Forde on Duke

[ChiDevil]

I think it is very flattering.

I take heat for Duke's "bad" year every day at work (i.e., when a partner suggested I take a depo for him in NYC because it would be during the NIT and I could catch a Duke game). I had to remind him that Duke was still ranked in the top 25 . . . you just never hear that part of the story!

I like this team a lot. They play with heart. They often don't play with as much skill as we're used to seeing, but that will come. And, as for GH's run-in with TH . . . I think it was totally unintentional and unfortunate, but a good thing for this young team to show they're not afraid to play tough.

GO DUKE!!!!

[zingit]

I haven't read that many of Forde's columns so I don't really know what his history is, but I do know that I loved his long article about J.J. Redick last year. It was fair and even complimentary, if I remember correctly.

[devildownunder]

i don't think forde has to worry about being invited over to dinner by k. in his defense, a lot what he says is true -- that we don't have anyone who can score consistently, that this is the worst duke team since the mid 1990s and that we have a lot of fans who have a holier-than-thou attitude.

His criticisms of the team for its weaknesses don't bother me; however, he is implying, and not subtly, that K was playing thugball today to try to beat a superior opponent. That's a bunch of garbage and I've already emailed him about it.

[devildownunder]

Forde is another one in the long line of "sportswriters" that loves to take K's comments to a different context. Anyone who actually caught and listened to the post-game comments heard K pointing blame equally to himself if there was even to be any blame for this unfortunate incident occurring. Sure he brought up players being in the game when maybe they shouldn't be, but he included his players in that stmt as well. How could you not question it, and therefore what would be wrong with K saying that.

Fact is, the media is only going to spin this in one direction to make it a better story so there is no way you'll get an accurate account of his comments.

I don't buy forde's implications that K played thugball. I've already sent him an angry email about them. The article was fair, though, in the sense of how he characterized K's words -- IMO, of course.

[HS Dukie]

Based on the post-game quotes, Coach K did not single out UNC for keeping their starters in with a 12 point lead and 17 seconds left:
Krzyzewski also says it’s “unfortunate those players were in the game.” He adds, “We probably both should have had our walk-ons in.”
It seems the media are taking his statement out of context, to the extent of omitting the second sentence about the walk-ons. They appear to have even set up Roy in his press conference by misrepresenting what K said.

It was a hard foul, but not intentional IMO. I sure hope G doesn't have plans to visit Chapel Hill any time soon, based on the insanity on the IC boards today.

[feldspar]

Really, Pat? Duke takes on an NCSU team that the Blue Devils beat by 23 in Raleigh. Then they would potentially play UVA, a team that Duke took to overtime before losing by two-- again, on the road. But I guess i shouldn't be assuming that people with the resources of ESPN on their side could take the time to look up little things like that before firing off junk like Forde did.

Um, we're not playing nearly as well right now as we were when we beat State in Raleigh. Plus, we don't have our best offensive player.

Just thought I'd point that out.

[SMO]

You continue to say the most bizarre things. By what metric is GH Duke's best offensive player?? Sure, Duke could lose to State but not because GH is the best offensive player on the team.

Um, we're not playing nearly as well right now as we were when we beat State in Raleigh. Plus, we don't have our best offensive player.

Just thought I'd point that out.

[feldspar]

You continue to say the most bizarre things. By what metric is GH Duke's best offensive player?? Sure, Duke could lose to State but not because GH is the best offensive player on the team.

As has been said before by several posters, GH is really the only one on this team right now capable of creating his own shots and creating offense off the dribble. Greg is probably our best scorer, but he is dependent on the offense, which hasn't been playing it's best over the last few games.

I would venture to guess that the reason my statements seem bizarre to you is only because you disagree with them.

[KyDevilinIL]

I've never had a problem with Forde. He's despised by UK fans, for the most part, because in his long tenure at the Courier-Journal in Louisville he simply called things like he saw them. I never got the impression he said things just to get a rise out of fans -- which, when it comes to a columnist, is about all you can ask for.

He's been even-handed with Duke for a long time, in my observation. He did, several years ago, write a bit of a hit piece on K for the C-J, anchored largely on statements Chris Burgess's father made after Burgess transferred. That's the only time I recall him blatantly feeding the anti-Duke hunger of the UK bottomfeeders.

As for his current piece, I don't have an issue with most of it. We don't like hearing some of that, but a lot of it is -- if not verifiable fact -- then at least open for debate.

[Classof06]

The only question I have is who the hell is Pat Forde, anyway? They should have had someone like Andy Katz (most senior CBB writer) or even better Jay Bilas (someone who knows the rivalry) comment on the incident. Instead, they pick Forde, who's bashed Duke all year to begin with. Not impressed. . .

[oso diablo]

there's a thread on Forde just below yours. why start a new one?

[Classof06]

Is there? My fault, I didn't see it...

[SMO]

Actually, here's why you seem a little off:

PLAYER PPG
DeMarcus Nelson 14.2
Josh McRoberts 12.6
Jon Scheyer 12.3
Greg Paulus 11.2
Gerald Henderson 6.8

I think GH is a great guy with huge potential but one would think a team's best offensive player would not be 5th in scoring.

As has been said before by several posters, GH is really the only one on this team right now capable of creating his own shots and creating offense off the dribble. Greg is probably our best scorer, but he is dependent on the offense, which hasn't been playing it's best over the last few games.

I would venture to guess that the reason my statements seem bizarre to you is only because you disagree with them.

[feldspar]

Actually, here's why you seem a little off:

PLAYER PPG
DeMarcus Nelson 14.2
Josh McRoberts 12.6
Jon Scheyer 12.3
Greg Paulus 11.2
Gerald Henderson 6.8

I think GH is a great guy with huge potential but one would think a team's best offensive player would not be 5th in scoring.

One would also think that with a team as...um...let's say erratic...as Duke is on offense, it's certainly possible, if not probable that during the course of a season, the "best" offensive player might happen to change.

Also, you rely way too much on stats to prove your argument. Especially stats relating to ppg.

[Duvall]

Um, we're not playing nearly as well right now as we were when we beat State in Raleigh. Plus, we don't have our best offensive player.

Just thought I'd point that out.

Really? You think so? I think it's much more likely that Duke is playing better teams than they were when they beat State in Raleigh.

I think the winning and losing streaks are a bit misleading, and that Duke's aggregate level of play has been fairly constant throughout the season.