DukeBasketballReport.com

Ben Rocky '04 · July 23, 2007, 06:25:30 PM

[quote Josh '99]People aren't objecting to CU basketball or CornellFan's enthusiasm for it, people are objecting to all the redundant threads.[/quote]

I'm objecting to you.

2 · July 23, 2007, 10:04:03 PM

Give CornellFan a break. If the team lives up to its potential and many of the predictions, there will be several threads about it come late February/March and you all will have to deal with it during the stretch run of hockey season--imagine that.

Besides, I kind of like the multiple threads. Easier to follow the specific conversation, and less navigation through months-old postings. Some of the threads on here are just too long and too old for new postings.

And, for more fodder, I think we do have a shot at duke. Additionally, as one with more than a little personal experience with Duke as a school, their student body and alumni will probably be interested in this matchup because it is so rare for them to play ivy league and education-first institutions. Some of them have a bit of a complex about those issues because they can be seen as a sports & wealth school.

Jacob '06 · July 23, 2007, 10:34:41 PM

[quote 2]
And, for more fodder, I think we do have a shot at duke. Additionally, as one with more than a little personal experience with Duke as a school, their student body and alumni will probably be interested in this matchup because it is so rare for them to play ivy league and education-first institutions. [/quote]

They have played an ivy league school in men's basketball each of the previous 3 seasons. Cornell's game this year will be the fourth season in a row.

KeithK · July 23, 2007, 11:14:01 PM

[quote 2]GBesides, I kind of like the multiple threads. Easier to follow the specific conversation, and less navigation through months-old postings. Some of the threads on here are just too long and too old for new postings.
[/quote]
Whaddya mean? The newest posts are always right on the bottom, in order of posting :-) :-P

CornellFan · July 24, 2007, 08:39:43 AM

Jacob--

With all due respect, Duke played Columbia last year, but it WAS NOT by Duke's choice. They were grouped together in a Gazelle Group 16 team tournament. Other than Penn and Princeton-- Duke has not voluntarily played any Ivy team other than Penn or Princeton since 2000. I have it on good authority that this game is recognition by Duke's coaches that Cornell is the Ivy preseason favorite. Coach K intentionally schedules 3-5 low-mid major teams like Davidson, Bucknell, Albany etc to help prepare his team for the type of scrappy opponent they might face in the first round of the NCAAs.

Duke has not played Brown since 1994.
Duke has not played Cornell since 1988.
Duke has never played Dartmouth.
Duke has not played Yale since 1973
Duke has not played Harvard since 1991.

In other words... Duke generally does not voluntarily schedule non-Penn/Princeton Ivy teams. But even the "Ps" rarely get Duke on the schedule.

After 1981--Duke only played Princeton in 2000, 2003 and 2005-- and one of those games was involuntary-- as per a bracket in the Preseason NIT.

After 1980-- Duke only played Penn in 2005.

So-- this is agreat opportunity for us. Moreover, our kids can shoot from the perimeter. Wittman, Gore, Dale, Robinson, Reeves and Hartford all shoot better than 40% beyond the arc. If we can knock down some threes, this could be an entertaining game.

If the shots don't fall-- this could be really, really ugly.

2 · July 24, 2007, 10:22:49 AM

[quote KeithK]
Whaddya mean? The newest posts are always right on the bottom, in order of posting :-) :-P[/quote]

Yeah, except for the quote just above yours (and dozens others like it).

Josh '99 · July 24, 2007, 10:40:37 AM

[quote Ben Rocky '04][quote Josh '99]People aren't objecting to CU basketball or CornellFan's enthusiasm for it, people are objecting to all the redundant threads.[/quote]

I'm objecting to you.[/quote]I'm out of order? You're out of order! This whole courtroom is out of order!

RichH · July 24, 2007, 11:16:23 AM

[quote mttgrmm]Oh my god, the negativity has reached an unbearable point... can you hardcore hockey enthusiasts not appreciate the feelings CornellFan has for the CU Basketball team??[/quote]

First, I don't think anyone is saying "boo, Basketball! shut up about basketball!" I think the grumblings are more about that there were 3 threads started about the exact same game by the same person. If we were in November (can we be?? Please??) and someone (*cough billhoward cough*) took it upon themselves to start multiple "Mercyhurst [pregame]!!" threads over on the hockey forum, I would bet that the amount of bitching and complaining via the ever popular snide-remarking method would dwarf this.

That said, I don't really like the sport of basketball, but I definitely support all Cornell student-athletes, so I have some interest. Is it wrong for me to be more excited about the rumored basketball games vs. Minnesota and Syracuse than the game in Durham? I'm a strong advocate of not drinking the ESPN kool-aid which makes one think that one school pr conference is more important than others because of a cash-injected, name-brand, hype machine. Unfortunately, this is happening in hockey thanks to WCHA snobbery and lax because of the self-perpetuating playoff shenanigans of the ACC (as well as some retarded tournament selection criteria).

To me, Duke is the poster child of the "we're holier than thou...because Dick Vitale says so. Kiss the ring." attitude present in collegiate basketball. Screw 'em. Duke could drop to have the worst record in the land and kids at East Statetuckabrasksota U. would still storm the court because they beat DUKE and it wuz on the Tee-Vee!

Am I wrong in assuming that since we have no chance at a (NCAA) tournament bid without winning the Ivies, these non-conference games are pointless other than for exposure and honing our team's level of play for the Ivy stretch drive?

Jeff Hopkins '82 · July 24, 2007, 11:30:14 AM

[quote Josh '99][quote Ben Rocky '04][quote Josh '99]People aren't objecting to CU basketball or CornellFan's enthusiasm for it, people are objecting to all the redundant threads.[/quote]

I'm objecting to you.[/quote]I'm out of order? You're out of order! This whole courtroom is out of order![/quote]

Attica! Attica!

Wait...different movie ::popcorn::

CornellFan · July 24, 2007, 11:39:55 AM

I'd say the on-conference games do the following:

(1) help prepare the team for the Ivy League "14 game conference tournament"
(2) help build the RPI for a possible NCAA seeding
(3) help build the resume for a potential NIT bid
(4) help gain exposure for the program in recruiting and building for the future. High school recruiting prospects appreciate games like Duke and Syrcause on the schedule.

Josh '99 · July 24, 2007, 01:59:11 PM

[quote CornellFan](2) help build the RPI for a possible NCAA seeding[/quote]This is a legitimate point. Since 1979, Ivy schools have won 7 NCAA games. It's not a lot, granted, but it shows that a first-round upset win is conceivable. Playing a first-round game against a 3 or a 4 rather than a 1 or a 2 would certainly boost the chances of that upset.