Duke is Dead: For Now

I have always respected the Duke Basketball program. Coach K has built a program that values hard work, smart play, STUDENT-athletes, and non-turd-ish behavior. But even though I respect them, I still hate them. And because I hate them, I was thrilled they lost last night in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

It’s not my fault I hate Duke. First, my dad loves underdogs. Whenever we watch a sporting event that doesn’t involve a Minnesota team my dad roots for the underdog. Duke never was an underdog during my formative years. Strike one.

Second, before I knew anything about the best rivalry in sports (Duke v. North Carolina), I had been a Tar heel fan. Like 99.9% of people my age I liked Michael Jordan, and Jordan was a Tar heel. So North Carolina got the early edge.

When I played basketball I was a post player. And I remember being a big Eric Montross fan. Montross was tall, a little bit clumsy, and yet an effective player. His Duke counter-part, Christian Laettner was suave, smooth, and smug. I could relate to Montross more than Laettner.

As my affinity for North Carolina developed I got pulled into the Tar Heel / Blue Devil war. And as a college sophomore, I took a road trip to Chapel Hill to visit my friend Becky. I hung-out in Tar Heel bars, I rollerbladed around the Dean Dome, I ate at Tar Heel institutions, and partied with Tar Heel students. I had a great time, cementing my UNC fandom. Strike Two.

Finally, This year’s Blue Devils seem to enjoy playing basketball less than most other teams. Because they have had so much success, winning is tinged with expectation and seems less joyous. If they lose, they get frustrated and pout. McRoberts has been the worst. He has pouted more on a basketball court this year than anybody not named Sam Cassel.

Duke deserves respect because they have built a program the right way. But like a snobby, good-looking girl, Duke knows that it is a great program and has always acted somewhat smug. There has been too many Christian Laettners and Josh McRoberts’, and not enough Grant Hills and Sheldon Williams’. Coach K never smiles, unless he’s shilling for GMC or American Express, thereby (I would argue, unfairly) subsidizing his recruiting efforts. Duke, like its coach is ethical but ruthless. Strike 3.

Duke is an easy team for me to respect, a hard team for me to like. I truly enjoyed watching Virginia Commonwealth University beat them. But I know that my joy will be short-lived because they will re-load and add 3 or 4 McDonalds All-Americans next year, again. But I will enjoy the program’s down-time, no mater how brief it is.

Go Heels.