Furious Mike Krzyzewski screams at Cameron Crazies, then apologizes, meets with Duke students
Mike Krzyzewski normally relies on the “Cameron Crazies” to create an atmosphere that’s made Duke so successful at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
On Tuesday night the Hall of Fame coach and his renowned student fanbase got sideways with each other when Jeff Capel became the target of a chant.
With 38 seconds left in the first half of No. 9 Duke’s 79-67 win over Pittsburgh, the students began a sing-songy “Jeff Capel sit with us!” chant.
Capel, a former Duke player and assistant coach, is in his second season as Pitt’s head coach. Tuesday was his first game coaching against his alma mater at Cameron.
Krzyzewski jumped off the Duke bench stomping his feet and yelling for the students to “shut up.” Pitt’s Xavier Johnson was shooting free throws at the time. One of the game officials, Mike Eades, put his arms up to keep Krzyzewski from getting on the court.
On his way into the locker room at halftime, a red-faced Krzyzewski stopped and screamed at the Crazies to leave Capel alone, saying “he is one of us,” and pounding his fist on his chest.
He also apologized to Capel as he walked past the Pitt bench as halftime came to a close.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’d apologize, it turned out.
In his postgame press conference, Krzyzewski admitted being unaware of what the students were actually chanting, saying that he only heard Capel’s name. That chant is normally a welcoming one, used to entice recruits or VIP guests who are sitting behind the Duke bench to come across the court and join them.
“I thought it was something personal,” Krzyzewski said. “I apologize to the students for that. I don’t apologize for the timing. You shouldn’t say that in the middle of the first half in an ACC game. This isn’t some cutesy little thing where we can just bounce a ball around and giggle.”
On Wednesday, Krzyzewski met and discussed the situation with a group of students who are among those staying in tents in the well-known Krzyzewskiville area behind Cameron Indoor. That decades-old tradition allows students to get best seats for games, the UNC-Duke game at Cameron in particular.
Capel, who is from Fayetteville, played at Duke from 1993-97 and was an assistant for Krzyzewski from 2011-18.
As for the Crazies turning their attention to him, he said he was “locked in” and didn’t hear the chant. After the game, he tweeted: “Love you guys back!!! No offense taken from me! Keep SHOWING UP AND CHEERING FOR YOUR TEAM! They DESERVE IT!”
“It’s a mistake on my part,” Krzyzewski said, “but I’d rather make the mistake in protection of my guy.”
Capel followed up with another tweet on Wednesday, saying, “I am so GRATEFUL to have played for a coach that is so LOYAL and GENUINELY loves his guys, and is not afraid to express it! I pray that I am able to live to 70+ years old. If I do, I hope to have half the passion for anything that MY COACH still has!”
This story was originally published January 28, 2020 at 11:00 PM with the headline "Furious Mike Krzyzewski screams at Cameron Crazies, then apologizes, meets with Duke students."