Cameron not so Crazies and what it means for Superfans

Duke's legendary basketball fans -- the Cameron Crazies -- made news this week as fewer and fewer of them are attending basketball games. This trend should raise eyebrows at every private school playing big time sports. At BC it should set off alarms. Duke has a high-profile and historically dominant basketball program with a limited-availability student section. Every current student at Duke was well aware of this experience prior to arriving on campus. If they can't get their kids to come to games, what hope does BC have? This is more than just winning and losing. This is about kids today, current trends and the changing sports culture at private schools.

Gregg Doyel thinks kids are bored. I agree that the sameness of the game day environment is a factor. I know when I was a student a decade ago there was always something going on around campus. Going to a BC sporting event was just one option. Now many of those same options and distractions exist plus a million more entertainment choices. Going to the game -- regardless of the outcome -- might not seem that exciting when you can watch in your room while also playing video games or hanging out or studying or whatever.

There's another theory often mentioned on the BC message boards that is probably applicable to Duke: Nerdification. As both schools continue to raise their academic profile (Duke remains above BC) and continue to become even more exclusive in their admissions, the student body is bound to become more serious and academically focused. While plenty mock nerdification, I am not suggesting BC or any school hold back on bringing in the best and brightest. They just need to understand that those students might not care as much about sports. Current students at Duke and BC are accomplishing incredible things and working very hard. It is no wonder they don't have time to go to games. State schools can offset their nerdification with pure numbers. It is easier to fill a student section when you have 30,000 undergrads.

I don't know Duke well enough to suggestion solutions for them. But BC should realize that winning games is not the only way out of our student malaise. I think the answer is shrinking the student sections and creating some demand for the seats. While I love the Superfan tradition, I think BC needs to do more to educate the new students as they arrive on campus. Being a BC fan is about more than just a yellow t-shirt. Indoctrination about our history and the experience are the way to go. If that doesn't work just tell them they can use game attendance to earn extra credit.

The SEC expansion scenario no one is talking about

With the Big Ten potentially expanding to 16 teams, SEC commissioner Mike Slive quickly announced that the SEC would not sit by and lose their position of supremacy. Interpret his stance however you want, but most took it to mean that if the Big Ten expands, the SEC will expand too. If the SEC were to expand by four teams most predicted it would be Texas, Texas A&M, Miami and Florida State. You also saw Oklahoma and Clemson mentioned. Texas is a no brainer. The school's profile makes sense. The geography makes sense and it would expand the SEC's TV footprint. To compliment the Texas addition, you would probably want to add A&M or Oklahoma. However, I don't know if any of the ACC schools floated would bring as much to the table. They all have great football traditions, but neither Florida State, Miami nor Clemson would bring in new TV markets. And while I think all three are fine programs, none bring any unique prestige to the SEC. But I still think the SEC could/would look to the ACC to fill out its expansion, only with two unlikely targets -- Duke and North Carolina.

Why Duke and North Carolina makes the most sense
1. Brings in new TV markets. The North Carolina TV markets are not huge, but where else can the SEC go? As I mentioned earlier, they already have a strong TV footprint in South Carolina and Florida.
2. It adds prestige to the conference. North Carolina is the flagship school of the state and one of the better public universities in the country. Duke's reputation is well known and would finally give Vanderbilt a fellow private school to commiserate with
3. They wouldn't threaten any football powers. The SEC doesn't need help on the football front. Adding Texas will already shift some of the power. Duke and North Carolina would not. They might pop up and have nice seasons on occasion, but neither is going to become a perennial power.
4. It would make the SEC the premier basketball conference. Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky would be a hard triumvirate to top. Throw in the Texas and a few hot middle of the road SEC teams and you would easily have the most talked about hoops season every year.
5. It would kill the ACC. The remaining ACC schools would probably form some sort of super conference with the Big East leftovers, but there wouldn't be a hoops matchup to carry what has traditionally been a basketball conference.

Would Duke and Carolina leave their comfort zone? They are both so attached to the ACC. Neither school liked giving up power when the ACC expanded. If they were to leave for the SEC, they would see their voices diminished that much more. But money talks. If the SEC came to them with the Godfather offer, they would certainly listen.

Quick Scouting report on Duke

Recent losses to Wake Forest and Clemson have made BC's game against Duke a must win. The team needs another resume/RPI win and needs to stop their losing streak. It will be a tough task because, and I hate to admit this, Duke is good. As always they have strong defense and will probably put a lot of pressure on Rice and in his absence, Paris. But hope is not lost. The teams that have beat Duke have been more physical and pushed the tempo. BC can do both. Outside of slowing Henderson and BC's defensive rebounding, I think the key to the game will be Southern and Trapani. Duke's big men are not that talented. If we can put pressure on them and get some easy baskets inside, they will have to adjust in a variety of ways. Let's just hope Al and Rice make an effort to go inside early. If BC cannot pull out the upset this season will start feeling NITish.