Oh Brother. Duke Is Really, Really Good.

Watched the game. Duke was simply magnificent in every way and has at least three players who will be in the NBA next year. Which leads me to the inevitable question: Why are Barrett, Williamson and Reddish playing college basketball? Like most of Kentucky's studs of recent years, obviously they are not there for the degree. Coach K knows this full well. Here is my curmudgeon-like pitch to return college athletics to, well, collegians: Each college team is able to award 13 scholarships each year under current NCAA rules. But there is no downside if they recruit one-and-done players who really have no intention of actually going to college or getting a degree--they get the same 13 scholarships to offer the next year. I believe the program should lose a scholarship in the next year for every player who does not play out his eligibility, unless due to injury or special personal circumstances. This will encourage schools to recruit scholar-athletes, versus just athletes. But if they really want to recruit one-and-dones like Williamson, Barrett and Reddish to make a run at a championship, they can--they will just pay for it the next year. Look, I love watching him, but Zion Williamson should be in the NBA or the NBA Developmental League. Duke and Kentucky have become little more than Nike and ESPN-financed showcases for future NBA players. College athletics should be for college kids. I know it sounds old fashioned (and probably naive in today's world), but . . . .

NBA-lite with no pay for players, everyone else face down in the NCAA trough

Proud of R.J. Barrett. A Canadian citizen who grew up in a community near our city. He will be a likely first round pick in the next NBA draft. A future LeBron. Canadian basketball has a very bright future.

Any questions, you say? I have one. When are the greedy pigs who make a vast fortune from college sports going to start paying the kids who actually make the game possible? First person to reply citing 'the purity of the game' as an excuse for not paying the players is one of the greedy pigs mentioned, above.

Give Duke the title, nobody will ever be as good. Maybe Kentucky isn't very good.

The game was an extermination, not just a victory.

Love college basketball, watched Duke (no other team mattered last night), and was thrilled.

Watched both marquee season opening matchups. Duke was the most impressive, by a longshot. The game was somehow even more lopsided than the score indicates. A team other than Kentucky might have been blown out of the arena with Duke doubling their score. Calipari's team is talented and he knows how to coach, but they were clearly outmatched. Zion Williamson was touted before the game began as a generational player. Best since LeBron James. He lived up to the hype even if his teammate got more points. 6'7 285 pounds, he would be the 2nd heaviest player in the NBA behind only a guy who stands 7'3. Not much baby fat, appeared to be mostly solid muscle. Unbelievable vertical leap of 45 inches, which would be an incredible number for someone weighing a hundred pounds less. Barring injury, he's going to transform the possibilities. Immovable inside, can obviously jump, and has a touch handling the ball (mentioned as Duke's point-forward when the PG needs a rest) and can shoot from outside. RJ Barrett had a fantastic debut to his college career. He'll make a great player both in college and in the NBA, but he's just another in a long list of athletically gifted wing players. Zion Williamson is the future. I dislike Duke with a passion(doesn't everyone who's not a Duke fan? worsened by the Michigan Wolverines being my team, my alma mater Columbia doesn't quite enter the conversation), but basketball fans should go out of their way to watch him play.

I've been a Duke fan since 1986. Oh what joy it would be to see this team evolve over the next 3-4 years. Alas, we will need to watch in awe for but one season. Buckle up!