"This place is like Cameron Indoor Stadium."
How frustrating is that phrase? Every time that I have heard that statement, all I can do is smile and politely respond, "No, it is not like Cameron." It is pointless to try and explain. Those who have never seen a Duke game in Cameron cannot compare another experience to it.
When my first basketball game rolled around freshman year, I thought I knew what to expect. Wrong. The game was an exhibition against High Five America that started at 7:30 p.m. My hall mates told me to meet them at Cameron after my 3:30 class. They said that we should get pretty good seats. "Pretty good" seats? Four hours before an exhibition game, we should get to sit on the bench. Oblivious to my reservations, I succumbed to the herd mentality and arrived promptly after my Economics 1 class. Sure enough, about 75 people were already in line.
The game was a blowout, as were many of the games in that magical season which saw the Blue Devils unexpectedly (yes, I know that Grant was on the team) advance to the national championship game. After that game, I did not leave the stadium talking about Mr. Hill (12 points, 8 assists in 25 minutes). After experiencing Cameron, I realized that for once, Dick Vitale was not exaggerating when he referred to Cameron as the best stadium in the country.
And so began four great years of Cameron, a time that will unfortunately come to an end tonight for the entire senior class when another surprising Duke team takes on Maryland. But before I officially wish the best place to watch a sporting event goodbye, I want to take some time to remember the Top 10 moments in Cameron over the last four years (Freshmen, sophomores and juniors will not understand all of these, so indulge me). These are not necessarily big games or shots, but merely 10 of the many moments that have made Cameron the place that it is for me.
10) Xavier Game, freshman year-Where it all began. It was the first nationally-televised game of the season. A game where you truly felt the electricity of a big game. I will always remember it for two things. First, Xavier head coach Pete Gillen before the game, on playing in Cameron:
"There's no way to prepare for Cameron Indoor Stadium with all of those cerebral students. They spend 16 hours a day in the library and they let them out on Saturday to bite the necks off the other team's players and coaches. All of their heads hurt from being in the library so long, they'll be like tigers foaming at the mouth."
Second, one of those cerebral, 16-hour students painted himself all blue. And I'm talking whole body, one color: Smurf Blue.
9) Temple Game, freshman year-Otherwise known as the Grant Hill retirement party. But seniors will also remember that Temple's most famous alum, Bill Cosby, was in attendance. When the Crazies chanted, "Jello," the Cos laughed. Unlike some celebs, Cosby appreciated the Crazies.
This game will always hold a special place in my heart because of an actual conversation overhead on the East-West bus the day before the game:
Girl 1: "Are you going to the game?"
Girl 2: "I don't know, I have a lot of work to do."
Girl 1: "You have to go, they are retiring Grant's jersey."
Girl 2: "Wait, if they retire his jersey now, what will he wear in the Tournament?"
I did not make that up (Scout's honor).
8) UNC Game, freshman year-No one ever forgets his or her first UNC game. Duke lost, 87-77, but besides the game, I remember the day itself. It was the first day of spring break. 170 tents up even for a game over break. It was 75 degrees and perfect. Dick Vitale sound-alike contest during the day. Then an impromptu motivation speech by Vitale himself. And sheer pandemonium during the game. I couldn't stop talking about what a UNC game is like until the next year.
7) Coach K's impromptu speeches-the night before every UNC game, Coach K talks about basketball, Cameron, coaching and just about anything else that students want to know. And this year's speech featured perhaps the most emotional comment of the last four years:
Coach K momentarily paused and said that when he leaves Duke, he would ask for only one thing from the school-that the tent village always be named "Krzyzewskiville." Here is a guy who, if he retired today, would be mentioned in the same sentence with men such as Rupp, Wooden and Smith. Those guys have "Arenas" or awards named after them, but Krzyzewski desires a bunch of rain-soaked, mud-caked tents as his legacy. Coach K-thank you.
6) Camping out-there is no singular representative aspect common to all that can even adequately describe what it means to live outside for days or weeks at a time for a chance to watch Duke BBall. Each person has his or her own story. My favorite memory is Georgia Tech three years ago. It was 32 degrees and raining (hard, cold rain but not cold enough for soft snow). Since it was our first camp-out, my hall mates and I didn't have a tent. So being the smart Duke students we are, we bought a tarp and pitched it. At 3 a.m., the tarp blew away. I turned to my friend and said, "Bobby, the tarp's gone." Bobby replied, "Let it go, just let it go." Bobby, Jason and I slept for another six hours in the driving cold rain. No shelter. Duke wins, 88-71.
5) The Chants-I am a big fan of the barking when Wojciechowski guards the ball. Maybe it has something to do with Wojo and Cujo rhyming.
But the Crazies have always been known for their abuse of the other team. And in four years, we have had some great cheers. You have the Rasheed Wallace "You've got to wash that gray right out of your hair." The Dante Calabria "Too much the Gel." The Tim Duncan "Marcus Camby" (Coach K is still upset about that one). The Bobby Sura "Sura is ugly." After his 35-point performance, "Sura is still ugly." (Duke won 106-79.) But my favorite has to be the one directed at Florida State's Charlie Ward after a poor night by the point guard: "No points, one Heisman." When a crowd can respect another a player and make fun of him in the same chant, you know it is good.
4) UNC Game, senior year-Duke wins, 80-73. Enough said.
3) 1994 Final Four-yes, I know that this tournament was held in Charlotte. But seniors remember that when Duke goes to the Final Four, they (I don't know who they are, but would like to thank them) open up Cameron to let students watch the games on a giant TV. You can stand on the floor or sit in the seats, although I highly recommend the floor. After Antonio Lang clinched the victory over Florida by taking a charge, Cameron went bonkers.
2) UNC Game, sophomore year-The Jeff Capel shot or the ESPY Best Game of the Year. Zwikker's missed free throws. Did I mention Capel's shot? I have never been as physically exhausted after a game that I never played in. Not only was it a great game, but as much as I hate to admit it, it also featured the best dunk that I have ever seen. Jerry Stackhouse on the right side, carries it under the basket in mid-air, then throws it down over Erik Meek and Cherokee Parks.
Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Dunleavy happened to be sitting on the front row of the upper level. After the dunk, Dunleavy even gasped a "Wow." Jerry, you may talk as much trash as you like. But if Michael Jordan is around, then shut up, or he will score 60 on you, again.
1) A Duke run, any year, any game-when the Blue Devils string together a succession of great offensive and defensive plays, the crowd and the team become one entity feeding off of each other. The atmosphere is charged, the noise becomes deafening, and Cameron emanates that indescribable feeling that makes it the best place to watch a sporting event. It simply does not get any better.
Brandon Ehrhart is a Trinity senior and assistant sports editor of the Chronicle. He would like to thank Julian Abele for designing Cameron and for giving students the best seats-a tradition that should never cease no matter how much money the University makes. Obviously, the same goes for replacing Cameron Indoor Stadium with some new "Arena" or "Center" and for paying for tickets instead of camping out for games.
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