Slapping the floor?

[jdcason88]

With the recent talks of lack of passion in the defense from Coach K, does anyone know why Duke doesnt slap the floor while on defense anymore? That was a staple it seemed like after a big offensive play, or we needed a big stop. But I haven't seen it in a long time. Anyone know why?

[JNort]

It has been done this year at least once already. Possibly more than that (which game I do not recall but someone posted in another thread)

[BlueDevilCorvette!]

Defensively, nothing is more embarrassing than to slap the floor and then have your man blow past you in the lane repeatedly, at will, hence I don't think it's a good idea for any Duke player to slap the floor until the overall defense make a stark improvement.

[moonpie23]

Defensively, nothing is more embarrassing than to slap the floor and then have your man blow past you in the lane repeatedly, at will, hence I don't think it's a good idea for any Duke player to slap the floor until the overall defense make a stark improvement.

while i TOTALLY agree with this, i feel like it's an obvious ABSENTEE from this duke team...certainly the reason you stated could be the major one...but there HAVE been moments in close games that we DID come out on top (hindsight obviously) where the slap might have helped to galvanize this team AS a "team"...


i'm a slave to appearances...

[DukeWarhead]

Are there any video clips of floor slapping out there? I remember one in particular that had Jason Williams with Duhon in the background both slapping the floor in slo-mo - very fired up. A very cool clip I wish I could get my hands on.

[SilkyJ]

I was under the impression K & and the staff told the players a few years ago to tone it down, use it appropriately etc. Think it was after Jamal started slapping it every time he got in the game. May have just been that they asked Jamal to tone it down...or I could just be way off on this one.

[throatybeard]

I don't know, but here are some things I think I know.

Slapping the floor being a result of losing your man was rarely if ever a threat. The most slappy guard in our history, Mssr Wojciechowski, usually did it around half court while the opposition was just barely walking the ball up the floor in the backcourt. It was intended to increase intensity for a whole possession. To communicate to the other guys, let's turn it up a notch. People weren't slapping the floor with 10 on the shot clock and then getting abused by Jeff McInnis.

My other recollection, which could be wrong but maybe the older-timers than I could say definitively, was that the floorslap didn't originally start as a dramatic gesture of defensive defiance spearheaded by the point guard. It was more of a team-wide "floor touch," started by Amaker of course, but spreading to Dawkins, David Henderson, and I can't remember if the bigs did it. (This is you Jay, if you're listening). Like with a deep knee bend. I think by Hurley time, it was more of a directive from Hurley to the rest of the squad, and it was slappier. It changed over time.

I miss the floor slap. I don't know what the coaching staff has or hasn't said, but man, would a well-timed floor slap jack Cameron up. That was the key. Well-timed. I don't know if it did any actual good on the floor but it would send the atmosphere from fourth to overdrive.

[-jk]

While it did jack Cameron it also came to jack the other team up just as much.

-jk

[throatybeard]

While it did jack Cameron it also came to jack the other team up just as much.

-jk

Do I remember this correctly--didn't somebody with an extensive VHS library write a post on this when the board was on the old software. Like, they calculated the percentage of the time the opponent scored after a floor slap, and it did turn out defensive efficiency dropped? Or am I hallucinating this?

[ricks68]

Do I remember this correctly--didn't somebody with an extensive VHS library write a post on this when the board was on the old software. Like, they calculated the percentage of the time the opponent scored after a floor slap, and it did turn out defensive efficiency dropped? Or am I hallucinating this?

No, you are probably not. Knowing this board the way we do, what you said is probably accurate. In addition, I wouldn't put it past someone to find a way to access that post and repost it somehow.

ricks

[SupaDave]

I seem to recall it lessening some when other teams started doing it in mockery. Maryland comes to mind.

[Kedsy]

I seem to recall it lessening some when other teams started doing it in mockery. Maryland comes to mind.

West Virginia in the 2008 NCAAT.