Apparently, or so we all have been told by sports reporters, bloggers, and the Duke hate base alike, Duke is on a bit of downward slide. Really?
The reason, they say, is the obvious: that Duke hasn't won an NCAA title since 2001, and has missed the last five final fours.
If you were Duke and those are the factors that determine whether or not you are on a slide or not, then I'd take that kind of slide any day.
If we believe those in the know-the experts like John Feinstein, various media in the Triangle, and even some fans-Duke Basketball is at a cross roads. To hear these guys talk you'd think Duke was teetering on the edge of the abyss.
Mike Krzyzewski's recent announcement that he was signing back up to coach the 2012 Olympic Basketball team has exacerbated that sentiment in a big way. Many believe the Olympic team distracts him from his day job. Forget the fact he can only do so much in the summer with Duke and that many of his current recruits are bragging about his experience with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to fellow recruits.
Everyone quickly forgets which team has won more games over the past 10 years than any other. Not to mention last year's ACC tournament. How many teams would be branded a failure for these achievements?
Here we have teams like Kentucky, who completely missed out on the NCAA tournament. And then there's UNC (now beloved), but who recalls their 8-win season from a few years back? Was UNC basketball doomed?
A slide is not winning 20-plus games every year and competing for your conference championship year in and year out. A slide isn't making the NCAA tournament every year over the last decade.
Duke's recruiting may have taken some hits, and Duke has lost some players to transferring and the NBA, but their success is unquestionable. Is it what they want or what Duke fans want? No. Is it a sign of some pending apocalypse? Not likely.
Just a few weeks ago, some local media experts predicted that Duke would win next year's ACC championship. For a team that's allegedly on the way down, I'm surprised with such a pick.
The reason, they say, is the obvious: that Duke hasn't won an NCAA title since 2001, and has missed the last five final fours.
If you were Duke and those are the factors that determine whether or not you are on a slide or not, then I'd take that kind of slide any day.
If we believe those in the know-the experts like John Feinstein, various media in the Triangle, and even some fans-Duke Basketball is at a cross roads. To hear these guys talk you'd think Duke was teetering on the edge of the abyss.
Mike Krzyzewski's recent announcement that he was signing back up to coach the 2012 Olympic Basketball team has exacerbated that sentiment in a big way. Many believe the Olympic team distracts him from his day job. Forget the fact he can only do so much in the summer with Duke and that many of his current recruits are bragging about his experience with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to fellow recruits.
Everyone quickly forgets which team has won more games over the past 10 years than any other. Not to mention last year's ACC tournament. How many teams would be branded a failure for these achievements?
Here we have teams like Kentucky, who completely missed out on the NCAA tournament. And then there's UNC (now beloved), but who recalls their 8-win season from a few years back? Was UNC basketball doomed?
A slide is not winning 20-plus games every year and competing for your conference championship year in and year out. A slide isn't making the NCAA tournament every year over the last decade.
Duke's recruiting may have taken some hits, and Duke has lost some players to transferring and the NBA, but their success is unquestionable. Is it what they want or what Duke fans want? No. Is it a sign of some pending apocalypse? Not likely.
Just a few weeks ago, some local media experts predicted that Duke would win next year's ACC championship. For a team that's allegedly on the way down, I'm surprised with such a pick.
About the Author:
Albert Womack has been a Blue Devils fan all 37 years of his life. He fondly remembers the best moments in history, and relives them at his favorite NCAA basketball forum. He also happens to be a sports trivia buff.
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