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<title>Duke Blue Devils: 2015 National Champions</title>
</titleStmt>
<publicationStmt>
<p>This edition has never been published online, so if this is to be used it must be
properly cited.</p>
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<sourceDesc>
<p>This is an authentic U.S. Government document. The document is a speech that
President Obama gave to the Duke Blue Devils at the White House a few months after
their NCAA title win in 2015. </p>
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<body>
<head> Administration of Barack Obama, 2015 Remarks Honoring the NCAA Men's Basketball
Champion Duke University Blue Devils September 8, 2015</head>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<p>Welcome to the White House, everybody. Hope you all had a good Labor Day. Let's give
it up for the National Champion, Duke Blue Devils! We thought about inviting the
Cameron Crazies here, but I didn't want any blue paint smudging my walls, so—
[laughter]—we weren't sure if the risers could take it if they were jumping up and
down. So you'll just have to shout and scream from your seats.<note>As my hardcore
Duke fans know, the Cameron Crazies are fans located in the student section at
Duke basketball games. The name Cameron derives from Duke's baseketball arena,
which is named Cameron Indoor Stadium. These fans are unbelievably passionate
about Duke basketball, so they often paint their bodies blue. Additionally, these
fans also jump up and down in unison yelling especially during crucial points of a
game. Duke has been labeled as one of the toughest environments for an opposing
team to play in. The Cameron Crazies are also credited with coming up with the
infamous air ball chant. This chant occurs when someone on the opposing team fails
to hit the rim on a shot attempt.<lb/>Source<lb/> Archives, DBR. <hi
rend="italics">Al Featherston on the Cameron Crazies!</hi>.Duke Basketball
Report, 2007. Web.</note></p>
<p>We've got some big Duke fans here today, including some Members of Congress, our
Transportation Secretary, a native of North Carolina, Anthony Foxx. I'd like to
recognize the Chairman of Duke's Board of Trustees, David Rubenstein, who's here.
Duke President Richard Brodhead is here. Athletic Director Kevin White is here. And
an up-and-coming coach named Mike Krzyzewski. [Applause] Hey!<note>Obama is a pretty
funny guy, so he uses humor throughout this speech. Krzyzewski is the farthest
thing from an up-and-coming coach. Coach K has been coaching at Duke since 1980,
and he has one hell of a coaching resume. He was inducted into the basketball hall
of fame in 2001, and he has led the Blue Devils to five national
championships.<lb/>Source<lb/>Ott, Tim. <hi rend="italics">Mike
Krzyzewski.Biography.com</hi>A&E Networks Television, 2016. Web.</note></p>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Audience members.</speaker>
<l>Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<p>[Laughter] We think he has a lot of potential. [Laughter] Although, he does look the
same. Have you noticed? There's like that Dorian Gray mirror thing going on
somewhere.<note>Once again, Obama is trying to be funny by using a literary
reference. He pokes fun at Coach K by saying even though he might be getting up
there in age, he still looks the same. My nonbasketball people might realize the
Dorian gray reference and think it wasnt a mirror but a
painting.<lb/>Source<lb/>British Library.<hi rend="italics">The Picture of Dorian
Gray:Art, Ethics and the Artist</hi>British Library, 2014. Web.</note></p>
<p>True to Coach K's Army roots, we've also got Secretary of the Army, John McHugh is
here. Where's John? Right here. And our new Chief of Staff of the Army, General Mark
Milley, is here as well.</p>
<p>So it's good to see the Blue Devils again. This is the second time that I've hosted
them here at the White House. <note>The Blue Devils won an NCAA title in 2010 against
Butler University, their first visit to the White House. <lb/>Source<lb/>Ferguson,
Justin. <hi rend="italics">Better than Fiction: An Oral History of the 2010
Butler-Duke National Championship Game</hi>. Sporting News, 2015. Web.</note>
It is. [Applause] And my old body man, Reggie Love, played for Coach K, helped me win
a lot of pickup games. [Laughter] And then there's Derek Rhodes. Where's Derek? Derek
was an intern here last summer before being head manager for the championship run. So
a little White House magic rubbed off on this team. I'm just saying.</p>
<p>And I can relate to this program. Does well in the classroom. Won twice in the past 4
years. [Laughter] Know what it's like for people to oppose you no matter what you try
to do.<note>Referring to his job as President. No matter what he does there will
always be someone who is unhappy. With regards to Duke University and its
basketball program, they too are hated for many reasons. First, they have an
incredible program, which means that the top recruits are attracted to playing
there. Another reason could very well be the Cameron Crazies. As stated earlier,
the fans of Duke basektball are beyond raucous. <lb/>Source<lb/>Chase, Chris. <hi
rend="italics">The 12 Biggest Reasons Everybody Hates Duke.</hi>.USA Today,
Gannett Satellite Information Network, 2013. Web.</note> [Laughter] I mean, when I
flip on ESPN and I see a documentary about how people still "hate" Christian
Laettner—[laughter]—a guy who played for Duke 23 years ago, I realize, well, maybe I
don't have it so bad. Or I think this is going to be a long 23 years.
[Laughter]<note>Referring back to the reasons why many people hate Duke, the
former players certainly have something to do with that as well. Christian
Laetter, arguably one of the greatest collegiate basketball players of all time
attended Duke. He was an unbelievable talent, but did some questionable things
while playing. Most notably, he stepped on a player's chest while he was on the
ground and not receive any suspenion for doing it. During Laettner's tenure with
Duke, he was always seen as the villian. Even though Laettner's departure from
Duke was decades ago, this view still holds true for some of the current players
at Duke.<lb/>Source<lb/>Chase, Chris. <hi rend="italics">You'll Still Hate
Christian Laettner after ESPN'S Excellent Doc</hi>. USA Today, Gannett
Satellite Information Network, 2015. Web.</note></p>
<p>But here's the thing. If folks didn't like this year's Blue Devils, they were just
being haters because—or they lived in Chapel Hill.<note>Obama points out Duke's
archnemesis, the North Carolina Tar Heels located in Chapel Hill. As my hardcore
Duke fans know, the rival between UNC and Duke is one that is rich in tradition
making it a rivalry like none other.</note> That's a possibility as well. Because
these guys were fun. They ran off 14 straight wins to start the season. But by
tournament time, they were down to just eight scholarship players: four freshmen and
one senior.</p>
<p>They had a soft-spoken All-American in the middle, Jahlil Okafor <note>In the title
game, Okafor grabbed 3 rebounds and had 10 points.<lb/>Source<lb/>Myerberg, Paul.
<hi rend="italics">Duke Edges Wisconsin to Win Fifth National Title</hi>. USA
Today, Gannett Satelitte Information Network, 2015. Web.</note>—from the Chicago
area, I might just add—[laughter]—whose size and footwork bent defenses in a way that
people hadn't seen in a very long time. There was the Final Four's Most Outstanding
Player, Tyus Jones<note>Jones finished the game with 23 points propelling the Devils
to their fifth title.<lb/>Source<lb/>Myerberg, Paul. <hi rend="italics">Duke Edges
Wisconsin to Win Fifth National Title</hi>. USA Today, Gannett Satelitte
Information Network, 2015. Web.</note>—or "Tyus Stones"—because of all the shots
he made. [Laughter] There was freshmen Justise Winslow<note>11 points, 9 rebounds,
and 3 blocks.<lb/>Source<lb/>Myerberg, Paul. <hi rend="italics">Duke Edges
Wisconsin to Win Fifth National Title</hi>. USA Today, Gannett Satelitte
Information Network, 2015. Web.</note> flying all over the
place—[laughter]—dominating some of the games in the tournament. senior Quinn Cook
<note>Although Quinn only finished with 3 points, it is the intangible things he
does out on the court that prove to be just as vital.<lb/>Source<lb/>Myerberg,
Paul. <hi rend="italics">Duke Edges Wisconsin to Win Fifth National Title</hi>.
USA Today, Gannett Satelitte Information Network, 2015. Web.</note> provided
senior leadership, setting a school all-time assist-to-turnover record. And then,
there was Grayson Allen <note>At the time, Grayson was very inexperienced because he
was just a freshman. Despite this, Grayson put on a dazzling performance finishing
the game with 16 points.<lb/>Source<lb/>Myerberg, Paul. <hi rend="italics">Duke
Edges Wisconsin to Win Fifth National Title</hi>. USA Today, Gannett Satelitte
Information Network, 2015. Web.</note>, who just went crazy—[laughter]—who
<fw>1</fw><pb/>clearly didn't know any better and just said, well, I'm going to
score eight straight points at the end of a game.</p>
<p>And in that championship game against Wisconsin <note>Duke's opponent, the Wisconsin
Badgers.</note>, the four freshmen scored every point in the second half. The Blue
Devils shut down the most efficient offense in the country when they needed to. And
that lockdown defense—which, let's face it, had not been evident in every game during
the season—[laughter]—was the key to Duke's fifth title run.</p>
<p>And Coach K described this year's championship as "the best moment of his coaching
career." And with five career championships, second to only to the legendary John
Wooden<note>Coached UCLA from 1948 to 1975. He is one of the most decorated
coaches in the history of the game because he led UCLA to a total of 10 national
championships.<lb/>Source<lb/>Feeney, Mark. <hi rend="italics">John Wooden, 99;
Legendary Coach Won 10 Titles at UCLA</hi>.The Boston Globe, 2010. Web.</note>,
that's saying something. Last season, Coach K became the first Division I men's
college coach to win 1,000 games. And somehow he did it without ever saying a bad
word to a referee. [Laughter]</p>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Head Coach Michael W. Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>That's true. That's true. Only what they deserved. [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Only what they deserved, he said. [Laughter] That's what I say about some of my
opponents. [Laughter]</l>
<p>But everybody knows this program is not just about winning on the hardwood. Five
players made the all-conference academic squad this year—Tyus, Justise, Grayson,
Amile Jefferson, and Marshall Plumlee.<note>Demonstrates the culture at Duke isn't
one that is soley defined by its basketball program but rather an institution with
great academics as well. Many of the players on the roster were at the forefront
of this exemplifing the importance of what it means to be a student
athlete.</note> That is worth applause. Marshall also spent much of this summer in
leadership training at Fort Knox as he works to become a commissioned officer in the
U.S. Army. So—[applause]. I was saying to Marshall, though, I feel bad for his
parents trying to pay those grocery bills. When you've got, like, three folks 7 feet,
you know they're eating a lot. [Laughter] That's a big grocery bill.</p>
<p>This team also visited Durham elementary schools for the "Read With the Blue Devils"
campaign. Coach K authored an op-ed on the importance of early childhood education.
Players volunteered as mentors at the Emily Krzyzewski Center, which is named for the
Coach's mother and aims to break the cycle of poverty through out-of-school programs
that help young people reach college.<note>Further shows anyone not familiar with
Duke that they lead by setting examples and that they are bigger than
basketball.</note></p>
<p>So this is the kind of program that we hope for at any institution of higher
learning. They represent their university well on and off the court. And that's why
their fans are so passionate. That's why sometimes there are going to be some haters.
[Laughter] But they deserve every accolade. They've got a great leader in Coach K,
and it's an outstanding university, an outstanding program, and they deserve our
hearty congratulations. Very proud of you guys.</p>
<l>Thank you. Good. Coach.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>Thank you. Mr. President, thanks for opening up your home. [Laughter] We've been to
your house twice, and you've never been to our house. [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>We'll have to correct that.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>We have to correct that in about a little over a year.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>A little over a year.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>And we hope to do that. By the way, the guys already ultimately respect you, but
seeing you perform here, once your term is over, "Saturday Night Live" should have a
permanent host, I think. [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Comedian in Chief, I could do a good job.</l>
<fw>2</fw>
<pb/>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<p>It would be great. The cool thing about our group was that they were fun. And even
the energy that—when I walk into a room, I always—like, is it a locker room that
needs to be picked up? Or are you already picked up? <note>Coach K is referring to
the strength of his team's bond during their time together. I can attest to this
because I have been of sports teams where I have had the opportunity to get really
close to people. It's a great feeling because you know that even after a season
has concluded, the people who were apart of the journey become your brothers for
life. This is the case with the 2015 Duke team.</note>And you guys are already up.
[Laughter] And—but that's what these guys did for me and my staff the entire year.
And I just want to tell them publicly that we love them, and it was amazing. And
thanks for sharing that year with me. And the guys coming back, if you could do that
again, I wouldn't mind. [Laughter]</p>
<p>We have loved being here. Last night, David Rubenstein made it available for us to
have a dinner at the National Archives, so it was an unbelievable night. And in front
of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence, our
guys were awarded their championship rings last night.</p>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>That's great.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>So that was a cool night. They're pretty big, by the way.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>They are. [Laughter] Show it again.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>I'm from Chicago. A little bit of bling is not—[laughter]—it's not bad.</l>
<p>But the last 24 hours to be in front of—in that great building, in front of those
documents and realizing the great men that started this country, but also then to
come here and be in your house. And on behalf of our Duke community, we want to thank
you for serving our country over these last two terms. You've been an amazing leader
for our country. And it's not just you, but your family and the sacrifices. So thank
you very much for your service. [Applause]</p>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Thank you.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<p>When we visit—and you won't have to do this when you visit our house—but usually,
when you visit someone's house, you bring a gift. So we brought a few gifts. And I
want to explain them and then going to have Amile and Quinn, our cocaptains, give
them. But we have a jersey.</p>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>I need a jersey.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>We have a ball, all right.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>You've got a ball. I need a ball.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>And we have—I know you—</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>My bracket again? [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>No, no. We-[laughter].</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>He did this to me last time.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>No, no. But any time you take a test and you put your answers there, you should
always want the approved solution. [Laughter] So that-</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>This is the second time. [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<p>But the other thing is not material, it's—I know you can't do it while you're
President. But after you're through, we would like to scholarship you to our fantasy
camp. [Laughter] We run a fantasy camp.</p>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Oh, excellent. Yes. [Laughter]</l>
<fw>3</fw>
<pb/>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>Reggie said you can play and little-pound the ball a little bit, is what he said.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Let's do it. [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>But for 35-but for guys 35 and older.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Yes. I'll dominate. [Laughter]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<l>He's not unlike the other 80 guys who come-[laughter]-and then, they find out the
truth. [Laughter] But anyway, you have a scholarship.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Thank you. I'm honored. Thank you.</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>Coach Krzyzewski.</speaker>
<p>Yes. But again, thank you for inviting us for this very, very special day. And if
Quinn and Amile—will you guys come down? If you guys would come in and present that.
You can leave the bracket. That was a joke.</p>
<l>[At this point, guard Quinn Cook and forward Amile Jefferson presented the gifts to
the President.]</l>
</sp>
<sp>
<speaker>The President.</speaker>
<l>Thanks you so much. Fantastic. Thank you. Let's strike the podium, and we'll get good
pictures in. Come on, guys.</l>
</sp>
<p>Note: The President spoke at 11:56 a.m. in the East Room at the White House. In his
remarks, he referred to former Personal Aide to the President Reginald L. Love; Tyus
Jones and Grayson Allen, guards, Justise Winslow, forward, and Marshall Plumlee, center,
Duke University men's basketball team; and Perky and Leslie Plumlee, parents, and Miles
and Mason Plumlee, brothers, of Mr. Plumlee.</p>
<l>Categories: Addresses and Remarks : NCAA men's basketball champion Duke University.</l>
<l>Locations: Washington, DC.</l>
<p>Names: Allen, Grayson; Brodhead, Richard H., Cook, Quinn; Foxx, Anthony R.; Jefferson,
Amile; Jones, Tyus; Krzyzewski, Michael W.; Laettner, Christian D.; Love, Reginald L.;
McHugh John M.; Milley, Mark A.; Okafor, Jahlil; Plumlee, Leslie; Plumlee, Marshall;
Plumlee, Mason; Plumlee, Miles; Plumlee, Perky; Rhodes, Derek; Rubenstein, David M.;
White, Kevin M.; Winslow, Justice.</p>
<p>Subjects: Army, Department of the : Chief of Staff; Army, Department of the : Secretary;
Economy, national : Poverty :: Efforts to combat; Education : Early childhood education
programs; Education : Postsecondary education :: College opportunity, expansion efforts;
Holidays and special observances : Labor Day; Sports : Basketball; Sports : NCAA
championship teams; Transportation, Department of the : Secretary; Voluntarism.</p>
<l>DCPD Number: DCPD201500602</l>
<fw>4</fw>
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