Sparty just slapped the floor

[moonpie23]

sparty goes up 1 and slaps the floor.....


somewhere wojo cocks his head and says, "yeah?"

[BlueDevilBrowns]

sparty goes up 1 and slaps the floor.....


somewhere wojo cocks his head and says, "yeah?"

And I hope Wojo and Duke doesn't forget Miami's mocking them by slapping the floor down in Coral Gables this year.

[moonpie23]

now all the spartys are doing it.........up 3....2:18 left to play

[nchfries67]

All except one, Derrick Nix was busy giving Zeller a shot to the 'nads. Aint nobody got time for that!

[msdukie]

I remember when WE used to slap the floor... (gets misty eyed).

[throatybeard]

I remember when WE used to slap the floor... (gets misty eyed).

Your senior year, the WDNC radio people mixed a "heart-beat" soundtrack to the dunk late in the UNC game. It was like a hearbeat mapped over the floor slaps. It was so great.

[Durham Thunder]

I couldn't believe that.

I'm still not buying Larranaga's response, that Miami was complimenting Duke, but I do believe Michigan State was taking one from Duke's book. Too bad they didn't take our knack for free throws!

[msdukie]

Your senior year, the WDNC radio people mixed a "heart-beat" soundtrack to the dunk late in the UNC game. It was like a hearbeat mapped over the floor slaps. It was so great.

I need this!

[cptnflash]

The funniest part was when four Spartans slapped the floor, while Derrick Nix (instead of slapping the floor) hit Tyler Zeller in the nads to get him back for a play that happened a couple minutes earlier.

Of course, that led to Izzo taking Nix out to calm him down after he had just hit back to back buckets, and MSU proceeded to collapse down the stretch, so maybe it wasn't so funny after all.

[throatybeard]

I need this!

If I'm lucky, it's in my parents' house in W-S. If I ever find it, you'll be the first to know.

[Class of '94]

I think Izzo seriously wants MSU to be the Duke BBall program of the Midwest. This is the second home game in a row that they've done this. Players slapped the floor last week in their home game against Michigan. I think I remember reading in the past that Izzo admires the Duke program.

[gus]

I'm sure I used to know the answer to this, but it's receded into the dusty cobwebs of my middle age mind.

When did the floor slapping tradition start? It was a well established tradition by the mid 90's. Did it start with the Amaker/Dawkins era? Did K institute it, or was it a player created tradition?

Thanks in advance, and then get off my porch.

[DukeAlumBS]

My friends,

I think Wojo started this more agressively and it carried on through the Duke years.

I think,

Have nice day

Jimmy

[TexHawk]

I'm sure I used to know the answer to this, but it's receded into the dusty cobwebs of my middle age mind.

When did the floor slapping tradition start? It was a well established tradition by the mid 90's. Did it start with the Amaker/Dawkins era? Did K institute it, or was it a player created tradition?

Thanks in advance, and then get off my porch.

I ask this with the most respect possible, but you guys aren't suggesting that "floor slapping" was invented/originated at Duke, right? As THE high-profile college program that made it more *mainstream*, sure, I absolutely agree. But my pee-wee coach made us floor slap while doing defensive drills in the early 80s. My older brother's team did it all of the time in high school varsity games around the same time.


(I have come across a Duke fan or two (not on here) that really did think that no defender in the history of basketball ever slapped the floor before Coach K invented it. Maybe they were kidding, I couldn't tell.)

[gus]

I ask this with the most respect possible, but you guys aren't suggesting that "floor slapping" was invented/originated at Duke, right? As THE high-profile college program that made it more *mainstream*, sure, I absolutely agree. But my pee-wee coach made us floor slap while doing defensive drills in the early 80s. My older brother's team did it all of the time in high school varsity games around the same time.


(I have come across a Duke fan or two (not on here) that really did think that no defender in the history of basketball ever slapped the floor before Coach K invented it. Maybe they were kidding, I couldn't tell.)

Of course I don't believe floor slapping was invented at Duke, just as the term "airball" wasn't. It is, however, a tradition associated with Duke, just as the cadence that "airball" is chanted with started at Cameron. I'm just trying to remember when that started (slapping, not airball. Airball is well documented).

It did not start with Wojo. This I can say definitively, because I was at Duke before Wojo and knew that a floor slap meant "we're getting a stop here".

[DukeAlumBS]

My friends,

Yea you are probably right. Pee Wee hoop was where it stated.
But he asked about the real, original Duke floor slapping!
I think it was Wojo.
Or his high school coach!

LOL
Have nice day,
Jimmy

[scottdude8]

My favorite part of that game was when Mike Tirico said the following:
"This isn't the first Michigan State athletic event we've had clock issues with. Football games, there's been a lot of issues over the years."

Let us never forget that Sparty cheats. Wither TJ Duckett.

[devil84]

Floor slapping at Duke -- during games -- started Coach K's first year. Of course it's a regular drill done by all ages of basketball players. When Coach K came to Duke, he inherited players that were, well, let's just say they weren't defensive specialists. K, being rather defensively minded (there's an understatement!), used floor slapping during games to get them into good defensive stances and remind them to play defense. Sitting them until they played defense wasn't an option back then, as the whole team had to get used to playing focused man-to-man defense instead of Foster's zone until they could go back on offense. Instead, players could slap the floor to remind themselves (and show Coach K) that they're focused on defense. It wasn't intended (initially) to stir up the team or the crowds. That came after my time.

[Jarhead]

Floor slapping at Duke -- during games -- started Coach K's first year. Of course it's a regular drill done by all ages of basketball players. When Coach K came to Duke, he inherited players that were, well, let's just say they weren't defensive specialists. K, being rather defensively minded (there's an understatement!), used floor slapping during games to get them into good defensive stances and remind them to play defense. Sitting them until they played defense wasn't an option back then, as the whole team had to get used to playing focused man-to-man defense instead of Foster's zone until they could go back on offense. Instead, players could slap the floor to remind themselves (and show Coach K) that they're focused on defense. It wasn't intended (initially) to stir up the team or the crowds. That came after my time.

Did they floor slap at West Point?

[The Gordog]

Floor slapping at Duke -- during games -- started Coach K's first year. Of course it's a regular drill done by all ages of basketball players. When Coach K came to Duke, he inherited players that were, well, let's just say they weren't defensive specialists. K, being rather defensively minded (there's an understatement!), used floor slapping during games to get them into good defensive stances and remind them to play defense. Sitting them until they played defense wasn't an option back then, as the whole team had to get used to playing focused man-to-man defense instead of Foster's zone until they could go back on offense. Instead, players could slap the floor to remind themselves (and show Coach K) that they're focused on defense. It wasn't intended (initially) to stir up the team or the crowds. That came after my time.

Players (guards) did it when I was there, mostly Tommy Amaker.

- Class of '86

[Rich]

Players (guards) did it when I was there, mostly Tommy Amaker.

- Class of '86

As a member of the Class of '88, I agree. Tommy was known for the floor slap, but when all 5 on the floor did it, man did it rile up the crowd. As others have said, it was time for a stop.

I think the better question is, "Why don't we do it anymore?" I, for one, love the floor slap and I think Quin Cook would be the perfect one to bring it back.

[Reilly]

... when all 5 on the floor did it, man did it rile up the crowd....

Very much so. And I got the sense that K sometimes called this 'play' -- it was definitely coordinated. I recall it around 87 and 88 but not much beyond that. Wojo's version was seemingly a one-man spastic band. So my question, not only why did we stop it, but when? When was the last coordinated Duke floor slap?

[msdukie]

If I'm lucky, it's in my parents' house in W-S. If I ever find it, you'll be the first to know.

Thanks!

[yancem]

Very much so. And I got the sense that K sometimes called this 'play' -- it was definitely coordinated. I recall it around 87 and 88 but not much beyond that. Wojo's version was seemingly a one-man spastic band. So my question, not only why did we stop it, but when? When was the last coordinated Duke floor slap?

I think that it stopped in the late 90's early 00's because it was being over done and seemed to loose its meaning. A gesture isn't worth much if you don't but any real effort into it. I remember a few times when the team would do a floor slap and then have a defensive lapse and let the other team score.

I do find it kind of ironic that Miami choose to use the floor slap to taunt Duke when we haven't used in several years.

[CDu]

I think the better question is, "Why don't we do it anymore?" I, for one, love the floor slap and I think Quin Cook would be the perfect one to bring it back.

One reason might be that guys like Paulus would do it and then get burned for layups. So it sort of lost the mystique. I haven't seen it done in years. If you're gonna slap the floor, you best back it up with a stop.

[mkirsh]

One reason might be that guys like Paulus would do it and then get burned for layups. So it sort of lost the mystique. I haven't seen it done in years. If you're gonna slap the floor, you best back it up with a stop.

When Phil Ford was coaching JV hoops at Carolina, he would tell his players "if someone slaps the floor, forget whatever play we called - drive right by them and take it to the basket"

[Rich]

When Phil Ford was coaching JV hoops at Carolina, he would tell his players "if someone slaps the floor, forget whatever play we called - drive right by them and take it to the basket"

That sounds like a good plan, but the floor slap usually occurred after a made basket, upon getting back on defense, and while the opponent was still in their backcourt bringing the ball up the floor. It's not like we did it on a fast break or even while guarding the ball.

I agree if you're going to slap the floor you better bring it defensively. Otherwise it's just a joke.

[devil84]

Floor slapping at Duke -- during games -- started Coach K's first year. Of course it's a regular drill done by all ages of basketball players. When Coach K came to Duke, he inherited players that were, well, let's just say they weren't defensive specialists. K, being rather defensively minded (there's an understatement!), used floor slapping during games to get them into good defensive stances and remind them to play defense. Sitting them until they played defense wasn't an option back then, as the whole team had to get used to playing focused man-to-man defense instead of Foster's zone until they could go back on offense. Instead, players could slap the floor to remind themselves (and show Coach K) that they're focused on defense. It wasn't intended (initially) to stir up the team or the crowds. That came after my time.


Did they floor slap at West Point?

If they neglected their defensive assignments, they probably did!

I don't know for sure, though, except that Coach seemed to be quite familiar with that methodology to instill a sense of urgency on defense.

The floor-slapping was expected much more in practice than it was in games during K's first few years. And while guards seemed to do it more after '84, it was a forward or two that I remember needing to slap the floor the most in practice (and sometimes in games) during the first year.