FanHouse Duke Basketball

When Connecticut ran through the 2008-09 season with a 39-0 record and cruised through the Final Four to a national title, they turned an entire season, thousands of games involving hundreds of teams, into an exercise in inevitability.

At the cusp of a new college season, the biggest question is: Can the Huskies do that again? Or will the search for a new point guard to replace Renee Montgomery will bring UConn back to the pack?

Connecticut is the undisputed No. 1 team in the nation at its start, the unanimous choice in both national polls. But, of course. The Huskies have Maya Moore and Tina Charles, two of the top three or four players in the country, they have outstanding role players such as Kalnna Greene and Kaili McLaren. They have Geno Auriemma, who embraces the role of front-runner in a big, enthusiastic bear hug.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The talk of the Atlantic Coast Conference's basketball media day Sunday was the trouble a player could get into if he talked too much.

Or said the wrong thing, or gestured the wrong way, or celebrated excessively, or did anything else that might be considered "unsporting behavior,'' according to a new zero-tolerance policy approved for this season by the NCAA.

Many of the players and coaches gathered at Greensboro's Grandover Resort bluntly said they either did not like the change, didn't understand why it was necessary, or both. The biggest issue: there is too much room left for the wrong interpretation.

With a gentle tug on a blue baseball cap, Kyrie Irving gave the grandest gesture of the past few seasons that Duke can still finish what it starts in the recruiting world..

Irving, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Elizabeth, N.J., gave a verbal commitment to the Blue Devils at a press conference televised live on ESPNU Thursday. The fifth-ranked player in the 2010 class according to Scout.com, Irving solves two problems for the Blue Devils, giving Mike Krzyzyewski its first playmaking point guard in six season and proving that, after whiffing on select targets like Patrick Patterson (Kentucky), Greg Monroe (Georgetown) and another electric point guard, Kenny Boyton (Florida), Duke still knows its way around the recruiting trail.

Irving credited his relationship with the Duke staff for his decision.

"When I went on my official visit, it felt like home," Irving said. "And it's the place for me."

For once, Duke should be looking forward to an early entrant.

Andre Dawkins, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Virginia Beach, Va. and the Blue Devils top recruit of the 2010 class., may suit up for the Blue Devils a year earlier than expected.

But according to his father, the decision, first reported by FOX Sports' Jeff Goodman, isn't final.

"He still has to complete something before that would take place," Dawkins' father, also named Andre, told the Raleigh News & Observer. "He has all of the requirements as far as credits. He did real well on the entrance exams."

For Duke, which is returning just scholarship guards from a team plagued by point guard trouble last season, Dawkins can't get on campus fast enough.

It's three more years for Team USA and Mike Krzyzewski, according to multiple media reports.

The 62-year-old coach, who skippered the so-called "Redeem Team" to an 8-0 record and a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics, is expected to be tabbed for an encore performance later this month, a story first reported by the Boston Globe's Marc J. Spears.

Krzyzewski, a former captain in the U.S. Army and coach at West Point, called the job the "ultimate honor" when he was originally named to the position in October, 2005, and quickly set about revamping Team USA's image, following disappointing finishes at the world championships in 2002 and the Olympics in 2004. Krzyzewski finished the Olympic cycle with a 36-1 record in international competition and a host of gold medals draped around his neck after Team USA defeated Spain in the final game in Beijing.

John Wall, the nation's top point guard recruit and possible No. 1 pick of the 2010 NBA draft, was charged with misdemeanor breaking and entering yesterday.

Contrary to what my colleague wrote, this will likely have minimal impact on the teams recruiting him.

If you've never seen The Colbert Report before, please take the following steps -- close your browser, shut down your computer, and move to another country. Seriously, Stephen Colbert's ability to make any and all confrontations between famous authors, politicians and now college basketball coaches funny is a thing of beauty. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was on the Report Tuesday, talking about his new book and, thanks to Colbert, he somehow wound up comparing Stephen to LeBron James.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Mike Krzyzewski
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage Commercial

The few weeks after the NCAA Basketball season concludes are traditionally chock full of player movement announcements -- new recruits, transfers, entry entrants into the NBA draft, etc. This year has been no exception, but there is a trend gaining more steam. Having a collegiate basketball player become a football player isn't a new thing. Antonio Gates is an All-Pro tight end who didn't play a snap of college football, for example.

Still, the movement from football to basketball seems to be increasing in recent weeks. It makes sense, considering the speed, quickness and agility needed in both. For post players in basketball, they've become accustomed to a physical game anyway, and have the necessary strength-athleticism combo for a position like tight end. Here are four currently considering the shift:

It isn't any surprise that since Brett Favre announced he'd be done with football (umm, the fourth time), the quarterback situation with the Packers would be tumultuous.

Nobody thought it would get to this. Even with Aaron Rodgers doing whatever he can in Green Bay to win people over, rumors are flying around that the Packers have worked out Duke basketball player Greg Paulus. Yes, that was "Duke basketball player" you just read.

On a night North Carolina coach Roy Williams tried to start seven seniors, it turned out to be another reminder that all the Tar Heels really need is one junior.

---

---