The Highs And Lows Of Coordinating Duke's Videos

Photo by Chase Olivieri/The Chronicle

Saturdays are usually strenuous for Kevin Cullen, Duke's video coordinator, because he has to come in and change channels so that his DVD recorders correctly tape games from 20 DirecTV satellites, and Cullen has taken just one day off since assuming his job in May.

For all the long hours and mundane chores, though, is the simplest part of the job: swapping film with other teams.

"We do exchanges directly sometimes, and that's by far the easiest," Cullen said. "You mail a DVD every game, with the understanding that if they send all their games, we'll send you all our games. It's a lot easier to do."

Of course, that doesn't preclude Cullen from taping that team's games. He still tapes every televised game both to provide a backup and to give coaches more angles if the opposing team only offers an overhead shot. This season, Duke trades film with St. Johns, which is the reason that the day I visited Cullen, there was a FedEx package addressed to St. John's on the fifth floor of Schwartz-Butters, which houses the men's basketball offices.

Perhaps the hardest day of the year is also the most exciting: Selection Sunday. Often, the Blue Devils are traveling when they learn of their potential road to the Final Four, and it's Cullen's job to compile film of every team Duke could face in the NCAA Tournament.

It's on days like those that passion for the job--and the game--is revealed.

"You learn a lot pretty quickly, and if you don't, you won't last long, " Cullen said. "More than learning, you better love basketball, or you won't last long."