Countdown to Craziness: Virtual Live Blog
Duke will not be able to hold its annual Countdown to Craziness this season, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 2020-21 Blue Devils are being introduced virtually.
Duke's "Countdown: The Movie" has just begun on the Blue Devils' YouTube channel.
Coach K just gave a recorded introduction that ended with him saying, "Listen, share, work, win, win. Be Duke."
JJ Redick is our virtual host. He said he was the best Duke could do, since Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson are busy doing commercials.
Redick introduces a funny video of Coach K learning to do TikTok, saying that back in his day, K would make the players do a brutal film session immediately after Countdown. Now he's learning TIkTok.
Later tonight, we'll get to see how Cameron will be fitted out during the pandemic, including the "scheme" Coach K mentioned that will be used in place of having Cameron Crazies in person.
Duke will also play a blue-white scrimmage.
The players are now watching classic Duke highlights and practicing their play-by-play skills. This is common during the early moments of Countdown--before the players take the court, there are typically goofy videos of the players to keep the fans entertained.
Krzyzewski said there would also be an anthem singer tonight, as well as intros and a simulated time out as he tries to give the team the full gameday experience.
The experience will not include cardboard cutouts of fans--a staple in pandemic arenas and stadiums. Carlos Boozer hinted that Cameron might use something more similar to the virtual fans that were used in the NBA Bubble
Intro time: DJ Steward comes out to G Herbo's Who Run It
Jalen Johnson gets Meek Mills' Dream's & Nightmares
Henry Coleman: Savage's Swing
Jeremy Roach: Relentless by Gunna
Mark Williams: The Bigger Picture by Lil Baby
I am totally Shazaaming these ...
Jaemyn Brakefield: Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake (They just did a video of this song that featured Coach K lip synching to Drake)
Matthew Hurt: Celebration Station by Lil Uzi Vert
They are not dancing on court like they do at Countdown. These are all pre-recorded dances.
Wendell Moore Jr.: Practice by DaBaby
Michael Savarino: Never Say Never by Justin Bieber
Keenan Worthington: Give me everything by Pitbull
Joey Baker: If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) by Nas
Mike Buckmire: Prices by Lil Uzi Vert
Patrick Tape: Mystery by Big Stove
Jordan Goldwire: Franchise by Travis Scott
Due to social distancing, the team poster (traditionally unveiled at Coutdown) features cartoon super hero versions of each player instead of the usual group photo
I'll go through each of them, since some of them are pretty funny and, apparently, we aren't going to get to see the scrimage after all
DJ Steward is the super hero GVO. He's dressed in all white and ... I'm not sure what his power is.
Jalen Johnson is Aviator
Henry Coleman is my favorite. He's Hank the Tank and inexplicably is carrying a shark on his shoulders.
He took teammates on a fishing trip over the summer, so ... maybe that explains the shark?
Jeremy Roach is Bolt
Mark Williams is Super Stretch and is apparently big enough to reject the moon as it orbits by. Needless to say, the big-man heroes are much more fun than the guards.
Jaemyn Brakefield gets Wolverine claws and is the Slasher
Matthew Hurt is Iceman
Wendell Moore is Sir Dubs and has some type of laser cannon for a right arm
Michael Savarino is The Source and has lightning bolts shooting from his hands, although they only seem to come out when he slaps the floor?
Keenan Worthington is The Sentinel and has a giant walking stick to help him stop people.
Joey Baker is Bullzeye and shoots Blue Devil tridents with a bow
Mike Buckmire is Professor B and has multiple arms, like the Indian god Durga
Patrick Tape is Visionar and has a crystal ball that floats.
Jordan Goldwire is Multiplier and can make dozens of clones of himself
And ... we're done? I guess they aren't going to show the scrimmage, or anything from Cameron, live.
