The Duke Damage List

[EarlJam]

Another informal, but Duke-Related (on-topic) poll that interests me:

Please answer the following questions (my answers in blue below):

1. What's the largest item you've ever damaged or destroyed because of a Duke loss or poor Duke play?

Largest? Probably a tall plastic kitchen trash can after the Williams missed free throw and non-foul call in the 2002 NCAA tournament. I totally destroyed it.

2. What's the most expensive thing you've ever thrown or damaged or destroyed because of a Duke loss or poor Duke play?

Television. Threw baseball at it when I was a kid. It was Pete Chilcutt's fault. Cracked the screen. Dad was really upset.

3. What's the most coveted item you've parted with and/or destroyed because of a Duke loss or poor Duke play?

Probably a Duke hat that I had for years. I considered it my lucky cap. I threw it away in the tantrum of '02 (see above). Incidentally, that was my last Duke tantrum. I sought help soon afterwards.

4. What's the worst offense you've ever uttered towards Carolina while watching a Duke/UNC game.

Can't answer that on this forum - and I'm betting no one else can either.

5. What's the strangest thing a Duke victory or loss has ever caused you to do?

Rather violently hug and passionately kiss an 80-year-old man (on the cheek) at Ramada Inn in Burlington, NC when Laettner hit "The Shot" against Kentucky that cold but wonderful starry night in March, 1992.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

1., 2. and 3.
As a senior, Duke football played to preserve a tie vs. carolina in the last game of the 1975 season, rather than throw a 40-yard hail Mary pass to try to win the game (we had tied NC State the week before). Mike McGee's play selection had me incensed, to say the least, that he wouldn't try to win my last game as an undergrad. How dare he??? He believed that if he lost to carolina he would be fired ( he was only a year or so off on that guess!) I was at the game with my then girlfriend (now wife) and I was very drunk. I had 2 folding seat-back chairs that we were sitting in. After screaming at the #@&(*#^!$ for several minutes (and the crowd had thinned considerably, and yes, it had been a full house) I took the seat and threw it. I chased after it, and threw it again. Repeatedly. It did not survive. (The other seat I used for 27 years, losing it after we beat someone (Virginia?) a few years ago and I helped tear down the goalposts and carry one of them to the main quad. Pictures were posted on the DBR.)

[EarlJam]

1., 2. and 3.
As a senior, Duke football played to preserve a tie vs. carolina in the last game of the 1975 season, rather than throw a 40-yard hail Mary pass to try to win the game (we had tied NC State the week before). Mike McGee's play selection had me incensed, to say the least, that he wouldn't try to win my last game as an undergrad. How dare he??? He believed that if he lost to carolina he would be fired ( he was only a year or so off on that guess!) I was at the game with my then girlfriend (now wife) and I was very drunk. I had 2 folding seat-back chairs that we were sitting in. After screaming at the #@&(*#^!$ for several minutes (and the crowd had thinned considerably, and yes, it had been a full house) I took the seat and threw it. I chased after it, and threw it again. Repeatedly. It did not survive. (The other seat I used for 27 years, losing it after we beat someone (Virginia?) a few years ago and I helped tear down the goalposts and carry one of them to the main quad. Pictures were posted on the DBR.)

That's hilarious! Great story! I want to hear more of these. I think it would make for a great sports fan book. The infamous wrath on the folding chair. Bobby Knight would have been so proud! Thanks for sharing.

-EarlJam

[Dukerati]

Answers to 1,2, and 5. When Duke lost to UCONN in the final four, I quietly drove to Home Depot, bought a hammer, and then proceeded to go to town on a street sign for a good fifteen minutes. My intent was to hammer it into the tiniest cube of metal possible but I tired quickly and only succeeded in mild mutilation.

Afterwards, all of my friends asked me where I went since no one noticed I had left amidst all the sadness. I just told them I needed to get some "air"

[Jfrosh]

I had gone through a couple of remotes that I had thrown across the room and smashed against the wall. Now, if I am watching at home I only have a pillow in front of me. It gets thrown and does no damage. I have ripped into one and made a big feathery mess though.

[Lord Ash]

I admit, at the end of this last season my Duke varsity ring got tossed rather carelessly onto the shelf with considerable anger and force. I couldn't handle losing to Maryland, Carolina, 1st round of ACC, and 1st round of NCAA, all in a row.

[CameronBlue]

1, 2, 3---Partial damage list: Punched a hole in my fiance's dresser following the 95 UNC loss in Cameron. Cheap veneer had this little swirlie pattern that reminded me of either Jerry Stackhouse's face or the Madonna, depending upon the angle. After several taunts and threats I landed a haymaker and the side just caved right in.

Threw my tennis shoe through a window after it ricocheted off the arm of my best friend who was pulling for State. It was the Thompson years.

On one occasion instead of being the tosser I was the tossee, being ejected from Cameron (16 at the time) for calling the ref an SOB (among other assorted compliments) during a game against Santa Clara some years ago, just as Cameron went from raucous to strangely quiet. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE--coaches, players, ref, crowd, turned and stared--(it was the 70s) and I was escorted from the building. Duke, obviously motivated by my selfless act in taking one for the team, won 86-80.

5. Kissed the husband of my business partner on the mouth after Ferry's putback against Kansas in the 86 semis.

[EarlJam]

5. Kissed the husband of my business partner on the mouth after Ferry's putback against Kansas in the 86 semis.

Man, good one! I'd forgotten that. I was with friends playing backyard basketball when we came in to watch the final part of the game. I remember that tip-in well. Ferry's freshman year.

I'm not sure of why I wasn't watching the entire game.

[MrBisonDevil]

I never damaged items or uttered negative comments at opposing fans. But, every now & then, I perform a few embarrassing actions when I watch Duke BBall from my humble abode:

1) 'Jump' just before tipoff
2) Distracting opponent's free throws
3) Chant "BONK, BONK, Aaaaaah, PASS, BONK, SHOT, MISS!"
4) "Let's Go Duke" chant w/ accompanied gestures
5) Assure my gf that a sane 30ish y/o Cameron Crazy Alum has the right to perform the above actions.

(If I had a CC bleacher section dedicated audio feed and a Game Cheer Sheet the above list would be a little longer... heh) :D

[DevilAlumna]

But, every now & then, I perform a few embarrassing actions when I watch Duke BBall from my humble abode:

1) 'Jump' just before tipoff
2) Distracting opponent's free throws
3) Chant "BONK, BONK, Aaaaaah, PASS, BONK, SHOT, MISS!"
4) "Let's Go Duke" chant w/ accompanied gestures
5) Assure my gf that a sane 30ish y/o Cameron Crazy Alum has the right to perform the above actions.

(If I had a CC bleacher section dedicated audio feed and a Game Cheer Sheet the above list would be a little longer... heh) :D

No breakage; I go quiet and withdrawn after losses....but I'm guilty of doing the above as well.

I'll back you up with your gf, if you'll reassure my husband that it's a totally normal thing for a Crazie to do. (And I'm frequently watching on a DVR delay, so it's not like my actions are having any real-time effect....)

As for the Crazie-dedicated audio feed -- BRILLIANT! Does Cameron have WiFi access? Can we get it set up? Anyone here have ties to current undergrads???

[Cameron]

Well, my experiences with Duke and Destruction compare similarly with Earl's. I was in Columbus at the time, attending the Ohio High School Boy's State Championships. As I watched the NCAA South Regionals play before my eyes that night, my beloved Devils took me on a schizophrenic roller-coaster ride that I will hopefully forget one day.

After the funeral-like conclusion to the 2002 Indiana game, I discovered that I had a rather large problem; basically, that I was not like other, more normal sports observers. I found out in those first few somber seconds after the missed free-throw, the missed foul call, the missed chance at a repeat national championship, the misinterpretation of senior warrior Matt Christensen's keen sense for detail in noticing the college rule book had been violated on that fateful last play that was, instead, mistaken for violent rage, that I was a psychopath fanatic.

Within a minute of the game's finale, I was already standing on the corner of Lane Avenue in Columbus, outside of Ohio State's Schottenstien Center. I ended up sitting there, leaned against a concrete wall, for nearly an hour, trying to recount the steps I had taken to let my life get to that point. Why, I was asking myself, did I let a team and a game that I have no control over, whatsoever, playing in a contest that was hundreds of miles away, cause me to shatter a bar stool into small fragments against a brick wall while violently yelling explicits towards a sea of Hoosier loyalists, before being escorted out of the building and banned for the remainder of the night session by arena security?

Duke Blue. That's the conclusion I finally arrived at.

[FreezingDevil]

As for the Crazie-dedicated audio feed -- BRILLIANT! Does Cameron have WiFi access? Can we get it set up? Anyone here have ties to current undergrads???

Cameron has great wifi access. As a student I go there a lot to study, especially during exams. When I'm stressed out of my mind, Cameron always puts me at ease. :)

[trinity92]

My only personal act of destruction (that I recall) was actually out of joy rather than anger. As the buzzer sounded in our victory over Kansas in in 1991 Championship, I threw my (mostly) empty glass against the wall. For all I know, the imprint is still in the Irwin Sq. wall today. I came close to destruction when Brand and Co. lost in the regional final to Kentucky-- slammed a vodka bottle as hard as I could on my coffee table, but symptomatic of my frustration at the moment, the bottle refused to break. That was a sharp contrast to the joy my friends and I exhibited at halftime of that game, when it appeared we were headed to the final four in a laugher. UGH!

Now as for my friends, my buddy's wife threw over an entire table of glasses as we lost the Championship to UCONN in the late '90s, leading us to slip the waitress a 20 and beat a hasty exit from the bar. I was also part of a very surly bunch of people wandering durham in a daze after our shellacking at UNLV's hands in 1990-- the pain was so great, however, we were sort of subdued in our anger rather than breaking things.

[TillyGalore]

Like DevilAlumna I don't break anything but go quite and withdraw.

I hope you all will forgive me for the 1999 loss to UConn. You see, during The Dance on the days Duke was off I would wear my Duke sweatshirt. Don't know why but hadn't been wearing it on game days. Well, I didn't wear my sweatshirt the day before the NC game. During the waning moments of the game I did pull out my old sweatshirt - was wearing that in 1992 - but it was to no avail. Again, I hope you all can forgive me.

In 2004 when we lost to Maryland in the ACC championship - let me back up a sec, I was in Maryland visiting my parents as it was my father's birthday. As my father is a Maryland grad I have told him that as a result of that loss I no longer travel to Maryland the weekend of an ACC tourney - I drove back to NC after the game. In VA I ran into a couple of Maryland fans when I stopped for a bathroom break. As I was coming out of the bathroom a Maryland fan was heading in my direction all pumped to confront the owner of the car with a Duke basketball license plate. Before he could say anything I said "nice game." I think I deflated his ego. :) Course moments after that encounter Duke was named to a number one seed.:) :)

So to answer the questions, haven't thrown or destroyed anything as a result of loss or bad play. I do go a little mental during the heat of a great game and sit with my legs crossed (aka indian style, don't the pc term for this) clutching a pillow and rocking back and forth. Thank God my current boyfriend understands my passion for Duke and lets me be. :D

[Classof06]

The UCONN game in 2004 took way too much out of me for me to break anything; I felt like there was nothing inside, just bone and muscle. The LSU game in '06? I might still owe my old landlord for chunks of wall missing in my old apartment. Personally, being a senior, that was the most frustrating Duke loss I've ever watched; I truly felt we were gonna do it that year. The only time I've broken more property over a game was when Vince Young (not Texas) beat my Buckeyes in Columbus a few years ago. The list of things I broke after that game is too long and embarrassing to reveal.

But bad games aren't the only time things are broken. When Duhon hit that reverse layup in OT at Chapel Hill to beat the 'Holes in '04, a complete mob ensued in my dorm room (Craven Quad - House C). Somehow, both me and my roomate got our university-issued desk chairs shattered. I would tell you how the chairs were broken, but I was too busy yelling "we're still number one b!@$#" out of my window at the top of my lungs; if you remember, we came into that game with a #1 ranking that we had held all season. Anyway, we were awarded a bill for the chairs at the end of the year. It was still all worth it :D .

[EarlJam]

Well, my experiences with Duke and Destruction compare similarly with Earl's. I was in Columbus at the time, attending the Ohio High School Boy's State Championships. As I watched the NCAA South Regionals play before my eyes that night, my beloved Devils took me on a schizophrenic roller-coaster ride that I will hopefully forget one day.

After the funeral-like conclusion to the 2002 Indiana game, I discovered that I had a rather large problem; basically, that I was not like other, more normal sports observers. I found out in those first few somber seconds after the missed free-throw, the missed foul call, the missed chance at a repeat national championship, the misinterpretation of senior warrior Matt Christensen's keen sense for detail in noticing the college rule book had been violated on that fateful last play that was, instead, mistaken for violent rage, that I was a psychopath fanatic.

Within a minute of the game's finale, I was already standing on the corner of Lane Avenue in Columbus, outside of Ohio State's Schottenstien Center. I ended up sitting there, leaned against a concrete wall, for nearly an hour, trying to recount the steps I had taken to let my life get to that point. Why, I was asking myself, did I let a team and a game that I have no control over, whatsoever, playing in a contest that was hundreds of miles away, cause me to shatter a bar stool into small fragments against a brick wall while violently yelling explicits towards a sea of Hoosier loyalists, before being escorted out of the building and banned for the remainder of the night session by arena security?

Duke Blue. That's the conclusion I finally arrived at.

Well done. That is a FANTASTIC story. Seemed cool, calm, collective, leaving me to wonder how your story was like mine, then came the "violent" conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post, THANKS!

There really does need to be a book out on this stuff. It's good reading!

[EarlJam]

My only personal act of destruction (that I recall) was actually out of joy rather than anger. As the buzzer sounded in our victory over Kansas in in 1991 Championship, I threw my (mostly) empty glass against the wall. For all I know, the imprint is still in the Irwin Sq. wall today. I came close to destruction when Brand and Co. lost in the regional final to Kentucky-- slammed a vodka bottle as hard as I could on my coffee table, but symptomatic of my frustration at the moment, the bottle refused to break. That was a sharp contrast to the joy my friends and I exhibited at halftime of that game, when it appeared we were headed to the final four in a laugher. UGH!

Now as for my friends, my buddy's wife threw over an entire table of glasses as we lost the Championship to UCONN in the late '90s, leading us to slip the waitress a 20 and beat a hasty exit from the bar. I was also part of a very surly bunch of people wandering durham in a daze after our shellacking at UNLV's hands in 1990-- the pain was so great, however, we were sort of subdued in our anger rather than breaking things.

All of these stories just have me laughing my arse off! I have a friend in Burlington who is a diehard Duke fan. He recounted the story to me of when he was watching the game with his ex-wife, note I said "EX," and Duke lost a nailbiter. He got pissed off and was screaming. His Ex said something to the effect of, "Why do you have to throw a tantrum when Duke loses?"

His response was: "You think that's a tantrum? That's not a tantrum! THIS is a tantrum!"

He then picked up the TV and threw it through the window.

They aren't married anymore.

True story.

-EarlJam

[VaDukie]

After 99 UConn loss my room resembled a tornado sight. Since then I've never broken anything after a loss - nothing can compare to the pain of that game.

[jimsumner]

My wife keeps threatening to have me committed. Does that count?

I can be a bit of a gloomy gus but the only time I ever actually physically damaged anything was Spurrier's first season as head coach. Duke was playing at Maryland, a team they hadn't defeated in awhile. Duke led 22-7 midway through the 4th, with Maryland back at about their ten. Maryland drove down the field, scored, converted a two-pointer and it was 22-15. Duke got the ball back and basically had to pick up one first down and run the clock out. Something bad happened on third down, the specifics of which elude me; a dropped pass, a penalty, a bad spot, something. Duke had to punt.

So Maryland again drove a long way down the field, scored with seconds left, and again converted a two-pointer. 23-22. Somehow the remote control ended up bouncing off the wall. It just slipped out of my hand. Honest. :)

[nathancjack]

[QUOTE=TillyGalore;33190]

I do go a little mental during the heat of a great game and sit with my legs crossed (aka indian style, don't the pc term for this) clutching a pillow and rocking back and forth.

PC for "indian style" would be "criss-cross applesauce".

Before Laettner hit THE SHOT, when Sean Woods banked it in as he was falling on his back (luckiest shot in history), I kicked over an end table, which caused my dog (Lab named after Coach K) to bark, which woke my 6 week old baby and caused her to cry, which pissed-off my wife. So, when Laettner hit his shot, at least outwardly, my reaction was not as jubilant as it would otherwise have been.

Generally while watching games I pace around muttering at opposing players who, coincidentally, are always ugly and/or stupid.

Incidentally, within 5 months of the birth of each of my 3 children, Duke won a National Championship. Althought I am extremely proud of this stat, my Tar Heel wife is not impressed.

[Lord Ash]

You should be busy working on child number 4, not posting on this message board. Get to work!

And yeah, the UCon loss and the Indiana robbery were really really really bad. The Indiana game was in a bar where there were 400 Indiana/Anybody but Duke fans and two Duke fans; myself and my buddy.

[duketaylor]

"Incidentally, within 5 months of the birth of each of my 3 children, Duke won a National Championship. Althought I am extremely proud of this stat, my Tar Heel wife is not impressed."

Well, then I highly recommend lots of summer trystes with your spouse for the next several years, regardless of anything else that might even be remotely relevant; we simply need more NC's. If I had the same "luck", I'd certainly DO IT;)

[captmojo]

I lost my voice and my sensibility when the refs did not call traveling on the Indiana player inbounding the ball on the sidelines back in '02.
I've been just as supported since although not as destructive.

[Cameron]

I agree with EarlJam. These Duke stories need to be printed into a book. We have some of the most passionate fans in America.

While watching our game against VCU this past March, I was sitting with my Dad in a sports bar, decked out in True Blue and wearing my favorite white Blue Devil hat. Big mistake. The whole entire game, I was heckled like Mr. Buckner at an October festival in the Northeast. I mean, I was getting it handed to me. There was this one guy in particular, sitting quietly by himself in a corner booth drinking a beer, who kept giving me smiles and going out of his way to make sure that I saw him celebrating every time VCU scored. He was just eating the moment up. So, needless to say, when we took a late nine point lead, I made sure he heard about it. I was acting like a fool, I'm not going to lie. My Dad is a moderate Duke fan, but he was getting really uneasy with how big a scene I was making. At one point, after we drilled a three, I stood up and stared the evil corner booth man down with a Reggie Miller style three-point signal while bowing, leaving him with the classic Miller Time glare. By the way, I am pushing my mid-20s. It felt unbelievable though:). The pride I was feeling at that point was beyond explanation. We were Duke.

Then came the ending. When those final, bitterly cold seconds ticked off the clock, ending our season in the first round, the entire bar clapped as I exited the building with tears in my eyes (my Dad had left ten minutes before, believing that I wouldn't know how to handle my emotions if we lost.) He was right. I wanted to knock every single table over as I left, but there was no emotion, no energy to exert that anger. I truly was as depressed as you can be. I walked out to the car, and just leaned up against its side, pondering what I was going to do the rest of my March. This was supposed to be my time of the year, my month, my time to support the hell out of Duke, to watch and record all of their games. And it was all over, in the blink of an eye. I cried myself to sleep that night. My Dad, and most others that know me, can't understand why I literally make myself sick after Duke losses, epsecially in the Tournament. But Duke is a part of me. That's why.

My obsession of Blue Devil Basketball, although sometimes severely misguided and to the point of ridiculousness, will always be there. I love Duke. I will always love Duke. It's something I hold close to me. It's more than just a game and some sports team to me; it's a stress reliever (although that can be seen as a contradicting comment during Carolina and NCAA games:)), something I carry great pride in following, a hobby, an almost family-like experience. The first time I set foot in Cameron, I knew I was home.

Like Red Sox fans feel in Boston, nothing compares to the feeling Duke Blue sends down my veins. Anyone ever seen "Still, We Believe," the Red Sox fan documentary? That's exactly how I feel.

TRUE BLUE BELIEVER SINCE BIRTH

[CCx3]

The VCU loss caused me to throw a field hockey stick at my brand new plasma 72" TV and put a HUGE crack in the TV

At least it was new and I got a new one for free :)

The weirdest thing I did was when Duke won it all in 2001, I kissed my best friend's fiancée passionately. That was really awkward...

[EarlJam]

The weirdest thing I did was when Duke won it all in 2001, I kissed my best friend's fiancée passionately. That was really awkward...

Awesome....I think. I bet your best friend doesn't want Duke to win any more championships though.

This whole thing about the Duke loss to VCU brought back memories of my #1thought that night: Duke was mentally weak (I uttered/shouted a different term).

Seriously, that's a huge problem with this team. We need a "bad a&&." A Nate James or a Bobby Hurley or Laettner. Not so much from a skills/talent point of view, but from a mental tougness point of view. We need some 'tude bad.

-EarlJam

[Cameron]

Seriously, that's a huge problem with this team. We need a "bad a&&."

I agree whole heartedly. I would love to see Jon break into the same mold JJ displayed during his career. Maybe not talent wise (because JJ will never be duplicated in terms of sheer greatness IMO), but moreso mentally. JJ didn't take sh** from nobody. He knew he was great. That's something a lot of guys don't have, or at least don't show. The great ones do. Chris Duhon showed this quality at certain times. And, like Earl eluded to above, we all know guys like Hurley and Laettner had this trait as well.

The reason I would love Jon to break into this mold is because I think sometimes, although he is obviously passionate out on the floor, he lets the opposition take him out of his game and rough him up too much. Now I am not hoping that Jon goes PJ Brown on us and starts flipping guys on their heads, but I would love to see him send a little John Starks attitude their way. Show 'em that Duke isn't taking any sh** from anybody.

I think Gerald and Greg could easily fit into this role next season, though. I think we'll have a very tough minded club.

(BTW, the more I was thinking about it, we definitely could have used a guy like Nate James (or even Bill Laimbeer for that matter) in 2006 against LSU. With all the bullying, pushing, shoving, elbowing, and cheap shotting they were pulling all night long, it would have been nice to send 'em a hard hitting message. But, then again, when the officials want you gone, there's not much a team can do:( Timmy D wasn't reffing that night was he?)

[Indoor66]

Just wait. The MAN will be Greg Paulus. You heard it here (and from JJ).

[captmojo]

Show these guys old films of Mike Lewis!

[yum dukie]

i'm more of a tantrums guy than property destruction.

after LSU in 2006, i got in my car and drove one entire lap around I-285 (about 50-60 miles?) to cool me down. it helped a little bit. but having ESPN radio on while i was driving probably was not a good idea.

[EarlJam]

i'm more of a tantrums guy than property destruction.

after LSU in 2006, i got in my car and drove one entire lap around I-285 (about 50-60 miles?) to cool me down. it helped a little bit. but having ESPN radio on while i was driving probably was not a good idea.

A Lap Around I-285 in Atlanta:

During NON-Rush Hour: 62 minutes, 30 seconds
During Rush Hour: 2 Days, 17 hours, 46 minutes, 15 seconds

It's no wonder they call Atlanta the ATL!

That last sentence (above) made no sense.

-EarlJam

[Uncle Drew]

This was a GREAT idea for a post, at least I know I'm nt the only one who gets so into the games......


1. What's the largest item you've ever damaged or destroyed because of a Duke loss or poor Duke play?I used to work at a plant that made color photo paper, all the rooms were in total darkness with 6-8 employees and on this particular night everyone in the room was a UNC fan but me. We were listening to the Jerry Crackhouse dunk, Capel shot OT thriller on the radio (against company rules I might add) and when Capel made his shot I was jumping around and acting like a total fool. However when it became apparent Duke was going to lose the game after all that drama, every UNC employee in the department started calling out on the department intercom ragging the Duke fans. There was one speaker in the room which I knew the exact position of from lights on clean up operations. I picked up a full industrial sized trashcan, gave two olympic hammer throw spins and hurled it at the speaker knocking it out of the cinderblock wall and into the floor. As stated this was a darkroom, and when the speaker fell, sparks from the ripped wires lit up the room like the 4th of July. Everyone in the room was like, "oh %$#@" but to my surprise no one ratted me out. Maintenance found the speaker the next week and assumed it had gotten damaged by someone moving a ladder in the dark. They actually wrote up a whole new "proceedure" for moving the ladder "safely".

2. What's the most expensive thing you've ever thrown or damaged or destroyed because of a Duke loss or poor Duke play?
This isn't because of a poor Duke play, but a good or perhaps lucky Duke play. Tommy Amakers senior year they were playing at Clemson and Duke was trailing towards the end of the game. My father and I were watching the game in the den together and Amaker took a 3 point shot. The ball hit the front of the rim, bounced HIGH off the backboard, dropped down and rattled inside the rim for what seemed like an eternity before falling through for three points. I jumped up out of my seat pumping my fist into the air and clean through the sheetrock ceiling. (I broke two fingers) A huge chunk fell to the ground all over the couch and floor. My mom freaked, but my dad being a HUGE Duke fan and knowing why it happened blew it off and got it fixed the next week. I have no idea how much the repair cost, but the labor alone had to be expensive.

3. What's the most coveted item you've parted with and/or destroyed because of a Duke loss or poor Duke play?
First let me say I have destroyed many more items and been much more enraged after UNC victories than Duke losses or bad plays. (I can not for the sake of possible arrest say what I did after their 1993 and 2005 championships.) That being said, JJ and S. William's last game at Cameron when they lost to a freshman led UNC team IMO was the most humiliating loss in the history of Duke basketball. I am an artist and sell through a gallery in DC. I had three oil paintings completed packaged and ready to ship up there for display / sale but got so mad I kicked my foot right through the package and of course all three paintings. I seriously thought about repackaging the paintings as they were and renaming them, "When Duke Loses I, II & III". But I didn't think the gallery owner would find it funny and I knew they wouldn't sell.

4. What's the worst offense you've ever uttered towards Carolina while watching a Duke/UNC game.
I think I have invented new curse words while watching Duke vs. UNC games, all of which would get me banned if I listed them here. However I do remember one particular incident that sticks in my head. Spurriers last UNC football game was at Chapel Hell and my brother and I got tickets to the 41-0 Duke win. UNC's QB at the time was a guy from Burlington NC named Chuckie Burnette whom I had played pee wee football with growing up. I never could stand the jack %$@ and him suiting up for the University of Northern Carrboro made me like him even less. UNC had the ball, Chuckie took the snap and a Duke lineman came through on his blindside and leveled him so hard I think the soles of his shoes hit the back of his helmet. (God bless that lineman!) We were sitting on the UNC side surrounded by UNC fans and my brother and I had been obnoxious the whole game. As the medical staff examined Chuckie and the crowd was silent waiting to see if he was okay, I screamed out at the top of my lungs, "give him a tampon he'll be okay"! I swear the twenty rows of people in front of us all turned around aghast at what I had said.

5. What's the strangest thing a Duke victory or loss has ever caused you to do?
When Laettner hit his shot against UCONN to send them to the Final Four I grabbed the Duke banner from in front of our house, jumped in the car holding the banner out the window and drove all the way across Burlington (to my UNC fan cousin's house.) screaming, "Go Duke, Go to hell Carolina". If middle fingers were dollar bills I would have made a million bucks that day.

[TillyGalore]

Incidentally, within 5 months of the birth of each of my 3 children, Duke won a National Championship. Althought I am extremely proud of this stat, my Tar Heel wife is not impressed.

Please tell me you're wife is pregnant.

[Cameron]

However when it became apparent Duke was going to lose the game after all that drama, every UNC employee in the department started calling out on the department intercom ragging the Duke fans. There was one speaker in the room which I knew the exact position of from lights on clean up operations. I picked up a full industrial sized trashcan, gave two olympic hammer throw spins and hurled it at the speaker knocking it out of the cinderblock wall and into the floor. As stated this was a darkroom, and when the speaker fell, sparks from the ripped wires lit up the room like the 4th of July. Everyone in the room was like, "oh %$#@" but to my surprise no one ratted me out. Maintenance found the speaker the next week and assumed it had gotten damaged by someone moving a ladder in the dark. They actually wrote up a whole new "proceedure" for moving the ladder "safely".

Lol.

"I picked up a full industrial sized trashcan, gave two olympic hammer throw spins"

That's freakin' hilarious.

A book definitely needs to be made.

[dukestheheat]

Earl Jam-

quick answer to question 5 'what's the strangest thing a duke WIN has caused you to do?'..............

when Laett hit 'The Shot', I stood up on the couch, pointed at the TV and screamed over and over, at the top of my lungs, 'you're a STAR!' 'you're a STAR!', 'you're a STAR!'. I was totally oblivious to anyone listening to me as I look back on that one; also, about two hours later I told myself 'man, if anyone heard me doing that and didn't understand the context of that diatribe, they'd think I have an active case of schizophrenia or I'm hearing voices or something like that'.

dth.

[Cameron]

when Laett hit 'The Shot', I stood up on the couch, pointed at the TV and screamed over and over, at the top of my lungs, 'you're a STAR!' 'you're a STAR!', 'you're a STAR!'. I was totally oblivious to anyone listening to me as I look back on that one

Wow. I almost died reading that. Funny as hell. Reminds me of how I got when JJ was pounding out another 40 point night.

These stories are awesome. Thanks for creating this thread, Earl.

[Joehurley1]

Bounced the remote off the couch many times last year! I watch the games with my mother and I blurted out "m*****f*****" in front of her several times. (That's bad! I know it)

[jimsumner]

"Show these guys old films of Mike Lewis"

How about old films of Dan Meagher?

[Uncle Drew]

Bounced the remote off the couch many times last year! I watch the games with my mother and I blurted out "m*****f*****" in front of her several times. (That's bad! I know it)


Honestly MF, even in front of your mom is not that bad as long as it is in the context of Duke vs. UNC. Truth be told I'm pretty sure I learned to cuss listening to my dad watch Duke vs. UNC games. When I was in the second grade I went to Sunday School and told everyone that Carolina was a bunch of SOB's. (I had no idea what SOB stood for.) The teacher said, "William, you don't mean that", trying to get me to stop. I replied, "yes I do mean it, and they're going to burn in hell"!:D

[captmojo]

"Show these guys old films of Mike Lewis"

How about old films of Dan Meagher?

Yeah, he would work as well.

[Dukerati]

I agree with EarlJam. These Duke stories need to be printed into a book. We have some of the most passionate fans in America.

While watching our game against VCU this past March, I was sitting with my Dad in a sports bar, decked out in True Blue and wearing my favorite white Blue Devil hat. Big mistake. The whole entire game, I was heckled like Mr. Buckner at an October festival in the Northeast. I mean, I was getting it handed to me. There was this one guy in particular, sitting quietly by himself in a corner booth drinking a beer, who kept giving me smiles and going out of his way to make sure that I saw him celebrating every time VCU scored. He was just eating the moment up. So, needless to say, when we took a late nine point lead, I made sure he heard about it. I was acting like a fool, I'm not going to lie. My Dad is a moderate Duke fan, but he was getting really uneasy with how big a scene I was making. At one point, after we drilled a three, I stood up and stared the evil corner booth man down with a Reggie Miller style three-point signal while bowing, leaving him with the classic Miller Time glare. By the way, I am pushing my mid-20s. It felt unbelievable though:). The pride I was feeling at that point was beyond explanation. We were Duke.

Then came the ending. When those final, bitterly cold seconds ticked off the clock, ending our season in the first round, the entire bar clapped as I exited the building with tears in my eyes (my Dad had left ten minutes before, believing that I wouldn't know how to handle my emotions if we lost.) He was right. I wanted to knock every single table over as I left, but there was no emotion, no energy to exert that anger. I truly was as depressed as you can be. I walked out to the car, and just leaned up against its side, pondering what I was going to do the rest of my March. This was supposed to be my time of the year, my month, my time to support the hell out of Duke, to watch and record all of their games. And it was all over, in the blink of an eye. I cried myself to sleep that night. My Dad, and most others that know me, can't understand why I literally make myself sick after Duke losses, epsecially in the Tournament. But Duke is a part of me. That's why.

My obsession of Blue Devil Basketball, although sometimes severely misguided and to the point of ridiculousness, will always be there. I love Duke. I will always love Duke. It's something I hold close to me. It's more than just a game and some sports team to me; it's a stress reliever (although that can be seen as a contradicting comment during Carolina and NCAA games:)), something I carry great pride in following, a hobby, an almost family-like experience. The first time I set foot in Cameron, I knew I was home.

Like Red Sox fans feel in Boston, nothing compares to the feeling Duke Blue sends down my veins. Anyone ever seen "Still, We Believe," the Red Sox fan documentary? That's exactly how I feel.

TRUE BLUE BELIEVER SINCE BIRTH

Were you in the same bar as I was Cameron? After the VCU loss, the entire bar erupted into applause and my friends and I were serenaded and heckled out. I was all for taking a couple of them out and going to jail that night but all of my female friends were crying and drained me of any remaining energy I had left. After we left the bar, I started laughing hysterically for about ten minutes, followed by screaming at the top of my lungs for about twenty more. My best friend was with me at the time and just sat quietly on the side (well maybe he did, I couldn't hear or say anything after I was done so I have no real way of knowing) until I was done. Afterward, we just got in the car and drove off. We still have not talked about the game.

[EarlJam]

Were you in the same bar as I was Cameron? After the VCU loss, the entire bar erupted into applause and my friends and I were serenaded and heckled out. I was all for taking a couple of them out and going to jail that night but all of my female friends were crying and drained me of any remaining energy I had left. After we left the bar, I started laughing hysterically for about ten minutes, followed by screaming at the top of my lungs for about twenty more. My best friend was with me at the time and just sat quietly on the side (well maybe he did, I couldn't hear or say anything after I was done so I have no real way of knowing) until I was done. Afterward, we just got in the car and drove off. We still have not talked about the game.

Started laughing hysterically for about ten minutes? That is so fluffing funny - as is the rest of the post!

Keep these coming folks! I run a cheap little Web site each year for March Madness. I think I'm going to have a section, "The Funny side of Failure" dedicated to such stories as these. VERY entertaining.


-EarlJam

[DevilAlumna]

Honestly MF, even in front of your mom is not that bad as long as it is in the context of Duke vs. UNC. Truth be told I'm pretty sure I learned to cuss listening to my dad watch Duke vs. UNC games. When I was in the second grade I went to Sunday School and told everyone that Carolina was a bunch of SOB's. (I had no idea what SOB stood for.) The teacher said, "William, you don't mean that", trying to get me to stop. I replied, "yes I do mean it, and they're going to burn in hell"!:D

Ahh, starting out so young. Good for your folks to teach you right.

I learned a LOT of choice no-no words from my dad at Nebraska football games; Nebraska-Oklahoma was always a doozy for picking up something new. Typically, it was something along the lines of, "JHC, who's gonna be effin' surprised when we run up the middle 1st down, run up the middle 2nd down, then freakin' pass on 3rd & long!?"

"[My old man] worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

[Cameron]

We still have not talked about the game.

Kind of reminds me of the the haunting LSU game tape that has been sitting by its lonesome in the top corner of my closet since its conclusion. I probably never will have the heart to watch it. Watching JJ stand on the sideline in tears, as his hopes and dreams of a national championship coldly vanished, was one of the saddest moments of my life as a sports fan. I will never forget that:(

[Joehurley1]

Man I know it was emotional for him and all that, but that crying at the end of that game tore my nerves up. Man he sucked that night. You don't cry over a game like that. I like for Duke players to be cold blooded on the court win or lose. I'll take Laettner's attitude everytime.

[EarlJam]

Man I know it was emotional for him and all that, but that crying at the end of that game tore my nerves up. Man he sucked that night. You don't cry over a game like that. I like for Duke players to be cold blooded on the court win or lose. I'll take Laettner's attitude everytime.

True about Laettner and a good observation. I would say the same thing about Shane Battier. Both were extremely cool customers under pressure and you just got the sense they were in control no matter what.

-EarlJam

[Cameron]

Man he sucked that night.

While he wasn't exactly having the best of shooting nights in that game, JJ wasn't exactly played fairly throughout the contest, either. LSU's players (or thugs, rather) played dirty, as I recall many cheap hits on JJ whenever he tried entering the lane. And the reff's whistles were nowhere to be found. I believe JJ shot like one foul shot the entire game, IIRC. When the hell did JJ ever shoot just one free throw? A HUGE part of JJ's game that year was getting himself free points from the charity stripe, and he was damn good at it too. He was getting killed that night.

I'm not one to make excuses for a loss, but it wasn't entirely JJ's fault for not producing the big numbers. He was physically assaulted all night long. Did you see his face at the end of the game? He looked like he had just gotten out of a gladiator pit. I'll go to my grave believing that they wanted Duke dead that night. Those refs didn't want to take the heat of "giving" JJ special treatment and "letting" Duke advance with "all the calls." Such bullsh*t.

I don't know how else you explain such a poorly officiated game. We had our run to Indianapolis stolen that night.

**I should note that I am not asserting that the officials that night had any money on the game or anything (especially in the midst of the whole Timmy D scandal), but rather that they let LSU play overly physical against us, choking on their whistles in fear of being chastised like the rest of the ACC crew. Call me out for my opinion, but I am a firm believer.

[thebur]

I know I have posted this before at some point, but after the absurdity of the Duke/Indiana fiasco of 2002 I was here in DC with my wife (she surprisingly is my wife though she was present and my current girlfriend at this point). We watched the game at my apartment in DC, and had to go see a friend's band in concert after the game. After a few minutes of screaming and throwing various items around there, she persuaded me we should go to the show to take my mind off of it.

Unfortunately we needed gas in the car.

I stopped at a gas station in Takoma Park, and while I was filling up with gas, snow started to fall. In the crowded gas station I started yelling to my wife and anyone else who looked towards me, "YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS! THE REFS GO AND F EVERYTHING UP AND GOD GETS MAD AND HELL FREEZES OVER." I continued with this line of apocalyptic prediction until my gaze fell upon one very unlucky Foot Locker employee. I just remember he hustled to the inside of the station as I berated him for being in a black and white vertically striped shirt and not calling a foul when Boozer got that rebound. I think he had very little idea what I was talking about.

[Joehurley1]

Yea he was banged around in the LSU game but you got to adjust to the way the game is being called. In the tourney the refs are going to let the banging go in most cases. I don't blame LSU. I would have knocked JJ around too. He just didn't adjust to the physicality of the game and seemed like the shots he took he was just trying to get them off with no real plan. Then he got frustrated and floated around the outside at half step late in the second half. Real bad game for him to end his career on and that's too bad cause he was heroic in so many other games. That's what I mean about Laettner. In a game like that he would have gone right at LSU. I remember how he just destroyed LSU with Shack in a couple of games. Man if Josh had only played with Laettner's heart. It just didn't have that quality.