Irony? Conspiracy? Or something equally nefarious? You decide!

[Dr. Tina]

The 2011 Elite 8 is UNC, Kentucky, UCONN, Arizona, Kansas, VCU, Butler, and Florida...

As a Duke fan, what do you notice about all of these teams?

I'm immediately struck by the fact that "Road to the Final Four" and another possible Nat'l Championship (PLEASE NO!) for our fiercest rival...the TARHOLES..from here on out...requires us to root for teams that have played a significant role in Duke's historical NCAA tournament history!

I swear there's a Duke hater out there somewhere and he/she is truly working some horrific black magic on our Duke team and favoring any team that actually beat us or they thought deserved to beat us.

It's scary really....and I believe that it may have started with that little "David" of a school...Butler...and their Kyrie Irving "Evil Turf Toe" Voodoo Doll in December! I bet even Blue II...the Butler mascot...may have been in on the action.

Our "Drive for 5" mission was diabolically thwarted by these 8 schools. It reminds me of the "Five Families" going after Don Corleone.

They will pay for this, I tell you...PAY....

So, who's with me? :p

[DevilWearsPrada]

I just want Kentucky to dismantle the Tarholes!

And for Butler to win the Championship!

[bjornolf]

Well, by the Duke curse, Butler is the only team with a shot, right? :cool:

[Saratoga2]

I think you are on to something, but for a different reason. Why are these 8 schools able to reach the final 4? What is unique about them to put them there?

The final 8 are all talented teams or they wouldn't get this far. I think they do it in different ways, for instance:

Kentucky- They have recruited high on the list of talented players and expect that a percentage of those players will go to the NBA as one and doners. They did it last year and have a top recruiting class next year. Their coach does a good job but not a great job and there seems to be a pall over the program with Calipari in charge.

North Carolina- Sole ACC representative left. They too have a nuber of NBA level players and like the running game and have the players to make that happen. Their experience level is not that high, but they do have a height advantage over many NCAA teams.

UCONN- They have a superstar player and also some talented supporting players coming along. They also have size and athleticism. They get solid recruits but again, this program also has the pall of impropriety over it.

Arizona- A program that has been down in recent years but this year has a team loaded with agile and quick athletes. Derrick Williams I am informed was not considered a top recruit, however, he has become a superstar and is a top NBA prospect based upon his performance. They are also solid at the point with a budding star.

Kansas- They typically have a solid recruiting class and a history of excellence. This year they have a terrific pair of inside players along with a good supporting cast. They have had an easy trip to the Great 8, and may not be really tested until the final 4 round.

VCU- Here is a program that has overachieved. They haven't had the benefit of high level recruits but have got good athletes and have a coach which recognizes the ability of his players and uses relentless pressure and a running game to make up for their lack of size and sheer talent. They have developed players to be really good and also use a lot of substitutions to keep their players from total exhaustion.

Butler- A very experienced and tough team that plays a slowdown physical style which suits them. While they may not have much future NBA talent, they do have really good NCAA level players who defend and can score. Very smart team.

Florida-Another very experienced team with size inside and versatility. Kenny Boynton is a very solid guard.Good coaching with Billy Donavan.

A difference between many of these teams and Duke is that we didn't have the inside presence that some of these teams have. We really had one player that could break down superior defensive players.

I would be interested in what if any conclusions others on the board might have about what characteristics are important about the 8 teams that have made it this far.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I tend to take a more global, long term view about whatever it means that these are the teams this year and that Duke has encountered almost all of them at various times over the years in the NCAA tournaments. It's a long term pattern that most of these programs are NCAA participants year after year, just as Duke is. It may vary a bit how each programs gets there repeatedly, but most of these are programs which have been able to sustain high levels of success over the years in the tourney.

[SupaDave]

In a perfect world, Kentucky beats UNC tonight and then has to immediately vacate the win.

[Faison1]

My Kingdom for one of Ohio States's power forwards.

[weezie]

In a perfect world, Kentucky beats UNC tonight and then has to immediately vacate the win.

A girl can dream....that would be so divine!

[Rogue]

9f

9f

[dynastydefender]

In a perfect world, Kentucky beats UNC tonight and then has to immediately vacate the win.

Kentucky Dismantles the Tarholes and wins the title. Check out my signature pic. That wasn't vacated. :)

Seriously...No Duke hater here. You have the best coach and Laettner is long gone...although I still feel the sting.

[CDu]

In a perfect world, Kentucky beats UNC tonight and then has to immediately vacate the win.

Unfortunately, the world isn't perfect... UK and UNC don't play until tomorrow.

[Mike Corey]

This is shaping up to be the most pitiful Elite 8 in the history of everything.

[jv001]

I just want Kentucky to dismantle the Tarholes!

And for Butler to win the Championship!

My hope as well. I don't want to see all that unc clothing for an entire year. I was all set to get into golf and OSU loses to Kentucky. Plus it gets cold again and the rain comes in. Now I've got to worry about unc not only making the Final Four, but worry about them winning a national championship. This year reminds me of Duke in 2010. People were saying Duke had fallen behind unc, Coach K was falling behind old roy, Coach K should have been coaching Duke not the National Team and unc had just won a National Championship. Fast forward to this year and people were talking about unc playing in the NIT, old roy had fallen behind Coach K, unc was going to have another subpar year and Duke had just won another National Championship. Well unc turned their season around and now has a chance to have a special year just like Duke had last year. I sure hope Kentucky puts all this to rest and I can get back to Golf. GoDuke!

[TonyWR]

My hope as well. I don't want to see all that unc clothing for an entire year. I was all set to get into golf and OSU loses to Kentucky. Plus it gets cold again and the rain comes in. Now I've got to worry about unc not only making the Final Four, but worry about them winning a national championship. This year reminds me of Duke in 2010. People were saying Duke had fallen behind unc, Coach K was falling behind old roy, Coach K should have been coaching Duke not the National Team and unc had just won a National Championship. Fast forward to this year and people were talking about unc playing in the NIT, old roy had fallen behind Coach K, unc was going to have another subpar year and Duke had just won another National Championship. Well unc turned their season around and now has a chance to have a special year just like Duke had last year. I sure hope Kentucky puts all this to rest and I can get back to Golf. GoDuke!


Tell me about it, I have ran some errands today and have never seen so many tarhole fans. The smurf blue everywhere is disgusting. After uk beats them tomorrow most of them will go back into hiding. When the holes win they come out like cockroaches but when they lose you can't find them. Typical crapolina bandwagon fans. Go uk!

[SupaDave]

Unfortunately, the world isn't perfect... UK and UNC don't play until tomorrow.

I'm trying to speed the whole process up man!!! LOL!

[diveonthefloor]

Watching the East regional final will be sorta like watching a school contest between the kid who you know is sleazy and cheats to get everything, and the kid who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and treats everyone like the haughty snot-nosed son-of-a-gun he actually is.....

There is no way that good comes out of this....

And for the physicists out there: What happens when anti-matter and anti-matter collide?

[Gewebe14]

In a perfect world, Kentucky beats UNC tonight and then has to immediately vacate the win.

Wow, this post just made basketball worth watching again. Thank you so much for giving me something to cheer for.

And Butler of course. The thought of having to cheer for Kentucky and then Ucon... literally makes me shudder.