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Uncle Drew
03-25-2007, 03:00 AM
While the 86 loss to Louisville still stings to this day and the 99 loss to UCONN will always make me want to run over and kick the dog (when I think of the players we had and could have had.) the last two have been by far the hardest of my 37 years to be a Duke fan. Sure 1986 after Duke lost in the title game, the soccer team won the schools first national championship in any sport. I don't mean any disrespect to any team / players from the past or present when I say this. But comparing a soccer or cross country championship to one in mens basketball is like comparing a Mustang to a Ferrari. They are both nice accomplishments / cars, but a Mustang is a fast car and a Ferarri is a work of art.
Growing up going to Duke football games aside from the Spurrier era we were never what anyone would call dominant, but we were usually competitive and never had a winless season. I have seen some improvement over from the Franks era to the Coach Roof era. I for one hope they give him a few more years to try and turn things around, as in my opinion constant turn over at the head coaching position is one of the main reasons we are in the state we are. But it has seemed the last two years Duke has found new ways to lose, holes too big to dig out of and the fans just hoping not to get blown out let alone win. I'm actually proud of the guys who suit up and play for Duke as the losing hurts them even more than it does the fans. But God, could you strenghten and quicken the players we have, increase the skill and knowledge of the coaches and let us win a game or two this year?
The Lacrosse scandal not only shocked Duke as a university but the entire nation. Immediately the school was labeled everything from elitist, sexist, racist and immoral. Every guy on the team charged or not has had to endure scrutiny the past year that would frazzle most anyone. And the three members who actually had charges brought against them have had their names and reputations permanently damaged. The press found them all guilty as charged in the court of public opinion and ran with it. Social and race divisions between the city of Durham and Duke University instead of gaining common ground, widened. And a DA with more interest in gaining votes for re-election than the truth fed his poison to anyone who cared to listen. If not for a few good people with legal knowledge and inependant / unbiased media such as 60 minutes who knows where the case would stand right now? As it is Duke University has a damaged reputation, a coach who led his team to the title game is gone and the lacrosse team has become the punch line for a Jay Leno joke. The AV through her actions has widened the racial chasm in Durham and made noble causes such as victims rights suspect and taken back ten years. From here on out an actual attempted rape on a stripper will probably be taken with a grain of salt by the police and give an actual offender a possible get out of jail free card. God, could you ease the social and racial disharmony in Durham and if nothing else could you make this upcomming lacrosse season fun for the team after a year of turmoil?
Our womens team while playing like a thing of beauty most of the past two seasons has run into road blocks in the NCAA tourney. I feel so much for Harding right now and I couldn't help but flash back to 2002 when Jason Williams missed free throws to win the game. I remember Boozer getting fouled and not getting the call, did anyone think one of our ladies get fouled today trying to do the same? It was great watching Duke sweep UNC and MD this year on their way to an undefeated season and we are all proud of their accomplishments. No one expected them to have the season they did but it still stings when thinking of what might have been. Now we have news Coach G is being sought out by another school and apparently our AD doesn't have any common sense yet alone oratory skills. God sooth Hardings heart and let her know we all fail, the trick is learning and coming back stronger. God let Coach G know we love, appreciate her and want her to stay even if Joe Alleva is too blind to see championships waiting to happen right in front of his eyes!
After being forced to watch the tarheels win it all in 2005 all Duke fans had hope of a championship the next year thanks to a solid starting five and early departure for other schools. They played their hearts out, so much so that by the end of the year it looked as if they were riding a dead horse against LSU. And despite winning the ACC tournament fans and players had to suffer (IMO) the most humiliating loss in the hsitory of Duke basketball losing to UNC on senior day at home to a freshman led squad. We all knew it would be a "rebuilding" year for Duke, but there was hope of over achieving and progress by the end of this season. (Which in many ways there was.) But having the youngest team at Duke since the 40's, the team couldn't seem to win the close ones and got swept by it's arch rivals. The Henderson vs. Tyler incident further fueled the fire of the Duke haters. Duke suffered a first round knock out in the ACC and NCAA tournaments after an 8-8 season and to add salt to the wound Josh McRoberts announced his plan to head to the NBA early. Please God, could you help the current players add on lean muscle and put some pep in their step? And could you whisper in Patrick Pattersons' ear we REALLY need him right now and will cherish every second he spends in a Duke uniform?
Finally the last two years it has become open season on everything Duke and everyone who bleeds true blue. Any other team / fans facing such persecution could cry everything from racism to media bias and get some sympathy. But Duke and it's fans have to listen to every media outlet squeal with glee as one setback after another have befallen our school, teams and players. Like Caesar, Duke has had enemies waiting in the wings and they are now stabbing us all in the backs led by MD and UNC fans and their biased media members. The very people we rely on to give us an unbiased report on the events, cheerfully kick us in the teeth now that we are down. I am proud to be a Duke fan and I always will be no matter what our record or what the brainwashed masses tell me. But God, could you explain to the fans of the other schools the true "evil empire" is over in Orange County, the school we all are trying to knock off their high horse? Could you explain to the media they are there to report the news, not get on a soap box and explain why hating Duke isn't just okay, it's now the trend. And God, one last thing. PLEASE let someone, ANYONE knock off those powder blue pansies! It's been a rough couple of years and them winning it all again would be a little too much for some of us to take!



PS
Oh yeah and God, no more steroid allegations from the baseball team please and keep JJ sober!

hurleyfor3
03-25-2007, 12:30 PM
Duke Prayer?

In the name of the Laettner
And of the Shane
And of the Hurley Spirit
Amen.

Uncle Drew
03-26-2007, 12:44 AM
Thank you God for answering my prayer. And now let Florida lose to let Duke still be the last team to repeat!

fan345678
03-26-2007, 12:53 AM
let's say it for Jason Ray and his loved ones.

Uncle Drew
03-26-2007, 05:08 AM
let's say it for Jason Ray and his loved ones.


Agreed, no matter how much I hate light blue, let's hope the guy pulls through.