Dear Greg Beaton,

[Jumbo]

Stop lurking. Sign up. I'll gladly debate you, one-on-one right here. You brought up some interesting points in your column. You also missed some critical ones. So come on down and let's hash this out. You and I. Right here. Let's do it.

[greybeard]

Stop lurking. Sign up. I'll gladly debate you, one-on-one right here. You brought up some interesting points in your column. You also missed some critical ones. So come on down and let's hash this out. You and I. Right here. Let's do it.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

[jmb]

because mr. beaton will soon have a duke diploma like the rest of us, i doubt he is stupid enough to be bullied into a debate in a forum where the leadership has created an atmosphere hostile to his view.

jumbo, it's easy for the gorilla to beat his chest and challenge the shark to come into the jungle to fight; the situation would be different were the gorilla to venture into the water

[FreezingDevil]

Seconded. However, I'm afraid that Greg prefers to hide in the safety of his column rather than confront the people he openly criticizes. If he wants to be considered a "journalist", he must not shy away from defending his words and embracing a debate.

[freedevil]

^ But he need not defend his words on someone else's terms.

[Troublemaker]

because mr. beaton will soon have a duke diploma like the rest of us, i doubt he is stupid enough

Well... considering Beaton just wrote an entire column based on a faulty premise, his intelligence isn't looking so good these days. It's not criticism that's disallowed here -- it's destructive criticism. A pretty simple distinction, but one he apparently doesn't understand.

[FreezingDevil]

Jumbo, it's easy for the gorilla to beat his chest and challenge the shark to come into the jungle to fight; the situation would be different were the gorilla to venture into the water

Also, I love the image of Jumbo as a massive, hairy Gorilla beating his chest. Well played, sir. well played

[Cavlaw]

Hmm, either he's schizophrenic or there are a lot of people responding that aren't Greg Beaston.

[Duvall]

because mr. beaton will soon have a duke diploma like the rest of us, i doubt he is stupid enough to be bullied into a debate in a forum where the leadership has created an atmosphere hostile to his view.

jumbo, it's easy for the gorilla to beat his chest and challenge the shark to come into the jungle to fight; the situation would be different were the gorilla to venture into the water

I think you may be giving Beaton too much credit.

At the same time, when your team loses it’s not blasphemy to suggest that the vaunted coach might be spending too much time moonlighting as Team USA’s coach, or to wonder if the team could use a new assistant, or to ask questions about why the team’s recruiting has slipped from what it once was.

Blasphemy, no. Trite, hackneyed and previously discussed ad nauseum, yes. All of the topics he suggests are appropriate sources for criticism have been discussed at length here in the past, and have been discussed here since the end of the season. Beaton should have explained why he feels it was so important to also have those discussions during the hours immediately following the WVU game.

Of course, it's not too late for him to do so.

[Jumbo]

because mr. beaton will soon have a duke diploma like the rest of us,

Many, many, MANY members of this website don't have a Duke diploma.

i doubt he is stupid enough to be bullied

Ah, so Greybeard, for instance, who went to Cornell, might be stupid because he doesn't have a "Duke diploma." Got it. And people wonder where that whole elitist rep comes from.

into a debate in a forum where the leadership has created an atmosphere hostile to his view.

"The leadership?" Who is that? The moderators? There's no environment hostile to his view. If he's man enough to write what he did, he should be man enough to actually discuss it with the people he ripped.

jumbo, it's easy for the gorilla to beat his chest and challenge the shark to come into the jungle to fight; the situation would be different were the gorilla to venture into the water

I would be happy to write a point-counterpoint with the Beaton in the Chronicle. More than happy. Thrilled. Problem is, it's kind of hard to debate back and forth because the paper is published, you know, once a day. I'm just asking for a nice constructive debate in this thread. Beaton can say what he wants. Why hide?

[Jumbo]

Also, I love the image of Jumbo as a massive, hairy Gorilla beating his chest. Well played, sir. well played

Yeah, I'm wondering how he found that picture of me. The cat (or gorilla) is out of the bag, I suppose.

[Wander]

I thought Beaton's stuff was actually much better than the junk that the Chronicle sports people usually write - like the recent "we as fans are owed a final four" bullcrap. And he's pretty clearly right in his basic jab that DBR takes itself way too seriously, and that the standards are different for talking about Duke players vs other team's players. But I'm down to watch this gorilla vs. shark matchup...

[Jumbo]

I thought Beaton's stuff was actually much better than the junk that the Chronicle sports people usually write - like the recent "we as fans are owed a final four" bullcrap. And he's pretty clearly right in his basic jab that DBR takes itself way too seriously, and that the standards are different for talking about Duke players vs other team's players. But I'm down to watch this gorilla vs. shark matchup...

If he's right, there's no reason why he should be afraid to debate his points.

[Wander]

If he's right, there's no reason why he should be afraid to debate his points.

Oh I agree. I don't think he's right on everything, either - I obviously don't agree with him that posting on DBR doesn't have any value, for example. Just kinda playing devil's advocate a little since I think some of the bashing of him on this thread by other posters is a little unnecessary.

[Channing]

I thought Beaton's stuff was actually much better than the junk that the Chronicle sports people usually write - like the recent "we as fans are owed a final four" bullcrap. And he's pretty clearly right in his basic jab that DBR takes itself way too seriously, and that the standards are different for talking about Duke players vs other team's players. But I'm down to watch this gorilla vs. shark matchup...

again - are people shocked that at DUKEbasketballreport.com there is a bias towards DUKE basketball players? I will recommend what I find to be the best college sports message board that is not linked to any specific team: www.talkncaa.com.

[Jumbo]

Oh I agree. I don't think he's right on everything, either - I obviously don't agree with him that posting on DBR doesn't have any value, for example. Just kinda playing devil's advocate a little since I think some of the bashing of him on this thread by other posters is a little unnecessary.

Yeah, I haven't even participated in that other thread. Heck, I'm even willing to move his little match a neutral site. So, where are you, Beaton? I'm waiting.

[DukeDevilDeb]

...put a link up to Beaton's folly?

Thank you.

[Jumbo]

...put a link up to Beaton's folly?

Thank you.

It is being discussed here.

[SilkyJ]

Ah, so Greybeard, for instance, who went to Cornell, might be stupid because he doesn't have a "Duke diploma." Got it. And people wonder where that whole elitist rep comes from.

That's not what he was saying at all, and you know it. He was just saying that Beaton is smart enough to know that it would be stupid of him to come down here and debate it on your terms, which it would be.

[Jumbo]

That's not what he was saying at all, and you know it. He was just saying that Beaton is smart enough to know that it would be stupid of him to come down here and debate it on your terms, which it would be.

No, I don't know it. And how would it be on "my terms?" I'm willing to debate him on any place where we can reply with messages to one another. There are no "terms" attached.