«There’s no way I’m missing this one,» he said, as tears started to pour down. Jubanowsky’s been going to Duke games …
«There’s no way I’m missing this one,» he said, as tears started to pour down. Jubanowsky’s been going to Duke games since 1982 – Mike Krzyzewski’s second season at the helm of the Blue Devils. Fans packed in around 10 a.m. Saturday at the 9,314-seat arena – eight hours before Duke tips off against North Carolina (6 p.m. ET, ESPN) for Coach K’s final home game. «Coach K, we don’t really know him, but I’d want him to know how much he’s meant to our family, what he’s built here,» said Jubanowsky’s daughter,43-year-old Tara McAteer. «The first game I went to was with my Dad when I was eight years old. Christian Laettner made the shot ( with two seconds left vs. Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight). We’ve followed this team, Coach K, our whole lives. Our whole family goes to these games it’s the most important thing we do. Duke’s been there for us through the ups and downs and it’s all because of what Coach K built. He’s been such an inspiration.» ESPN’s College GameDay was broadcasting all morning, with the Cameron Crazies as lively as ever waiting outside Krzyzewskiville and shuffling into the gym. Signs commemorating the 75-year-old coach read, «Happy Senior Day, Coach K.» «This is not a house, it’s a home,» Krzyzewski said in a segment that aired on ESPN. Duke associate head coach Jon Scheyer, the coach-in-waiting upon Krzyzewski’s retirement, was seen getting emotional during a GameDay interview with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. Duke alums JJ Redick, Shane Battier and Steve Wojciechowski later joined the crew at halfcourt. «This is not a normal game,» ESPN’s Seth Greenberg said. «This is a historic event.» Some fans only showing up for the pre-game festivities because of the expensive ticket prices. One small child’s signage read, «will sell toys for tickets.» «I just wanted to be a part of it on campus, we drove all the way to be here even though we can’t see the game,» said Meryl Brown, an alum who graduated in 1980, the season in which Coach K arrived at Duke. «I wasn’t able to pay $5,000 for a ticket but I got us a hotel and was like, ‘we’re going’ and will watch the game at the bar.
