My team...

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Win or lose. Today we lost, and I hate that, for me, for the team and for you. But I still love them and look forward to next season. And to the football season next fall. And this spring to the lacrosse, baseball, golf and tennis teams making us proud, perhaps even bringing home a couple of National Championships. Wouldn't that be sweet!

Always positive, always optimistic, always looking forward.

[Karl Beem]

Win or lose. Today we lost, and I hate that, for me, for the team and for you. But I still love them and look forward to next season. And to the football season next fall. And this spring to the lacrosse, baseball, golf and tennis teams making us proud, perhaps even bringing home a couple of National Championships. Wouldn't that be sweet!

Always positive, always optimistic, always looking forward.

Good comments. Personally I'm happy and probably lucky to be alive. I'm looking forward to next season, dinner and finishing Blade Runner :Final Cut tonight. AS far as this game it's Whatever, dude.

[shereec]

I'm with you, Ozzie. Always proud to be a Duke fan and love them win, lose, or draw! Let's get ready to cheer for the women!

[bfree]

I agree with all of that. But I also think that serious criticism is warranted. It is a different context, but it reminds me of the Bobby Kennedy quote:

"The sharpest criticism often goes hand in hand with the deepest idealism and love of country."

[arnie]

I can't wait for the JMU game - Go Cutcliffe

[dukediv2013]

OZZIE,

Thanks for saying that. We all should really reflect on this season and see how blessed we have been. We won the Maui Tournament in November, beat UNC IN Chapel Hill, and finished 2nd in the conference that was supposed to be dominated by UNC. DeMarcus Nelson was a great senior leader and he will be missed greatly, but as K always points out... NEXT PLAY! Here's to another great year of Duke basketball and proud memories that will last a lifetime!

NOW IT IS BASEBALL SEASON FOR ME! GO CUBS! WORLD CHAMPIONS again in 08!

GO DUKE IN 08-09!

[BCGroup]

I'm with you Ozzie. I was a little afraid to come to the boards, anticipating a total meltdown-nice to see some positives here.

[DoubleDuke Dad]

Win or lose. Today we lost, and I hate that, for me, for the team and for you. But I still love them and look forward to next season. And to the football season next fall. And this spring to the lacrosse, baseball, golf and tennis teams making us proud, perhaps even bringing home a couple of National Championships. Wouldn't that be sweet!

Always positive, always optimistic, always looking forward.
The Lacrosse team also lost today to Georgetown. I should have stayed in bed!:(

[Misunderestimated]

The 2nd half of this season really stressed me out and wore me down. I'm going to take a while and let this season digest and worry about it later. I actually feel a sense of relief right now.

Its time to look forward to summertime...warm weather, baseball, backyard BBQ's, block parties, watching your kids run through the sprinkler, chilling out...

[91devil]

The 2nd half of this season really stressed me out and wore me down. I'm going to take a while and let this season digest and worry about it later. I actually feel a sense of relief right now.

Its time to look forward to summertime...warm weather, baseball, backyard BBQ's, block parties, watching your kids run through the sprinkler, chilling out...

Amen, brother.

Don't let this game ruin your summer. There are much greater worries in life.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Win or lose. Today we lost, and I hate that, for me, for the team and for you. But I still love them and look forward to next season. And to the football season next fall. And this spring to the lacrosse, baseball, golf and tennis teams making us proud, perhaps even bringing home a couple of National Championships. Wouldn't that be sweet!

Always positive, always optimistic, always looking forward.

I'm glad you spoke up, Ozzie. There IS a lot to be thankful for in Duke Athletics. Because Duke is so successful in so many sports, perhaps we've become spoiled and unrealistic in our expectations.

[chrishoke]

The Lacrosse team also lost today to Georgetown. I should have stayed in bed!:(

Women's lacrosse lost to UNC an d baseball lost to GT.

At least we have spring football!

Ps. I am wering my Duke lacrosse sweatshirt and my Duke football hat!:)

[DukePA]

I'm with you Ozzie. I was a little afraid to come to the boards, anticipating a total meltdown-nice to see some positives here.

Absolutely agree. Once a Duke fan, always a Duke fan: no matter what. Let's not forget that this is when our guys need us the most.

GO DUKE!!

[TillyGalore]

I agree with everyone else. We are Duke fans, regardless of how our teams perform, we love them.

In times like this I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes:

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

[bhop22]

Ozzie, you are right. I believe the passoin we have for Duke, and the high expectations sometimes cloud our judgement. I for one am excited by the strong start by the baseball team, and look for the spring sports to dominate once again.

[Brian12215]

That is all.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I Love DUKE. That is all.

That is enough!

[summerwind03]

Yup, me too! I'm always proud of our team. They certainly gave it their all and I admire that, win or lose.

[weezie]

NOW IT IS BASEBALL SEASON FOR ME! GO CUBS! WORLD CHAMPIONS again in 08!

GO DUKE IN 08-09!


I still bleed Duke Blue! God bless our Coach K, his assistants and the entire team! I don't think anybody worked harder than we did this year (including that intense dork in chapel hill.)

But dukediv, you must be confused...it's THE DETROIT TIGERS all the way BABEEEEEEEEYYY!

[PDDuke85]

A day later, the frustration is gone.
Nope. No final four, no cutting the nets, no "One Shining Moment"

That said, once 28-6 isn't good enough, move on. Otherwise, you'll end up bitter, angry old people.

And just how about them Boston Red Sox!

[wiscodevil]

A day later, the frustration is gone.
Nope. No final four, no cutting the nets, no "One Shining Moment"

That said, once 28-6 isn't good enough, move on. Otherwise, you'll end up bitter, angry old people.

And just how about them Boston Red Sox!

To quote coach.

28-6. 13-3 in the ACC. Beat so many teams that won their conference and/or made the tourney. Lost to only teams that made the tourney, except one game against Wake. Great Year. Winning (in) the tourney is a crapshoot. Health, matchups, the ball dropping or not, etc. No complaints.

[Clipsfan]

Win or lose. Today we lost, and I hate that, for me, for the team and for you. But I still love them and look forward to next season. And to the football season next fall. And this spring to the lacrosse, baseball, golf and tennis teams making us proud, perhaps even bringing home a couple of National Championships. Wouldn't that be sweet!

Always positive, always optimistic, always looking forward.

I'll keep it as simple as to say that I loved this team and although I will miss Marky a lot next year I'm looking forward to rooting for almost all of the same guys in 8 months.

[BlueHeaven]

I'm with you...I love this team and loved this season. I'll miss Markie, but can't wait until next season. I thought we had a great year and it was a phenomenal ride. I don't know how anybody does anything with the flu...granted I"m not 19 and at 42, doing anything with a fever seems miraculous.

I feel like that SI or CBS blogger/alumni the front page linked to a couple of days ago...early exit, so what? We'll be back next year and better than ever. Go DUKE.

[weezie]

He said something like: Our middling season is your dream season.

And ps, wvu? Kharma has been known to be a witch ;) .

[Grounded]

I'm right there with you, Ozzie. I had so much fun watching this team this year and I know we'll be back at the top sometime soon. Ebbs and flows, people...

I was lucky enough to have been at virtually every home game during the '00 and '01 seasons (I was a grad student, on the GPSC Basketball Committee, and got to watch the '01 Championship Game at Cameron...I feel very fortunate having only had 2 years there), so my love for this program isn't going anywhere. Those 2 years made me a lifelong fan...something even 10 "early" exits in a row won't be able to take away.

I know most, if not all, of you feel the same way...

Go Duke! :)

[mgtr]

To quote somebody we all know and respect, Next Play.

[KenTankerous]

This being my first season as no-longer-a-drop-in-the-hate-tsunami, I must say this was a great ride. I think this team played out of it's head for a big chunk of the year and you should all be very proud of your Blue Devils.

And here is the real kicker - DeMarcus didn't get a ring but he walks away with something no TarHeel, Mountaineer, or Wildcat will ever have - a meaningful degree from Duke University. The fact that so many of Coach K's boys complete their degrees - and on time - should make all the Blue Devil fans proud. Coach K keeps it real, keeps these kids (and we forget that they are kids) student/athletes instead of the other way around. That is something that no second half slump can ever take from Duke and it's fans.

[moonpie23]

and sincere appreciation to Coach K, the entire staff, and most of all, the Duke Team, for all the thrills (and spills :( ) of this basketball season.

Forming a basketball team year after year to compete in the upper brackets of NCAA D-1 is incredibly difficult. These guys come in and play their hearts out.

They're not professionals that the staff can wave a paycheck in front of and demand more from.

Duke's expectations, as well as their fan's, are high. We've flown high on incredible wins, and been in the dumps on ALL of the losses....do you think the players feel "fine" after a loss? with the entire nation, nay, the WORLD looking on? these are college kids....extremely TALENTED college kids, but still college kids..


when rivals soar higher, we feel worse....that takes nothing away from what our team did this season...look at how long it takes ANY team (for the most part ) to come full circle BACK to a national title contender....

success and failure are both imposters...

the way i look at it.... we did better this year than we did last....

to me, that's success.....

thank you demarcus nelson. And thanks to the rest of the team.

we'll see you guys next year... Go duke.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Thanks to Coach K and staff and the team for an exciting year and a team of which we can be proud.

Thanks to Demarcus for 4 years of tough basketball. Best of luck in the future.

Thanks to Coach K for so many years of dedication to Duke.

SoCal