Mr. K's Neighborhood

Mr. K's Neighborhood


by


Patrick Kendall

After watching Duke fall to 0-2 to start their ACC season I was struck by two things initially:


Defense wins championships…in football; offense still rules in basketball.
Bob from work is going to be impossible if the Terps beat Miami.


Fortunately the Terps lost and remain 0-2 in the conference as well. That's MY silver lining.


I don't know what to say about Duke other than right now they are painful to watch on offense. I really am reminded of the 1995-96 team that was so bad. Obviously losses to two most likely mediocre teams does not bode well for Mr. K (he's been demoted temporarily because anyone can coach a team to losses – I could manage that – shoot, give me the clipboard and I'll show you how to tank for the rest of the season).


I know, I know, a true fan doesn't bail on his team during dark times and I'm not bailing, but as a fan of the GAME of basketball first, I must keep my true loyalty to the sport so I have to call people out.


First of all, coaching: Mr. K has got to run his offense through McRoberts in the LOW post the WHOLE game. McRoberts is the best offensive weapon on that team. Nelson needs to get back to slashing and finding opportunities to get to the rim and either dump it off TO McROBERTS, or draw the foul himself. He's the best athlete (maybe Henderson is better but how could you tell?) but seems content to swing the ball back and forth across the perimeter until a three point miss opportunity opens up.


And for the love of (basketball) god, Scheyer should NOT be leading the team in scoring during the regular season – yet! He is a solid complimentary player who stays within the scheme and does not know how to take over a ball game when they need it. In other words, he's no Redick – yet! I'll be happy to revisit my assessment in two more years to see where we stand.


Henderson needs the opportunity to slash with Nelson. Dunks, layups and mostly midrange jumpers should be their bag of tricks with an OCCASIONAL three point attempt to keep the defense honest.


Finally, what in the hell is going on with Paulus? Six points, three assists, three turnovers? And he is NOT leading the team in assists this season – McRoberts is! No offense to him (literally AND figuratively) but if Paulus is not going to score or run the offense and protect the ball, then what good is he?


Now I know this sounds harsh and I remember Hurley's freshmen year where he fell apart at various points and looked a big baby (especially when UNLV came a'callin') but at least he was a FRESHMAN. Paulus is a team captain. He led the ACC in assists last year. He has to STEP UP! When I look over the box score to last nights game, everyone on that squad appears to be a supporting player – no one knows how to grab hold of a game, throw it on the ground and step on its neck until it is no longer moving! (My dad was a pretty demanding coach, but look at me today as a result of that!)


Where is the grit! We need Laetner to come in and step on someone's chest. We need Battier to coolly come in and immediately draw 62 charges. We need Grant Hill to leap over someone, catch an alley oop with one hand and start the game off RIGHT! I remember reading a quote from Redick at the start of last season claiming that he had NEVER seen a better dunker than McRoberts. Well, the rest of us – the rest of the conference – need to see that.


When a team like Virginia Tech comes in and beats Duke at home in the ACC opener it sends a clear message: no fear.


When a freshman on a so-so club like Georgia Tech makes a statement saying "I wasn't gonna let us lose" about a Duke team, we have a problem. Fortunately I have the solution.


Next game, McRoberts needs to adopt a prison inmate mentality. Right after the jump ball he needs to go down, find the biggest guy on the other team and literally pull the guy's head from his shoulders then ferociously dunk that head through the basket so that it explodes when it hits the floor. Talk about sending a message. Believe me: fear will no longer be an issue.


He does that and I truly believe that Duke will be just fine.


And then Mr. K can have his Coach back.

A Fan by Any Other Name

A Fan by Any Other Name
Okay kiddies, there seems to be some confusion over what a blog is and how it should be used. I was hoping to refrain from reacting to a specific comment about my blogs because my belief is that a blog should engender conversation – communication – even smack-talking. But FAIRNESS? Are you joking?
But in an effort to avoid name calling, I will henceforth and forever more – at least for the rest of this blog – refer to the specific person who sticks out in my mind (craw) as “Anyone.”
So, with that said, does Anyone know what FAN is short for? It’s short for FANATIC, which Webster.com defines as someone “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion.” A blog, according to this same source, is “a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.”
Now, I could be wrong, but nowhere in either of those two definitions does the term “fairness,” “partisanship,” or “unbiased” show up. For clarification, this site is dedicated to amateurs by amateurs. We aren’t paid for our work; we do it because we love college basketball: specifically Duke and UNC. And I don’t write articles, I write editorials, which my good friends at Webster.com (for payment I get to add a new word to their site each time I mention their name) defines as “a newspaper or magazine article that gives the opinions of the editors or publishers; also: an expression of opinion that resembles such an article .”
By the way, I must take umbrage with a criticism of my unfair, partisan opinion (because as a “fan” I’m entitled to be this way – same as Anyone): can Anyone tell me where my facts have erred? Furthermore, since nothing specific was pointed to when criticizing me (I promise I will ALWAYS be specific about MY criticisms to avoid confusion), I will assume that these errors were leveled at UNC and not Duke.
And so Anyone doesn’t creep out of her, uh, um, I mean, THE woodwork again to call my facts into question for EITHER Duke or UNC, let me tell you that my argument for Duke’s tougher schedule is based on CBSSportsLine.com’s ranking of both RPI and SOS (Strength of Schedule), which Ranks Duke as Number 4 vs. UNC’s Number 6 when considering both. Now those aren’t numbers that just Anyone can make up. They are based on formulas and variables that only NASA scientists could understand (provided that they attended Duke).
So, back to the question of “fairness….”
(pause)
(longer pause)
Sorry, I was still laughing about the idea of “fairness” regarding a website that calls itself RIVALBLUES.com. And to make sure that Anyone can understand my idea of a rivalry I return to Webster.com (another word for me – cha ching) for clarification:
Rivalry: the act of rivaling : the state of being a rival : COMPETITION.
I put my glasses on, looked really closely, and I still don’t see “fainess,” but I digress. Getting back on point, I think that it’s important to keep in mind that I never misled Anyone because I stated up front, and make no bones about the fact, that I am a Duke fan. But, because I like to poke, tickle, and generally irritate people by scratching in uncomfortable places I have also confessed to being a Carolina fan – when Duke is not playing them. I plan to write a blog defending THAT at a later date – but Anyone is invited to read it upon completion.
Okay, in conclusion, and in hopes of balancing this response more fairly, I now make the following declaration so as not to offend Anyone as we move forward with this site (read: rivalry).
UNC is the greatest school on the planet! (except for Duke).
Does Anyone notice how much bigger the font is for my statement about Carolina is than the one for Duke? Or how about the font type?
Believe me when I tell you that no other sentence in ANY of my blogs has been treated to that size font and I have never, EVER, in my life used Broadway as a font type – I swear.
But Anyone is invited to check my facts on that one as well. How is that for fair?

A Rivalry to Write Home About (UNC vs DUKE)

A Rivalry to Write Home About

For those of you just getting to know me (three blogs and growing), I have to confess that I (like many other fans) was a little nervous about what to expect from Duke Basketball 06 – 07. But rather than rehash why I felt this way I will instead focus on a small spark that I saw this weekend while watching Duke v. SJSU.
With a fourteen point lead in the first half and eight Duke players in the scorebook by that time (including Martynas Pocius, whom I affectionately refer to as Hocius Pocius for his ability to disappear from the stat sheet) Duke decided to take a little break from scoring while SJSU reeled off six straight and cut the lead to 34-26 by halftime.
A little more about me before I continue: I'm a glass half-full kind of guy so at this point in the game I chose to focus on the fact that Duke still held a lead and the Lithuanian Houdini – Pocius - had magically poured in four points. Of course, as soon as the game resumed SJSU went on a 7 – 2 run that cut the lead to three and had me pacing the room in a near glass half-empty malaise.
But here comes the spark I referred to: over the next three and half minutes McRoberts grabs an offensive board and gets fouled; hits one out of two. Duke clamps down on SJSU and gets the ball back; Jon Scheyer misses. Another stop by Duke and McRoberts steps out and nails a three pointer for a seven point lead and some breathing room. Then McRoberts rebounds on the next stop and fires it out to McClure who sails in for a layup. Two plays later Paulus hits a three and Duke leads by 12. At that point, even with 14 minutes to go, I could see that the game was over. So could SJSU.
Of course, SJSU is no UNC, but Dayton is no Duke either. So say what you want about Duke's schedule at this point, but when I peek at UNC's sched it is not so impressive itself on closer inspection. Consider the "marquee" games: a squeaker win over an Oden-less Ohio State team that was later DEMOLISHED by Florida WITH Oden; a nice bounce-back win over a surprising Tennessee team; an ugly win over an ugly Kentucky team that will be lucky to win eight games in its conference. And please, PLEASE, include Gonzaga in your really tough schedule (two games outside of the state of NC, both in NY, same place as Duke's out of state game – weird, huh?) argument – the same Gonzaga team that beat down the vaunted 'Heels and yet couldn't find the basket against the Blue Devils. Defense, anyone?
Now, before everyone in Powder Blue country gets in a huff over this, I'm not saying that Duke is the more talented team (they're not). What I'm getting at is that I saw something this weekend – eight guys scoring, none wilting – that suggests that Duke is not in the dire straits many of us feared, which leads me to believe that the rivalry between these two storied programs is more or less in tact and definitely gives me a reason to circle February 7 and March 4 on my "must see" basketball for another season.
I wrote in my last blog that I predict UNC will leave Atlanta this year as the NCAA champs and Roy Boy Williams will collect his second ring and I still believe that.
I just don't happen to think that UNC will leave Durham with a 'W,' which for us Duke fans will mark the '07 Champs season with an asterisk.
And given the youth of both squads, the future continues to look bright for this rivalry. Of course I believe that UNC fans will have to say goodbye to Tyler Hansbrough and Brandan Wright after this season, which tilts the balance back in Duke's favor for next season.
In the end, UNC may own the rest of the nation, but the battle for the state of North Carolina will be a split.
I think Duke fans can live with that…for now.

Pound for Pound – UNC is the Nation’s BEST in 2006-07

Pound for Pound – UNC is the Nation’s BEST in 2006-07
For those of you who have been waiting anxiously for a pro-UNC blog (and my partner is the worst offender of this), the time has come to answer your call. First of all, let me state upfront that I am a die-hard Duke fan – even watching before Johnny Dawkins signed his letter of intent in 1982 and Bill Foster was at the reins. At the time THE poster boy for the program was a gentle giant named Mike Gminski.
History now refers to that period as Pre-K. Of course even before Duke, there was a program just down the road that had had some modest success of its own and it is about that program that I will aim my keyboard strokes. Let’s talk about UNC.
Anyone with any interest in collegiate basketball already knows that the ‘Heels boast one of the best, in not THE best, recruiting classes in recent memory (not quite Michigan’s Fab Five but REALLY talented nonetheless) and about the only question on most experts’ minds is whether Coach Williams can get the group to share the toys in the sandbox nicely. Of course ole Roy is no stranger to getting his guys to work together. At Kansas Roy Boy had as many MacDonald All-Americans as his mentor Dean Smith or Coach K and for the record currently boasts the highest winning percentage in among active Division 1 coaches so there is no questioning his credentials.
For the rest of the country, the cold hard fact is that the Heels go fourteen deep. What I’m saying is that they could conceivably put together three QUALITY Division 1 programs from their current roster alone! But to paraphrase Peter Parker, “With great firepower comes great expectations.” This team has more talent on it than UConn last year, than Duke in 2001, than UCLA in 1975. Pam Anderson isn’t stacked like this team and she had her own TV show called ‘Stacked.’
Brandan Wright is a stud; Ty Lawson is a stud; Wayne Ellington is stud; and least known Deon Thompson may be the biggest stud on the team. Oh yeah, some kid named Hansbrough, the hardest working kid in college (maybe pro) sports is an All-American already and may be better this year than last. Reyshawn Terry is senior “do everything” guy that kind of reminds me of Shane Battier (of Duke renown, naturally); Bobby Frasor is as tough a competitor as the ACC has seen at point since Steve Blake from Maryland; nobody hits the open three ball better than Wes Miller; Danny Green is a defensive ball of energy who pales in energy to his teammate Quentin Thomas who is so fast that he actually goes back in time when he runs; and don’t forget Marcus Ginyard, a reliable contributor who could start on seventy-five percent of the schools in the country. And that’s only eleven of the guys who have seen time on this team so far this year because I can’t remember all the damn names.
At any rate, IF UNC can work together toward a common goal (a championship), then come March I see the Tourney as nothing more than a formality because with a group this strong, running this deep, there are no discernable weaknesses. Sure, sure, on any given night blah, blah, blah, but when you factor in Roy Williams as the head that makes this body move, you’re talking about one of the three best coaches working in the business today. Sadly for us Duke fans, for all fans not attached to UNC, it all adds up to Carolina cutting down the nets come April 2. But didn’t I tell you, when I’m not rooting for Duke I’m a Heels fan and I’ve already got my plane reservations and tickets for Atlanta so “GO HEELS.!”

Duke’s Christmas Gift This Season – A Number 5 Ranking in the Polls

Duke’s Christmas Gift This Season – A Number 5 Ranking in the Polls
Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!
There goes Santa Claus, heading back to the North Pole after a very solid and successful holiday (number 2006 and counting – talk about a dynasty – nice work St. Nick). The list of gifts he brought this year to collegiate programs is long but I’ve put together my top ten list of college basketball Christmas (and Hanukkah where appropriate) gifts this season for teams and fans alike. Keep in mind, as always, some of the gifts are deserved and some not so much…
Number 10 – Dance Teams in spandex (‘nuff said – provided there are screening filters in place – you all know what I’m talking about).
Number 9 – Mid-major TV madness. This year more than any other we’ve seen a lot of Mid-major basketball on national television (deservedly so)…this is going to be more of a trend than an anomaly and it will make for better basketball viewing for a larger audience.
Number 8 – Big conference match ups early in the season. Even outside of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and Thanksgiving Tourneys we have seen some nice early season match ups between college powerhouses and I for one hope it continues.
Number 7 – More games in HD. It ain’t just good for football (and it’s great for Dance Teams in spandex – provided said filters ARE in place) and networks are catching on…
Number 6 – Florida gets Ohio State on a day where Greg Oden can’t hit the backboard with a beach ball (it was bound to happen but I was hoping it wouldn’t come against that goofy, long-haired, lanky mess of chest bashing energy – Joakim Noah)…
Number 5 – Gary Williams gets a new supply of sweat resistant suits in time for the ACC regular season (for most coaches these are sweat proof but we know that Gary has the glands of ten fat men).
Number 4 – Tyler Hansbrough has the entire regular season to make UNC fans forget about his inexcusable disappearance against Gonzaga, which resulted in their lone loss SO FAR this season.
Number 3 – Bobby Knight watch. He says it doesn’t matter to him, but I know Carolina fans have an opinion. Whatever you think of Knight and his methods, he HAS done it the right way – he runs a clean program and his kids graduate. That’s college sports in my book.
Number 2 – UCONN gets a top 10 ranking in spite of an 81 RPI ranking and a 316 SOS (Strength of Schedule), plus they haven’t left home once this season. Congrats Coach Calhoun and a VERY Merry Christmas.
Number 1 – Duke is number 5 in the polls even with the loss of Redick and Williams; but it is validated by a number 3 RPI ranking and a number 2 SOS. Once again, Coach K shows that it’s his methods that get the results. My predication: Coach K gets ACC and NCAA Coach of the Year.

Let's Get it Started!

Let's Kickoff the Holiday Season

With ACC basketball finally set to arrive (even here for a couple teams) I can finally sit back, get comfortable and begin dreaming of Duke's eighth Championship banner in the last nine seasons. Obviously, there are a few obstacles in the way – Virginia has an experienced and athletic back court, BC has Jared Dudley, Georgia Tech has three talented freshmen who seem to do everything, and Maryland seems to have found what some might call "chemistry" to go with legitimate talent – but aside from that the path still looks pretty clear.
What with the return of Josh McRoberts and Greg Paulus and the early season emergence of DeMarcus Nelson as one of the best swing guards in the country, not to mention Jon Scheyer's potentially deadly shooting, Brian Zoubek's upside just because of his size, and Gerald Henderson's athletic abilities at the wing, it's hard not to like Duke come February and March once again.
Yeah, I know, it feels like a broken record to simply proclaim Duke the favorites yet again, but history is often a fine historian when it comes to seizing a pattern and refusing to let it go – therefore, I say for 2007, make mine Duke.
What's that?
North Carolina?
Are you serious?
Sure Roy Williams won his 500th game and yeah some people argue that his 06 recruiting is one of the top two in the nation and of course they have that guy, the pre-season All-American whatzisname, on the low blocks, with several other weapons at their disposal and scoring out the wazoo but really, aside from that what else is there to like about this overachieving team?
Alright, let's say for the sake of argument that Williams is able to get each of these prima donnas to agree to play together and defer to whatzisname as the "go-to" guy down low. That being the case here is my pre-season pick for the upcoming regular season.
1.Duke (15–1)
2.BC (14-2)
3.Maryland (12-4)
4.UNC (11-5; twice to Duke)
5.Virginia (10-6)
6.Georgia Tech (10-6)
7.Florida State(10-6)
8.Virginia Tech (9-7)
9.Clemson (8-8)
10.Wake Forest (6-10)
11.Miami (5-11)
12.NC State (4-12)

And unfortunately, I expect continued pressure to include more "mid majors" and "independents" in the NCAA Tournament this year, which I predict (with admitted facetiousness and bias) will translate into only two at-large ACC teams getting invited to the Dance in March in the wake of Duke's automatic bid (naturally).
In the end chalk it up to another disappointing season for UNC but at least they won't have to suffer the embarrassment of not even being the most unlikely victim of the most surprising run to the Final Four in tournament history...again.
Happy Holidays!