tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post8311163776459978035..comments2023-12-19T20:12:06.389-05:00Comments on Observations from Above the Rim: Don't blame Olympics for Duke's slideUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-62357084427979701902009-07-27T17:56:41.058-04:002009-07-27T17:56:41.058-04:00AJ, it takes a lot more than a "3 year old&qu...AJ, it takes a lot more than a "3 year old" to win gold. Hell, UNC's star-studded cavalcade of Larry Brown, Roy Williams, and George Karl sure as shit couldn't get it done. Further, given that Krzyzewski has a lifetime contract with Duke and has stated time and time again that's the only place he'll be, rumor and innuendo will continue to be the only thing that places him anywhere but Durham.MichaelProctonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00972495288043186813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-8993875497067644492009-07-22T12:24:56.126-04:002009-07-22T12:24:56.126-04:00Someone has to take the blame. When Coach K was co...Someone has to take the blame. When Coach K was committed to Duke the were they talk of the college basketball world. Now he is splitting his time with coaching the Olympic teams. Losing Johnny Dawkins was a major blow to recruiting can someone please tell me why does he (Coach K) plays everyone on his bench when playing non-conference teams and as soon as conference play starts he only has a 7 man rotation? Why was Plumlee and Czyz on the bench. You have to play in big games in order to get over the big jtters. Elliot Williams was proof of that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-65645793882323919672009-07-22T11:51:41.621-04:002009-07-22T11:51:41.621-04:00I think that although Dook's recent slide isn&...I think that although Dook's recent slide isn't solely caused by K's commitment to the US Olympic team, I think it is a major reason. <br />First of all, I know that the "exhaustion" factor has been brought up before. K doesn't get much rest between seasons, bc he is spending his summers coaching the Olympic team. But you also have to consider that the prized recruits are going to wonder why the head coach isn't coming to see them, or why he only puts in a brief, token appearance. If I were a 5 Star recruit, I would hope it would be the head coach calling me, coming to my games, and having dinner with my family, NOT his assistant coach who was known as a better floor slapper than actual player!<br />Secondly, as a recruit, I would have to ask myself, "How committed to his college team, if he also has this Olympic gig going for him?" K "won" the gold medal last year, but his college team got bounced in the 3rd round, a continuing trend for the past 8 years, minus one trip to the Final Four since having the 2001 championship handed to him in a win over Maryland. Considering this is a coach that made his reputation on the number of Final Fours he went to in the 90's, and now he can't seem to get past the Sweet Sixteen, you would think that after showing everyone he could win in the Olympics, he would now concentrate fully on showing the college basketball world he still has it on that level as well. Instead, by agreeing to continue as coach for the Olympic team, it appears as though K has accepted the fact that his time as an elite coach in the NCAA has passed. He is focusing more on riding the success of a team of All-Stars (that could win with my 3 year old as head coach) to cement his basketball legacy.<br />Finally, fair or not, K is getting older, although he tries to hide it with weekly dye jobs on the hair! Recruits hear it from other recruiters all the time, and K used to use it when Dean was still coaching Carolina. "[Insert coach's name here] is getting old. He's been thinking about retirement, and I've heard that it may happen in the next 4 years. Then where will you be? Who will be your coach then? Do you really want to risk it? I can guarantee you that I will never leave my University, unless they kick me out! And with your unique brand of skills, plus the other players we have coming in with you, they won't be kicking me out anytime over the next 3 years! And will probably give me another 4 years of losing seasons after you graduate because our team will win so much while you're here!" <br />Now, finally, factor in the fact that K's name has been kicked around twice in the last few years as a possible replacement to Phil Jackson as the Lakers' coach, and I think a lot of top recruits might be worried they will sign with K, but end up with Wojo as the coach by their senior year!AJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-11605500941408130602009-07-22T11:26:46.686-04:002009-07-22T11:26:46.686-04:00if i was a once great coach that got used to winni...if i was a once great coach that got used to winning and was relegated to coaching sub par athletes like cherokee parks, wojo, and paulus....i'd probably jump at the chance to coach some real players like lebron and kobe.<br /><br />of course him doing this only hurts duke more....but i can't blame him, like they will do anything to coach K there, he's safe. he was probably the only person on the planet that could stand up for a bunch of lacrosse rapists and get away with that too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-64898951504453996852009-07-22T10:15:21.680-04:002009-07-22T10:15:21.680-04:00i agree dawkins leaving was killer...wojo and othe...i agree dawkins leaving was killer...wojo and others won't get it done.<br /><br />the biggest problem duke has right now is williams at UNC and now Calipari at KY....calipari at ky will likely hurt unc too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-4520536185365718732009-07-22T09:11:32.164-04:002009-07-22T09:11:32.164-04:00Losing Johnny Dawkins is what hurts the most. He ...Losing Johnny Dawkins is what hurts the most. He would have really thrived in the absence of K to the US team. His recruiting skills are sorely missed. He could have risen to a higher role within the program while K coached, and would have become K's eventual replacement. But this whole US Team commitment thing is definitely not helping the Duke Bball program.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538159334790759434.post-50885227027098814172009-07-22T08:59:04.443-04:002009-07-22T08:59:04.443-04:00I could not disagree more with this article. If i...I could not disagree more with this article. If it were as obvious as recruiting more player (towards the 13 allotment), then I think K would be smart enough to have adjusted his thinking by now. Get real.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com