How Cameron Crazy Is Dookie V? Enough To Pick Duke No. 5 In Preseason Top 40

Duke fans, get ready to see a lot more of this from the next generation of North Carolina stars.

I asked myself a simple question before writing this blog: Isn't it too early for Duke-bashing season?

My answer: It's never too early for Duke-bashing season. Especially when Dick Vitale is putting out a Preseason Top 40 in early-to-mid August. And when said preseason poll puts Duke at No. 5, it's time to ask the really hard questions in life.

Like, how much of Len Bias' blow did Vitale abuse before penning this piece. And after you read this, I'm sure you'll wonder the same thing about me.

(Hint: None, that stuff's expensive and out of my league. I only do classy "drugs" like Old Style.)

OK, I'm done with the jokes (for now). Here is what Vitale had to say:

5. Duke: Gerald Henderson is gone, but Coach K has the dynamic duo of Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer back. The Blue Devils will also miss Elliot Williams, who transferred to Memphis.

Kyle Singler is a very nice player who should garner some preseason All-America votes, but he's not dominant in any particular area of his game. He gets exploited off the dribble by quicker guys and posterized by bigger, stronger guys. Jon Scheyer is a poor man's J.J. Redick. Defending Scheyer is as easy as putting anyone on your roster with a little bit of length and an ounce of athletic ability. If that gets done, Scheyer disappears quicker than that cute blonde at the bar that you promised to show off your Pokemon card collection to.

The only thing more insulting than Duke at No. 5 is that North Carolina is ranked behind them.

While the defending National Champions (that never gets old) will be without Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green (pictured above with his balls on Greg Paulus' forehead), head coach Roy Williams has done what Coach K hasn't been able to do since Uncle Roy moved in down the street.

UNC doesn't rebuild. It reloads.

Ed Davis (a projected NBA Lottery pick) joins Deon Thompson (6-foot-8) and Tyler Zeller (7-foot) in what could be the deepest frontcourt in college hoops. Throw in one of the nation's best defenders, a healthy Marcus Ginyard and the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation (Duke ranks 16th) and you have a team that should still make a serious run at an Elite 8, if not another national title.

Meanwhile, the Blue Devils return Nolan Smith, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek. That might strike the fear of God into a high school team. Maybe.

Besides, SIU's Nick Evans made Zoubek his bitch at Madison Square Garden. I expect the rest of the ACC to do the same.

Dick Vitale's Preseason Top 40 [ESPN]

Carolina Blue reigns supreme

The Duke Blue Devils had a 52-44 halftime lead against North Carolina.

At home. In Cameron Indoor Stadium. In front of the Cameron Crazies.

Didn't matter.

Tar Heels point guard Ty Lawson dominated this game by cutting through Duke's defense, scoirng 25 points on 8-for-11 shooting to go along with five assists and two steals as the No. 3 team in the country scored 57 second-half points en route to a 101-87 UNC win.

That's right. Tyler Hansbrough and his Tar Heel teammates are undefeated on Coach K's Court. It started with crashing J.J. Redick's senior night party and it ended tonight, turning the tables by scoring more points in the second half (57) than SIU did in its loss at Northern Iowa (55).

Yeah, that's a really, really, really good offense.

North Carolina-Duke: It's Awesome Baby!

Sports Lounge Episode V: Duke v. UNC [Daily Egyptian]

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope your popcorn is ready, college basketball's most polarizing rivalry is only hours from tipping off.

Duke v. North Carolina.

There are some people who love the Dukies. They love the swagger that comes with with black jerseys and black shoes. The pride that comes with the unpronounceable head coach who will likely go down as the greatest coach in men's college hoops history. The confidence that comes with having the refs on your side, no matter what.

Then there are those who bleed Carolina blue. They know what The Dean of College Coaches did in his time to build the storied Chapel Hill program and how much it means to them. They recognize the greatest basketball player in the history of the game (Michael Jordan) started his road to greatness his freshman when he sank Georgetown in the national title game with a little mid-range jumper.


In the end there are people who hate both teams. Duck Fuke! fans would heckle as the Blue Devils stole the spotlight of national stage. And in the same breath they would chant Go to hell Carolina! when the Heels were at the top of the mountain.

And while most of the state of Illinois despised me as I wore Carolina blue and celebrated Roy Williams' national title during the 2004-05 against the Fighting Illini, I didn't care. Like any human, I have my biases.

And to be completely honest, the only time I will root against North Carolina is when they will play my beloved Southern Illinois Salukis.

Until then, Go Heels!

News, notes, quotes & more

It was a rough night in New York City for the SIU men's basketball team against Duke.

Check that. A rough night would have been an improvement.

It was a tough shooting night not only for the Salukis (20-57 for 35.1%), but also for the Blue Devils (18-42 for 42.9%) and that's mostly because they basically shot lights out in the last 10 minutes of the second half ... and how can you not when you're dunking on everything SIU has to offer.

Duke won the game at the charity stripe by shooting 47 free throws and making 40(!) of them. Yeah, that's 85 percent, so yeah, they made the most of their opportunities, but that's a classic discrepancy that you would only see when Duke plays a "non-power" school.

Sean McGahan breaks it down for the Daily Egyptian as SIU head coach Chris Lowery blamed poor defensive positioning for the fouls.

I blame the zebras for knowing the name on the front of the jerseys worn by the team ranked No. 5 in the nation.

Yeah, I went there. But that's Duke being Duke. If you read my blog from the other day, you wouldn't have been surprised with the Blue Devils making more free throws than Southern attempted.

Now for tidbits from New York City:

• "That's a very good point." Direct quote from Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski after I asked him a question. That's right, Coach K gave me a +1 on a question. He was a lot nicer in the presser than I thought he would be ... granted as a UNC fan I was sure he was the devil. He was joking about Dean Smith and Bobby Knight and even had some cracks about his beat writers. I can't wait to see what he has for me today, maybe he'll give me a thumbs up on my outfit. Or my beard. Who knows when this will end.
• Speaking of outfits, +2 for C-Lo for repping the maroon shirt and maroon-ish tie last night. Very sharp! I wonder if he went to the Prato store and got suits 2 for $125 ... seriously we saw a store like that around Times Square.
• Oh yeah, speaking of Time Square ... WOW! It's huge! Everything was turned on! I was seriously in awe of my surroundings. It's so brightly colored, it's ridiculous. That's the only way I can describe it.
  
• When Steven, Sean and myself stepped on to Madison Square Garden's property I turned to Sean and asked him "do you smell that?" and I could have been talking about the grilled chicken kabobs we just passed. I wasn't. "It's the smell of the House That Jordan Torched." It was the first of many jabs I took at the Knicks last night.
• My mother called to see how I was doing in the Big Apple and asked me where I was. "Madison Square Garden, Ma" was what I replied. "No, it's just the Garden" said my mother, a native New Yorker. "No, Ma, it's got a new name ... 'The House That Jordan Torched.'" Mom could only reply with a simple "whatever."
• My seats in the "press box" were probably the best seats I'll ever have at the Garden. Right behind the basket to the right. I could see everything. Everyone. It felt special, and to be honest, I was tense with nerves for most of the first half.
• No Brandon Jacobs. No Walt Frazier. Sad face. I wanted to know what Frazier said in his pregame video speech to SIU, but it's a moot point after a 25-point loss.
• Duke fans are evil people. Evil. And annoying. Mostly annoying. With the loudest guy in the entire arena blasting his mouth off at every turn, he only shut up when someone brought him a beer. You would think that would have made it worse, but it was like giving a baby a bottle. All quiet after that.

SIU-Duke Week: Referees wear blue (with video proof)

When you play against a team like Duke, you're not just playing the other guys on the court. You're playing against the prestige of the past, Coach K and, of course, the zebras.

It's something SIU might have to overcome, but I feel is mentally strong enough to do so, especially under the direction of head coach Chris Lowery and senior leadership of Bryan Mullins.

The combination of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance could pay dividends for the Salukis. It's like when the Florida Marlins won the World Series. They had old man Jack McKeon directing the ship with guys like Miggy Cabrera and Josh Beckett tearing it up.

It all kinda makes sense.

But yeah. Let me get off that tangent and get back on track.

It's almost unfair that opposing teams have to play against so much and then have to play a basketball game. Not only do they have a head coach that helped Team USA earn an Olympic gold and has won a few national titles. They have a roster stocked with Hamburger All-Americans. And then they have to go up against refs, too.

But you know what, no one on SIU is intimidated by it. And that might be more important than anything else.



Photo Credit: Flickr

SIU-Duke Week: JJ Redick is no Langston Hughes

Ed. Note: Maybe I should be breaking down who SIU should match up against Duke's Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson. Or writing about how this is Chris Lowery's chance to show the nation that his basketball program can compete with anyone. Actually, I should probably be doing homework.

Instead, I'm taking on Duke the only way I know how: By ridiculing them. First up on the whipping's list: JJ Redick and his crap-tastic poetry.

End Ed. Note.

A long, long time ago in a blogosphere far, far away I was a poet. A pretty darn good one if I may say so myself. That's why I'm taking this platform to rip former Duke star guard J.J. Redick's poetry, which is Exhibit A why the Duke Blue Devils are lame.

Via a story from SI.com from 2005:

As I decide to fulfill my life's strategy
The devil insists on trying to battle me
I meet him in an empty field on the high plains
He throws temptations my way to inflict internal pain
Life and death matters, this ain't no game
It's mind over matter, the power of my brain
He thinks I'll give in if my muscles start to strain
He believes I'll submit to the evil of society's frame
And benefit from notoriety's gain
He says I don't have to properly train
and that he'll give me all the fame
and everyone will know my name
But I think he's insane
'Cause I know the truth- to gain is to give
To have pain is to live
So I call on my heavenly Father's name
And slowly watch the thunder and rain subside
I'm finally able to push the temptations aside
I went blow for blow, I went face to face
Now the devil knows, I'm able to escape
Not by a back door or an alternate route
I saw the middle high ground and I ran right through

Are you kidding me? Is this poetry? Read it out loud. Look in a mirror and read it aloud. It's lame. It's all sing-songy and rhymie (yes, I just made up a word, but only to prove my point) and of course, bad. Maybe JJ should rap it out. Think he's got enough power to get Lil' Wayne to hop on a remix?

But wait, there's more.

No bandage can cover my scars
It's hard living a life behind invisible bars
Searching for the face of God
I'm only inspired by the poems of Nas
Because the truth has carved my life's patterns
The reality of pain, and the joy of laughter
My hopes and dreams shattered
by the miscalculation of my own situation
It's difficult to keep my nerves patient
Facing the forecast of fears
that none of my peers have ever been faced with
I wanna reach the top floor, but I'm stuck in the basement
With not enough juice to burst through
the chains that have shackled my brain
It seems my dreams have carried me to a separate peace
apart from reality
Society is allowing me to grow into the man I'm destined to become
But how can I move when my entire skeleton is numb?
Numb from the obstacles that I've been given
Suddenly the bars connect to walls
and I find myself contained inside life's prison

All you need to do is read the first few lines and realize this is Redick's attempt at being emo. Someone get the former ACC 3-point assassin some make up, black nail polish and a My Chemical Romance CD. Seriously, JJ, do you have a writing coach?

It continues.

My life story is read in poetic stages
I was once weak-minded, now I'm courageous
The cause and effect of a thousand actions
The mathematical breakdown of micro-fractions
It's difficult to fathom the coming of the rapture
What if I awoke in an empty pasture?
Suddenly every ounce of passion had been depleted
And all my determination had been defeated
The rain pours, my tears fall
The pain subsides, I stand in awe
A lightning bolt strikes, I feel a sudden energy
Thunder clouds approach, I can't run from destiny
A tornado tears me down, but I will stand again
My life is a hurricane, but I'll weather it to the end

I love the weather references in the end though ... did your teacher tell you to write a weather poem? That's cute. Way to go Mr. Redick, you get a gold star!

Ten minutes pass without a notice
Nine times in my life I've felt hopeless
Eight friends I've lost on purpose
Seven broken bones my skeleton felt were worthless
Six days of work, but only one day of worship
Five ways I feel pain, but that's only on the surface
Four corners of the earth, all touched by God's churches
Three sisters have influenced my poetic verses
Two years that I completely lost focus
One brother for which I wrote this
Ten minutes pass without a notice

This is the only poem that I thought was passable. I like the idea of a countdown poem, so that's cool and I like how it's wrapped up nicely in a bow. But Ten minutes pass without a notice ... he must be talking about life at the end of the Orlando Magic's bench.

And finally...

I can't see what my future has in store
but I move forth with the strength of a condor
The courage of a warrior
The commitment of an American soldier
Despite this weight on my shoulder
my inner forces circulate to form
a nucleus of an unbreakable bond
These words describe the soundtrack to my life's song
My mind and body united like the Colors of Benneton
My destiny isn't told by the creases of my palm
A sharp thorn once cut my soul
The blood flowed
But no bandage would cover the wound
I couldn't help but stare at the distant moon
Waiting for a resolution to come at an instant soon
I asked the Lord, "What am I to do?"
He said, "Son, I made the sky blue
The rain falls because of me
Leaves change colors on a fall tree
I was the inspiration to Martin Luther King
I'm the reason Ray Charles could sing
I've changed others through and through
And my son, I'll do the same to you"

Damn, JJ got really preachy on us. It's hard for me to blast something with MLK and Ray Charles references ... but it's so damn cliche , it's unnecessary. I'd tell Redick to stick with his day job, but he really doesn't get off the bench often, does he?

I guess I can't hate. He gets paid millions of dollars to sit on a bench. That's the kind of job I dream of having one day.

Selections from J.J. Redick [SI.com]

Get ready for a week full of stuff like this

Photo Credit: Deadspin

Unless something HUGE happens this will be my last post of the day. If you want more, break some news or wait 'til tomorrow.

Anyway...

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for a week of these kinds of posts: It's Duke week.

SIU looks to even up its record against the Blue Devils Thursday night in the Mecca of basketball - Madison Square Garden in New York City.

That's right, the Dawgs have a date with the Dukies.

This is the chance of a lifetime for the Salukis and for myself. For SIU, it's the chance for the youngsters to prove to the world that they're ready for a big stage. That they're ready to turn some heads not only in the Missouri Valley Conference, but across the college hoops world. To paraphrase SIU running back Larry Warner, it's an opportunity for everyone to let their abilities flow.

Oh yeah, and it will give Chris Lowery the chance to prep his kids for a big game and show the world that the Salukis' Sweet 16 appearance two seasons ago was no fluke.

As for the Blue Devils, they'll be greeted with a resounding chorus of boos ... in my head.

I promise to be professional in my writing in the newspaper and things that are associated with the newspaper. I am looking forward to the opportunity to visit New York City for the first time in five years. I am counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until I can say that I wrote college basketball on the sport's biggest stage (save the NCAA Championship Game). I'll be on my best behavior when it comes to newspaper stuff.

But since this is an independent site (that only happens to have contributors that also work on the DE staff) I'll blast Duke (cautiously, of course).

Oh yeah, J.J. Redick is a pansy!

P.S. Have a good weekend and when you're not on this site, enjoy the great outdoors!