I must be in college basketball Heaven.
Duke’s most recent losses at the hands of the UNC Tar Heels and the University of Mass Destruction Fighting Turtles has me thinking what a fortunate year it has been for me.
Growing up, I was a fan of both the Georgetown Hoyas and the Tar Heels. I loved the perennial big men that came out of Georgetown. The Patrick Ewing era was before I was born, but I remember the dominance of Alonzo, Dikembe, and Mike Sweetney – not to mention fan-favorite Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje – all coached under the tutelage of the great John Thompson. They also had this little guy from Hampton, better known as “The Answer”.
As for the Tar Heels…where should I start? Michael Jordan begin
s and ends any discussion on the matter, but there were several others that have contributed to my love for the Carolina Blue. I remember Vince Carter’s crazy dunks. I remember thinking that Antawn Jamison was the best basketball I’d ever seen. I remember Ed Cota showing the true characteristics of a point guard; he was always poised, had excellent decision-making, and performed best in clutch situations. I remember thinking that Raymond Felton was the quickest basketball player ever, regardless of the level of play. Most of all, I remember Rashad McCants, who truly depicted the swagger and confidence that playing for UNC basketball entails. From Sean May to Joseph Forte to Shammond Williams to Tyler Hansbrough, I’ve grown up to appreciate them all.
Along the way, I’ve also developed a rooting interest for teams like Maryland (mostly due to the emotional story about Juan Dixon, who, despite several barriers that threatened his progress, led the Terrapins to National Title in 2002) and Ohio State (more due to the fact that they featured the likes of Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd than because OSU plays in my home state), but my allegiance stays with the Hoyas and above all else, the Tar Heels.
After giving you a quick background of where I’m coming from, you can understand why I’m smiling these days. Ohio State is unanimously ranked #1 in both the AP and the Coaches Poll, Georgetown won the Big East Conference regular season title, and Maryland enters the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country. By the way, UNC is #1 in the ACC tourney after beating Duke TWICE this season!
There’s a broad range of emotions I feel when certain teams win or lose; on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being depression and 10 being happiest I've ever felt), when North Carolina won the National Championship in 2005, I was at about a 9. But when the Heels beat Duke 75-73 in the Dean Smith Center earlier that year, I was at about a 15. The discrepancy in these numbers leads me to ask the question: was beating Duke that much more important than winning the championship? Yes and No. A win over Duke carries a LOT of weight, but a National Championship is a validation that you were the best in the country. The only explanation then for why I was so happy must be that Carolina won, and more importantly, Duke lost.
It wasn’t always this way. In fact, I liked Elton Brand and Shane Battier. I admired Corey Maggette’s athleticism. Worst of all, Jason (now Jay) Williams was my favorite player in college basketball. My delusional years of contentment for the Blue Devil program cannot and should not be accepted…I was a kid and I didn’t know any better. Luckily, it all changed though when a man named Jonathan Clay, but better known as “J.J.” stepped foot on campus.
Over his four years as a college basketball player, J.J. Redick became the embodiment of all that is ideal in the sport; he had an obvious passion for the game, possessed one of the most pure jump shots ever, and let his game speak for itself. While this was all true, he didn’t deserve any of these accolades entering as a freshman. He was put on this impossibly high pedestal, and reveled in the glory. A walking contradiction, Redick complained about the intense and often one-step-too-far mode of heckling by opposing fans – and rightfully so – but he also used his fame to promote his “deep” Duke-educated poetry. He also notably struggled in NCAA Tournament play in his career, but is still regarded as one of the best college players to come around in years.
Contributing to my dislike of Duke is the bias formed by Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, and virtually anyone associated to the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network when talking about the Blue Devils. Vitale, especially, seems to be so infatuated with the young “Diaper Dandies” of Duke, even if they don’t really deserve any of the credit (See: Lee Melchionni, Shavlik “I don’t hate gay people, just don’t bring your gayness on me” Randolph, and Sean Dockery). While it is unprofessional to take sides when announcing a nationally televised basketball game, it seems like the announcers for Duke games walk that thin line of professionalism. As opposed to flat-out saying, “I want Duke to win this game,” they go for more subtle approaches, such as hyping up mediocre players. For instance, they’ll say, “Lee Melchionni is deadly from three-point range, so the defense better keep a close watch for where he is on the court” or “DaMarcus Nelson was a high-school All-American, just like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, so you’d better watch out.” Of course I’m exaggerating these statements, but you get my point. Announcers love their Duke basketball!
People regard Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski for his brilliance in promoting fundamental basketball on offense and defense, but also for teaching the players the significance of balancing academics at such a prestigious program with the demands of basketball. Maybe he’s teaching them to value academics because they aren’t very likely to succeed in the NBA (see: William Avery, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Trajan Langdon, Dahntay Jones, Bobby Hurley, Cherokee Parks, Roshown McLeod, and "Gayness" Randolph). Maybe he’s just a good, moral guy. Either way, I found out that this is somewhat of a façade after Duke players started defecting to the NBA. First Maggette and Brand left, then the likes of Avery, Carlos Boozer, Dunleavy, and Luol Deng all dropped out early. There are about 5-10 coaches I would consider superior in college basketball and Coach K is one of them. But he should not have a reputation for which he has not altogether earned; in present-day big-time college basketball, academics may be important but many of these players only seek to position themselves for the NBA (see: Durant, Oden, Wright). And I haven’t even mentioned his menacing, belittling disdain for all referees. When he’s complaining about a call, I learned, he’s not showing his passion for the game. He’s cussing out the refs.
This year, the Duke bias has been especially clear after the controversial end to the Clemson
game, in which the referees added an inordinate amount of time to the clock, allowing Duke to hit a game-tying shot. Also, this past week, the powers that be struck again; although Duke and Maryland boasted the exact same records (22-7 overall, 8-6 in ACC), Duke was ranked 14th in the Coaches Poll, while Maryland was unranked. Having been swept by Carolina and Maryland in the same season has left Duke in bad shape. While their ticket is certainly punched having an impressive strength of schedule and 22 wins, they better keep watch because the ACC is starting to crack down on officiating asymmetries. Somewhere along the lines, they’ll stop listening to Coach K’s every beckon and call, especially after the questionable elbow at the end of the Duke-UNC game that left Tyler Hansbrough in a bloody mess. But then again, I’m a wishful thinker.
With March Madness rapidly nearing, I have many things to look forward to. I get to see how Greg Oden and Mike Conley’s clutch performances in the regular season translates to tournament play, if Kevin Durant can take the Longhorns all the way (a la ‘Melo in his freshman year with Syracuse), if Florida has the tools for a repeat title, and if Brandan Wright, Ty Lawson, and “Psycho T” can step it up and take UNC to the Final Four. I'll also get to see whether Kansas finally gets over its postseason funk and if a few of the mid-majors make names for themselves like George Mason did last year. Throughout the Big Dance, though, I’ll be rooting for one thing above all: a Duke loss.
I mean Josh McRoberts cried during the Blue Devils’ first game against UNC earlier this year. Who does he think he is, Adam Morrison?
Duke’s most recent losses at the hands of the UNC Tar Heels and the University of Mass Destruction Fighting Turtles has me thinking what a fortunate year it has been for me.
Growing up, I was a fan of both the Georgetown Hoyas and the Tar Heels. I loved the perennial big men that came out of Georgetown. The Patrick Ewing era was before I was born, but I remember the dominance of Alonzo, Dikembe, and Mike Sweetney – not to mention fan-favorite Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje – all coached under the tutelage of the great John Thompson. They also had this little guy from Hampton, better known as “The Answer”.
As for the Tar Heels…where should I start? Michael Jordan begin
s and ends any discussion on the matter, but there were several others that have contributed to my love for the Carolina Blue. I remember Vince Carter’s crazy dunks. I remember thinking that Antawn Jamison was the best basketball I’d ever seen. I remember Ed Cota showing the true characteristics of a point guard; he was always poised, had excellent decision-making, and performed best in clutch situations. I remember thinking that Raymond Felton was the quickest basketball player ever, regardless of the level of play. Most of all, I remember Rashad McCants, who truly depicted the swagger and confidence that playing for UNC basketball entails. From Sean May to Joseph Forte to Shammond Williams to Tyler Hansbrough, I’ve grown up to appreciate them all.Along the way, I’ve also developed a rooting interest for teams like Maryland (mostly due to the emotional story about Juan Dixon, who, despite several barriers that threatened his progress, led the Terrapins to National Title in 2002) and Ohio State (more due to the fact that they featured the likes of Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd than because OSU plays in my home state), but my allegiance stays with the Hoyas and above all else, the Tar Heels.
After giving you a quick background of where I’m coming from, you can understand why I’m smiling these days. Ohio State is unanimously ranked #1 in both the AP and the Coaches Poll, Georgetown won the Big East Conference regular season title, and Maryland enters the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country. By the way, UNC is #1 in the ACC tourney after beating Duke TWICE this season!
There’s a broad range of emotions I feel when certain teams win or lose; on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being depression and 10 being happiest I've ever felt), when North Carolina won the National Championship in 2005, I was at about a 9. But when the Heels beat Duke 75-73 in the Dean Smith Center earlier that year, I was at about a 15. The discrepancy in these numbers leads me to ask the question: was beating Duke that much more important than winning the championship? Yes and No. A win over Duke carries a LOT of weight, but a National Championship is a validation that you were the best in the country. The only explanation then for why I was so happy must be that Carolina won, and more importantly, Duke lost.
It wasn’t always this way. In fact, I liked Elton Brand and Shane Battier. I admired Corey Maggette’s athleticism. Worst of all, Jason (now Jay) Williams was my favorite player in college basketball. My delusional years of contentment for the Blue Devil program cannot and should not be accepted…I was a kid and I didn’t know any better. Luckily, it all changed though when a man named Jonathan Clay, but better known as “J.J.” stepped foot on campus.
Over his four years as a college basketball player, J.J. Redick became the embodiment of all that is ideal in the sport; he had an obvious passion for the game, possessed one of the most pure jump shots ever, and let his game speak for itself. While this was all true, he didn’t deserve any of these accolades entering as a freshman. He was put on this impossibly high pedestal, and reveled in the glory. A walking contradiction, Redick complained about the intense and often one-step-too-far mode of heckling by opposing fans – and rightfully so – but he also used his fame to promote his “deep” Duke-educated poetry. He also notably struggled in NCAA Tournament play in his career, but is still regarded as one of the best college players to come around in years.
Contributing to my dislike of Duke is the bias formed by Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, and virtually anyone associated to the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network when talking about the Blue Devils. Vitale, especially, seems to be so infatuated with the young “Diaper Dandies” of Duke, even if they don’t really deserve any of the credit (See: Lee Melchionni, Shavlik “I don’t hate gay people, just don’t bring your gayness on me” Randolph, and Sean Dockery). While it is unprofessional to take sides when announcing a nationally televised basketball game, it seems like the announcers for Duke games walk that thin line of professionalism. As opposed to flat-out saying, “I want Duke to win this game,” they go for more subtle approaches, such as hyping up mediocre players. For instance, they’ll say, “Lee Melchionni is deadly from three-point range, so the defense better keep a close watch for where he is on the court” or “DaMarcus Nelson was a high-school All-American, just like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, so you’d better watch out.” Of course I’m exaggerating these statements, but you get my point. Announcers love their Duke basketball!
People regard Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski for his brilliance in promoting fundamental basketball on offense and defense, but also for teaching the players the significance of balancing academics at such a prestigious program with the demands of basketball. Maybe he’s teaching them to value academics because they aren’t very likely to succeed in the NBA (see: William Avery, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Trajan Langdon, Dahntay Jones, Bobby Hurley, Cherokee Parks, Roshown McLeod, and "Gayness" Randolph). Maybe he’s just a good, moral guy. Either way, I found out that this is somewhat of a façade after Duke players started defecting to the NBA. First Maggette and Brand left, then the likes of Avery, Carlos Boozer, Dunleavy, and Luol Deng all dropped out early. There are about 5-10 coaches I would consider superior in college basketball and Coach K is one of them. But he should not have a reputation for which he has not altogether earned; in present-day big-time college basketball, academics may be important but many of these players only seek to position themselves for the NBA (see: Durant, Oden, Wright). And I haven’t even mentioned his menacing, belittling disdain for all referees. When he’s complaining about a call, I learned, he’s not showing his passion for the game. He’s cussing out the refs.
This year, the Duke bias has been especially clear after the controversial end to the Clemson
game, in which the referees added an inordinate amount of time to the clock, allowing Duke to hit a game-tying shot. Also, this past week, the powers that be struck again; although Duke and Maryland boasted the exact same records (22-7 overall, 8-6 in ACC), Duke was ranked 14th in the Coaches Poll, while Maryland was unranked. Having been swept by Carolina and Maryland in the same season has left Duke in bad shape. While their ticket is certainly punched having an impressive strength of schedule and 22 wins, they better keep watch because the ACC is starting to crack down on officiating asymmetries. Somewhere along the lines, they’ll stop listening to Coach K’s every beckon and call, especially after the questionable elbow at the end of the Duke-UNC game that left Tyler Hansbrough in a bloody mess. But then again, I’m a wishful thinker.With March Madness rapidly nearing, I have many things to look forward to. I get to see how Greg Oden and Mike Conley’s clutch performances in the regular season translates to tournament play, if Kevin Durant can take the Longhorns all the way (a la ‘Melo in his freshman year with Syracuse), if Florida has the tools for a repeat title, and if Brandan Wright, Ty Lawson, and “Psycho T” can step it up and take UNC to the Final Four. I'll also get to see whether Kansas finally gets over its postseason funk and if a few of the mid-majors make names for themselves like George Mason did last year. Throughout the Big Dance, though, I’ll be rooting for one thing above all: a Duke loss.
I mean Josh McRoberts cried during the Blue Devils’ first game against UNC earlier this year. Who does he think he is, Adam Morrison?
3 comments:
now while you make valid points and all, realize that your complaining about a "duke bias" automatically puts you in the same boat that you are speaking out against. you, and your fellow anti-duke brigade, will NEVER be able to respect the program. you make exceptions for a few players, and that is commendable, since most of the anti-duke ravenous crowd hates all things duke. however, why do people feel the need to look for EVERY BIT of negative in a duke program so positive and sparkling? is it jealousy? im beginning to think so...
We all saw how positive and sparkling the Duke program was in the past few days, after the Henderson suspension and post game press conference, where Coach K insinuated that Roy Williams should not have left his star players on the court after the game had been decided.
oh i see... you anti-duke fans are going to dwell on this forever? thats cool... just remember that when coach k goes down as the winningest coach in ncaa history before hes done. that will sure stoke your fire, eh?
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