Whom to pull for in the Final Four

[Coballs]

Which team will most Duke fans be rooting for this weekend? Pulling for the underdog Wichita St is likely a waste of time, so I'm going with Louisville for several different reasons. The Kevin Ware injury obviously makes them a sentimental favorite. An all future-ACC NC game between Louisville and Syracuse would likely further enhance the strength and reputation of the conference.

But, by far and away, the most important reason to root for this Pitino-coached Louisville team is that if they win the NC it would royally piss off every single Kentucky fan.

[luburch]

Wichita State without a doubt. I despise Louisville and their fans are just as bad as UK fans.

[Bluedog]

After experiencing Louisville fans first hand in Indy, it's going to be hard for me to root for them....

[KenTankerous]

i'm not pulling for anyone. and that is the beautiful thing this year. i have no invested emotional interest. i am in it for the basketball, for the game, for the stretch and jam of kids throwing a ball through a hoop.

LET"S GO BASKETBALL!!!

but uk fans are much worse than uofl fans but not as bad as maryland or unc chapel hill imnsho

[moonpie23]

addition by subtraction.....i'm pulling for louisville cause i think they have a better chance of sniping mich. I never want mich to win....ever...


so, if the cuse comes up and wins, fine, if louisville wins, fine....

[TruBlu]

addition by subtraction.....i'm pulling for louisville cause i think they have a better chance of sniping mich. I never want mich to win....ever...


so, if the cuse comes up and wins, fine, if louisville wins, fine....

Initially after last Sunday, I thought I would pull for Louisville, probably in part because of the injury to Ware.

Now, I'm solidly in the Anybody But Michigan camp. My daughter's father-in-law is a really obnoxious Michigan fan.

[WakeDevil]

My bracket says Louisville.

ETA: The lack of scoring in this ballgame reminds me of the famous expression " A lot of sound and fury signifying nothing."

[_Gary]

Unfortunately there's only one team (Wichita St) left that I don't despise, and their chances of cutting down the nets would seem to be slim to none. If it's a Louisville vs Michigan or Syracuse finals, I won't watch one second of it.

[WiJoe]

c - a - r - d - s ... NO!!!! Over and over and over last week.

Wichita State. Period.

:cool:

[PSurprise]

Any time Duke is not in it, I pull for the underdog. Imagine if the shockers won?!? Think of all the fans around the country complaining about one thing or another. I always like watching other fans complain for some reason...

[CR9]

Well, with the refs putting Wichita St out, it's the Cuse for me.

[licc85]

No brainer for me . . . Syracuse. Boeheim is infinitely more likable than Pitino, and certainly deserves another NC after being so loyal to his school for the past 400 years.

[uh_no]

No brainer for me . . . Syracuse. Boeheim is infinitely more likable than Pitino, and certainly deserves another NC after being so loyal to his school for the past 400 years.

despite being so condescending to the media? so iffy on the academics of his players?

[dukelifer]

No brainer for me . . . Syracuse. Boeheim is infinitely more likable than Pitino, and certainly deserves another NC after being so loyal to his school for the past 400 years.

Looks like Michican has figured them out.

[duke09hms]

Mitch McGary is proving to be a HUGE recruiting miss for us. Can't believe we lost him to Michigan. That's one example of the "Duke negative recruiting" costing us big time. If we had a big like him on next year's team anchoring us in the post, our offense would be likely unstoppable, and defense would be strong as well.

[_Gary]

Mitch McGary is proving to be a HUGE recruiting miss for us. Can't believe we lost him to Michigan. That's one example of the "Duke negative recruiting" costing us big time. If we had a big like him on next year's team anchoring us in the post, our offense would be likely unstoppable, and defense would be strong as well.

I was thinking the exact same thing (that McGary was a big miss). He reminds me a bit of Elton, in that he's strong but also very quick. If Michigan wins it all he'd be my MVP on that team over Burke.

[KenTankerous]

If we had a big like him on next year's team anchoring us in the post, our offense would be likely unstoppable, and defense would be strong as well.

don't we have a plumlee left? yeah, i'm pretty sure we have one more to go through...

[licc85]

Mitch McGary is proving to be a HUGE recruiting miss for us. Can't believe we lost him to Michigan. That's one example of the "Duke negative recruiting" costing us big time. If we had a big like him on next year's team anchoring us in the post, our offense would be likely unstoppable, and defense would be strong as well.

Probably every Duke fan who keeps up with recruiting thought about it for at least a minute, but in reality, we were a distant third for McGary behind Michigan and Florida. We were never really a threat to land him. Woulda been a special team next year with him, though I doubt he even stays for next year at this rate.

[duke09hms]

don't we have a plumlee left? yeah, i'm pretty sure we have one more to go through...

Yeah but have you seen Marshall play this year? His 2nd year in the program. This is McGary's first, and he's dominating the tournament.

[uh_no]

Yeah but have you seen Marshall play this year? His 2nd year in the program. This is McGary's first, and he's dominating the tournament.

maybe when marshall gets the playing time mcgary has had, he'll dominate too :)

i mean to say, he WILL dominate

[duke09hms]

maybe when marshall gets the playing time mcgary has had, he'll dominate too :)

i mean to say, he WILL dominate

I sure hope so and am definitely pulling for him. The minutes are there for him to earn, hope he does so.

[uh_no]

I sure hope so and am definitely pulling for him. The minutes are there for him to earn, hope he does so.

seeing as the next tallest guy on the team is 6'8 (hairston, hood, parker, jefferson, murphy), I think the minutes are pretty much default his.

I can't imagine us going out there with such a small lineup for the whole game.

[gofurman]

Mitch McGary is proving to be a HUGE recruiting miss for us. Can't believe we lost him to Michigan. That's one example of the "Duke negative recruiting" costing us big time. If we had a big like him on next year's team anchoring us in the post, our offense would be likely unstoppable, and defense would be strong as well.

How did duke miss on McGary w negative recruiting? Thanks for info!

[KenTankerous]

marshall is the thickest, strongest, fastest, most "athletic" of the three plumlees, he is going to do really well next year.

oh, and andre'll be back

[-bdbd]

How did duke miss on McGary w negative recruiting? Thanks for info!


Throughout his Senior year many thought that McGary was a Duke "lean." Out of Indiana, he attended prep school at a small private school, I want to say in New Hamshire(?), and seemed to regard academics as a priority. After all, he just seemed like a Duke kind of guy. But Michigan had signed on his AAU coach, IIRC, as an assistant, and there were persistent rumors of negative recruiting apparently as McGary voiced some unflattering stereotypes about Duke late in the process, and after his announcement. Definately a disappointment for us Duke recruitniks! :(

I agree with the comments here, that based on his play in the NCAAT he really could have been a difference-maker for Duke, this season, and especially next. He's a load underneath, good rebvounder, and a decent mid-range shooter, but most importantly he is a terrific passer out of the post. I felt that he was THE difference-maker for Michigan in beating Syracuse Sat night.

[dukelifer]

I suspect this final could be a very good game. Michigan got better in this tourney and may just pull it out.

[Buckeye Devil]

I don't like Pitino who has shown himself to be a man without principle and integrity in his personal life, and I usually feel about as negative towards basketball fans from Kentucky as I do for football fans from Michigan. So there is no way I want the Cards. Plus, they knocked out Duke. Plus, there is a lingering memory from 1986. Pretty tough for me to pull for anyone that beats Duke.

I've never been a big Boeheim or Syracuse fan for that matter either. I really have nothing against John Belien and Trey Burke is an Ohio kid that Ohio State really misjudged along with a bunch of other teams. So for the honor of the Big 10 which needs a boost, I am for Michigan. Not a popular pick amongst Duke fans, I know, and UM fans can be insufferable. It's really a no win situation for me.

[_Gary]

It's really a no win situation for me.

Welcome to my world. I detested all three of the big boys left in the Final Four, so once Wichita St bowed out I was left with a no win situation as well. I'm not even sure that I'll watch a second of the game Monday night. I just despise both those teams (for different reasons) so much. Both fan bases make me nauseous.

[TruBlu]

Welcome to my world. I detested all three of the big boys left in the Final Four, so once Wichita St bowed out I was left with a no win situation as well. I'm not even sure that I'll watch a second of the game Monday night. I just despise both those teams (for different reasons) so much. Both fan bases make me nauseous.

One of them has to lose.:D

[KenTankerous]

not watch, really?

you will deny yourself the last, and argueably best, game of the year because you don't like the colors of the uniforms or names of the players or some plorithera excuses.

hmmm, hate tsunami, not just duke.

[CR9]

With Syracuse going out and the refs having yet another end-of-game shocker, I have no interest in the championship game.

[dr.ed]

Gonna watch. Cannot root for either! Would not mind L'ville loosing.

[moonpie23]

if mich wins, how long will it be before we see jalen rose taking full credit?

I'd say about 30 secs.

[brevity]

not watch, really?

you will deny yourself the last, and argueably best, game of the year because you don't like the colors of the uniforms or names of the players or some plorithera excuses.

hmmm, hate tsunami, not just duke.

Hate is all around. Some people refuse to acknowledge it.

I'll watch this final -- given the programs and specific players, it could be interesting -- but I wouldn't begrudge another person from abstaining. I couldn't watch the Maryland-Indiana final in 2002 or the Connecticut-Georgia Tech final in 2004. Also, many championship games are devoid of drama as they play out, viewer bias or no bias.

[NashvilleDevil]

if mich wins, how long will it be before we see jalen rose taking full credit?

I'd say about 30 secs.

This is why I want them to lose. I think Beilein is a great coach but having Jalen running his mouth like he had something to do with the Wolverines winning it all will get sickening after 5 seconds.

[ynotme32]

No way, and I mean NO WAY I would ever pull for Michigan to win ANYTHING. After the negative things that was said about Duke by the "fab five" who won nothing, I hope they never win anything again. Also, after hearing about how great the Big Ten was this year I certainly don't want one of theirs to win the NC. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the ACC beat the Big Ten head to head this year, including all games, not just the challenge. One final note, losing to the NC (Louisville) isn't a shameful thing for Duke.

[wilko]

Eh,
I'm just not watching. If Duke isn't in it, no point in falsely driving TV ad revenue for the game.
Let the viewership numbers take a hit cuz Duke isn't in it.. I can live with that.

[ynotme32]

Eh,
I'm just not watching. If Duke isn't in it, no point in falsely driving TV ad revenue for the game.
Let the viewership numbers take a hit cuz Duke isn't in it.. I can live with that.

I'll be at work so I won't be watching either, that's two Duke fans not watching......see those numbers take a huge hit! :)

[burnspbesq]

The Cal women, that is.

[sagegrouse]

I'll be at work so I won't be watching either, that's two Duke fans not watching......see those numbers take a huge hit! :)

I will be travelling and will get in only in time for the 2nd half. I would normally root for Michigan over Lullville, but in this case, ACC pride is at stake, so I'll pull for the Cardinals.

sagegrouse
'By the way, WTF is up with the new name for the Big East football schools -- AAC -- American Athletic Conference? Surely the ACC has grounds to protest and seek redress over this infringement'

[JNort]

I do not care who wins! I want a good game and that is all. A final minute type of game with an outrageous decision or call some where along the way to give it an extra bit of pizazz.

[gep]

I'll be at work so I won't be watching either, that's two Duke fans not watching......see those numbers take a huge hit! :)

haha... I'm at work too... so count me out of those "numbers". I told my Mom tonight that I won't be leaving work and go over to her home to watch the final. I did that in 2010. What a great memory:cool:

[Jarhead]

My mind is made up. Welcome to the ACC, Louisville. The Cardinals are a class act. And I can't get the fab five out of my mind.