The Chronicle

Issue date: 2/12/08 Section: Column
Last update: 2/12/08 at 7:03 AM EST

Media Credit: Sylvia Qu Senior DeMarcus Nelson has led comebacks for the Blue Devils in three of their last five contests, including Saturday against Boston College.

As a college student who writes for the campus newspaper, there's a fine line between your experience as a fan and as a journalist. One day you could be criticizing a coach or player; the next day you might be braving cold weather and long lines just for the chance to cheer them to victory. I speak in hypothetical terms, of course.

Without a press pass in hand, I was drifting into fan land for Saturday's game against Boston College, which promised to be extra thrilling after Wednesday's huge win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Not wanting to fully relinquish my job as a sometimes-journalist, I decided to keep a running diary of my experience in Cameron for Duke's come-from-behind victory over the Eagles.

10:00 a.m.: My alarm goes off and I roll out of bed, which isn't too tough on this particular morning because I called it an early night on Friday after returning from the Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association Finals in Raleigh. For anyone who is still wondering where the rodeo scene from "Borat" could have been filmed, I recommend you check out this event when it rolls into town next year.

10:30 a.m.: I arrive in K-Ville to find a surprisingly short line, barely turning the corner next to Wilson toward the tennis courts. Despite the fact that Coach K's Blue Devils have risen to No. 2 in the polls and excitement has built on campus around this year's team, attendance in Cameron hasn't rebounded a great deal from last year's levels.

11:00 a.m.: I get my wristband from a lovely female line monitor, who does a wonderful, delicate job in avoiding my arm hair.

11:50 a.m.: I find my spot in Cameron after a little more than an hour waiting outside to get into the game. I usually aim for the "non-TV" side of the stadium-it helps with the feeling like a "journalist" thing, plus you don't have to jump up and down-but on this day almost all of those seats have been reserved for purposes other than student use. I would complain, but even with all the seats given away, the undergraduate allotment still isn't full.

12:05 p.m.: An ABC cameraman and production crew approach the group I'm standing with to ask if one of us would like to wear a microphone during the game to help them with an upcoming segment about the Crazies. I respectfully decline, but a friend I'm standing next to hesitantly agrees.

Continued...

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