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I have a confession to make.  This past season, when we stumbled through the latter half of the schedule, I didn’t wear my Duke necktie when it mattered most.

Allow me to explain.  After the Temple loss, I started wearing a Duke tie on weekday games.  I’m not a superstitious fan or anything, but I felt that they could use the extra mojo.  We as fans all saw a talented team that struggled to find their heart down the stretch.  Make no mistake, we had already won some incredible games (Kansas, Michigan State) but I rarely saw tremendous confidence from our players on the court.  We were good, but not great.  And then we lost to Temple.  So to bring a measure of stability and cast my own vote of confidence after a stunning loss, I started wearing what became my game-day tie.

And it worked! Well, kind of.  Although we went back to winning, uncertainty still hovered over the team.  Every night our effort felt like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates.  Because of this, despite the tie, despite the winning, I wasn’t fully convinced.  I was still waiting for that breakout moment when we would overcome our weaknesses and realize our true potential.  Fellow Duke fans know what I’m talking about.  It’s those moments when players show you an extra level you’ve never seen before and confidence booms through Cameron with every three, dunk, and floor slap.  Jason William’s miracle minute.  Nolan Smith’s junior year.  Brian Zoubek’s 2010 tournament.  When would we see signs of superhuman life in 2012?  I kept wearing the tie and Duke kept winning.  I held out hope. See more ›