DukieInKansas
Well-known member
Track and Field!
NCAA Championships start 6/11 with 16 Blue Devils qualified to compete.
Duke Baseball Season 2025 - One Run Short of Omaha
- Thread starter duke2x
- Start date
NCAA Championships start 6/11 with 16 Blue Devils qualified to compete.
Because we wanted to play on our home field, the field where every home game was played this year?
UrinalCake
Member
My guess is that it takes time for the DBAP and its staff to plan and Duke wasn't realistically expecting to be hosting until like a week ago. They'd have to bring in people to work concessions, traffic control, ticket sales, security, etc.
AustinDevil
Member
It was almost certainly a distraction for the team during this super regional.
I thought it was that the team didn’t want to and felt like playing in a park where they didn’t practice all year was not good for the homefield advantage
Time for Nina K to load up the wagon with cash to try to keep Coach P in Durham (assuming the story about UVa is true).
brevity
Member
The follow-up from CBK Report.
The schools that won the Sweet 16 round in basketball (Duke, Auburn, Tennessee) lost in the Super Regional. The schools that lost in the Sweet 16 (Arkansas and Arizona) advanced to the College World Series.
richmclean
Member
Duke contract with DBAP was cancelled last year. All home games this year were at the Jack.
sagegrouse
Member
Re Pollard: I have read in the last two years that the SEC pays big money to baseball HCs. Bigger worry than UVa?
sagegrouse
Member
Perhaps worth noting that he has apparently lived most of his life (maybe, "entire") in NC. Born in Durham, went to Davidson, and has been HC at Pfeiffer, App. State and Duke.
Got it, thanks, I didn't realize.
Absent that (and to the other comments), I suppose it's a balance between being true to your on-campus park or allowing more fans to attend.
Dr. Maturin
Member
Pollard has turned down interest before, including from the SEC (who just plucked UVAs coach). Presumably he got a raise and the promised facility upgrades for it. Not sure if Nina has anything more in the chamber this time.
Unfortunately, this would figure to be devastating to the program. Duke is way behind even ACC peers in terms of facilities and fan support, and academics seem to be a limiting factor as well. Somehow Pollard competed nationally with Ivy League transfers. I'm not sure another coach could do that. He really is our secret sauce.
Unfortunately, this would figure to be devastating to the program. Duke is way behind even ACC peers in terms of facilities and fan support, and academics seem to be a limiting factor as well. Somehow Pollard competed nationally with Ivy League transfers. I'm not sure another coach could do that. He really is our secret sauce.
SamHouston
Member
Why didn’t Duke rebuild The Jack during the years they played home games at DBAP? I know “money was not allocated” is the short answer, but I would love to hear the rest of the story.
Couple of thoughts:
- Congrats to HC Pollard and the team on an outstanding season, especially from where they started. Pollard's ability to win regionals is really impressive given that we have never hosted a regional.
- That being said, massive missed opportunity to finally get to Omaha. For a program like Duke, you worry how many chances you'll get quite like the chance we had in the Super Regional this season.
- Pollard has done an outstanding job at Duke, truly remarkable. There is a case to be made that pound for pound he has been the "best" coach at Duke over the past decade. Nina needs to call on any resources available to keep him in Durham.
- I would hope that Pollard uses the leverage he has to demand even more financial support for the program. It is important for any program to use leverage points like this to get more resources to sustain and build on success. Baseball will get what they get from the House salary pool, so that means more scholarship money and more NIL support (and yes I believe this Deloitte clearinghouse is nonsense and has a near zero chance of surviving court challenges if they try to restrict NIL deals in a meaningful way.)
- As a non-local fan, the new Jack looks amazing on TV. The setting for baseball is outstanding. I imagine post-renovation it will be a special, intimate college baseball facility. The last Duke Baseball game I attended was at the DBAP. I never liked that setting for Duke. It was like University of Miami football playing at Sun Life, or Pitt football playing at Heinz Field. Invariably you get a sterile college environment. Love that they are dedicated to Jack Coombs going forward.
Go Duke!
- Congrats to HC Pollard and the team on an outstanding season, especially from where they started. Pollard's ability to win regionals is really impressive given that we have never hosted a regional.
- That being said, massive missed opportunity to finally get to Omaha. For a program like Duke, you worry how many chances you'll get quite like the chance we had in the Super Regional this season.
- Pollard has done an outstanding job at Duke, truly remarkable. There is a case to be made that pound for pound he has been the "best" coach at Duke over the past decade. Nina needs to call on any resources available to keep him in Durham.
- I would hope that Pollard uses the leverage he has to demand even more financial support for the program. It is important for any program to use leverage points like this to get more resources to sustain and build on success. Baseball will get what they get from the House salary pool, so that means more scholarship money and more NIL support (and yes I believe this Deloitte clearinghouse is nonsense and has a near zero chance of surviving court challenges if they try to restrict NIL deals in a meaningful way.)
- As a non-local fan, the new Jack looks amazing on TV. The setting for baseball is outstanding. I imagine post-renovation it will be a special, intimate college baseball facility. The last Duke Baseball game I attended was at the DBAP. I never liked that setting for Duke. It was like University of Miami football playing at Sun Life, or Pitt football playing at Heinz Field. Invariably you get a sterile college environment. Love that they are dedicated to Jack Coombs going forward.
Go Duke!
I love the idea that Duke excels at all things, athletic or not. I do question whether Duke can continue to do so in this financial environment. I wonder if choices have to be made. Hopefully there are some private benefactors who have a connection to the baseball program and will step up.
AustinDevil
Member
Duke never played full seasons at the Bulls’ park. Instead we played there when we were home and the Bulls were traveling, and otherwise we were at Coombs. So there was never a full year, never mind more, to rebuild Coombs.
Duke has managed to excel at many sports despite facilities that likely rank in bottom third (or worse) among Power 4 schools. Compared to these schools, we have invested very little in Cameron, Wally Wade and Coombs. We've been very fortunate to pull this off and remain successful.
Blood Alcohol Test on Aisle 3, Arnie....did you somehow miss the way more than $100 million investment at Wally Wade? I can't find the exact number, maybe it was never announced, but to say we have invested very little in WW is just preposterous...since I know you remember the old days, the track, etc.