Unbelievable!

[CarMike]

dook takes 35 foul shots in the FIRST HALF last night against Virginia Tech!

What a joke.

[Ramsey2Moss]

You're telling me! The refs were SO friggin sorry that night. Every little touch on one of their precious babies and they blow the whistle, whereas our tight end Jeff King comes into the game and gets mauled by uglyman (see avatar) and they don't call crap. I hate Dook so much. Tech has the potential to upset them, and I think the refs will have their revenge when we're at home. I would love to see Mr. JJ "I'm so perfect yet I miss 3 free throws and the whole crowd goes silent" Reddick foul out...

[CarMike]

Don't count on it R2C. dookies get the call rather they're at home or on the road.

And how about SG getting tossed?! BS!

[SkinsKY]

That is terrible. I just don't believe that the disparity can be that high in a game. I would suspend those refs pending review.

[CarMike]

Foul play: At Cameron, Duke will get the calls

JOHN MARKON
POINT OF VIEW Jan 31, 2005


Contact John Markon at (804) 649-6892 or jmarkon @timesdispatch.com
DURHAM, N.C. Virginia Tech's basketball players probably had been told many times that they wouldn't be official members of the Atlantic Coast Conference until they'd played a game at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium.

After absorbing a 100-65 spanking last night, the Hokies presumably have learned:

One end of the building smells like popcorn. The other end smells like pizza.
The visitors' locker room is so small, if one guy wants to put on his coat, two other guys have to leave.
The oak paneling is nice, but they probably don't polish the brass rails unless it's a Carolina game.
The players in the home uniforms are invariably excellent.
And . . .

The playing field isn't always the most level.
Newcomers that they are, the Hokies perhaps were unaware that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski usually gets exactly the kind of closely called, "touch foul" kind of game that suits his finesse-and-skills oriented team at home.

Tech's attempt to protest this time-honored conference tradition resulted in the Hokies' finishing the game minus coach Seth Greenberg, who complied with a request that he depart after drawing his second technical foul with 4:39 remaining to play.

Better to finish without a coach, however, than without players . . . which seemed a possibility at halftime after the Hokies had been called for 22 personal fouls and watched the Blue Devils attempt 35 free throws in the first 20 minutes.

"I guess we foul a lot," deadpanned Greenberg afterward. "We've got to get better at that."

Greenberg's pregame pitch to his players, in case anyone in the crowd of 9,314 couldn't guess, could have been summarized as "Don't back down." Reading between the lines in his postgame comments, Greenberg would have rather taken a loss than seen his team intimidated.

If that was the case, he got his wish.

"That's what I'll remember, that we didn't back down," said Tech's Carlos Dixon, a fifth-year senior. "I've watched so many games here on TV that I really thought I knew what to expect. I'm just disappointed that we didn't get to play our game."

Dixon barely got to play at all, putting in only eight minutes before being given the rest of the night off after drawing four fouls and bruising his right elbow after bouncing off Shelden Williams, Duke's hewn-from-granite 6-9 center. Dixon's companion on the bench was ACC steals leader Jamon Gordon, who fouled out in only eight minutes.

Both of them were frequently found guilty of getting too close to deluxe jumpshooter J.J. Redick, who had the kind of game he often has -- 29 points -- when even a hard look or a furtive breath in his direction elicits a whistle.

Their teammates in Tech's frontcourt were equally frustrated by their matchup with Williams, perhaps the one Blue Devil who'd be capable of holding his own in any kind of game. Williams drew two early fouls on Coleman Collins, Tech's closest approximation of a low-post player, and went on to collect 25 points and 17 rebounds.

"That guy is a horse," said the Hokies' Jeff King, who ought to know one when he sees one. King (6-5, 250) was a starting tight end on Tech's football team.

King and other Hokies insisted things will be different Feb. 17, when Duke (16-1) comes to Blacksburg. Unless Williams misses the team bus, it was hard to see how or why.

Greenberg certainly didn't make the statement he may have wanted to make in front of Krzyzewski, who was an early and outspoken opponent of the football-first expansion initiative that brought Tech into the ACC.

"Not everyone wants us to be in this league," Greenberg said, "but we're in. We're going to play as hard as we can and . . . try to build a basketball program. The foundation of that process is to compete. I'm proud that our guys tried to play hard."

After 34 fouls and 2 hours, 20 minutes of fairly hideous basketball, you could say he made his point.

Duke, of course, made all of Greenberg's points and 35 more.


Contact John Markon at (804) 649-6891 or jmarkon@timesdispatch.com

[Ramsey2Moss]

Duke makes me sick...I hope someone ousts them bigtime in the ACC tourny...please let it be the Heels or the Terps!

I officially hate Duke University.

[skinsfan44]

I'm not surprised by that at all.

But I was surprised by how few the Terps got last week.

Why is the NCAA not doing something about the BS ref calls that happen ALL THE TIME in favour of dook?

[CarMike]

I'm not surprised by that at all.

But I was surprised by how few the Terps got last week.

Why is the NCAA not doing something about the BS ref calls that happen ALL THE TIME in favour of dook?

[Jimreaper007]

Based on the games I've seen featuring the Blue Devils they were ranked so high off of reputation only. They are a good team but I have seen several teams that can easily dismiss the blue devils.

[Cooley19]

That Duke game was unbelievable. I'm getting used to it more though as the years go by and the refs seem to always favor them. I also believe Duke was rated so high based on reputation. They have little or no depth at all and if you get one or two key guys into foul trouble they can be beat.

[RedskinsDave]

:cry:

[skinsfan44]

That picture explains it, Mike.

Good work.

[suppitty]

Remember shavlick against umd late in the game? That was unbelievable. Every blocking/charging foul goes their way. Another thing that bugs me is the fact that they are still going to be in the top 10. Look at thier schedule compared to maryland. Duke has played, vatech, clemson, uva, fsu, miami, ncstate, and umd. Those are the 7 worst teams in the acc. They have'nt played unc, gatech, or wake yet, and haven't played a real non-conference road game. They consistently have double the 3-point attempts as the opposition, and 1/2 the fouls.

I hate duke just as much (more sometimes) than the cowboys, eagles, or giants.

[LadyNRedskinsfan]

1st-where did you find that pic mike? that is priceless!

2nd- the foul shot disparity stat doesnt surprise me one bit. that happens every game with dook....maybe not to the extent of 35 foul shots in the first half.....geez...

[CarMike]

Lady, I found that picture on a Tar Heel board.

Also check out Truthaboutduke.com

[nyjunc]

Duke makes me sick...I hope someone ousts them bigtime in the ACC tourny...please let it be the Heels or the Terps!

I officially hate Duke University.

I like your avatar :lol1: Does anyone have a pic of Ken Griffey, jr. when he was on The Simpsons? he took a serum that made his head enlarge and it looks just like Shelden Williams :)

[Jero]

dook takes 35 foul shots in the FIRST HALF last night against Virginia Tech!

What a joke.

:cry:

[nyjunc]

Shelden Williams

http://www.sandtroopers.com/Jason/toyfare/tf63jaw.jpg

[nyjunc]

A smaller one(I can't find a full size pic):

http://www.boards.ie/bulletin/avatars/Simpsons_-_Ken_Griffey_Jr.gif

[CarMike]

Shelden Williams

http://www.sandtroopers.com/Jason/toyfare/tf63jaw.jpg

LMAO!
:funpost:

[CarMike]

Here's an interesting stat I ran across this morning.

JJ Redick has been called for 17 personal fouls in 19 games this year......:rolleyes:

[nyjunc]

Here's an interesting stat I ran across this morning.

JJ Redick has been called for 17 personal fouls in 19 games this year......:rolleyes:

The thing that frustrates me watching him is every time he drives to the basket he gets the call and goes to the line yet every time he drivs to the basket he pushes off w/ his off hand and never gets called for it. he's only the leading scorer b/c he shoots alot more than anyone else, he shot a pathetic 7 for 21 yesterday yet we hear how great a game he played b/c he got 26 points.

[CarMike]

yep, and i'd like to see how many points he averages from the free throw line as well.