The elephant in the room: what if Duke wins it all this year?
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
- Start date
Your implication is absurd.
Anyone who's followed me as much as you claim would know my thoughts on Duke. That's why I don't think you either follow my Duke posts as closely as you're claiming, or that you simply don't comprehend my intent in addressing them as UK's most viable threat since 2015 in the only realm that matters: recruiting.
I'll burn my fan card, and never watch another game as long as I live!!
Or I might act like an adult, get up and go on with my life like it was just a effing ball game.
I got a what if! What if... you woke up and your wife has cancer?
Or I might act like an adult, get up and go on with my life like it was just a effing ball game.
I got a what if! What if... you woke up and your wife has cancer?
Good point on their quality in the front court. But backcourt as well. The SG, PF and C positions will be underwhelming. Reddish can be the 2, but it's still out of position for him.. Zion and De Laurier? Problems if they play the 4 spot. And Bolden at Center is just underwhelming.
You can't win a title with just a PG, a few SFs and a weak Center. They just don't have the pieces for a "team" and they will be horrifically carved up on defense.
I was on safari and shot an elephant while wearing my pajama's. How he got in my pajama's I'll never know. *rim shot * Thank you. Thank you. I'll be here far too long. Don't forget to tip your waiters and waitresses.
I hope not. UK opened the door for them to win titles in both 2010 and 2015 when they got upset before they could meet up with Duke. Either one of those teams would have beat Duke by double digits in the championship game.
Jeez, more people are just here to argue with the OP than just answering his freaking question. It's really not that hard and it's a legit topic while things are slow.
What will I do if they lose to UK in the title game. Simple I will do this to Coach K, Dick Vitale and Laettner.
I've never left. Also, interpret for me how asking a question is connected to worrying?
You raise a good point. It's not logical to connect what one team did the previous year to a current roster's potential when those rosters are completely different in almost every imaginable way.
It would be like someone saying, "Well since UK couldn't win it all in 2015, they can't win it all this year either."
What the hell do the two teams have to do with each other?
By being upset over my question, some of them are essentially answering it.
Avoidance at all costs is the name of the game for some, which would make for a completely toxic setting here next year should Duke (or to a lesser extent, Kansas or even a school like Tennessee) win it all.
I'm not expecting a title this year. I think UK has the best shot at a championship, but I'm not expecting it.
You'd think that after 2015, our fans wouldn't make declarative statements such as "We'll kill Duke on Nov. 6th!"
So what happens if UK doesn't beat them in November or win the title in April? This type of thinking leaves no recourse and can ultimately lead to epic board meltdowns, of which we've had many in the past when some of these shortsighted fans refuse to even entertain other possibilities (I've been guilty as charged in the past, but I'm trying to reform my thoughts on that type of outlook).
I hope your last point is right, but we really don't know how Duke will perform because there hasn't been a long list of rosters constructed the way they will be by which to judge such a team.
Many folks never thought a team filled with three freshmen starters and two sophomores could win it all until they did just that in 2012. Others said a team without consistent perimeter shooting couldn't win it all until UNC proved that theory wrong with their 2017 team.
I personally hope the Duke hype machine is to such a level that they have massive expectations to win it all, only to cave on the biggest stage in March.
Who is their shooter?
They have 3 small forwards, Bolden is terrible and Jones isnt great and is a freshman. At the top level, where we are, they aren't going to win with Purdue athleticism. I won't even get into K's inability to get OAD's to gel and play as a team. You're giving them too much credit just based on draft position.
It’s going to take unc or duke tying us in titles before our fan base demands more titles ourselves.
Duke has no Anthony Davis, and no returning players on the level of Lamb, Jones, and Miller. Also, I'll go ahead and say that I think their best 3 players are only slightly better than Kentucky's, and more than cancelled out by better balance, shooting, and depth.
Also, that 2017 UNC team you mentioned had a lot of experience, something Duke doesn't have, and was more balanced, with a high level point guard, wing, and low post game. Duke has really good wings, but not all the parts that UNC team had.
Yeah and here begins the Puke threads. We gonna kick their butt and send them back home crying in their milk.
By seasons end they won’t have 3 of the top 5 picks. Quite possibly only one top 5 pick. Media hype is all it is. They have nothing else to go with 3 top recruits who all play similar roles on the court. Not sure what you are worried about. K didn’t assemble a basketball team, he just grabbed talent. Takes a team to win a championship. I’ve been saying all summer, I’ll be surprised if Duke doesn’t lose 9+ games, watch and see.
I’d take our team 10 out of 10 times over theirs. We have a total package this year, it will be special. Not sure how a true UK fan can have the team we do this year and dwell on a Duke team less talented top to bottom than they’ve had in years. All because of media hype. There is no elephant in the room if you don’t create one. You must live quite the glass half empty kinda life.
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It's called discussion. Evidently, you're not used to them.
#1. You inferred that I'm nervous. I'm merely asking a question. Are you projecting your own fear here?
#2. You inferred that a real UK fan wouldn't ask such a question. That's a ridiculously limited view.
#3. You inferred that by my asking the question, if gives you some form of insight into my life. That's an embarrassing inference on your end.
Agreed, some have totally forgotten 2010 and 2015. Those two seasons changed how I think with regards to UK basketball. The best team doesn't always win and I refuse to believe UK is going to win the title. It's just too random. One bad possession and you could lose. If '15 can lose then this team certainly can. Heck, we could be out by the sweet 16. It's happened to some really good KU, UNC, Duke and MSU teams, it can happen to us.
Agreed. I abhor Duke as much as the next guy but to think they have absolutely no legit shot at winning the title this year is a bit naive
Yeah, so many UK fans are way too quick to count duke out just because they have no depth and an odd makeup, but they are highly talented and they have a HOF coach. It's not like Shawn Miller is coaching the team.
If they gel and overcome what could be a poor shooting team, they could certainly win it all. I wouldn't trade rosters with them, but they're going to be really good.
UNC won it all with sub-par shooting in 2017. They were horrible all season, but made shots in the tournament (at an adequate level).
What if O'Connell or Jones become adequate shooters and allow Duke some semblance of spacing? Additionally, Reddish should hover around 33-36% on the season.
They're limited, but we're also projecting limitations on them that may or may not be there.
You are correct but he is not supposing to the point of a heart attack if UK doesn't win it all or duke does win it all. It literally hurt my heart in 2015. I cannot go through that again. Do I love UK less....NOPE! Who knows what this duke team will accomplish? I like your thinking but I'm not going to jump on the 40 and 0 mentality train again...OR the this team can no way win it all train either... No way to justify it at this time...
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You're a fair-minded poster, but I still think it's a tragic statement that you have to qualify your statement by saying how much you hate Duke. Anyone who has followed your posts would know your devotion to UK's program; and yet there are fans who would question that devotion because you even raise the possibility that Duke could win it all this year.
![[laughing]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/laugh.r191677.gif "Laughing [laughing]")
I need an argument...
Not to be a smartazz but what if monkeys fly out of my butt? UNCheat was a very mature, experienced team. Duke doesn't have that benefit either. K has yet to succeed, in any real way, with a primarily OAD team. What makes you think that will magically change this year? K is who he is, he coaches how he coaches. I cant think of a single reason to think 3 sf oad's with drive and shoot mentalities, black holes with ball movement, will suddenly change into a well rounded team.
I tend to agree with your point, but Duke has three individual players who can take over a game. That makes them a threat. We saw Oregon make a good run a few years ago with three NBA-level guys and they were a few rebounds away from facing Gonzaga in the title game.
We saw what happens when guys get hot in March (Napier, Kemba Walker, Glen Rice with Michigan, Manning with Kansas, etc.) Duke has the type of players who could put together a hot streak. If they get a favorable draw, they might only have to depend on that hot streak for a few games.
All that said, I'm not thinking in definitive terms here. All I'm asking is that our fans keep the door cracked for other realistic possibilities. Thinking in absolutes has devastated this message board in the past.
They will win a lot but come tournament time I dont see much chance for them to six straight. They have a poorly balanced team with no depth. Anyone can win and those 3 guys give them a decent chance but I just dont see it.
They do not in any way have the most NBA talent. They have the most top 10 draft potential but just barely as EJ , KJ are all top 10 possibilities as well. But Duke has 4 maybe 5 guys who have any shot at the NBA UK has 8-9 . Also DUke has no guards , no depth and no experience. Duke isn't even a top 5 team IMO. They ain't winning jack. They will lose in the elite 8 or sweet 16. Last years Duke team was better then this upcoming one .
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