Got back late last night from Greensboro where I covered the practices for todays' first round tournament games.
The practice day is a fun day for the fans. Most there yesterday were Duke fans. Coaches don't like the open practice because they really can't do what they want to do. Players like it because of that and they can show off for the fans a little.
I was in the Duke locker room with the Cobra, photographer Brad Simmons, before the Duke practice. What a madhouse! TV cameras everywhere. Too many people in too small a room to interview a lot of big people (and frankly some of the people doing the asking are rather big themselves.)
The Duke team is confident and they don't have much to worry about tonight against Southern (which you can watch tonight on the big five at 9.30.) The seniors though know that one more loss and their career is over. Shelden Williams told me that this (the tournament) is why he and J.J. Redick came back to school and why they won't come right out and say it: THEY WANT THE NATIONAL TITLE BADLY. Redick says they walk a fine line. If they lose they won't be failures but sometimes wanting it too badly can work in the opposite way in that a team will put too much pressure on themselves and play tight. Sean Dockery told me it's scary to think that one more loss would end his Duke career but that the key is to just go out play hard and have as much fun as you can.
Also the mood for Duke was that it's great to be back in Greensboro where just four days ago they won the ACC tournament. Greg Paulus says it's like coming back home and by the way Paulus appears very confident about his game and also he's great with the press and appears to enjoy the give and take.
The Duke-Southern game won't be all that interesting, so I'm looking forward to the UNC Wilmington-George Washington game. That winner will meet Duke. The GW team entered the coliseum yesterday as I was arriving. I will say they did look good walking in and they've only lost twice, but they haven't played anyone and State ripped them apart but they are supposed to be very athletic. Can't wait to see for myself. Also an eight against nine seed is always a pretty good game.
Well, just a few thoughts. It all starts today. Oh, yes. . .Tennessee will also play in Greensboro today. Really want to check out the number two seed (who shouldn't be one) in the Washington Regional. Still can 't figure out why LSU (the regular season champ in the SEC is a four-seed Florida), the SEC tournament champ is a three seed and Tennessee which was neither, is a two. If you want an upset, why not Winthrop over Tennessee?
Remember WRAL is your Hoops Headquarters! (We have to say that, but it really doesn't roll off the tongue.)
-- Tom Suiter
