Crazie Zach White looks back at the 2009-10 campaign
How can you put into words what it was like being a Cameron Crazie during the 2009-2010 Basketball season? From Countdown to Craziness to the Basketball Banquet, it was a magical time. Everyone has their own version of the season that they will take with them in their memory forever, ready to retell each and every anecdote to whoever is willing to listen. Naturally, the highlights include the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament win, the UNC sweep, the ACC regular-season title, the ACC tournament win, the Final Four and the mind blowing National Championship. In addition to those momentous milestones, most fans hold personal standout recollections that made the season a fairytale.
From my vantage point as a Cameron Crazie I’ll share my Top Ten…
*Nolan Struts in Johnny Dawkins’ Regalia- When Nolan came out in Johnny Dawkins’ old uniform during Countdown to Craziness he set the tone for the whole season….expect the unexpected, and, just when you think you know this team… they will show you a side you’ve never seen before.
*Our guys may have been eight miles away in the Dean Dome but Cameron was bumpin’. The Crazies watched the first game against UNC on the Jumbotron together in Our House, staying on our feet and chanting wildly, “ Let’s go Duke!” as the Devils pulled away.
*Superzoubs- During the Maryland game, Brian Zoubek, a normal, Division 1 athlete went into a phone booth….SuperZoubs emerged. And the rest is history.
*Farewell Greivis- Cameron Crazies know how to work together as evidenced by their cooperative effort on a going away gift for our Maryland friend….a card signed by 1200 students. His last move in Cameron was a look back over his shoulder at the student section. He gave one farewell nod, and was gone. We will miss him and it sounds like he will miss us.
*K-Ville- Each year there are special K-ville memories. This year, the cold, grace, the talent show and The Fortress are a few standouts, but none compare with the sight of Nolan and his acting class in full cowboy costumes filming a scene. Crazies were the extras and 10-gallon hats were the lids of choice. If you think Nolan and Andre are a deadly duo on the court, you should see them with six shooters in hand!
*Remember the fan ejected from the UNC-Presbyterian game? Well, he may have been in attendance in Cameron for the Duke-UNC faceoff. In the student section. In the front row. Directly across from the opponent’s bench. From start to fantastic finish.
*Senior Night- Motivation for beating UNC at home was plentiful March 6th- It was Senior Night, we were playing our die-hard rivals, and the regular season ACC Championship title and a perfect homecourt season were on the line. Kyle Singler’s 17-0 shirt perfectly symbolized all that the win signified and reminded the Crazies that this house was OUR HOUSE.
*Bench Burning- So intense was the celebration the night we beat UNC that benches from near and far (West AND East Campus) had to be brought in to satisfy the hunger for traditional bench burning.
* A Personal Note- The story I will tell my children about our championship win will include having been hit by a car in the parking lot outside Lucas Oil stadium in Indianapolis. When the ambulance arrived I had to both sign a release, and put the paramedics on the phone with my mother. “Well Mrs. White, I can’t guarantee there is no internal bleeding, but his vitals are fine and he says he NEEDS to be in the front row for the game.” Broken ribs are only a slight inconvenience when your team is cutting down the nets.
*Our Banner- the Welcome Home Celebration in Cameron included Coach K granting permission to all of us to forever hold the Championship Banner as part ours. What a relief, because we DO believe that we are part of the magic, that we are the Sixth Man, that it is OUR team and that we hold stake in it. In some ways, the 2009-2010 team is just like us, Duke Students… good alone, unstoppable together.
Tags: "zach white", Crazies Feeling Blue
