The Cameron Crazies are Duke's most unique, prized and egalitarian tradition (because where else do nerds get to seem so cool, if only for a time?).
Since I've been here, however, the "crazy" has been diminishing. Watching home games on TV before I came to Duke was an awe-inspiring experience, and when I arrived as a freshman it was easy to sense the electricity and passion in the air.
But this intensity has waned over time. Now, the crowd has become visibly less energetic, unoriginal and increasingly dissonant in appearance (who said pink was an acceptable Duke color?). Sure, it still gets really loud and really tense at important moments, but the noise level and excitement never seem to surpass my expectations.
Fortunately, there is plenty we can do to bring the crazy back: Below are five problems-and solutions-for returning the mojo to Cameron. Given that this year's team has outpaced expectations by vaulting to the top of the ACC and a No. 2 national ranking, everyone who cares about Duke Basketball should listen up.
(1) Pregame procedures are too exhausting. Standing for an hour or more before the game even starts tires the Crazies out. It may psych the team up, but I'm quite sure Coach K and a seated student body could handle that just as well. Did you ever wonder why we often seem to blow large leads at home towards the end of the second half? It's partly because the energy level of the fans diminishes five or so minutes after the second tip-off. Not only should we encourage the Crazies to sit during the pregame warm up, but we should also turn the temperature in Cameron down a few degrees so it isn't that hot, either.
(2) Our image is ineffective. Every Crazie wears something different to the game, which ends up looking unintimidating and disjointed, especially when the crowd is jumping up and down for most of the game. Instead, we need to standardize a color for each home game so that the fans wear all blue, all white or all black-who doesn't want to hear Dickie V giving props to the Duke "blackout"?-or we could even designate a standard Cameron Crazie game shirt that all students would wear to every game. Otherwise, most viewers just can't help thinking "nerds" when the TV cameras spotlight the Crazies; I know I do.
(3) The cheers are disappointing. Before I came here, the biggest media hype about the Crazies regarded their originality. When I was a freshman, someone actually did research on opposing players to dig up dirt for use as a clever chant (MSU's Paul Davis crying at the free throw line, anyone?).
Now, the cheer sheets are surprisingly devoid of original ideas-don't tell me that ESPN's Page Two article three years ago actually made you feel more proud to be a Crazie-so the line monitors need to get creative and do their homework. Oh, and by the way, we all know Tyler Hansbrough looks like Beaker from the Muppets, so don't even bother.
(4) The band needs to be in tune with the flow of the game. The band always seems to start a song posttimeout that silences the Crazies. Unfortunately, this is exactly what helps the other team when they call timeouts to quell the crowd and end a Duke run: Inevitably, the student cheer ends, the band plays and Cameron gets quiet for a few seconds before the game resumes. Then, the Crazies can't return to their previously high intensity level, allowing our opponent a brief respite.
Instead, the band should recognize key moments in the flow of the game when it would be better to let the students keep chanting during the timeout in order to keep up the energy when play resumes.
(5) Bring it, or stay home. It is downright upsetting that students come to home games and don't jump and scream throughout the whole game. Plus it looks terrible on TV that the much-hyped Cameron Crazies aren't excited enough to make the whole place bounce at all times. Being involved is the one thing the Crazies can to do to help excite the team, so if you aren't willing to scream every chant and jump whenever the crowd is jumping, don't bother coming. Watch the game on TV so a better fan can take your place.
Cameron rocks, but it can always rock harder. Crazies, are you up to the task?
Jon Detzel is a Trinity senior. His column runs every other Tuesday.
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