Grayson Allen Appreciation Thread

[df64]

Grayson,

Thank you for:

Choosing Duke. You could have chosen a much easier road where you would have been an immediate star with much less overall institutional/program demands and pressure.

For being and always intending to be a true student athlete. How many big time D1 athletes even consider attempting what you are doing in the classroom?

For giving your all every second of every game that you are playing.

For playing while hurt to help the team. Many in your situation would have sat out to protect their draft status. You went all out while hurt. You allowed your play and stats to suffer in front of NBA scouts to help your team.

For your brilliant play on the court. You are a pleasure to watch.

And...for representing Duke Basketball and college athletics in the highest of manners 99.9% of the time. Yes, you have made 3 mistakes. For those without BS agendas, your exemplary behavior far outweighs your mistakes. Please do not let your mistakes define you. Be accountable, fix your errors as best you can, and move on. Not for college basketball. Not for the pundits. Not even for Duke fans. For yourself, your family, and your team. If you never play a second of Duke basketball, I will always appreciate your contributions. If you continue to choose play for Duke, you will have my support the second you return to the bench/game. I will not support any mistakes you may make. But I will always support you as the human you have already proven to the Duke family that you are. You are part of the Duke family and I stand behind you.

 

[skysdad]

I agree. Still grateful he chose Duke and feel he will get through this. OFC

 

[skysdad]

Side bar here. Whoever post in support of Grayson on this thread expect to be banned from thr. If you post there and enjoy it do not post on this thread. OFC

 

[dbav]

Get yourself sorted out young man, and get back and dominate some more. Keep fighting Grayson.

 

[Jnood]

This will not define you in the end. There are great things to come!

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

I agree. Still grateful he chose Duke and feel he will get through this. OFC

Absolutely, Sky! And great thread, Df64! Grayson, Duke, and us fans will get through this, and hopefully come out stronger.

OFC

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

I love my boy Grayson!! Just disappointed in the events that occurred and still forever grateful he chose Duke and still wouldn't trade him for any other player out there. If it wasn't for Grayson we ain't winning a fifth natty and that I will always be thankful for!

 

[HonkeyT]

It's not how you start, it's how you finish. That goes for everything in life. As humans we make mistakes, but the true mark of intelligence is learning, growing and changing for the better from them. We got your back, G.

 

[SoCal Dukie]

Rest up, clear your mind; you still have loyal fans pulling for you.

Let's go Duke!!

 

[CRAZIE4LIFE]

You're my boy Grayson....You're my boy.

As embarrassing as this is for him, the worse part is the national media blows this up to be worse than it is. I don't agree with his actions and hope he does over come this bit of child like behavior, but there are far worse role models in the sports world than him, he's just under the Duke microscope of people wanting to see greatness fail. Keep you're head up Grayson, the team needs your fire and competitiveness.

 

[Jnood]

I just wish there could be a bit more perspective on this whole thing, specifically the outburst and psychiatric help talk. He's had a tough year adjusting to injury and a new role. He's a kid, he had a blow up. People act like they saw a unicorn. Like he was the only person to ever boil over.

 

[TRU CANE]

Cut the BS young man. Thank you

 

[johnl1219]

Count me in as totally supporting Grayson. He made a mistake but this time off will help him get back to 100%. The morning after it happened I was listening to Mad Dog sports radio on my way to work, people were calling in and ripping Grayson and Coach K, so I called in and defended the team, the player and the coach.

 

[CRAZIE4LIFE]

They are blowing it up like he just commuted domestic violence or got caught taking P.E.Ds, it really is silly he the nation media is crucifying him. I realize it ain't right and there are kids watching him as a role model, but geez.

 

[DevilDJ]

For the unx fan in your life...

 

[germantondevil]

He will come back and be great. No doubt. He is super competitive and gives his body and soul every time he pulls that Duke jersey over his head and for that I will always support GA and I do not give a rats ass who hates me for that at THR. Nobody over there signs my checksOne for THR

 

[DukeDenver]

Grayson, your body of work speaks for itself: asshole and winner on the court, great friend and student off the court. We love you.

 

[df64]

Really like some of the things JWill said about his thought process after his motor cycle accident. K was one of the first to visit JWill and gave him some great advice. This is another of those moments. This a time for the entire Duke Family to be there for Grayson and I think they will be. Remember the story about Justin Robinson walking into Plumlee' s dorm room? Just like that.

 

[kingbluedevil]

The time off will help Grayson in many ways. Playing injured is aggravating along with high expectations makes it tough on a player in the spot light. I hope he comes back with a clear mind and a fresh start.

 

[DevilDJ]

Grayson totally screwed up. Very disappointed in him and his actions. Would never try and defend ANY of what he did. That said , I found this article interesting. Even some of the responses on Twitter ( from non-Duke fans ) aren't as histrionic as one might expect...




Direct link...


http://www.outkickthecoverage.com/all-that-and-a-bag-of-mail-122316

 

[WI#1Dukie22]

The whole "help" thing is to much for me. My gosh, he boiled over, move on!!!! Another example of today's society always wanting to diagnose...... its not like he's ever before shown an outburst.

I'm not saying he shouldn't be suspended for the tripping BS, but I have a problem questioning his mental health because of a ONE SINGLE 20 second outburst.

 

[DukeDenver]

Really like some of the things JWill said about his thought process after his motor cycle accident. K was one of the first to visit JWill and gave him some great advice. This is another of those moments. This a time for the entire Duke Family to be there for Grayson and I think they will be. Remember the story about Justin Robinson walking into Plumlee' s dorm room? Just like that.

Speaking of J Rob, he was incredibly encouraging to the starters the other night. He seems like a winner.

 

[bfort2223]

I'll just keep it positive. He knows what he needs to fix. Such a pleasure to watch. Plays with passion. Unselfish. Clutch. Gets it done in the classroom. Winner. Thanks for putting your talent on display at Duke!

 

[sheyduke]

This will pass Grayson. We all make mistakes but it's how we learn from them that defines us.

I to really wish people would move on and let the kid see and learn from this. Time to heal and take time to yourself.
We got your back!

 

[crazyduke3]

Love the kid. If people knew the worst stuff I ever did I'd be so ashamed, but I get to keep it private and it's worse than what he did. There is a human attached to that foot and that human has made mistakes. But boy howdy haven't we all.

 

[MyDudeG]

He's been my favorite player since his freshman year and that won't ever change. People are acting like his actions are the most vulgar acts possible, but for some people to actually question his mental health is what's truly disgusting. The real Duke fans are still with him and look forward to seeing him in our uniform again soon.

 

[QC Dukie]

Yea it's not like he was driving a car rented by a known felon, nor was he toting a gun and smoking dope. He made a mistake on the court. He's being punished and will be back more focused than ever imo. I'm behind you 100% young man.

OFC

 

[Devilinside]

GA: you made a mistake. Apologized. Got punished. Accepted punishment. Served your time. You'll be stronger for it all. Merry Christmas!!

 

[kingbluedevil]

Merry Christmas to all Duke players, coaches and fans. Grayson learn from this mistake and there's a lot of basketball to be played. I think this will bring this team together and play more as a team the rest of the year. Grayson will be under a microscope the rest of the year.

 

[LTDukeFan]

Side bar here. Whoever post in support of Grayson on this thread expect to be banned from thr. If you post there and enjoy it do not post on this thread. OFC

Really? Nice.

 

[df64]

The whole "help" thing is to much for me. My gosh, he boiled over, move on!!!! Another example of today's society always wanting to diagnose...... its not like he's ever before shown an outburst.

I'm not saying he shouldn't be suspended for the tripping BS, but I have a problem questioning his mental health because of a ONE SINGLE 20 second outburst.

Not sure which help you are referring to. I think I agree. Help is relative. I was not implying that Grayson needed psychological help. I happen to be a counselor and have no idea of the "level of help" that he needs, if any. He might not need any. Not even "I got your back bro." I do think he needs his team and coaches to have his back at the very least. That is what Duke basketball is all about. Since so many of us fans root for Duke BB because of the kind of program K has created, not just the winning, we as fans should have his back. That is my starting point.

That said, youth tend to over internalize, dramatize, and over react to crisis. Is such cases, they can over react to conflict and impulsively act in a manner in which is out of character, totally unrelated to any form of mental illness, yet mirror behavior associated with much greater problems. Check out JWills comments on some of the thoughts he had shortly after his accident. Bottom line to me is, you support the hell out of people when they are going through a tough time even if you believe them to be solid as a rock and their problem(s) trivial.

 

[Jnood]

People (not here) have been claiming he needs psychological help for his outburst, in their expert opinions. Like, it was sociopathic behavior, and no one noticed it before.

 

[timo0402]

I think he simply is too wound up and puts way too much pressure on himself. With his success last year, the accolades, the spotlight and the negativity he incurred as a result of the two incidents last year it's a lot to handle. I think it just came out at once, like a volcano ready to erupt it was bound to happen. He needs the support and love of his family, coaches and teammates the most and then followed by all Duke fans. People are salivating to take their shots at him- I think that is sickening because they're all over him for making mistakes but yet they're going to blow it completely out of proportion in the way they treat him as if he killed their dog.

Grayson I do think will be fine, haters are haters and we're going to hate anyway. We got your back Grayson!

 

[2 skerz 3]

Cut the BS young man. Thank you

Figured a post like this from you in order for you to continue to "reach around" over at THR.

 

[df64]

More good points Timo. Grayson is not the only Type A, overachiever with a ton of self instilled pressure on him to temporarily "lose it." Hell, I've done it over a lot less and I'm am not a Type A overachiever. And when I did lose it, I wasn't trying to get A's at Duke while taking a tough course load trying to graduate in 3 yrs and lead a undermanned team like Duke to a NC while injured.

 

[Baller224]

As Seth Davis said, we can hate the sin but love the sinner. Grayson became one of my favorite players his freshman year, and he remains one of my all-time favorite Duke players. I'm rooting for you G!

 

[TRU CANE]

Figured a post like this from you in order for you to continue to "reach around" over at THR.

You're so cute