Duke Basketball: Cameron Crazies Should Forfeit Undeserving Nickname

The famous Cameron Crazies of Duke basketball have been absolutely embarrassing this season.

We're talking downright, shake-your-head, wonder-what-in-the-world-is-going-on type of embarrassing.

The Crazies are known around the college basketball world, and the college world in general, as the most ridiculous, loud, spirited and, for lack of a better world—crazy—student sections in sports.

They are always jumping, cheering and chanting on their beloved Blue Devils.

This may not seem important to you, or you may see it as just a silly tradition, but let me guarantee you that a cheering section is one of the most integral factors in college basketball.

In other sports and in the professionals, it's not as big of a deal, but in college basketball, a crazy student section can give you an insane home-court advantage.

It may be the only sport in which home-field (or court, in this case) advantage is as important or distinct as it is.

A good crowd can truly rattle an opponent, make a gym unbearably loud and give their team a leg up.

That's what makes the Crazies so great.

It's not just their cheering and antics, it's that they've been such an integral part of so many incredible Duke basketball teams.

The Crazies are just as iconic as the teams and coach themselves.

That's why it's downright embarrassing and shameful to see that Duke students aren't attending the games as much as they used to, according to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

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According to the Duke school paper The Chronicle, there has been a nearly 50 percent drop-off from the 1,200 Crazies that normally pack the acclaimed student section. Approximately 650 students have regularly attended Duke home games this season.

"It has nothing to do with the revenue. We just want it to be full," Duke director of marketing and relations Mike Forman said. "If there were 1,200 students every game, we would love it."

The lack of student interest has forced the athletic department to sell about 300 tickets per game this season, priced at $65.

"The enthusiasm hasn't been there," Forman said. "(Coach Mike Krzyzewski) has had to drum up enthusiasm himself, which he shouldn't have to do. The students should be doing that themselves ... whether 500 or 1,200 of them are there."

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Are you kidding me, Duke?

You literally have one of the most iconic and traditional student sections of all time, and you can't take advantage of that?

I can literally find 1,200 people reading this article to go down and fill out the Crazies section, yet you can't even go to your own games?

This is a shame and an embarrassment to all Cameron Crazies that have gone before, and it should be a motivator for all those who come after.

You are the Cameron Crazies, Duke. This is what you do.

You go to the games, scream and paint yourselves blue, make annoying chants and get in the heads of your opponents.

You are the home-court advantage, yet you are throwing that away.

This is like Packers fans not tailgating at Lambeau or Raiders fans not dressing up in scary costumes and forming "The Black Hole."

There are just some things you do in sports, and that's why we love them so much. It's like those awesome commercials you see on ESPN.

"It's not crazy. It's sports."

I am shocked to be writing this, but somebody needs to get in the Cameron Crazies' heads and let them know that there is a season going on.

Until they show up, I dare say we revoke their legendary nickname.

Right now they don't deserve it.