The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Tom Petty truly said it best in his song "The Waiting." It really is the hardest part.

Duke fans, like no other time in recent history, are playing a waiting game and the stakes have seemingly never been so high.

The supporters of the boys in royal blue are not just waiting on the decision of the most sought after recruit in the class of '09, John Wall, but they are also waiting on the decision regarding the future of their best player, Gerald Henderson. 

No year that comes to mind even compares. Obviously the '99 season, but the decisions following that year's mass exodus came swiftly and without much drama.

Even the '02 season provided little drama. Aside from the moderately surprising exit of Mike Dunleavy, most people expected Jason Williams to leave. 

So here we are again waiting for the decision of two young men that in many fans' eyes will make or break Duke next year.

With both many proclaim a lock for a final four berth. With one or the other odds are still very high. But without either many feel Duke will be out of the picture.

I've written about Duke's chances without either Wall or Henderson and I stand by my beliefs that Duke will be good without them. That doesn't make the waiting any easier.

Henderson's decision time is running out as he has until April 26 to declare for the NBA Draft. Wall could conceivably take much longer and if Henderson does leave that wait will go from difficult to excruciating.

I've heard the chances of Henderson going are as low as 50/50 and as probable as 90/10 depending on who you listen to and what websites you visit. The only person who really knows is Henderson and he isn't talking yet.

Wall is a complete mystery and hasn't dropped any big hints, yet his statements continue to be twisted into probable meaning.

If he says he wants to stay close to home that means he is going to Duke, UNC, or less likely NC State.

If he likes the free-flowing style of John Calipari then he is a lock at Kentucky.

This is how people pass their time as they play the waiting game. My advice is to find something else to do.

Pick up a book, watch the hockey or NBA playoffs, or perhaps take in a baseball game. Because a watched ball player doesn't make his decision around your schedule.