Unbelievable Believers

[Jesus_hurley]

Excerpt from "Worthy Champions"
http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/2010/08/ ... believers/

The Blue Devils moved right to the next play in the aftermath of the WVU loss. Coach Wojo, who works primarily with the Duke big men, was on a mission to make the Devils the nation’s toughest team, and it would begin in the frontcourt. So, while the guards were working on jumpers, the bigs might be engaged in a ferocious “Survival of the Fittest” rebounding drill. Or, when the perimeter players had left for the day, the bigs might be fooled into thinking they were done too, only to have more sprints and physical drills added.

“Coach Wojo drilled us so hard, that everything became instinctual,” said Zoubek. “And our ability to get angry started in practice with us getting angry at him for all the stuff we had to do. We used that fire until the very last moment, and we wouldn’t have won it without those two things.”

WORST BIG MAN COACH EVER!

A few days before the seniors’ final home game, Scheyer was seated at a table with fellow seniors Thomas, Zoubek, manager Eric Skeffington and the Krzyzewski family for the annual Senior Dinner with the K’s. Coach K was present with Mrs. K and their three daughters, and each player was asked by the K women about their favorite moments at Duke. When it was Jon’s turn to respond, he stated assuredly, “I haven’t had mine yet.”

Two nights later, Scheyer went for 20-7-5 in an ideal 82-50 Senior Night demolition of North Carolina. Then, with 18 seconds left and Georgia Tech mounting a furious comeback in the 2010 ACC title game, Scheyer hit a brave three-ball with the shot clock winding down to push Duke’s lead back up to four, essentially icing the game and securing the ACC crown for Duke. Had Jon experienced his moment? He didn’t think so, and two weeks later Duke was in Houston battling Baylor with a Final Four bid on the line.

“There was a TV timeout with under four minutes in the second half,” remembers Jon. “We were down by one [Duke trailed 61-60]. There was 3:36 on the clock. I came to the bench and was kind of looking around. I thought, ‘This is it. It was a three-minute game for our season, everything you’ve been working for your whole life.’ I smiled and went for it. That was the most surreal moment. That is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Coach K, after winning the national title:
“I love this team as much as any I’ve coached. They’re more of an old-time team. They’ve grown up together. This team will be brothers forever. It’s as close a team as I’ve ever had. They’ve been spectacular to coach.”

[devildeac]

Excerpt from "Worthy Champions"
http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/2010/08/ ... believers/

The Blue Devils moved right to the next play in the aftermath of the WVU loss. Coach Wojo, who works primarily with the Duke big men, was on a mission to make the Devils the nation’s toughest team, and it would begin in the frontcourt. So, while the guards were working on jumpers, the bigs might be engaged in a ferocious “Survival of the Fittest” rebounding drill. Or, when the perimeter players had left for the day, the bigs might be fooled into thinking they were done too, only to have more sprints and physical drills added.

“Coach Wojo drilled us so hard, that everything became instinctual,” said Zoubek. “And our ability to get angry started in practice with us getting angry at him for all the stuff we had to do. We used that fire until the very last moment, and we wouldn’t have won it without those two things.”

WORST BIG MAN COACH EVER!

A few days before the seniors’ final home game, Scheyer was seated at a table with fellow seniors Thomas, Zoubek, manager Eric Skeffington and the Krzyzewski family for the annual Senior Dinner with the K’s. Coach K was present with Mrs. K and their three daughters, and each player was asked by the K women about their favorite moments at Duke. When it was Jon’s turn to respond, he stated assuredly, “I haven’t had mine yet.”

Two nights later, Scheyer went for 20-7-5 in an ideal 82-50 Senior Night demolition of North Carolina. Then, with 18 seconds left and Georgia Tech mounting a furious comeback in the 2010 ACC title game, Scheyer hit a brave three-ball with the shot clock winding down to push Duke’s lead back up to four, essentially icing the game and securing the ACC crown for Duke. Had Jon experienced his moment? He didn’t think so, and two weeks later Duke was in Houston battling Baylor with a Final Four bid on the line.

“There was a TV timeout with under four minutes in the second half,” remembers Jon. “We were down by one [Duke trailed 61-60]. There was 3:36 on the clock. I came to the bench and was kind of looking around. I thought, ‘This is it. It was a three-minute game for our season, everything you’ve been working for your whole life.’ I smiled and went for it. That was the most surreal moment. That is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Coach K, after winning the national title:
“I love this team as much as any I’ve coached. They’re more of an old-time team. They’ve grown up together. This team will be brothers forever. It’s as close a team as I’ve ever had. They’ve been spectacular to coach.”

Champs.jpg

Awesome stuff, Jh. Thanks for sharing.

[DevilWearsPrada]

Now that's good stuff!!!! Still gives me chills, reading it!!!