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What's it say when Redick, one of the best pure long-range shooters in college basketball history, can't play for Van Gundy, whose system puts a premium on long-range shooters?
And maybe this is the problem: The Magic, unlike many teams, have a plethora of long-range shooters. They have Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and a shooting point guard in Jameer Nelson. Orlando doesn't need to endure Redick's defensive shortcomings just to get a shooter on the floor, but surely there's a team out there that could use a three-point bomber. And that's why the Magic should trade J.J. For the love of God, PLEASE trade him. Even if you can only get a second-round pick, cash considerations and a gallon of tattoo ink.
--Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel
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Interview with a Duke alum on the Cameron Crazies!
A Duke alum has been gracious enough to share some of his thoughts on the state of the Cameron Crazies!
1. Describe your experience as a cameron crazy
Went to every game when I was in town. Camped out a couple of times for the partying. We were usually one of the groups that people were pissed at for drinking too much and being too loud.
Never wore a costume or painted anything (although I did draw on people when they passed out). Normal clothes for me. Hated the people who dressed up. Hated the people who put on paint.
We called those people media sluts. There were never cheer sheets that I knew of. Most cheers were spontaneous. You had your staples, which are the same pretty much everywhere. You also had a bunch that would start with a small group and eventually grow until everyone picked up on it.
Really, the best description is that it was loud, all the time. From the minute you walked in until the final buzzer. The number of people who looked like Rocky Horror was a lot smaller then.
2. What has changed?
Too many people dressed up to try to get on TV, too many stupid chants that people just won't let go (i.e., not our rival, our house, etc.), people who feel the need to do a gimmick over just being loud and obnoxious.
I do not know how familiar you are with WEEI in Boston, but the Big Show With the Big O, which is actually one of the top radio shows in the country, has a thing called the Whiner Line. Now, for years, the Whiner Line was this great outlet for people to call and bitch, usually about the Sox. People were hilarious. Eventually, people developed characters and personalities that they would use every time they called in. At first, it was entertaining. The hosts loved it, and the people were generally funny. The problem was that they started writing their material before calling, and you could tell everything was rehearsed. Everyone started trying to come up with a character so that they would get recognized. The station tried to capitalize on it by giving out awards to the best whines. Eventually, what used to be the best 15 minutes of the day became so unbearable that I never listen to it anymore.
This is what has happened to the crazies. The fans still care, and I still think they are more knowledgeable than people give them credit for, but they spend too much time trying to come up with a gimmick to get noticed instead of sticking to what made the crazies so great in the first place.
Players are never going to get intimidated by a bunch of people in the stands, whether they wear Duke blue, Carolina gay ass blue or Maryland red. The only way for the fans to really get involved is to make it so loud that it makes it difficult for the other team to consentrate. Even that is tough to do, but the best moments are when it is so loud that you can feel it coming through the television. Wearing a viking hat on your head ain't going to do shit.
3. Who is to blame?
I do not know. Since i am not there, I cannot tell you what is going on. I will say that I think the administration has taken a lot of the fun out of sporting events. Bonfires after UNC wins used to be a chance to celebrate, burn some wooden benches (which the students would rebuild as a dorm afterwards) and drink until we passed out on the quad. Now they are sanctioned events that have to be approved by the school or something like that.
I do not know if this has anything to do with it, but the attitude has changed in a seriously bad way. If I was there now, I would be getting in trouble for drinking 40s of Crazy Horse while trying to set benches on fire after beating Clemson.
4. If you could tell the current cameron crazies one thing what would it be?
One thing?
Lose the clown costumes and just be loud.
If I could tell them a few more...
Stop that stupid swaying back and forth thing for Mechionni. Stop the boink, boink, pass cheer (I tried ending this while I was there and failed). Stop the our house chant. Stop letting the administration tell you what to do.
Thanks to the Duke Alum!
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England Trip -
Duke was able to have extra preseason practice in 2002 - by having an exhibition tour in England.
Other teams take their trips during the summer (and aren't able to take incoming freshman), but Duke took advantage of the school's 'unique' fall break and went with its current squad.
The extra practice didn't help a whole lot, as Duke failed to make it pass the sweet 16 for the second consecutive year.
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