Duke Fan for the night

[Bostondevil]

The New York Daily News ran a feature presenting the 28 best-looking uniforms in sports. The only college basketball program on the list is the University of North Carolina.
"This hoops jersey is so synonymous with college basketball - and legends like four-time All-American Tyler Hansbrough - it has become its own color: "Carolina blue." ...thats three non-bias entities

Aw, c'mon Carolina_Blue, this is just sad. "Our uniforms are the BEST!! See, other people think so too!!" That's like Duke bragging about having the highest rate of graduation in D1 football. Oops. Except that our lame bragging rights are true. Having the BEST uniforms will always be a matter of opinion. It's not one that I share. (Neither does your football coach. )

[aheel4ever]

As my screen name suggests, I'm a lifelong Tar Heel fan, and an alumnus. I was born and raised in Durham, and my mother worked on the Duke campus when I was young (In the 60's). I spent countless hours on Duke's campus growing up, attending f'ball and b'ball games, playing pickup b'ball, etc. My closest friends from my youth were huge Duke fans, with parents who were Duke alumni and athletes. A few years ago, we had a conversation about this general topic. We were all in agreement that there is no way any self-respecting fan of Duke or UNC would ever pull for the other. If it's really in your blood, you just can't do it.

[Bostondevil]

As my screen name suggests, I'm a lifelong Tar Heel fan, and an alumnus. I was born and raised in Durham, and my mother worked on the Duke campus when I was young (In the 60's). I spent countless hours on Duke's campus growing up, attending f'ball and b'ball games, playing pickup b'ball, etc. My closest friends from my youth were huge Duke fans, with parents who were Duke alumni and athletes. A few years ago, we had a conversation about this general topic. We were all in agreement that there is no way any self-respecting fan of Duke or UNC would ever pull for the other. If it's really in your blood, you just can't do it.

I grew up in Durham too and my experience was the exact opposite. I was the only Duke fan in my entire grade in elementary school. I have had TarHeels up in my face my entire life. My favorite teacher used to lead Carolina cheers after big wins. (Yes, she remained my favorite teacher, but I remember at least once really wanting to stay home 'sick'.) So yeah, I know how you feel. True story, I was recently introduced to a TarHeel up here in Boston. A friend introduced us and since she knew our respective connections mentioned the fact. This woman, brand new acquaintance, I'd known her for about 20 seconds, turned to me and said, "No offense, but I view Duke as the root of all things evil." I laughed it off but inside I thought, "You're a rhymes with witch." Does this make me the better person? I'd say yes, except that I put a curse on her later to test her theory.

And to all the TarHeels that have been posting here recently - do you consider her behavior acceptable? We didn't know each other. It wasn't good natured ribbing among friends. I ask because I am truly curious what you think. (Please don't respond with every rude thing a Duke fan has ever done to you. I know rude Duke fans exist. I'm asking about this incident only.)

[aheel4ever]

I grew up in Durham too and my experience was the exact opposite. I was the only Duke fan in my entire grade in elementary school. I have had TarHeels up in my face my entire life. My favorite teacher used to lead Carolina cheers after big wins. (Yes, she remained my favorite teacher, but I remember at least once really wanting to stay home 'sick'.) So yeah, I know how you feel. True story, I was recently introduced to a TarHeel up here in Boston. A friend introduced us and since she knew our respective connections mentioned the fact. This woman, brand new acquaintance, I'd known her for about 20 seconds, turned to me and said, "No offense, but I view Duke as the root of all things evil." I laughed it off but inside I thought, "You're a rhymes with witch." Does this make me the better person? I'd say yes, except that I put a curse on her later to test her theory.

And to all the TarHeels that have been posting here recently - do you consider her behavior acceptable? We didn't know each other. It wasn't good natured ribbing among friends. I ask because I am truly curious what you think. (Please don't respond with every rude thing a Duke fan has ever done to you. I know rude Duke fans exist. I'm asking about this incident only.)

If it wasn't "good natured ribbing", it was not acceptible.

[J.Blink]

I too grew up in Durham with Duke family connections and then went to Duke. Most of the (public) schools I went to had good numbers of both Carolina and Duke fans. I totally agree that your loyalty SHOULDN'T be changing--and none of this wishy washy cheering for the opponent stuff! I'll cheer for any team in the ACC except Carolina (though I tend to like State after Duke)! My great-grandfather was a team captain for UNC football sometime in the 1910s--I'll note that this is no way inclines me to cheer for Carolina!

In any case, as an exception to the above, my highschool graduating class sent about 6 kids to Duke and maybe 10 times that to Carolina. Of the kids who attended Carolina, a few had been Duke fans. Not all of them stayed true, though a few did. Understandable, I suppose.

And for Carolina_Blue, I have cousins in Sanford, so some of us do know about Sanford at least.

[shoutingncu]

And to all the TarHeels that have been posting here recently - do you consider her behavior acceptable? We didn't know each other. It wasn't good natured ribbing among friends. I ask because I am truly curious what you think. (Please don't respond with every rude thing a Duke fan has ever done to you. I know rude Duke fans exist. I'm asking about this incident only.)

Probably inappropriate, you are correct. The only exception being if the two of you were introduced specifically because of the opposing school angle... that is, if the person who introduced you opened the door for "good natured ribbing."

My wife recently had surgery at UCLA and one of the interns during a consultation, having seen my Carolina shirt, mentioned that she went to Duke and asked that we not hold it against her. I said that it's a great medical school, but she still felt the need to stitch a "K" into my wife's side.

[Bostondevil]

I probably should have been more clear in my original post. I could tell from the way she said it that it wasn't good-natured ribbing. She tried to say it with a laugh, but she wasn't joking. The "No offense" was mere window dressing. She was trying to be offensive. She succeeded. Inside, I really wanted to be rude right back, but I resisted. Needless to say the conversation didn't last long and no, I didn't make a new friend. Which is kind of too bad because I can be a really good friend. Even to TarHeels. I just wouldn't ever watch basketball with one (or marry one).

[Carolina_Blue]

Aw, c'mon Carolina_Blue, this is just sad. "Our uniforms are the BEST!! See, other people think so too!!" That's like Duke bragging about having the highest rate of graduation in D1 football. Oops. Except that our lame bragging rights are true. Having the BEST uniforms will always be a matter of opinion. It's not one that I share. (Neither does your football coach. )

the only reason that was posted was because there was a direct comment about us having the worst uniforms...so i presented evidence to the contrary....by the way this thread was meaningless...you guys were right after I saw the Duke across the chest I immediately became a wisconsin fan

[Bostondevil]

But you do have the worst uniforms, no matter what SI says. I bet if DBR polled it's members, 98% would agree with me.

Why only 98%? Well, you post here. So does Wheat and aheel4ever.

[Bostondevil]

I forgot to add that my last post was an example of good-natured ribbing.

[shoutingncu]

I forgot to add that my last post was an example of good-natured ribbing.

I found it to be the root of evil...