MUScoop
MUScoop => Hangin' at the Al => Topic started by: MU82 on December 09, 2020, 08:19:47 AM
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Of playing basketball while COVID-19 rages throughout the country, Coach K says: “I don’t think it feels right to anybody."
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article247712235.html?ac_cid=DM340269&ac_bid=-1200110598
While Mike Krzyzewski watched Illinois dominate his Duke basketball team at Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday night, the coronavirus pandemic took another ACC team off the court.
During Illinois’ 83-68 win over the Blue Devils in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, ESPN announced the Virginia-Michigan State game scheduled for Wednesday night as part of the event won’t be played.
Virginia has COVID-19 issues within its program, so the game that was supposed to be played in Charlottesville, Virginia, is off.
“I don’t think it feels right to anybody,” Krzyzewski said. “I mean, everyone is concerned.”
Virginia joined Louisville, Wake Forest and N.C. State among ACC basketball teams having to pause their programs this week due to positive COVID-19 cases and contract tracing.
Krzyzewski pointed to the rising numbers of cases and deaths around the country. North Carolina has set records for daily new cases and hospitalizations this week, causing Gov. Roy Cooper to implement a curfew from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. daily beginning Friday.
The NCAA started the season on Nov. 25 hoping to get as many games in as possible to set things up for the NCAA tournament in March.
“I know the NCAA is worried about the end game,” Krzyzewski said. “They’re not as worried about the game we’re playing right now.”
Krzyzewski made the comments in response to a reporter’s question during his postgame news conference early Wednesday morning following Duke’s second loss in its last three games. The Blue Devils fell behind 17-4 and never drew closer than eight points against an Illinois team Krzyzewski said was “better than we are.”
He knows speaking up about the viability of trying to get games played while COVID-19 cases and deaths are surging around the country, at a time when his team isn’t playing well, will draw him criticism.
“I know somebody will take what I’m saying tonight, and make it like I’m making excuses,” Krzyzewski said. “I don’t make excuses. We need to get a lot better. But for the good of the game, and the good of the safety and mental and physical health of our players and staff and whatever, we need to constantly look at this thing. And I think that’s, I think that’s a smart thing to do.”
Games that count in the ACC regular-season standings are scheduled to start next week. Each team is set to play 20 league games. Schools are preparing to keep their players on campus over the holiday break to limit them from coronavirus exposure so the games can be played.
“Do I think things should be done a little bit differently?” Krzyzewski said. “Yeah. I mean, you know, a lot of kids, kids aren’t gonna be able to go home for Christmas, probably a time where they should for mental health. We’re just plowing through this.”
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Yes, I have to admit that one of my first thoughts after seeing the headline was that K might not be reacting quite this way if he had one of his dominant, championship-favorite teams. Then I got mad at myself for thinking that.
K is probably the most powerful, influential coach in all of college sports. If he truly thinks that something else needs to be done, or that college kids shouldn't be playing basketball now, he could do something about it.
I mean, if Coach K pulled Duke basketball from competition -- "Enough. I care too much about these kids and their families to put them through this." -- wouldn't it make an incredible statement, one that the powers-that-be would have to address?
I'm not saying that's what he should do. Like everybody else, I don't have answers for all this. Just saying it's not as if he is powerless to affect change.
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A couple of points:
1) I don't mean to be Machiavellian, but if Coach K had a contender for the National Championship, I don't think Coach K's tune would be the same. I can only imagine the pressure he is under every year, given Duke's prestige and its history as a CBB power. Sounds to me as if Coach K is whining a little bit and making excuses for a particularly bad loss to Illinois.
2) To my point, please see Michigan, University of, Contest with tOSU Buckeyes this Saturday. Some, including Kirk Herbstreit, have suggested Michigan's surrender is less about Covid-19 and more about the fear of being drubbed yet again by tOSU. I have to admit, the thought crossed my mind.
3) Keep in mind that while the general population gets to go home for Christmas, many have been "confined to quarters" in residence halls for extended periods during the academic year. That's happened with us at Schroeder Hall this year. I don't begrudge anyone the chance to return home for Christmas, but keep in mind that basketball players are scholarship athletes and their jobs entail some hardship.
4) Sorry to see the Battle of the Hausers, Michigan State and Virginia, called off. Would like to have seen Sam manhandle Joey a few times!
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(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71O3R4i3FPL._AC_SX679_.jpg)
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A couple of points:
1) I don't mean to be Machiavellian, but if Coach K had a contender for the National Championship, I don't think Coach K's tune would be the same. I can only imagine the pressure he is under every year, given Duke's prestige and its history as a CBB power. Sounds to me as if Coach K is whining a little bit and making excuses for a particularly bad loss to Illinois.
2) To my point, please see Michigan, University of, Contest with tOSU Buckeyes this Saturday. Some, including Kirk Herbstreit, have suggested Michigan's surrender is less about Covid-19 and more about the fear of being drubbed yet again by tOSU. I have to admit, the thought crossed my mind.
3) Keep in mind that while the general population gets to go home for Christmas, many have been "confined to quarters" in residence halls for extended periods during the academic year. That's happened with us at Schroeder Hall this year. I don't begrudge anyone the chance to return home for Christmas, but keep in mind that basketball players are scholarship athletes and their jobs entail some hardship.
4) Sorry to see the Battle of the Hausers, Michigan State and Virginia, called off. Would like to have seen Sam manhandle Joey a few times!
Right when I saw the article/video, I thought the same exact thing as your first point. Easy to complain after a loss. Almost like he's just making an excuse.
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Wait you mean Duke stinks after a few games and coach K comes out with this take? Didn’t he also say the ncaa tournament should let every team in this year too?!
Classic coach k
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A couple of points:
1) I don't mean to be Machiavellian, but if Coach K had a contender for the National Championship, I don't think Coach K's tune would be the same. I can only imagine the pressure he is under every year, given Duke's prestige and its history as a CBB power. Sounds to me as if Coach K is whining a little bit and making excuses for a particularly bad loss to Illinois.
2) To my point, please see Michigan, University of, Contest with tOSU Buckeyes this Saturday. Some, including Kirk Herbstreit, have suggested Michigan's surrender is less about Covid-19 and more about the fear of being drubbed yet again by tOSU. I have to admit, the thought crossed my mind.
3) Keep in mind that while the general population gets to go home for Christmas, many have been "confined to quarters" in residence halls for extended periods during the academic year. That's happened with us at Schroeder Hall this year. I don't begrudge anyone the chance to return home for Christmas, but keep in mind that basketball players are scholarship athletes and their jobs entail some hardship.
4) Sorry to see the Battle of the Hausers, Michigan State and Virginia, called off. Would like to have seen Sam manhandle Joey a few times!
1) Exactly what I said was my knee-jerk response. I'm trying real hard to give K the benefit of the doubt, though.
2) The thought not only crossed my mind, it entered my mind and set up camp there.
3) Well, the NCAA has argued forever, and courts have upheld (so far), that playing sports for scholarships is not a "job" at all. Most of us know differently, of course, and change is on the horizon.
4) Who? Probably wasn't gonna watch it, and now I won't even accidentally happen upon it.
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3) Well, the NCAA has argued forever, and courts have upheld (so far), that playing sports for scholarships is not a "job" at all. Most of us know differently, of course, and change is on the horizon.
Agree change is coming. Can hardly wait for the Internal Revenue Service to get their grubby little tax hands on a percentage of the value that is the barter transaction between the "student-athlete" and the "member university."
Will it solve the federal budget deficit? No. Will it make a point? Absolutely!
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For those who claim teams intentionally have games cancelled due to covid to avoid getting blown out by a rival, what do you suggest they are doing? Sending their players to covid parties so they don't have enough players to play? Faking positive test results?
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I think Virginia got Covid so Joey would not have bragging rights over Sam.
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Expand it beyond Duke ...
Kentucky is 1 - 3
Duke is 2 - 2
UNC is 3 - 2
If the three of them banded together and called off play, they could single-handily end the season for everyone.
If these three were 5 - 0 and all three ranked in the top five (as opposed to all three looking like they will be unranked soon, Kentucky is not even getting votes now), I also think they would have a different tune
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Coach K Wanting To Quit The Season Now That Everyone Knows Duke Sucks Is So Coach K It Hurts
https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3158763/coach-k-wanting-to-quit-the-season-now-that-everyone-knows-duke-sucks-is-so-coach-k-it-hurts
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Interesting that when Markus, or DJ, or Jose talk about mental health issues, everyone here commends them and does their best to create a positive environment, but when Coach K does its just an excuse for his team not being as good as they've been in years past. Way to Be The Difference
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Interesting that when Markus, or DJ, or Jose talk about mental health issues, everyone here commends them and does their best to create a positive environment, but when Coach K does its just an excuse for his team not being as good as they've been in years past. Way to Be The Difference
It's because Coach K has a track record of suffering health maladies whenever his program has a down year.
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https://twitter.com/barstoolbigcat/status/1336669593553629184?s=21
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It's because Coach K has a track record of suffering health maladies whenever his program has a down year.
This. If he had legit concerns, he could have aired them before the season started rather than after Duke has been curb stomped twice in two weeks. Considering he said the NCAA couldn't miss another tournament in consecutive years prior to the season starting and given his history of having problems when Duke stinks, count me as highly skeptical of his motives.
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Agree change is coming. Can hardly wait for the Internal Revenue Service to get their grubby little tax hands on a percentage of the value that is the barter transaction between the "student-athlete" and the "member university."
Will it solve the federal budget deficit? No. Will it make a point? Absolutely!
Didn't know that you or anybody else thought it was supposed to "solve the federal budget deficit." Do you getting paid for your job "solve the federal budget deficit"?
Anyhoo, that's not what this thread is about.
So far, folks are more than just a little skeptical, and that's probably the right take.
As I said, if K really was concerned about it, he'd just end his team's season to set an example for the rest of college hoops. Forgoing his salary, of course.
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Brother MU
I was being a bit snarky.
The big question is whether ballplayers have obligations apart from ordinary students. The answer is, "yes," and I made the observation that I thought playing basketball is a job. Among the ballplayers on our team I knew "back in the day," most would agree with that point. They have obligations and expectations far greater than the average student, even if the IRS and NCAA define the scholarship to serve the NCAA's economic interests.
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Brother MU
I was being a bit snarky.
The big question is whether ballplayers have obligations apart from ordinary students. The answer is, "yes," and I made the observation that I thought playing basketball is a job. Among the ballplayers on our team I knew "back in the day," most would agree with that point. They have obligations and expectations far greater than the average student, even if the IRS and NCAA define the scholarship to serve the NCAA's economic interests.
We are in agreement here.
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Coach K could punch Jesus in the junk and I wouldn’t care. 2015 title game absolves all sins
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Just heard the audio on Sirius XM. It was rough. Just wines after loses.
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Just heard the audio on Sirius XM. It was rough. Just wines after loses.
He was drunk too?!?
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Coach K could punch Jesus in the junk and I wouldn’t care. 2015 title game absolves all sins
Yep, Grayson Allen
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Nobody knows how to use health concerns to distract from, or excuse poor performance, like Coach K, except maybe Urban Meyer. I expect Duke to get thrashed by FSU in a few weeks while throwing a bunch of bricks up from 3 and K’s back will suddenly start acting up again
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Coach K blows. Say it, its not hard. Coach K blows, aina?
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Expand it beyond Duke ...
Kentucky is 1 - 3
Duke is 2 - 2
UNC is 3 - 2
If the three of them banded together and called off play, they could single-handily end the season for everyone.
No they couldn't.
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So amateur athletes are obligated to put their health at risk to entertain us.
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So amateur athletes are obligated to put their health at risk to entertain us.
They can opt out.
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So amateur athletes are obligated to put their health at risk to entertain us.
Why should 2020 be different than any other year?
COVID isn’t exactly high on the list of serious health risks on a football field.
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If the NCAA would have shut down football the Power five would have revolted and left. Hell the coaches and players revolted when the Big Ten and PAC Twelve shut down temporarily.
It is disingenuous of coach K to say the NCAA is only looking at the “end game”. The member institutions, including his own, want the kids to play. He should be talking directly to his own university president and the ACC, not the NCAA administrators. People use the administrative people at the NCAA as a scapegoat constantly and it’s garbage in this instance. Duke and the ACC should lead the way and shut down if they want to. Coach K definitely would not be saying this if his team was number one in the country.
The fact of the matter is the kids want to play as well. They and their parents know the risks. Hell, highschool kids want to play and are doing it with far less to gain than these college athletes from high level conferences.
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If the NCAA would have shut down football the Power five would have revolted and left. Hell the coaches and players revolted when the Big Ten and PAC Twelve shut down temporarily.
It is disingenuous of coach K to say the NCAA is only looking at the “end game”. The member institutions, including his own, want the kids to play. He should be talking directly to his own university president and the ACC, the NCAA administrators. People use the administrative people at the NCAA as a scapegoat constantly and it’s garbage in this instance. Duke and the ACC should lead the way and shut down if they want to. Coach K definitely would not be saying this if his team was number one in the country.
The fact of the matter is the kids want to play as well. They and their parents know the risks. Hell, highschool kids want to play and are doing it with far less to gain than these college athletes from high level conferences.
Interesting comment, SM. Accurate too IMHO.
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The unfortunately named Luke DeCock of the Raleigh-Durham paper, with a very good column ...
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article247725555.html?ac_cid=DM341031&ac_bid=-1189826009
Just because Mike Krzyzewski says it, the entire college basketball world is required by statute to come to a screeching halt so Very Serious People can parse What It All Means. This is true even when Krzyzewski openly pondering the moral dilemma of playing college basketball during an uncontrolled pandemic Tuesday night wasn’t actually anything that hasn’t already been said.
It was the same thing hundreds of his peers and thousands of his colleagues in college athletics have been saying, or feeling, since July. But such is the stature of the Duke coach’s bully pulpit that his former assistant Jeff Capel can say essentially the same thing and more in Pittsburgh on Monday — “I don’t know why you cancel it in March, but you say it’s OK to do it right now” — only to have his comments disappear like a stone dropped in a pond, while Krzyzewski admitting “I don’t think it feels right to anybody” becomes a matter of intense national debate.
College basketball in particular is at an inflection point, trying desperately to scrape its way through to March and the financial imperative of the NCAA tournament while Rick Pitino and others have called for the season to be pushed back.
Krzyzewski will face the same slings (“Is he just doing it to distract from his disappointing team?”) and arrows (“coach k your a coronabro lol”) from social-media “experts” and coronavirus-denier media grifters as anyone else who has dared question the rumbling steamroller of college athletics as it proceeds forward, but he was merely giving voice to a sentiment shared by a great silent many.
There has been a shared general queasiness about this whole operation, a sense of uncomfortability around the blatant exploitation of college students to grease the wheels of the giant economic engine that is college sports. That feeling of being a part of something vaguely unseemly, the one Krzyzewski expressed Tuesday night, has never quite gone away.
And this from Capel later in the column ...
“I don’t think anyone can say anymore that these young men are amateurs. That’s out the window. They’re not. They absolutely aren’t.”
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The unfortunately named Luke DeCock of the Raleigh-Durham paper, with a very good column ...
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article247725555.html?ac_cid=DM341031&ac_bid=-1189826009
Just because Mike Krzyzewski says it, the entire college basketball world is required by statute to come to a screeching halt so Very Serious People can parse What It All Means. This is true even when Krzyzewski openly pondering the moral dilemma of playing college basketball during an uncontrolled pandemic Tuesday night wasn’t actually anything that hasn’t already been said.
It was the same thing hundreds of his peers and thousands of his colleagues in college athletics have been saying, or feeling, since July. But such is the stature of the Duke coach’s bully pulpit that his former assistant Jeff Capel can say essentially the same thing and more in Pittsburgh on Monday — “I don’t know why you cancel it in March, but you say it’s OK to do it right now” — only to have his comments disappear like a stone dropped in a pond, while Krzyzewski admitting “I don’t think it feels right to anybody” becomes a matter of intense national debate.
College basketball in particular is at an inflection point, trying desperately to scrape its way through to March and the financial imperative of the NCAA tournament while Rick Pitino and others have called for the season to be pushed back.
Krzyzewski will face the same slings (“Is he just doing it to distract from his disappointing team?”) and arrows (“coach k your a coronabro lol”) from social-media “experts” and coronavirus-denier media grifters as anyone else who has dared question the rumbling steamroller of college athletics as it proceeds forward, but he was merely giving voice to a sentiment shared by a great silent many.
There has been a shared general queasiness about this whole operation, a sense of uncomfortability around the blatant exploitation of college students to grease the wheels of the giant economic engine that is college sports. That feeling of being a part of something vaguely unseemly, the one Krzyzewski expressed Tuesday night, has never quite gone away.
And this from Capel later in the column ...
“I don’t think anyone can say anymore that these young men are amateurs. That’s out the window. They’re not. They absolutely aren’t.”
As for the bolded part, the argument will be “but the kids want to play!”
It’s interesting to me because a lot of those same people complain when those same kids make a decision to transfer, go pro or choose another school during recruitment. Then they’re just kids that don’t know any better.
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As for the bolded part, the argument will be “but the kids want to play!”
It’s interesting to me because a lot of those same people complain when those same kids make a decision to transfer, go pro or choose another school during recruitment. Then they’re just kids that don’t know any better.
Well, they do want to play. Hell my grade school and high school kids want to play. It’s a game and it’s fun! Fortunately, in college, it also pays the rent, electric, gas, food, training, tutor, gym rental, marketing, and tuition bills. So that is another positive.
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Nate Oats off the top rope with the flying elbow to Coach K!
“Nate Oats on Coach K wanting to delay play due to COVID-19: “Let me ask you a question. Do you think Coach K would be saying that if he hadn’t lost those two non-conference games at home?”
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Nate Oats off the top rope with the flying elbow to Coach K!
“Nate Oats on Coach K wanting to delay play due to COVID-19: “Let me ask you a question. Do you think Coach K would be saying that if he hadn’t lost those two non-conference games at home?”
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
Text from one coach to me after seeing this comment about Coach K from Nate Oats:
“NCAA will be on his campus in 45 minutes flat. Dead man walking.”
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Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
Text from one coach to me after seeing this comment about Coach K from Nate Oats:
“NCAA will be on his campus in 45 minutes flat. Dead man walking.”
If it’s coming from Goodman, he might have gotten that from Chris Mack or Buzz
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Nate Oats off the top rope with the flying elbow to Coach K!
“Nate Oats on Coach K wanting to delay play due to COVID-19: “Let me ask you a question. Do you think Coach K would be saying that if he hadn’t lost those two non-conference games at home?”
nm
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If it’s coming from Goodman, he might have gotten that from Chris Mack or Buzz
Or another media-savvy D-1 basketball coach in the state of Alabama, who may be nervous about Oats' recent recruiting success.
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Or another media-savvy D-1 basketball coach in the state of Alabama, who may be nervous about Oats' recent recruiting success.
Him, too, but I’d want to keep the NCAA as far away from the state of Alabama as possible if I were him
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K just cancelled the rest of the Duke non-conference slate. Just one game. And two more that were already cancelled and won't be made up.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30492347/duke-men-basketball-cancels-rest-nonconference-slate
https://theundefeated.com/features/the-college-basketball-season-is-barreling-toward-disaster/
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Why not just cancel the rest of the season if they are doing it out of an abundance of caution for Covid-19?
Is the risk suddenly way lower just for the conference slate? 8-)
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Why not just cancel the rest of the season if they are doing it out of an abundance of caution for Covid-19?
Is the risk suddenly way lower just for the conference slate? 8-)
Why, indeed?
This seems to have been done purely out of embarrassment.
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I come down on the side of principle instead of embarrassment. It is a cupcake. The two games to be rescheduled were cupcakes. He is choosing to not put his team at unnecessary risk against cupcakes. Kind of like a likely first round pick sitting out the Weedeater Bowl.
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Nate Oats off the top rope with the flying elbow to Coach K!
“Nate Oats on Coach K wanting to delay play due to COVID-19: “Let me ask you a question. Do you think Coach K would be saying that if he hadn’t lost those two non-conference games at home?”
I did enjoy reading that. Interesting that the espn article noted the only power the NCAA has right now is changing the format and timing of the tournament. Seems like K is just griping following a couple losses and doesn't quite know who should be the target. "Someone please listen to me, I'm coach k!"
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I come down on the side of principle instead of embarrassment. It is a cupcake. The two games to be rescheduled were cupcakes. He is choosing to not put his team at unnecessary risk against cupcakes. Kind of like a likely first round pick sitting out the Weedeater Bowl.
I disagree, Tower. I think he wants more practice time to avoid further similar outcomes. This is far from his most talented teams. Maybe even one of his worst of the last 25 years.
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Why, indeed?
This seems to have been done purely out of embarrassment.
Yep. Dumb.
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I disagree, Tower. I think he wants more practice time to avoid further similar outcomes. This is far from his most talented teams. Maybe even one of his worst of the last 25 years.
Ok, we disagree. Still friends?
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K just cancelled the rest of the Duke non-conference slate. Just one game. And two more that were already cancelled and won't be made up.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30492347/duke-men-basketball-cancels-rest-nonconference-slate
https://theundefeated.com/features/the-college-basketball-season-is-barreling-toward-disaster/
Cancelled without cause is a forfeit.
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Ok, we disagree. Still friends?
Always.
Not sayin' I am right. Just an opinion.
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Cancelled without cause is a forfeit.
I agree, he is abusing the opportunity to cancel games without a loss.
Why doesn’t he announce ...
“out of an abundance of bad play we are canceling games to focus on practicing. And we reserve the right to use this loop-hole to back out of tough games (see Michigan) to preserve our record and NCAA seeding.
Oh, yeah, my back is beginning to act up. Just saying.”
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Nate Oats off the top rope with the flying elbow to Coach K!
“Nate Oats on Coach K wanting to delay play due to COVID-19: “Let me ask you a question. Do you think Coach K would be saying that if he hadn’t lost those two non-conference games at home?”
Oats backed down shortly thereafter, and toed the line after talking with daddy.
Oats said he reached out to Krzyzewski immediately following the press conference. After a talk with the legendary coach, Oats's thoughts on the situation changed.
"It was unnecessary, it was wrong and I apologized to him," Oats said. "We had a good talk, I understand a lot more now where he's coming from. What's best for one program is not necessarily what's best for another program."
To end his apology on Saturday night, Oats finished up with a reminder that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is something that everyone should continue to take seriously.
"I'm definitely wasn't trying to say 'COVID's not serious'," Oats said. "Some people might have taken that. I know the numbers aren't great right now. We need to take all the precautions we can."
Lots of folks here are Oats slurpers even though he has accomplished nothing at the P6 level. He might indeed be a wonderful coach, multiple times better than Wojo or K or Cal or Roy or Shaka, but he came out of this looking like a dope.
His knee-jerk reaction was to publicly go after a coaching icon, and then he backed down like an admonished little kid.
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I think this is a very much a generational thing.
To an older lot, he is indeed a "coaching icon" to whom deference should be given.
To those younger, he is preachy and borderline dirty, and Oats was 100% right.
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I think this is a very much a generational thing.
To an older lot, he is indeed a "coaching icon" to whom deference should be given.
To those younger, he is preachy and borderline dirty, and Oats was 100% right.
Honestly, my experience is that you have those reversed.
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Yeah, I probably shouldn't have said generational. It probably isn't limited to generation.
I think it is more two camps of people. People who like Coach K and people who think he's become a fraud.
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I think Coach K out of principle should shut down Duke basketball for the season and stop blaming the NCAA administrators who work for his University and Conference.
He won’t though because his kids want to play and some need to play to market themselves. He also likes the paycheck.
This whole situation is terrible. Right now everyone in every walk of life is walking a tightrope. There are no blatantly obvious right answers. People need to do their best to take precautions and try to live life during this time. Many players will get Covid regardless if they are playing basketball or not. It is too prevalent. In some ways it’s better they will not go home for Christmas and infect their families. Just no right answers now.
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I think Coach K out of principle should shut down Duke basketball for the season and stop blaming the NCAA administrators who work for his University and Conference.
He won’t though because his kids want to play and some need to play to market themselves. He also likes the paycheck.
This whole situation is terrible. Right now everyone in every walk of life is walking a tightrope. There are no blatantly obvious right answers. People need to do their best to take precautions and try to live life during this time. Many players will get Covid regardless if they are playing basketball or not. It is too prevalent. In some ways it’s better they will not go home for Christmas and infect their families. Just no right answers now.
We certainly shouldn't be saying, "Don't do typical family gatherings at Xmas," while also saying, "The college kids should be allowed to go home to be with their families."
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For about two days, Nate Oats was my freaking hero for saying what pretty much everyone in the sports world was thinking about K’s statements on Covid and the CBB season. And now he’s lost all those cool points he gained. If anything, I think less of him than I did before.
As for him “immediately reaching out” to K, I’m sure he was not pressured at all into making that phone call. And during the conversation between the two, K definitely did not make any threats or use foul language. Just a nice, civilized conversation between two gentlemen.
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Willard gives the New Jersey Salute to Coach K
https://www.nj.com/setonhall/2020/12/seton-halls-kevin-willard-on-dukes-coach-k-just-because-someone-thinks-something-doesnt-mean-theyre-right.html