Members of the Duke Law Class of 1986 asked that we post the following, which, sadly, puts all of the bombast about this evening's game in perspective:
One of the victims of the cruel, senseless and random shooting at Appalachian Law School in Grundy, Virginia on Wednesday of this week was a Duke Law/ Graduate School of Philosophy Grad, Tom Blackwell, '86. Tom had left his practice in Texas to join the faculty of Appalachian, a fledgeling law school, just recently accredited, which was established to educate and train lawyers who want to stay and work in the depleted and fairly poor coal mining reagion of far western Virginia. Many of the students would be unable to leave their homes, families, or jobs to attend school elsewhere, or could not afford to go elsewhere. Those of us who knew him also knew that this was a calling for him. Tom was a community builder in every sense of the word, and felt that those of us with advantages in life owe our best efforts to help others improve their lot. He didn't preach about it, he just did it.
Tom leaves behind a wonderful wife, Lisa, three children, and friends everywhere he has been. He will be missed.