86 Blue Devils

[dynastydefender]

I saw on the local Carolina network a documentary on the 1986 Duke Blue Devils. I had no idea that the loss to Louisville was so devastating to not only to the players but to Coach K as well. I really feel for those players now. I have never seen Jay Bilas Cry but he sure was choked up. It was a very nice and respectful presentation. Did anyone else see it?

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I saw on the local Carolina network a documentary on the 1986 Duke Blue Devils. I had no idea that the loss to Louisville was so devastating to not only to the players but to Coach K as well. I really feel for those players now. I have never seen Jay Bilas Cry but he sure was choked up. It was a very nice and respectful presentation. Did anyone else see it?
I didn't see the documentary, but I saw the game and the aftermath. One of the bad memories involved Denny Crum making a disparaging remark about the possibility of any future attempts... seems to me there was to be a change the next season in the minimum SAT scores required by the NCAA. Maybe somebody else remembers exactly what he said.

The 1986 team meant so much to those of us who lived through the great years with Vic Bubas as the coach..... after he left we were searching for years for a way back to the high level he took the program. Once you've experienced that sort of high level program, it's hard to live with less.

[dynastydefender]

I didn't see the documentary, but I saw the game and the aftermath. One of the bad memories involved Denny Crum making a disparaging remark about the possibility of any future attempts... seems to me there was to be a change the next season in the minimum SAT scores required by the NCAA. Maybe somebody else remembers exactly what he said.

The 1986 team meant so much to those of us who lived through the great years with Vic Bubas as the coach..... after he left we were searching for years for a way back to the high level he took the program. Once you've experienced that sort of high level program, it's hard to live with less.
I am going to do some more research on that team. It almost seems that Duke paid thier dues in 86 to become a championship team in the 90's and beyond. I completely agree with "Once you've experienced that sort of high level program, it's hard to live with less."

[Uncle Drew]

No and I don't want to see it. I can't afford the therapy all over again. That loss to Louisville was the worst feeling I ever had after a Duke NCAA loss. (1999 was close, but I was more mad than sad!) I've watched replays of the 1986 title game on ESPN Classic over the years. And every time I find myself screaming at the TV, "no, no, no don't slow it up, just keep playing your game, score"!!!!!!!! That 1986 team was so special and looked like they had destiny written all over them.

I think the thing that hurt so much at the time was it had been eight years since Duke had been to a Final Four or national championship game. Everyone knew Dawkins, Alarie, Bilas etc. were graduating, and nobody could have known Duke would skip a year then make a run of Final Fours that hadn't been done since UCLA. (Duke lost to Bob Knight's last Indiana championship team in 1987 in the NCAA's, nothing to sneeze at!) So many of us felt like we'd lost our best chance at a title. For life long Duke fans it was agony to watch. I do think Coach K learned a lot from that game. And it's amazing to look back now and see that year as the year Duke became America's lovable losers basketball team. Where exactly we went from being always a bridesmade to the team everyone loves to hate I don't know.

[TwoDukeTattoos]

I saw on the local Carolina network a documentary on the 1986 Duke Blue Devils. I had no idea that the loss to Louisville was so devastating to not only to the players but to Coach K as well. I really feel for those players now. I have never seen Jay Bilas Cry but he sure was choked up. It was a very nice and respectful presentation. Did anyone else see it?

I remember it all too well. Duke was a powerhouse that year and was the clear favorite to win the title (that team and Duke's '99 team still hold the all time NCAA record for most victories in a single season: 37-2 both years). And Duke seemed to have the game won, but things fell apart in the final minutes. It seemed that we didn't have an answer for Never Nervous Pervis Ellison and I recall that many folks thought that Dawkins should have played more minutes down the stretch.

That title loss, along with 99's have remained the toughest to swallow.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I don't remember the game as much as my reaction to the loss. I would have been 16 at the time. We were vacationing in Hilton Head, and I remember yelling at the tv, crying up the stairs to my room, and pretty much being miserable the rest of the trip. I was SOOO sure that was our year to win it all. It would prove to be the first of 4 tries in the Final Four before K finally shed the monkey. But that 1st one in '86 was the worst.

[Ggallagher]

Curses to whoever decided to reopen this old wound!

As already noted by others who were at Duke during the Bubas era - seeing the '86 team lose this game was really painful. In my case the pain was inadvertently doubled.

The morning after the game I was in my office - still not fully recovered from the shock of the loss. All of the sudden a guy I only very slightly knew walks in and sits in front of my desk. He was terribly distressed because his wife had just called him from home where she'd heard on the news that the title had been taken away from Louisville either for a drug or academic violation. Turns out the stranger that walked into my office was a Louisville graduate. And as luck would have it, the first person he bumped into for consolation was me, a Duke graduate. But he had no idea that I had gone to Duke - it was just pure, dumb luck that he found me first.

He was nearly incoherent in his grief - and obviously I was in no mood to offer him a shoulder to cry on. Plus I couldn't really believe that what he was telling me was true, but being 1986 it was not like I could hop on the Internet to find out what was going on. So after he left my office, I just sat there shocked and confused.

About half an hour later, my Louisville "friend" strolled back into my office - all smiles. His wife had called back and told HIM, "Ha, ha, ha... got you!"

For as some may be aware, the 1986 championship game was played on March 31. On the next day - April Fool's Day - this guy's wife had decided to jerk him around with a little trick. Which she did quite well - but she got me, too.

Thanks for poking the stick back in my eye again - wonderful memory!

Glen

[Uncle Drew]

Curses to whoever decided to reopen this old wound!

As already noted by others who were at Duke during the Bubas era - seeing the '86 team lose this game was really painful. In my case the pain was inadvertently doubled.

The morning after the game I was in my office - still not fully recovered from the shock of the loss. All of the sudden a guy I only very slightly knew walks in and sits in front of my desk. He was terribly distressed because his wife had just called him from home where she'd heard on the news that the title had been taken away from Louisville either for a drug or academic violation. Turns out the stranger that walked into my office was a Louisville graduate. And as luck would have it, the first person he bumped into for consolation was me, a Duke graduate. But he had no idea that I had gone to Duke - it was just pure, dumb luck that he found me first.

He was nearly incoherent in his grief - and obviously I was in no mood to offer him a shoulder to cry on. Plus I couldn't really believe that what he was telling me was true, but being 1986 it was not like I could hop on the Internet to find out what was going on. So after he left my office, I just sat there shocked and confused.

About half an hour later, my Louisville "friend" strolled back into my office - all smiles. His wife had called back and told HIM, "Ha, ha, ha... got you!"

For as some may be aware, the 1986 championship game was played on March 31. On the next day - April Fool's Day - this guy's wife had decided to jerk him around with a little trick. Which she did quite well - but she got me, too.

Thanks for poking the stick back in my eye again - wonderful memory!

Glen

The ONLY redeeming thing about that loss was that I didn't know any Louisville fans and if memory serves me correctly UNC fans pretty much left us alone for whatever reason after that loss. I'm not condoning murder by any means, but if you'd gone postal on your "friend" I'm pretty sure you could have plead temporary insanity. The thing that stings so much about a loss to UNC for many of us is we know so many UNC fans and the game will be discussed over and over to the point we want to slit our (or their) wrists. The one thing I can say about NCAA losses, usually there aren't many Indiana, Kentucky, UCONN etc fans in state to hear about it from. But that VCU loss seemed like some evil scientist was cloning people to rag Duke fans.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Doesn't anyone else remember Denny Crum's boneheaded comment after winning? I remember the disgust I felt when he said it, but can't recall exactly what he said.

[Rich]

As a Duke sophomore ready to participate in the greatest party the campus (or I) had ever seen to date, it was truly devastating. I remember they had a 50 foot screen set up on the main West campus quad and all of these events scheduled for after the game. After the game, I think they still had some of the events (e.g., I recall a band), but I only remember walking around in a stupor drinking from a champagne bottle.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

One of the memories I have of the '86 season was my father's reaction. He was a member of the Class of '33. He'd had his ups and downs with Duke over a variety of issues over the years. His health was failing throughout that season. When it was clear that Duke was headed to the Final Four, my dad was ready to get in the car and drive to be there.... he had no tickets, no hotel. He just wanted to be where the team was.

[wilko]

The 86 team will always be special.
It so captivated the local community.

I was a senior in HS. My dad was in an auto accident. He had a severe head trauma. He was in a coma at DUMC during the final game. One of the things he asked about when he briefly came to was "did Duke win"?

He ultimately died as a result of those injuries.

Duke BBall was a bright spot in an otherwise painful year.
I was too emotionally invested.

[UncleBill]

I was also a sophomore at the wide screen on Main West for this game. The feeling of emptiness and confusion permeated that huge crowd, what do we do now? I remember kinda just wandering off to the bus stop to get back to East, stunned, mostly. The crowd welcoming the team back the nexy day or so was nice, though.

[Uncle Drew]

One of the memories I have of the '86 season was my father's reaction. He was a member of the Class of '33. He'd had his ups and downs with Duke over a variety of issues over the years. His health was failing throughout that season. When it was clear that Duke was headed to the Final Four, my dad was ready to get in the car and drive to be there.... he had no tickets, no hotel. He just wanted to be where the team was.

When Duke eventually won in 1991 the first thing I thought of was my dad, a life long Duke fan who never got to see them win the big one. He passed away on January 4th 1990 and when UNLV bashed Duke's collective brains in that year my brother and I both commented we were glad he didn't have to witness that brutality. But the next two seasons of back to back titles made me wish like hell he had been around to see them. The 1992 title IMO was symbolic revenge for the 1986 team that came so close, as well as all the other Final Four teams back to 1964.

Okay Wilko and DITBD, we gotta stop the sentimental stories, I'm freakin' welling up.

[Highlander]

Doesn't anyone else remember Denny Crum's boneheaded comment after winning? I remember the disgust I felt when he said it, but can't recall exactly what he said.

Was it something about "preppies don't win national championships?" I remember that label being applied to Duke until we got over the hump.

[OldPhiKap]

I was on the quad on West, watching the game on the Diamondvision the university brought in for the event. Kegs lined the quad. Yes, you could walk on the grass then.

It was the absolute greatest party until suddenly it went horribly wrong. Ugliness with some folks from town ensued. Bad ending.

The 1986 team remains my all-time favorite, and it was a wonderful building block upon which the rest of this sits.


Edit: Rich, UncleBill -- I was T-88.

[UncleBill]

Edit: Rich, UncleBill -- I was T-88. E'88, KA, NROTC, FAC, and a few other acronyms that escape me.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Was it something about "preppies don't win national championships?" I remember that label being applied to Duke until we got over the hump.
It was a remark that made it sound like a team like the Duke team was unlikely ever to get to a Final Four again.... ....

[OldPhiKap]

E'88, KA, NROTC, FAC, and a few other acronyms that escape me.

I'm sure we bumped elbows at the Union or the bar under G-A.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

E'88, KA, NROTC, FAC, and a few other acronyms that escape me.
Is that KA as in Kappa Alpha Order?

[77devil]

I remember kinda just wandering off to the bus stop to get back to East, stunned, mostly.

I think most in the Duke community were heavily invested in this team. The 1978 run was so unexpected that most of us were happy to be along for the ride. While initially saddened by the outcome, Kentucky was supposed to win and most seemed to move on quickly.

1986 was different. Five years after the Coach K's initial recruiting disappointments, this team had grown enormously into a dominant team. Most Duke fans probably expected the championship once the team advanced to the final four, if not before.

It was my only final four in person and the flight back to San Fran. was long and painful. It was difficult not to think at the time whether Duke would have another such opportunity. I have purged most of the memories.

[Section 8]

I don't remember the game as much as my reaction to the loss. I would have been 16 at the time. We were vacationing in Hilton Head, and I remember yelling at the tv, crying up the stairs to my room, and pretty much being miserable the rest of the trip. I was SOOO sure that was our year to win it all. It would prove to be the first of 4 tries in the Final Four before K finally shed the monkey. But that 1st one in '86 was the worst.

I was also 16, and suffered the indignity of watching the whole thing from the second row of folding chairs behind the basket...right next to the Louisville pep band. The Kansas game was fun, though, and the seats were pretty sweet. I think I got splashed with JD's sweat.

[The Gordog]

I saw on the local Carolina network a documentary on the 1986 Duke Blue Devils. I had no idea that the loss to Louisville was so devastating to not only to the players but to Coach K as well. I really feel for those players now. I have never seen Jay Bilas Cry but he sure was choked up. It was a very nice and respectful presentation. Did anyone else see it?
It was my senior year. I recall that we had to cut short spring break or something like that to get back for some of the tourney that year, but I may be making that up.

Anyway, the thing I remember about the game was that everyone but Johnny seemed to be having an off night. IMHO Ferry is the one who might have helped if he had seen more PT, bu t you know what they say about hindsight and all...

[dynastydefender]

well didn't mean to open an old wound. I completely understand how most of you felt about that game. Hello Duke-UK 1992! What you all are saying is pretty much the same way I felt watching Laettner hit "The Shot."

Do you think the story of the 86 Blue Devils would make a great movie? it beats watching a bad Bobby Knight impression on ESPN (Of Course referring to "A season on the Brink.")

[killerleft]

Just an observation. Duke fans mourned their team's loss, but we didn't "hate" Louisville like some UK fans have hated Duke ever since '92. It should have been about the players we adored, and the loss more important than who beat us. I think for Duke that has been more or less true.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I think most in the Duke community were heavily invested in this team. The 1978 run was so unexpected that most of us were happy to be along for the ride. While initially saddened by the outcome, Kentucky was supposed to win and most seemed to move on quickly.

1986 was different.

I too watched the 86 game on the big screen on the quad. Felt totally lost wandering around campus after the game.

The 78 team was "Forever's Team". All were undergrads - Spanarkel a junior, Gminski a soph and Banks and Dennard frosh. Bob Bender would be next year's point guard after sitting out 78 after his transfer from Indiana. As we chanted in St. Louis as the clock ran down to 0 - "We'll be back! We'll be back!" thinking next year, we'd win it all for sure. Of course, it didn't happen - chemistry problems, injury problems. Oh, what should have been.

[dynastydefender]

Just an observation. Duke fans mourned their team's loss, but we didn't "hate" Louisville like some UK fans have hated Duke ever since '92. It should have been about the players we adored, and the loss more important than who beat us. I think for Duke that has been more or less true.
GREAT PROFILE PIC!!!

well...I do sense some hostility from some of the folks that experienced it back in 86. However...the whole point of this thread was to show respect for your team's tradition. I was just 12 when that game tipped off so I wasn't really affected by it but I do find interesting similarities with that Loss and UK Losing to Duke in 92.

[cspan37421]

I was on the quad in '86 as a freshman. It was quite an empty feeling, but having no history of Duke basketball as always the bridesmaid, never the bride, I didn't feel quite as bad as those who knew more. I had come to Duke as a football fan, reared mostly in Big 10 country (until HS) and obviously got swept up in the season (which, btw, ended 37-3, not 37-2).

Memories of the game on the big projection screen were quite a bit different than what the box score states. I felt Johnny D largely got handcuffed through double and triple teams - but he went 10-19! But the rest of the team went 15-43. How about this: we went 19-21 from the line! But we got outrebounded by 12, and suffered 7 blocked shots (we didn't have a huge lineup - recall our center was 6'8"). But we made 8 more steals. All in all, a pretty even box score, just not in our favor.

I don't recall exactly, but Louisville had, I think, over 30 wins that year too (33?), and only a handful of losses. They were no slouch and they outplayed us. So as much as I wanted our guys to win, I can't honestly say that we deserved it more than they did. It wasn't like there was bad officiating or anything. Now, suppose the 3-pointer had been in play that year. I'd venture a guess that with our hot-shooting smaller lineup, we'd have won it.

[killerleft]

GREAT PROFILE PIC!!!

well...I do sense some hostility from some of the folks that experienced it back in 86. However...the whole point of this thread was to show respect for your team's tradition. I was just 12 when that game tipped off so I wasn't really affected by it but I do find interesting similarities with that Loss and UK Losing to Duke in 92.

You could be right, I guess. But for me, I just feel sad that our guys didn't win it. Louisville was just a name on the jersey of the other team. We weren't cheated by Louisville or the refs, just came very close to a national championship and didn't get it.

[UncleBill]

Is that KA as in Kappa Alpha Order?Yes, Kappa Alpha Order. Number III Junior/Senior years.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Yes, Kappa Alpha Order. Number III Junior/Senior years.
I married into KA. (I know who Robert E. Lee's friend is and not because I'm related to Cousin Bobby.)

[HK Dukie]

The 1986 Championship NC game is my first memory of college basketball. Been a Duke fan ever since.

My favorite color was blue, so it was an easy choice!

[dukeblue1215]

To me the 99 championship game was the most disappointing. 16-0 in the acc. Undefeated at home and on the road. Most of the time we werent just beating opponents, we were embarassing them. Then to lose that game it kept them from definitely being called the greatest duke team of all time and made all the unbelievable wins mean basically nothing. Thats my opinion but i also cant say much about the 86 team because i wasnt even alive then ;)

[johnb]

I was on call as an intern and so not only was I crushed, I had taken most of two hours off and so was frantically busy until the next day.

I never really hated Louisville, though I do have difficulty sitting in the same room as a friend's cat that goes by the name Pervis.

[DukePA]

I remember being totally bummed after both the 86 and 99 losses. The 99 loss was worse for me because I remember going into Hillsborough the next day and seing a pickup truck parked in the town parking lot with the front page of the Durham Morning Herald taped to the passenger window proclaiming Duke's loss the night before. Yuck. I did get some tarhole payback later when I was in the post office listening to a hole fan going on about how much Duke sucked. I said to him, "I have 2 words for you: Weber State." He was so angry, his faced turned bright red and he stomped out of the building. For those of you who don't remember, carowhina lost to Weber State in the 1st round of the tournament that year.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I did get some tarhole payback later when I was in the post office listening to a hole fan going on about how much Duke sucked. I said to him, "I have 2 words for you: Weber State." He was so angry, his faced turned bright red and he stomped out of the building. For those of you who don't remember, carowhina lost to Weber State in the 1st round of the tournament that year.

Almost as much fun as whispering those two magic words to a Kentucky fan.

Do that, and he or she will turn red, steam will come out of his/her ears, and they generally throw a hissy fit.

You do know what those two magic words are, don't you? Using off topic board stealth technology, see below if you don't:

Christain Laettner

[MulletMan]

Almost as much fun as whispering those two magic words to a Kentucky fan.

Do that, and he or she will turn red, steam will come out of his/her ears, and they generally throw a hissy fit.

You do know what those two magic words are, don't you? Using off topic board stealth technology, see below if you don't:

Christain Laettner

Dude, Oz... I can see those words without any stealth. The board background ain't white!

The '86 tourney was a special time for me as well as it holds a number of my first memories of college hoops. Granted some of them are skewed but Cleveland State mae its cinderella run only to run into David Robinson and Navy in the Sweet 16. As luck would have it, I got my revenge in a strange way in the next round, eh!? Even then K had my back!

So it was also my memory of watching the Final Four, and I recall my old man really liking Coach K and talking about how he was going to be a good coach... odd how things like that can turn an 8 year old into a lifelong Duke fan.

[Johnboy]

The similarities between the 1986 Duke team and the 1992 Kentucky team are that both were teams of "unforgettables" if you don't mind my borrowing that word - in the case of UK, they stuck with the program through a difficult time; in the case of Duke, they committed to a young coach and mostly took a lot of lumps in their first couple years (actually, their second year, they went 24-7, beat #1 ranked UNC and might have won the ACC title if Alarie hadn't suffered a hip pointer against UNC - not bad for a team that went 11-16 the year before).

The differences are that if UK had upset Duke, it would have been a huge upset; Duke was the favorite against Louisville. Duke had never won a national title in any team sport, ever, at that time, despite having one of the winningest men's basketball programs of all time, even then. Interesting but kinda stupid statistic - Duke holds the record for consecutive double-digit wins/season, which is to say, we've won at least 10 games every year since 1927-28). This doesn't sound so incredible, but I note that UNC currently only has a streak of 6 such seasons (in 2001-02 UNC was 8-20; further back, in 1961-62, Dean Smith's first season, UNC was 8-9). When was the last season Kentucky won less than 10? I can't seem to find a quick list of seasons/results for them in the many many websites dedicated to them (I'm surprised I didn't see one on John Scott's incredible database - it's probably there, but I didn't find it).

Edited to add: Oh, and I'm Class of '85, so I was there for when people were calling for Coach K's head. Losing to Louisville was the absolute worst, ever, loss I have ever experienced as a fan.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Dude, Oz... I can see those words without any stealth. The board background ain't white!


It's awfully close to white! I guess your young eyes are better than mine :)

What color should I use?

[jimsumner]

FYI,

http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/dukemag/issues/010206/eightysixers1.html

[bradjenk]

As I recall, I was very disappointed but not distraught like 1999. I remember being very excited about the future with this young coach who was getting established. As for the actual game, I remember Amaker and Dawkins giving their bigger, slower guards fits with steals, but also their athletic and talented front line of Ellison, Crook, and Thompson taking its toll. Also, the semi-final game with Kansas was much harder than Louisville-LSU. Dawkins was brilliant and never got tired. However, when Louisville started double teaming JD, Alarie and Henderson didn't have their legs to take up the slack. Later Coach K blamed himself for not motivating his team through their obvious fatigue. As the story goes, he (along with Bobby Hurley) applied that lesson at half time of the 1992 Championship Game with Michigan. So my overiding memory is a positive one - the beginning chapter of a great ongoing story.

[Section 8]

It's awfully close to white! I guess your young eyes are better than mine :)

What color should I use?

F5F5FF in hex

see below:

like this

[BlueDevilJay]

I saw on the local Carolina network a documentary on the 1986 Duke Blue Devils. I had no idea that the loss to Louisville was so devastating to not only to the players but to Coach K as well. I really feel for those players now. I have never seen Jay Bilas Cry but he sure was choked up. It was a very nice and respectful presentation. Did anyone else see it?

I didn't see the documentary either, but that 86 season was the first I remember watching with my dad, and I remember as clear as yesterday, seeing the players crying afterwards, and of course I was bawling like a kid as well (I was 9, I'll admit to sobbing after my fave team lost a huge game :) )
That team will always hold a special place for me, being that I remembered them all, tried to develop my early "game" after Johnny D and Tommy A, and still have an autographed mini Duke ball with the entire senior lineup from that team. Not many people remember Weldon Williams, but I'll never forget getting his autograph. They made a 8-9 year old, a fan for life (as if my dad didn't already have me solidified).

Do yall remember the ACC All Star games that they used to do every year? That was the most awesome thing during that time for me. We went every year to the old coliseum in Winston to watch it, and you could get up and close with the players, they would sign autographs at the local sports stores while in town, it was just amazing as a kid to get so close to your heroes.

(The next time I cried after a Duke game, 88, when Kansas knocked us out in the Final 4 thanks to Danny Manning, I really thought K was going to get his 1st that year) Of course going through those losses was what made 91-92 so special.

[RelativeWays]

Just an observation. Duke fans mourned their team's loss, but we didn't "hate" Louisville like some UK fans have hated Duke ever since '92. It should have been about the players we adored, and the loss more important than who beat us. I think for Duke that has been more or less true.

Except for UConn...God I hate UConn.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

F5F5FF in hex

see below:

like this

If it was 9F I could remember it...

[KBCrazie]

Except for UConn...God I hate UConn.

I hated UNLV back in the Tark era. The team's arrogance and scofflaw attitude coupled with the beat-down they laid on us in '90 (saw it in person) really got my hackles up. But, in retrospect, all that made the win in '91 that much sweeter (no pain no gain). The feeling I had after that UNLV win was almost on par with the feeling I had after my Jints upset the dynastic (and similarly undefeated) Patsies this year. The NC game in '91 seemed like a massive anti-climax after that.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Losing in the Final Four causes pain and mourning! I mourned when we lost in the sixties while I was in high school and college. When the drought eased unexpectedly and we made it in the late seventies, I cried as Kentucky pulled ahead at the end of the game unable to believe that the Cinderella story ended in defeat. The 1986 team won so many games, they seemed immortal until the Louisville game. I think that game was perhaps the most painful because it almost seemed symbolic of a struggle of good vs evil. Duke with the clean program, bright kids and young coach and Louisville with...