All-time Duke great Robert Brickeyreturned to the podcast to get us ready for the Blue Devils’ basketball team. (Turns out this team has been around for a while. Who knew? I always thought Duke was just a football school, but I’m glad to learn.) During the interview, we discussed Robert’s upcoming wedding, give glowing reviews to Coach Scheyer and are both high on the Blue Devils’ chances this season. Robert also gives his perspective on conference restructuring and how it may be time to separate football and Olympic sports going forward. Oh, and we talk about how well the football team has been doing since Elko & Co. got to Durham. This was a fun talk with a great guest.
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To get ready for Duke-Northwestern on Saturday, we’ve got an interview with the editor of Wildcat Report, Louie Vaccher. During a very informative discussion, we talked about the Northwestern hazing scandal, the associated lawsuits, listen to a few voicemails and, hey, we actually talk about the Wildcats and the Blue Devils! We have some game predictions from me, Louie and Duke running back Joe Ajeigbe! We also check in on Richlandia.
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As we all know, former Duke offensive lineman Kade Parmelly traveled to the other side on July 7, 2023. We got introduced to Kade as a result of his year in Durham playing for the Blue Devils during what would be David Cutcliffe’s last year as Duke’s coach. Kade departed this world rather young, having only reached 24 years of age. We all got to know Kade a little better thanks to his interviews with the Duke FB Talk crew.
If you read Steve Wiseman’s article about Kade’s passing, it’s clear that everyone cared deeply for the young man. It sure seemed like he got along with everyone. A guy like that is pretty rare and the kind we don’t come across often enough.
With that in mind, me and Tim decided to record a tune to honor Kade’s memory. The song we chose is “Texas Quick Step”. We picked it because of Kade’s Texas roots. The tune is also known as “Rachel” or “Rachel’s Hornpipe.” It may be named after President Andrew Jackson’s wife, but who really knows with these old-time tunes. We hope you enjoy it.
Thank you for spending some time with the Blue Devils, Kade.
Those of you who watched Duke football in the mid to late 90s know just how dominant of a force Chris Combs was. There’s a reason that he got drafted by the Steelers in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft. Well, there’s more than one. Those reasons include, but aren’t limited to, his work ethic, his leadership and his ability to dominate the game as a defensive tackle.
Chris Combs gets ready to make a play against the Lions.
Unfortunately, because of the era during which Chris played (Coaches Goldsmith and Franks), we sometimes forget just how great of a player he was. This interview is a perfect way to refresh our recollection of an all-time Blue Devil.
During our almost 1.5 hour interview, we covered a wide range of topics. These include Chris’ work as a strength and conditioning coach during the Ted Roof era. That gave Chris the chance to work with other teams including Duke LAX. Chris was there for the Duke LAX scandal which we talked about. In addition to that, we learned about Chris’ current career and how his playing days at Duke gave him the strength to persevere through a slow start. We also talked about how great Roanoke is, how much I continue to hate Maryland and one of the worst calls in the history of Blue Devil football. And for all you young fans, we’ve got a pretty good argument that the ACC refs have always been out to get us. Fun fact, I called Dad the day after the interview, mentioned the call and then listened to him get real, real upset at the officials when I brought it up. It’s been more than twenty-five years and he’s still mad about it. Safe to say, Dad is of the opinion that the refs made a horrible, horrible call. Which they did – there was no reason for the penalty flag on that play.
If all that weren’t enough, we also talked about the historic Flu Game against Florida State in 1998. For those of you who many not remember, pretty much every Duke player got a case of food poisoning and became violently ill during the game. Naturally, the team absolutely fell apart against the Seminoles. What I didn’t know is that the Flu Game resulted in a CDC and North Carolina Department of Health investigation. The Blue Devil players transmitted the Norwalk virus to Florida State players during the game which was the first time that mass transmission of a virus occurred on a football field. The New England Journal of Medicine published an article about it.
Here is what Coach Goldsmith had to say about how he felt during the game (this is taken from his book, “Comeback Coach“):
“I was walking around the FSU field when all of a sudden I felt the sickest I have ever felt in my life. I thought something was wrong with my heart and I was going to die right there in Doak Campbell Stadium.”
Now, you may question some part of Coach Goldsmith’s recount of his symptoms because he goes on to claim in that same paragraph of his book that the Blue Devils only lost to the Noles by a touchdown or two. That’s not remotely close to being accurate. The final score was actually a much closer than it looked, according to Coach Goldsmith, 62-13. However, after listening to what Chris had to say about the game, I’ve concluded that Coach Goldsmith’s memory of the final score is colored by the severity of his symptoms.
I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Chris and to talk to him about an era of Duke football that I spent a lot of time watching. It’s great to have guys like him be part of the Blue Devil family.
Let me know what you think about what we think in the comments, on Mastodon, on Reddit, on Post, or on Twitter.
We all remember Kade Parmelly from his time at Duke. You’ve all probably seen the posts on Twitter regarding him being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Kade’s loved ones set up a GoFundMe account to help with his medical expenses as he gets treatment. Please, please, please take some time from your day and donate to help one of our fellow Blue Devils out.
Desmond Scott, one of Duke’s most versatile players ever, stopped by for a great discussion about a wide variety of topics. In regard to just how impactful of a player Desmond was, take look at his rushing, receiving and return stats – it’s unreal, especially considering that he transitioned to wide receiver for his senior year. Unbelievable.
During this almost 1.5 hour discussion, we talk about how Desmond elected to forego the NFL to become a principal which, in turn, led him to his current career of being a life trainer. Desmond owns and operates Prime Athletic Training & Fitness Institute and helps develop his clients in all aspects of their lives. We discuss how Demond built his business, how he became an entrepreneur, the challenges presented to his livelihood by COVID-19 and being a new father. Oh, and did I mention we talked about Blue Devils football? Well, we did. And Desmond has an amazing recruiting story that involves an all-time “What If?” in regard to West Virginia. You’ll be amazed when you hear it.
Further, you’ll recall that Desmond was on the 2012 team that beat the Cheats and was part of the 4th and Bowl play.
And, if all this weren’t enough, Desmond has some great things to say about Coach Elko, Coach Feeley and the current state of the program. Thank you, Desmond, for stopping by and for such a great talk.
Finally, as we get to the end of the episode, you’ll hear me mention that my Grandmother passed away peacefully last week. Grandma Wayne means a great deal to me; she helped me develop as a man, as a father and in my career. I don’t have enough time to thank her for all that she did for me, so I’ll just say that I don’t mourn the passing of a woman who lived to age 94, stayed married to Grandpa Wayne for 72 years, had four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Grandma did some wonderful things and, instead of mourning her passing, I celebrate her life. In addition to raising a family, Grandma went back to school after her children got older and worked as a school teacher until she retired. She was a whip-smart woman who graduated from the College of Charleston. Had Grandma come along a little bit later, she would have been a scientist (I believe she got a Chemistry degree) or may have ended up as an attorney.
Because Grandma got sick when she did, I had time to visit with Grandpa and, as a result, I learned a lot about my family and Grandma and Grandpa’s relationship. Fun story – Grandma was so smart and so diligent about her studies that she snuck a German textbook into the dance where she met Grandpa. While Grandma may not have approved (read “strongly disapproved”) of me and my wife living together before we got married, she never mentioned it to my wife and always treated her with the utmost respect. One of the last things she said to me before she passed is that my wife “is a special woman.”
Obviously, I can’t say enough good things about my Grandmother, so I’ll just let Marcus Aurelius say it for me – “the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose.”
I love you, Grandma.
Let me know what you think about what I think in the comments, on Mastodon, on Reddit, on Post, or on Twitter.
Do we really need to do an introduction for Conner Vernon? He’s one of the greatest wide receivers in program history. If you don’t recognize him by now, that’s probably on you. Seriously, this guy is in the GOAT discussion for wide receivers.
During this interview, we discuss Conner’s current career in wealth management, his work as a radio color commentator for the Blue Devils’ beatdown of Miami this past season, Dave Harding‘s slow response time and how his class helped turn Duke around from a doormat to eventual ACC Coastal Champion. We also get into Conner’s proficiency at trash-talking his opponent. Oh, and did someone say Fourth and Bowl?
This was a great talk with a Blue Devil legend. Thanks, Conner, for stopping by.
Let me know what you think about what I think in the comments, on Mastodon, on Reddit, on Post, or on Twitter.
Ron Frederick played at Duke under Coach Red Wilson after transferring in from ECU. He was fortunate enough to play alongside several Blue Devil greats including Ben Bennett and Chris Castor. After playing in Coach Spurrier’s offense, Ron got a chance to show his stuff and made it into professional football with Tampa Bay and then with the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL.
During the interview, we discuss Ron’s football career, his time in Durham, the current state of Duke football and the unique motivational abilities of Coach Spurrier. In addition, we covered the reincarnation of the USFL and have a good talk on how coaches should sometimes stay where they are. This was a fun talk with a diehard Blue Devil.
Big shoutout to my friend Dan for helping put this together and getting me and Ron in touch. This interview wouldn’t have happened without him.
Let us know what you think about what we think in the comments, on Mastodon, on Reddit, on Post, or on Twitter.
We all remember Colby from the 2021 season at Duke.
Colby transferred in from Presbyterian College and, after being a beast on special teams, went on to be a part of a championship team in the Finnish Maple League and was named the MVP of the championship game. Colby will play for the Albany Empire this coming season as he continues to pursue his dream of getting to the NFL. In addition to these topics, Colby and I discuss the 2021 season and how Coach Elko (and Coach Feeley) turned things around this year. You’ll also hear from Future Ben as he reads Colby’s prediction for Duke’s bowl game. This was a great talk with a memorable Blue Devil.
Now, let me conclude by saying that there will be a discussion about the team meeting with law enforcement during the 2021 season and the effect it had on the team. This podcast is not set up to fully and completely engage in a discussion about use of force by law enforcement, so please don’t consider this to serve as that discussion. The level of detail that topic requires is well beyond the scope of this podcast.
I hope you enjoy the interview. As always, Go Duke!
Folks, it finally happened. After a lot of requests from fans, Anthony Boone and I were able to connect for a great, great talk about Duke football, QB Country and the mindset it takes to overcome devastating injuries.
– Anthony gets a TD against Virginia Tech in 2013.
During our talk, Anthony discussed what it took to win at Duke, provides great advice on how to maintain success over multiple seasons and what it was like sharing snaps with Brandon Connette (aka The Phantom). As we discussed the Blue Devils’ current season, Anthony gave some great insight on what Coach Elko and the staff are doing in Durham. You also learn a lot about the DukeGang mindset that his era personified.
Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity point out that while Anthony has some impressive clients at QB Country, it sure sounds like he may be a sleeper agent who is funneling top prospects to Chapel Hill College. We’ve got to correct this, folks! Anthony, get your guys to Durham!!!
In all seriousness, this interview was a blast. You’ll enjoy every minute of it and I hope we can have him back on soon.
Bull City Coordinators - A Duke Football Blog 