Thank you seniors!

[monkey]

What a way to go out on top! There's Jon's moment!

[mgtr]

I agree - we owe a lot to those guys, and they paid a lot of back tonight!

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

Real GREAT group of guy's

Thank you

[BlueintheFace]

so so so much

[northernduke]

What an awesome four years. The character that you men brought to the program is second to none. Thanks for all the memories - it's been an awesome ride!

[4decadedukie]

Thank you; we respect you immensely, we appreciate your leadership, great efforts and teamwork, we so greatly admire the many ways that your have represented Duke so well, we are unbelievably proud of your achievements, we applaud your fulfilling your individual and collective potential to an unprecedented degree, and we will NEVER forget you -- individually and as a TEAM.

[GADevilFan]

These seniors are the best and will always be remembered

[Merlindevildog91]

to this senior class. We will miss them next year for everything they meant to us.

[Lord Ash]

Thank you to our seniors... I hope you remember your Duke years as well as I remember mine. Thank you for your contributions both to Duke basketball, Duke athletics, and Duke University.

[TampaDukie]

Lance, Jon, and Brian, you guys are the best, and will always have a special place in Duke history. Thank you and Congratulations! You've earned this!

[strawbs]

+1 (couldn't have said it better)

[basket1544]

I've watched these guys grow so much. I feel like they are all my little brothers and I'm so proud of them. Thank you seniors for staying true to yourselves and for fulfilling goals that many others would have never put infront of themselves.

[JaMarcus Russell]

These were the last guys who played basketball while I was still at Duke (other than Steve Johnson who redshirted at some point). I couldn't be happier for them to close out their careers this way.

[cptnflash]

I was in my first year of business school at Fuqua when Jon, Brian, LT, and Gerald came in together. I feel like we sort of grew up together. Despite all the feel good stories about Butler (all justified, I'm sure), I honestly believe that an NCAA championship will never be won by a more deserving group of student-athletes than the men that won tonight. I love you guys!

[CA Cameron Crazie]

I can't remember feeling more proud to a group of players than this year's seniors. Also loved how Coach K stood up for Z while playfully poking fun at him. With all the talent coming in (or possibly coming in) the next couple of years, they have huge shoes to fill with the leadership they have showed.

[Devil07]

Thank you seniors! Nothing more I can say. Just gratitude...Go Duke!

[bjornolf]

Thank you seniors. All of you were essential to the national title run. Without Brian's size, strength, passion, and toughness, rebounding and passing, without Jon's points, ice in the clutch, ball handling, and grit, without Lance's defense and leadership, I don't think we even make the Final Four. Enjoy the moment, guys, you earned it.

[diablesseblu]

What a terrific group of young men. Let's try to fill Cameron for the banquet. There shouldn't be a dry eye in the house.

[soccerstud2210]

what a group of guys! wish them the luck in where ever they go. love love love this team!!!

you guys deserved it! we EARNED this win!

[DallasDevil]

My first "game" in Cameron was the blue-white game where Jon, Brian, and Lance were introduced as the newest members of the team. Each of them gave everything they had to the program these last four years. How gratifying to see them come out on top. What outstanding ambassadors they have been for the school. Congrats to each of them for their contributions both on and off the court.

[grateful_duke]

As such a CRRRRRRRRAZY Duke fan growing up in Charlotte (sometimes a bit too crazy)...It's an amazing feeling to know that we won the National Championship in my Senior year of College... Very fitting.

Thank you Seniors...Class of 2010...one to remember!

[FishStick]

There needs to be a way to have a team's jersey retired - no one player did this, it was truly a team effort! Thanks to the glue of Scheyer, Thomas, and Zoubs... I'll miss watching you guys wear Duke blue!

[striker219]

Amen. Hang a jersey from the rafters that simply says "2009-2010".

[proelitedota]

Retire a jersey with all the starters today's number on it. Only justice we can do to this team.

[Dr. Tina]

Thank you, Jon, Lance, Zoubs, and Jordan! It has been a honor and a pleasure to watch you these last 4 years. You have exemplified what Duke basketball is all about and have ended your careers as champions in the process! I will miss you guys so much!!! I wish you all the best in your future endeavors! The Duke Class of 2010 ROCKS!!!!!!!

[juise]

Retire a jersey with all the starters today's number on it. Only justice we can do to this team.

212304255.

That's quite a few numbers for the back of a jersey. I bet the refs would have a difficult time calling fouls on someone wearing that jersey. :p

[licc85]

so, so proud of this team . . . a wonderful year and the best senior leaders you can possibly ask for . . I straight up cried when I saw scheyer hug coach K. I'm soooo happy!!!!

[Duke of Nashville]

I have said some choice words about Zoubek in the past; critical terms I used out of frustration. It is easy to say certain comments when things are bad and I regret said moments, however; Zoubek and our seniors deserved this moment more than any other team that I can imagine. Congratulations Senior's! Well played.

2010 National Champions

[ReformedAggie]

They earned it.
They deserved it.
They took us along.
"They" became "we".
Duke fans, this team became a force with which to be reckoned.
Thank you Duke seniors, it was an honor to share this with you.

[whereinthehellami]

Thanks for all the blood, sweat, and tears. You guys earned everything!

[jaredv23]

Thank you Seniors! You guys really earned this and I am so so proud to be a Duke fan! You guys will always be remembered as a classy bunch of guys, and now as NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!

[NSDukeFan]

Amen. Hang a jersey from the rafters that simply says "2009-2010".

I believe they will hang a banner that will also have NCAA champions on it.

[Onlyduke]

What a GREAT bunch of seniors, not only athletes but also great kids! Gosh ..... I'm gonna miss you SO much! Thanks for the memories!

[Jumbo]

I was looking for this thread and about to start my own -- can't believe that it fell all the way back to Page 7.

Thank you seniors, indeed. Jon, Lance, Brian, Jordan -- I couldn't be prouder of you guys. The National Championship was such a fitting way for you to finish your careers, and you are each incredibly deserving. For the three scholarship guys, especially, to come to Duke on the youngest team since WWII, to experience so many growing pains together, to persevere through so much criticism and to come out on top like this, it must have been an incredible bonding experience and made the ending that much sweeter. I can't think of a core of seniors on Duke's previous title teams -- or even Final Four squads -- who entered school in such an unusual situation and went through as much as you guys did.

Jordan, don't ever doubt the importance of your contributions to the program. Those of us who watched closely always enjoyed the times you got in the games, and it always seemed like you just "got" Duke basketball. The fact that you came back for a fifth year, just in case you were needed, is an amazing commitment to the concept of "team." And while none of us is able to see you in action during practice, I have no doubt that your play and experience has been extremely valuable over the years -- particularly this season.

Lance, you came to Duke billed as a multi-talented, face-up forward. Your freshman year, you played alongside a face-up 5 and tried to figure things out. As a sophomore and a junior, you were the 5, a position you never expected to play. You took criticism from your own fans for what you weren't, which was never fair. Because through it all, despite going up against bigger guys night in and night out, you never stopped battling. You grew. You matured. This year you finally played a position better suited to your skills. And by this point, you'd become a leader, a vocal sparkplug. Oh, and you were a damn good player. Your rebounding improved. You shut down player after player and anchored Duke's help D. You developed a dangerous jumper from the elbow. And you were unbelievably unselfish, screening and screening and screening some more on offense -- whatever it took to win. You'll be missed.

Brian, we can only imagine what the previous three years -- with all the foot injuries -- were like for you. Even more than Lance, you took an incredible amount of crap from your own fans, yet you hung in there. You stayed ready for your chance. You grew an awesome beard. And when you were physically ready to be the player you always knew you could be, you blossomed so quickly that it took everyone by surprise. You became the best offensive rebounder in the country, a defensive anchor and another unselfish contributor whose screening and passing skills made life so much easier for this team's three perimeter scorers. What's great about a final impression is that it's the one we'll remember. And the last we saw of Brian Zoubek was simply awesome.

And Jon, what is there to say? Few players in Duke's history have influenced the program as profoundly as you did. The sacrifices you made in the name of winning from Day 1 were evident to anyone with a real understanding of basketball. You played out of position for a good portion of your career, being used as a floor-spacing three-point shooter even though we knew you were best with the ball in your hands. You came off the bench as a sophomore for the good of the team, even though we all knew you could/should have started. When Coach K needed you to guard the other team's best perimeter player, you did it willingly and very well. When you couldn't hit a shot, you'd come up with 12 rebounds. When Duke looked overmatched against UNC, you'd raise your game several levels and give the team a fighting chance. And then you got moved to the point late in your junior year. Plenty of fans doubted you; the ones who knew basketball realized it was long overdue. A 45-7 record and a National Championship later, everyone can see that it was the right move. And yet there still might not be a player in Duke history that has been as underrated by its own fans as you have been. Your stats place you in elite company at Duke, but more than that, you were the heart of this team and you willed it -- with great help from a great group of guys -- to a title. It has become trite to say to a departing senior that there won't be many more guys like you to follow, but in this case, I absolutely believe it's true. You've achieved an incredible legacy at Duke and most importanty, despite a long and winding road, you're leaving exactly the way you came in -- as a winner.

Thank you, seniors. You will all be missed.

[Cameron]

Thank you.

Your last win was the program's finest yet. Considering that program is Duke, I'd say you accomplished quite a lot.

This one was for Greg and David, for J.J., Shelden and Daniel. For C-Well, Trajan and Ricky. For Steve, Chris and Roshown. Ricky, Jeff and Newton. Billy, Danny and Kevin. Robert, Quin and Alaa. For Johnny, Jay, Mark and David. And all those who came before, putting four years of their blood and tears into winning one for Duke University.

Thank you boys. This one will never be forgotten.

[loran16]

I thank all the seniors. But i figure I'll save my only paragraph here aside from my previous comments for Lance Thomas.

Lance, i was one of your biggest detractors. I've been infracted on this board multiple times for saying that you sucked. Yet you were a key cog in the machine, and i want to apologize and thank you. Your O-Rebounds led to the victory over Baylor for sure. Your defense was big against Butler. Without you, we don't win this.

So Thanks for choosing us over Rutg-ahs.

[Duke Mom]

I was looking for this thread and about to start my own -- can't believe that it fell all the way back to Page 7.

Thank you seniors, indeed. Jon, Lance, Brian, Jordan -- I couldn't be prouder of you guys. The National Championship was such a fitting way for you to finish your careers, and you are each incredibly deserving. For the three scholarship guys, especially, to come to Duke on the youngest team since WWII, to experience so many growing pains together, to persevere through so much criticism and to come out on top like this, it must have been an incredible bonding experience and made the ending that much sweeter. I can't think of a core of seniors on Duke's previous title teams -- or even Final Four squads -- who entered school in such an unusual situation and went through as much as you guys did. etc...

Thank you, seniors. You will all be missed.

Beautifully written! Sums it all up perfectly.

[dukeimac]

Unfortunately, there are no words or ways to say the "thank you" to the Seniors that we feel.

That is why the call it special.

Jon, Nolan and Kyle have all felt the love because we showed it so much through the year.

But Lance and Zo didn't get that from us so much. They did exactly what was needed, Duke needed role players and they stepped up to the plate for Duke. My heart felt appreciation goes out to those two. No words or way to say "thank you" will be enough. I just hope it helps a little to know we / I feel this way.

One shining moment, all about Duke...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfUlGlNIquQ

And no, I'm not thinking about next year. I am enjoying this year!

[duke4life32182]

Thank you seniors. Love the way you went out. Thanks for the memories.

[weezie]

Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to cheering one more time at the basketball banquet next week. Bringing a hankie because I know I'll be crying a little...tissues just won't do the job.
Hate to say good-bye, just good luck and all weezie's love!

[gep]

I also want to express my THANKS to the SENIORS who persevered. Jon... we knew what he'll do... he even took the 6th man role in stride for the team. LT... he struggled but continued his play his best in whatever role for the team. Zoubs... well, I think he went through the most trying of circumstances with all of his injuries. I remember reading somewhere that he spent all of his time off-season rehabilitating, rather than working on his game for his first 3 years. Then when finally healthy and injury free... man what a breakout. Unfortunately, Jordan was not really "seen" by us fans, but I'm sure the team and coaching staff knew is true value. Thanks again....