Favorite Factoid

[johnb]

Okay, it's the slow season, but I came across a recent article matching prominent coaches with their single most important player. Unsurprisingly, K was paired with Johnny Dawkins. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2140016-the-player-most-responsible-for-each-great-college-basketball-coachs-legacy/page/12

In that article, the writer mentions a factoid I don't recall seeing: in the "30 seasons since Dawkins became a junior, Duke has been ranked in the top 12 of the AP Poll at some point during the season and has finished 25 of the past 30 seasons ranked in the Top 10." Okay, that's two related factoids, but I was most impressed by the first one: the team has been ranked in the top dozen at some point in the season EVERY YEAR for 30 years. There's some halo effect, and we may get artificially bumped a little, but it's still a great achievement, somewhat like the top 10 streak that was broken last year. Yeah, yeah, NC's>rankings, but there is something to be said for consistent excellence.

Anyone else have favorite stats?

[Tom B.]

Anyone else have favorite stats?





One of my favorites....

What is Christian Laettner's career field goal percentage -- that's field goal, as in shots from the floor, not free throws -- in NCAA Regional Final games?

Scroll down for the answer.

































91.17% (31-for-34).

As a freshman, he was 9-for-10 against Georgetown.
As a sophomore, he was 7-for-8 against UConn.
As a junior, he was 5-for-6 against St. John's.
And as a senior, he was 10-for-10 against Kentucky.

Oh, and his free throw percentage in those games wasn't bad, either -- 91.89% (34-for-37).

[moonpie23]

how about 10 for 10 plus 10? that's a pretty wicked stat...

[OldPhiKap]

First player to ever play in four Final Fours?

(I know most here know it but) . . .

























Greg Koubek.

I bet you could win a few beers with that bet.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Greg Koubek.

I bet you could win a few beers with that bet.
And the reason that Zoubek was called "Greg" countless times. I wonder if anyone ever calls Koubek "Brian".

[lotusland]

One of my favorites....

What is Christian Laettner's career field goal percentage -- that's field goal, as in shots from the floor, not free throws -- in NCAA Regional Final games?

Scroll down for the answer.


91.17% (31-for-34).

As a freshman, he was 9-for-10 against Georgetown.
As a sophomore, he was 7-for-8 against UConn.
As a junior, he was 5-for-6 against St. John's.
And as a senior, he was 10-for-10 against Kentucky.

Oh, and his free throw percentage in those games wasn't bad, either -- 91.89% (34-for-37).
But in the $15 game you can save $4 if you take MP2 for a buck instead of blowing $5 Laettner. You won't win as many games but you'll probably get to see some cooler dunks.

God I love me some Laettner!

[hurleyfor3]

Best career NCAA Tournament FG%: Jordan Davidson (http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=300930150)

Fewest points in a half: Zero, unc vs. Duke, 1979

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Who received Bobby Hurley's assist that broke Corchiani's NCAA career assists record?

Highlight for answer: Erik Meek

[Henderson]

Fewest points in a half: Zero, unc vs. Duke, 1979

An epic game. Dean Smith and Phil Ford put the full stop on any objections to a shot clock. As I recall, UNC only took two shots in that first half. Both air balls by Chickie Yonaker. Duke went on to win 47-40. Raise your hand if you were there.

My then-girlfriend (later wife) and I camped under the Cameron portico for 4 days for that game. Before there was a K-ville, we got our photos taken by an incredulous Chronicle, then interviewed on TV the Friday night before the game. No one had camped out for 4 days before a game then. People thought we were nuts.

[Kedsy]

An epic game. Dean Smith and Phil Ford put the full stop on any objections to a shot clock. As I recall, UNC only took two shots in that first half. Both air balls by Chickie Yonaker. Duke went on to win 47-40. Raise your hand if you were there.

My then-girlfriend (later wife) and I camped under the Cameron portico for 4 days for that game. Before there was a K-ville, we got our photos taken by an incredulous Chronicle, then interviewed on TV the Friday night before the game. No one had camped out for 4 days before a game then. People thought we were nuts.

I was there. Camped out for two days (BD80 and Jeff Frosh and Nacho were in my group). I remember James Armstrong camping out for several days (I think he claimed a week) for that game, but I don't remember too many other people ahead of us in line. Were you with James?

Oh, and I'm sure you're talking about Phil Ford in the figurative sense, right? He didn't play in that game.

[BD80]

I was there. Camped out for two days (BD80 and Jeff Frosh and Nacho were in my group). I remember James Armstrong camping out for several days (I think he claimed a week) for that game, but I don't remember too many other people ahead of us in line. ...

But the days and nights were MUCH longer back then.

And it snowed. Sharks

[Henderson]

I was there. Camped out for two days (BD80 and Jeff Frosh and Nacho were in my group). I remember James Armstrong camping out for several days (I think he claimed a week) for that game, but I don't remember too many other people ahead of us in line. Were you with James?

Oh, and I'm sure you're talking about Phil Ford in the figurative sense, right? He didn't play in that game.

Phil Ford had graduated by that time, but I credit him and his ability to run the 4 corners for Dean as instigators of the shot clock. That game sealed the deal with a lot of observers in my view.

And yes, James Armstrong was right behind me. He and I had been 1-2 in line for a few games before that one, and I remember him well. For that game, my GF and I showed up on Tuesday morning. James came along later that day, and we sat next to each other during the game. So he was there four nights too. I remember being glad that someone else showed up, because people were looking at us funny when it was just my GF and me.

People trickled in on Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday it was pretty crowded, but still nothing like the standards of today.

I still have that Chronicle photo from 1979. I should pull it out and post it.

There were a couple guys who showed up on Tuesday just to see if the rumors of someone already in line were true. They came back a day or so later and stayed, bringing music. Wasn't you, was it? We might have met.

[roywhite]

I hesitate to include a non-Duke basketball thread in this interesting thread, but my favorite basketball-related factoid is about Bill Walton attending more Grateful Dead concerts than his number of NBA games played

NBA games played (including playoffs) 517
Dead concerts attended (give or take) 650

[Henderson]

I hesitate to include a non-Duke basketball thread in this interesting thread, but my favorite basketball-related factoid is about Bill Walton attending more Grateful Dead concerts than his number of NBA games played

NBA games played (including playoffs) 517
Dead concerts attended (give or take) 650

No, that factoid works here. The Dead played Cameron in April of '78 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_zD1_J5eYs), and the campout was bigger than for any Duke basketball game. Line monitors, tents, numbers, etc. Didn't see Bill, but he may have been busy.

[gus]

Here's an interesting fact I recently learned:

A factoid (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/factoid?s=t) is something fictitious or false that becomes accepted as truth because of repetition. Seems appropriate (and circular) that actual facts are so often presented as "factoids", as if the incorrect definition of factoid is a factoid itself.

[-jk]

And yet the first definition in your link is "an insignificant or trivial fact".

-jk

[gus]

And yet the first definition in your link is "an insignificant or trivial fact".

-jk

Dictionary.com was just an easy link. They often have definitions that are common usage but not necessarily accepted (e.g. literally (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/literally?s=t) "in effect; in substance; very nearly; virtually", or ironic (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ironic?s=t) "coincidental; unexpected:")

That said, I still use factoid they way everyone else does: I was just making a joke about how factoid is a factoid itself

[sagegrouse]

And yet the first definition in your link is "an insignificant or trivial fact".

-jk

Yes, but that definition was so trivial it could be easily ignored.

[Henderson]

Here's an interesting fact I recently learned:

A factoid (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/factoid?s=t) is something fictitious or false that becomes accepted as truth because of repetition. Seems appropriate (and circular) that actual facts are so often presented as "factoids", as if the incorrect definition of factoid is a factoid itself.

Interesting factoid.

[Kedsy]

There were a couple guys who showed up on Tuesday just to see if the rumors of someone already in line were true. They came back a day or so later and stayed, bringing music. Wasn't you, was it? We might have met.

We came out on Thursday. My recollection is we played cards for much of the time, and possibly some Liar's Poker. I spoke to James, so you and I probably at least said hello. There weren't too many people in line at that point, just James's group (or who I thought was James's group; I'm assuming now that included you) and one other group (who I thought were SAE pledges but I could also be wrong about that).

[DukieInKansas]

But the days and nights were MUCH longer back then.

And it snowed. Sharks

My recollection is getting in line around midnight. It rained. Actually spent some time inside Cameron because the lobby doors were unlocked. Uncle Terry came by sometime prior to 4 hours before game time and I pointed out that the long line behind where I was standing would be at student health the next day. The doors opened 2 hours earlier than normal and the place was loud from then one.

Main thought I had a half - I did not stand in line in the rain for a football score. I would probably be a wimp about camping out now for a game.

[Olympic Fan]

Phil Ford had graduated by that time, but I credit him and his ability to run the 4 corners for Dean as instigators of the shot clock. That game sealed the deal with a lot of observers in my view.

I disagree with your timeline

Stall ball was around long before Dean Smith or Phil Ford ... in fact, Frank McGuire held the ball against Ev Case on the first day of the first ACC Tournament in in 1954. Three years later, McGuire held the ball against Kansas in the national title game.

Smith certainly contributed to the calls for a short clock. UNC tried to hold the ball against Vic Bubas in the 1966 ACC Tournament semifinals -- Duke won 21-20 on a late FT by Mike Lewis. Two years later, Duke lost in the ACC semifinals to NC State -- 12-10 (the lowest scoring game in ACC history).

While there was always chatter for a shot clock, none of those forced the issue. Neither did four years of Ford, who was so good in the Four Corners that it should have been illegal. And the 7-0 halftime game at Duke in 1979 got little national attention and clearly did not "seal the deal."

I would suggest that the game that finally got things going was the 1982 ACC title game between UNC and Virginia. Some of the best players in college basketball -- Ralph Sampson, James Worthy, Sam Perkins and a freshman named Michael Jordan -- standing around for much of the second half while Dean tried to pull Virginia out of a zone.

It was the next year that the ACC adopted its experimental rules (including a 30-second shot clock) ,... the NCAAS debate heightened and we had the first shot clock in 1985-86.

And: BTW Dean Smith was one of the strongest advocates of a shot clock -- even before he had Ford.

[Kedsy]

It rained.

I remember the rain. Since none of us thought to bring tents or anything, it was a pretty miserable night.


Main thought I had a half - I did not stand in line in the rain for a football score.

I guess I'm unusual in this regard, but I thought the 7-0 half was one of the coolest, most exciting basketball experiences I ever had. Because there were almost no stoppages of play, there was no energy letdown for the fans. We screamed as loud as we could for essentially twenty straight minutes. Every minor mistake (fortunately all on UNC's Yonakor's part) was magnified to the nth degree. I've never seen anything else like it, before or since.

Also, I agree with Olympic Fan -- the final straw which led to the shot clock was the UNC/UVa ACC championship game in 1982. In large part because the game was on national TV.

[DukieInKansas]

I remember the rain. Since none of us thought to bring tents or anything, it was a pretty miserable night.



I guess I'm unusual in this regard, but I thought the 7-0 half was one of the coolest, most exciting basketball experiences I ever had. Because there were almost no stoppages of play, there was no energy letdown for the fans. We screamed as loud as we could for essentially twenty straight minutes. Every minor mistake (fortunately all on UNC's Yonakor's part) was magnified to the nth degree. I've never seen anything else like it, before or since.

Also, I agree with Olympic Fan -- the final straw which led to the shot clock was the UNC/UVa ACC championship game in 1982. In large part because the game was on national TV.

It is one of the games that I point to where Dean Smith was out-coached. He should have realized that the team wasn't reacting to their stall like they did the game before against Clemson. They weren't fouling UNC like they had Clemson and didn't lose their cool. I think that UNC would have won if he had changed his game plan during the first half instead of at half time.

I think this was the game where I could actually sit down when there was about an hour left before the game but by the time tip off came, I could only get my foot on the bleacher. The announcer just kept asking us to squeeze together to allow more students in - sure glad the fire marshall wasn't around.

[RPS]

An epic game. Dean Smith and Phil Ford put the full stop on any objections to a shot clock. As I recall, UNC only took two shots in that first half. Both air balls by Chickie Yonaker. Duke went on to win 47-40. Raise your hand if you were there.

<Hand raised>.

I had a grad student ticket so my seat was reserved. No tent required. But the bleachers would have been better.

[Henderson]

I disagree with your timeline

Stall ball was around long before Dean Smith or Phil Ford ... in fact, Frank McGuire held the ball against Ev Case on the first day of the first ACC Tournament in in 1954. Three years later, McGuire held the ball against Kansas in the national title game.

Smith certainly contributed to the calls for a short clock. UNC tried to hold the ball against Vic Bubas in the 1966 ACC Tournament semifinals -- Duke won 21-20 on a late FT by Mike Lewis. Two years later, Duke lost in the ACC semifinals to NC State -- 12-10 (the lowest scoring game in ACC history).

While there was always chatter for a shot clock, none of those forced the issue. Neither did four years of Ford, who was so good in the Four Corners that it should have been illegal. And the 7-0 halftime game at Duke in 1979 got little national attention and clearly did not "seal the deal."

I would suggest that the game that finally got things going was the 1982 ACC title game between UNC and Virginia. Some of the best players in college basketball -- Ralph Sampson, James Worthy, Sam Perkins and a freshman named Michael Jordan -- standing around for much of the second half while Dean tried to pull Virginia out of a zone.

It was the next year that the ACC adopted its experimental rules (including a 30-second shot clock) ,... the NCAAS debate heightened and we had the first shot clock in 1985-86.

And: BTW Dean Smith was one of the strongest advocates of a shot clock -- even before he had Ford.

I'll have to agree with you and Kedsy on this point. There were many straws heaped on that camel over the years, some heavier than others. I think that '79 Duke-UNC game was a heavy straw. But you both make the compelling case for a later "final" straw.

[alteran]

Also, I agree with Olympic Fan -- the final straw which led to the shot clock was the UNC/UVa ACC championship game in 1982. In large part because the game was on national TV.

Pretty sure the 7-0 game was nationally televised as well. I have heard it attributed as the final straw bringing about the shot clock as well, but we'll never know-- if indeed any one game can be considered the one that pushed us over the top.

One thing we can be sure of is that the "air ball" chant was born that day.

UNC's legacy: annoying the college world into adding a shot clock. Duke's legacy: taunting it's foes with "air ball." I'll take our legacy any day.

[Henderson]

One thing we can be sure of is that the "air ball" chant was born that day.


Is this true? I've heard it said, but it didn't have a feeling of originality at the time. But what do I know? Most of the 70's are kind of a blur.

[OldPhiKap]

I hesitate to include a non-Duke basketball thread in this interesting thread, but my favorite basketball-related factoid is about Bill Walton attending more Grateful Dead concerts than his number of NBA games played

NBA games played (including playoffs) 517
Dead concerts attended (give or take) 650


No, that factoid works here. The Dead played Cameron in April of '78 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_zD1_J5eYs), and the campout was bigger than for any Duke basketball game. Line monitors, tents, numbers, etc. Didn't see Bill, but he may have been busy.

4266

Met Grateful Red backstage once. He hobbled around until the band started, then grooved like a well-oiled machine.

[devil84]

My favorite trivia fact about Duke basketball comes from a press guide from the '83-'84 season. The guide had trivia facts in the top or bottom margin on many of the pages. My favorite was that at the time Duke had 55 consecutive 10+ win seasons (in 1928-29, Duke had a record of 9-5 under coach George Buchheit) -- the longest such streak in the NCAA (not sure if that was Division I or all divisions). It really stood out because we weren't very good for the preceding years, particularly in the very, very strong ACC, winning only 10 and 11 games in the previous two seasons.

Fast forward to today. We haven't broken that streak, so it's now an 86 year streak, and still the longest. Let's take a look at some other schools and find their last season with fewer than 10 wins:

Syracuse - 1942 (no team; previous year, 7 wins)
Louisville - 1942 (no team; previous year, 7 wins)
UCLA - 1946 (8-16)
Kentucky 1953 (no season)
Kansas - 1973 (8-18)
Connecticut - 1987 (9-19)
NCSU - 1993 (8-19)
tOSU - 2002 (vacated)
UNC - 2002 (8-20)
Indiana - 2009 (6-25)

That's an amazing streak.

[southgater]

[QUOTE=Henderson;740662]An epic game. Dean Smith and Phil Ford put the full stop on any objections to a shot clock. As I recall, UNC only took two shots in that first half. Both air balls by Chickie Yonaker. Duke went on to win 47-40. Raise your hand if you were there.

<hand raised as well>
I was there - confess I don't remember all the details of waiting in line. My dorm (Southgate) had organized some type of a rotation system for the line so I put in several shifts, likely just during the last day or 2 before the game and then had great seats around mid-court. As others have mentioned, I also recall the high level of crowd energy during the entire first half. Good times.

[ancienteagle]

<hand raised as well>
I was there - confess I don't remember all the details of waiting in line. My dorm (Southgate) had organized some type of a rotation system for the line so I put in several shifts, likely just during the last day or 2 before the game and then had great seats around mid-court. As others have mentioned, I also recall the high level of crowd energy during the entire first half. Good times.[/QUOTE]

[Hand raised also]
I was in my third year of law school when I attended that game. I remember the undergrads REALLY resented us grad students, because they camped out for weeks and weeks, while we had reserved seats and could saunter in an hour or two before game time and claim a seat. I recall the energy - except for a few intense moments in other games (such as Johnny Dawkins blocking David Rivers' shot to seal the Notre Dame win), it was the loudest I've ever heard. I recall that right before halftime, the G-man knocked Chickie into the first row of seats under dUNCe's goal, and Dean Smith came running out on court yelling at Gminski. We all jeered lustily, and then broke into even louder cheering as the half ended and the Devils ran off the court. Great times!

[Henderson]

I recall that right before halftime, the G-man knocked Chickie into the first row of seats under dUNCe's goal, and Dean Smith came running out on court yelling at Gminski. We all jeered lustily, and then broke into even louder cheering as the half ended and the Devils ran off the court. Great times!

I'd forgotten about that. During the ensuing ruckus, G-man stood at the top of the key with his hands on his hips, while Mike O'Koren (who was standing right in front of me) shouted at Gminski, "Why, Mike? Why?" Seemed pretty bush, since G-man hadn't done anything wrong.

[Atldukie79]

I too was at the '79 game with UNC. No long line to get into the game for me as I had a front row seat in the band. Though the cost of getting that seat was wearing the funky beany cap and turtle neck, chapped lips from blowing the trombone, and toting the instrument back and forth to the dorm (at least until I found an unlock closet on the concourse and stowed the instrument there for most of the year...)

In addition to the recollections listed above, I recall feeling miffed that Dean was ruining Spanarkle's last home game in Cameron. I wanted him to score his usual 20+ points in the final game.
But I agree the game is more memorable because of the 1st half.

[Newton_14]

I disagree with your timeline

Stall ball was around long before Dean Smith or Phil Ford ... in fact, Frank McGuire held the ball against Ev Case on the first day of the first ACC Tournament in in 1954. Three years later, McGuire held the ball against Kansas in the national title game.

Smith certainly contributed to the calls for a short clock. UNC tried to hold the ball against Vic Bubas in the 1966 ACC Tournament semifinals -- Duke won 21-20 on a late FT by Mike Lewis. Two years later, Duke lost in the ACC semifinals to NC State -- 12-10 (the lowest scoring game in ACC history).

While there was always chatter for a shot clock, none of those forced the issue. Neither did four years of Ford, who was so good in the Four Corners that it should have been illegal. And the 7-0 halftime game at Duke in 1979 got little national attention and clearly did not "seal the deal."

I would suggest that the game that finally got things going was the 1982 ACC title game between UNC and Virginia. Some of the best players in college basketball -- Ralph Sampson, James Worthy, Sam Perkins and a freshman named Michael Jordan -- standing around for much of the second half while Dean tried to pull Virginia out of a zone.

It was the next year that the ACC adopted its experimental rules (including a 30-second shot clock) ,... the NCAAS debate heightened and we had the first shot clock in 1985-86.

And: BTW Dean Smith was one of the strongest advocates of a shot clock -- even before he had Ford.

Hey Oly I know your memory is superior to mine on these things and we discussed this one a while back in a different thread, but are you like 100% positive that UNC did not go 4 Corners at any time during the first half of that 82 ACC Title game? I remember the game fairly well but thought they did go 4 corners some in the first half. Mea culpa if they didn't. I was 16 at the time and watching at home with my dad (a huge Unc fan). I remember being irritated they were ruining what should have been a great game.

Edit- Forgot to add that I do remember that being sort of the last straw that a shot clock was needed to put an end to the shenanigans.

[Highlander]

Has any NCAA Football team ever gone unbeaten, un-tied, and un-scored upon for an entire regular season? If so, who?
Highlight to see: 1938 Duke Blue Devils were undefeated, untied, and unscored on during the regular season. 1939 Tennessee Volunteers were also undefeated, untied, and unscored in the regular season. Both lost their bowl games (Rose) and both to Southern Cal. The Duke reference will typically win you a beer, especially during the 0-everything seasons.

There is an urban legend as well that during Duke's season the other team only made it across midfield once. Wallace Wade called timeout and said "Boys, this is OUR half of the football field. We don't play football on OUR half of the field. If you can't keep the other team on THEIR half of the football field, I have 11 more guys on the sidelines ready to come in and give it a shot." The next play they threw the team for a loss and they never crossed midfield again. It is untrue, but makes a great color story.

Has the Rose Bowl ever been played outside of the state of California?
Per Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Bowl_Game#1942_venue_change_to_Durham.2C_Nort h_Carolina): After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and a series of attacks on West Coast shipping beginning on December 18, 1941,[14] there were concerns about a possible Japanese attack on the West Coast. The Rose Parade, with a million watchers, and the Rose Bowl, with 90,000 spectators, were presumed to be ideal targets for the Japanese. Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt recommended that the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl festivities be canceled.[15][16][17] The Rose Bowl committee originally planned to cancel the game. On December 16, 1941, Duke University invited the game and Oregon State to Duke's home stadium in Durham, North Carolina.[18][19]

[Olympic Fan]

Hey Oly I know your memory is superior to mine on these things and we discussed this one a while back in a different thread, but are you like 100% positive that UNC did not go 4 Corners at any time during the first half of that 82 ACC Title game? I remember the game fairly well but thought they did go 4 corners some in the first half. Mea culpa if they didn't. I was 16 at the time and watching at home with my dad (a huge Unc fan). I remember being irritated they were ruining what should have been a great game.

Edit- Forgot to add that I do remember that being sort of the last straw that a shot clock was needed to put an end to the shenanigans.

The first half of that game was played at a slow pace, but never devolved into a stall -- UNC led 34-31 at the half. Virginia won the second half 14-13.

If UNC used the Four Corners in the first half, it was only to hold for the last possession of the half. To me, there has always been a difference between playing a deliberate pace (as happens during the shot clock era) and an all-out stall. The latter takes the cooperation of both teams -- one team to hold it and one not to chase.

[sagegrouse]

The first half of that game was played at a slow pace, but never devolved into a stall -- UNC led 34-31 at the half. Virginia won the second half 14-13.

If UNC used the Four Corners in the first half, it was only to hold for the last possession of the half. To me, there has always been a difference between playing a deliberate pace (as happens during the shot clock era) and an all-out stall. The latter takes the cooperation of both teams -- one team to hold it and one not to chase.

I was in Greensboro for the game, and I imagined the President of CBS Sports calling the head of the NCAA, Walter Byers, during the second half and asking, "Do you think anyone is watching this piece of ****? Then why am I paying millions for the rights to televise college basketball?" He would have called ACC Commissioner Bob James, but James was at the game. I was sure they would speak later that day.

[throatybeard]

I like this one:

Greg Maddux 1995: 23 walks in 209.2 IP. WHIP of .811.

I think the worst thing about the 1994 strike and 1995 lockout, from my eyes, is that they cost Maddux something like a dozen or fifteen starts in his utterly insane prime.

[hurleyfor3]

I like this one:

Greg Maddux 1995: 23 walks in 209.2 IP. WHIP of .811.

I think the worst thing about the 1994 strike and 1995 lockout, from my eyes, is that they cost Maddux something like a dozen or fifteen starts in his utterly insane prime.

In Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA season, he was never replaced while on the mound.

In all his starts that weren't complete games, his day ended either because he was pinch-hit for or because the inning started with a new pitcher.

[throatybeard]

In Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA season, he was never replaced while on the mound.

In all his starts that weren't complete games, his day ended either because he was pinch-hit for or because the inning started with a new pitcher.

Or because he got hit in the leg with a pitch which broke his leg, and he refused to come out of the game!

Gibson is usually at opening day for the Cardinals, and he was at the HOF induction this year. Musial was amazing, but I think I admire Gibson the most after Aaron and Clemente and Koufax. And I probably should admire him more than Koufax. (Jayson Stark has actually argued, convincingly, that Koufax is overrated because everyone ignores his first six seasons).

That said, Maddux did all this while Canseco and McGwire and Brady Anderson and Rafael Palmeiro were standing in a square fashion sticking needles in each others' butts. If you adjust for era...

[throatybeard]

To bring this back around to Duke, let me offer the following about my favorite Duke MBB player of all time (apologies to Davis, Brickey, J Dawkins, Battier, and Sulaimon, none of whom were my year like this guy was).

Wojo career A: 505 which = 100 more than

career steals (203) + career TOs (202)

for a point guard.

[Tom B.]

2.99

Jon Scheyer's assist/turnover ratio (194/65) for the 2009-2010 season.

[Acymetric]

Only two players in NCAA history have returned interceptions to score touchdowns on back to back plays. Who were they?

Highlight for answer:

DeVon Edwards against NCSU in 2013, and Leon Wright against Army in 2009, both for Duke!

[throatybeard]

Only two players in NCAA history have returned interceptions to score touchdowns on back to back plays. Who were they?

Highlight for answer:

DeVon Edwards against NCSU in 2013, and Leon Wright against Army in 2009, both for Duke!

^ Wait, what? We're in the same conference with State?

[Wander]

2.99

Jon Scheyer's assist/turnover ratio (194/65) for the 2009-2010 season.

How about Scheyer's assist/turnover ratio of infinity for the first, what, 5 games that season?

[Henderson]

To bring this back around to Duke, let me offer the following about my favorite Duke MBB player of all time (apologies to Davis, Brickey, J Dawkins, Battier, and Sulaimon, none of whom were my year like this guy was).

Wojo career A: 505 which = 100 more than

career steals (203) + career TOs (202)

for a point guard.

2.5:1 assist to turnover ratio over a 4 year career is more impressive to me than 2.99:1 over a season. But both are pretty stellar and help explain why Coach tapped both Wojo and Scheyer to come back. Fundamentals....

[Tom B.]

How about Scheyer's assist/turnover ratio of infinity for the first, what, 5 games that season?

Four games. He had 21 assists and zero turnovers through the first four games, but had two turnovers in the fifth game (against Arizona State), which brought his ratio down to 13.5/1. His ratio was still 5.5/1 when conference play started in early January. The only game that year in which he had more turnovers than points was the March 3, 2010 loss at Maryland (2 assists, 4 turnovers).

In the six NCAA Tournament games in 2010, Scheyer had 24 assists and 7 turnovers, for a ratio of 3.43/1.

[throatybeard]

2.5:1 assist to turnover ratio over a 4 year career is more impressive to me than 2.99:1 over a season. But both are pretty stellar and help explain why Coach tapped both Wojo and Scheyer to come back. Fundamentals....

I don't mean to bring this up to stir things for the sake of doing so, but this is my main beef with Coach Gaudet--not the losses that year. Krzyzewski featured frosh Wojo abundantly in those first twelve games in 1994-95. Then Gaudet parked him in the luggage compartment of the bus. I felt like it took him all of 1995-96 to recover, and despite the way we celebrate his senior year, his junior year was his sparkling display of being a Krzyzewski point guard. I'm not denying that Will Avery was more talented, but I feel like if Gaudet hadn't sat on the guy, he could have been Scheyer before there was Scheyer. I don't think anyone was going to stay in front of Turner, unless we drafted Shaq from the NBA to hold the guy up in the air by his throat.

I'm biased, since Wojo is my favorite player, ever, so take all that with a grain of of internet salt.

[Tom B.]

2.5:1 assist to turnover ratio over a 4 year career is more impressive to me than 2.99:1 over a season. But both are pretty stellar and help explain why Coach tapped both Wojo and Scheyer to come back. Fundamentals....

Wojo actually had a slightly better ratio of 3.03/1 his junior year -- 176 assists and 58 turnovers. But what makes Scheyer's 2010 numbers so impressive is that he did it while also being the team's leading scorer at 18.2 ppg (728 total points).



Another favorite sat of mine (not a Duke stat, but an ACC stat) is Dennis Scott's record for the most points scored in a single season -- he scored 970 in the 1989-90 season. That's one we may never see broken. J.J. Redick came close, scoring 964 in the 2005-06 season. If we'd beaten LSU in the Tournament, or if J.J. had even turned in a typical shooting night against LSU instead of going 3-for-18, he probably would have broken it. But J.J. is the only player since Scott to come even close to the mark. In fact, there have only been four 900-point seasons in ACC history, and after Redick and Scott, you have to go all the way back to Len Chappell in 1962 to find the next most recent one. (The fourth was Grady Wallace of South Carolina in 1957.)

[throatybeard]

Wojo actually had a slightly better ratio of 3.03/1 his junior year -- 176 assists and 58 turnovers. But what makes Scheyer's 2010 numbers so impressive is that he did it while also being the team's leading scorer at 18.2 ppg (728 total points).



Another favorite sat of mine (not a Duke stat, but an ACC stat) is Dennis Scott's record for the most points scored in a single season -- he scored 970 in the 1989-90 season. That's one we may never see broken. J.J. Redick came close, scoring 964 in the 2005-06 season. If we'd beaten LSU in the Tournament, or if J.J. had even turned in a typical shooting night against LSU instead of going 3-for-18, he probably would have broken it. But J.J. is the only player since Scott to come even close to the mark. In fact, there have only been four 900-point seasons in ACC history, and after Redick and Scott, you have to go all the way back to Len Chappell in 1962 to find the next most recent one. (The fourth was Grady Wallace of South Carolina in 1957.)

Wow. That's insane. And Chappell probably did that in, what, like thirty games?

[Tom B.]

Wow. That's insane. And Chappell probably did that in, what, like thirty games?


Thirty-one, actually. That was Wake's best season ever. They were ACC champions and went to the Final Four (the only Final Four in Wake's history), losing to Ohio State in the semifinals. Wake then beat UCLA in the third place game.

Chappell averaged 30.1 ppg for the season and scored a total of 932 points. He also led the ACC in rebounding that year, with 470 (15.2 per game).

The highest points-per-game average for a single season in ACC history belongs to Grady Wallace, who scored 32.1 ppg for South Carolina in 1956-57. He scored a total of 906 points in 29 games.

[Olympic Fan]

Thirty-one, actually. That was Wake's best season ever. They were ACC champions and went to the Final Four (the only Final Four in Wake's history), losing to Ohio State in the semifinals. Wake then beat UCLA in the third place game.

Chappell averaged 30.1 ppg for the season and scored a total of 932 points. He also led the ACC in rebounding that year, with 470 (15.2 per game).

The highest points-per-game average for a single season in ACC history belongs to Grady Wallace, who scored 32.1 ppg for South Carolina in 1956-57. He scored a total of 906 points in 29 games.

Chappell is the ACC's forgotten superstar -- 30 points, 15 rebounds while leading his team to the Final Four -- neither Sampson nor Duncan ever did anything like that.

And Wake's win over UCLA was the single most important consolation win in NCAA history -- it earned the ACC champ a bye into the Sweet 16. Before that game, the ACC had to play a preliminary game in New York or Philadelphia, usually 48 to 72 hours after the ACC title game. Wake in '62 was just the second ACC team to reach the Final Four in nine seasons since the league was founded.

In the 12 seasons after 1962 (before the tourney was expanded in 1972), the ACC put eight teams in the Final Four (including Dukes first three Final Fours).

Thanks Lennie!

[johnb]

I don't mean to bring this up to stir things for the sake of doing so, but this is my main beef with Coach Gaudet--not the losses that year. Krzyzewski featured frosh Wojo abundantly in those first twelve games in 1994-95. Then Gaudet parked him in the luggage compartment of the bus. I felt like it took him all of 1995-96 to recover, and despite the way we celebrate his senior year, his junior year was his sparkling display of being a Krzyzewski point guard. I'm not denying that Will Avery was more talented, but I feel like if Gaudet hadn't sat on the guy, he could have been Scheyer before there was Scheyer. I don't think anyone was going to stay in front of Turner, unless we drafted Shaq from the NBA to hold the guy up in the air by his throat.

I'm biased, since Wojo is my favorite player, ever, so take all that with a grain of of internet salt.

I don't like to think much about 1994-95, but our guards were good that year (or, should I say, we had good guards that year in Wojo, Langdon, Collins, Blakeney, and Capel--last I checked, 4 became top level coaches and one scouts for arguably the best-run NBA team, the Spurs).

In reviewing he team, I did come across this factoid/question: name the player who finished his career 11th on Duke's all time list of shot blockers, played in the 2000 Olympics, called Tim Duncan "soft", and is now a coach where he's quoted as follows: “If you don’t give 100% when you are able to, then what you are doing isn’t worth doing at all”? Answer below.

Or this one: a lottery pick, he played for 7 NBA teams in 10 years, owned a punk rock club in California, and has a sister who was the original bassist for the musical group, Nashville I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this..

okay, I'll stop, but I do recall being mostly surprised that so many good players could flail so much...

answers:
http://burlingtonbasketball.ca/greg-newton/

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_Parks
http://www.dukechronicle.com/blogs/bluezone/posts/2013/07/24/where-are-they-now-duke-basketball-edition-cherokee-parks

[OldPhiKap]

I don't like to think much about 1994-95, but our guards were good that year (or, should I say, we had good guards that year in Wojo, Langdon, Collins, Blakeney, and Capel--last I checked, 4 became top level coaches and one scouts for arguably the best-run NBA team, the Spurs).

In reviewing he team, I did come across this factoid/question: name the player who finished his career 11th on Duke's all time list of shot blockers, played in the 2000 Olympics, called Tim Duncan "soft", and is now a coach where he's quoted as follows: “If you don’t give 100% when you are able to, then what you are doing isn’t worth doing at all”? Answer below.

Or this one: a lottery pick, he played for 7 NBA teams in 10 years, owned a punk rock club in California, and has a sister who was the original bassist for the musical group, Nashville I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this..

okay, I'll stop, but I do recall being mostly surprised that so many good players could flail so much...

answers:
http://burlingtonbasketball.ca/greg-newton/

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_Parks
http://www.dukechronicle.com/blogs/bluezone/posts/2013/07/24/where-are-they-now-duke-basketball-edition-cherokee-parks

We lost a lot of games by very small margins. Oh, and didn't have the Polish guy with the funny name on the bench.

I would rather be bad for a year than mediocre for a decade. So, check.

[BD80]

... I did come across this factoid/question: name the player who finished his career 11th on Duke's all time list of shot blockers, played in the 2000 Olympics, ...

We have had our fair share of men's bball Olympians:

1964 Jeff Mullins - Gold
1972 Doug Collins (honorary Dukie) - championship game winning free throws - no medal
1976 Tate Armstrong - Gold
1992 Christian Laettner - Gold
1992 Mike Krzyzewski - Asst Coach - Gold (Could include Chuck Daly)
1996 Grant Hill - Gold
2000 Crawford Palmer - Silver
2000 Greg Newton - 7th
2004, 2008 Carlos Boozer - Bronze, Gold
2008, 2012, 2016 Mike Krzyzewski Coach - Gold x3
2008 Nick Horvath - Olympic Qualifying Tournament
2012 Marty Pocius - Quarterfinals
2012 Luol Deng - Ambassador

More?

[Tom B.]

We have had our fair share of men's bball Olympians:

1964 Jeff Mullins - Gold
1972 Doug Collins (honorary Dukie) - championship game winning free throws - no medal
1976 Tate Armstrong - Gold
1992 Christian Laettner - Gold
1992 Mike Krzyzewski - Asst Coach - Gold (Could include Chuck Daily)
1996 Grant Hill - Gold
2000 Crawford Palmer - Silver
2000 Greg Newton - 7th
2004, 2008 Carlos Boozer - Bronze, Gold
2008, 2012, 2016 Mike Krzyzewski Coach - Gold x3
2008 Nick Horvath - Olympic Qualifying Tournament
2012 Marty Pocius - Quarterfinals
2012 Luol Deng - Ambassador

More?


Cameron Hall -- 1976 (Canada)
Dan Meagher -- 1984 (Canada)

On the women's side, Gail Goestenkors was an assistant coach for the Olympic team that won gold in 2004.



Another fun trivia question -- name all of the nations that Duke athletes have represented in the Olympics. Highlight below for the answer.

United States, Canada, France, New Zealand, Great Britain, Lithuania, and Israel.

[MartyClark]

Or because he got hit in the leg with a pitch which broke his leg, and he refused to come out of the game!

Gibson is usually at opening day for the Cardinals, and he was at the HOF induction this year. Musial was amazing, but I think I admire Gibson the most after Aaron and Clemente and Koufax. And I probably should admire him more than Koufax. (Jayson Stark has actually argued, convincingly, that Koufax is overrated because everyone ignores his first six seasons).

That said, Maddux did all this while Canseco and McGwire and Brady Anderson and Rafael Palmeiro were standing in a square fashion sticking needles in each others' butts. If you adjust for era...

Speaking of Bob Gibson, my favorite Gibson story occurred long after his career ended. One of my former partners went to the Cardinals fantasy camp. This guy, not prone to exaggeration said that Bob Gibson was pitching for the opposing team in end of camp game. Gibson was apparently throwing 75 mph pitches while smoking a cigarette. My former partner hit a weak pop up into right field for a hit on his first at bat. He hit a weak grounder through the infield in his second at bat. Third at bat, you guessed it, Gibson knocked him down.

My favorite personal baseball memory was watching a game at Wrigley Field in September of 1967. Kenny Holtzman v Sandy Koufax. What's the odds of two left handed, Jewish pitchers going at each other in MBL?

[OldPhiKap]

Cameron Hall -- 1976 (Canada)
Dan Meagher -- 1984 (Canada)

On the women's side, Gail Goestenkors was an assistant coach for the Olympic team that won gold in 2004.



Another fun trivia question -- name all of the nations that Duke athletes have represented in the Olympics. Highlight below for the answer.

United States, Canada, France, New Zealand, Great Britain, Lithuania, and Israel.

And Dan Meagher spat in Tom Sheehey's face. So there's that too.

[blueduke59]

In Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA season, he was never replaced while on the mound.

In all his starts that weren't complete games, his day ended either because he was pinch-hit for or because the inning started with a new pitcher.

As a kid baseball was my first love and I lived and died with the STL Cards. I worshiped the ground Gibson walked on. Thought he was unbeatable. Watched in disbelief as he lost Game 7 vs Detroit that year (1968) thanks in part to Curt Flood misplaying a fly ball. To this day that is the most devastating loss to me as a sports fan. In a way Flood's goof precipitated baseball free agency IMO. He was traded over the winter to Philadelphia and I think Cards owner (Gussie Busch maybe?) made the trade partly in retribution for the error. Flood refuses to go to Philly and the seeds to free agency was planted. Still can't believe Cards blew a 3 games to 1 lead and handed the WS to Detroit. I could go on about the '68 series but I won't. I'm still bitter

[throatybeard]

As a kid baseball was my first love and I lived and died with the STL Cards. I worshiped the ground Gibson walked on. Thought he was unbeatable. Watched in disbelief as he lost Game 7 vs Detroit that year (1968) thanks in part to Curt Flood misplaying a fly ball. To this day that is the most devastating loss to me as a sports fan. In a way Flood's goof precipitated baseball free agency IMO. He was traded over the winter to Philadelphia and I think Cards owner (Gussie Busch maybe?) made the trade partly in retribution for the error. Flood refuses to go to Philly and the seeds to free agency was planted. Still can't believe Cards blew a 3 games to 1 lead and handed the WS to Detroit. I could go on about the '68 series but I won't. I'm still bitter

You probably know this already, but there's a great book on the whole saga, A Well-paid Slave. It does cover other parts of Flood's life, but it focuses mostly on the years surrounding his litigation.

[Kedsy]

While doing some research for another thread, I stumbled across this interesting factoid:

In the past 30 seasons, Duke has been ranked in the AP top 6 at some point in the season in 28 of the 30 years. The only Duke teams since 1984-85 that didn't at least reach the top 6 were the 1996 and the 1987 teams, and both of those teams got as high as 12th.

Going into more detail, over the last 30 years:



Highest AP rank # of seasons
-------------- -------------
#1 15
#2 2
#3 3
#4 3
#5 3
#6 2
#12 2

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

While doing some research for another thread, I stumbled across this interesting factoid:

In the past 30 seasons, Duke has been ranked in the AP top 6 at some point in the season in 28 of the 30 years. The only Duke teams since 1984-85 that didn't at least reach the top 6 were the 1996 and the 1987 teams, and both of those teams got as high as 12th.

Going into more detail, over the last 30 years:



Highest AP rank # of seasons
-------------- -------------
#1 15
#2 2
#3 3
#4 3
#5 3
#6 2
#12 2


well... that's just awesome, really.

[Kedsy]

well... that's just awesome, really.

More in the same vein: In the past 17 seasons, we've reached the top 5 for at least one week in every single season. We reached the top 4 in 16 of the 17 years (in 2006-07 we only got as high as 5th).

In related news, Duke fans who complain about the team's success have been shown to be missing a key chromosome that would otherwise enable them to have a reasonable level of perspective.