Robbie West game

[jaytoc]

Jim Sumner's 2012 article on the Robbie West game, linked on DBR's homepage this morning, brings back some memories. I shared aspects of this story some years ago, but perhaps today is an appropriate time to remember it again.
In 1972 Duke was in the third year of a downward slide from basketball prominence that(Spanarkle/Dennard/Gminski/Banks years aside), pretty much bottomed out prior to K's arrival. We would successfully defend home court against Carolina in both '70 and '71, but invariably lose to them in Chapel Hill, the Big Four tourney, the ACC tourney, and even the NIT semi's in '71. In '72 we could no longer claim any degree of parity with UNC, and all hailed St. Dean, who later that year would take his team to the Final Four. It was difficult being a Duke fan in the Triangle then, and we suffered a well-deserved inferiority complex. Certainly we were a substantial underdog in that home game in '72. Then came the unlikely victory. I couldn't wait to watch Dean's TV show Sunday morning following Robbie's improbable Saturday afternoon heroics. Perhaps some public congratulations, some expression of respect or admiration?
Of course the years cloud my memory and I'm counting on there being no transcript of Dean's opening comments. But I'll swear to my death they were made through clenched teeth and went something like this: "We had a tough loss yesterday in Durham. I want to congratulate Duke on making 13 of its 14 free throws during the game, a game in which we did not get to the free throw line even once. Awfully hard to win under those circumstances!" So much for graciousness. As I've said before, perhaps that is one of the reasons he was so successful.
Finally, insufficiently appreciated IMO is Chris Redding, who Jim tells us scored 24 points that day. He had a great Duke career (although his senior year was one of turbulence in the program and a changed tactical direction his senior year resulted in de-emphasis on Chris as the primary offensive weapon). Following several years of pro ball in Europe Chris returned to the States for law school, clerked for a federal district judge in Oklahoma, and has had a very successful legal practice, now in D.C. Great ballpayer, fine guy.

[Tom B.]

I couldn't wait to watch Dean's TV show Sunday morning following Robbie's improbable Saturday afternoon heroics. Perhaps some public congratulations, some expression of respect or admiration?
Of course the years cloud my memory and I'm counting on there being no transcript of Dean's opening comments. But I'll swear to my death they were made through clenched teeth and went something like this: "We had a tough loss yesterday in Durham. I want to congratulate Duke on making 13 of its 14 free throws during the game, a game in which we did not get to the free throw line even once. Awfully hard to win under those circumstances!" So much for graciousness. As I've said before, perhaps that is one of the reasons he was so successful.

Carolina did shoot free throws in the game -- 18 of them, in fact. They made 12.

But there was a big free throw disparity. Duke shot 41 (!) free throws, and made 32. Chris Redding alone made more free throws (14) than the entire UNC team (12).

Box score: http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19720122

[Indoor66]

Carolina did shoot free throws in the game -- 18 of them, in fact. They made 12.

But there was a big free throw disparity. Duke shot 41 (!) free throws, and made 32. Chris Redding alone made more free throws (14) than the entire UNC team (12).

Box score: http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19720122

Dean Smith was the biggest cry baby in college BB until Boeheim arrived as head coach at Syracuse in 1976. Boeheim finally grew up; Dean not so much.

[BD80]

Jim Sumner's 2012 article on the Robbie West game, linked on DBR's homepage this morning, brings back some memories. I shared aspects of this story some years ago, ... perhaps today is an appropriate time to remember it again.
In 1972 Duke was in the third year of a downward slide from basketball prominence ... In '72 we could no longer claim any degree of parity with UNC, and all hailed St. Dean, who later that year would take his team to the Final Four. It was difficult being a Duke fan in the Triangle then, and we suffered a well-deserved inferiority complex. ...


Because unc seems to headed to (enduring?) a similar slide to ignominy?

[oldnavy]

Probably my favorite game in Cameron ever.... close second was the 7-0 "air ball" game.

While I was there Saturday for the UVa game, I got a little teary eyed remembering the Robbie West game, because like I had mentioned, my father (passed in 1990) who was a depression era, WWII vet who showed very little excitement for... anything.... ran down the corridor into the concourse screaming like a 9 year old when Robbie hit that shot!!

A very happy memory for me!

We could have floated home that day!!

[duke79]

Dean Smith was the biggest cry baby in college BB until Boeheim arrived as head coach at Syracuse in 1976. Boeheim finally grew up; Dean not so much.

My impression of Dean (and it could be wrong) is that he was quite gracious and magnanimous when his team was winning but not so gracious when they lost. I saw this on more than a few occasions.

[oldnavy]

I remember Coach K having an issue with him, or rather how he was treated compared to the rest of the ACC coaches.

Something to do with him pounding on the scorer's table???

One of the reasons I like Rick Barnes is because he got into Dean's face!!

[jv001]

Dean Smith was the biggest cry baby in college BB until Boeheim arrived as head coach at Syracuse in 1976. Boeheim finally grew up; Dean not so much.

I can't spork you at the moment(must spread some around) but you are correct. Dean was the biggest cry baby in college bb. GoDuke!

[Pghdukie]

Dean's whinning, crying are legendary !The only call he liked was in his favor. Jamie Dixon is a close second.

[TKG]

When it all began to change:

Dean Smith: "Don't talk to my players!"
Young Coach K: "Hey Dean, **** you!"

[Faustus]

Legendary story that Terry Holland once named his pet dog 'Dean', "because he whined so much."

[CameronBlue]

It's important to remember how big an upset that game was. Jones and McAdoo were perennial NBA all-stars. McAdoo led the NBA in scoring several years running as I recall. George Karl played in the pros a 5-6 years as well. Dennis Wuycik was 1st team All-ACC two years running and kicked around the ABA for 3-4 years. That's enough talent to qualify the game as the biggest upset in the history of the rivalry. Incredible. If you ever saw McAdoo play it's unfathomable to think that any team could limit him to 3 points.

[Olympic Fan]

When it all began to change:

Dean Smith: "Don't talk to my players!"
Young Coach K: "Hey Dean, **** you!"

Actually, this happened in the 1989 ACC title game ... and is a great example of Dean's hypocrisy. K was yelling at Scott Williams about a cheap shot that he had thrown at Danny Ferry. I think he said something like "You're better than that." Dean took umbrage.

One of the reasons that K responded so harshly was that NO COACH talked as much to opposing players as Dean did. One of his famous fights with Rick Barnes was precipitated by Dean yelling at Clemson's Billy Harder. Kentucky's Rick Robey has always claimed that Dean cursed him during the 1977 East Regionals at Cole Field House. I know both Dean and his defenders claim that he didn't curse -- and to be fair, I never heard him curse -- so I'm not sure whether or not to believe Robey entirely, but I do believe Dean yelled something at him. Why do I believe it? Because the old hypocrite did that kind of thing all the time ... let somebody else do it and he went bonkers.

But that 1989 incident wasn't when it began to change. That happened during the 1984 season when No. 1 UNC came to Duke (with Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith,. Brad Daugherty and Matt Doherty) and had the fight of their lives from a sophomore dominated Duke team. That was the game where Dean lost it and was pounding on the scorer's table -- when the ball was in play -- hitting the scoreboard controls and giving his team a quick 20 points! And he didn't get a technical. At halftime, assistant coach Bill Guthridge chased the refs off the floor, screaming at them.

That was what prompted K's famous claim that there was a "double standard" in the ACC. He wasn't complaining about officiating (as has so often been misreported) but about all the excrement that Dean did and was still painted as this saintly figure. Saint Dean was thrown out of three games in his career -- including one in the final four. He and his assistants used to chase refs off the floor all the time. After a 1976 loss to NC State on Super Bowl Sunday, Dean blamed Skeeter Francis from the ACC office for manipulating the timeouts to help NC State. He once labeled a Florida State player as "Mr. Choke" .. just a few (of many) examples. He was the master of the snide complement/dig such as "You have to admire how physical Duke can play defense without getting called for fouls."

Nobody ever whined as much as Saint Dean. Not just my opinion. Terry Holland said that they named their puppy Dean, "because he never stops whining."

And, of course, he was the coach at UNC when their AFAM scandal got up and running. Throughout his career, he claimed to micro-manage his team's academics (he even sent a manager over every day to prod Rasheed Wallace into going to class ... or so he said). You're telling me he didn't know what was going when four starters on his 1993 suddenly switched their majors to ADAM?

Never forget that.