Duke

[Bangkok Wildcat]

How can Puke not have its own thread? Just watched 'I Hate Chritian Laettner' on ESPN....he was in school same time as I was at the U of A. Good show but I had to fight the urge to vomit throughout....

I had forgotten how MUCH I really hate that punk/brat. He should have been thrown out of that epic UK game after he stomped the player on the floor.....instead he makes that awesome shot and adds to his legend. What is it with Duke that they seem to get preferential treatment from many refs (ie JWill trying to rape Gardner in the NC 2001 game)?

Back to Laettner.......Great player / HUGE assh0le!

[catgrad97]

Laettner lost to Arizona as a freshman after missing the front end of a one-and-one, so he's kind of low on my list of Dukies deserving hate. The Dream Team selection was as political as they come, however.

Duke's seeding and regional bracket, however, was even more of a political gift--so much so as to call it an outright favor for services rendered. Only Georgetown stands between the Blue Devils and the FF.

[Bangkok Wildcat]

Laettner lost to Arizona as a freshman after missing the front end of a one-and-one, so he's kind of low on my list of Dukies deserving hate. The Dream Team selection was as political as they come, however.

Duke's seeding and regional bracket, however, was even more of a political gift--so much so as to call it an outright favor for services rendered. Only Georgetown stands between the Blue Devils and the FF.

Catgrad97, was that the wild game at McKale (which we won in OT) I believe??? I was at that game in which we beat Duke but can't recall if it was '90 or '91. Great game and I don't think we sat for more than a few minutes....incredible atmosphere!!!

[catgrad97]

No, it was the made-for-TV matchup in Jersey during Sean Elliott's senior year.

Arizona beat Duke in McKale in 2 OT the following year and K never did do a true home-and-home out west again. He went back to scheduling UCLA a couple of times in Pauley during the Lavin era, when it was safe.

[Bangkok Wildcat]

No, it was the made-for-TV matchup in Jersey during Sean Elliott's senior year.

Arizona beat Duke in McKale in 2 OT the following year and K never did do a true home-and-home out west again. He went back to scheduling UCLA a couple of times in Pauley during the Lavin era, when it was safe.

Thanks Catgrad97! That was such a great game.....I recall the 2OT and subsequent lost voice afterward now .....incredible game!.....Coach K is such a weenie on scheduling OOC games.....always loved and respected Lute's aggressive scheduling of OOC games....wish Miller would do better in this too.

[ChattyPaddy]

Problem for scheduling tough OOC games is everyone good would want to play on a neutral court. Total shame no good teams really do home and homes anymore.

[Chicat]

Problem for scheduling tough OOC games is everyone good would want to play on a neutral court. Total shame no good teams really do home and homes anymore.

Arizona does. Michigan being a perfect example.

[WildcatStunner]

Like Sean Miller said, schools that don't want to play true road games in their OOC are basic saying they are afraid of losing.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Duke sucks.

[84Cat]

Fuck Duke! Why does everyone want to go to Duke in Coach K's golden years? How good are they going to be next year?

[Chicat]

[Beachcat97]

Duke is basically 2015 Kentucky.

[ASUHATER!]

They should be #1 without a doubt

[Merkin]

Not enough ugly white boys for K.

Still only 1 ball and 200 minutes a game.

Let's see who the Zen master is now in college ball.

[splitsecond]

I am not worried about this at all. This isn't K's style or strength to have a team makeup like this. They will flame out in the Elite 8.

[Beachcat97]

How many of these Duke freshmen are ready to be Okafor from day one? Only one or two, most likely.

They should be very good by March, but would anyone be that surprised to see them lose before the FF?

[84Cat]

This isn't Kansas. You do remember that they won it all in 2015 right? They will be the overwhelming favorite next year.

[gronk4heisman]

How many of these Duke freshmen are ready to be Okafor from day one? Only one or two, most likely.

They should be very good by March, but would anyone be that surprised to see them lose before the FF?

So your saying only one or two of their Freshman being as good as Okafor, who won them a championship, is why they won't be good? That makes perfect sense. This team also returns 4 of its top 5 scorers unlike that Okafor team which lost 4 of its top 5 scorers.

Someone needs to hire Jeff Capel already. Calipari getting the players is not that big of deal to me since he is not that great of an actual coach IMO, but when a coach like K gets the players Capel is bringing him thats when I get worried.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Fuck Duke! Why does everyone want to go to Duke in Coach K's golden years? How good are they going to be next year?

They'll be good.

Why K morphed into a recruiting power recently is a really interesting question. He always got decent classes, but beginning around Kyrie or Jabari Parker, he's kicked it into overdrive.

Potential theories:

He's begun selling Duke as a one and done factory a la Calipari.
He bought Ricky Roe's dad a tractor.
Some of the stereotypes that used to apply to Duke (whitebread recruiting) have faded.
Capel's return.

[Main Event]

Jeff Capel

Would absolutely love to play them in Phoenix next year