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flyingdutchdevil
04-16-2010, 12:05 PM
Ever since I've been a Duke fan (8 years only), I haven't been able to a) stop reading about the team, b) stop talking about the team, or c) stop thinking about the team. I've been pretty obsessive to say the least. And it definitely wasn't healthy.

For example, last year, after we lost to 'Nova, I spent a ton of time reading up on Hendo and always looking for when, and not if, he would declare. When it finally happened, I was relieved. Not because I didn't like him (on the contrary), but because the anticipation was killing me. These types of stories, coupled with recruiting, the 7-month pre-season, and, of course, the games, probably removed a few years off my life due to all that anticipation.

Now that I've experienced my first National Championship, so much of that anticipation is gone. I am pretty convinced Kyle will go (just a feeling), and this news isn't bothering me at all. That 'anticipatory' feeling is gone. It has been a massive weight off my shoulders, and it's a great feeling. I absolutely love Duke basketball (and I'm one of many coming into Duke not caring that much about basketball and now it's a close third behind the family and GF), but I no longer need my recruiting-fix or what-happens-next-year-fix.

I love Duke... I absolutely love 'em.

CrazieDUMB
04-16-2010, 12:22 PM
I know what you mean. I remember the '01 championship, but I was only in 8th grade so it's hard to say it had a huge effect on me. When I came to duke for the '05-06 season there was so much pressure on that team. They were the preseason heavy favorite, and any game that was even close felt like a loss. Then the year after the program dropped off a bit and all I could hear about was how Duke would never be Duke again. The last few years though, it's been incredibly satisfying watching this team mature and live every game "in the moment". Every win was satisfying, and a real achievement. Then finally getting to see the guys that everyone dumped on three years ago raise the trophy was a surreal experience. Got to love Duke Basketball.

Lord Ash
04-16-2010, 12:41 PM
It is very different ending the season on an unexpected win, rather than a loss, isn't it?!

I was just thinking about how at peace I am... but I was also thinking that, should Kyle come back, the tone of next year will be DECIDEDLY different than the tone of this year.

SupaDave
04-16-2010, 12:53 PM
I was just thinking about how at peace I am... but I was also thinking that, should Kyle come back, the tone of next year will be DECIDEDLY different than the tone of this year.


Yes - the expectations on this board will be through the roof and folks will be talking about undefeated seasons and what not...

Scorp4me
04-16-2010, 12:53 PM
Feels like when Dunleavey was considering. If he had stayed who knows what might have happened. Sure we'll be good next year either way, but stick around Kyle and let's just dominate! I ain't giving up on him yet.

flyingdutchdevil
04-16-2010, 01:04 PM
This is supposed to be an "I feel at ease" thread... :(

Saratoga2
04-16-2010, 01:13 PM
when your approaching 70, it is difficult to remember how many years I have followed Duke, but it goes back a long way. I still follow them and live and die with them every year. Good that you could feel relieved after one NC.

jdj4duke
04-16-2010, 01:22 PM
Yes - the expectations on this board will be through the roof and folks will be talking about undefeated seasons and what not...

Clearly you have us confused with Inside Carolina.

Cameron
04-16-2010, 01:37 PM
It's all icing after Indy baby. All icing.

Once November hits, however, the icing will have been eaten and it national champion or die. :D

Kidding. Slightly. If Kyle comes back, it might be the best team K will have from here on out. And I'm sure he knows that. A national championship will be the expectation. But that's almost every year at Duke. It's nothing new. I think we are starting to embrace that again, and that's why I see us dominating college basketball over the next handful of years.

If Kyle doesn't return, shrug your shoulders off. A 2010 national title is > than a 2009 national title. Back to the icing baby. And just enjoying the ride.

PaIronDuke
04-16-2010, 01:47 PM
most of us have been so caught up in speculation about Kyle Singler's decision that we perhaps have not considered that with the mass defection of freshmen, sophmores, and juniors across the college ranks, a national championship next year may be a little easier to attain. Just saying......

Scorp4me
04-16-2010, 02:29 PM
This is supposed to be an "I feel at ease" thread... :(

I'll be "at ease" either way. If Kyle leaves I'm at ease...if he stays I'm at absolute ease =)

SoCalDukeFan
04-16-2010, 02:53 PM
Evidently Kyle can graduate this summer. He was a leader on a team that just won the NC. It seems to me that he has no unfinished business, so if he wants to leave I say "Kyle, thanks for everything. I will be rooting for you in the future. Best of luck."

If Kyle comes back or leaves, winning the NC would still be a huge feat. First of all you need healthy players in the tournament. You also need to play well for most of each game. While I think that Coach K is a much better game coach than Bill Self you can look at what happened to Kansas this year to understand what I mean. Then you have the factor of match ups and luck. Villanova imploded at the end of the season but otherwise may have been a tough match up for us. Kentucky may have been tough. We avoided playing both. We played our best game of the season when we played against the best team we faced in West Virginia (not all luck, K and staff had us well prepared but still nice to do so.) Had Hayward's last shot gone in, we would not be NC. Had his next to last shot gone in ???????

With a few breaks we might have won several more NCs. A few breaks and we win in 86 and 99, we reach the final game in 04 and we stay in the tournament in 02 for example. On the other hand a few breaks the other way and we lose in 91, Grant Hill to Laettner could easily not have worked in 92. My point is that to win a NC you generally need a good team that gets some breaks. So with or without Kyle nothing should be taken for granted.

SoCal

PADukeMom
04-16-2010, 03:01 PM
I became a Duke fan in December 1989 mainly because my then 8 year old son took an interest in college sports. I would tape games for him to watch the following day. This was in the days before you could tape one show while watching something else.
I was impressed impressed with the team's skill as well as how they portrayed themselves on the court as well as off.
I still remember us holding our breath watching "the shot". I remember the game where Trajan was fouled so hard that his chin was split open. The team went on a 20+ point scoring spree. I remember the heartbreak when Trajan walked in 1999. I loved Shane's, "I'm not a scoring derelict" remark. Heck I named my cat Battier!
During the 2000-01 season, I wasn't allowed to watch our games against Maryland because my son thought I was the jinx so I missed the 10 points in 57 seconds (Thank GOD for youtube) game.
This season I predicted after the G-Town loss Duke would cut down nets in Indy. My son thought I had lost my sanity. The thing I noticed with this year's team was that they never reached their peak which normally happens the first week in February. That is when the tired legs begin. I never saw that with this team. They never gave up.
I love the fact that this was a good team that rose to greatness!

wilson
04-16-2010, 03:04 PM
most of us have been so caught up in speculation about Kyle Singler's decision that we perhaps have not considered that with the mass defection of freshmen, sophmores, and juniors across the college ranks, a national championship next year may be a little easier to attain. Just saying......What are you talking about? We already had the easiest road in history this year...;)

PADukeMom
04-16-2010, 03:18 PM
What are you talking about? We already had the easiest road in history this year...;)

You forgot to ad K hand picked the refs!

dukestheheat
04-16-2010, 03:26 PM
^^^^^^^

Dutch,

Hey buddy, Nolan's my favorite playa, too, and this is a great chance to remind YE that YE are the VICE president of the club and it is I, DTH, that is THE president. Just remember that when we get cranking next year towards yet another Final Four/NC run.

:)

dth.

brevity
04-16-2010, 04:21 PM
This is supposed to be an "I feel at ease" thread... :(

Then you picked the wrong crowd. If folks here have no reason to be nervous, they'll find a reason, or even make up a reason.

WordLife565
04-16-2010, 10:55 PM
it really is. Everyone used to say: "How long has it been since Duke won a championship", "Duke can't get past the 2nd round" and "Duke hasn't been to the Final Four since 2004", and most people on ESPN said that K would never win another championship.


Well lookie here, all that crap can be laid to rest, Duke can still win the big one.

hedevil
04-16-2010, 11:11 PM
There has been a huge weight taken off my shoulders. Like Sam Cook says, "It's been a long time coming." The bad thing is now I have higher expectations from the upcoming team. Problem is, you can't accomplish anything more than this team did, other than going undefeated. That'll work for me. :)