Comments on: Notes from the East Region Open Practice

By: nvr1983

nvr1983 — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:45:26 +0000

See John’s comment above for my thoughts (more eloquently than I could put them) although people have been critical of UConn for a while now.

The drones comment is about as lighthearted of a jab as you will find. I think your anger would be better directed at the Paulus video or all the people who make homophobic comments about Duke players. If you’re going to get so worked up over something like my drones joke, you probably should avoid the Internet or human contact in general.

By: jstevrtc

jstevrtc — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:55:09 +0000

I think we do a good job of taking digs at a lot of people (when warranted), not just Duke. And I think we’re complimentary when it’s warranted, and that includes Duke. I know I’ve been both complimentary and critical of Duke on various points this year in pieces that I’ve written for the site. I thought NVR’s piece was largely complimentary of the Blue Devils and definitely made you feel like you were there. The strikethrough comment, I think, would have been made about any team that handed out free t-shirts. It’s a nice thing to do (the handing out of t-shirts to fans), and NVR was joking (ergo the strike) when he made that comment. I thought it was funny, at least.

Two days ago I would have said that “things of that nature” don’t happen at Connecticut, either. You never know where things are going to pop up. And this may turn out to be nothing. But since Josh Smith brought up the Duke program specifically, I’ll answer in those terms…I think Vivian Harper (aka Chris Duhon’s mom) might have an opinion on the matter.

There are 4-5 programs that I’ve noticed since I started writing columns for this site that, if you write ten nice paragraphs about that program and then one line that has something negative, the program’s supporters will ask you why you hate their program because of that one negative line, and call you names. I admire their passion and love for their program, whoever it may be. But I’m also like…Hey…we said nice things, too…

I hope NVR doesn’t mind me commenting on a column of his.

John Stevens
RTC

By: Josh Smith

Josh Smith — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:15:47 +0000

I am actually a Pitt grad, and thusly a fan, I just see all the digs taken at the Duke program pretty regularly and for no real reason at all. They seem to do things the right way. Take the current alligations against another big program, UConn. I highly doubt things of that nature take place at Duke (I could be wrong on that, but I wouldn’t count on it).

By: nvr1983

nvr1983 — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:04:26 +0000

Josh–
Thanks for the comment and the cheap shot, but I have been credentialed at some fairly big places (UNC, UConn, Pittsburgh, BC, and Providence). I’m guessing you’re another one of those overly sensitive Duke fans. It was a joke hence the strike-through.

By: Josh Smith

Josh Smith — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:52:29 +0000

Reasonable observations, though calling Duke fans “drones” is pretty ignorant. I guess I should keep in mind this is coming from an uncredentialed journalist. Watching the Pitt players in an impromptu high jump contest would have been entertaining.

By: Sam Duke

Sam Duke — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:14:27 +0000

Very interesting. I like your insight, and being a Duke fan, was especially enthralled with your description of their routine…just another reason to be a Duke fan.