Why no off weeK?

[gofurman]

Sorry if this has been posted before a lot?

BUt I notice that most teams - UNC, Clemson, etc have one week during acc play where they are completely off. Duke has no such week. Is this typical? I would think for a team that has voiced many opinions on getting tired we would take one week and just skip playing either Davidson, Georgetown, or whoever. Take a break during ACC play!

With a full week off the players could have 2 /3 days of just rest...

Thoughts?

[Oriole Way]

I was wondering about this as well. I seem to remember Wake Forest getting a week to prepare for us last season as well. There have been a couple of seasons where I remember Maryland getting a week to prepare for Duke.

Is my memory bad/selective? Have we gotten a week off before UNC games in the past, or am I wrong to think that a lot of schools seem to get a week off just for us?

[FireOgilvie]

I think we play St. John's in that gap...

[Edouble]

Sorry if this has been posted before a lot?

BUt I notice that most teams - UNC, Clemson, etc have one week during acc play where they are completely off. Duke has no such week. Is this typical? I would think for a team that has voiced many opinions on getting tired we would take one week and just skip playing either Davidson, Georgetown, or whoever. Take a break during ACC play!

With a full week off the players could have 2 /3 days of just rest...

Thoughts?

Is it a coincidence that you incorrectly capitalized the final letter of the word "week" in your question?

Because that is your answer.

Coach K has long said that he would rather have our guys play a tough non-con team than have a week off. He's pointed to the similarity between an NCAA weekend (Th/Sat or Fri/Sun games) and having our team play a conference and a non-conference set of teams in close proximity. The thinking is, when we get to the tourney, the guys will remember how they were able to play (hopefully beat) a tough opponent and then turn right around, shake off the previous game, and do it again.

It is typical, then, for the Blue Devils to fill their off week slot with a tough non-conference game (UCLA, St. Johns, etc.).

[sagegrouse]

The reason is that sagegrouse and other fans to numerous to be named get hooked on ACC basketball and experience withdrawal symptoms if they don't get a hit every 3-4 days.

It has nothing to do with the fact that Duke can get a network TV game at the peak of hoops season and pocket some cash.

sagegrouse
'"Why aren't there near fatal withdrawal symptoms at the end of the season?" If the Devils win their final game (the NC), there is a long lasting euphoria that carries over to the next season. If there is a discouraging loss (a redundancy), the fans hit rock bottom and have to crawl back up -- which takes until mid-July. OTOH, after the season, it is time to play golf.'

[gofurman]

Is it a coincidence that you incorrectly capitalized the final letter of the word "week" in your question?

Because that is your answer.

Coach K has long said that he would rather have our guys play a tough non-con team than have a week off. He's pointed to the similarity between an NCAA weekend (Th/Sat or Fri/Sun games) and having our team play a conference and a non-conference set of teams in close proximity. The thinking is, when we get to the tourney, the guys will remember how they were able to play (hopefully beat) a tough opponent and then turn right around, shake off the previous game, and do it again.

It is typical, then, for the Blue Devils to fill their off week slot with a tough non-conference game (UCLA, St. Johns, etc.).

personally I would skip St Johns - they aren't any good these days... take a week off... IMHO

[-jk]

I think K has said before he really likes the late non-conference games to see what weaknesses outsiders see in us that he can address before tourney time.

All the ACC coaches know each other much too well, bringing the same overall approaches year after year.

-jk