Chronicle writer calls out the Crazies

[CDu]

I was standing not too far from you, near the middle of the non-TV side and a few rows up from the back. Still my most favorite game ever attended. We had been beat down by UNC for several years, but Elton came back and Wojo was an animal on defense and we wouldn’t be denied.

Yep, still the most fun game I have ever been to in person.

[dudog84]

I came to Duke in the 1970s.

Students occupied 100 percent of the "TV" side, almost all of the "non-TV side" (other than the areas for the visiting team and their guests plus the guests/family of the Duke players), and all the bleachers under the baskets (but for photographers, TV cameras and the band). Grad students were above the bleachers in seats -- on the same end as the visiting bench. One exception was in 1979, when Dick Enberg, Al McGuire and Billy Packer sat in the student section for a Carolina (GTHCGTH!) game broadcast for NBC (behind the scorer's table), the first national broadcast from Cameron. The game was broadcast on delay, apparently (I don't know for sure because I was at the game, so I couldn't check by watching the broadcast and listening to the Bob Harris call on WDNC).

The student sections were always full.

We were much louder, more profane, creative and crazy.

Get off my lawn.

Definitely more profane.

[RPS]

Definitely more profane.

And some of the worst things weren't even profane, strictly speaking.

In related news, it's now hard to believe that in those days the Chronicle published an ACC basketball All-Ugly team every year.

[Dukehky]

I yelled the f word in the student section one time. Not at anyone, just exclaimed in frustration. A girl turned around and said, "Hey, we don't say that here, we have class." People around nodded in agreement with her.

To this day, I cannot believe that happened.

The Crazies lost the benefit of the doubt with me at that point. I assume that they won't do anything cool ever again, and am pleasantly surprised when that is not the case. No one ever wants to be mean anymore. It's okay to be mean. Just don't cross the line.

[jimsumner]

We just had to go to the freshman game, before the varsity game. Four hours of hoops, no line, no tents.

Good times.

[Native]

At this point we should just extract this out into a new section to the Handy Pocket Reference.

The Students Aren't As Good As They Were When I Was At Duke, Because...

1) ...we filled up both sides of Cameron all the time, even when we were playing the Second Cousins of the Sisters of the Poor.
2A) ...we didn't have to wait in line for games! We could just walk right in.
2B) ...we waited in line for six semesters for one Carolina game!
3) ...this one time, we threw tennis balls across the court before warm-ups.
4) ...this one time, we threw pizza boxes at Lorenzo Charles.
5) ...this one time, we threw album covers at Chris Washburn.
6) ...those damn Line Monitors weren't around to screw things up.
7) ...we jumped all the time on defense, in perpetuity. Chris Freeman (B.S. '87) is still jumping to this day.
8) ...I didn't get chastised for dropping F-bombs in the student section.
9) ...Uncle Terry wrote us this letter. Maybe you've heard of it?
10) ...Bill Werber served the beer.
11) ...this was before Brodhead and Keohane went full CYA mode in pushing Greeks off-campus.
12) ...we didn't have this new-fangled Snapchat and Twitter stuff to worry about.
13A) ...Everytime We Touch wasn't played at all.
13B) ...Everytime We Touch was played more than it is now.
13C) ...Everytime We Touch was substituted for that Rick Roll song while I was there.
14A) ...we never lost to Carolina.
14B) ...we lost to Carolina, but we came through the experience hardened to the cruel ways of the world.
15) ...we got really, really, really loud this one time.
16) ...K didn't censor the students.
17A) ...Athletics prioritized students over putting donors in the cushy padded-butt seats in 19.
17B) ...Athletics prioritized students in 19 over filling both 18 and 20.
18) ...the home schedule had us playing the Monstars from the movie Space Jam night in and night out, and the students willed the team to victory.
19) ...the ACC hadn't expanded to too many games during the conference slate, saturating the market with mediocre competition.
20) ...ESPN hadn't yet developed Super Mega Ultra HD technology, and leather couches didn't exist — nor did the concept of drinking at home.
21) ...this one time, Wojo came to my fraternity section and asked us all to come to games.
22) ...Duke didn't avoid students who admitted to liking basketball in their applications.
23) ...Duke didn't prioritize taking international students who don't like basketball as much.
24) ...Duke students in my day were far better at time management and therefore had 36-hour days to work with.
25) ...we could buy kegs when I was a student and all of the parties were on West. Bring back kegs.
26) ...the Bunch of Guys were way [cooler/wittier/cleverer/better-looking] than you.
27) ...the lacrosse scandal scared everyone into being overly politically correct.
28) ...we were comfortable enough with ourselves to wear Speedos in public.
29A) ...we did [chant] way more often, and it was 100% effective in preventing the other team from scoring, so the students should do [chant].
29B) ...[chant] is lame and overused, and the students shouldn't use it anymore.
30) ...the Goon Squad lit a grill tent on fire during the Kyrie season. How many tents have you lit on fire? Exactly.
31) ...the band played Hey Baby.

Ad nauseam.

[CDu]

To be fair, Native, I don’t think you were born yet when Duke wasn’t televised for every game.

But seriously, I do think the availability of televised games is a big factor here. I am as big a bball fan as you will find, and even I skipped a bunch of games because they were televised (I regret that now). Back in the 80s and even early 90s, this just wasn’t an option.

When we are talking about attendance drops of only about 300-500 people, it doesn’t take much to do it.

[blazindw]

Ever since I graduated, I have offered to come back to Durham once a year for one night during orientation where I teach the freshman all the chants and give them pointers on what to do and how to continue keeping Cameron a magical place. I know they did this when I was in school, but it was led by the HLM. I'm still offering to do it, and I'm sure Native and I can get the kids going each year.

[Native]

Ever since I graduated, I have offered to come back to Durham once a year for one night during orientation where I teach the freshman all the chants and give them pointers on what to do and how to continue keeping Cameron a magical place. I know they did this when I was in school, but it was led by the HLM. I'm still offering to do it, and I'm sure Native and I can get the kids going each year.

Oh, my God, yes. +1,000,000.

[blazindw]

Oh, my God, yes. +1,000,000.

I'm dead serious. Who do we need to talk to in order to make this happen. It will be a new tradition!

[CDu]

Ever since I graduated, I have offered to come back to Durham once a year for one night during orientation where I teach the freshman all the chants and give them pointers on what to do and how to continue keeping Cameron a magical place. I know they did this when I was in school, but it was led by the HLM. I'm still offering to do it, and I'm sure Native and I can get the kids going each year.

I don’t think the “problem” (if there is one) is not knowing the stock cheers and gimmicks.

[weezie]

I'm dead serious. Who do we need to talk to in order to make this happen. It will be a new tradition!

Hold up, there. I'm coming too. Let's have a female in that mix please. I have knowledge to impart.

[devildeac]

Hold up, there. I'm coming too. Let's have a female in that mix please. I have knowledge to impart.

And I had 3/4 of a pint of Knowledge last PM:

http://forums.dukebasketballreport.c...m-Beer/page749

(scroll to bottom of page )

[dukebsbll14]

31) ...the band played Hey Baby.

Ad nauseam.

FACT: There is a positive correlation between the rise of the annual "The Crazies aren't what they used to be" article and when the band stopped playing Hey Baby.

[Native]

FACT: There is a positive correlation between the rise of the annual "The Crazies aren't what they used to be" article and when the band stopped playing Hey Baby.

This line item was included solely for your enjoyment!

[weezie]

I do miss "OH BABY"

[YmoBeThere]

What about the Twinkies and Dennis Scott?

[Native]

What about the Twinkies and Dennis Scott?

Ah, if only I could edit beyond 15 minutes. This is why we need this in a living, breathing document! For science!

[tteettimes]

And Dick Papparo

And Richard Papparo

[RPS]

And Richard Papparo

And Hank Nichols.