WHY I LOVE THIS YEAR’S DUKE TEAM

 By

 DAVID BRUMFIELD

 We often hear that Duke is universally despised by all those that do not bleed Duke Blue.  Of course, from those who despise us, you hear that every NCAA representative, official and media member loves us.

 I, of course, am a fan. 

 While I have rooted for every Duke team since 1993 (when I decided to go to Duke Law School), there have been those that I did not cheer as lustily as this year’s team.  Cherokee Parks drove me nuts, I despised Greg Newton, I wanted to strangle Chris Collins half of the time, I have been ashamed of Corey Maggette since he left, I pretend Boozer went to NCCU and I really wish we had lost the recruiting war for Shav. (I don’t have anything against Shav for his three years at Duke.  I hated his decision to leave early, but the bigger problem is that he reinforced false stereotypes: not developing big men, underachieving, soft, etc.)  But this year there is none of that. 

 But there is something about this team that I love. 

 Run down the list with me and you will see why.

 Patrick Johnson, Patrick Davidson, Joe Pagliuca and Jordan Davidson- Walk-ons can only help a team’s image and no one with a soul has ever rooted against a walk-on.  They also seem like good guys who chose Duke for the right reasons

 Eric Boateng – I’m a Duke fan and all I know is that he is tall, he is from England and he is not quite ready for prime time.  Until pictures of Eric in a Depeche Mode t-shirt start making the rounds I think we can give him the benefit of the doubt.

 Jamal Boykin – Come on you have to like anybody that loves the game of basketball that much.  Hell, this kid could make Bill Belichick smile.  Energy and passion earn my respect, pair that with a big smile and it starts to get warm and fuzzy.

 Martynas Pocius – I like Marty’s old school style game.  I can’t wait till he gets comfortable playing D.

 But there is a question I have to ask, why can’t people learn his name.  OK perhaps Jack Bauer’s trials on 24 have poisoned our minds against Eastern Europeans.  Or maybe its backlash from the US’s poor showings in recent international competition.  Jingoism is the only explanation of why I have yet to hear an announcer call him by his proper name.  Before the season began I thought his name was pronounced po-see-us.  But, during the first exhibition game, I went to the Duke website and clicked on the player introduction to see how Marty pronounced his own name, he pronounced it poach-us.  Now, as a fan, I have in interest in knowing my team; but my interest should pale in comparison to the professional responsibility of the announcers handsomely paid to do a job many of us would do for free.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.  Billy Packer and Bill Raftery haven’t gotten a player’s name right in the decades they have been announcing games.  Hell, even Rick Majerus (who has a serious man crush on Marty and his thighs) doesn’t pronounce his name right.

 Lee Melchionni – If there is a Division I player that most of us college basketball fans can identify with its Lee.  Here is a guy that passed up opportunities to be a valuable member of a small D-I school to take a shot at Duke.  Seriously, if you told Lee that if he chose Duke he would play in every game his Junior and Senior years, would start about 17 games in his career, would average 22 minutes for the undefeated #1 ranked Blue Devils his Senior year, but would then be crushed when the James B. Duke statue in front of the Chapel fell on him; I’d say there would be a 50/50 chance he would have done it.  Here is a guy who is a feel good story on par with the Jamaican Bobsled team.

 Sean Dockery -  Dockery came to Duke under a cloud.  People questioned his academics and whether he was really worthy of being at Duke.  All he has done is stay out of trouble both academically and otherwise, by all accounts work harder than anyone in the classroom, and get better as a basketball player every year.  He plays his butt off every second he is on the floor, he is a consummate team player and a clutch performer (see  Va Tech, NC State, et al).

 On just about every great college basketball team there is somebody like this: a four year player who just keeps getting better and better until they have quietly become an important player.  At UNC you might think of somebody like Ademola Okulaja or maybe David Noel or any one of about 17 Maryland guys who have plagued Duke over the years.   Regardless of who you are a fan of you have to respect these guys, not necessarily like them, but respect them.

 Greg Paulus – If you are reading this you are a college basketball fan.  You have to love when an 18 year old kid chooses to play basketball over playing quarterback at Notre Dame.  The fact that he also is a PG who worries more about passing then scoring and makes his free throws is a clear indication that the world is not going to hell in a handbasket.

 DeMarcus Nelson – There are people who don’t like DeMarcus, they are the ones that rooted against Seabiscuit, or laughed during Brian’s Song, or are heartless republicans*.  (Sorry went a little far on that one, everyone cries during Brian’s Song).  Here’s a kid that needs a little of Earl Hickey’s good karma.  Talk about an injury plagued start to a career.  He is well on the way to being Nate James without the scowl. (That being said, I would love to have Nate James on any team I am on. Basketball, football, chess, debate even the transplant team, it doesn’t matter.  Do you really think Nate James would let a little thing like congestive heart failure kill you? I think not.)

 Josh McRoberts –He’s a big goofy looking guy who may or may not have been over-hyped.  He is a pretty good dunker who runs well and otherwise plays like a freshmen.  I still firmly believe that he will be at least a very good player, and perhaps outstanding.  He lost out on being Mr. Basketball in Indiana because he thought it would be a better choice to play for K and get a Duke education than to play for Davis and go to IU.  Anybody willing to make that unpopular of a choice gets the benefit of the doubt in my book.

 Shelden Williams – He is a solid dependable postman who prides himself on defense.  The fact that he has the best nickname since I have been a Duke fan makes the Landlord OK in my book.  The fact that opposing players are scared to take the ball into the paint against him makes him OK in just about anyone’s book.

 J.J. Redick – JJ is my favorite player on the team.  But hey I’ll admit he plays cocky, arrogant, conceited whatever term you want to use.  So was Dennis Scott, Jerry Stackhouse, Julius Hodge and at least half of the elite scorers this league has seen.  For every unassuming Juan Dixon, Randolph Childress, Matt Harpring, Antwan Jamison and Grant Hill, there are two Vince Carters, Rashard McCants, Bob Suras, Sam Cassels, Stephon Marburys, John Gilchrists, Steve Francis, Will Solomons and Joe Fortes. (OK there is only one Rashard McCants and ACC sports writers thanked God for him every day.) 

 Every year JJ has gotten better.   Many very good players have passed through the ACC and were about the same player when they left as they were when they came in.   Can UNC fans really say Rashard McCants got any better? Can any Wake fan explain why Eric Williams has not eaten the entire ACC alive yet? Or even better how Darius Songalia and Vytas Danelius peaked as freshman? Finally, can a terp tell me what the heck is up with Caner-Medley?  (Before you say anything, no, I cannot explain Shavlik Randolph nor do I condemn the coaches of these various players.  Hell, I love K and in addition to Shav he had Casey Sanders, Taymon Domzalski, Ricky Price and Chris Burgess.)  It just goes to show that improving every year in the ACC is an accomplishment in and of itself.  Maybe he whines to the refs, but come on, the way he gets bumped and grabbed, he knows that a foul could be called every play.  He would be an idiot if he didn’t point that out.  Yes, he pumps his fist and smirks at the crowd.  Hell if people cursed you out the way they do JJ (yes I am talking to you terp fans) wouldn’t you take every opportunity to rub people’s faces in it.   Besides every team needs a bad boy and if the worst thing he does his tease the crowd, I’ll continue to wear my Duke Basketball Boxers with pride.

 Lastly, as a collection the reason I love this team is that they are going to win it all.  Will they go undefeated?  No, they lose at least 2 games.  Are they the most talented team in the country?   No, U Conn and Texas probably have more future NBA players.  Are they among the best Duke teams of all time?  Sort of.

 On paper this team would get killed by the 1991, 1992, and 2001 championship teams.  The 1999 team would almost certainly run right over them (although wouldn’t it be fun to watch Langdon try to guard Redick).  But there is just something about this team that makes me think that on the right night, for just one game, they could beat anybody.  DeMarcus, Dockery and Shelden can shut down anybody’s offense.  If JJ and Lee are on, they extend the defense so far that you cannot help but leave people open. 

 So, comparing great Duke teams, on the last possession you could have Laettner, Langdon, Williams (or Battier) or Redick getting the ball at half court down 1 with 5 seconds to play.  Who would you pick?  You cannot choose Langdon  or Williams they had those opportunities in big games and could not get it done.  Its Laettner or Redick and though it pains me to say (it given my fondess of JJ) the choice is clear.

 ….

 Of course Laettner doesn’t play for Connecticut so I still think we’ll be OK in 2006.  See you in Indy.

Comments or issues? Write to Dave at Dave@dukeupdate.com

 * Editor's note: On a personal level, the friends of Dave who are right-minded conservatives are also hoping for a Duke title this season for his sake.  We fear that a Duke loss, after years of political impotence, may lead to an Al Gore/Ramsey Clark like breakdown by Dave.