Page 2 of 7 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 136
  1. #21
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Mobile, Alabama
    I don't think people appreciate how minute the difference between losing a one possession game in the elite eight and winning a national championship is. Last season we won a conference championship and we're a whisker away from final four. In truth, that was well within the reasonable expectation of that team given how young we were. As UrinalCake said, the post Kentucky hype got way out of proportion. Talking heads opining about Duke vs. Cavs, Zion should stop playing etc.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Northwest Indiana
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    Good observation. Thread title changed to reflect the actual topic.

    -Jason "to me, 2018-19 was one of the most exciting seasons ever at Duke... thanks Zion for bringing so much joy to the game" Evans
    I think I'm still emotionally exhausted. Between the high of the UK blowout, the lows of MSU and The Shoesplosion, the comeback at Louisville, Cam's dagger, storming back in Maui and falling a shot short... This season isn't about lowered expectations for me, it's more like being Phillip Rivers and having 114 children. There's the ones that ended up as doctors just make you beam with pride and smile every time you think about them ('91, '92, '01, '10, '15), the ones that married someone you don't care for and as a parent you know they didn't maximize their potential ('86, '94, '99, '06, '11, '18, '19), the ones that caused a lot of heartbreak growing up but some of your favorite memories are about special moments with them ('12 Subzero over Zeller, '12 Comeback against State at Cameron, '16 win at Cheats with 5 healthy guys, etc.)...

    I can't wait for the season to start and to watch Tre, Jav and Jack teach this team how to play Duke Basketball, JGold and Wendell team up with Stones and form a suffocating defensive lineup, Joey and AOC turn into the Reddick twins, Cassius to have several Sportscenter Top 10 dunks, Matthew hurt the opposition from all over the floor like White Raven 2.0, and for Vernon to go BeastMode in the paint on a nightly basis. We'll question their decision making and shot selection, we'll offer advice and opinions that they will never see or care about, but ultimately we'll love them as much as any of their brethren before them.

  3. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by rtnorthrup View Post
    I don't think people appreciate how minute the difference between losing a one possession game in the elite eight and winning a national championship is. Last season we won a conference championship and we're a whisker away from final four. In truth, that was well within the reasonable expectation of that team given how young we were. As UrinalCake said, the post Kentucky hype got way out of proportion. Talking heads opining about Duke vs. Cavs, Zion should stop playing etc.
    There is some truth to that, though I think by the time the NCAA's came around, the Kentucky hype was gone...washed away by Tre's injury, Cam's illness, Zion's FSU injury, Jack's slump and then the "breaking shoe" injury...etc. It may be tough to consider, but a really good case can be made that the team peaked versus UK - in some ways. It certainly peaked relative to the opposition's development in that game.

    What's clear now is that Tre was never right after Syracuse 1, and neither was Jack, for different reasons. Thus the team was never really right. Not like they were early. Then the return of Zion was not in time to really develop rhythm going into the NCAAs. You talk about the minute differences that can change everything - and you're right - we were one possession from making the Final Four, and that AFTER all the speed bumps the team hit with injuries.

  4. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by slower View Post
    I have to be honest with you.

    After the insane hype and the major disappointment of the past 3 seasons, I'm just not psyched up (yet) for this coming year. And maybe that's a good thing. Maybe some of us need diminished expectations to really enjoy the season. Maybe we need to not EXPECT a championship - at least, not to the crazy level that surrounded these previous teams. I hope our guys get a chance to fly (relatively) under the radar, so that we're not totally crushed if they get ousted before the Final Four, and so that we can be wildly ecstatic if they do make it there.

    And no, I have not yet watched the Michigan State game. Nor may I ever.
    Man, you take these losses hard. I think the Mercer and Lehigh years bordered on that, but two Elite Eights slipping out of our grasp? I just don't consider that as cataclysmic. Losing to Lehigh made me wonder if a Final Four would occur in another 5-6 years.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    San Francisco
    The reality is that we've only got a few more years left with Coach K at the helm. I think the program is set up to continue to thrive after K retires, but the odds are very much against Duke ever being as consistently good as we've been since 1986 (!) ever again. For me, that makes it even more important to cherish each moment.

    I feel like if the 2019-2020 team lacks preseason hype, it is mostly due to the lack of sure-fire top 3 NBA draft pick players. We've had a ridiculous run of Jabari/Jah/Brandon/Jayson/Harry(if healthy)/Marvin/RJ/Zion/Cam all projected to be elite talents who had the potential to be top picks in the draft. This season lacks such a player. I think Duke will be really good this year, but there isn't a player who captures the imagination the same way Zion did with Instagram Dunks, RJ with his demolition of Team USA, Marvin with his ridiculous youtube highlights, Jayson with his sweet, pro-level moves, etc. However, we also lacked such players in 2010 and 2013 and ended up having pretty dang good seasons. We have a team that is capable of being special, don't get me wrong. But we're also probably not dreaming of seeing Matthew Hurt entering the NBA HOF in 20 years the same way we could see that for some of our other recent stars.
    Who needs a moral victory when you can have a real one?

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Cary, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by thedukelamere View Post
    ...it's more like being Phillip Rivers and having 114 children.
    I was unaware of this bit of information, so I looked it up and sure enough, Rivers and his wife are expecting their ninth child. I guess he’s been making up for lost time.

  7. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by HereBeforeCoachK View Post
    What's clear now is that Tre was never right after Syracuse 1...
    Not to dwell too much on the past, what with this thread being about the future, but I do believe - with all my heart - that this was the most critical moment of the season. Tre was never the same after he got hurt in that game. I don't have any stats to back up my contention, but I feel like he was a better shooter before the injury than after. Yes, yes. I know he was never a good 3-point or long 2-point shooter all season, but I think he was better before rather than after.

    If I could change only one moment in the season, that would be it. And while all the talk about variables and lucky/unlucky bounces of the ball always hold true in a one and done tournament like the NCAA's, I sincerely believe we were on our way to winning #6 before that injury to Tre. That injury hurt the team far more than Zion's did, imho.

  8. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by MaxAMillion View Post
    I don't go into any season expecting a championship. For one thing, the team seems to have players get injured almost every year that impacts things. Plus one and done scenarios are always a crap shoot. Sad that 30 win seasons and ACC tournament titles are considered next to nothing. I will say again that people better figure out how to enjoy these last few Coach K seasons. Something tells me that fans will be longing for these types of seasons once he retires.
    Why is it “sad” that 30-win seasons are something Duke fans consider to be fairly routine? Duke has one of the best coaches in college basketball, a very good group of assistant coaches, tremendous support from one of the best athletic departments in the country, a huge homecourt advantage, a long-term tradition of winning, and every year has a top 5 recruiting class, and often the very top class. How many other schools can boast of all these things? The answer: NONE.

  9. #29
    It was not my intent to fixate on the number 30 (of total wins per season); that was just the number MaxAMillion used. But Duke has won 28 games or more in 14 of the past 21 seasons. So in fact it HAS become fairly routine for Duke and Coach K to win at that very high level.

    That doesn’t mean Duke fans don’t appreciate it. Not at all. But there are extremely high expectations around here, and I don’t see anything wrong or unrealistic about having those types of expectations.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Vermont
    I'm going in with precious few expectations, won't be much room for disappointment that way...plus I just happen to think it's an interesting and odd assortment we have this year, haven't a clue as to what will happen.

  11. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by SouthernDukie View Post
    Tre was never the same after he got hurt in that game. I don't have any stats to back up my contention, but I feel like he was a better shooter before the injury than after. Yes, yes. I know he was never a good 3-point or long 2-point shooter all season, but I think he was better before rather than after.
    Not according to his shooting percentage. He shot pretty close to the same from three-point-range before and after that injury: 8 for 28 before (28.6%) and 19 for 75 after (25.3%).

  12. #32
    My emotions towards this upcoming season are gamely optimistic today as I put the stamp on our ticket order envelope.

    After a gulp and a sigh while filling out the big old check.
    Nothing incites bodily violence quicker than a Duke fan turning in your direction and saying 'scoreboard.'

  13. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Seattle
    If Vernon, Hurt, Moore are as competitive as RJ, Zion, and Cam were, we should be as good as last year.

    We have upgrades at the 1 and 5.
    Potential non-grade at the 3.
    Downgrades at the 4 and 2.

    So upgrades at the 2 most important positions in college basketball. Downgrade in the least important position 4.

    I expect the team to be offensively stronger to make up for the drop in m2m defensive efficiency.

  14. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Kedsy View Post
    Not according to his shooting percentage. He shot pretty close to the same from three-point-range before and after that injury: 8 for 28 before (28.6%) and 19 for 75 after (25.3%).
    That's a 12% drop off - during a period where one would typically expect improvement, not a drop off. That said, his play suffered post injury all over, not just shooting. Also, do you have his 2 point shooting stats pre and post injury?

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    We have great players again this season. I EXPECT them to play well and to play an exciting brand of basketball. I HOPE they contend for championships (ACC, NCAA).

    This has been discussed on DBR and I've heard it from other fans: the revolving door of players (so many one and done guys) leads one toward apathy. Sure losing to MSU the way we did sucked (constant fouls by MSU and Duke not giving the ball to Zion more) and it still stings but I think for some it's harder to get fired up when Zion/RJ/Cam are gone and we don't get a revenge tour!

    Note I'm not saying that I'm apathetic, I'm not. But I will say that some people are less fired up (thus more apathetic). Thank goodness for Tre. Imagine how fired up we would be if Zion stayed one more year! That's what we don't get much anymore. Sure I hope Jav and Jack have good solid years but holy crap another year of Zion (or RJ) would be basketball nirvana!

    Once the season starts and games are being played we get fired up almost out of habit. It's a great habit to have!

  16. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by HereBeforeCoachK View Post
    That's a 12% drop off - during a period where one would typically expect improvement, not a drop off. That said, his play suffered post injury all over, not just shooting. Also, do you have his 2 point shooting stats pre and post injury?
    I agree with this in a general sense. As I recall Tre had one really hot game from three late in the season. That one game boosted his post-injury 3-point percentage considerably, I would think. Also, his defense didn’t seem as stifling and potent post-injury.

  17. #37
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven43 View Post
    I agree with this in a general sense. As I recall Tre had one really hot game from three late in the season. That one game boosted his post-injury 3-point percentage considerably, I would think. Also, his defense didn’t seem as stifling and potent post-injury.
    Also as the season went on, more and more teams just double teamed off of Tre leaving him wide open and daring him to take and hit the 3 ball. IMHO, that makes the percentages skewed a bit. Early in the season teams were playing us more straight up but as the season wore on, I think more and more teams started leaving Tre on the defensive end of the floor. I'm also of the opinion that he wasn't quite the same player after that shoulder injury. He's going to be great next season!

    Imagine if JJ was just left wide open so guys could double team Zion in the post!!!! (Note that in a few months you won't have to leave this up to your imagination).

  18. #38
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    St. Louis

    It was fun

    The 2018-19 team is, I think, my favorite of all of them. And I have been following Duke hoops since, say, Dick DeVenzio.

    Of course MSU was a disappointment last year. And 1999. But 1986 was worst for me, because we were losing so many seniors. But we were back in the Final Four two years later, and three, and . . .

  19. #39

    I'm not asking for much

    I just want one more basket. Last year we made 1,157 buckets, so we only need an extra 0.086%.

    Of course, that basket needs to happen in the Elite Eight because in life timing is everything.

    I hope that's not too much to ask. The guys just need to channel their inner Laettner, that's all.

    It doesn't even have to be the difficult one:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DD2fEEVVMk

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Every time a Duke season ends in the NCAAT I chide myself for my emotional over-investment.

    Never again, say I.

    For about three days. Then I start thinking about next season's rotations.

    After 50-some years I'm pretty sure it's genetically encoded.

    Enjoy every sandwich, as Warren Zevon said. But also expect a Final Four.

Similar Threads

  1. Measurements are out for the 2019-2020 team
    By proelitedota in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 43
    Last Post: 10-05-2019, 11:12 AM
  2. ACC Rosters 2019-2020
    By HCheek37 in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 155
    Last Post: 06-17-2019, 02:17 PM
  3. NCAA D1 Rule Changes for 2019-2020
    By kAzE in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 68
    Last Post: 06-10-2019, 10:07 AM
  4. ACC Football 2019-2020
    By sagegrouse in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 06-04-2019, 10:22 PM
  5. Duke women's basketball, 2019-2020
    By jimsumner in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-18-2019, 03:39 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •