Ivy Athletics: Can they be relevant again in the major sports?

[ring_of_fire_1]

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@k&s

Duke BB has become like ND FB - over-rated by the press and analysts.</p>

<p>They continually get knocked out early in the Tourney, by much lower seeds including a 7th and 11th seeded teams (in fact, it’s been a LONG time since Duke has beaten a higher seeded team in the Tourney).</p>

<p>Again, you are misconstruing the facts, Duke BB hasn’t been relevant in the Tourney for for more than several years, and only once in nearly a decade.</p>

<p>Having said that, Duke still has an enviable program that any other private university would like have, but schools like Stanford and Northwestern just will not do away w/ academic standards for recruits as Duke has (c’mon, even you have to admit that avg. SAT scores in the mid-900s is frankly, embarrassing).

Yes, Duke BB is over rated in the sense that it has failed to make the Final Four in the past five year, but I think the unwarranted media attention is more a byproduct of the success Duke has enjoyed over previous decades such as the 90s when Duke made seven Final Fours in nine years, which has led to the creation of completely unrealistic expectations. They haven’t been relevant in Tourney for more than several years? WHAT! The '99 and '04 teams were two of the best college bball teams of all time and they just fell a little short where it mattered. Duke bball has the MOST wins this decade and have made AT LEAST the Sweet 16 every year but two. They are only human you know.;)</p>

<p>Um, if Stanford and Northwestern could recruit the quality of basketball players that Duke has on its radar year after year, TRUST ME when I say they would sacrifice their “academic standards” and go after these players. Once again, let me repeat that education is not the focus of Duke basketball players and nor should it be. Duke is a launching pad to the NBA for most of them and a Duke degree is just an after thought. Besides, the marginal benefit that these basketball players provide to student life far outweigh the marginal costs induced by their low SAT scores.</p>

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@k&s

Having said that - the key reason why the Duke FB team will improve and make some bowls is b/c of the continually LOWERED academic standards pushed by the admin. in the quest for winning.</p>

<p>I don’t know if I would take pride in winning if my FB program allowed for ONE-THIRD of its recruits to only need to meet the minimum NCAA standards.

I mean as long as they meet minimum NCAA standards, then what is the problem? I don’t think most Duke students care how smart the football players are as long as they win games. That’s what they’re here.</p>

<p>Trust me when I say the rest of the Duke student body has the whole academic part of college well under control.</p>