wildcats20 wrote: Officiating was bad. I hate Dook. They got some calls. It did not decide the game. It makes me want to puke saying this.

WRONG.

How the tall fucker for Duke can have 0 fouls in the first half for the second consecutive game is beyond me. He is a dirty player, that arm to the face at the end of the game proved my point. Butler was lucky that the ref saw it go off his foot and awarded the Bulldogs the ball, but if the foul is called, Howard goes to the line for 2. Who's to say that he would have made them, but at least the refs should have rewarded them to him when he was quite obviously mauled.

He also had a moving screen with 4.6 seconds left in the first half that was ignored...resulted in a point for Duke on a pair of free throws. This game was a one point game at the end...maybe Hayward doesn't have to put up the contested shot with a little over 5 seconds left.

Singler pushed off several times in the second half (just over 13 minutes left) that resulted in open triples. I didn't know you could get away with throwing 2 hands out and knocking your defender over to give you a wide open shot.

A potential 4 points given to Duke that wouldn't have been if the refs called the game correctly, THAT DOES CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THIS GAME.
:@

Jughead wrote: WRONG.

How the tall fucker for Duke can have 0 fouls in the first half for the second consecutive game is beyond me. He is a dirty player, that arm to the face at the end of the game proved my point. Butler was lucky that the ref saw it go off his foot and awarded the Bulldogs the ball, but if the foul is called, Howard goes to the line for 2. Who's to say that he would have made them, but at least the refs should have rewarded them to him when he was quite obviously mauled.

He also had a moving screen with 4.6 seconds left in the first half that was ignored...resulted in a point for Duke on a pair of free throws. This game was a one point game at the end...maybe Hayward doesn't have to put up the contested shot with a little over 5 seconds left.

Singler pushed off several times in the second half (just over 13 minutes left) that resulted in open triples. I didn't know you could get away with throwing 2 hands out and knocking your defender over to give you a wide open shot.

A potential 4 points given to Duke that wouldn't have been if the refs called the game correctly, THAT DOES CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THIS GAME.
:@

You know what else changed the outcome of this game? Lots of missed short shots by Butler. What do you have to say about that?

Lots of missed short shots by Butler.

That is why this game, while full of drama, is not the "Classic" people are making it out to be. Butler is not an offensively gifted team and they shot 30% from the field. They also had another long field goal drought, just as they did against Michigan State. It was a good win for Duke and a good showing by Butler, but the lack of skilled offensive players makes it a non-classic in my mind. I like playmakers and Singler was the only playmaker on the floor..

Where's Ndiaye Now?

Prescott wrote:

Lots of missed short shots by Butler.

That is why this game, while full of drama, is not the "Classic" people are making it out to be. Butler is not an offensively gifted team and they shot 30% from the field. They also had another long field goal drought, just as they did against Michigan State. It was a good win for Duke and a good showing by Butler, but the lack of skilled offensive players makes it a non-classic in my mind. I like playmakers and Singler was the only playmaker on the floor..

Couldn't disagree more. This was a defensive classic IMO. And quite honestly, I appreciated it. This was two GREAT defensive teams slugging it out where every possession counted. It was an impressive display of defense by both! Is Butler limited offensively? Sure. They always have been. They win by shortening the game, executing on offense for great shot selection. Thats a no brainer. I thought it was a great game.

^^^I was just as impressed that the refs allowed it to be a defensive game--and were consistent throughout as well.

Couldn't disagree more

I guess that's why they make Coke and Pepsi, people have different tastes.I enjoyed the drama of the game, bot occasionally I like to see a WOW play and I didn't see that last night. Some people would call this game a defensive battle. I would call it a game devoid of playmakers, except for Kyle Singler.

I like teams that make plays to win a game. Here are Duke's last 5 possessions in the last three minutes:

Lance Thomas turned it over. Kyle Singler slipped to the floor and was called for traveling. Nolan Smith drove to the rim for an easy layup and missed it. Singler shot a 15-foot air ball with 37 seconds left. And then Brian Zoubek hit a free throw with 3.6 seconds remaining.

Five possessions resulted in one point. And one air ball. One missed bunny. Two turnovers.

I like playmakers, others like defense or offensive ineptitude depending on their evaluation of the play and the players..

swamisez wrote:

Where's Ndiaye Now?

GOAT picture.

The best part of that picture is that of those 4, ZERO of them have a national championship ring.

5>4.

I will tell you this, words can't describe what being in Lucas Oil Stadium meant for a Duke fan last night. If that's not what heaven is, I'm not sure I want to go. Unbelievable. When that last shot by Hayward went up, my knees buckled and I dropped to the floor. All I could hear was Norman Dale's mellowly drive into Hickory -- I thought it was in. When it didn't, all I could think of was 2010>2009.

Back at the Hilton after the game, when the team bus rolled in, I've never felt a sense of pride in sports like that before. When Scheyer got off, holding the trophy high, damn. It's what you dream of. You are a star, Jonny. Number FOUR for K. Dean Smith, you have officially been passed. 4 titles <2. 8 title games > 5. Coach K, whom many here considered not to be a top five current coach in a thread discussing that issue earlier in the season, was brilliant this year in earning his position as just one of three men to EVER have won four titles. Adolph Rupp and John Wooden are the others. Makes me cry.

This game meant so damn much. Anything short of a title was a complete, 100% letdown in my book. Our boys delivered, and we are Duke again.

swamisez wrote:The best part of that picture is that of those 4, ZERO of them have a national championship ring.

Definitely makes Mahktar seem like more of an ass than he already was when you put it in that light.

WTF....NCAA made Duke change the shirts and hats?!?!?

Anyone think my signature now looks more symmetrical?

We Are Duke. God I love saying that.

I thought that was a picture of the regional trophy. Wow, nice catch. When did they get that pic?

Directly after the game...

Thanks for finding that. I just quickly Googled and found any picture I could as fast as possible. Good catch, both of you. Lol.

Thanks, that must have been hard for you wildcats

It was tough no doubt, especially after the ass whoopin' we took from Dayton lol

But of course, congrats to you!

And Swami, you're right. It was a South Regional pic lol

I recognized that South Regional right away....it may have to do with this....

Yeah, I failed on the picture for sure. And I even bought a championship tee afterward. Haha.

Thanks, though, wildcats. The ACC has clearly been the most dominant conference in the NCAA Tournament over the past three decades. The ACC owns 10 NCAA champions since 1980. The Big East has six, the SEC 5, the Big Ten 4 and the Big 12 2 (both Kansas). Of the last 10 crowned winners, 5 have been from the ACC (Duke '01, Maryland '02, UNC '05, UNC '09 and Duke '10). That's incredible, IMO. The last two years prove why Duke-Carolina is the greatest rivalry in college sport. Athletics at its height.

I agree.

It's nuts to think that half of the last 10 have been from ONE conference, regardless of the conference.

wildcats20 wrote: I agree.

It's nuts to think that half of the last 10 have been from ONE conference, regardless of the conference.

No surprise. If anyone is surprised, they're probably just a hater. The ACC has been head and shoulders above the competition for years.

Not sure if you guys know this, but Mahktar didn't actually bring that sign to the Final Four last year. Another fan had it, he borrowed it from her and began holding it up. Not that it really matters, but he wasn't actually a big enough ass to bring it to the game himself. I knew it would come back to haunt Carolina, but it's still one of my favorite pictures. I'm just waiting to see a "Where's Carolina" sign from one of those crafty Crazies at this year's Final Four.

As for those guys not having a title, I still despise Andre Miller and that Utah team. How Carolina didn't win the title in 1998 is something I will never understand. Unbelievable. Just goes to show how hard it truly is to win a title, no matter how talented a team may be. That's why when you win one, you cherish it. I know I enjoyed last season, so I suppose it's time to let the Dukies have their fun too.

ironman02 wrote:How Carolina didn't win the title in 1998 is something I will never understand.

I might say the same about Duke. That 17-point second half lead on Kentucky still haunts me. Not as much as the '99 or '04 Connecticut games or the '06 LSU game (we had a damn seven-point lead in that one with 3 minutes left and Redick should have walked off a champ), but it hurts nonetheless. K should have like eight titles right now.

But four is good, too

swamisez wrote:

Where's Ndiaye Now?

Agent with Wassmerman Media Group. Some of their clients include Redick, Shelden Williams, Dunleavy Jr, Henderson, McRoberts.

They also represented Jeremy Tyler and Maccabi Haifa signed Makhtar's brother to take his place on the team.

swamisez wrote: The best part of that picture is that of those 4, ZERO of them have a national championship ring.

How many Duke basketball players have played in a Super Bowl?