I need a specific scouting report for a particular fan

[peterjswift]

Throughout college, I spent a lot of time watching Duke basketball and reading DBR and other message boards to stay knowledgeable and current on my favorite team. The woman I was dating (and eventually married) spent a lot of time with me watching the Blue Devils and became a fan. However, I am discovering that one of the ways she would enjoy the games was through getting to know the players themselves. I think she enjoyed getting to know the players and enjoy their successes over the years more than the game itself. This was okay, because at the time I had almost limitless information on all of the players, and was able to provide her with all kinds of information about the nuances of the players, their background, etc.

However, fast-forwarding a decade, I suddenly find myself with a lot less intimate knowledge of the players since I spend a very small fraction of my time on messageboards and reading about the team (I know...I have terrible priorities!). Because of this, I've noticed my wife's interest in the game waning slightly. I want to make sure she enjoys Duke basketball a lot this season, so I'm requesting a primer on our current team - especially the younger players. Could anyone provide me with a short bio of non-basketball related information on our current players? I think with a little more information about the players or some anecdotes about experiences they've had or their personalities, I could better present the team to my wife, and ensure more time spent together watching basketball. Any anecdotes anyone has about particular players or their back stories would be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

[mattman91]

Throughout college, I spent a lot of time watching Duke basketball and reading DBR and other message boards to stay knowledgeable and current on my favorite team. The woman I was dating (and eventually married) spent a lot of time with me watching the Blue Devils and became a fan. However, I am discovering that one of the ways she would enjoy the games was through getting to know the players themselves. I think she enjoyed getting to know the players and enjoy their successes over the years more than the game itself. This was okay, because at the time I had almost limitless information on all of the players, and was able to provide her with all kinds of information about the nuances of the players, their background, etc.

However, fast-forwarding a decade, I suddenly find myself with a lot less intimate knowledge of the players since I spend a very small fraction of my time on messageboards and reading about the team (I know...I have terrible priorities!). Because of this, I've noticed my wife's interest in the game waning slightly. I want to make sure she enjoys Duke basketball a lot this season, so I'm requesting a primer on our current team - especially the younger players. Could anyone provide me with a short bio of non-basketball related information on our current players? I think with a little more information about the players or some anecdotes about experiences they've had or their personalities, I could better present the team to my wife, and ensure more time spent together watching basketball. Any anecdotes anyone has about particular players or their back stories would be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

Goduke (http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22727) always has some little bios of players, they just recently updated for this years team. Also, Dukeblueplanet (http://dukeblueplanet.com/) usually has a lot of great personal info of players. Good luck!

[Mike Corey]

For fear of writing something without saying anything, I think your best bet is to spend 30-60 minutes reviewing DukeBluePlanet, which has done a great job of telling the stories of our men's basketball players.

DWHoops.com has terrific, though not as direct, information on the women's players, as well.

Then again, if either Al Featherson or Jim Sumner or Airowe pop up, they can probably tell you anything and everything you want to know about everyone.

[peterjswift]

So far it sounds like I need to hit DukeBluePlanet a little more effectively. I'll work on that and report back.

[nyesq83]

Is it me or does Mr. Swift sound like a Carolina or other fan looking to dig up personal dirt on the players to use against them?

:confused:
:p

[Reilly]

Is it me or does Mr. Swift sound like a Carolina or other fan looking to dig up personal dirt on the players to use against them?

:confused:
:p

Well, his very first post ever said that he was having tv troubles and "CBS was stuck on a still-screen of Scheyer's face."

[Turk]

Mrs. Peterjswift just needs to see a game in person - the rest will take care of itself. Once upon a time, Mrs. Turk had a hellacious crush on both (!!) Quin Snyder and Robert Brickey. (Yes, I'm showing our age - and no, those two players didn't have a lot in common). This was based 100% on watching how they handled themselves and interacted with their teammates during the game. (Wait - there's also a game? Who are we playing? Are they any good? Should I be worried? Are we winning?)

[peterjswift]

Mrs. Peterjswift just needs to see a game in person - the rest will take care of itself. Once upon a time, Mrs. Turk had a hellacious crush on both (!!) Quin Snyder and Robert Brickey. (Yes, I'm showing our age - and no, those two players didn't have a lot in common). This was based 100% on watching how they handled themselves and interacted with their teammates during the game. (Wait - there's also a game? Who are we playing? Are they any good? Should I be worried? Are we winning?)

I think she needs to see more games in person. I think this is good advice. Adding Syracuse and Pitt to the ACC will definitely create more opportunities for that in the future.

The only Duke game she saw in person was Duke vs. Pittsburgh at MSG in 2007. Which, when it comes to seeing games in person, that was a pretty solid one (except for the result at the end...). Mrs. Peterjswift did write a fan letter to JJ Redick at one point (no response....though my fan letter to Mr. Lee Melchionni, which included a stamped envelope with Mrs. Peterjswift's address and a piece of note paper was returned with a nice note to her...leaving him forever as her favorite player)

[peterjswift]

Well, his very first post ever said that he was having tv troubles and "CBS was stuck on a still-screen of Scheyer's face."

The end result worked out well for Duke as I recall. I remember my TV breaking that morning and having to purchase a brand new TV so we could watch the final four. I actually called a friend (happens to be a major Terp fan) to make sure it wasn't a problem with my new TV, and he had the exact same screen shot on his TV, so I blamed comcast.

[peterjswift]

Is it me or does Mr. Swift sound like a Carolina or other fan looking to dig up personal dirt on the players to use against them?

:confused:
:p

Ouch, dude.

[gam7]

Throughout college, I spent a lot of time watching Duke basketball and reading DBR and other message boards to stay knowledgeable and current on my favorite team. The woman I was dating (and eventually married) spent a lot of time with me watching the Blue Devils and became a fan. However, I am discovering that one of the ways she would enjoy the games was through getting to know the players themselves. I think she enjoyed getting to know the players and enjoy their successes over the years more than the game itself. This was okay, because at the time I had almost limitless information on all of the players, and was able to provide her with all kinds of information about the nuances of the players, their background, etc.

However, fast-forwarding a decade, I suddenly find myself with a lot less intimate knowledge of the players since I spend a very small fraction of my time on messageboards and reading about the team (I know...I have terrible priorities!). Because of this, I've noticed my wife's interest in the game waning slightly. I want to make sure she enjoys Duke basketball a lot this season, so I'm requesting a primer on our current team - especially the younger players. Could anyone provide me with a short bio of non-basketball related information on our current players? I think with a little more information about the players or some anecdotes about experiences they've had or their personalities, I could better present the team to my wife, and ensure more time spent together watching basketball. Any anecdotes anyone has about particular players or their back stories would be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

This is very interesting to me. Whenever I go to games (usually baseball) with my mom, she tells me how much she enjoys going with me because I tell her the most random, interesting things about almost every player. Our experience (yours with your wife; mine with my mom) actually brings up the larger issue of a debate that is going on throughout the sports broadcasting world. There has been a movement among sports network executives to try to attract more women to sports on TV by focusing broadcasts less on in-game action and more on information about the players themselves and their backgrounds, which apparently are of more interest to women (like your wife). My understanding is that this is (or is becoming) a significant philosophical divide within the networks. The question is, do you focus the dialogue and attention strictly on the game and why guys are doing what they are doing on the field (say, a Tim McCarver type), or do you assign broadcasters to games who you know will talk about the fact that the guy on the mound went to high school with Matt Stafford but Stafford was the one who won homecoming king (I'm making the homecoming part up) - the latter appeals much more to women; the former appeals to the hardcore sports fan, typically male. There are broadcasters who are known as being good game-specific broadcasters and others who are known as being better at weaving in the personal histories.

Was anyone watching the playoff game when Tim McCarver called out Hunter Mahan for a tweet of his talking about how tired he is of hearing about the unwritten rules of baseball? McCarver's point was spot on - the only sport that may have more unwritten rules than baseball is golf - but I thought it was really weird and awkward hearing Tim McCarver talk about twitter and responding to a tweet. Even Joe Buck made a comment sort of along those lines - "I didn't know you even knew what twitter was." And then McCarver said that someone told him about Mahan's tweet. The reason for that is that McCarver's wheelhouse is in-game action (and as much as he grates on some people, he is known in the broadcasting world as an absolute stud game-focused color guy). Anyway, it's an interesting debate and fun to pay attention to when you are watching/listening to national game broadcasts - you start to get a sense of whom the networks are trying to appeal to.

I don't work in the industry, but if anyone on the board does and has more insight into this debate, I'd love to hear it.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

This is very interesting to me. Whenever I go to games (usually baseball) with my mom, she tells me how much she enjoys going with me because I tell her the most random, interesting things about almost every player. Our experience (yours with your wife; mine with my mom) actually brings up the larger issue of a debate that is going on throughout the sports broadcasting world. There has been a movement among sports network executives to try to attract more women to sports on TV by focusing broadcasts less on in-game action and more on information about the players themselves and their backgrounds, which apparently are of more interest to women (like your wife). My understanding is that this is (or is becoming) a significant philosophical divide within the networks. The question is, do you focus the dialogue and attention strictly on the game and why guys are doing what they are doing on the field (say, a Tim McCarver type), or do you assign broadcasters to games who you know will talk about the fact that the guy on the mound went to high school with Matt Stafford but Stafford was the one who won homecoming king (I'm making the homecoming part up) - the latter appeals much more to women; the former appeals to the hardcore sports fan, typically male. There are broadcasters who are known as being good game-specific broadcasters and others who are known as being better at weaving in the personal histories.

Was anyone watching the playoff game when Tim McCarver called out Hunter Mahan for a tweet of his talking about how tired he is of hearing about the unwritten rules of baseball? McCarver's point was spot on - the only sport that may have more unwritten rules than baseball is golf - but I thought it was really weird and awkward hearing Tim McCarver talk about twitter and responding to a tweet. Even Joe Buck made a comment sort of along those lines - "I didn't know you even knew what twitter was." And then McCarver said that someone told him about Mahan's tweet. The reason for that is that McCarver's wheelhouse is in-game action (and as much as he grates on some people, he is known in the broadcasting world as an absolute stud game-focused color guy). Anyway, it's an interesting debate and fun to pay attention to when you are watching/listening to national game broadcasts - you start to get a sense of whom the networks are trying to appeal to.

I don't work in the industry, but if anyone on the board does and has more insight into this debate, I'd love to hear it.
One point I would make regarding women and interest in sports is we're aren't all alike. Some are more interested in background information especially about individual players. Some are more focused on the play and strategy or even trends in sports medicine which impact the sport or design of equipment bad uniforms. Some of us are interested in all the above.;)

[gam7]

One point I would make regarding women and interest in sports is we're aren't all alike. Some are more interested in background information especially about individual players. Some are more focused on the play and strategy or even trends in sports medicine which impact the sport or design of equipment bad uniforms. Some of us are interested in all the above.;)

Yes, and not all men are interested in strictly game action. I love the backstories, which is why my mom likes going to baseball games with me. Didn't mean to paint with such a broad brush either way. Just trying to (somewhat) concisely summarize the debate in the industry as I understand it.

[DukieInKansas]

One point I would make regarding women and interest in sports is we're aren't all alike. Some are more interested in background information especially about individual players. Some are more focused on the play and strategy or even trends in sports medicine which impact the sport or design of equipment bad uniforms. Some of us are interested in all the above.;)


I agree. You can't generalize about women and sports. Some attend games for the social atmosphere and others to watch the game. It's nice knowing something about the players but I'd rather hear about why a particular play worked, why player A does this, etc. That's why I liked Bobby Knight working games. He knew the game and I feel like I always learned something.

Too much "fluff" would be why I tape the live airing of Tour de France coverage to watch in the evenings instead of the evening broadcast. All the filler on the evening broadcast drives me nuts because they aren't showing the racing.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Yes, and not all men are interested in strictly game action. I love the backstories, which is why my mom likes going to baseball games with me. Didn't mean to paint with such a broad brush either way. Just trying to (somewhat) concisely summarize the debate in the industry as I understand it.

I was responding to the industry attempts to characterize women as being all of a type, a type which doesn't exist as far as I know.

One of the noticeable changes in the Duke football program is that women are welcomed and not patronized. Coach Cutcliffe has made it clear that women are important to the program and are welcomed as valued participants. And I'm not talking about escorts for recruits!

[peterjswift]

Thanks for the recommendations - I made good use of the "personal notes" at the end of each bio on GoDuke's website - which lead me to some wikipedia-ing on Jabari and others, and got me some great background on Parker. Just the note that he is a minority within a minority (most Mormons are white), was interesting, especially given a lot of the history of accusations toward the LDS church for racism. Andre Dawkins return and the story that goes along with that was solid gold, Rodney Hood's transfer and willingness to sit out a season just to play for Duke, Marshall Plumlees injury recovery, Quinn Cook's connection to Nolan Smith and his solid academics.... I think that Mrs. Peterjswift is actually looking forward to seeing how a lot of these players develop and succeed for Duke.

And I agree with the sentiment shared above that many women enjoy different things about the sport. I don't want to be painting the picture of my wife as someone that *only* likes the backstories. That isn't the case at all. I think having a personal connection with the players makes her enjoy the action and strategy more than otherwise. She definitely loves the sport itself, but her excitement over the team and the sport increases when her knowledge of the players increases.