Maui

[freshmanjs]

Back in Maui for 2018. Great field: Arizona, Auburn, Gonzaga, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier.


Link (http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211252441&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=1.5872822.42431448.1473722247)

[flyingdutchdevil]

Back in Maui for 2018. Great field: Arizona, Auburn, Gonzaga, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier.


Link (http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211252441&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=1.5872822.42431448.1473722247)

Coming off a nattie win, with a starting line-up of Carter, Knox, Kennard, Trent Jr, and Jackson? The field won't have a chance!

See what I did there? :cool:

[Troublemaker]

Coming off a nattie win, with a starting line-up of Carter, Knox, Kennard, Trent Jr, and Jackson? The field won't have a chance!

See what I did there? :cool:

I see that you were off by a year.

Seniors Luke Kennard and Chase Jeter go for a 3-peat by leading precocious freshmen Romeo Langford, Zion Williamson, etc.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I see that you were off by a year.

Seniors Luke Kennard and Chase Jeter go for a 3-peat by leading precocious freshmen Romeo Langford, Zion Williamson, etc.

Crap. I ruined a good joke.

[moonpie23]

we had a great vacation in maui march of 2014. Went by the civic center and took in all the history.......I posted some pics awhile back....

[gam7]

Back in Maui for 2018. Great field: Arizona, Auburn, Gonzaga, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier.


Link (http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211252441&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=1.5872822.42431448.1473722247)

One small asterisk on the Maui field - this is the field, assuming Chaminade doesn't pull a huge upset in the opening round game (presumably against one of the teams you list above) on the mainland.


Coming off a nattie win, with a starting line-up of Carter, Knox, Kennard, Trent Jr, and Jackson? The field won't have a chance!

See what I did there? :cool:

Looks like this is for the 2018 Maui tournament, which will be during the 2018-19 season. So, I think you meant: Coming off back-to-back natties, with a starting lineup of Jeter, Bagley III, RJ Barrett, Kennard, Trent Jr.

[SCMatt33]

One small asterisk on the Maui field - this is the field, assuming Chaminade doesn't pull a huge upset in the opening round game (presumably against one of the teams you list above) on the mainland.

Nah. It's one of those where they can't advance. But that's actually a big deal, as Chaminade held out for years, insisting they remain a part of the main field. TV finally won out it would seem.

[60sDukie]

Finally! We've been waiting. For a while Duke was going every four years and was long overdue. If you can you should try to go. We were there the last two times and it was so much fun. The arena is as intimate as they say it is and you are right on top of the action. Staying at the team hotel gives you the chance to interact with (well, at least see) the players and coaches. It is pretty much all about the basketball, but that is the point, isn't it.

[bob blue devil]

I see that you were off by a year.

Seniors Luke Kennard and Chase Jeter go for a 3-peat by leading precocious freshmen Romeo Langford, Zion Williamson, etc.

while juniors Javin DeLaurier and Jack White look to push their collegiate record to 120-0?

[BD80]

I see that you were off by a year.

Seniors Luke Kennard and Chase Jeter go for a 3-peat by leading precocious freshmen Romeo Langford, Zion Williamson, etc.

Not a bad recruiting pitch: "by the bye, we'll be spending a week in Maui to kick off the season"

[JetpackJesus]

Has anyone been to the Maui Invitational before? Does Duke get a block of tickets that it sells to alumni like they do for NCAA Tournament games and the like?

[60sDukie]

Has anyone been to the Maui Invitational before? Does Duke get a block of tickets that it sells to alumni like they do for NCAA Tournament games and the like?

Yes. We have been twice. If it is like it has been in the past, they will have packages available early April of 2018. You will be able to get hotel/ticket packages with or without air travel. Not sure about tickets only through Duke - never did that - but I would think they would have that also. It is really fun. We will try to go again.

[JetpackJesus]

Yes. We have been twice. If it is like it has been in the past, they will have packages available early April of 2018. You will be able to get hotel/ticket packages with or without air travel. Not sure about tickets only through Duke - never did that - but I would think they would have that also. It is really fun. We will try to go again.

Thanks for the info. I'll be keeping an eye out for that.

[-jk]

Has anyone been to the Maui Invitational before? Does Duke get a block of tickets that it sells to alumni like they do for NCAA Tournament games and the like?

Last went in the 90's - the one the fire marshals tried to shut down. They over sold by about double, UK brought twice as many fans as tickets, and after we won the semi, UK met Arizona - a rematch of the prior championship. Overcrowding ensued. Folks went outside to the bathroom (that's how it worked), and couldn't get back in. Fans sitting on stairs (the fire marshal problem).

I understand that now, each school gets tickets for their session, then are expected to go out and play in the tropics.

-jk

[SilkyJ]

Count 77devil and me in. Golf by morning, ball in the afternoon. Mai Tais all day b/c its 5 oclock somewhere :cool:!

[moonpie23]

don't know what it was before, but the Lahaina Civc center is attached to the Maui police department....should be interesting should it get over-sold to the point of being dangerous...

[BD80]

don't know what it was before, but the Lahaina Civc center is attached to the Maui police department...should be interesting should it get over-sold to the point of being dangerous...

"Dangerous?"

Dude, its Hawaii!

If it's crowded, you don't get in, you spend more time outside ... in HAWAII!

Remember, gametimes are morning and early afternoon there so they can be viewed on the east coast at a decent hour.

[moonpie23]

so, just to re-tell my story.

I went by the Lahania Civic center about 1pm in the afternoon. I went up to main office and there was only one guy in there. I asked him if this was the place where they have the MAUI CLASSIC and he said "yeah", not looking up from whatever he was working on.

I asked him if it would be ok for me to just go in and look around some, and he replied "no, it's all locked up". I said, "ok, that's cool. I'm a big duke fan. In town for my first Maui visit, and i just wanted to see the place from the inside". He looked up from his work and said "duke fan? hell, y'all own the place. come on!" picked up his keys, then took me up to the arena and unlocked it.

[nmduke2001]

We went in 2011 and had a great time. Our daughter was not quite 2 and my wife was pregnant with our son. We are planning on attending with the whole family this time. I'm looking forward to playing Kapalua and watching Duke win another Maui invite title. I can't wait to bringing my ultra conservative brother another "Hawaii, Home of Barack Obama" t-shirt.

If you can swing it, it's really worth it. During the last trip, we had a lot of interactions with the team. A picture of Andre Dawkins holding my daughter even made it to the front page of DBR! Coach K personally thanked all of us that were waiting in the lobby for the team to return from the championship game.

[westwall]

The arena is as intimate as they say it is and you are right on top of the action. Staying at the team hotel gives you the chance to interact with (well, at least see) the players and coaches. It is pretty much all about the basketball, but that is the point, isn't it.

And, more commonly, interact with the players' parents.

[JetpackJesus]

We went in 2011 and had a great time. Our daughter was not quite 2 and my wife was pregnant with our son. We are planning on attending with the whole family this time. I'm looking forward to playing Kapalua and watching Duke win another Maui invite title. I can't wait to bringing my ultra conservative brother another "Hawaii, Home of Barack Obama" t-shirt.

If you can swing it, it's really worth it. During the last trip, we had a lot of interactions with the team. A picture of Andre Dawkins holding my daughter even made it to the front page of DBR! Coach K personally thanked all of us that were waiting in the lobby for the team to return from the championship game.

It's about a 30-minute flight for me, so the only thing that can stop me from going is an inability to get tickets. I'm trying to talk my dad, also an alum, into making Hawaii the Thanksgiving 2018 destination. Everyone can come to me for a change!

[SilkyJ]

We went in 2011 and had a great time. Our daughter was not quite 2 and my wife was pregnant with our son. We are planning on attending with the whole family this time. I'm looking forward to playing Kapalua and watching Duke win another Maui invite title. I can't wait to bringing my ultra conservative brother another "Hawaii, Home of Barack Obama" t-shirt.

If you can swing it, it's really worth it. During the last trip, we had a lot of interactions with the team. A picture of Andre Dawkins holding my daughter even made it to the front page of DBR! Coach K personally thanked all of us that were waiting in the lobby for the team to return from the championship game.

Hard freaking course. Shot 86 the day before at K'aanapali and played reasonably well at Kapalua only to shoot a 95. Greens are lightning, rough is thick, and if a stiff wind is blowing you are in for a tough day. Of course, bombing it 385 yards on 18 (with the aforementioned stiff wind at my back and a large downhill fairway) was a nice way to finish the day :)

(And before you question that drive--it was all mother nature on that one. Since 2003 its produced 92 drives over 400 yards on tour! (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1472237-tournament-of-champions-why-kapaluas-18th-is-among-best-holes-of-pga-tour))

[-bdbd]

We went in 2011 and had a great time. Our daughter was not quite 2 and my wife was pregnant with our son. We are planning on attending with the whole family this time. I'm looking forward to playing Kapalua and watching Duke win another Maui invite title. I can't wait to bringing my ultra conservative brother another "Hawaii, Home of Barack Obama" t-shirt.

If you can swing it, it's really worth it. During the last trip, we had a lot of interactions with the team. A picture of Andre Dawkins holding my daughter even made it to the front page of DBR! Coach K personally thanked all of us that were waiting in the lobby for the team to return from the championship game.

Hawaii??! I thought he was from Kenya!
(Just ask Donald...) ;)

I haven't been there for the tournament, but did go there on vacation once. Quaint little town, not far from tons of high-end resorts along the north shore.
Recommendation: try to take a bike ride down the volcano. You start at the top and, almost w/o pedaling, end up on the beach a couple hours later. Only downside was that it was a "sunrise" ride - beautiful sunrise view from the top, BUT it meant a hotel pickup by van at about 0330!!! Arrgh!

[English]

You start at the top and, almost w/o pedaling, end up on the beach a couple hours later. Only downside was that it was a "sunrise" ride - beautiful sunrise view from the top, BUT it meant a hotel pickup by van at about 0330!!! Arrgh!

And the temperature climbs ~50 degrees from start to finish/top to bottom. Dressing appropriately is complicated, yet crucial.

[BD80]

And the temperature climbs ~50 degrees from start to finish/top to bottom. Dressing appropriately is complicated, yet crucial.

Just de-layer gradually so that you are down to the thong as you hit the beach!

[JetpackJesus]

The Maui Invitational bracket came out today, so I thought I'd bump this old Maui thread. Tickets go on sale August 8, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. HST) (https://mauiinvitational.com/sports/2014/8/6/GEN_0806144303.aspx). My dad and I will be there. Anyone else going this year?
8526
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[nmduke2001]

The Maui Invitational bracket came out today, so I thought I'd bump this old Maui thread. Tickets go on sale August 8, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. HST) (https://mauiinvitational.com/sports/2014/8/6/GEN_0806144303.aspx). My dad and I will be there. Anyone else going this year?
8526
(click to embiggen)

My family and I will be there. We bought the package through the Iron Dukes and Anthony travel. Duke was oversold but they allotted extra tickets. Only downside to the waitlist tickets is that they put us in a hotel separate from the team. One of the best perks of the trip last time we went in 2011 was being able to interact with the players and coaches at the hotel. Oh well.

We’re now looking at activities to do other than watching basketball while there. The Atlantis submarine seems like fun. I might golf kapalua but am hesitant to bring my clubs all that way. The road to Hana is fun but so darn long. The Thanksgiving luau was amazing last time so that’s definitely on the list.

[UrinalCake]

Most preseason rankings have Auburn in the top 10 and Gonzaga in the top 5. We also play Kentucky to open the season. If we somehow make it through November undefeated, we will be ranked #1 and the undefeated talks will be going full-bore. OTOH we could very easily have three losses before December.

[subzero02]

Most preseason rankings have Auburn in the top 10 and Gonzaga in the top 5. We also play Kentucky to open the season. If we somehow make it through November undefeated, we will be ranked #1 and the undefeated talks will be going full-bore. OTOH we could very easily have three losses before December.

With such a tough slate to start the season, the trip to Canada is going to be that much more valuable. Hopefully we can start the season healthy. The only major injury concern right now as far as I know is Tre Jones' hip.

[JetpackJesus]

My family and I will be there. We bought the package through the Iron Dukes and Anthony travel. Duke was oversold but they allotted extra tickets. Only downside to the waitlist tickets is that they put us in a hotel separate from the team. One of the best perks of the trip last time we went in 2011 was being able to interact with the players and coaches at the hotel. Oh well.

We’re now looking at activities to do other than watching basketball while there. The Atlantis submarine seems like fun. I might golf kapalua but am hesitant to bring my clubs all that way. The road to Hana is fun but so darn long. The Thanksgiving luau was amazing last time so that’s definitely on the list.
I'd recommend going to Haleakala summit for sunrise. You have to leave early, and it will be cold up there. But it's something. I'd recommend doing a tour instead of making the drive yourself (same goes for road to Hana). They'll pick you up at your hotel and do all the driving.

Not sure in your tastes, but Maui Brewing Company may be worth checking out. If you're into vodka, Ocean Vodka is a neat visit. They make the vodka from sugar cane grown on site. There's also a winery. While not great, you can say you've been to 50% of our wineries (the one in Volcano on Big Island is not good). There's also a goat farm that has some pretty great goat cheese options available.

[JetpackJesus]

I'd recommend going to Haleakala summit for sunrise. You have to leave early, and it will be cold up there. But it's something. I'd recommend doing a tour instead of making the drive yourself (same goes for road to Hana). They'll pick you up at your hotel and do all the driving.

Not sure in your tastes, but Maui Brewing Company may be worth checking out. If you're into vodka, Ocean Vodka is a neat visit. They make the vodka from sugar cane grown on site. There's also a winery. While not great, you can say you've been to 50% of our wineries (the one in Volcano on Big Island is not good). There's also a goat farm that has some pretty great goat cheese options available.

I tried to finish this post, but I accidentally submitted and didn't finish editing in time. Here's the entire last paragraph I meant to post:

Not sure in your tastes, but Maui Brewing Company is worth checking out. I don't think they were really a thing yet last time Duke was here. The brewery tour (I haven't done it yet) is in Kihei, I think, but they have a brewpub in Lahaina. They make good beer (my default beer is now Maui Big Swell). If you're into vodka (also maybe rum now) Ocean Vodka is a neat visit, and I don't like vodka. They make the vodka from sugar cane grown on site. They have an amazing view overlooking Maui's neck. There's also a winery (Tedeschi). While not great, you can say you've been to 50% of our wineries (the one in Volcano on Big Island is not good and can't grow grapes). There's also a goat farm (Surfing Goat Dairy) that has some pretty great goat cheese options to try. I've heard the aquarium (Maui Ocean Center) is great, but I haven't been yet. There's also a lavender farm that's surprisingly cool. I had no idea how many things you can make out of lavender, and it's pretty crazy to see something like it in Hawaii.

[sagegrouse]

I'd recommend going to Haleakala summit for sunrise. You have to leave early, and it will be cold up there. But it's something. I'd recommend doing a tour instead of making the drive yourself (same goes for road to Hana). They'll pick you up at your hotel and do all the driving.



The Haleakala sunrise/bicycle ride was a disappointing experience. We were picked up about 2 AM, so we were near the front of the line for the descent. It was cold and we were given slickers. The sunrise came, and it was glorious for about one minute. I could hear the Buller's petrels calling. Then the clouds rose up and covered the summit and us with and icy fog. Couldn't see a thing.

We rode down the mountain in this same fog for about one-half hour until we gut under it. We were able to get rid of the slickers and ride in the sun. The rest of the ride was great.

[thedukelamere]

while juniors Javin DeLaurier and Jack White look to push their collegiate record to 120-0?

Man, we've seen some volatility with the roster since the OP...

Kudos to Bob for going 2 for 2 on his roster guesses. (Javin, Jack)
Gam7 was 1 for 5 (RJ, Luke, Gary, Chase, MBIII) *Since at the time MBIII could have been on this team, Gam7 holds the 2nd place tie-breaker
TM was 1 for 4 (Zion, Luke, Chase, Romeo)
Dutch unfortunately missed completely, going 0 for 5 (Wendell, Luke, Gary, Frank, and Knox)

[bullettoothtony]

We actually went up Mt. Haleakala at night... drove up to the top, crystal clear night, the moon and the stars... awesome.

I'd recommend a helicopter tour, definitely.

Road to Hana is long but worth it IMO.

[BD80]

Most preseason rankings have Auburn in the top 10 and Gonzaga in the top 5. We also play Kentucky to open the season. If we somehow make it through November undefeated, we will be ranked #1 and the undefeated talks will be going full-bore. OTOH we could very easily have three losses before December.

Good thing we will have some exhibition games in Canada to get a jump start.

It is almost like Coach K has a plan ...

[Troublemaker]

Most preseason rankings have Auburn in the top 10 and Gonzaga in the top 5. We also play Kentucky to open the season. If we somehow make it through November undefeated, we will be ranked #1 and the undefeated talks will be going full-bore. OTOH we could very easily have three losses before December.

When looking at preseason tourney brackets, I'm used to seeing Duke be on the opposite side of the biggest and 2nd-biggest threats to Duke in the bracket. (Whether that's good, bad, or even accurate, I dunno :-). So yeah, I was a bit surprised to see that Duke would potentially have to go through both Auburn and Gonzaga to win Maui. It will definitely be tough for Duke to maintain its historical undefeated record at Maui.

[devildeac]

When looking at preseason tourney brackets, I'm used to seeing Duke be on the opposite side of the biggest and 2nd-biggest threats to Duke in the bracket. (Whether that's good, bad, or even accurate, I dunno :-). So yeah, I was a bit surprised to see that Duke would potentially have to go through both Auburn and Gonzaga to win Maui. It will definitely be tough for Duke to maintain its historical undefeated record at Maui.

What our financial advisors regularly use as their disclaimer:

"Past performance is no guarantee of future results."

;)

[tbyers11]

When looking at preseason tourney brackets, I'm used to seeing Duke be on the opposite side of the biggest and 2nd-biggest threats to Duke in the bracket. (Whether that's good, bad, or even accurate, I dunno :-). So yeah, I was a bit surprised to see that Duke would potentially have to go through both Auburn and Gonzaga to win Maui. It will definitely be tough for Duke to maintain its historical undefeated record at Maui.

I agree with this take. Perhaps the Maui bracketologists went for the biggest names on the opposite side of Duke's bracket not realizing that Auburn is likely going to be much better than Arizona this year.

[MChambers]

I’d recommend snorkeling or diving at Maui. There are lots of good places close to shore or you could take a boat to Molokini. Might even see a whale or two, but it will be early in the season for them.

[JasonEvans]

Perhaps the Maui bracketologists went for the biggest names on the opposite side of Duke's bracket not realizing that Auburn is likely going to be much better than Arizona this year.

They may be a big name, but Arizona is going to be pretty mediocre this year. They are no better than a middle of the Pac 12 team. I would not be surprised for them to lose to Iowa St and if they do win, they are certainly going to get spanked by a really good Gonzaga club.

[uh_no]

We were picked up about 2 AM, so we were near the front of the line for the descent.

booooo that's cheating!

[luvdahops]

We actually went up Mt. Haleakala at night... drove up to the top, crystal clear night, the moon and the stars... awesome.

I'd recommend a helicopter tour, definitely.

Road to Hana is long but worth it IMO.

I was there with my family in March. Helicopter tour was awesome, as was snorkeling (we were fortunate to have some great whale watching on our boat rides in and out; November is the front end of whale season). We drove the Road to Hana ourselves and definitely enjoyed it, though it was a full day excursion and pretty tiring. There are a number of unspoiled waterfalls, pools and beaches along the way that are wonderful to experience, and make for some great photo ops. We were talked out of Haleakala by both friends and locals, so can't opine on that. And finally, I'll second the recommendation on Maui Brewing - I had more than my fair share of Big Swell and Bikini Blonde while on/around the island, and the pub features very solid bar food with some local twists.

[Bay Area Duke Fan]

They may be a big name, but Arizona is going to be pretty mediocre this year. They are no better than a middle of the Pac 12 team. I would not be surprised for them to lose to Iowa St and if they do win, they are certainly going to get spanked by a really good Gonzaga club.

Have you forgotten that AZ expects Chase Jeter to become a star player?

[RPS]

Southwest has previously announced plans to fly to four different airports in Hawaii from California and thus to disrupt fare pricing. To this point, no dates or routes have been provided, but there is buzz that an update will be offered at an industry event on August 7. It's unlikely that the Maui Invitational dates will be available, but we can hope...

[BD80]

I’d recommend snorkeling or diving at Maui. There are lots of good places close to shore or you could take a boat to Molokini. Might even see a whale or two, but it will be early in the season for them.

The diving is beautiful, but frankly I would recommend snorkeling. The islands are generally the tips of underwater mountains, so the drop-offs are fairly steep. Thus, there isn't that much more to see at 20-80 feet than there is at 8-15 feet. The water and coral are beautiful, which is why you would want to stay above 20 ft anyway, to appreciate all the colors.

[pfrduke]

A snorkel-sail trip to Molokini is another great option. Molokini is the very tip of a volcanic crater that sits off-shore and its shape and positioning create a protected spot for coral and fish. The visibility is incredible - up to 150' deep in spots - and there is a ton of diversity in the fish there. It's protected, so the number of boats they take out is limited, which reduces crowds. We have taken the Alii Nui (https://www.aliinuimaui.com/) on a couple different occasions and had great experiences.

Another place to consider snorkeling is Honolua Bay, which is up north of Kapalua. It's a rocky beach, not sandy, so not a place to spend the full day, but you just park on the highway and hike down and the snorkeling is superb. Some snorkel-sails out of Lahaina go up to Honolua Bay, so you may encounter a few boat-based snorkelers, but because it's out of the way it otherwise gets more limited crowds.

[nmduke2001]

Thanks for all the tips. Our kids are 6 and 8 now so we have a little more freedom to explore this time around. I just read that the Hyatt has a rooftop observatory that is supposedly amazing. I’m sure we’ll try that. In 2011, we were told that November is still too early to guarantee whales so I don’t know if we’ll put the money into a whale tour.

[JetpackJesus]

The diving is beautiful, but frankly I would recommend snorkeling. The islands are generally the tips of underwater mountains, so the drop-offs are fairly steep. Thus, there isn't that much more to see at 20-80 feet than there is at 8-15 feet. The water and coral are beautiful, which is why you would want to stay above 20 ft anyway, to appreciate all the colors.

This is more true for the younger islands like Maui and Big Island. Oahu has much less drop off than those two, so there are lots of dives in intermediate depths. There are a lot more reefs and wrecks, too.

[JetpackJesus]

Thanks for all the tips. Our kids are 6 and 8 now so we have a little more freedom to explore this time around. I just read that the Hyatt has a rooftop observatory that is supposedly amazing. I’m sure we’ll try that. In 2011, we were told that November is still too early to guarantee whales so I don’t know if we’ll put the money into a whale tour.

November is start of humpback season. Peak is maybe January to February/March. So you might be right about holding off on that.

[BD80]

This is more true for the younger islands like Maui and Big Island. Oahu has much less drop off than those two, so there are lots of dives in intermediate depths. There are a lot more reefs and wrecks, too.

Makes sense. I was diving off of Maui, which was nice, but I'd recommend the snorkeling.

[moonpie23]

you can refer to my visit to the arena here. (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?35992-Checking-Duke-s-real-estate-in-Maui&highlight=real+estate)

we loved Maui......we did the Road to Hanna thing, which is basically driving through Jurassic Park, (on one lane bridges sometimes) but it wasn't really that cool of a destination. in fact, some residents and merchants seemed to have a "you made it here, now go away" type of attitude. the drive was awesome, tho......saw a MONGOOSE crossing the road, which basically was a "what the hell was that" moment.


we did try to make the drive up to the observatory, but my daughter's asthma kicked in about 5k feet and we had to go back..I called for a star gazing appointmen, but was told the skies were going to be cloudy, so, i declined.

we took the snorkling trip out to the crater, we were having tons of fun when a storm came up and we had to leave early. between the smell of the bathroom smell wafting across the boat, and the heavy waves, mrs pie and little pie got really seasick ("snorkeling is now a banned vacation event for little pie now)

we jumped over to the big island and had an excellent adventure up to kilauea (before it turned into a vent from hell)

i am currently comparing this recent costa rica vacation to the maui adventure...

[nmbnancy]

We are going to the Maui games !

[jv001]

you can refer to my visit to the arena here. (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?35992-Checking-Duke-s-real-estate-in-Maui&highlight=real+estate)

we loved Maui...we did the Road to Hanna thing, which is basically driving through Jurassic Park, (on one lane bridges sometimes) but it wasn't really that cool of a destination. in fact, some residents and merchants seemed to have a "you made it here, now go away" type of attitude. the drive was awesome, tho...saw a MONGOOSE crossing the road, which basically was a "what the hell was that" moment.


we did try to make the drive up to the observatory, but my daughter's asthma kicked in about 5k feet and we had to go back..I called for a star gazing appointmen, but was told the skies were going to be cloudy, so, i declined.

we took the snorkling trip out to the crater, we were having tons of fun when a storm came up and we had to leave early. between the smell of the bathroom smell wafting across the boat, and the heavy waves, mrs pie and little pie got really seasick ("snorkeling is now a banned vacation event for little pie now)

we jumped over to the big island and had an excellent adventure up to kilauea (before it turned into a vent from hell)

i am currently comparing this recent costa rica vacation to the maui adventure...

One of the first things I was told on my tour of duty at Schofield Barracks(US Army) was there are no snakes here because of the Mongoose population. I sure was glad to hear that as I hate snakes. GoDuke!

[JetpackJesus]

One of the first things I was told on my tour of duty at Schofield Barracks(US Army) was there are no snakes here because of the Mongoose population. I sure was glad to hear that as I hate snakes. GoDuke!

It's true there are no snakes, and Hawaii has a mongoose population (well, Kauai doesn't). But the two aren't actually related. Hawaii doesn't have snakes simply because they aren't indigenous to the islands. The only way for snakes to get here is people bringing them from elsewhere by boat or plane (smuggling or accidental stowaways on cargo shipments). It's actually a felony to have a snake--$200k fine and 3 years in prison.

But the mongoose is a funny/sad story, as they aren't indigenous to Hawaii, either. Rats are an invasive species and big problem. They came over on ships back in the day, and rats being rats, they reproduced a lot. In an effort to combat the rat problem, sugar cane farmers decided to intentionally introduce mongoose to control the rat population (this was >100 years ago). The only problem is rats are nocturnal and mongoose are not, so the mongoose never encountered the rats they were supposed to kill. That's the funny part. And now the sad part: the mongoose is now another invasive species, and it has been decimating the native bird populations and eating turtle eggs ever since. :(

[arnie]

One of the first things I was told on my tour of duty at Schofield Barracks(US Army) was there are no snakes here because of the Mongoose population. I sure was glad to hear that as I hate snakes. GoDuke!
Saw the mongoose reference and thought Bill Foster and Gene Banks we’re headed to Maui in place of the 2918/2019 team.

[Indoor66]

Saw the mongoose reference and thought Bill Foster and Gene Banks we’re headed to Maui in place of the 2918/2019 team.

IIRC, the Mongoose was a Bucky Waters scheme.

[arnie]

IIRC, the Mongoose was a Bucky Waters scheme.
We joked about it during Banks and Dennard years - maybe it was Bucky and K copied it in 1981😀😀. Can’t really member anymore.

[jv001]

We joked about it during Banks and Dennard years - maybe it was Bucky and K copied it in 1981😀😀. Can’t really member anymore.

I think Duke used it when Gary Melchionni was at Duke and he ran it effectively. GoDuke!

[rasputin]

It's true there are no snakes, and Hawaii has a mongoose population (well, Kauai doesn't). But the two aren't actually related. Hawaii doesn't have snakes simply because they aren't indigenous to the islands. The only way for snakes to get here is people bringing them from elsewhere by boat or plane (smuggling or accidental stowaways on cargo shipments). It's actually a felony to have a snake--$200k fine and 3 years in prison.

But the mongoose is a funny/sad story, as they aren't indigenous to Hawaii, either. Rats are an invasive species and big problem. They came over on ships back in the day, and rats being rats, they reproduced a lot. In an effort to combat the rat problem, sugar cane farmers decided to intentionally introduce mongoose to control the rat population (this was >100 years ago). The only problem is rats are nocturnal and mongoose are not, so the mongoose never encountered the rats they were supposed to kill. That's the funny part. And now the sad part: the mongoose is now another invasive species, and it has been decimating the native bird populations and eating turtle eggs ever since. :(

There have never been snakes on a plane, right?

[gam7]

Man, we've seen some volatility with the roster since the OP...

Kudos to Bob for going 2 for 2 on his roster guesses. (Javin, Jack)
Gam7 was 1 for 5 (RJ, Luke, Gary, Chase, MBIII) *Since at the time MBIII could have been on this team, Gam7 holds the 2nd place tie-breaker
TM was 1 for 4 (Zion, Luke, Chase, Romeo)
Dutch unfortunately missed completely, going 0 for 5 (Wendell, Luke, Gary, Frank, and Knox)

2nd place with tiebreaker isn't bad, but I appeal the results! The question was about the starting lineup for Maui. Unless Javin and Jack are both in the starting lineup, I think I'll beat or take the tiebreaker against him as well. So, I win. Thanks for playing.

As for Maui, I plan to be there.

I second pfr's Honolua Bay recommendation for snorkeling.

Haleakala sunrise is breathtaking, but obviously cloud cover makes it a bit of a crapshoot. Either way, you'll get a story out of it. Agree with those who said that early morning van-pick-up-bike down is definitely the best way. The bike down is like 17 miles and requires maybe 200 yards' worth of pedaling total. Alternatively, you can drive yourself, but for those who have not done it since Feb 2017, you now need a permit in order to drive yourself to the top for sunrise. You can get them through recreation.gov for $1.50. You can't buy them for November dates yet, but trust me from personal experience, they'll be sold out if you wait until the last minute.

Also, for the adventurous and open-minded, if you are there on a Sunday, I'd suggest going to Little Beach (down past Wailea) at sunset Sunday night. Clothing optional.

[60sDukie]

The banquet for all the teams is (usually) Sunday night. That is also very enjoyable. We were there in 2007 and 2011. Alas we are not able to go this year because of family issues. So jealous of you guys.

[sagegrouse]

There have never been snakes on a plane, right?

Actually, that's the big fear in Hawaii. Guam lost almost all its avifauna (https://www.sciencealert.com/guam-s-plague-of-snakes-is-having-a-devastating-impact-on-the-trees) to the brown tree snake, which is native to Guadalcanal. The snakes probably arrived in the wheel wells of military aircraft from the Solomon Islands.

Hawaii, so I have read, has fences to place around arriving aircraft from certain places, until they can be inspected for snakes.

[El_Diablo]

The Maui Invitational bracket came out today, so I thought I'd bump this old Maui thread. Tickets go on sale August 8, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. HST) (https://mauiinvitational.com/sports/2014/8/6/GEN_0806144303.aspx). My dad and I will be there. Anyone else going this year?
8526
(click to embiggen)

I was unable to secure any Duke tickets when they went on sale earlier today (and the booster/travel packages likewise sold out long ago). Does anyone have any insight/advice on ways of finding tickets at this point? It seems the only direct sale options are (a) buy packages for other teams (e.g., the SDSU package would result in one Duke game, but one would have to guess on the other opponents and hope to get lucky) or (b) wait until the single game tickets go on sale on 11/16 and hope they don't sell out in under a minute again.

[alliecatdevil]

Hi guys,
I was able to get two tickets yesterday at 4pm on the dot. the Duke Tix were gone--my hubby is an Iowa State grad so when the teams were
announced some time ago, we put this one on the calendar. :)

If you look at the bracket, you could choose another team for Day 1--We got one ISU general admission booster and I got one booster from another team--This will be the first year we have gone, so I will be interested to see how the ticket scheme goes--There will be tix available there (scalpers probably) so the key is just getting some for the first day.

I got mine on TicketsWest.com yesterday--that was where the Maui site directed me. If I hear anything else, I'll post.

Hope to see some of you-- we are headed out on the 11th Nov to enjoy the week prior and then go to the games. Flying back to RDU on Thanksgiving night. :)

[nmduke2001]

Hi guys,
I was able to get two tickets yesterday at 4pm on the dot. the Duke Tix were gone--my hubby is an Iowa State grad so when the teams were
announced some time ago, we put this one on the calendar. :)

If you look at the bracket, you could choose another team for Day 1--We got one ISU general admission booster and I got one booster from another team--This will be the first year we have gone, so I will be interested to see how the ticket scheme goes--There will be tix available there (scalpers probably) so the key is just getting some for the first day.

I got mine on TicketsWest.com yesterday--that was where the Maui site directed me. If I hear anything else, I'll post.

Hope to see some of you-- we are headed out on the 11th Nov to enjoy the week prior and then go to the games. Flying back to RDU on Thanksgiving night. :)

We went in 2011 and will be there again this year. My wife and I spoke about it last night and could not remember a single scalper in 2011.

[madscavenger]

Has anyone ever purchased tickets via vividseats.com? They had tickets available prior to the August 8th release. We bought a couple on August 5th. Even though we weren't familiar with them, we had seen an ad at goduke.com and honestly did not expect to get tickets through official vendors on August 8th. In the past, tickets made available from Ticketmaster and others almost always were gone in less than one minute, so we purchased them from vividseats. Since then, I haven't found anyone else who did. A little nervousness has set in.

Feedback, anyone?

mad

[Gooch]

Has anyone ever purchased tickets via vividseats.com? They had tickets available prior to the August 8th release. We bought a couple on August 5th. Even though we weren't familiar with them, we had seen an ad at goduke.com and honestly did not expect to get tickets through official vendors on August 8th. In the past, tickets made available from Ticketmaster and others almost always were gone in less than one minute, so we purchased them from vividseats. Since then, I haven't found anyone else who did. A little nervousness has set in.

Feedback, anyone?

mad

I have used Vivid Seats for other sporting events and had no issues. They directed me to a local pick-up place a short walk from the arena to get my tickets. Enjoy the game!

[westwall]

Hi guys,

If you look at the bracket, you could choose another team for Day 1--We got one ISU general admission booster and I got one booster from another team--This will be the first year we have gone, so I will be interested to see how the ticket scheme goes--There will be tix available there . . . so the key is just getting some for the first day.


Agree, this has worked in the past.

[JetpackJesus]

I was unable to secure any Duke tickets when they went on sale earlier today (and the booster/travel packages likewise sold out long ago). Does anyone have any insight/advice on ways of finding tickets at this point? It seems the only direct sale options are (a) buy packages for other teams (e.g., the SDSU package would result in one Duke game, but one would have to guess on the other opponents and hope to get lucky) or (b) wait until the single game tickets go on sale on 11/16 and hope they don't sell out in under a minute again.

Same here. I logged in at exactly 10am (I also tried calling but the line just hangs up on you eventually), and tickets were already gone. I think it's pretty lame that they allow all tickets to be sold through travel packages without reserving any for the ticket-only sale. I'm going to check out the secondary market, I guess.

[Bluedog]

Has anyone ever purchased tickets via vividseats.com? They had tickets available prior to the August 8th release. We bought a couple on August 5th. Even though we weren't familiar with them, we had seen an ad at goduke.com and honestly did not expect to get tickets through official vendors on August 8th. In the past, tickets made available from Ticketmaster and others almost always were gone in less than one minute, so we purchased them from vividseats. Since then, I haven't found anyone else who did. A little nervousness has set in.

Feedback, anyone?

mad

Don't have personal experience with vivid seats but they seem reputable. Many resellers put tickets available BEFORE they actually have them in hand because they're confident they can get them. However, every once in a while they end up having to pay more than they sold them for and take a loss, but they'd rather do that then not deliver the promised goods. Demand always goes down as it gets closer to the games (except for the super bowl with the Seahawks and Patriots which then let to some new rules for tickets resellers) so they feel they can usually get an arbitrage opportunity by offering the tickets early.

But yes, it's frustrating that it seems like "normal" people can never get any tickets when they go on sale to the public, and bookies get them all. They used to have automated bots that grabbed all the tickets, but that's harder to do these days.

Listen to this NPR planet money podcast if you want more information about the secondary market and specifically the upheaval during the 2015 super bowl were small players completely lost their shirts as demand unexpectedly increased closer to game time.

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/02/02/582861315/episode-822-the-shortest-super-bowl

[madscavenger]

Earlier i mentioned that i was a little nervous about my purchase. i had received a purchase confirmation from Vivid Seats on August 5th which indicated an estimated shipping date of Ausgust 11th. Yesterday afternoon i received an email about that purchase, so i went to my account at Vivid Seats and discovered that the tickets are now expected to be sent by November 17th. By then i'll likely be in Hawaii and not home to sign off on the UPS delivery. i found comments online that cited similar experiences. Disconcerting? You betcha.

[Bluedog]

Earlier i mentioned that i was a little nervous about my purchase. i had received a purchase confirmation from Vivid Seats on August 5th which indicated an estimated shipping date of Ausgust 11th. Yesterday afternoon i received an email about that purchase, so i went to my account at Vivid Seats and discovered that the tickets are now expected to be sent by November 17th. By then i'll likely be in Hawaii and not home to sign off on the UPS delivery. i found comments online that cited similar experiences. Disconcerting? You betcha.

Yep, that stinks. They clearly don't have the tickets and are planning on sending somebody to Hawaii in person to get them right before the event. I can understand your concern. The "immediate download" tickets are always safer for that reason. If they say they're going to ship them "at a later date", means they don't have them in hand. Hope everything works out for you.

[djp10]

I was lucky enough to score 3 Duke Partial Booster Packages (https://mauiinvitational.com/sports/2014/8/6/GEN_0806144303.aspx#Duke%20Partial%20Booster) (1st two games on Mon and Tue). I need to be on a flight on Tue, so I won't be able to attend the second game. Does anyone know if the tickets come with an additional wristband that would prevent me from selling the 2nd game tickets?

I guess I'll find out shortly after Sep 30 when the tickets are shipped to me.

EDIT: The main reason I'm asking is because there's a 10p red eye option, which would allow me to attend the Tue game; but my wife and toddler would probably prefer we depart a little earlier than that. Being able to sell the tickets would help make the decision.

[60sDukie]

We did this in 2011 and 2007.

I assume things still work the same way: after each game they clear the stands. Then they let in the fans for the next game. These fans have been lined up outside the arena in the hot sun waiting to get in.

When we got to the arena (while the game before ours was being played) we bought tickets to this earlier game at the on-site box office. This works if the previous game is not sold out. That gets you in the arena. When they clear the arena, if you have a ticket for the next game (the Duke game) they don't make you leave. They just make you stand at the top of the bleachers while everyone else exits. When they open the stands for the next game, voila, you are at the front of the line! You end up spending money for a game that you might not care about, but you can get a good seat without being part of the crush of people racing in when they "open the gates".

A personal note: In 2007, all seats were available first-come, first-served. In 2011 they had the best seats reserved (with tape on the bleachers) for "special" people. Never did find out what one had to do to be "special". But we still were able to get the "best of the rest".

[JetpackJesus]

I was lucky enough to score 3 Duke Partial Booster Packages (https://mauiinvitational.com/sports/2014/8/6/GEN_0806144303.aspx#Duke%20Partial%20Booster) (1st two games on Mon and Tue). I need to be on a flight on Tue, so I won't be able to attend the second game. Does anyone know if the tickets come with an additional wristband that would prevent me from selling the 2nd game tickets?

I guess I'll find out shortly after Sep 30 when the tickets are shipped to me.

EDIT: The main reason I'm asking is because there's a 10p red eye option, which would allow me to attend the Tue game; but my wife and toddler would probably prefer we depart a little earlier than that. Being able to sell the tickets would help make the decision.

I don't know how resale would work. Maybe try calling TicketsWest (https://www.ticketswest.com/other-purchasing-options/order-by-phone) or going through the customer service form (https://www.ticketswest.com/customer-service/request-customer-service) on their website? When I called to try to purchase tickets I did speak to a real human. She just didn't have any tickets to sell me. They might be able to answer your questions.

If you do end up selling your tickets to the second game, I know someone who's very interested in buying (it's me).

[El_Diablo]

I was lucky enough to score 3 Duke Partial Booster Packages (https://mauiinvitational.com/sports/2014/8/6/GEN_0806144303.aspx#Duke%20Partial%20Booster) (1st two games on Mon and Tue). I need to be on a flight on Tue, so I won't be able to attend the second game. Does anyone know if the tickets come with an additional wristband that would prevent me from selling the 2nd game tickets?

I guess I'll find out shortly after Sep 30 when the tickets are shipped to me.

EDIT: The main reason I'm asking is because there's a 10p red eye option, which would allow me to attend the Tue game; but my wife and toddler would probably prefer we depart a little earlier than that. Being able to sell the tickets would help make the decision.

I need three tickets and would gladly take them off your hands. :cool:

[shimmyshimmy]

I know its a longshot but i am looking for 1 or 2 tickets to mondays game if anyone is coming in late and cant make the first game. i could only get monday off from work (live locally) so thats why i didnt buy a whole booster pack but would still like to try and go monday. aloha

[madscavenger]

My sister-in-law has tons of time share points she has to use or lose by yearend (i know, who the heck would buy into one of those). In any case, she almost begged us to take them, gratis. Unfortunately, all of their Maui units are booked. We're trying to piece together something, perhaps a time share on another island for awhile blended with a non-associated hotel on Maui. We'll probably spend about 10 days total, maybe wrap it around our anniversary (#44). Anyone out there thinking twofer, dollars to donuts you're still single. Any recs on Maui hotels?

[shimmyshimmy]

My sister-in-law has tons of time share points she has to use or lose by yearend (i know, who the heck would buy into one of those). In any case, she almost begged us to take them, gratis. Unfortunately, all of their Maui units are booked. We're trying to piece together something, perhaps a time share on another island for awhile blended with a non-associated hotel on Maui. We'll probably spend about 10 days total, maybe wrap it around our anniversary (#44). Anyone out there thinking twofer, dollars to donuts you're still single. Any recs on Maui hotels?

your best value would be to rent a condo through vrbo or homeaway. anywhere in kahana or napili is nice. look on tripadvisor for verified reviews. you can make your own cocktails and grill every night instead of pay 14$ for a cocktail and 20$ for a cheeseburger at the resort. pret cost effective. if you wanted to do the resort thing all of the kaanapali hotels are pretty much the same, nothing special. sheraton has the best location and is a little smaller and not as busy and crazy as the others. but its spread out and the pools arent as nice as the hyatt marriott or westin. westin is doing a renovation right now so be aware they usually dont advertise those things. i dont know where duke is staying but staying where the team is at is kinda cool as you can see all the players and coaches walking around. if you want something low key napili kai is a kind of hidden gem right on napili bay. also after thanksgiving things start to die down so if you spent the rest of your 10 days past the tournament vs before and coming in early you could probably get better better deals on things. hope that helps

[gam7]

Is this tournament really taking place in two weeks?

I am posting with an appeal to the board. I would love to purchase Duke booster package Maui tickets (up to 4 of them). If there are any DBR-ers with spare tickets that you need to dispose of, please DM me. Any leads would be much appreciated. If not, feel free to stop reading this post.

The background: I arranged for accommodations in Maui more than a year ago in anticipation of this tournament. When tickets went on sale through Duke, I was disappointed to learn that they could only be purchased as part of larger travel packages. I dutifully went to the Maui Invitational website in early August to try to purchase tickets the minute tickets went on sale to the general public, and those packages either completely sold out before being made available to the public, or were snapped up within seconds of going on sale.

I have been in periodic contact with the Iron Dukes office (I'm an Iron Duke) since February to check on whether there has been any update about standalone tickets. I am on the waitlist for four tickets. The Iron Dukes office has been extremely responsive, which I very much appreciate, but they still haven't been allocated any more standalone tickets from the tournament organizers.

Last week, I reached out to the tournament directly, and it does not sound as though any more tickets will be made available to the schools. (The person who emailed me said that there may be single game tickets that they'll offer for sale on Nov. 16, but those are "based on availability," and "will be EXTREMELY limited" (capitalization in original).

So, here I am. I'll be on Maui, but am now starting to worry that I won't be able to get tickets.

[JasonEvans]

So, here I am. I'll be on Maui, but am now starting to worry that I won't be able to get tickets.

Ordinarily I would suggest scalping from losing teams or fans who are only there to see their club... for example, hanging out after the Auburn-Xavier game to see if exiting fans will let you buy tickets to the Duke-SDSU game right after. But, I think you may have a problem with that. Zion Williamson.

I suspect folks are going to be so eager to see the second coming of the human highlight filmtm that they are not going to be eager to give up tickets to see the Blue Devils play. Sorry...

-Jason "I'm sure Dominique Wilkins will be fine with Zion stealing his title once he sees Zion play" Evans

[gam7]

Ordinarily I would suggest scalping from losing teams or fans who are only there to see their club... for example, hanging out after the Auburn-Xavier game to see if exiting fans will let you buy tickets to the Duke-SDSU game right after. But, I think you may have a problem with that. Zion Williamson.

I suspect folks are going to be so eager to see the second coming of the human highlight filmtm that they are not going to be eager to give up tickets to see the Blue Devils play. Sorry...

-Jason "I'm sure Dominique Wilkins will be fine with Zion stealing his title once he sees Zion play" Evans

Ugh, I know... Even setting aside Zion, the ticketing for this tournament (at least for the team booster tickets as I understand them) is going to make the usual NCAA tournament loser scalping strategy much less successful. The booster tickets are for all of your team's games regardless of when they are, rather than for a game at a particular time. And because each team is guaranteed three games, boosters probably won't be giving them up. And even if they did, it would be a ticket for that losing team's next game, regardless of time.

This is a really smart way to do it but you probably need a tiny venue like Maui for it to be feasible. It makes it more difficult for people in my position though. I didn't go to the PK80 tournament, but is this how the ticketing worked there?

[gam7]

Sorry all, just bumping the Maui thread to the first page.


Is this tournament really taking place in two weeks?

I am posting with an appeal to the board. I would love to purchase Duke booster package Maui tickets (up to 4 of them). If there are any DBR-ers with spare tickets that you need to dispose of, please DM me. Any leads would be much appreciated. If not, feel free to stop reading this post.

The background: I arranged for accommodations in Maui more than a year ago in anticipation of this tournament. When tickets went on sale through Duke, I was disappointed to learn that they could only be purchased as part of larger travel packages. I dutifully went to the Maui Invitational website in early August to try to purchase tickets the minute tickets went on sale to the general public, and those packages either completely sold out before being made available to the public, or were snapped up within seconds of going on sale.

I have been in periodic contact with the Iron Dukes office (I'm an Iron Duke) since February to check on whether there has been any update about standalone tickets. I am on the waitlist for four tickets. The Iron Dukes office has been extremely responsive, which I very much appreciate, but they still haven't been allocated any more standalone tickets from the tournament organizers.

Last week, I reached out to the tournament directly, and it does not sound as though any more tickets will be made available to the schools. (The person who emailed me said that there may be single game tickets that they'll offer for sale on Nov. 16, but those are "based on availability," and "will be EXTREMELY limited" (capitalization in original).

So, here I am. I'll be on Maui, but am now starting to worry that I won't be able to get tickets.

[BD80]

Sorry all, just bumping the Maui thread to the first page.

The "resale" market of tickets might have trended upward some over the last 16 or so hours.

[weezie]

I knew I should have sold that kidney.

[NSDukeFan]

Ordinarily I would suggest scalping from losing teams or fans who are only there to see their club... for example, hanging out after the Auburn-Xavier game to see if exiting fans will let you buy tickets to the Duke-SDSU game right after. But, I think you may have a problem with that. Zion Williamson.

I suspect folks are going to be so eager to see the second coming of the human highlight filmtm that they are not going to be eager to give up tickets to see the Blue Devils play. Sorry...

-Jason "I'm sure Dominique Wilkins will be fine with Zion stealing his title once he sees Zion play" Evans
I hope Zion is okay with Dominique having one of his titles before him.

[rasputin]

I knew I should have sold that kidney.

Well, to paraphrase Homer Simpson, you could sell one of your livers.

[nmbnancy]

We have bought the travel package through Anthony Travel. The Westin Maui Resort and Spa is undergoing major renovations and construction. Online reviews say that the construction was extremely disruptive to their stay. I contacted Anthony Travel with my concerns and they say everything will be fine.

Is anyone else worried about staying there ?

[alliecatdevil]

We are flying out Sunday--we are not doing the hotel route--instead rented a place on Air B/B. Staying for the week prior and then doing the tournament. We were able to get tickets on TicketsWest back in August--My hubby is an ISU alum, so we have two teams there. :) We are doing the 5 K that sunday prior, and the coaches luau sunday night too.
Are there any Duke activities that anyone knows of?

[nmduke2001]

We have bought the travel package through Anthony Travel. The Westin Maui Resort and Spa is undergoing major renovations and construction. Online reviews say that the construction was extremely disruptive to their stay. I contacted Anthony Travel with my concerns and they say everything will be fine.

Is anyone else worried about staying there ?

We got in via the waitlist (I was really upset, Anthony said I had plenty of time, a week later they were sold out but luckily I got in). Anyway, they put us next door in the Hyatt. We stayed at the Hyatt last time and it was great. One thing that made the Hyatt great was that Duke was there. We hung out with the team a bit and even had a few conversations with Coach. The team will be at the Westin with you this year, so that should be fun. Guess I won't get to share an elevator with Zion.

[nmbnancy]

We got in via the waitlist (I was really upset, Anthony said I had plenty of time, a week later they were sold out but luckily I got in). Anyway, they put us next door in the Hyatt. We stayed at the Hyatt last time and it was great. One thing that made the Hyatt great was that Duke was there. We hung out with the team a bit and even had a few conversations with Coach. The team will be at the Westin with you this year, so that should be fun. Guess I won't get to share an elevator with Zion.

Glad you are going to Maui !! We try to follow the Team whenever we can. I also love my elevator conversations with the players, you get to see the kid, not the player when just chatting in the elevator.

[-jk]

We have bought the travel package through Anthony Travel. The Westin Maui Resort and Spa is undergoing major renovations and construction. Online reviews say that the construction was extremely disruptive to their stay. I contacted Anthony Travel with my concerns and they say everything will be fine.

Is anyone else worried about staying there ?

Why would you spend time in the hotel - other than sleeping and breakfast?

-jk

[nmduke2001]

Glad you are going to Maui !! We try to follow the Team whenever we can. I also love my elevator conversations with the players, you get to see the kid, not the player when just chatting in the elevator.

Funny you mention that. I road on the elevator with Austin Rivers a few times. He was very pleasant and nice. My only strange interaction was with Tyler Thornton. He was in the elevator with Quinn and maybe Josh Hairston. I had my not yet 2 year old with me. Tyler was cussing up a storm. Quinn finally told him to stop because my daughter was in the elevator.

That year was cool because the NBA was on lock out. Steph Curry was there with his then fiancée and his parents. Doc Rivers was there too.

[madscavenger]

Earlier i mentioned that i was a little nervous about my purchase. i had received a purchase confirmation from Vivid Seats on August 5th which indicated an estimated shipping date of Ausgust 11th. Yesterday afternoon i received an email about that purchase, so i went to my account at Vivid Seats and discovered that the tickets are now expected to be sent by November 17th. By then i'll likely be in Hawaii and not home to sign off on the UPS delivery. i found comments online that cited similar experiences. Disconcerting? You betcha.

Well, i received emails saying my tickets will be shipped via UPS, instead of provided by local pickup as promised over the phone on two different occasions. Each time I spent more than a half hour kicking a brick wall, every volley responded to with the same nonvarying script. The latest notification came a little after 9am the morning after the Kentucky rout. If this isn't a scam, I don't know what is. There's no doubt about it; if i'm not home to sign for the UPS delivery, the package is not delivered. Then, its all over. Further updates will follow. Their ads claim they have an arrangement of some sort with Duke and other Universities and they advertise on goduke dot com . Cannot believe we would have not checked them out. …………………………………………………………….

[UrinalCake]

Well, i received emails saying my tickets will be shipped via UPS, instead of provided by local pickup as promised over the phone on two different.

Sounds like they’re sending you on a madscavenger hunt!

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I hope you get your tickets on time! Between this, C2C, and the Champions Classic, Duke’s ticketing office needs to get their act together!)

[budwom]

Well, i received emails saying my tickets will be shipped via UPS, instead of provided by local pickup as promised over the phone on two different occasions. Each time I spent more than a half hour kicking a brick wall, every volley responded to with the same nonvarying script. The latest notification came a little after 9am the morning after the Kentucky rout. If this isn't a scam, I don't know what is. There's no doubt about it; if i'm not home to sign for the UPS delivery, the package is not delivered. Then, its all over. Further updates will follow. Their ads claim they have an arrangement of some sort with Duke and other Universities and they advertise on goduke dot com . Cannot believe we would have not checked them out. …………………………………………………………….

I have learned over the years to NEVER get tickets through Duke...too much misinformation, too much genial incompetence....you simply can't count on them (by my experience and that of a few friends).

[rsvman]

Far be it from me to contradict the great Jason Evans, but if my memory serves, I believe they called Wilkins "The Human Highlight Reel," not the human highlight film.

I could be wrong, and I'm happy to be corrected if I am.

[JasonEvans]

Far be it from me to contradict the great Jason Evans, but if my memory serves, I believe they called Wilkins "The Human Highlight Reel," not the human highlight film.

I could be wrong, and I'm happy to be corrected if I am.

I always knew it as Human Highlight Film and I grew up in ATL as a 'Nique fan.

His Wiki page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominique_Wilkins)also refers to him as Film, not Reel.

[westwall]

I have learned over the years to NEVER get tickets through Duke...too much misinformation, too much genial incompetence...you simply can't count on them (by my experience and that of a few friends).


We are heading out to Maui this coming Tuesday, and to the Hyatt the following Sunday — but you are certainly correct in your above statement. I have a story of tha 1999 Final Four. We fortunately had made reservations at the Don Caesar in St. Pete Beach — where the team stayed. The Iron Dukes were housed somewhere in Tampa, miles away. We had a ball (dispite the loss) and I have stories— they don’t.

[madscavenger]

I have learned over the years to NEVER get tickets through Duke...too much misinformation, too much genial incompetence...you simply can't count on them (by my experience and that of a few friends).

They were bought from Vividseats, not from Duke. Have no experience getting tickets directly from Duke, but it is good to know what others have to say. Thanks.

[madscavenger]

After much more jawboning, Vividseats has now come through. i received an email on Friday confirming that my tickets will be hand delivered to me at the venue. Very grateful for that because the Xanax has just about run out. The tickets turned out, however, to be for Game 2 (our opener) only. i had purchased tickets for all three games and we finally arrived at a mutual understanding that all three would be "delivered locally". Yup, Yogi was a wise, wise man. Its not over 'til its over. Guess the Thorazine will have to do. ……………………………..

[gam7]

Bump. This should be an awesome experience, and I hope to be there for it! If anyone has a lead on two tickets for the Duke games, please DM me. I did purchase two Auburn booster packages at what appeared to be close to face value in the hope that Duke and Auburn both win their first games. So, WAR EAGLEEEEEEE, whatever the heck that means.

(Someone did offer me 3 tickets for $2K. I appreciate that person's reaching out and am aware that tickets at ridiculously high prices are occasionally available online.)


Is this tournament really taking place in two weeks?

I am posting with an appeal to the board. I would love to purchase Duke booster package Maui tickets (up to 4 of them). If there are any DBR-ers with spare tickets that you need to dispose of, please DM me. Any leads would be much appreciated. If not, feel free to stop reading this post.

The background: I arranged for accommodations in Maui more than a year ago in anticipation of this tournament. When tickets went on sale through Duke, I was disappointed to learn that they could only be purchased as part of larger travel packages. I dutifully went to the Maui Invitational website in early August to try to purchase tickets the minute tickets went on sale to the general public, and those packages either completely sold out before being made available to the public, or were snapped up within seconds of going on sale.

I have been in periodic contact with the Iron Dukes office (I'm an Iron Duke) since February to check on whether there has been any update about standalone tickets. I am on the waitlist for four tickets. The Iron Dukes office has been extremely responsive, which I very much appreciate, but they still haven't been allocated any more standalone tickets from the tournament organizers.

Last week, I reached out to the tournament directly, and it does not sound as though any more tickets will be made available to the schools. (The person who emailed me said that there may be single game tickets that they'll offer for sale on Nov. 16, but those are "based on availability," and "will be EXTREMELY limited" (capitalization in original).

So, here I am. I'll be on Maui, but am now starting to worry that I won't be able to get tickets.

[westwall]

For those not yet on Maui, the Westin hotel entrance is a messy construction zone but otherwise things there seem functional and normal.

[nmduke2001]

For those not yet on Maui, the Westin hotel entrance is a messy construction zone but otherwise things there seem functional and normal.

Anthony travel actually put us in the Hyatt. They said that the Westin didn’t have enough rooms due to the construction.

We’re spending the first half of our vacation at Wailea and headed to Lahaina on Sunday. We considered greeting the team at the airport but my wife didn’t want to make the 25 minute drive without knowing exactly when they would arrive. Oh well.

[AZLA]

Anthony travel actually put us in the Hyatt. They said that the Westin didn’t have enough rooms due to the construction.

We’re spending the first half of our vacation at Wailea and headed to Lahaina on Sunday. We considered greeting the team at the airport but my wife didn’t want to make the 25 minute drive without knowing exactly when they would arrive. Oh well.

Flying there tomorrow can’t wait. As long as the team is there and the views out back aren’t impeded a little construction I can tolerate. Go Duke!

[JetpackJesus]

Bump. This should be an awesome experience, and I hope to be there for it! If anyone has a lead on two tickets for the Duke games, please DM me. I did purchase two Auburn booster packages at what appeared to be close to face value in the hope that Duke and Auburn both win their first games. So, WAR EAGLEEEEEEE, whatever the heck that means.

(Someone did offer me 3 tickets for $2K. I appreciate that person's reaching out and am aware that tickets at ridiculously high prices are occasionally available online.)

I bought the Auburn booster pack from TicketsWest last week (they were still available). Auburn is ranked highly and Xavier is in a rebuilding year, so it was worth the gamble. Two Auburn booster packs cost less than a single Game 7 (or Game 2) ticket on the secondary market.

For anyone else looking for tickets, check the box office or TicketsWest immediately after Auburn wins. They didn't sell out of booster packs, so individual game tickets for Game 7 may be available. They will be releasing single game tickets for later round games based on outcomes of the prior games.

Edit: Individual tickets to Auburn's first game were on sale for $105 this morning. It looks like they sold quickly. All other first round games were sold out.

[jimsumner]

Bump. This should be an awesome experience, and I hope to be there for it! If anyone has a lead on two tickets for the Duke games, please DM me. I did purchase two Auburn booster packages at what appeared to be close to face value in the hope that Duke and Auburn both win their first games. So, WAR EAGLEEEEEEE, whatever the heck that means.



Duke and Auburn could also both lose their openers and meet in the consolation round.

Just covering all bases. :)

As an aside, if a team loses its first game and wins the next two, it finishes at fifth place, with a 2-1 mark. If a team wins its first game and loses the next two, it finishes in fourth place, with a 1-2 record.

[gam7]

Duke and Auburn could also both lose their openers and meet in the consolation round.

Just covering all bases. :)

As an aside, if a team loses its first game and wins the next two, it finishes at fifth place, with a 2-1 mark. If a team wins its first game and loses the next two, it finishes in fourth place, with a 1-2 record.

Yes, Jim, I originally typed that scenario as well, but then decided to delete it, as there was no wood within knocking distance when I wrote my post! (Incidentally, the other thing about it is that I am an SDSU fan - even had SDSU football season tickets for a time during the Marshall Faulk era. So, I'll be OK with any Game 2 permutation involving Auburn.)

If I end up seeing only Auburn games, my ideal scenario for would be a Game 1 win, a semifinal loss vs. Duke in Round 2, and then 3rd/4th place game against Gonzaga or Arizona. Sean Miller, appearing for a limited time only!

In other news, my parents flew in from San Diego today on a flight with the SDSU team, so Duke Opponent #1 has arrived!

[AZLA]

It’s official... Blue Devil has arrived 8823

[BD80]

It’s official... Blue Devil has arrived 8823

Isn't he supposed to have a long pipe in his mouth as he strides toward the shore?

[nmduke2001]

Isn't he supposed to have a long pipe in his mouth as he strides toward the shore?

Just ran into Chase Jeter. I asked if it would be weird playing his old team. He said “not weird at all.” I said we were sad to see him leave. He said that he missed Duke. “The school, not the team.” Seemed like a really nice kid.

[AZLA]

Isn't he supposed to have a long pipe in his mouth as he strides toward the shore?

Lol yup ...having grown up military and lived in the PI for a few years... I appreciate the MacArthur reference! I have a great video of the dingy sliding up the beach for the perfect beach landing. I just couldn’t figure how to easily post on mobile without YTube. Seeing teams everywhere... a lot of great talent for this tourney.

[westwall]

I bought the Auburn booster pack from TicketsWest last week (they were still available). Auburn is ranked highly and Xavier is in a rebuilding year, so it was worth the gamble. Two Auburn booster packs cost less than a single Game 7 (or Game 2) ticket on the secondary market.

For anyone else looking for tickets, check the box office or TicketsWest immediately after Auburn wins. They didn't sell out of booster packs, so individual game tickets for Game 7 may be available. They will be releasing single game tickets for later round games based on outcomes of the prior games.

Edit: Individual tickets to Auburn's first game were on sale for $105 this morning. It looks like they sold quickly. All other first round games were sold out.

Tomorrow morning at 7 AM standing room tickets will go on sale at the box office!! Probably 50 or more.

[terrih]

@Westwall- this is great information. Where did you hear that standing room only tickets will go on sale for Auburn tomorrow? Love to know so that I can have info on other games as well. Thanks in advance!

I bought the San Diego State package, so I have tickets to Monday's game, but no other Duke games. I'm looking to sell my other SDSU tickets (their other 2 games here) and hoping like all other Duke fans here to find tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thanks,
-Terri

[subzero02]

Auburn is heating up from 3. What a great atmosphere in that arena!!!
!

[subzero02]

Xavier is a walking turnover machine. Auburn is playing good defense but not that good. The Musketeers have at least 13 turnovers with 17 minutes left to play.

[cato]

Any idea how long there will be between games? Trying to plan my afternoon conference calls.

[BandAlum83]

What is the time difference? What time (local time) did the first game begin?

[English]

What is the time difference? What time (local time) did the first game begin?

Auburn-Xavier tipped at 2:30P ET, so we’re looking at ~5:00P ET. Almost always a half hour between these tourney games.

[sagegrouse]

Any idea how long there will be between games? Trying to plan my afternoon conference calls.

I always think -- "30 minutes." Should start about 5PM ET?

[English]

Something to monitor, but the shot clock on one end is malfunctioning, so they’ve turned both off. I don’t know what kind of impact that has, practically speaking, on the players, but it may just add a wrinkle to both teams. Hopefully they can resolve that before our tip.

This Auburn-Xavier game is a total slopfest. Both teams are turning it over, shooting badly, and looking generally frenetic and out of sorts. Neither too impressive, but Auburn seems the better squad.

Looking at fan shots, there is a fair amount of Duke gear peppered throughout the arena. Looks like a great atmosphere.

ETA: They fixed the shot clock, but it’s gone out a couple of times throughout this game. Annoyance, but hopefully not an issue for our matchup.

[subzero02]

Any idea how long there will be between games? Trying to plan my afternoon conference calls.

It's usually about 30 minutes. We should start a bit after 5 pm if they don't go into overtime and they don't have anymore clock issues. This means that both will likely happen.

[BandAlum83]

Auburn-Xavier tipped at 2:30P ET, so we’re looking at ~5:00P ET. Almost always a half hour between these tourney games.

I was actually wondering what time it is in Hawaii. It seems like they had to have started at 8:00 am local time. I see now they are only -5 hours from EST. So the first game started at 9:30 am. That's an early call!

Gotta make the TV Money in the east!

[Bob Green]

Xavier has cut Auburn's lead to two points at 62-60. Sloppy game but entertaining.

[BandAlum83]

Xavier has cut Auburn's lead to two points at 62-60. Sloppy game but entertaining.

Xavier has great pedigree, but with the way everyone "in the know" has been talking, a Xavier win would be a pretty big upset. Of course, tipping off at 9:30 am can affect a team.

[BandAlum83]

Wow, I just saw a graphic that said Aubeurn has attempted 33 3pt shots. They've made 11. That's a lot of attempts!

Wit. Update. Now 11 of 34

[duke4ever19]

Ugh. Overtime.

[Bob Green]

...if they don't go into overtime...

Good call. :)

[subzero02]

Good call. :)

I could see it coming... they're just trying to have our game creep into primetime.:)

[subzero02]

Tha Zags look pretty good, especially on offense and Hachimura is quite a talent. I wonder who will guard him if we face them for the championsip; I think Javin would foul out in about 10 minutea if he were tasked with locking him down.

[JetpackJesus]

Bill Walton is insufferable. Ugh.

[UrinalCake]

Can’t believe I’ve stayed awake this late but Illinois has hung around all game, not letting the Zags put them away and now have made a run to cut the lead to 2 with 30 seconds left. Hope for another overtime?

[AGDukesky]

I’ve felt Arizona was destined to make the finals given all the lack of respect and seeing that side of the bracket. I’m calling angry AZ over short-handed Gonzaga...

[kmspeaks]

Bill Walton is insufferable. Ugh.

I've read comments on Walton on DBR before but I think last night is the first time I've actually heard him call a game. I made it about a minute before I turned it off. At this point Dick Vitale is just white noise that I can tune out and I get a kick out of arguing with Joe Buck from my living room but Walton actually made the game unwatchable. Yikes.

[JetpackJesus]

I've read comments on Walton on DBR before but I think last night is the first time I've actually heard him call a game. I made it about a minute before I turned it off. At this point Dick Vitale is just white noise that I can tune out and I get a kick out of arguing with Joe Buck from my living room but Walton actually made the game unwatchable. Yikes.

It was brutal. I felt bad for Jason Benetti.

Walton: Can we talk about Thorium, too?

Benetti: If you'd like to...

Walton: It's the most important element.

Benetti: I... did not know that. I would've thought Oxygen is pretty important.

Walton: Well, if you want to keep going, Thorium is really important.

And the amiable rims exchange...

Don't do drugs, kids.

[hallcity]

It was brutal. I felt bad for Jason Benetti.

Walton: Can we talk about Thorium, too?

Benetti: If you'd like to...

Walton: It's the most important element.

Benetti: I... did not know that. I would've thought Oxygen is pretty important.

Walton: Well, if you want to keep going, Thorium is really important.

And the amiable rims exchange...

Don't do drugs, kids.

Don't forget that Walton loves his bike.

I've always thought that California is a pleasant place but if Californians like listening to Walton, you have to wonder what's wrong with the state. It's like Walton is an actor in an absurdist play.

[cato]

Don't forget that Walton loves his bike.

I've always thought that California is a pleasant place but if Californians like listening to Walton, you have to wonder what's wrong with the state. It's like Walton is an actor in an absurdist play.

Out here, Walton is actually a lucid voice calling out through an unraveling landscape of hipster fever dreams.

[AGDukesky]

Watching Gonzaga/AZ and feel Gonzaga is the better team but not great defensively and prone to make TOs. AZ is a bit wild offensively and does not box out well. I think Zion will have a nice game tomorrow either way and our offense should score a lot if we play smart.

[juise]

Oh, Chase. :confused:

[Son of Jarhead]

Arizona was up double digits part way through the 2nd half, but the Zags have stormed back. They finally started hitting shots and stopped turning it over. Tied with 11 to go.

Chase Jeter just committed his 4th foul and griped at the ref drawing a T for his 5th. He knew right away he had screwed up. And I have to ask, what is up with his shorts? One leg regular modern length, the other short like back in the 70's. Weird fashion statement.

[Son of Jarhead]

Next up... Gonzaga. There game with Arizona was closer than the 91-74 final score. Should be a good one! Go Duke!!!!

[weezie]

...Chase Jeter... I have to ask, what is up with his shorts? One leg regular modern length, the other short like back in the 70's. Weird fashion statement.

Oh no. Please tell me that was merely a wardrobe malfunction. I have enough things to be concerned about.

[Son of Jarhead]

Oh no. Please tell me that was merely a wardrobe malfunction. I have enough things to be concerned about.

No wardrobe malfunction. It was like that from the start of the game.

[arnie]

Oh, Chase. :confused:

Another of many Duke transfers with unrealistic expectations due to high recruiting rankings. He looked tentative and uncomfortable last night against strong competition, despite his experience. At least he must have a good attitude as he is a captain.

[dukelifer]

No wardrobe malfunction. It was like that from the start of the game.

And the game before

[DangerDevil]

Chase Jeter just committed his 4th foul and griped at the ref drawing a T for his 5th. He knew right away he had screwed up. And I have to ask, what is up with his shorts? One leg regular modern length, the other short like back in the 70's. Weird fashion statement.


https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/pascoe/arizona-cal-poly-postgame-on-wildcats-depth-williams-assists-and/article_f3181064-e631-11e8-964a-fbbe78081636.html

“Did manage to get an answer for why Chase Jeter rolls up the right leg of his shorts on the floor.

Sort of.

"Everybody keeps asking me that," Jeter said. "I have no reason. I just kind of do it. It’s just my thing.”

[AGDukesky]

Seems like the final scores of both semifinals were misleading- but in opposite directions. Scores probably should have been reversed...

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Seems like the final scores of both semifinals were misleading- but in opposite directions. Scores probably should have been reversed...

Yeah I noticed that. The Zags got out of control late for the margin. From 13 down to 17 point win....pretty impressive. That's a 30 point turn around on a pretty good team.

[JasonEvans]

That's a 30 point turn around on a pretty good team.

Ummm, Arizona is not a pretty good team... well, it may depend on your definition of "pretty good." I think they are a bubble NCAA tourney team, at best. They would not finish in the top half of the ACC. Match them up with NC State, for example, and I am picking the Pack.

[gam7]

Another of many Duke transfers with unrealistic expectations due to high recruiting rankings. He looked tentative and uncomfortable last night against strong competition, despite his experience. At least he must have a good attitude as he is a captain.

I didn't get the sense that he had unrealistic expectations. My sense is that his expectations were reasonable but things just didn't work out. The writing was on the wall with Carter and Bolden (and soon to be Bagley) in the fold.

Incidentally, I was able to get tickets to Games 2 and 7, but have come up dry on Game 10. If anyone knows of someone needing to unload a single unused ticket for today, please let me know!

Thanks!