For today’s game against Maryland, the Blue Devils will sport brand-new Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniforms in honor of the program’s four national championships.  The uniforms are ultra-light with laser-etched perforations, and both the shorts and jerseys are made of recycled materials.  The “system of dress” includes new jerseys, shorts, warmup jackets, warmup pants, shoes, socks and base-layer gear.

The Duke players’ reaction to the new uniforms was overwhelming positive.  Recent Duke graduate Nolan Smith responded after seeing the uniforms on Twitter, “Wow!! Tough!”

Here’s a look:

Duke meets UNC for the first time this season tonight and college hoops around the state and across the country are sporting their preferred shade of blue.  In a sports world filled with hype and hyperbole, Duke/UNC is one sports story that has lived up to its billing over the years.  Consider:

*In the last 75 meetings, Duke has scored a total of 5,858 points. North Carolina has scored 5,857.

*Duke and UNC have won two of the past three national titles and four of the past 11.

*Either Duke or UNC has been in five of the past eight Final Fours and 22 of the past 31.

*Duke has been ranked No. 1 in the nation in 91 weeks since 1990 (tops in the nation).  UNC is second.

*Duke has been ranked No. 1 in 15 different seasons under Coach K (AP).  Roy Williams ranks third (behind John Wooden) with 11.

*Duke has produced a record 16 lottery picks.  UNC has 15.

*Duke has 16 alums in the NBA.  UNC has 12.

*Duke and UNC have alternated victories in the last 10 meetings in the Smith Center.  The average score of those 10 games?  Duke 77, North Carolina 76.

*This is the 43rd time the teams have met with both teams ranked in the Top 10.  The programs have split those first 42 meetings, with the Blue Devils holding a cumulative 3,208-3,202 edge in points.

*UNC (105) and Duke (96) have won a combined 201 NCAA Tournament games.

*The intensity and emotion of the games is unmatched.  For example:

Duke Magazine has written a detailed cover story on Coach K and how he has adjusted and changed over the years.  The article offers interesting insight on his family as well.

The Blue Devils had some extra time on their hands Wednesday with a three-and-a-half hour bus ride to Virginia Tech ahead.  To pass the time, the Duke coaching staff decided to provide a history lesson to everyone on board, playing highlights from Duke games of the past along with other videos shown to Blue Devil teams throughout the years.

As the videos played, Coach K discussed some of the stories behind them, from the 2001 team’s resilience after Carlos Boozer went down with a foot injury to freshman Luol Deng’s willingness to do the dirty work in 2003-04 to the 2010 seniors finishing their career with a national title after losing in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament as freshmen, to Shane Battier, Nate James and Chris Carrawell taking ownership of their team in 1999-00 after four players left for the NBA, and more.

The clips and stories told weren’t about winning as much as an emphasis on the shared enthusiasm, pride and toughness that have defined Duke’s great teams and the program overall.  Coach K talked about taking ownership, paying a price and sharing the journey.  With the ride falling on what would have been the 100th birthday of his late mother Emily, Coach K also talked about his mom and her unwavering spirit and pride.  The Hall of Famer said his biggest hope for his former players is that they leave Duke as men with a great understanding and appreciation of those values.

The history lesson seemed to help, as the Blue Devils played one of their most complete games of the year and won as a team at Virginia Tech.  “It was a long bus ride up here,” Austin Rivers said after the win.  ”Ten years from now, we want teams to watch videos of us.”

To celebrate its 35 years as one of the marquee high school basketball events, the McDonald’s All-American game announced it’s top 35 players all-time.  Four Blue Devils made the list — Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill and Jason Williams.

Duke has had 52 McDonald’s All-Americans all-time, including an NCAA-best 25 since 2000.  The ACC dominated the group announced as the greatest ever, with 13 selections (eight more than any conference).

After the team’s shoot-around at Maryland, Duke players were excited to see the new Hyper Elite Platinum jerseys for the first time.  Nike had just unveiled new uniform sets for seven men’s teams including the Blue Devils’ new blue and grey warmups, jerseys, shorts and shoes.  The team will wear the uniforms one time, on February 11th, when Maryland visits Cameron.

Here’s more info:

“Specially designed for Duke men’s basketball and eight other NCAA Championship teams, Nike unveiled its new Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniforms that the Blue Devils will wear during their Feb. 11 showdown against Maryland in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke will be one of seven men’s teams in the nation to wear the high-performance, low-environmental impact gear. As the latest and most innovative fit system, the Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniform is designed at the intersection of sustainability and performance. The uniforms are specially designed for nine NCAA Championship teams that won their national titles wearing Nike footwear and apparel.

The fabric of the Nike Hyper Elite Platinum shorts is made from 100 percent recycled polyester while the jersey’s fabric is made from at least 96 percent recycled polyester. Both short and jersey are tailored for the optimal efficiency of movement and are five percent lighter than the previous Nike Hyper Elite uniform. Featuring laser-cut bonded logos, a sharp platinum design as well as prominent accent colors, the Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniforms are sure to shine on the court.

“Nike is committed to producing top-of-the-line performance attire with reduced sacrifice to the environment,” said Phil Cook, Nike’s Brand Manager for Basketball. “With our Nike Hyper Elite Platinum design, Nike is maintaining its long-standing obligations to our fans to not only produce the best on-court looks but also a design that makes use of the resources we already have.”

Other teams scheduled to wear the uniforms include The University of Arizona, Baylor University (women’s), University of Florida, University of Kentucky, Syracuse University, The University of Connecticut (men’s and women’s) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In 2011, Nike affirmed its commitment to increasing its use of more sustainable materials by doubling its use of recycled polyester, using approximately 440 million PET plastic bottles, enough to cover over 12,000 basketball courts, and 2012 will build off of those successes.

The short includes laser perforations in side panels for increased breathability while featuring a lightweight 4-way stretch woven design. The bonded hem detailing found on the short and the bonded back seam near the neckline on the jersey enhances both comfort and style. Additionally, the front of the jersey features a lightweight Nike Sphere fabric, while the back includes a full Nike Aerographics back panel.

The uniforms will hit the hardwood beginning late-January for some of oldest and strongest rivalries in college basketball.”

Coach K shared thoughtful remarks on the late Coach Joe Paterno in an ESPN interview yesterday, discussing Coach Paterno’s life, legacy and time they shared this summer during their TV special.

The Blue Devils climbed to No. 4 in this week’s AP poll, marking an ACC-record 85th straight poll in which Duke has been ranked in the Top 10.  The stretch of Top 10 rankings dates all the way back to Nov. 26th, when Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler were early in their freshman years.

During the 1,515 consecutive days that Duke has been ranked in the Top 10, some big things have happened:

*Duke won the national championship (2010)

*Duke won three ACC Tournament titles (2009, 2010, 2011) and one ACC regular-season title (2010)

*Duke reached the No. 1 ranking in three different seasons (2009, 2010, 2011)

*Coach K became the all-time winningest head coach in Division I men’s history

*Duke won four straight pre-conference tournaments (Duke’s first of five in a row in Maui in 2007 pushed Duke to the Top 10 to start the streak

All-Time ACC Schools – Consecutive AP Top 10 Appearances
1. Duke: 85 (2007-present)
2. Duke: 75 (1961-66)
3. Duke: 69 (1991-94)
4. Maryland: 68 (1972-76)
5. Duke: 67 (1999-2003)

]]> http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/2012/01/fixture-in-the-top-10/feed/ 0 http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/2012/01/scheyer-inspires-eye-center/ http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/2012/01/scheyer-inspires-eye-center/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:25:48 +0000 Dave Bradley http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/?p=4858

Below is an excerpt from “Eyes on the Ball” – an article in the latest issue of Duke’s VISION magazine.  Click HERE to view the magazine and article online with photos.  Jon Scheyer suffered a career-threatening injury and the national champ has teamed with Duke to respond to the adversity in impressive fashion.

On July 13, 2010, Duke ophthalmologist Terry Kim’s phone rang, and on the other end of the line was former Duke basketball player Jon Scheyer, who in his senior year had helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2010 NCAA basketball championship. Kim had examined Scheyer’s eyes every year since he joined the team as a freshman.

On the phone, Scheyer didn’t sound like himself. He told Kim that while he was working out with an NBA Summer League team, another player had poked him in the eye. Then he put the team doctor on. The doctor said that Scheyer showed signs of optic nerve damage—a very serious injury.

Kim couldn’t believe it. Optic nerve damage usually happens with serious trauma, like a car accident. Eye pokes happen all the time in basketball, and they usually aren’t that big of a deal. Scheyer was about to fly to Chicago to be with his family, so Kim put him in touch with a friend and fellow ophthalmologist Kirk Packo, MD, in Chicago, who the next day confirmed the bad news. Scheyer had a very severe injury, called a partial optic nerve head avulsion, that would likely cause a permanent decrease in vision and visual field.

Kim knew this type of injury could be devastating for Scheyer’s hopes of a pro basketball career. He flew to Chicago the next day to see Scheyer and his family himself.

“When I had my eye injury, the first person I called was my trainer from Duke to get ahold of Dr. Kim,” Scheyer says. “He is the only eye doctor I’ve seen my whole life. Since he flew out to Chicago to see me in the hospital, he has guided me through my recovery process. He has been not only a great doctor to have but a great friend as well.”

In Chicago, Kim examined Scheyer’s eyes and spent the entire day with him and his family, explaining that the injury was serious but that it was too soon to tell the extent of Scheyer’s vision loss. “Not once did Jon cry. He showed such determination to do everything he could to make this better and to accept the consequences,” Kim says.

“To see Jon, barely out of college, face this potentially career threatening eye injury with such maturity and optimism really impressed me.”

Scheyer’s determination in the face of this injury inspired Kim to take the first steps toward developing the Duke Sports Vision Center for Excellence to offer diagnosis, treatment, and support for athletes of all levels with eye injuries and eye diseases.

Whereas in the year and a half after his injury Scheyer saw 14 different doctors in six different states, Kim envisions the new Duke center as a one-stop location providing diagnosis and treatment of problems of the optic nerve, cornea, lens, retina, and eyelids or orbit. Low-vision rehabilitation services would also be offered at the center, which Kim hopes could be located in the new Eye Center Pavilion that will open in 2014.

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and his wife, Mickie, who are supporters of the center, suggested extending the services to members of the military. “Athletes and military members have extraordinary talents and need extraordinary vision to use their talents,” Kim says. “They both have to function at a higher level than the average person.” Kim sees a need to standardize treatment and follow-up of eye injuries and diseases for this special group of people.

Injury prevention education as well as research would be part of the mix too. Many athletes, including children, don’t wear protective eyewear, and many sports leagues don’t require it. Education could help change that. Kim also sees the center as a natural place to conduct peer-reviewed research regarding recovery rates from serious sports-related eye injuries, as well as evaluation of new devices, such as “vision training” aids that purport to improve hand-eye coordination.

Formal support groups for athletes and military members with eye injuries will round out the center. After Scheyer was injured, he heard that a player for the Baylor University women’s basketball team had just suffered a similar blow. He contacted her to offer his support. “I just wanted to tell her that there was someone out there who had a similar injury and could answer any questions she might have. When I first had my injury, I didn’t know of many instances of other basketball players getting injured in the eye. When you’re going through a tough time, it’s great to have a couple of people you can lean on,” Scheyer says.

One finger poke changed Scheyer’s life; he lost much of the sight in his right eye. But it hasn’t kept him from basketball.

After completing vision rehabilitation (he says adjusting to his changed depth perception was the biggest challenge), Scheyer landed a spot with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the NBA development league team for the San Antonio Spurs. He started in 19 of their 24 final games, averaging more than 13 points in 33 minutes of action per game. The team advanced to the finals of the league’s championship. “I don’t want this injury to slow me down. Because of this injury, I’ve met so many people who are completely blind, or blind in one eye. Mine isn’t the best situation, but mine isn’t the worst either,” he says.

Scheyer is now beginning a new challenge as shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv, a team in Israel’s Super League, which is a member of the Euroleague. “When I got injured, I remember being on the ground and feeling pretty scared. I told myself that when I can get back and am allowed to play, I’m gonna give it everything I have,” he says. “Now when I go out and play, I’m playing for that person on the ground.”

Kim and Scheyer hope the new Duke Sports Vision Center for Excellence will help many other athletes have equally triumphant outcomes. “There’s such a great need for a center like this,” Scheyer says. “I’ve been able to see the best eye doctors in the world, between Dr. Kim and my specialists in Chicago and Memphis.

But for people who aren’t as lucky as me, there’s a need to have one place where they can go to get the best care and support.”

Jon and Nolan helped Duke bring home the national title in 2010

Around 20 years ago, Duke outlasted Kentucky 104-103 in overtime to advance to the Final Four thanks to Christian Laettner’s heroics.  Every March since, Duke fans have enjoyed frequent replays of “The Shot” during coverage of the Big Dance.

As of January 5th, Duke fans can relive “The Shot” and the entire Duke/Kentucky matchup in Gene Wojciechowski’s new book The Last Great Game in extraordinary new detail.  The book shares anecdotes and quotes that even the most diehard Duke fans likely have not heard.  If you are looking for some fast-paced and interesting reading (and you love Duke and/or sports in general), check this one out.

Here’s an official overview:

“The definitive book on the greatest game in the history of college basketball, and the dramatic road both teams took to get there.

March 28, 1992. The final of the NCAA East Regional, Duke vs. Kentucky. The 17,848 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia and the millions watching on TV could say they saw the greatest game and the greatest shot in the history of college basketball. But it wasn’t just the final play of the game-an 80-foot inbounds bass from Grant Hill to Christian Laettner with 2.1 seconds left in overtime- that made Duke’s 105-104 victory so memorable. The Kentucky and Duke players and coaches arrived at that point from very different places, each with a unique story to tell.

In The Last Great Game, acclaimed ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski tells their stories in vivid detail, turning the game we think we remember into a drama filled with suspense, humor, revelations and reverberations. The cast alone is worth meeting again: Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, Bobby Hurley, Jamal Mashburn, Christian Laettner, Sean Woods, Grant Hill, and Bobby Knight. Timed for the game’s 20th anniversary, The Last Great Game isn’t a book just for Duke or Kentucky or even basketball fans. It’s a book for any reader who can appreciate that great moments in sports are the result of hard work, careful preparation, group psychology, and a little luck.

The Last Great Game tells the story of the greatest game in the history of college basketball, and the dramatic road both teams took to get there.”