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davekay1971
03-25-2011, 12:01 AM
No way we should let 20 minutes of pain take away from another great season. 30+ wins, an ACC championship, a Sweet 16 (I know, we all wanted more), and one of the most unforgettable senior seasons in Duke history.

kong123
03-25-2011, 12:03 AM
As a UNC fan, I am glad your best players will never face us again. However, they are great players and have represented the game of basketball very well. Its sad Nolan played his worst game of the year in his last game, but thats how it goes sometimes.

CLW
03-25-2011, 12:03 AM
No way we should let 20 minutes of pain take away from another great season. 30+ wins, an ACC championship, a Sweet 16 (I know, we all wanted more), and one of the most unforgettable senior seasons in Duke history.

Agreed. Just ran into the buzzsaw in the one and out format. Great seasons and careers for Kyle and Nolan. Loved watching those guys grow over the past 4 seasons.

kinsman_bob
03-25-2011, 12:04 AM
When an opponent is unconscious , you are going to lose. I am proud of our guys for playing with class, not like UofA. They should be reminded that they haven't won anything yet, but there they were woofing and pounding their chests. Not a lot of class.

camion
03-25-2011, 12:05 AM
Williams kept them in it in the first half and they flat outplayed us in the second. We just ran into a hot team. Congrats to Arizona.

I want to thank Nolan, Kyle and Casey for a great four years. You have given me many great memories and I will miss you all.

tb3
03-25-2011, 12:05 AM
it is sad and disappointing right now but there are so many great happy moments that Kyle and Nolan have provided...THANK YOU GUYS

NYBri
03-25-2011, 12:06 AM
Thank you, Kyle and Nolan.

Tough way to leave. I will miss you both.

I did note that Kyrie was on the floor at the end. I wonder if he will come back to remove that bad taste.

Just so sad for Nolan right now. 'Zona couldn't miss. Not much more to say about that half.

northernduke
03-25-2011, 12:06 AM
What a great ride for the seniors and the rest of the team. They competed exceedingly well without their starting PG all season and measured up to the challenge. This loss doesn't take anything away from the season for me. Yes, it would have been great to win a NC, but I in no way expected such an outcome.


Thank you Kyle and Nolan!!! Underclassmen --- can't wait to see you back on the court next October!!!

summerwind03
03-25-2011, 12:07 AM
As always, this Duke team made me proud. I'll miss Kyle and Nolan especially. Thanks for the ride.

Utley
03-25-2011, 12:07 AM
Thanks for starting this thread. I have no tolerance for the whining/bashing. We were a really good special team. Fortune's friend last year - fortune's fool this year with Kyrie's injury and just not the right night to play AZ. Still think we beat them 6 or 7 out of 10.

Nolan and Kyle - you were warriors - I'll never forget last year. This year was a great trip as well.

dukelilsis
03-25-2011, 12:08 AM
davekay1971, you took the words right out of mouth. While I have tears right now because I will never again get to see Nolan and Kyle in a Duke uniform, we all have to remember that there is only one team who ends their season in anything other than tears. Guys, if you happen to wander on here and read this, please consider this my thank you note to you. You have provided my family with many wonderful hours of basketball and lots of laughs on DukeBluePlanet. In addition, meeting Nolan will always be a highlight of my Duke basketball memories. We are fortunate to have two wonderful young men like Nolan and Kyle who have been commited to us for four years. We wish you all the success imaginable in the future and, once again, thank you. I just love you guys! This is one of my favorite Duke teams.


Go Marquette...

DukeWarhead
03-25-2011, 12:09 AM
This will go down as a very good, but not great, season for Duke. Very similar to how JJ and Shel's senior season ended. (eventhough that wasn't a blowout.)
It's not how you get knocked down, it's how you respond. I just hope this ending gives some hunger and fire to next years squad - has them looking for redeption.
Stay Kyrie, Stay (one can dream.)

monkey
03-25-2011, 12:10 AM
Well, your careers didn't end like we all hoped, but you left it all out on the floor. It's been a privilege watching you compete for four years.

Nolan - the way you've grown over the past couple of years has been spectacular. Your leadership and refusal to lose made this year great to watch. I wish you nothing but success at the next level.

Kyle - the heart of a warrior to the last. An all time special player. The player most likely to nail the key shot seconds after a third elbow to the face. Bruised and battered, you (like Nolan) are one of the greats. Thanks for four great years. Best of luck in the NBA.

I wish we had both for another four!

NYC Duke Fan
03-25-2011, 08:59 AM
Well, your careers didn't end like we all hoped, but you left it all out on the floor. It's been a privilege watching you compete for four years.

Nolan - the way you've grown over the past couple of years has been spectacular. Your leadership and refusal to lose made this year great to watch. I wish you nothing but success at the next level.

Kyle - the heart of a warrior to the last. An all time special player. The player most likely to nail the key shot seconds after a third elbow to the face. Bruised and battered, you (like Nolan) are one of the greats. Thanks for four great years. Best of luck in the NBA.

I wish we had both for another four!

While I disagree that this was a ," great season", ,( I do not think it was at all), I think that your post was right on target and I concur with everything that you say !!!

MChambers
03-25-2011, 09:00 AM
It's been an amazing four years with Kyle and Nolan (and Casey for part of that time). We've been privileged to have them represent Duke and I know they will be excellent professional basketball players and excellent people.

RoyalBlue08
03-25-2011, 09:01 AM
To me, the game last night was more sad because we don't get to see Kyle and Nolan in the Duke uniform anymore. Winning the title takes a lot to go right. We can't expect it every year. But I for one will truly miss our seniors. Great players that represented the University with passion and class. Best of luck to both of them in their future careers!

NYC Duke Fan
03-25-2011, 09:09 AM
This will go down as a very good, but not great, season for Duke. Very similar to how JJ and Shel's senior season ended. (eventhough that wasn't a blowout.)
It's not how you get knocked down, it's how you respond. I just hope this ending gives some hunger and fire to next years squad - has them looking for redeption.
Stay Kyrie, Stay (one can dream.)

I agree that this was not a great season. It is only semantics whethder it was a very good season. Certainly we did not meet expectations. We had senior leadership returning yet as a number 1 seed we get blown out in a Sweet 16 game...Incidentially since 200, we are 3-7 I believe in Sweet 16 games.

We really did not beat any good team except UNC twice all year.

The realistic point is that we will not be better next year. We lose our 3 best players and get one back in Rivers. The Plumlees and Kelly have not improved as much as expected and unless there is a metamorphasis over the summer we will probably be worse. I do not expect Marshall Plumlee or Gbinje,( spelling?) to have any impact either. Maybe Hairston can be better.

If Zeller, Hensen and Barnes all return and with the addition of McAdoo UNC will be much better. The irony is that at the

t
beginning of the year after a few games did anyone UNC to advance further in the NCAA tournament

jdj4duke
03-25-2011, 09:10 AM
Odd but this one doesn't hurt nearly as much as some others. Pummeled into unconsciousness I suppose. I will be studiously avoiding ESPN Friday, and I will be in a Duke shirt all weekend.

Every year, at the first of May, I send a message to the graduating seniors welcoming them as fellow alums, and for bringing so many thrills and such satisfaction to all of us Duke fans. This year, the message will be a little more hearfelt given the committment that these seniors made to such an ambitious goal. I would venture that even with this ending, Kyle and Nolan would not second-guess their decision to return. And I don't think K will let them. It's at times like this I believe he does his best work.

If any of us had forgotten how astonishing winning the NC actually is, I think this year's team reminded us how incredibly well things have to line up. The amount of work these kids and coaches put in is astonishing. Their comportment as representatives of the Univeristy is beyond reproach, and the sportsmanship and graciousness after every game is what I will take away once again from what has been a terrific, and terrifically interesting, season.

After 43 years of watching the Blue Devil basketball worm turn every which way, my disappointment is not that the game was lost, or even that another crop of unbelievably talented, engaging, and "doing Duke proud" seniors has played a final game. It's that Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays won't have the same sense of anticipation and engagement for the next 7 months. There is just nothing that fills the void of waiting for game time. November is a long time away, but I am glad that I can look forward to a few more seasons and for being in some way a part of what is still a small but powerful tribe.

Thanks to DBR for putting out the best forum in sports, and to (nearly) all the posters who bring such an astonishingly high level of insight, humor, and general politesse in even the most disappointing times. Wait until next year-----

weezie
03-25-2011, 09:12 AM
Thank you Kyle and Nolan and Casey.
Incredible four years, so many great games.
Kyle, Ironman, tougher than tough, blue steel, how I'll miss you!
Nolan, that smile, everybody's friend, how you've grown!

Very proud to be a Blue Devil with all three of you.

OZZIE4DUKE
03-25-2011, 09:22 AM
Thank you Kyle, Nolan and Casey for four great years and many many memories, 125 victories and last year's National Championship!

Thank you Kyrie for what you have given us this year, and for coming back in the tournament. Your injury was a freak and most unfortunate for you as a it robbed you of both the development you would have gotten as a player under K and the fun and joy of playing as a college player. Sure, you got some of that as a spectator, and you were an amazing teammate throughout your ordeal, but it wasn't the same by any means. I don't know what your decision will be in the next few weeks, although I expect you will be NBA bound. If that is the case I will respect and support the decision and root for you as your career progresses, just as I do for all Duke players in the NBA. If you come back to Duke next year, we can all start dreaming of the possibilities!

We had a great year that ended eleven days and three games too early. Arizona just flat out busted us by shooting lights out in the second half, and that happens. As Coach K said in his post game interview, we couldn't stop them. When they were open, they hit the shot. When they were closely guarded, they hit the shot. When they got the tip, it went in. Loose ball? They got it. Momentum was theirs as was the night. Congratulations and best of luck in the tournament.

Do you think there are some folks over in Raleigh salivating over the prospect over maybe getting Sean Miller to coach in Raleigh next fall (and beyond)? I do. He just proved he's not afraid or in awe of going up against us in a big game.

The spring football game is Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium. The weather will be crummy - light rain in the low 50's, but after last night, I need a catharses and will be there to root on the 2011 Blue Devils. I hope YOU are too! :cool:

PSurprise
03-25-2011, 09:26 AM
I just want to thank the seniors for yet another exciting season. I'm really glad they got to experience what they did last year-there will be nothing like it in their lives, I'm sure.

Looking forward to next season, do you think we could schedule UNC as our third game so that K could beat the Holes to get to 903?

Starter
03-25-2011, 09:28 AM
Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler are special Blue Devils who had wonderful careers. Here's hoping for long and prosperous NBA careers for both, and for Kyrie if he goes.

(Selfishly, by the way, I admit to wanting him to come back. I haven't had my fill yet. But I'd be stunned if he didn't view it as the best move at this point to go, and Austin Rivers may satisfy that craving for a dynamic playmaker)

I think next year's new-look Blue Devils will be a lot of fun to watch, and to grow with.

wiscodevil
03-25-2011, 09:33 AM
We really did not beat any good team except UNC twice all year.



:confused:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/150/duke-blue-devils

great year, tough ending. thanks to all of the players for a wonderful ride and represnting duke with heart and class.

jdk
03-25-2011, 09:35 AM
Yeah, especially thankful for the seniors. Kyle Singler = warrior, now go get healed up for the draft.

RockyMtDevil
03-25-2011, 09:36 AM
I'm only 40 but my love for Duke basketball started at age 16. Even though I was from Arkansas and the only attachment I had for the program was growing up with Thomas Hill, I could see from afar something special, unique and wonderful about Duke and the bball program. Some 24 years and 4 National Titles later, that respect and love is still there. I always dread this day, whether in the middle of March or early April, this is the darkest day of the year for many of us. Mixed with the knowledge that lesser programs, both in terms of class and integrity, continue "marching" on and with the knowledge that our boys didn't quite reach our expectations, this day is always the low point of the sports year.

And yet, we fans are the lucky ones. We get to know these classy kids, we continue to respect the incredible Duke staff and eventually we will begin talking of hope and a new season.

Thank you Kyle and Nolan, we will miss you more than you know!

mkline09
03-25-2011, 09:46 AM
Another successful season for Duke is in the books. Sure we are all down based on how it ended but I am trying to turn over a new leaf and focus on the good. Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith deserve a lot of praise right now.

Both tough as nails competetors were excellent representatives of Duke University as a basketball program and as an academic instiution. They will graduate with a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the country and have a wealth of life experience having played with one of the greatest life teachers.

The guys that return will provide a solid nucleus with which to build around and the team will be good once again next season.

As a fan I couldn't be prouder to be a Dukie the players and coaches represent us well as we should all do the same. So while it is a sad day we should all take a moment to be thankful for what we have as fans. Doesn't always work out the way we want to but such is life.

Lid
03-25-2011, 09:56 AM
Like everyone else, I'm sad the season ended earlier than I'd hoped, but I can honestly say I enjoyed the whole ride this year. It was just a treat to watch this team grow and gel, even when the outcomes were not what I hoped. It's hard to believe I won't get to see Nolan and Kyle (and Casey!) play in Duke jerseys again, but I am so proud to be a Dukie with those young men representing my alma mater.

Wearing my Duke gear today with pride, and ready to cheer on the women this weekend!

rthomas
03-25-2011, 10:05 AM
How long till next November? Let's go Duke!

mkline09
03-25-2011, 10:09 AM
How long till next November? Let's go Duke!

Football season first and hopefully Cut will give us something work watching till then. Don't forget the trip to China which will give us a nice appetizer for next season.

AsiaMinor
03-25-2011, 10:22 AM
After last night I kept thinking of this poem by Kipling:


Rudyard Kipling
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Kyle, Nolan, and the entire Duke team did all this and more.
I loved watching them grow from boys to men. I am grateful.
Best of fortune for the future, but don't forget to enjoy the present.

cascadedevil
03-25-2011, 12:35 PM
Kyle and Nolan-

I choose to have my memory of this year captured in the image of you cutting down the nets in Greensboro, and the obvious team camraderie which your leadership created. I very much enjoyed watching you both grow your games and your character to heights we could not have guessed at four years ago. I am certain that you are both better for having been at Duke, and Duke is better for you having been here. For the rest of your lives, you will continue to be part of something special that you helped build. There is no more satisfying an accomplishment in life. You have made me proud to be a Duke fan, and I look forward to watching you both graduate and join the ranks of Duke alumni.

Many thanks-

Cascade Devil

duke86
03-25-2011, 12:55 PM
I don't post much on these boards, but I want to say thank you to the Players and to the Coaching Staff for representing this great university.

I wish Nolan, Kyle, Casey (and possibly Kyrie) had a better farewell game, but any game besides a national championship would have been a disappointment for these young men, K, and the rest of the team.

I want to thank our Coach as well. He has, time and time again, found a way to get the best of his players in many different situations. What he did with our team throughout the season is truly sensational. Most coaches would have NEVER been able to still win 22 times without their best point guard.

Thanks again for a great season! Kyle, Nolan, and Casey you are champions...always remember that...we, as fans, will!

duke86
03-25-2011, 01:02 PM
After last night I kept thinking of this poem by Kipling:


Rudyard Kipling
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Kyle, Nolan, and the entire Duke team did all this and more.
I loved watching them grow from boys to men. I am grateful.
Best of fortune for the future, but don't forget to enjoy the present.


I must say...the only time I EVER think of this poem is when tennis is being played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for the Championships Wimbledon. "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same" is quoted right before you step onto Centre Court from the player lockerrooms.

pfrduke
03-25-2011, 01:08 PM
One of the best and worst parts of following college basketball is the finite duration of the players' careers. You know when you meet them as freshmen that they'll only be there on the court four years (at the most). Turnover and goodbyes are both inevitable and predictable - you know, for example, that when you see Kyle and Nolan check out of the game with 2:01 to play that you're never going to see them playing for Duke again. You get used to this, to a degree, as the years go by - it's never as hard as it is the first couple times, when the only players you've ever known as part of the Duke team leave. I was reminded of this last night when my wife, who is a Duke fan for no other reason than that she is married to me (a fine reason to be a Duke fan, if I do say so myself) was in tears* over the fact that Kyle and Nolan would be gone - she's only been following the team since they were freshmen, and she's never known Duke without them.

*it's only fair that I admit that my throat has been a little choked up and my eyes a little dusty as I write this post. It may get easier to say goodbye, but it's never really easy.

But we're also blessed to see players at a time of unique growth. They come to school as, in many ways, children - big, strong, talented children, but children nonetheless - and over the four years we spend with them we get to watch them grow and develop and mature until they leave Duke as adults.

One of the most rewarding things about this season for me was getting the opportunity to watch this team - and each of the players on this team - grow over the course of the season.

I loved Josh's infectious enthusiasm, which never left him through many minutes on the bench. Seeing how he harnesses that energy into what will almost certainly be a much larger role next season will be fun to watch.

I loved watching Tyler capitalize on opportunities that many thought he wouldn't get this year, and I'm looking forward to see what he can bring to the table next season. People in other threads are talking about a potential leadership void next year - I think Tyler can be a guy who steps into a leadership role. He seems a natural for it, and is someone who can set a tone for how the team plays, particularly on the defensive end of the court.

I loved watching Andre continue to refine his game beyond being a spot-up jump shooter with ridiculous range. His defense is so much improved from fall of last year, and his offensive game will continue to be more multi-faceted with more off-season work.

I loved watching Ryan develop from a high school player into a college player, and get his body to catch up to what has always been a very savvy basketball IQ. He's one of those guys who often seems to be in the right place at the right time. His hot shooting stretch in the middle of the season and his surprisingly (at least to some) high block totals give a hint at where further growth can take him as a player.

I loved watching how much better Miles is now than when he was a freshman. He looks more and more confident with the ball in the post, and his defensive fundamentals are continuing to grow. He'll never be a star, but his performance has been on a steady upward trend since he started his career.

I loved watching Mason show more and more of the skills that have people talking about him as a first-round draft pick. During the ACC tournament, when we ran the offense through him at the high post he consistently made good things happen. He's an underrated post passer with great athletic ability. If he comes back, I think he'll be much more of an offensive focal point.

I loved watching Seth play defense. Yes, his scoring was great, and yes, his performance against UNC in Cameron was marvelous, but his ability to stay locked up on guys on the perimeter is my favorite part of his game. He plays Duke defense the way it's meant to be played. His growth from his struggles in the early part of the season to being a deadly sixth man and then a starter played a huge part in keeping Duke a top 5 team all season long.

I loved the glimpses of Kyrie that we got as a player, but even more loved the extended time we got to watch Kyrie as a teammate. K talks about getting people to "unpack their bags" when they come to Duke, even if they only intend to be here for a short while - Kyrie unpacked his bags. It was a joy to watch how much he enjoyed being a part of this team. I hope, selfishly (even if I don't think it will happen), that we get to see him in a Duke jersey again. He never got the chance to really leave his mark as a player, but he left an indelible mark as a great teammate.

And then there's Kyle and Nolan. I'll always think of them that way, as "Kyle and Nolan," as a unit even though in many ways they couldn't be more dissimilar. Kyle, the introvert, the artist and the warrior, who took to any role he was given and only did whatever anyone asked of him as a player. Nolan, the extrovert, the comedian and the virtuoso, who initially struggled with his roles and his identity as a player, whose climb was rockier but whose peak proved higher. Their career arcs were very different, as well - Kyle was a starter from day one who showed us during his freshman year almost everything we would see from him over the next four - his toughness, his tenacity, his diverse offensive skills, and his heart. This is not to say he didn't grow - he's absolutely a better player today than he was when he first showed up, but he's been so consistently good for so long that people almost took it for granted. We'll miss Kyle tremendously next season - trying to find a way to replace all his contributions on the offensive and defensive end could be our most difficult off-season task. Nolan, on the other hand, developed from a role player into a starter into a star into one of the absolute best players in the country. He had so many amazing moments this season, so many times that he put the team on his back and carried us to a victory, so many "wow" plays. And he did it all with such tremendous enthusiasm and joy for the game. Nolan was the best ambassador for the program since Battier, and I hope he goes on to great things. Even if it doesn't get retired (or even if, many years in the future, it gets retired for some future star, yet to be born), #2 will always and forever be Nolan Smith to me.

Last night, the season ended in a loss. Most do. Kyle and Nolan had to finish their careers not in a shower of confetti, not with One Shining Moment, not with another national title, but with a sad, slow jog off the court, a hug and a consoling word from Coach K, and tears. But they had marvelous careers. They defended the home court in ways no other players have done. They won every preseason tourney, they won three ACC titles, and they won the national championship. They may not have won it all this year, but they are still leaving Duke as champions.

And, of course, hard as it is to picture the team without Kyle and Nolan, there will be Duke again next year. There will be 903. There will be continued opportunities to see the players on this team develop and mature. There will be a whole new class of kids come in and start their growth - Austin, Michael, Quinn, and Marshall (and maybe DeAndre?), we're all excited to have you come and be a part of our Duke family. And there will be another round of goodbyes whenever the season draws to an end. November can't get here soon enough. Let's go Duke.

Duke Mom
03-25-2011, 01:17 PM
Thank you for starting this thread!

And thank you to our wonderful young men who played their hearts out providing us with so many hours of basketball enjoyment. It's not easy being a college athlete - so many hours of dedication, hard work, physical challenges, publicity obligations, all while trying to simultaneously manage academic work. How do they do it?

A special thanks to our seniors Nolan, Kyle and Casey. Nolan was so much fun to watch. Dribble, dribble, dribble and then that sneaky drive into the basket. I just loved that! He developed into such a wonderful team leader.

And Kyle - the amazing warrior! So physically resilient. I often thought he played basketball like a football player, but without the protective armor.

Not every team wins a national title, or even makes it to the Sweet Sixteen (not to mention the ACC title). You have spoiled us with more than our fair share of banners in Cameron.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

miramar
03-25-2011, 01:19 PM
Kyle and Nolan didn't go out the way we wanted, but they left behind a ton of memories: three ACC championships, one NCAA title, and 125 wins.

While the 2010-11 Blue Devils may not have coalesced as well as last year's team, they overcame a lot of obstacles (such as a major injury, a protracted shooting slump, limited inside scoring, and some inconsistent shooting) in a season that made us all proud. Arizona played an extraordinary half after winning two games by a total of three points, but that's basketball.

Thanks for the memories and good luck at the next level.

Kedsy
03-25-2011, 02:25 PM
No way we should let 20 minutes of pain take away from another great season. 30+ wins, an ACC championship, a Sweet 16 (I know, we all wanted more), and one of the most unforgettable senior seasons in Duke history.

I wasn't going to come to DBR today (because I didn't think I could take the expected whining and sniping), but because of this thread I'm glad I did. Thanks for starting it.


Last night, the season ended in a loss. Most do. Kyle and Nolan had to finish their careers not in a shower of confetti, not with One Shining Moment, not with another national title, but with a sad, slow jog off the court, a hug and a consoling word from Coach K, and tears. But they had marvelous careers. They defended the home court in ways no other players have done. They won every preseason tourney, they won three ACC titles, and they won the national championship. They may not have won it all this year, but they are still leaving Duke as champions.

Absolutely spectacular post. I couldn't agree more. No season should be judged on its final game, and certainly a player's career cannot and should not be judged that way.

Considering everything, this was a great season. I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to follow this Duke team, and I'm proud to have graduated from the school that produced such great players and great people like Nolan and Kyle.

uh_no
03-25-2011, 02:28 PM
When an opponent is unconscious , you are going to lose. I am proud of our guys for playing with class, not like UofA. They should be reminded that they haven't won anything yet, but there they were woofing and pounding their chests. Not a lot of class.

Shrug. We do that too, especially after big plays...screaming, dancing, and pounding of chests are all fair game. AZ played a heck of a game and had every reason to be excited. I saw that they were happy for themselves. I didn't see them taunting in any way, though.

The Slamming Butcher
03-25-2011, 02:44 PM
We beat Carolina twice, one of them a total drubbing in the ACC Tournament Championship. We saw a group of young men overcome the loss of the best player on the team and arguably the best PG in the country and remain the DOMINANT representative of the conference. We saw the culmination of what I believe to be the most incredible four year transformation of a player in Duke Basketball HISTORY (remember when Nolan was considering transferring after JD left?), which has already earned him many NPOY nods and will likely end with his jersey hanging in the rafters. We witnessed the greatest college basketball coach of all time achieve his 900th win.

Not a good season at all.

It was a GREAT season.

dukeman28428
03-25-2011, 05:09 PM
For all of the thrills, wins and good representaion of this University, I thank both of you. Don't let the loss last night to UA dampen what you have contributed to Duke as you both are in a special class and will be missed by every single Duke fan. Hopefully, we will get to see both of your jerseys hanging in the rafters as you deserve so much for your work for Duke basketball. Take your degree and go out and show the world why you stayed and got your education. Yes, play in the pros but when those days are over, you will always have your degree and Duke fans cheering you on in life as long as you live. Come back to Cameron as often as you can and you will always be a big part of this place. THANK BOTH OF YOU AGAIN FOR BEING WINNERS.

wallyman
03-25-2011, 05:15 PM
I usually don't go on DBR after a loss, but this thread makes me feel a little better. We ran into a team playing out of its mind. It happens. Nolan and Kyle are two of the all-time greats, and it was a wonderful, if challenging season, except for the last 20 minutes. Vaya Con Dios, guys...

BlueHeaven
03-25-2011, 06:07 PM
So the full weight of disappointment didn't set in until after I got home from work. I want to cry. I love this team so much...so much heart and determination. I hate to see the seniors go out like this after all they gave us. It was a great season and I looked forward to every single minute of it. November feels like a long time away...Thanks Kyle, Nolan, and Casey!
Let's go Duke!