB thread. I and others have there contended that for significant stretches of games, KS will be the 3 on O, but the 4 on D, whereas LT will be the 4 on O, the 3 on D, in some sense a kind of Dave McClure, but an even longer perimeter defender than was [the marvelous] DMc.

This strategy, which I'm thinking K will surely employ some, plays to LT's defensive strength, and avoids his weakness [so far]: bad block outs and insufficient rebound numbers. The strategy does not, admittedly, stop a really potent driving team, but it will cause many opponents some problems otherwise.

FireOgilvie
05-19-2009, 08:32 PM
For a different, and more positive spin, on this problem, check out posts #285-289 on the 2009-20010 MBB thread. I and others have there contended that for significant stretches of games, KS will be the 3 on O, but the 4 on D, whereas LT will be the 4 on O, the 3 on D, in some sense a kind of Dave McClure, but an even longer perimeter defender than was [the marvelous] DMc.

This strategy, which I'm thinking K will surely employ some, plays to LT's defensive strength, and avoids his weakness [so far]: bad block outs and insufficient rebound numbers. The strategy does not, admittedly, stop a really potent driving team, but it will cause many opponents some problems otherwise.

This defense was run last year a lot of the time, except Singler was the 5 on defense, and Lance was the 4 (and then they switched off on offense).

DukieBoy
05-19-2009, 10:22 PM
Not to be devil's advocate, but taking a step back and looking at this, here is what I see...

We are desperately thin at the guard spot. If one player gets in foul trouble early on, it will create SERIOUS problems. If, let's say, E-Mail gets two fouls 3 minutes into the game. Then, Scheyer and Nolan will be asked to play the guard spot. Now either they play the entire half virtually without becoming fatigued or without fouling, or would go VERY big.

Here lies what could be the next problem. As has been very well publicized, Duke has no dominant big man. Here's how a likely BIG lineup would look if two guards get into foul trouble.

PG - Scheyer/Nolan/E-Mail
SG - Singler
SF - Kelly
PF - LT
C - Zoubek

Now there is no big man to score. Singler playing the two would be a huge mismatch on offense, but also a big mismatch for him trying to play D on their 2 guard.

There is no doubt, in my mind, that Marty would have played a lot this year. He showed potential last year and is a quick, energetic guard.

One thing that might save Duke from being in foul trouble next year is (gulp) a zone defense :eek:

JasonEvans
05-19-2009, 10:35 PM
Well, it's time for a new walk-on to step up to the plate. In keeping with the recent trend, I'm guessing his name would be one of the following:

-Jordan Johnson
-John Davidson
-David Patrickson
-Patrick Jordanson

http://www.nndb.com/people/372/000024300/john-davidson-3-sized.jpg

--Jason "the fans can chant, 'That's Incredible!' whenever he makes a play" Evans

roywhite
05-19-2009, 10:54 PM
Jason, interestingly enough, John Davidson's younger brother Lee Davidson is a Duke graduate. He attended Duke way back in a previous century, around the time I did. :) Class of 1972, or 1973, I believe.

devildeac
05-19-2009, 11:17 PM
You gotta believe that, if one of the guards were hurt, Kelly would be seeing significant minutes. He is somewhat in the Dunleavy mold. He plays outside-in and can hit the three.

Yea, but does he have a jab step, shot fake, crossover dribble, spin move that leads to a reverse lay-up as time expires at the end of the 1st half move like Dunleavy did against GT at Alexander a few years ago? If he does, we are in GREAT shape next year.

roywhite
05-19-2009, 11:27 PM
Yea, but does he have a jab step, shot fake, crossover dribble, spin move that leads to a reverse lay-up as time expires at the end of the 1st half move like Dunleavy did against GT at Alexander a few years ago? If he does, we are in GREAT shape next year.

Dun had a knack for a big shot at the end of a shot clock or half. Saw him hit one from half-court to end a dominating Duke first half against the Deacs in LJVM.

DUKIE V(A)
05-20-2009, 12:34 AM
Well, it's time for a new walk-on to step up to the plate. In keeping with the recent trend, I'm guessing his name would be one of the following:

-Jordan Johnson
-John Davidson
-David Patrickson
-Patrick Jordanson

This (along with the John Davidson picture post) made me laugh out loud.

El_Diablo
07-07-2009, 09:23 PM
Video: Pocius Hits The Game Winner

http://duke.scout.com/2/877542.html

Marty hit a game-winning shot yesterday against Germany. Sadly, it looks like there were only about 15 spectators on hand at the time.

sigh...

DukieBoy
07-07-2009, 09:38 PM
Video: Pocius Hits The Game Winner

http://duke.scout.com/2/877542.html

Marty hit a game-winning shot yesterday against Germany. Sadly, it looks like there were only about 15 spectators on hand at the time.

sigh...

What a shot. Tough shot.

tarasoccer04
07-07-2009, 11:19 PM
It was a semifinal game btw LTU and GER in Belgrade, Serbia- did you expect a sell out crowd chief?

El_Diablo
07-08-2009, 12:24 AM
It was a semifinal game btw LTU and GER in Belgrade, Serbia- did you expect a sell out crowd chief?

No, of course I didn't expect a sellout. But since I guess I have to spell things out for some people...my previous comment was meant to express my bittersweet reaction to watching that video.

It really was a great shot; it's just a little disappointing that it was on such a small stage. Marty could have played a relatively important role for Duke this upcoming season had he stuck around. I don't begrudge him for leaving, and I wish him the best in his career, but (watching this) I can't help but feel a little sad that things didn't work out differently for him. He had a lot of potential, but he never was able to realize it at Duke.