Movin on up

To all the readers of The Blue Devil Blog, I wanted to let you know that I will be writing for Dukereport.com. This is one of the best sites on the web for all things Duke basketball, and they just started a blog, that will give great insight by the fans. The blog is called Beyond the Headlines, and is another great part of a great site. Check it out, and why you are it register for the forum, and talk with me and other fans of Duke basketball.

Hate Duke? F#$K Off

As I browse the vast world on the Internet today, I see a common theme in the college basketball world. No it is not about #1 Florida winning a close one on the road, or about Alando Tucker scoring his 2000th point. Both these should be a top story, but there not. The one topic that every one is talking about is the so called collapse of Duke, and the possibility of them not making the NCAA tournament.

Every journalist with an outlet seems to relish in the fact that Duke is having a down year. Wow, 18 wins with 6 to go a down year? For Duke, yeah it is. You know why? Because Duke is what every other college basketball team wishes to be. They might not admit it, but every coach would give their right arm to coach at Duke for one year. I am not going to say that Duke isn't struggling, because they are. I won't make excuses either. But watching all the Duke haters, who only seem to come out when Duke is in a rough stretch, cheer for this team to fail shows the power that is Duke. Face it, America loves to hate the best. The Yankees in baseball, Notre Dame in college football, and even the Patriots of the NFL. All of these teams are targets because of their success. Duke is no different. Since 1986 Duke, lead by Mike Krzyzewski has enjoyed a run of dominance that only John Wooden and his UCLA Bruins have bested. No other team since the 1980's has even come close. And no other team since then has been hated like Duke.

The arguments are always the same. Duke gets the calls. Duke gets special treatment. On and On and On. As a Duke fan I go everyday hearing these things. I have yet to see any evidence of any wrong doing by the Duke Blue Devils. Recruiting violations? Last time I checked, NOPE. All Mike Krzyzewski does is continue to build the powerhouse that is Duke basketball, and give his entire off-season to charities of all kinds. From the Jimmy V Foundation, to the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center which he founded, and continues to be a huge part in. Sounds like a terrible human being....Oh yeah, he graduated West Point and was an officer in the army.

Mike Krzyzewski and Duke basketball don't need me to defend them. Nor any other Duke fan for that matter. Because, the reputation speaks for itself.

Duke haters will continue to spew propaganda that is false, and usually complete and utter bullshit. It just continues to prove the dominance of Duke, and the fact that every single college basketball fan wished their team was like Duke. Don't deny it, you idiots respect Duke. When it comes down to it you have to recognize greatest when it slaps you in the face.

Duke may be down this year...So take your shots while you can. Because Duke is just going about their business trying to get better. And Coach K is quietly building another championship team. If you actually followed the recruiting world you would know. But you don't. You just like to watch Duke loss. I am sorry to tell you that this year, was one that was as rare as Tiger Woods losing a lead on a Sunday.

Duke will be back at the top. They never really left. They just took a break so you could get your shots in. But they really couldn't hear you with all those banners waving.....

Four straight loses for Duke

Maryland was a team we should have beat. We are better than them, and could of turned this thing around with a huge road victory. I guess someone forgot to tell the Blue Devils these points. The game was over early, as Maryland soared to a huge lead that most teams could not have come back from. Duke tried their best to get back into it, cutting the lead to six, but was never able to get any closer. Duke looked tired, emotional drained, and sick of losing. This team has went through a lot this past month, and are really showing frustration, and a huge lack of confidence.

Besides the fact that Maryland had the lead for pretty much the entire game, Duke didn't help themselves with turnovers. Greg Paulus was haunted once again, with seven turnovers, and let Maryland, and their fans get into his head. Watching this team tonight was painful as a fan. Like I said earlier, they look emotionally drained. They have absolutely no momentum, and have nothing really to feel good about. Winning is the best motivation, and this team hasn't had a "W" in a long time. They look like they are concentrating on not letting all of Duke's prolific streaks die. When was they should be doing is having fun. If this team would loosen up, and not feel a sense of urgency all the time, this streak might have been over by now. This is the expectation when you play for Duke. Everyone expects you to win every night, and if you don't, then you aren't worthy to play for this team. That is absolutely BULLSHIT. Every single player on this team, deserves to wear that historic jersey. And I wouldn't trade this team for any of the Florida's, North Carolina's, or Ohio State's any day of the week. All I ask from this team is to go out their and have fun. Because if they loosen up, and get back to the basics, then they can beat any team on any given day.

McRoberts had a nice game, with 20 points, and really got us back into the game. Nelson is struggling with scoring, and staying out of foul trouble. You can see Coach K's frustration, as he is not starting his oldest(scholarship) player regularly now. Scheyer scored 11, but is still finding it hard to get his shot on.

Duke needs support more than ever. They are subject to some of the most hated writing in all of sports, as the national media comes out of the woodwork in the hopes of watching Duke fail, and then tell the country about it. I say "F#*K YOU" to any dumb ass who relishes in the failure of a bunch of kids playing a game.

For all you Blue Devils fans out there, get up, cheer for this team. Let them know you will support them no matter what. Never give up on Duke, because...well...their Duke. As the rest of the country hopes to watch a March without the Blue Devils, Coach K is figuring out how to throw it back in their faces. The season is far from over, and this team will never give up.

Duke falls to UNC

It was a typical game in this storied rivalry. It doesn't matter that one team is better on paper than the other, each team is even when they step out on the floor. UNC didn't take the lead till a little over five minutes left. However, they never let the lead go after that. UNC beats Duke for the second straight time at Cameron.

Scheyer, Henderson, and Paulus were amazing, and the reason that Duke lead most of the game. Scheyer had 26 when he fouled out late in the game. Henderson looked great with 14 points. And Paulus scored 15 of his own, even though he shot 5-17 from the floor. The lack of play from McRoberts and Nelson was what hurt us. These two guys haven't been much of a factor lately, and the result is a three game losing streak. Crucial free throws being missed late in the game was the deciding factor in this game.

I tip my cap to UNC. They could of crumbled and went away, but those pesky Tar Heels did what they had to do to win. For the most part Hansborough was shut down, but still managed to help the Heels win. A big reason they won was the play of freshmen Brandon Wright. This was my first opportunity to watch him for an entire game, and he impressed me. He ended up with 19 points.

So now Duke is .500 in the ACC, and riding a three game losing streak. However, I have some thoughts on this team that others might not agree with.

This isn't a "vintage" Duke team, in the sense that they will run you out with their offense and kill you on defense. However, like every other Duke team before them, they always show up ready to play. They gave it everything they had last night, and always seem to come up short. I love this team, and I am proud to cheer for them. I don't care what their record is, or people saying that Duke is done. These kids never seem to let it get to them. I have criticized every single one of these players at one time or another, but I will never question there overall play. They represent Duke basketball like you should. I challenge anyone who wants to put them down. I will cheer for this team for the rest of the season. And when it is all said and down, I will wear my Duke jersey's in pride.

DUKE vs. UNC

We have waited a long time for this. Not since March of last year. But it is finally here. Duke vs. UNC @ Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Obviously, Duke nation is feeling a little down right now. Coming off two straight losses and playing a very talented team can make us all feel a little frightened. There is the chance of being .500 in the ACC. However, nothing before this day matters. All that matters is that tonight Duke will have the chance to make all the wrongs, right. With a win over UNC, this young Duke team can carry a confidence that you can only get by winning this all important game.

Many questions can be posed. Can Duke's defense stop North Carolina? Will Paulus be able to be the leader in the biggest game of the year? Will someone on this team step up, and forever be remembered?

Duke needs this game to get the swagger back. They need confidence, and we as fans need confidence. The time is now. No more talk......Lets get it on!!!!

"WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE"

Missed chances equal Duke loss

Greg Paulus, Josh McRoberts, DeMarcus Nelson. All of them are Duke captains. All of them had a chance to win the game for Duke. With Duke down by one with about eight seconds left, Paulus drove the lane and put up a decent shot that didn't fall. Duke got lucky getting a hand on the ball after Florida State got the rebound and a jump ball was called. Duke ball with four seconds left. Paulus then threw a lob to Josh McRoberts in the lane who put up a good shot that didn't go. Nelson tried to tip it in, but no dice. And Duke losses for the second time in a row.

The frustrating thing about this game was the fact that Duke was up 27-10 at one time. But after the first half Duke was up by only three. Once again Duke was not able to keep the big lead they had. For the entire second half, Duke was trying to not let FSU run away with the game. Late in the game Duke had plenty of chances to get ahead. But missed opportunities were the theme of the second half. At one point, Greg Paulus and Toney Douglas of FSU got into a little tussle, leading to Paulus saying something he shouldn't which lead to a technical foul. This was trumped later in the game when FSU coach Leonard Hamilton got his own technical for arguing with the ref. I for one loved to see this fire come from Paulus. He wasn't having nothing from anyone and ended up scoring 23 points. Every opposing guard seems to be faster than Greg, so he needs to try to get into their head, and throw them off their game. Obviously the technical couldn't fire them up enough, but that is the type of player Paulus needs to be. DON'T TAKE NO SHIT GREG.

Another tough game for DeMarcus Nelson. He ended up scoring 14 points, but went 6-19 from the floor and 1-5 from behind the arc. Nelson has been in a funk lately with getting solid points, but having to take twenty shots to get it. Nelson is not playing with consistency that we need to be able to win.

Just to many missed chances in the second half. They still have to learn to hold leads, and stay away from these offensive droughts that kill them.

Next up is the one we have been waiting for. Duke vs. North Carolina @ Durham. Obviously UNC is good, but this is the game where it doesn't matter who the best team is. Whoever wants it more, is the team who wins this game. The last two games should have been a Duke win, but they weren't. If we can beat UNC, suddenly this team will have all the confidence in the world. It is time to throw down, and come Wednesday, I will be glued to the TV watching Cameron Indoor Stadium erupt.

Duke can't hold on, loses in OT

For about 35 minutes it was all Duke, and Virginia looked like they were going to lose once again to Duke. Then something happened.......Sean Singletary and JR Reynolds blew up. And Duke didn't know how to stop them. Duke decided to slow it down and run the clock with about five minutes left in the game. But, Virginia was having no part of that. They slowly clawed there way back. Duke missed about every opportunity to close it out, and when it came down to crunch time, they folded. Josh McRoberts tried to carry the load, and looked pretty good doing it. However, just like any other time this year, he couldn't get it down when it counted. Duke was lucky that they got another shot in OT to close it out, but Singletary took over the game, and pretty much did it all by himself. Great guard play beat Duke once again, and the "running the clock" plan finally bit Duke in the ass.

Since the beginning of the season I have been frustrated watching Duke get the lead, and then slow it down to preserve the win. However, like in football with the prevent defense, it only prevents you from winning. I am sure Coach K realizes that this team is young, and need to take it slow. But we had Virginia on the ropes, we could have gave the knockout punch if we would have kept playing up tempo. But instead we waited until five seconds left on the time clock, and then threw up a low percentage shot. We have been doing it all year, and usually got away with it, but not this night.

McRoberts was the leading scorer for Duke, and looked like he was going to be the hero of the game. However, it seems like when Duke needs him the most, he lets us down. 2 REBOUNDS!!! That is how many McRoberts had. When you are one of the best rebounding big man in the country and you are playing against a weak front court, two rebounds is a sign of not getting it done.

DeMarcus Nelson played 39 of the 45 minutes. He was the only player who would be able to handle Singletary, and for the most part did. However, like McRoberts, when we needed him, he was no where to be found. Nelson is our most consistent player, and the offensive leader, but this is the type of game where he has to take over. He needed to do the little things to help us win, but they didn't come.

Greg Paulus started out hot, and looked like he would have another solid night. However, cooled off later in the game, and was no factor. He finished with 10 points, but was a terrible 3-11 from the field and 2-8 from behind the arc.

Lance Thomas followed up his great effort against Boston College with another solid effort. He went 4-4 from the field and finished with 9 points 5 rebounds. However, he fouled out at a key time, and could have made an impact when Duke was folding. Thomas has got to be more controlled on the defensive side. He is now known for getting these stupid fouls that cost him minutes.

For Jon Scheyer, consistency is the key. He is either great or terrible. Tonight he was not there. He looked flat with his shot, and couldn't drive the lane. His bright spot was a three pointer late in the game that silenced the crowd, but that was washed away from memory for a poor effort coming out of the timeout with less than a minute left in regulation. Scheyer was trapped in the corner and has to throw up a terrible shot, that barely hit the side of the backboard. If Duke is going to do anything in March, Scheyer will have to be the kid we saw in the games where he was dropping 20 and could do no wrong.

The bright spot of this game was seeing David McClure come out on the floor. No one knew if McClure would play tonight because of a knee injury, but continued to be Duke's "savior". He once again came up with big plays, and had key moments late in the game that could of made the difference. I almost expect this kind of play every night from him. You can't say enough about him, and how much he means to this team. He is on his way to be the most improved player in college basketball, and Duke's MVP(not best player, but "most valuable"). He finished with 4 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks.

A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. We had this one, but let it slip away. However, Duke can not let this game destroy the rest of their season. After losing two in a row, they came back with a vengeance. Let us hope they have a good weekend of practice, and take out there frustration on Florida State.


*On a side note.....I am not against "rushing the court". I have down it myself when I was in high school and college. However, I think that fans of all teams, should wait until the opposing team gets off the floor before the run out there. I know that it is in the heat of the moment, but when you add a bunch of college kids who are over joyous, and mix in a team that just lose a heart breaker, you have a situation that could get ugly. This goes for every team in every sport, lets keep it safe and have fun.

Blue Devils notch solid ACC win

After losing two straight games to open the conference season, Duke has come on strong to win five in a row. Their latest victory comes against Boston College. BC is no slouch, and before the game was the top team in the ACC. Duke continues to improve with each game they play. In this one Duke dominated the entire game, not even giving BC a chance to get into it.

Josh McRoberts followed his great game against Clemson, and dominated once again in this one. He finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks. It is not even a surprise now to see McRoberts dominate like this. After starting the season slow, he is now proving that he is one of the top players in the ACC.

DeMarcus Nelson was the top scorer for Duke with 17 points. He was one of the most consistent players for Duke today, and also had 8 rebounds. Some of his best work was on defense, were he took care of every player he was assigned to. He is without a doubt Duke's best defender.

One of the bright spots of the game was Lance Thomas. He was solid at the beginning of the season, but after an injury he had been flat out useless. This is the kind of game he needed to get back to the player he was. He finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds, and looked to have the confidence that he displayed earlier this year. I can't wait to see what Thomas does to follow this effort up.

I am sure everyone is worried about David McClure. After having another solid game, he went down with an injury to his knee. The broadcast team said it might just be a tweak, but no one was for sure. Hopefully we will know more tomorrow, and have David back as soon as possible. McClure, like always, was making big plays to help lead Duke to a win.

Scheyer had another strong game with 11 points. Paulus had a great assist day with 6 of them, and only turning the ball over 1 time. Pocius finally got some playing time, and looked very sharp scoring a quick four points, and showing that he is always ready when we need him.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Josh McRoberts
Another dominating game for Josh. Does anyone even remember when we were worried about if he could take over a game?


It is a pleasure to watch Duke play right now. The team play has been awesome, and even when they make a mistake they never let it bother them. The rough schedule doesn't stop as Duke will will travel to Virginia to play the Cavaliers on Thursday. If Duke can continue to play at this level, then they will be looking sharp by March.