SDBB: Duke vs Kansas – The Buzzer Beater Wasn’t The Cause of The Loss

On Tuesday night Duke took on Kansas in the State Farm Championship Classic and lost via a Buzzer Beater. Tonight, Bill Wheeler joins me, Bermuda Bob, to dissect why the Buzzer Beater was not what caused the loss.

How Good is Duke ???

Both Bill and I agree that rankings are meaningless at this point in the year, and that no one can really effectively judge just how good Duke can be with 3 Frosh and Sean Obi on the Bench recuperating !!!

What About Grayson Allen ???

Bill points out that Grayson seems out of sync and is pressing too hard. I think the Kansas game looked like “Déjà vu all over again” as it reminds me of last year.

Who’s the Point Guard ???

Bill thinks that Duke must establish their Point Guard from Luke, Matt, or Frank Jackson. Bill points out that it could take Giles until conference season to be in optimum shape.

I think it MUST be Frank. Luke works hard to get his shot from anywhere, but he also dishes Assists and Rebounds. He has 5 of each in this game while scoring 22 Points. He continues to become a better player on both sides of the Court. Matt does not handle the ball well and his passing skills are still questionable. Frank is a good blend of scoring and ball movement. If he were given the spot as his, his Assists would surely increase.

TurnOvers & Rebounds …

Duke had 16 to 14 for Kansas. Amile commits 7 of them in a so-so performance while Fouling Out, while those 5 Rebounds by Luke led Duke. Kansas out-rebounded Duke 38-29. Bill points out that Kansas was the smaller team.

Bench Play …

Once again, Coach K played only 6 guys, and Javin DeLaurier played just one minute. He seems to continue to refuse to play anyone else. Lord only knows what he had/has in mind if Duke were at full strength …

Both Bill and I agree that this seems to be foolhardy, considering the talent he has on the Bench who are not being given the opportunity to contribute. Now, both of us readily admit that neither of us have the career stats that he has, but it is surely hard to reconcile in our minds.

Looking Forward …

On Saturday, Duke takes on Penn State in the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Foxwoods in Connecticut. It’s yet another irony along my walk with Duke as a fervent fan. I now live in Penn State country. The people here are gracious enough to not give me a hard time about my shades of Duke Blue.

On Sunday Duke takes on either Cincinnati or Rhode Island based on the results of the first games.

This is a realistic event compared to the State Farm Classic. There has been no word on the status of any of the injured Frosh … Considering that Coach K is so focused on starting his 5 upperclassmen plus Frank Jackson, I don’t think there is much new to see unless Coach is willing to get his Bench on the Floor for some minutes. After all, in that National Championship game, Grayson Allen was an untold player !!! Neither of these games will be pivotal in March, so playing the Bench makes a whole lot of sense !!!

*************************

Thanks for the Read …

Please always feel free to comment either here, or on our Twitter site at:

@SimplyDukeBB

 

SDBB: NOW the Real Season Begins for a Duke Team at Less Than True Strength …

The leaves have revealed their lovely colours, and are now brown on the ground, waiting to be collected.  Shorts have been relegated to the gym. Heavier clothes are the standard when out enjoying the crisp cooler air outside.  For us, it is a challenge to see how long we can go before activating the Heat in our home.  Last, and certainly not least, after the seemingly endless campaign season, our Nation has chosen a very new and different President to cure the ills of our Country.

If you’re like me, NOW is when the college basketball season really begins.

Duke has had their standard 2 exhibitions, followed by 2 games against teams they were expected to prevail against.  Tonight, at 9:30PM (E) the season REALLY begins as Duke meets Kansas … well, at least that’s what the so-called pundits tell us !!!

This early-on game is not a favourite of mine.  It presumes that teams are at their strongest, when the players have barely broken in their uniforms, nor have the fans learned all the new additions to the squad.  Such a contest seems more like something of an Elite 8 match-up, or a Final Four game.

I think it ought to be the last game of the non-conference schedule when the players have had a bit of time to mature … maybe on New Year’s Eve.   There is no reason to hold an elite event ahead of the Big 10-ACC Challenge, which is much more representative of the prowess of all the teams, not just 4 hand-picked programmes !!!

Obviously, no one is going to listen to me, so let’s examine where Duke is going into this game.

Duke is battered. 4 players are in street clothes.

• One player is a concern down the road as his is a recurring injury.
• The other 2 guys, may again be the result those damned Nike sneakers.
• Sean Obi is again working more on his sartorial speldour after a report of his having work on both knees done this past summer.
• Coach K has admitted that they may need to look at the relative vociferousness of their practices.

In the 2 games this weekend, without some 3 presumptive Frosh contributors, Duke looked to what I will call the “4 Horseman of Durham” of Amile, Grayson. Luke and Matt … Being adding to these guys has been Frank Jackson, who has been named ACC Frosh of the Week, after a couple excellent performances !!!

Now we all know that Coach K likes a 7-8 player rotation, so let’s add Chase Jeter, Javin DeLaurier, and Antonio Vraknovic.

•  Jeter has been a de facto Starter with Borden, the guy who supplanted him on the depth chart, going down … He has gotten some serious opportunities to show off what he worked on over the summer.  In the first 3 games, he did very well, but in the last game he unfortunately returned to his performance of last year, being able to only play 22 minutes because of Foul Trouble.
• DeLaurier is an impressive player, who, by his own words expects to learn plenty by being surrounded by so many impressionable players … He has a treasure trove of talent already, so the sky’s the limit for him !!!
•  Antonio got to play 19 minutes when Chase needed it against Marist and logged 10 Rebounds, but was only given 5 minutes in the Grand Canon game even with Jeter struggling …

For the immediate future, we must be guided to Coach K’s words recently about his trio of injured Frosh: “We’re just going to shut those guys down for a while.” 

That means that nothing that happens in the Kansas game will do anything more than to solidify the core of this Duke team.  Personally, I’m not concerned, as the schedule for the 2 weeks before meeting Michigan State in the Big 10-ACC Challenge, is not very consequential.  Nothing that happens until State will matter come March Madness !!!

So, right now, we really don’t have a clear impression of who Duke is, other than the idea that they are fortunately deep, so they will take longer to develop into who they really are.  Let’s hope this doesn’t last into the conference season.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Welcome Back to our regular readers !!!  

Please spread the word about us …

Thanks for the read … 

Please feel free to comment here, or at our Twitter site:

@DukeBB

SDBB: An Inside Look at the “Countdown to Craziness” Weekend

Thanks to a friend of Simply Duke Basketball, we have a rare opportunity to see what this year’s “Countdown to Craziness” weekend was like …

Bill Wheeler, a Fuqua School of Business graduate, and his lovely wife, Marcy made a weekend of the event. We thank them for this very special insight …

Around 9PM, Friday night, my wife and I drove to the Washington Duke Inn and ate at the Bull Durham bar.  As we approached the turn in to the hotel, we could not help notice a new multilevel parking deck near completion on Cameron Boulevard.   The bar was filled, yet we found two barstools in the corner.  We talked to a Waitress and Manager about the number of patrons.  They thought there was a Lacrosse reunion, and that “Countdown to Craziness” brought in the late evening patrons.

As we left the bar, we could not help notice 2 towering men standing in the foyer. It was Jeff Capel and Nate James.  I got my wife to follow me a few feet down the hallway, and told her who the men were.   Of course, I wanted to ask them some questions, but I realized they need their own relaxation, so we drove back to our off campus motel.

Saturday morning, we visited the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, and at Marcy’s suggestion, we took in an afternoon horseback trail ride in Hillsboro.

As we drove onto campus and turned right on Towerview Drive next to the Sanford School, we could not help but notice another new building with open glass, the Health and Wellness Center.  We parked and walked towards “K’ville” around 4:30 pm.  “K’ville” was alive with inflatable bouncing machines, a DJ, face painting and a gathering of Cameron Crazies.

We stopped to talk to a Security Guard and she gave us a brief tour, describing changes to the outside of Cameron.  As we waited to enter the front of Cameron, one fan voiced their displeasure of the new Cameron look. Yes, I agree the nostalgia is gone.

The wooden arches just below the stone portico are gone and wooden doors are now enclosed.  Just after the second set of doors is a separate set of stairs to enter a new Iron Duke’s Champions Club.  My finances left me short to contribute the minimum annual for that club.

As we entered Cameron, some fans next to us said they did not like the new look of the Cameron entrance.  Yes, we agreed …

As we walked through the doors, security gates and staff greeted each fan.  It reminded me of entering a local Court building, yet with today’s threats we had some sense of comfort.

Congrats to the Duke staff for this improvement !!!

The pre-team entertainment ranged from Felix Kung “The Yo-Yo Guy”, who is actually a Duke student … 30 seconds to make 4 baskets for $10K … Pizza box throws from the 4 corners of the gym floor, to the JC Devils doing a modern dance, etc.

As the Duke Navy ROTC entered the gym with the American flag, all the Duke “A- Cappella” singers gathered on the opposite side of Mid-Court and did a great job of singing the National Anthem.  It was a special moment with the blue horn lights shining and all the fans standing.  Thank goodness I didn’t see any “Kolin ‘dis-respectfuls.'” !!!

The gym floor was used as a projector screen for video and laser introductions of the team and players.  This was similar to last year and each player got great appreciation from the crowd.

From there the scrimmage felt a little anti-climatic.  The audio sound may have been changed for the player intros and it was not readjusted making it difficult to hear announcements for the rest of the evening.

The Blue and White teams played 2 – 10 minute periods.  Freshman Jayson Tatum showed great slashing and scoring ability.  To my surprise, Chase Jeter seemed to have the upper hand in guarding Marques Bolden for 15 of the 20 minutes.  Amile Jefferson appeared to be hungry and scrapped for every loose ball.  At one moment towards the end of the scrimmage, a hush came over the entire crowd as Grayson Allen ended up spread-eagle to block a pass and collided with Amile’s legs near mid court sideline.  Fortunately, Amile was able to walk off without injury.

Sean Obi and Harry Giles did not make it to the floor   We know about Harry’s continued knee problems, and later discovered that Obi had had knee surgery this summer.

In past years, the star player for either the Blue or White would have been swapped to the other team for the 2^nd Period.  That was not done this year, leaving this fan with the need to see more games before determining the real caliber of this 2016-17 basketball team.

***********************************

Bill Wheeler has a wonderful story about his connection to Duke Basketball.  

Look forward to our Bio on him sometime soon !!!

***********************************

Thanks for joining us for this very special report …

Please, as always, feel free to comment on our thoughts, either here, or at out Twitter site:

@SimplyDukeBB

SDBB: 2016-17 Profiles – Coach K

Tonight, we finish our annual Player’s Profile marathon on the eve of Countdown to Craziness, with Bermuda Bob’s Profile of Coach K …

A few years ago, I wrote a long piece, profiling Coach K that we have not updated since then, and since then, there has been plenty water that has passed under his “bridge” !!!   I started this way …

I have long been unpopular with fans outside of Duke for taking the stance that Coach Michael William “Mike” Krzyzewski is the best College Basketball Coach of all time. I say that to the exclusion of each and every one of the acknowledged greats.

The problem I usually have is that this is where people want to bare their fists and debate vociferously … and they stop listening. My purpose here is to try and finally be heard on why I make such a seemingly outlandish claim.

My logic says that each of the previous greats were only great in their day and age, which is plenty to accomplish. Let’s just think that:

Phog Allen began it all in the early 1900’s …

Then, in the:

• The 1930’s: Adolph Rupp, Hank Iba, & Joe Lapchick …
• The 1940’s: John Wooden & Pete Newell …
• The 1950’s: Jim Phelan & Guy Lewis …
• The 1960’s: Dean Smith, Bobby Knight, Louie Carnesecca, & Pete Caril …
• The 1970’s: Coach K, Jim Boeheim, Denny Crum, Eddie Sutton, & Gary Williams …
• The 1980’s: Rick Majerus, Bo Ryan, & Roy Williams …
• The 1990’s: Tom Izzo, Bill Self, & Billy Donovan …

Each coach has had to win within the confines of what the game was during their tenures. They also had to deal with how college basketball evolved.

Unfortunate as it might seem to comprehend, there were programmes led by renowned racist coaches who not only refused to recruit black players, but also refused to play against schools that did.

Going back to my earliest personal recollections, there was Lew Alcindor and Elvin Hayes. Both would have been so heavily recruited today that it might cause the NCAA’s Oversight Committee to have a nervous breakdown. They were not though.  It was because there were only a handful of “major” programmes then.

Those days saw no Three Point Shot.   Believe it or not, there were coaches, still active today, that opposed the “trifecta.”

Unbelievably, there were coaches who had players who could dominate via the dunk, but voted to rule it out. Thankfully, cooler heads eventually prevailed. The “Dunk” was reinstated. It is surely a crowd favourite score of all time. It can also be a momentum shifter !!! Today, dunks are considered to often be stylistic scores too …

Then there were coaches who so mastered control of the clock, with a mind numbing number of passes, before shooting, that the Shot Clock was introduced.

There was a time when Referees called infractions such as “Palming,” “Back Court,” a “Moving Pick,” or even “Walking.” (aka “Travelling”) When two (2) players held the ball at the same time, they were whistled and a “Jump Ball” was executed on the closest Foul Line. There was no silly “Possession Arrow” enacted because it seemed so wrong to see a Center have to “jump” against a pint sized Guard. Poor Babies !!!

These great coaches of over 100 years, and all those others I didn’t mention because of space restrictions, had to deal with seemingly Neanderthal players, uncomfortable venues, and little or no physical training. They went from games on radio, to black and white television, to taped games broadcast on the weekends, to colour television, to internet streaming.   They usually travelled everywhere on a bus. Now programmes often have their own plane, shared by different school sports.

Their situations were as different as the style of uniforms from then to now. There was no Spandex, no moisture-wicking undergarments, or the extra padding of today. Back then, there were knee-pads, which also were used on elbows. Mouth guards were for football players.   “Sneakers” were called “Cons” and came in only two (2) styles and colours. Sweat Bands were worn on your wrists and one your forehead because they were meant to be functional as opposed to a style statement.

So, here’s my claim. None of the teams, or these coaches of yesteryear could hold a candle to today’s college basketball. It is an existential impossibility for each era.

Players of yesteryear were not in the type of shape today’s player is. Yesterday’s player would not have been exposed to the level of play today’s players have been by the time they get to college. Freshmen, or “Frosh” were not allowed to play on the “Varsity.” Players would not be as game savvy as today’s players either.

Yes, John Wooden won an incredible number of games (80%) and is loved for his wit and wisdom, and his refusal to allow his players to curse. Today’s acceptable “trash talking” by both players and coaches would have made him blush. That’s why some say he was too much of a “Goodie Two Shoes.” For my money, he ought to be in a category of his own. It was his stewardship of the college game that got us to today’s game, but he ought never be compared to today’s coaches.

My problem is that comparing yesterday’s programmes to those of today is simply not accurate nor faire. So let’s quit comparing statistics because numbers only tell a modicum of the story, and since each is unique unto itself, any comparison is mere uninformed conjecture.

I’ve been known to say that not even an All-Star UCLA team could hold a candle to the same bunch of players in each of the last 30 years. I know, I know … that’s considered some type of sacrilege, but it’s the truth.

So, while we’re speaking of sacrilege, please allow me another…

Pat Summitt was yet another formative personality in Women’s College Basketball, but to compare Men and Women’s Basketball is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG !!!

Pat Summitt won during a time, like John Wooden, when there were a handful of comparable college teams. Pat Summitt’s coaching career begins in 1974, when Women’s College Basketball was not even an NCAA sanctioned event.

It was not until the 1981-82 season that Women’s College Basketball had a National Championship Tournament, so THAT season is where her comparative career counting ought to begin !!! That is not to detract from her lifelong accomplishments, but just because, Title IX was enacted in 1972. There were few competive programmes in those days, and not enough to hold a meaningful Championship for another 10 years.

For Your Information:

Title IX was that dubious law that contains so much more than forcing colleges to “just let girls play sports” and was not enacted until 1972.

Today’s players are as different as the uniforms of yesteryear. They are in better shape because of better conditioning, coaching, and facilities. They are sharper shooters. They are also tougher, more motivated, and even bigger.

Then there’s Coach K …

A guy who has led 5 teams to National Championships. He did so with players who were not always the highest ranked. What set them apart was that each and every member of those teams had accepted his vision for them.   A vision of how to win and being everything you can be.

Then there’s Coach K …  

A guy who, I like to believe, still places a premium on matriculation and expanding one’s horizons by giving back to society, and he leads by example. As a late-comer to today’s “one-and-done” environment, Coach K has often rationalized that those kids leaving early are simply taking advantage of a job offer.

Then there’s Coach K …  

A guy who has seen so many of his former players go on to coach that the list seems endless, because it keeps expanding every year.

Then there’s Coach K …  

A guy who has brought back the dignity of Team USA back to where it belongs.

Then there’s Coach K …  

A guy who is proud of his West Point background and the discipline it instilled in him. I consider him a Patriot, and so does the Association of the US Army. They have bestowed their highest award, the 2014 George Catlett Marshall Medal upon him.  That’s General George Marshall, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense during World War II and afterward.

Then there’s Coach K …  

A husband, father, grandfather, and patron of children’s charitable efforts right down to the (Jimmy) V Foundation.

I doubt that there has ever been a better standard-bearer and “Godfather of College Basketball” than Coach K.

So, instead of making empty and unfaire comparisons to predecessors, why not let’s just recognize those former greats. Let’s acknowledge them with high kudos for who and what they were when active by era.

That then allows me to say that Coach Michael William “Mike” Krzyzewski, AKA “Coach K” is the greatest active college basketball coach.

It is not because he has a plethora of wins, surpassing 1000 wins in 2015, or because he has won more games than anyone else in NCAA history. It is because he has learned from the greats, and shepherded the evolution of the college game. He has risen above some of the regrettable trends the college game has seen, and been vocal about the need for change.

Some have postulated about the number of years he will remain at Duke, if he has changed his approach to the game, and who might be his successor. They are all great topics for debate, and I have weighed in on many occasions, enjoying the hypotheses of others.

The more important thing for Duke fans is that, for now and the foreseeable future, he calls Duke his home and where his heart is.

That’s good enough for me !!!

Rock On, Coach !!!

**********************************************

Thanks for reading !!!

Watch for our next article after “Countdown to Craziness” …

We welcome your comments, either here or on our Twitter site:

@SimplyDukeBB

SDBB: Looking at Duke’s First Big Dance Weekend, and a Look Forward to the Sweet 16

Tonight, Ro Shiell and Bermuda Bob take a look back at Duke’s first weekend in the Big Dance, and then look forward to the challenges that present themselves in the Sweet 16:

Query #1:

On Thursday, Duke needed an exemplary 2nd Half performance from “Plums” (9 of 10 shooting, plus 5 of 6 from the Charity Stripe) to prevail over a very talented UNC-Wilmington team that led by 3 at the Half.  Was there anything else that you’d point to as the reason why they won ???

Bermuda Bob:             

As I’ve said before, “Plums” is the toughest of the 3 brothers.  He rose to the occasion, taking advantage of the UNC-W “bigs” fouling out practically en masse.  Brandon and Grayson added 20 and 23 respectfully, but it was Grayson’s 15 of 17 shooting from the Charity Stripe that was a wonderful help.  

Rowan: 

There was a lot of whispering that this was a potential upset in the making, and it almost was, until Duke realised that they were bigger and started playing like that.

Query #2:

In that Thursday game, 51 Fouls were whistled under these new contact rules.  Since WE don’t get fined, or sanctioned, for stating our mind, what was your opinion of the officiating ???

Bermuda Bob:             

This was an abomination, especially considering that they were so inconsistent.  I’m not saying that they weren’t equally abdominal to both teams, but they routinely made calls for a violation that they didn’t call the next time it happened.  An identical Charge was called only 3 of 5 times.   I am hoping that those Refs are NOT allowed to work another game !!! 

Rowan: 

That was a lot of whistling, but it didn’t hinder Duke, this time, thankfully.

Query #3:

In this game “Plums” and Matt Jones fouled out.  Duke got only a modicum of assistance from Chase Jeter in 11 minutes on the floor, relying on a 4 Guard Line-Up.  Do you think Duke can prevail against the caliber of teams left with this solution ???

Bermuda Bob:             

In a word, NO !!!  If you look at most of the teams that prevailed into the Sweet 16, you will note that they play a full accompaniment of credible players.  Coach K has refused to play his Bench this season, thus he only had one proven player available to him, and he won’t play him.   Thus, he is short handed and his team is prone to getting “puffed” by the 10 minute mark.   I do not see that as plaguing anyone else in the Sweet 16.

Rowan: 

UNC-Wilmington utilised a 4 Guard Line-Up, so this was the perfect team for Duke to play this way against, considering the Blue Devils were bigger anyway.  I think that any 4 Guard Line-Up that Duke utilises has to have versatile defender, Matt Jones in it against any other team.

Query #4:

In the next game, against Yale, Duke had to overcome a Yale team they had beaten earlier in the year at home, but then Amile Jefferson was playing a large part.  Duke got out to an incredible start, leading by 23 at the Half, only to see Yale outscore Duke 39-23 in the 2nd Half.  What do you make of this game ???

Bermuda Bob:             

Do you remember the old children’s rhyme about the 3 Little Pigs ???  “… not by the hair on your chinny chin-chin.” ???   Well, that’s about all that Duke had left to hold on to keep from losing … the non-existent hair on the chin of a pig.   The only saving grace was that Yale had much too much to make up and too little time so to do.   

Rowan:   

Ingram and Allen started off hot which gave Duke a comfortable lead.  We now know of Plumlee’s heroics behind the scenes, encouraging his teammates to not give up.  He was also pretty good on the Court. Even though he only scored 2 Points, he hit the Boards and blocked 5 Shots.  Matt Jones may have Fouled Out, but between he and Derryk Thornton, they corralled Yale’s Makai Mason into a 2-of-12 outing. 

Query #5:          

Duke was soundly out-rebounded by Yale on both the Offensive and Defensive sides, primarily because “Plums” was outnumbered, regardless of his best efforts.  Considering that this will be the norm going forward, how do they prevail against the likes of Oregon, who logged 44 and 35 Rebounds in their previous games ???

Bermuda Bob:             

The conundrum exists that the more Duke tries to aid “Plums” with the present Starting Line-up, the more they commit Fouls.  Inasmuch as Coach K is not going to rotate all 4 “bigs,” he is left with only a 4 Guard Line-up to go to.   That won’t be enough, I fear.   Only a consistent pair of Halves shooting lights out will give Duke the chance they need to prevail.

Rowan: 

Rebounding is indeed an issue for Duke, and it has been all season, but this Duke team wins by outscoring it’s opponents.  By now we have to accept this.

Rebounding is a skill that Duke players just do not have.  They think out- jumping their opponent is the best way to do this, but it isn’t always so.  I was always taught that as soon as the Shot goes up to put a body on the closest Defender, thus preventing them from getting to the ball.  Then go for the rebound when the ball is safely off the Rim. Many people know this as “Boxing Out.”

Ingram and Plumlee will always out-jump anyone for a Rebound due to the latter’s size and the former’s athleticism.  What happens when they meet someone Like Zack August who Boxes Out like a champion, or Tyler Roberson the human pogo stick ??? Both of these players had record games, on the Boards, against Duke.

I have only seen one player who Boxes Out consistently, and that is seldom used Sean Obi.

Query #6:

It was more than insinuated by the CBS Commentators that Duke had the easiest ride to the Sweet 16 of the majority of the teams that who also got there.   What do you make of that assertion ???

Bermuda Bob:             

Well, Duke got lucky when Yale beat Baylor, a team that Duke did not match up against favourably.  I would note that there might be some credence to that argument, once again, only because of that Baylor early exit.

As an aside, considering that the Selection Committee put Kentucky and Indiana in each other’s paths, because of the refusal of “Cal-the-Lip” to schedule a Home-and-Home arrangement.   Considering Coach K’s expressed objection to ever schedule Maryland, I surely would have thought Duke and Maryland might have been placed in the same Region. Thus, creating the possibility they may cross paths in a match of former rivals.  Once again, the Selection Committee proved that all they are consistent about is their being inconsistent !!!

Rowan: 

You can only beat whoever is in front of you and worrying about anything else is futile.

Query #7:

Speaking of the CBS Commentators, whom we will have to endure for 2 more weekends, who were your favourites, and who do you wish were not around next week ???

Bermuda Bob:             

Once again, CBS has tried to put around peg in a square hole.  They insist on trying to prove that NBA Commentators are capable of doing college basketball.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Just because it’s basketball does not mean it is the same game.   All year long we listen to ESPN Commentators, but when it comes to the National Championship, with the exception of 4 or 5 guys, we are forced to deal with idiots and imbeciles.

The best team is still Jim Spinarkle and Vern Lundquist, while the best trio is Raftery, Grant Hill, and Nantz.  When the rest of them are on, I wish I could listen to the radio and watch the game to get better Commentators.  The worst team were the guys Ian Eagle was saddled with … Len “I Hate Duke” Elmore and Chris “No Time Outs Left” Webber are masters of useless, idiotic, and over-used observations.  Doug Gottlieb, on the other hand believes that because he sez it, it is gospel.   Last but not least are the NBA Studio people, who routinely prove that they are making it up as they go along.  They prove it each time they must speak without notes in their hand.

Rowan: 

Their insistence in using guys who aren’t familiar with the College Basketball landscape beyond the popular players has been simply unforgivable to the well-heeled fans.  As March Madness has many casual fans, I suppose this works for them to see a familiar face.

************************************************

Thanks for taking the time to read our thoughts.

Want to add yours ???

Please post a Comment here, or on our Twitter site:

@SimplyDukeBB

We promise to always answer you !!!

SDBB: Why Are Duke’s “Beat Reporters” Afraid To Do Their Job ???

By Bermuda Bob

There’s an old fashioned way of describing when something, or someone, bothers you to the point where you need some form of satisfaction.  The expression is:  “I have a stone in my shoe.”  Well, recently something happened that has caused a stone to be in my shoe.  So, today I’m going to do something about it … Here we go:

 

The proper Oxford defines a “Reporter” as:

” … a person who reports, especially one employed to report news or conduct interviews for newspapers or broadcasts.”

It further defines a “Beat” as:

” … an area regularly frequented by someone … a person’s area of interest …”

So, plain and simply, when applied to sports, a “Beat Reporter” is someone who is assigned a programme to follow and report on.

When it comes to Duke Basketball, it is a very special assignment in that the Reporter would be covering a legendary programme, led by the winningest Coach in the modern era of College Basketball.

It does not require the Reporter to be a play-by-play Announcer, Duke has one of the best in Bob Harris, the “Voice of the Blue Devils” since 1976 !!!

A “Beat Reporter” is hired by a newspaper to be the insider’s eyes and ears for it’s readers.   Fans depend on those eyes and ears so as to know everything about the programme, the coaches, the players, and as much as is faire to cover of their lives outside the Court and Locker Room.

The “Beat Reporter” is essentially a conduit between the fan and their favourite team.

Today’s social media, is comprised of Twitter, Facebook, and a myriad of other portals which allow for interaction.

•        Twitter limits those interactions to 140 characters, often comprised of odd abbreviations.
•        Facebook has less limitations, and is often full of “TMI” or stuff no one ever needs to know.

If you find the need to be enrolled in more portals, then you understand the pitfalls, and probably have too much time on your hands !!!

The problem with social media is that it carries no responsibility.  If a subscriber or a “follower” to someone’s portal, posts a comment, or DARE to question the subscriber, he or she may ignore the “follower” or worse, they may block them from ever contacting the subscriber again.

To make it a bit clearer, today’s “Beat Reporter” seems to feel that they need to use Twitter as if they were a play-by-play Announcer.  This makes no sense to me because it reduces the subsequent article moot if the fan has read the “Beat Reporter’s” Twitter feed.

To try and combine these jobs, while completely unnecessary, requires someone who needs to, first, not forget their responsibility to the fans.  By going on a portal that allows interaction, then you are expected to interact !!!

I believe that there is never a reason for a subscriber to have to withstand vulgarities, crassness, or off-topic comments. Blocking those “followers” is the only way to handle them, however, blocking someone because they do not wish to answer faire questions is irresponsible, puerile, and wrong-minded.  If you don’t want to avail yourself to faire questions, then get off of Twitter and go back to your typewriter !!!

Duke’s primary “Beat Reporters” are:

Laura Keeley works for the News Observer.

Laura never publishes her contact phone number

She only rarely publishes her e-mail: LKeeley@NewsObserver.com

Her Twitter presence is: @LauraKeeley

Laura’s Editor is: Sport’s Editor, Steve Ruinsky.

His contact phone number is 919-829-4530

His e-mail is SRuinsky@NewsObserver.com

His Twitter presence is @RRSteveRR

 

… AND …

 

Steve Wiseman works for the Herald Sun.

His contact phone number is: 919-419-6671

Steve’s e-mail is: SWiseman@HeraldSun.com

His Twitter presence is: @SteveWisemanNC

Steve’s Editor is: Bob Ashley

His contact phone number is: 919-419-6678
His e-mail is: BAshley@HeraldSun.com

 

So, recently, during Duke’s very serious rebounding problems, I wondered why Coach K was claiming he has a “short Bench” when he had two (2) “Bigs” sitting, perfecting their splinter pulling techniques.  They are Sean Obi and Antonio Vrankovic.  Obi is a proven Rebounder in his previous life at Rice before transferring to Duke.  Antonio is a Frosh, but still worthy of being recruited and being given a uniform.

Our concerns were bolstered by a comment made by Broadcast & Basketball Hall of Fame Legend Dick Vitale, who noted that any kid given a uniform ought to be given the chance to contribute at least 10 minutes.

So, I posed the question to both Miss Keeley and Mr. Wiseman on their Twitter sites this way:

To Mr. Wiseman:

SDBB: During the PITT game on the 28^th of February …

“When are you going to ask Coach K why he refuses to play Obi ???

You’re not afraid, are you ???”

 Mr Wiseman replied:

“OBJECTION Asked and answered counselor. He’s not ready to compete at this level in the staff’s opinion. The end”

On the 1^st of March, I wrote an article that was going to use this very quote, so, in the sense of fairness, I messaged Mr. Wiseman on Twitter, whereupon he promptly blocked us from further contacting him there.  A strange response to a hand extended in friendship.

To Laura Keeley:

SDBB: During the UNC Rebounding debacle on the 5^th of March …

“Maybe you could ask Coach K why he didn’t use Obi & Antonio to give his kids a blow & presence down low !?!?!”

Miss Keeley replied:

“… they’re not good enough.  Move on from that …”

 

So, here is my beef.  If a “Beat Reporter” is supposed to be the eyes and ears of their readers who rely on their asking the questions the fans want asked, then:

1. Why haven’t either Miss Keeley nor Mr. Wiseman asked a follow-up question to such a ridiculously phrased answer ???

2. Why are Miss Keeley and Mr. Wiseman so emphatic, adamant, and dogmatic in their replies to a simple and reasonable question ???

So, as I asked in our article of the 1^st of March:

Don’t you realize that you are supposed to be the eyes and ears of the programme for the fans (your readers) ???

By the very position you hold, you have the responsibility to be the voice of the fans who read your efforts.

Don’t your readers deserve your best efforts at getting ALL reasonable questions answered ???

Don’t you realize that when you don’t ask probative questions to odd replies, you fuel conjecture, and even conspiracy theories, that often make some modicum of sense ???

Inasmuch as neither of you have asked probative questions, our readers have wondered things like:

•  Does “Coach K’s Dog House” really exist, and why does a player gets into it …
• One reader took it in another direction, wondering if Obi caused Amile’s injury in practice, so his not playing is a punishment …
• Another wondered if Obi was not playing because Coach K feared that Obi might outshine “Plums” …
• Coach K has asserted that he doesn’t have enough players for practice.  The last time I looked, he had 13 players dressing, and one (1) injured.  I may be missing something, but that’s 12 players when only 10 are needed to play a Blue & White game, or Practice !!!

There, you’ve just been given questions that make sense and have easy answers. 

See, that’s how it’s done ???

I am not asking for the world.  We’re asking why you have not posed a follow-up to a very vanilla response.  We’d also like to know why, when asked why you didn’t ask a follow-up question, you acted so unreasonably ???

NOTE:

So, in yet another extension of fairness, on the overnight before the North Carolina State game I reached out to both Mr. Wiseman and Miss Keeley by e-mail. Neither replied, however, Miss Keeley promptly blocked us on Twitter.

I certainly don’t believe that this is a responsible reaction to a simple question posed of you in your position as the eyes and ears of the fans …

Why didn’t you ask a simple follow-up question ???

Was it so difficult to ask when they expected these players WOULD be ready ???

There are simple answers to the above questions.

Where are the answers ???

So, shortly after publishing this article, I will be sending a link to both of these folks AND their Editors.

Someone needs to challenge such immaturity and arrogance.  If you take the jobs you both have, you have a responsibility to NOT shut yourself away from reasonable questions, even if they are probative, or even point out a failure on your part.  Once again, there are simple answers to the above questions.  Where are the answers ???

I would ask any of our readers who are so moved to join me in my quest for answers.  I believe we all deserve it !!!

************************************

Thanks for reading !!!

As always, if you have questions or comments, please feel free to do so here, or on our Twitter site, where you will not be blocked for asking realistic questions:

@SimplyDukeBB

SDBB: The ACC Conference Season is Over: So … NOW, What Do We Think ???

Tonight, with the ACC Conference Season over, Rowan Shiell and Bermuda Bob discuss their impressions of the Duke team 

… and …

Look forward to the ACC Tournament

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Query #1:

Do you have any reflections on this year’s ACC Conference Season ???

Bermuda Bob:        

After the unfortunate injury of Amile in practice on the 12th of December, Duke was never the same.  They went 4 & 4 in January.  They went 6 & 2 in February, but, they only beat Virginia by one (1) Point on an acrobatic buzzer beater by Grayson Allen, and only by one (1) more Point due to a coaching error at UNC.  They swapped wins with Louisville and got embarrassed at PITT.  They went 1 & 1 in March.  This was not the team anyone expected after the highlighted recruiting.

Rowan: 

The conference was pretty competitive, this year. Duke finished with an 11-7 record but they were in every game except one (1) and that was the 14 point loss to PITT.  Duke may have finished middle of the pact, or 4th with Louisville’s “dislodgement,” but they were one or two moves away from the top.

Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram have played some exceptional games.  With the injury to Amile it is a wonder they didn’t lose much more.  These guys have proven to be very resilient and it was a pleasure to cheer for them.

Marshall Plumlee has been a revelation at times.  Derryck Thornton has probably lost all confidence in his go-to mid-range shot, but there is no better ball hound on Defense, than he in the conference.

Matt Jones got injured, yet even though he is still visibly hobbled, he is still competing.  There is no doubt that Luke Kennard will set some records at Duke, but right now his Jekyll and Hyde act is limiting him.  The more he plays, the more confidence he will have in his abilities.

Query #2

What’s your biggest question about what you saw this conference season ???

Bermuda Bob:        

The biggest question loomed around why Coach K insisted that he had a “short Bench” when he had a full accompaniment of 3 replacements to, at least, ameliorate Amile’s absence.  He had:

(A) Chase Jeter, who turned out to be a highly over-rated faulty flop.  His hands were terrible, he averaged a Personal Foul every 4.34 minutes or 1.74 per game.  He was a hot mess, but Coach K played him 204 minutes in 27 games.

(B) Former proven Rebounder, Sean Obi but inexplicably only played him 21 minutes in only 9 games.

(C) Frosh Antonio Vrankovic played 14 minutes in 5 games.

When I put the question to Duke two (2) “beat reporters” my replies were:

Steve Wiseman:   “OBJECTION Asked and answered counselor.  He’s not ready to compete at this level in staff’s opinion.  The end.” and then he blocked us on Twitter.

Laura Keeley:   ” … they’re not good enough.  Move on from that …”  

Obviously, both are afraid to ask a follow-up question to clarify such a ridiculous assertion, especially when …

Duke was getting killed in the Paint game after game after game.  Sunday’s season finale against UNC was the worst, as Duke was out-rebounded 58 to 26.  One Carolina Player pulled down 21 Rebounds while the Duke Starters only had 22 !!!   If there is anyone out there who doesn’t think my questions are valid, then we’re not watching the same Duke team …

Rowan: 

Yes it is baffling that one of the best coaches in the business couldn’t find some minutes off his Bench.  Duke’s biggest weakness was in the Front Court and they just happen to have 3 guys 6’8″ or taller on the Bench, but couldn’t get anything out of them.  One was given numerous opportunities to prove himself, while they didn’t even bother with the other two.

I guess this is hard to comprehend because the days of stashing players on the Bench for later development seems to be well and truly behind us with Coach K fully invested in the ‘one and done’ culture.  As fans, we have come to expect each scholarship recruit to earn his spot from day one.

We expected Sean Obi to be a beast on the glass but from the moment the season started he was on the outside looking in when Coach K designated him a “9th player” in a matter of fact way, at the season opening Press Conference.  Since then Obi has clearly been out of favour and we can safely write him off for this season.

Just before the UNC game I spent half an hour watching Duke’s layup lines and while all the players used every opportunity to practice game shots, coupled in with a few show time dunks (they are all kids after all!) all Jeter did was try impress with his dunks.  We may have been told that Obi and Antonio were not ready, however Jeter has proven he isn’t.

 Query #3:

Do you have any thoughts about Duke, going into their 2nd Round game on Wednesday at 2PM EST ???

 Bermuda Bob:

I do not hold out much hope for this team to move very far forward. Duke has had a very obvious stamina problem all season long.  It is because Coach K has played his Starters, or his 5 hottest players without a “blow” throughout conference season.  The result has been that around the 10 minute mark in the 2nd Half, Duke shows tired legs.  Shots are left short or carom wildly off the back of the Rim. Duke has struggled especially in the Paint, often leaving “Plums” triple teamed, regardless of his best efforts.  He was given no help from the Bench. I simply don’t see them playing 4 days in a row against teams they have lost to.

If they win their first match, they draw Notre Dame … should they win there, they play either ‘Cuse or UNC … I don’t see it happening.  The only variable would be playing Obi and Antonio about 10 minutes a game, but unless Coach K is playing the ACC version of “lopelee” it’s not in the cards.

Rowan: 

I think that Duke can go far in the ACC Tournament, and they would need to if they are to retain that projected #4 seed in the NCAA tournament.  All 5 Players just need to hit those boards. Playing only 2 or 3 outside, and not 4 players on the perimeter, with Plumlee inside.  Mix up the Offense.  Duke is too good a Free Throw shooting team to be settling for 3 Pointers.

Also, whenever Thornton makes a mistake he gets yanked but other players are not beholden to that process.  He is a “score-first” Point Guard that needs the shackles to be removed.  Let him lose a la Nolan Smith !!!  Especially when the other team plays man-to-man, because not many Guards can keep up with him.

Query #4:

Are you happy with the Post Season Awards ???

Rowan:

On the face of it I thought Allen deserved to win most improved player but when I looked at the statistics closer for Jaron Blossomgame it appears his playing time increased minimally while his scoring and shooting percentages improved drastically. A deserved win.

Bermuda Bob:

I was happy with where everyone landed. At first, I was curious about Grayson Allen not being named #1, but upon seeing that Malcomb Brogdon won it, I could not question it. Hopefully, Grayson will come back next year to win it !!!

BTW: The GoDuke claims that Grayson & Jaron were names co-most improved … maybe an afterthought, eh ???

Query #5:

Anything else you would like to add ???

Rowan:

Eight (8) years of Plumlees came to an end in Cameron Indoor with the loss to UNC last week.  I challenge you to find another set of brothers in the last two decades who has been more productive than the Plumlees.  The O’Bannon brothers won a Championship for UCLA while the Plumlees won 2 for Duke.

Marshall will probably not be an All American like Mason but without him (Marshall) Duke probably would not be looking at a bid this season.

Marshall has come a very long way from his Freshman season, and if Duke is to go far in the tournament they will need him to be very productive.

Bermuda Bob:

When I first heard that all 3 Plumlee brothers were going to play at Duke, I nick named them the “PlumTrees” as an homage to what looked like 3 wonderful boys, and, instead of trying to remember who was who, I named them #1 = Miles, #2 = Mason, and #3 = Marshall.   WOW, over a millions dollars of tuition saved by their parents, but moreover, they were kids any parent would be proud of !!!

I have said it before, so I might as well say it one more time … I do not believe that either #1 or #2 fulfilled the reason of their recruitment.  Both were not major role players in their Championships, but interestingly, both became much better players in the NBA.  That might go to the knock on Coach K that he has really never known how to play/coach “Bigs” … well, until he got “Oaks” last year.

I think #3, or “Plums” as I came to call him, benefited greatly from having been the practice partner to “Oaks” and it showed on plenty of occasions this season.  I think he was by-far a tougher player than his big brothers.  He always hustled, never gave up trying to score until he was fouled, and played both sides of the Court.   I think he became much more important to this team than his brothers before him.  Unfortunately, he very rarely had enough help down low, or he might have sparkled even more.

I applaud Marshall for his patriotism, but I will always wonder what would have become of him in the NBA. Maybe someday …

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks for spending your time to read our thoughts …

We always welcome your thoughts either here, or on our Twitter site:

@SimplyDukeBB

SDBB: Duke Ruins a Nice Sunday Afternoon at PITT, Creating More Questions Than Answers

By Bermuda Bob

Ro didn’t get today’s game, so you’re stuck with me and my thoughts on one of the most embarrassing and frustrating outings I can recall in recent Duke history.   As Betty Davis once observed:

“Fasten Your Seatbelts, We‘re Going to Have a Bumpy Ride” …

Today was a beautifully sunny and unusually warm February Sunday where we live.   We opened the windows to allow the warm natural air into our place to switch-out the winter stuffiness.  It was a welcomed treat.   I wish I could have furthered the treat with an exemplary Duke performance.   It was not to be …

Duke came into Petersen Events Center to meet PITT and all 12 of their players who would contribute to a complete and utter thumping.  Of those 12 were 5 Seniors who were fêted on Senior Afternoon.

PITT needed a win to bolster their resume for the Big Dance and Duke needed to prove that many of their recent wins were not a fluke.   I’m pretty sure the former was accomplished, but I’m not so sure about the latter.

From the very start, PITT would shoot “lights out,” scoring the first 10 points, and never looked back.  They would enjoy as much as a 13 Point lead.   PITT continued their abuse until Brandon Ingram began a run that would bring Duke to within 39-32 at the Half.

PITT started off the 2^nd Half just like the 1^st … They quickly scored often to return their lead to double digits.  Duke tried to counter but never got closer than a 10 Point margin, then try as they did, tired legs and fatigue reared it’s ugly head as it has in just about every conference season game.  PITT went on a 16-3 run.  Shots were left short on the rim, or long, caroming off the back of the rim, or even caught nothing but air.

Here are the ugly facts of the game:

REBOUNDING:

“Plums” was not allowed to even think of shooting, and he only grabbed 4 Rebounds of Duke’s paltry 20 for the game.  PITT would grab 39 by contrast, 23 of them on the Offensive Boards that often were put backs for scores.

Admittedly, “Plums” was practically always triple teamed.  Unfortunately, he was offered no help.  He was replaced with Chase Jeter, who committed 2 quick Fouls, a Turnover, and a missed shot in another poor outing.  He only lasted 9 minutes in total on the Court.

*****************************

I might as well get this off my chest now.  I must wonder why Sean Obi was not inserted.  He is a wide-bodied proven Rebounder in his previous life at Rice, and while Rice is not Duke, a Rebounder is a Rebounder in any circumstance !!!

I posted an open inquiry on Twitter today during the game, asking jointly Steve Wiseman of the Durham Herald-Sun, and Laura Keeley of the Raleigh News & Observer and Charlotte Observer:

“When are you going to ask Coach K why he refuses to play Obi ???

You’re not afraid, are you ???

Keeley did not reply, but Wiseman, to his credit, did:

“OBJECTION Asked and answered counselor.  He’s not ready to compete at this level in staff’s opinion.  The end.”

I must admit that I believe there is much more to it than such a guarded vanilla response.

PLEASE NOTE:          As I could not find an e-mail address for Mr. Wiseman both on his Twitter site and at his newspaper, I tweeted him, asking for an e-mail response if he objected to our using his quote.   His response was to Block us on Twitter.   We received no e-mail response.  It is an curiously illogical action that causes more questions than were already on the table !!!

I fully understand that Beat Reporters serve at the pleasure of the programme, and that there is always a replacement waiting in the wings.  I also understand respect for Coach K.  I pay attention to wordings.  Mr. Wiseman indicated in his Tweet that it was the opinion of the Staff, so why not a more probative query ???   The Staff is not Coach K, and if they are allowed to comment, they ought to be probed to a respectful degree.

To Mr. Wiseman and Miss Keeley … Don’t the you realize that you are supposed to be the the eyes and ears of the programme for the fans ???  You have the opportunity to be the voice of the fans who read your efforts.   Don’t your readers deserve your best efforts in getting ALL reasonable questions answered ???

Don’t you realize that when you don’t ask probative questions for odd answers, you fuel conjecture, and even conspiracy theories, that often make some modicum of sense ???

Because neither of you have asked probative questions, our readers have wondered things like if  “Coach K’sDog House”  really exists and why a player gets into it.  One reader took it in another direction, wondering if Obi caused Amile’s injury in practice.

Coach K has asserted that he doesn’t have enough players for practice.  The last time I looked, he had 13 players dressing, and one (1) injured.  I may be missing something, but that’s 12 players when only 10 are needed to play a Blue & White game, or Practice !!!

There, you’ve just been given questions that make sense and have easy answers.   See, that’s how it’s done !!!

*****************************

Further to the game and the season, Coach K has consistently given Jeter a chance to prove himself, and he has failed on most outings.  So, why didn’t Obi, or even Antonio Vrankovic, get a chance, especially when “Plums” was being so neutralized ???

The most glaring example of Coach K’s resistance to play his Bench, was exemplified by 2 facts:

(1)  At one point in the 2^nd Half, with Jeter ineffective, as usual, Ingram played the #5 Spot.

(2)  When the game was obviously lost, he refused to insert anyone, leaving Starters on the Court with a 14 Point differential.

I must admit that I was unsettled to read in the The Chronicle that Coach K commented that:

“We could not muster up anything today.  They’re big in every way …  It’s not like we didn’t expect it. We couldn’t stop it.”

Such reticence is both unsettling and unbecoming, even for the greatest coach of the modern college basketball era, whom I respect greatly.  If you aren’t going to play a kid, why then, did you bother to recruit him and give him a uniform ???

While I’m speaking about Legends, I’ll refer you to another – Dick Vitale, who a few games ago commented that any kid worth recruiting, and being given a uniform, ought to be allowed to contribute 10 minutes a game.  Such logic is refreshing.  As a Senior Statesman of College Basketball, I believe he was trying to convey a message to Coach K.  Apparently, it was either never received, or ignored out of hand.

SCORING:

Duke shot a meager 34.4% from outside the Arc and 37.5% inside … pathetic by any yardstick. They were soundly outscored in the Paint, 24-6, while throwing up 32 Trifectas, making only 11.  By comparison, PITT shot 50% from outside the Arc and 40% inside.  The only statistic where Duke prevailed was at the Charity Stripe where they logged an impressive 93.8% to PITT’s 80%

ET CETERA

Duke committed 13 TurnOvers, and helped themselves with only 10 Assists.

One continuing aspect of Duke’s Offense is that they rarely seem to be running “plays.”  Instead, they depend on ball movement and individual prowess.  So, if everyone is flat, then what do they do next ???  Today was that “next” !!!

It’s time to be frank …

In the last 5 games, Duke has lost to PITT and Louisville, both teams soundly beat them on the Boards … They beat a sub-par Florida State … They beat Virginia on a buzzer beater, and North Carolina on a coaching error … Each by only one (1) Point.

In each and every Duke game, they run out of gas at the 10-minute mark, plus or minus.  The Bench is never used, and only Kennard and Jeter are.  Kennard has had some splendid games, but Jeter has been a first class dud.

Amile is not coming back this year. I believe he will apply for an Injury Red Shirt and anchor next year’s squad along with Matt.  While last year’s hue and cry, after Rasheed was dismissed, was that “8 is Enough” … The same can’t be said for #6 or #7, especially when #7 is a clunker.

We can never forget that when a team brings in Frosh and makes them Starters, unless they are incredibly formidable like last year’s trio, they’re fitness will never be equal to upperclassmen who have had the benefit of the Duke fitness regimen during the entire year.

Playing kids more does not condition them, it wears down their core.  Remember when Interns were required to work an incredible number of hours continuously ???   Well, those practices have been cut back, and safeguards installed because it has been found that tired bodies cause tired minds, and neither can perform to their optimum.

Additionally, while “Plums” has had his moments, it has always been against lesser competition. The worst thing his teammates can do in a game is hit him in the hands with the ball. Nevertheless, I respect him much more than I ever did his brothers.  They were expected to be more than they accomplished, but Marshall had lesser expectations and has become so much more.

Grayson and Brandon are the stars, but they are not superstars.  Neither can put the team on his back and grind out a win.   Matt does his best, but often, like today, he is unable to compensate for Amile, who could compensate for “Plums” when he leaves the Paint to cover someone, or to set one of those goofy Picks around the Arc that often have no affect.

The brightest spots in this year’s team, for me, are Luke and Derryck.  They show promise in their continued improvement.

Lastly, nothing I have said here makes me any less of a die-hard Duke fan of over 35 years, but as such, I believe that I have earned the right to be frank and honest.  Nothing I have said here ought to be construed in any other way.  If someone like me cannot make candid and forthright observations, then who can ???

As for Mr. Wiseman and Miss Keeley, if you don’t like comments, then don’t Tweet as Reporters.  You have no right to either hide behind blocked Tweets, or to refuse to provide an e-mail address.  You owe the reading public the right to reach you if you want them to read what you put up.  A Reporter reports the news for public consumption.  Without consumers, you are out of a job.  I’d gladly switch places with either of you tomorrow !!!

Thank you for allowing me to say my piece.  We appreciate your “read” and welcome your comments either here, or on Twitter site:

@SimplyDukeBB

We promise to never block you unless you are vulgar or ungentlemanly !!!

 

As Always, Rock On !!!

Bermuda Bob

SDBB – Is It Time To Wonder About Those Asking “What if …” ???

SDBB – Is It Time To Wonder About Those Asking “What if …” ???

by  Bermuda Bob

 

Saturday, I watched the Louisville game while interacting on Twitter, instead of texting on Viber with my partner here, Ro Shiell.  

After the game was over, Twitter seemingly exploded in a barrage of “What if …” speculations, so I thought I’d discuss some of them and add a few of my own.

Here goes:

#1 – “What if Amile were able to play ???”

OK folks, it time for a little “tough love” and to get real. Amile might not come back this season. He might actually accept an “Injury Red Shirt” as he only played a handful of games.

Even if he came back in this game today, he wouldn’t be game ready and able to pick up where he left off. No amount of therapy and exercise can replicate playing time.

He could also suffer from the very common and understandable instinct to protect his foot from re-injury.

Personally, I prefer the “Injury Red Shirt” route … if he is unable to be 100%, then get him into Business School, give him another year of eligibility, and make next year’s team his in Captaincy !!!

 

#2 –  What if Amile Never Got Injured ???

Simply put, I believe that this would be a very different Duke team, one that would be atop of the ACC Conference, or close to it.   It would also have a rather different comportment on both Offense and Defense.   They would have another Captain on the floor, and they would not have the tired legs they do now, with most of the Starters playing almost the whole game.

I do believe that Amile going down forced the rest of the team to change their chemistry and excel in different ways, not always positive ones.   Freshmen make foolish Fouls, especially when they are trying to overcompensate for a lack of experience on the Court.

 

#3 – What if Chase Jeter turned out to be the Top Pick player we expected ???

Well, the loss of Amile might not have been seen as serious.   Coach K’s infinity for continually playing this kid instead of giving Sean Obi a chance to prove himself is simply mindboggling.

Is Coach trying to validate his recruiting of Jeter ???   I simply don’t get it.   This Louisville game allowed Jeter to prove the old axiom: “… even a busted clock is right twice a day …” !!!   I gather that if Jeter is not advised to consider a transfer, he might be Coach K’s project player, now that there are no Plumlee kids enrolled at Duke.

 

#4 – What if Coach K played ALL of his eligible players ???

This might be the $64,000 question that not one member of the Press has had the gumption to ask of Coach K.   You see, I totally agree with Dick Vitale, who, I believe was sending Coach K a veiled piece of advice.   He said that: “… and player good enough to be recruited ought to be good enough to contribute 10 minutes a game …”    Of course Dickie V is absolutely correct, especially for a programme like Duke.

As of late in each and every game, around the 10+/- minute mark, the team’s legs go to rubber. This happens because I do not believe that any conditioning programme could prepare kids for playing the type of minutes they are being asked to … not in one of America’s best and most physical conferences.

The idea Vitale was trying to convey is one I agree with, but will put a bit less diplomatically and much more emphatically.

I believe that if you put a jersey on a kid’s back, then you MUST first believe that he can be called upon at anytime to contribute.   I’m not talking about being a “practice player” …   I’m talking about in circumstances as Duke found themselves against Louisville.   Having Amile and Matt down, “Plums” did a great job of pulling down 14 Rebounds, but sure could have used a sidekick in Obi to help handle the “Bigs” of Louisville.   Obi never removed his Warm Up.

Two years ago Coach K recruited Sean Obi, who as a Frosh at Rice, averaged 11.4 points and a Conference USA-leading 9.3 rebounds per game (2^nd in the NCAA among freshmen).   He transferred, to Duke after the coach who had recruited him was fired.   So, he sat out last year in his dapper duds, and sits in his Duke #34 uniform to this very day.   He has been only allowed to play 21 minutes in 26 games !!!

If you have ever believed in Coach K’s “Dog House,” he’s in inexplicably deep.   I don’t believe a kid ought to be in any coach’s “Dog House” !!!   There ought not be a “Dog House” at all !!!

The problem is that while Obi perfecting his splinter pulling technique, he’s not contributing.   More succinctly, he’s not being given an opportunity to contribute, and that’s simply wrong. Have you seen Obi’s his body language lately ???   His head is down and disengaged because the Coach he put his faith in has no faith in him, even though he’s a proven product.   It’s wrong to bring in a kid and not allow him to prove himself, to contribute to his team, give some other players a needed “blow,” and insulate the team from Foul trouble.

Duke also has a guy who is an even bigger “Big” than Obi … Antonio Vrankovic …  He has played in 14 minutes in 5 games.   How can he be ready to contribute if he only sees the Court during Warm Ups ???   He was recruited, given a jersey, and now just flounders in Coach K’s version of “Never-Never Land.”   The burning question is why, why, why !!!

Why would the greatest active coach in College Basketball History be willing to waste a pair of “bigs” … albeit one proven and one not, when his Starters are depleted and suffering from extremely tired legs ??

 

#5 – What if Duke never signed a deal to use Nike products ???

OK, you caught me sliding one in here.   I’m not a fan of Nike because I am one of those fans who openly wonder if:

• The plethora of foot injuries in recent years were directly accountable to the products Phil Knight has provided …
• I also wonder if another manufacturer would have essentially forced Duke into wearing those god-awful BLACK uniforms.   Uniforms that have nothing to do with Blue Devils, named after the legendary “Les Diables Bleus” …

*******************************************************

Thanks for the read …

As always, we welcome your comments, either here or drop us a comment, on our Twitter site:

@SimplyDukeBB

SDBB: After a 4 & 4 Conference Record, Can Duke Right This Ship After a Series of Very Un-Duke-Like Performances ???

 

Considering that we’ve seen so many naysayers and faire-weather fans who believe that Duke’s season is sunk, today, Rowan Shiell and Bermuda Bob address the topics everyone is talking about.

Here goes …

 

Topic #1:   Amile’s Injury & Return

Everyone thinks Amile returning is going to turn this team around.  

How can that possibly be ???

Rowan:

This all sounds great until you realise that Amile played against Utah and Kentucky. Then, couple that with the fact that Duke has yet to play 4 of the top ACC teams. That’s not to mention there is no telling what kind of condition Amile may be in. I say that is “Fool’s Gold.”

Bermuda Bob:

All the conditioning in the world to keep the rest of Amile as close to playing shape as possible are for naught because it can’t replace Court time.   Timing and the “shooting eye” are just two aspects to consider.  Yes, Amile’s on-the-Court leadership will return, but there are so many intangibles that I don’t expect an immediate impact.

One thing that no one seems to want to consider is that Coach K won’t be able to force Amile into 30+ minutes a game without exponentially risking re-injury.   That presumes that Amile can overcome the natural instinct to protect against re-injuring himself.

Look, both of us have loved this guy going back to his protracted recruitment. He was a major role player in last year’s National Championship, especially considering his Defense against Wisconsin.   I just don’t see him as the “knight in shining armour” to this programme that has many other problems. 

Topic #2:   The Failure of Chase Jeter

Everyone thinks Jeter deserves more chances when his play has been abysmal.  

What about giving Obi & Antonio the same type of opportunity ???  

Don’t they deserve the same consideration ???

Rowan:

Jeter’s issues go beyond figuring out his position in the Zone. As things stand right now, it looks like Jeter was minding his business last week and someone came up to him and said “Heh you are quite tall, you should play basketball …” … now here he is.

Bermuda Bob:

About 9-10 years ago, on a bit of a dare, I once played golf attired all in various shades of pink. I even played a pink golf ball.  On the 1^st Tee, the Ranger, was hard of hearing, so he never realized he was speaking much too loudly to the Starter.   So, every one of the 8 of us heard him loud and clear.   As I approached the Tee,we all heard him say: “I hope he has game enough for that get up.”   Well, have to admit the pressure was on, and I (luckily) crushed my Drive to within Wedge range on the short Par 4, 1^st Hole.  I chipped it close for a tap-in Birdie.  I then turned around to the Ranger, who was following us, and asked him: “… that enough game for you ???”   He sheepishly tipped his hat to me and we never saw him again.

When I first saw Chase Jeter and his Bedlington Terrier style haircut, my reaction was the same as that Ranger.  I hoped he had the “game” that allowed him to make himself look so foolish.

Well, since then, he has not done a single thing to dissuade me.  He has played 131 minutes in 17 games, scoring only 28 Points and pulling down only 29 Rebounds.  He’s also committed 14 TurnOvers in those 131 minutes, meaning he’ll turn the ball over every 9+ minutes.

One article, by Chris Bunn of 247Sports, claims that: “Jeter has played 28 minutes in conference play and he’s been whistled for 14 fouls.”  My count sez he has committed a total of 32 Fouls in 131 minutes of play, meaning that he’ll commit a Foul ever 4 minutes he’s on the floor.

So, if you put him on he floor, you’re guaranteed that he’ll give up a TurnOver and committ 2 Fouls !!!  Stats like that mean he ought to stay in the Locker Room …

I’m going to share a little secret.  Ro and I watch each game live, while commenting to each other on Viber in real time.  That’s why we’re rarely on Twitter during a game.  Ro is in London, England and I am in Pennsylvania.   I say this to note the sacrifice Ro makes to do this, as he is 5 hours ahead of us. That means a 7PM game starts at Midnight for him, and a 9PM game Tips Off at 2AM for him.   We text so as not to wake up his wife and son.

During many of those games we have shared anguish over Jeter. “Dud” is maybe the most gentlemanly thing we would share here.   Ro has asked who is personally responsible for ranking Jeter so high, and then, who recruited him to Duke ??? Those are frustrated queries for very good reason.

I think he ought to be banished to the Bench to cause no more harm.  Many other players ahead of him were relegated there after far less play, and subsequently transferred. Remember Alex, “Silent G,” and Semi ???

Note to Coach K:

Can you PLEASE explain why you extended a transfer scholarship to Sean Obi and recruited Antonio Vrankovic, but refuse to extend the same opportunity to play, and contribute to this team  as your have given Jeter ???

Even Dick Vitale has commented that he thought that any kid recruited ought to be able to contribute at least 10 minutes a game !!!   Let’s face it, both Obi and Antonio could not be as much of a liability, individually or together, as Jeter has been !!!   Actually, in those 21 minutes Obi has played, he has accomplished more statistically than Jeter !!!  Who knows what Antonio is capable of as he’s only gotten microscopic minutes.

 

Topic #3:   Only 6 Guys Playing …

How can only 6 guys be expected to handle the load of a season in one of America’s toughest conferences, especially when none of them played that many minutes last year ???

Rowan:

Some of the best college teams depend on a very short rotation. Oklahoma, Iowa State, Wichita State and maybe Virginia, but they do a very good job of finding a breather for their Starters who play big minutes.  There is, however, one important factor these teams have that differs from Duke immensely. These guys are Seniors.  Considering that the returning players on Duke were support players last season, and most of the other players were in high school last season, playing only 6 guys is not a great idea.

Bermuda Bob:

One of my favourite things to see in the past was when Coach K took up Coach Roy Williams’ practice of platooning his players. Now, for some unbeknownst reason, Coach K did not recruit the type of players that would allow him to do this, presently … well, unless he played his “Walk-On” players. 

So, when Coach K sees his players dragging their respective posteriours, how on earth does he expect them to shoot and play effective Defense with tired legs ???   As Ro points out, not one of these kids were Starters in the ACC last year, so how can we expect them to perform up to Duke standards when they collectively could envoke Scottie’s famous lament to Captain Kirk:

“Aye Captain … I don’t think the engines can handle the load !!!” 

 

Topic #4:    That Same Old Look !!!

There was no discernible difference between the look of Duke in the last 5 games.   If it has only worked in one game, doesn’t it stand to reason that a different offensive approach is on order ???

Rowan:

Other than jacking up too many 3 Pointers against Syracuse, Duke has a fine offense.  Their issues stem from the other end of the Court where guys are pacing themselves and playing to avoid Fouls.

Bermuda Bob:

Man-oh-man, have you said a mouthful !!!  How many times have we lamented that Duke was just jacking up shots without much circumspection ???  Up goes the shot, and no one even attempts an Offensive Rebound.  That was the original meaning of the “one-and-done.”

If I was able to show you the last 5 games, and blindfold you at selected spots in each game, then remove the blindfold, aside from the opposition uniforms, I bet you’d be unable to tell the difference. The only commonality is that they’d all be losses !!!

Sure, Coach K has employed a variety of Zone defenses, I simply do not see a congruous set of Offensive plays being run.

Not once …

… have I seen anyone even attempt a fall away shot like Seth perfected …

… have I seen Ingram posted at the Free Throw Line providing a double offensive threat of a give-and-go, or a pivot to the basket, or even a turn around shot from 15 feet …

… have I seen “Plums” and Obi (is he still on the team ???) present a “twin towers” look causing the defense to wonder who to double-team …

Come to think of it, I’ve only seen Obi in the blink of an eye (21 minutes), and Antonio even less.   How could both of these guys be more of a liability than Jeter ???

Topic #5:    Another Foot Problem in Those Nike Shoes …

This may not be an answer this year, but doesn’t the prolonged perpetuance of foot problems over recent years, and the fact that Duke genuflects at the foot of Nike (contractually), seem to have a strange coincidental ring to it ???

Rowan:

Nike are said to be the best in the business, but Ryan Kelly now Amile, small sample, maybe Duke should look into this more carefully. Better be safe than sorry.

Bermuda Bob:

Well, Ro, I’m going to dispute that Nike is the best in the business.  They might be the best at marketing themselves, or buying themselves into major programmes, or creating so many different uniforms for cuckold college players, but I question of they are the best shoe.  I can tell you that I know, first hand, that most intense athletes I have come across look elsewhere for their competitive footwear.   Sure, Nike makes collectible shoes, but are they equally designed to perform ???  I can’t wear Nike, and my marathoner daughter can’t either, nor can many of her contemporaries in her running club, so how good could Nike really be ???

Let’s look at this in recent times.  Start with Zoubs, then consider Kyrie, then move to “Plums” and then to Seth, on to Ryan, a problem for “Oaks” … and now to Amile.   That may be just 7 guys, but in the real world, that’s considered a trend !!!

I’ll admit it … I have a particular distain for Nike because they believe that they can dictate what teams will wear simply because of the $$$ they pay schools for the right to outfit their sports teams.  What I don’t understand is why those schools allow Nike to deviate from their school colours just to provide a 3^rd uniform in an attempt to sell more fan memorabilia.  The idea emanated in European Futbol, and has now been employed in college basketball and other sports.

So, simple logic means that since they are more concerned with selling product to fans, they may very well be less concerned about the actual needs of the feet/legs of the players !!!   My empirical proof is the seemingly yearly resurgence of a foot injury to a Duke player.

Thank for the Read !!!

Do you agree, disagree, or have another point of view ??? 

Please tell us about it …

Please feel free to comment here, or on our Twitter site at:

@SimplyDukeBB