Who Was Your Duke Basketball Crush?

[CathyCA]

This thread was inspired by ILoveJimmy and DukieInKansas.

Who was your Duke Basketball crush? You know, the player you scoped out on the quad or at parties or in The Pits or on television? The player you just loved and wanted to meet?

For me, it was Mike Gminski. Imagine my glee when, on freshman orientation day, about a half an hour after I had whisked my parents off campus and back home, I stepped off the bus at the WCBS and walked right up to a keg party being hosted by none other than NBA rookie Mike Gminski! I couldn't believe it! I was having a beer at Duke with the G-Man.

True story. One of my less-informed hallmates actually asked Mike if he played sports. She had no idea who he was. I was mortified.

[DukieInKansas]

As already admitted - mine was Bob Bender. I would sit in the second row of students behind the Duke bench so I could watch him during timeouts. (Couldn't sit in the first row - my legs were too long.) I had an English seminar with him - that was my favorite class. :D

Gene Banks was a close second. He was in the apt bldg across from mine on Central Campus. He used to walk around in overalls without a shirt - it showed off his arms and shoulders and they were worth showing off.

[kmspeaks]

Wojo. He's the reason I'm a Duke fan. After that it was JJ, along with just about every other girl my age, but I still smile everytime the camera flashes to the sidelines and I get to see Wojo sitting there :D

[DukePA]

Mine was aslo the the G Man. I was in high school when he came to Duke and subsequently developed the biggest crush on him. I've met him a few times at basketball games over the years. I'm not so sure about the hoop earring he's sporting these days :).

[TillyGalore]

This thread was inspired by ILoveJimmy and DukieInKansas.

Who was your Duke Basketball crush? You know, the player you scoped out on the quad or at parties or in The Pits or on television? The player you just loved and wanted to meet?

For me, it was Mike Gminski. Imagine my glee when, on freshman orientation day, about a half an hour after I had whisked my parents off campus and back home, I stepped off the bus at the WCBS and walked right up to a keg party being hosted by none other than NBA rookie Mike Gminski! I couldn't believe it! I was having a beer at Duke with the G-Man.

True story. One of my less-informed hallmates actually asked Mike if he played sports. She had no idea who he was. I was mortified.

I don't stalk and tell. ;):rolleyes::eek:

[dukegirlinsc]

Wojo was my first, he came to Duke Children's Hospital once when I was a patient, and it was all downhill from there. He was then followed by Shane and of course JJ. Ever since then I've felt a little too school-girlish to crush on the players, I kinda look at them as little brothers now. Although Gerald and John are both cuties. :o

[summerwind03]

Jay was my first. (It was interesting that the girls were mostly divided by whether they liked Jay or Mark that year. My head will still turn if I hear Jay's voice on the tv! Now, David Henderson is definitely my favorite, but that's because I know him and he's so nice.) But probably Quin was really the one I "crushed" on. My best friend was more of a Danny Ferry fan, so at least we didn't compete!

[BlueDevilBaby]

First crush was definitely Bilas. I am kicking myself right now for not saying hello and getting a picture with him in Maui last time Duke was there. Too shy and toungue-tied. Barely got up the courage to ask Johnny D for a picture. BTW, GMan was my first favorite player, as opposed to crush (too young ;)).

[ILoveJimmy]

Well, you'd think my screen name, avatar, and new signature picture would say it all, but there's more. Jimmy Spanarkel was my basketball hero. I did meet him several times with a dorm friend who knew him rather well. I went to all the home games and was usually one of the first in line. Even back in the late 70s, there was some camping out (no tents yet) going on for the 2-4 biggest games. I slept out twice my senior year (no Jimmy :(); I don't remember specifically the earlier years. One of the nights that we were out overnight was very cold and they let us go inside Cameron and wait. Coach Foster used to come out and talk to us and give us stuff. I had a friend Lynn who waited with me and we sat together for all the games. We always sat in the first row behind the team benches. When they opened the doors, everyone ran in and rushed to the TV side, much like today. Lynn and I ran straight to the team bench. We always got the first spots!! That way we got a better view of the players and coaches and could often hear what was going on in huddles. Good views of Jimmy although he was rarely on the bench!

By the way, I often ran into Mike Gminski in my dorm hallway. He dated one of the girls on my floor during my junior year. He was absolutely huge passing by him in person, way more so than seeing him on the court.

ILoveJimmy

[rthomas]

Abby Waner

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0308/ncw_a_waner_smith_sq_300.jpg

yes, maybe a little creepy for a man my age.

[DukieInKansas]

Abby Waner

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0308/ncw_a_waner_smith_sq_300.jpg

yes, maybe a little creepy for a man my age.

Thanks for posting - I was wondering if any of the guys would admit to crushes.

[throatybeard]

Carey Kauffman T '95.

But mostly Kellie Jolly at Tennessee.

[YmoBeThere]

Thanks for posting - I was wondering if any of the guys would admit to crushes.

Okay...so my crushes on GHill and THill will go unmentioned!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I remember thinking how good looking Howard Hurt was when I got to see him play, but then Art Heyman arrived at Duke... I was in high school..... I saw him a few times when we visited on campus, but he graduated from Duke as I was graduating from high school. He was SOOOO good looking and played with such passion. I've seen him several times in recent years and finally asked for his autograph at a book signing. I told him I had waited 30 years to ask for that autograph. When he signed the book, he made a reference to waiting for me for 30 years.

Jeff Mullins was a senior when I was a freshman. My big sister sent me to get his autograph. I found him at a freshman football game. Not only did his sign a cursory autograph for my big sister, he wrote a special one for me on the program and another on my freshman bow. (I still have the bow!) He was such a gentleman. Every time I see him now I let him know how much it meant that he was so kind to a freshman.

Over the years, every team has had at least one favorite player.... Gene Banks, Kenny Dennard, Danny Ferry, Mike Dunleavy.... and now Gerald Henderson.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

Abby Waner

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0308/ncw_a_waner_smith_sq_300.jpg

yes, maybe a little creepy for a man my age.

You beat me to it. I also had a major schoolboy crush on Coach G back in the day.

[dukegirlinsc]

This thread was inspired by ILoveJimmy and DukieInKansas.

Who was your Duke Basketball crush? You know, the player you scoped out on the quad or at parties or in The Pits or on television? The player you just loved and wanted to meet?

For me, it was Mike Gminski. Imagine my glee when, on freshman orientation day, about a half an hour after I had whisked my parents off campus and back home, I stepped off the bus at the WCBS and walked right up to a keg party being hosted by none other than NBA rookie Mike Gminski! I couldn't believe it! I was having a beer at Duke with the G-Man.

True story. One of my less-informed hallmates actually asked Mike if he played sports. She had no idea who he was. I was mortified.

After watching the HBO special on Tobacco Road, and being refreshed about how cute Mike was back then, I can back you up entirely. He was quite the looker.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I'm going to answer for my daughter. Her first loves were Wojo and Chris Collins, but especially Wojo. She went to her first Men's Basketball Banquet with me in 1996 when Chris and Stan Brunson were the two seniors. She wanted to honor them more than the team did that night, so she "retired" their jerseys. The picture below I just took today, in her former bedroom, where Chris's and Stan's jerseys still hang, as they have for almost 13 years! :D

[weezie]

Can it really be that no one has claimed Christian Laettner yet? One of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People for 1992??!!!

OK, then, so he's mine...all mine:D

Talk about feeling weak in the knees......:cool:

[devildeac]

Georgia, Georgia, Georgia...

[Chicago 1995]

Carey Kauffman T '95.

Agreed.

[DevilAlumna]

Marty Clark - I dunno, something about his quiet but effective 6th man role. I ran into him once my frosh year (he was a senior) in the CI and was so stunned at how tall he was in person, I nearly stopped breathing.

Then Wojo. I nearly ran into the back of an East/West bus when I saw him running along campus drive with his shirt off. Yummy. ;)

[Mike Corey]

Vicki Krapohl.

http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper884/thumbs/t_3fa9c50eeb5ac-58-1.jpg

[Bostondevil]

My first Duke basketball player crush was Gary Melchioni, I think I was 5 or 6 years old at the time. Later it was Tate Armstrong. I stood in line to get his autograph when I was 12, oh Tate. If I'd kept having sons (I stopped at 4) the next one was going to be named Tate. Then came Jim Spanarkel. Then Kenny Dennard. While actually at Duke, for me, it was Dan Meagher. He was kind of polarizing though. I think the women at Duke with Meagher either wanted to sleep with him or thought he was gross, there was no in between. (I belonged to the first group.) I went crushless for a few a years until Grant Hill. Then Trajan. Then JJ. And now it's Gerald. But the crushes since Meagher have been of the 'He's just so cute!' variety. I'm no cougar. Except for JJ. I'd make an exception for JJ. If we'd had a girl, I was probably going to name her JJ (Judith Jane, but still).

If you made me pick only one, it would be Tate. I didn't do the teeny-bopper David Cassidy, Backstreet Boys kind of thing, for me, it was always Duke basketball players.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

If you made me pick only one, it would be Tate.
I was hoping one of of you ladies would remember Tate. Too bad he broke his wrist late in his senior season.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Michelle Van Gorp, two inches taller than I am. Not often I get to look up at women. http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Court/7574/semeka62.jpg

Alas, she it could never be since she is gay, but she was a big factor in Duke's up and coming program. I'm not sure when the photo above is from, but she was on the '99 team that beat Tennessee to get to the Final Four, ultimately losing to Purdue (where she had transferred from). My ex wife nicknamed her "Oakey" because she was as tall as a tree.

[aimo]

When I was in elementary school, I was seriously in love with Jim Sudduth. There were several more, but it's hard not to fall for someone on the team when you grow up in a family so completely immersed in Duke basketball.

[Windsor]

Bob Bender, Ken Dennard....my daughter had a serious thing going for Wojo when she was little.

[pamtar]

I currently have a man-crush on G.

[ramdevil]

How about a Duke football crush?

I wanted to marry Ron Sally (quarterback) so I could have the same first and last names.

ramdevil

[OZZIE4DUKE]

How about a Duke football crush?

I wanted to marry Ron Sally (quarterback) so I could have the same first and last names.

ramdevil
Sally Sally. :cool: That would be pretty cool!
Ron Ron. That would be pretty uncool!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Ron Ron. That would be pretty uncool!
That would make him re-Ron.

[devildeac]

That would make him re-Ron.

Or: I met him on a Sunday and my heart stood still,
They do ron ron ron, they do ron ron...

or something like that:o

[allenmurray]

mrsallenmurray had quite the crush on Thomas Hill. He may have been the reason she became a Duke Basketball fan.

And how is it that no one has yet mentioned Iciss Tillis?

[Lavabe]

Georgia, Georgia, Georgia...

I see. That explains a lot. Will have to tell Legacy Lady, ILJ, and our dog about this.:D

[BlueDevilJay]

I hate to admit this, but I had the whole 'man crush' whatever you wanna call it, on JWill. Not that I thought he was attractive or anything (at the same time he was by no means ugly either) but I just tried to emulate the guy on and off the court. He quickly became my favorite Duke player of all time (I have been watching since I was a baby with my dad, my first memories are of Dawkins, Alarie, Bilas, that whole crew's junior year, 1985 I think) even though I've had a good number to choose from, I don't know what it was about him. I tried my best to mimic him on the court, modeled my own game after him, and just thought he was an all around great guy. I'm sure those of you who know him personally can attest to that being true, I know he's not fake, he can't be. Anyway, his is one of two Duke jerseys I own, the other being a Grant Hill white jersey I bought when I attended camp at Duke back in the late 80's/early 90's.

Now as for an ACTUAL Duke basketball player crush, I've got a major one for Ms Waner. A beautiful woman who could school me on the basketball court....plays for Duke on top of it....if she is into football (soccer) she'd probably be about my perfect woman :D

[Turk]

I was content to be an insignificant speck of dust in the radiant brilliant universe that was Joanne Boyle. Mrs. Turk had the hots for Quin and Robert Brickey.

[DukePA's Mom]

This is a great thread. Our grandaughter, DukePA's neice, was in love with WoJo. It began when she was 14. We were at the Sheraton Hotel one night when the team came through for their meal, on the way out of town to a game. Grandaughter walked straight up to him & got his autograph. She had the biggest grin on her face. She is now 26, she still has the autograph. She now laughs when the incident is brought up.

[DukePA's Mom]

Ozzie,I love it!!

[missfinch]

I had the dual Mark/Jay crush going on their freshman year. Ironically, I ended up marrying one of Mark's high school teammates who (only half) jokingly takes credit for Mark's ending up at Duke. My husband was already a student at Stanford when Mark came for a recruiting visit and the athletic department set up a time for them to shoot around and visit at Maples. My husband claims Mark asked him what he thought about Stanford and Duke and he told him he should go to Duke!

[YmoBeThere]

Mark Alarie was a Brophy Prep Bronco wasn't he?

[missfinch]

Yes-- class of 82--good memory.

[YmoBeThere]

I went to HS in AZ a few years after he did. We played them often.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

This is a great thread. Our grandaughter, DukePA's neice, was in love with WoJo. It began when she was 14. We were at the Sheraton Hotel one night when the team came through for their meal, on the way out of town to a game. Grandaughter walked straight up to him & got his autograph. She had the biggest grin on her face. She is now 26, she still has the autograph. She now laughs when the incident is brought up.


Ozzie,I love it!!
Your grand daughter and my daughter are the same age!

[devildeac]

I see. That explains a lot. Will have to tell Legacy Lady, ILJ, and our dog about this.:D

I am not certain your aussie will be impressed:rolleyes:

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

at the Duke Children's Classic one year, I told him that both I and my daughters had major crushes on him but that, alas, I was too old and they were too young. He replied with a big grin "That's the story of my life."
Bless his heart.
Love, Ima

[Lavabe]

I am not certain your aussie will be impressed:rolleyes:

I don't think she can bark BWAHAHAHAHAHA.:D

[devildeac]

I don't think she can bark BWAHAHAHAHAHA.:D

You can make it part of the training process or tricks she learns. Just like:

Go to hell, carolina, go to hell-woof, woof
Go to hell, carolina, go to hell-woof, woof

repeated ad infinitum:D

[YmoBeThere]

I was more into a couple of women that played volleyball...

[DukieInKansas]

at the Duke Children's Classic one year, I told him that both I and my daughters had major crushes on him but that, alas, I was too old and they were too young. He replied with a big grin "That's the story of my life."
Bless his heart.
Love, Ima

Now I'm jealous! I wish I had the courage to admit my crushes when I meet them. Or does that sound like stalking?

[YmoBeThere]

Now I'm jealous! I wish I had the courage to admit my crushes when I meet them. Or does that sound like stalking?

Stalk away?