The Krzyzewskis: Never confused with the Cleavers

ondeadline · Mar 12, 2007

<a href="http://www.accsports.com/whats_the_poop/xxx/wtpxxx14acc031007.jsp">
This account is from David Glenn on accsports.com. Pretty interesting.</a>

Sitting in front of Mike Krzyzewski's family at the ACC Tournament is like taking the seat on an airplane that's directly in front of a couple with a very young child. You're not sure exactly what's coming over the next couple of hours — good, bad or in between — but there's a very strong chance that the experience will be memorable.

This year, the Krzyzewski family was seated in the first row of the stands, directly behind the Duke bench, perhaps 15 feet from the long row of players, coaches and other personnel. The only things between the family and the team were a single row of media seating (including my spot) and a narrow walkway on the floor of the St. Pete Times Forum.

In the family's row this year were the coach's wife, Mickie Krzyzewski, at least two of the couple's daughters, and other family members. Duke player Gerald Henderson, sitting out the Blue Devils' quarterfinal matchup with N.C. State because of a suspension, sat at the other end of the row. Among those in between was Duke associate athletic director Mike Cragg.

Just as Krzyzewski himself has softened his tone (with much less profanity and baiting of officials in recent years) on the sidelines over time, the Krzyzewski family has done so as well. The overwhelming majority of their comments at this year's tournament were made in support of Duke's players individually (e.g., "Good hustle, Greg!" or "Nice play, Josh!") or collectively (e.g., "Defense!" or "Talk!" or "Help!"), even in a losing cause.

The funniest thing the Krzyzewski clan did was a direct response to repeated heckling of the Duke coach. Every single time a fan yelled "Sit down, Krzyzewski!!" at Coach K on the sidelines, the Krzyzewski family — in unison, and without hesitation — all would stand up in defiance. It was a classic display.

Meanwhile, there were some real zingers directed at the officials (sometimes by name), including a few obvious references to archrival North Carolina and its star big man Tyler Hansbrough:

To Duke player David McClure, after he drew contact under the basket but didn't get a foul call: "Check your nose, Dave. With these guys, you know you're going to have to bleed a little bit to get a call!"

On a play where the officials walked over to the scorer's table and asked to look at the court-side TV monitor: "No! Don't look at the monitor! One of our guys will get thrown out somehow!"

After a hard foul called on an N.C. State player: "If that was one of our guys, he'd be suspended for the rest of the season and maybe next year, too."

After a play on which Wolfpack big man Ben McCauley rotated on his pivot foot several times before converting a basket in the lane, drawing screams of "Walk!" from many other Duke fans in attendance: "Who do they think he is, Tyler Hansbrough?"

After a close call went against the Blue Devils: "See, it's a Duke conspiracy, everybody. Duke gets all the calls."

At a time when Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe was having an extended discussion with one of the officials during a timeout: "Hey, why are they allowed to have a little tea party over there? What about us over here?!"

Near the end of the State-Duke game, with the outcome obvious, a fan yelled at Coach K, "Hey, Mike, pull your starters," yet another reference to the regular-season finale between Duke and UNC.

One of the males (not Cragg or Henderson) in the Krzyzewski camp turned and responded to the heckler: "Shut up, (expletive deleted)." Mickie Krzyzewski then restored order by reminding everyone not to speak directly to other fans. â€¦
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Ace · Mar 12, 2007

Interesting, yeah, but I have a problem with directly quoting people without naming them. You don't know if those quotes are from the daughters, a Duke official, player whoever may be sitting in that row.

Moland Spring · Mar 12, 2007

An interesting article, maybe.
But what about the ethics of quoting and writing about a family in the stands, likely without its knowledge. What's up with that? Is that what we've stooped to?

franticscribe · Mar 12, 2007

Moland Spring said:

But what about the ethics of quoting and writing about a family in the stands, likely without its knowledge. What's up with that? Is that what we've stooped to?
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Since when is quoting what someone yelled out loud in a public setting even an ethical question?

Ace · Mar 12, 2007

franticscribe said:

Moland Spring said:

But what about the ethics of quoting and writing about a family in the stands, likely without its knowledge. What's up with that? Is that what we've stooped to?
Click to expand...

Since when is quoting what someone yelled out loud in a public setting even an ethical question?
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I don't have a problem with it. I just want to know who is saying what. It's one think if it's coach K's daughter. Another thing if it's an associate AD.

Sam Mills 51 · Mar 12, 2007

Moland Spring said:

An interesting article, maybe.
But what about the ethics of quoting and writing about a family in the stands, likely without its knowledge. What's up with that? Is that what we've stooped to?
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What's unethical about this? Does a guy need permission to report something in a public domain? This is on a web site, not a gamer.

Say what you wish about the Krzyzewski family - as if anyone needs permission - but this was neither unethical nor stooping.

franticscribe · Mar 12, 2007

Ace said:

franticscribe said:

Moland Spring said:

But what about the ethics of quoting and writing about a family in the stands, likely without its knowledge. What's up with that? Is that what we've stooped to?
Click to expand...

I agree with that Ace. I'd much rather know who said what.

But the idea that using all that is somehow unethical is just strange to me.

Since when is quoting what someone yelled out loud in a public setting even an ethical question?
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I don't have a problem with it. I just want to know who is saying what. It's one think if it's coach K's daughter. Another thing if it's an associate AD.
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Editude · Mar 12, 2007

Play by play of a coach's family watching a game? How much am I paying for wireless access again?

slappy4428 · Mar 12, 2007

Editude said:

Play by play of a coach's family watching a game? How much am I paying for wireless access again?
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Kinda reminds me of the running SEC thread, cept sub the Krzyzewski clan for those covering the SEC West

zeke12 · Mar 12, 2007

That's bush league, IMHO.

Ace · Mar 12, 2007

Zeke12 said:

That's bush league, IMHO.
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I agree. But whatchagonnado? The K klan got the seats fair and square.

Jersey_Guy · Mar 12, 2007

I once spent a game right in front of the wife and daughters and have never - absolutely ever - heard more, or more creative, use of profanity. They cursed the refs (by name, as reported above), they cursed the opposing coach, they cursed fans who yelled at them, I'm pretty sure they cursed in response to (not at) bad plays by Duke players. It was absolutely hysterical. Totally unprintable, but absolutely hysterical.

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The Krzyzewskis: Never confused with the Cleavers

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