There is still a lot of talk about Coach K's 800th victory and there should be.  Folks, it wasn't easy to step into the shadow of Dean Smith and make a hard to pronounce last name household chatter for many years to come.  K knocked down a lot of walls along the way and continues to do so to this day with facility improvements.  One must credit Tim Butters for making the move and sticking with him, for it is now a legendary hire.  Yep!  Coach K went up against the 800 pound gorilla named North Carolina starting it all off with a not so stocked cupboard.  Now,  Duke is their equal having had more success since the nineties.  Having been around his ascent from day one, all I can say is that for this Duke fan, it was a ride which dreams are made of.  I have been very fortunate to have taken the journey with the Polish transplant who found ways to make himself a legend and Duke a juggernaut.  Cameron has always had the magic but it took a wizard to know how to use it.  Check out this link from Dick Weis which tells part of the story.  For what it's worth, Weiss wrote one of the best books on Coach to date.

The Duke Women's Basketball team struggled mightily in their 31 point loss to rival North Carolina.  The game was played in a sold out Carmichael Auditorium on Senior Day and the game was never in doubt from the tip.  Duke had but 10 points in the first ten minutes and couldn't hold on to the ball committing 27 turnovers while having but 12 assists.  Just one player scored in double figures, that being the talented Chante Black and Duke did not hit a single three pointer for the first time in well, a long, long time.

Duke is still 10-4 in the ACC and 21-8 overall, but their signature win is against Rutgers.  This years team hasn't gelled of yet and that is due to Coach P implementing a new system which thrives on defense.  It hasn't been easy on fans from the high scoring G-Era to adjust and you get a little bickering behind closed doors.  Coach P has stated it would take awhile for her players to grasp a difficult defensive system and that current players will gain experience going into next season.  Afterall, Duke loses just one player of stature, that being Wanisha Smith.   That is of course if there are no transfers.

Struggles with new teams are not uncommon.  Look no further than Coach G at her new job in Texas and you will find your proof.  I knew going into the season that this would likely happen.  I mean these were Coach G's players and two key components were missing and adjustments would have to be made.  So, there is no surprise here.  I do think one must overlook a coaches first year.  While I admit it has been brutal to watch this seasons Duke offense I will hold my judgment until Coach P has at least one more season under her belt.  She stepped into a difficult situation replacing a very popular and successful coach, so again, the results of the season are not surprising to me. 

Imagine that!  Duke has won 20 plus games and some of the natives are restless.  Welcome to the pressure cooker known as Duke Basketball.  Still, let's hope the team finds some sort of offensive continuity and has some tournament success to build upon  going into next season.  And let's try not to throw anyone under the bus just yet.  Here is Rob Clough on the post season.

The week ahead is just plain nuts!  The women's team begins the ACC Tournament while the men's team travels to Virginia on Wednesday evening.  Then there is the little game on Saturday where people are already talking about.  It will be important for the Blue Devils to stay focused on the Hoo's despite the media that is already on campus for the brawl for it all.

That's right!  Regardless of the result on Wednesday, the winner of the Duke-North Carolina game will be the regular season champion.  Tent city is already in full bloom and media types are crawling all over the place.  Events planned are too numerous to mention at this time but the Blue Devil Nation will be busy this week to keep you informed of all the fun.

Interestingly, the Duke Men's Baseball team plays North Carolina this weekend too.  The men are off to a 10-0 start, but the Heels are atop the national rankings.  So, be sure to make time for some baseball and remember the games are free.

In this link you have an Al Featherston article on Duke's Gerald Henderson hot off the press.  And here is proof that Al spends too much time inside,. Here is a detailed article from Duke Basketball Report on NCAA bracketology.

Speaking of Duke Athletics, the Duke Men's Lax team just demolished Maryland with an offensive onslaught.  You will want to catch this team in action and if you are not familiar with the sport, you should be for it is lot of fun to watch.  So, pull out your weekly planners and mark down some of the weeks many events, for if you don't you are sure to miss some.

We have the latest on the recruiting weekend up at Blue Devil Nation Premium.  One key visitor will not be able to make the trip and you could have read it here first if you were a member.