Nothing could be finer...

[devildeac]

into a massive blow-out. Total clankfest. Sad way for them to go out but Berry and Pinson had fine careers. I was glad to see Pinson start to finally play like the top rank recruit he was the last 10-15 games or so.

Sitting at my local watching the end, there was a Syracuse couple to my right (congrats; tell Boeheim they are gonna open a Wegmans in Greenboro) and a Virginia couple to my left (sorry folks, Bennett will break through some day). I bought a large bottle of The Bruery Sucre, an Old Ale, Rye Whiskey barrel and shared it with them. 16.3% ABV. Called for heavy drinking.

Well, good luck Devils. Not sure I could take another title, but I'll spin it as reflected glory. Typical. The follow-on title is becoming an ACC specialty. NC State in '83. UNC '93 (I guess Duke in '92 counts). Maryland 2002. Duke 2010. UNC couldn't quite pull it off in 2016 and had to wait a year.

Hey, maybe it's Clemson or Florida State's year! But somehow I doubt it. Just don't let it be Kentucky.

Well, at least you had an excellent beverage. Come visit us here:

http://forums.dukebasketballreport.c...?3840-Ymm-Beer

No sports discussions allowed. (Well, not many .)

[OldPhiKap]

I rooted for Duke in 1978 title game. And against UNLV both years. After that I have to admit it got to be too much.

I'm a Mets fan. I rooted for the Yanks in 1996, but then it got to be too much again. I wanted the Red Sox to win in 2004. But you can only take so much of a rival's winning. Some can't take any of a rival's winning. But it isn't much fun if all you are doing is beating, say, The Citadel again and again. That's why I grew up loving the ACC. Tough crowd.

I grew up a Met's fan and a Ranger's fan in the late '70's and early '80's. I feel your pain.

Damn Yankees, Damn Islanders!

[trinity92]

For me, my increasing hatred of all things UNC is surely related to the internet-- back in the good old days before there were forums like this one and all the others, you just didn't know exactly what a large number of people were thinking, and that made carolina fans more tolerable. Sure there was the car full of carolina fans I encountered my freshman year driving around and around the west campus traffic circle hootin' and hollerin' after they beat us at Cameron, but in general, I respected carolina and could even root for them from time to time as an ACC representative when playing another conference.

Fast forward to today when you can read more awful thoughts and prejudices in an afternoon on a message board than you could talk to people about duke basketball in a lifetime. Maybe it's my own fault for going there, but I've read one too many reference to Rats, f*ing up my program, Myron Piggie, Flopping, Cursing, fake back problems, Lance Thomas, Mercer, etc. to ever get back to that state of innocence. It's just like certain friends on Facebook-- I liked them much more when I didn't have such ready access to their thoughts.

So now, I relish in their misery. I would never wish injury or harm on them, but honestly, I wouldn't console them much either, because they take too much pleasure in teasing Jay Williams over how his career ended. 9F is much more literal to me now than in my youth. And for the record, I don't find much to admire about Berry, whose smile and clapping after a made three made me consistently ill, or Maye, who I enjoy seeing exposed as the glorified rec league player he is. Pinson doesn't make me cringe but I wish him no luck in his future endeavors. I'm thrilled they're out-- the whole tournament has a fresher smell now.

9F, Go Duke.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

So now, I relish in their misery. I would never wish injury or harm on them, but honestly, I wouldn't console them much either, because they take too much pleasure in teasing Jay Williams over how his career ended.

Wow. I know some, uh, special Heels fans, but none who spout that sort of crap.

[OldPhiKap]

For me, my increasing hatred of all things UNC is surely related to the internet-- back in the good old days before there were forums like this one and all the others, you just didn't know exactly what a large number of people were thinking, and that made carolina fans more tolerable. Sure there was the car full of carolina fans I encountered my freshman year driving around and around the west campus traffic circle hootin' and hollerin' after they beat us at Cameron, but in general, I respected carolina and could even root for them from time to time as an ACC representative when playing another conference.

Fast forward to today when you can read more awful thoughts and prejudices in an afternoon on a message board than you could talk to people about duke basketball in a lifetime. Maybe it's my own fault for going there, but I've read one too many reference to Rats, f*ing up my program, Myron Piggie, Flopping, Cursing, fake back problems, Lance Thomas, Mercer, etc. to ever get back to that state of innocence. It's just like certain friends on Facebook-- I liked them much more when I didn't have such ready access to their thoughts.

So now, I relish in their misery. I would never wish injury or harm on them, but honestly, I wouldn't console them much either, because they take too much pleasure in teasing Jay Williams over how his career ended. 9F is much more literal to me now than in my youth. And for the record, I don't find much to admire about Berry, whose smile and clapping after a made three made me consistently ill, or Maye, who I enjoy seeing exposed as the glorified rec league player he is. Pinson doesn't make me cringe but I wish him no luck in his future endeavors. I'm thrilled they're out-- the whole tournament has a fresher smell now.

9F, Go Duke.

I have several friends who are UNC alum and UNC fans. I separate my dislike for the UNC athletic department from the people who choose to follow UNC athletics. So while I am really really really glad that UNC is out, I don't see the point of hating on people because they have different likes than me.

I would note that UNC fans equally can find examples of Duke fans with boorish behavior. I spent four years in Cameron, yelling "eat #$#$, Dean Smith, eat ^$##" as the follow-up to the GTH,C,GTH chant. While the guy was standing less than ten yards away. Who am I to say that another fan base should be condemned because of the actions of a few?

(BTW, Luke Maye made first-team all-ACC this year. While I do not root for him, calling him a "glorified rec league player" seems a bit off to me FWIW).

[hudlow]

Friends or strangers...I just smile and give'm the ol' "ABC BABEEEE! " and walk on.

One size fits all.

I don't have the time - or the inclination...

[rsvman]

A drive by fruiting, easier with a lime.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WMvR7dt6gn8

How are we to defend ourselves against the strawberry assailant? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90dnUbZMmM

[devildeac]

How are we to defend ourselves against the strawberry assailant? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90dnUbZMmM

Dang, somebody had to bring that up again.


I'd assess an F1 and give the opposing fruit the ball.

[wobatus]

I grew up a Met's fan and a Ranger's fan in the late '70's and early '80's. I feel your pain.

Damn Yankees, Damn Islanders!

Potvin still sucks.

[CDu]

Luke Maye made first-team all-ACC this year. While I do not root for him, calling him a "glorified rec league player" seems a bit off to me FWIW.

I agree, and Maye deserves a lot of credit for making himself into a legitimate star this year after being a low-rated recruit and primarily an afterthought in his first two years.

Although it is worth pointing out that Maye averaged 35.7 fg% and 30.4 3pt% over his last 7 games, scoring less than 1 point per shot over that stretch. And he looked about as bad as the stats suggest, at times appearing scared to even dribble the ball. I wonder if teams have started to finally figure him out a bit more.

It will be interesting to see what he does next year without Berry and Pinson. Not saying he won't remain a stud, but it might be asking too much of Woods and White to generate offensive openings for him the way Pinson and Berry did.

He's a grinder though, and will surely rack up the rebounds. I just wonder if - given his lack of height, run/jump athleticism, and ballhandling skills - we have seen the best Maye has to offer already.

[El_Diablo]

It will be interesting to see what he does next year without Berry and Pinson. Not saying he won't remain a stud, but it might be asking too much of Woods and White to generate offensive openings for him the way Pinson and Berry did.

They'll also have Nassir Little, assuming he is eligible (his AAU coach was jailed for funneling money to recruits, and Little is widely believed to be "Player-12" in the FBI scandal).

[PackMan97]

They'll also have Nassir Little, assuming he is eligible (his AAU coach was jailed for funneling money to recruits, and Little is widely believed to be "Player-12" in the FBI scandal).

LOL! As if that would stop Carolina.

Speaking of gloriffied rec league players, the one that immediately comes to mind is Marc Lewis for NC State back in the early '90s. He actually started and played 20+ mpg when State was running really low on bodies.

Jay Heaps would be the closest I can think of as far as Duke players, and fits "rec league" player to a T. Great athlete. Very successful in a different sport. Still plays basketball because they love it.

[devildeac]

They'll also have Nassir Little, assuming he is eligible (his AAU coach was jailed for funneling money to recruits, and Little is widely believed to be "Player-12" in the FBI scandal).

"He's not Player-12 unless we say he's Player-12."

"That Player-12 is a typo."

-bubba
-MCB

"Player-12 is not in the FBI's jurisdiction."

-j bilas

So, that's that.

[oldnavy]

"He's not Player-12 unless we say he's Player-12."

"That Player-12 is a typo."

-bubba
-MCB

"Player-12 is not in the FBI's jurisdiction."

-j bilas

So, that's that.

THIS!!

uNC deserved to be punished severely for their transgressions over the past two decades, but alas they were not.

However, they have forever lost the "high ground" that they loved to claim with the nonsensical "carolina way".

It's not much, but for someone who had to listen to their sanctimonious BS for years and years... it's something!

[Papa John]

Potvin still sucks.

Gotta admit, Bossy was a phenomenal goal-scorer though. Career GPG average higher than Gretzky...

[devilsince1977]

"He's not Player-12 unless we say he's Player-12."

"That Player-12 is a typo."

-bubba
-MCB

"Player-12 is not in the FBI's jurisdiction."

-j bilas

So, that's that.

"But the AAU coach offered the same cash to all of the UNC students"

[devildeac]

"But the AAU coach offered the same cash to all of the UNC students"

That works, too.

[kmspeaks]

I have several friends who are UNC alum and UNC fans. I separate my dislike for the UNC athletic department from the people who choose to follow UNC athletics. So while I am really really really glad that UNC is out, I don't see the point of hating on people because they have different likes than me.

I have a hard time respecting people who continue to support a program that does the things we known uNC has done. If roles were reversed you wouldn't see me on DBR anymore because I would no longer be a Duke basketball fan. I wouldn't be talking trash to fans because I wouldn't know or care if Duke won or lost. Maybe it's a little different if you're an alum and are trying to make sure things at your school are fixed, but none of the Carolina fans I know have ever stepped foot on campus. If you cheer for cheaters I don't see any reason to be nice to you when those cheaters get beat.

[TruBlu]

"But the AAU coach offered the same cash to all of the UNC students"

Actually, the AAU coach doesn’t have to offer the cash. The “regular” students must merely find out by word of mouth that the cash could be available. That’s how the paper classes worked.

[COYS]

I have a hard time respecting people who continue to support a program that does the things we known uNC has done. If roles were reversed you wouldn't see me on DBR anymore because I would no longer be a Duke basketball fan. I wouldn't be talking trash to fans because I wouldn't know or care if Duke won or lost. Maybe it's a little different if you're an alum and are trying to make sure things at your school are fixed, but none of the Carolina fans I know have ever stepped foot on campus. If you cheer for cheaters I don't see any reason to be nice to you when those cheaters get beat.

To be fair, I also think fans who have never set foot on campus are also the least aware and certainly the least concerned about the scandal. I am friends with a number of UNC fans who are not alumni but love the basketball team because of where they grew up. They are smart, accomplished people who have basically no understanding of what the scandal was even about. It was hardly on their radar. And, unless they found their way to PackPride or DBR, they were extremely unlikely to get information that would make them think the scandal was anything particularly noteworthy. It’s not like ESPN broke it down in detail. There are many diehard fans who do not frequent message boards (heck, if IC were Duke’s message board, I wouldnt be reading message boards, either).

One would need to actually put in significant work to uncover what really went on because the most readily available media outlets (ESPN, CBS) either barely mentioned it or dismissed it, entirely. Pack fans and Duke fans have a lot more incentive to dive into the interwebs to uncover UNC’s misdeeds than a UNC fan, especially one that didn’t go to the school. I don’t even mention the scandal to my UNC-fan friends because they don’t care and would think I’m just being annoying and sanctimonious. Honestly, I don’t blame them. If the scandal is not on their radar, it comes across as particularly annoying to have someone try to explain why something they’ve never even heard about is the reason they should be morally obligated not to be a fan of the ugly shade of blue.