Our Other Bracket Attachments

[hustleplays]

Dear Friends,

Most of us are rather monogamously attached to Duke -- for reasons too numerous and worthy to state!

That said, given our histories and proclivities, we have other college sports team attachments.

For fun, I would enjoy hearing what they are, and why and how the attachments formed.

I'll start: My other love is the Wolverines of U of M. Hello Brother Scott! I was born in Dearborn, MI, and glommed on to all the pro teams, as sad as they might be. My mom worked for a while at U of M and took me to a football game at the Big House. I was about 7 y/o, and when I emerged to see all the people, screaming their lungs out, it was scary and totally exciting. I saw the gladiators way below on the field and was entranced. My mom bought me a U of M football helmet, with those glorious Blue and Maize stripes. I think it was made out of fiber board. I was invincible. I wore it in our pickup games and wore it around the house, bravely banging my head against anything hard.Yes, this likely accounts for my quirkiness. I played football all the way through HS, often thinking of that 1st helmet, and the invincibility I felt. Go Blue!...unless we're playing Duke, then it's LGD!

What are your 2y attachments?

[MarkD83]

I grew up in suburban Philadelphia near Villanova...Go Wildcats. 2016 was a glorious final game.

I actual cheer for all Big 5 teams (OK Temple may be a tough one to cheer for right now).

[AGDukesky]

I grew up in Carrollton,Texas and went to the University of Houston for undergrad. Loved Phi Slamma Jamma but then attended the Duke Soccer Camp and fell in love with Duke basketball with the 85-86 team. Would have loved to attend Duke for undergrad but had to wait for B-school. Now my schools are on a collision course much earlier than I hoped in the bracket. Because Houston is the 1-seed and has no national championships I will be pulling for the Cougars with my head but my heart will probably be with Duke (assuming of course both take care of business).

[DukieInKansas]

My father went to Michigan and a nephew ended up attending also. I was taught from a young age the Ohio state and buckeyes were bad words.

I have a nephew on the Clemson football staff so I pull for them, and in all sports.

If either are playing Duke, it is Duke all the way.

[OldPhiKap]

DaughterPK has two degrees from Alabama and is working on another now at UAB.

So, "go to Hell Auburn" gives me three non-Duke games with a rooting interest.

Pulling for State as well, love me some RJ Burns.

[DukeTrinity11]

I'll start: My other love is the Wolverines of U of M. Hello Brother Scott! I was born in Dearborn, MI, and glommed on to all the pro teams, as sad as they might be. My mom worked for a while at U of M and took me to a football game at the Big House. I was about 7 y/o, and when I emerged to see all the people, screaming their lungs out, it was scary and totally exciting. I saw the gladiators way below on the field and was entranced. My mom bought me a U of M football helmet, with those glorious Blue and Maize stripes. I think it was made out of fiber board. I was invincible. I wore it in our pickup games and wore it around the house, bravely banging my head against anything hard.Yes, this likely accounts for my quirkiness. I played football all the way through HS, often thinking of that 1st helmet, and the invincibility I felt. Go Blue!...unless we're playing Duke, then it's LGD!

What are your 2y attachments?

Small world! I lived briefly in Dearborn, MI too before growing up in Novi. I used to follow Michigan Football closely growing up and MSU Basketball so split allegiances there but Duke is my only real genuine fan interest now.

I'm a huge Detroit Lions fan and that's my other major emotional attachment.

[DU82]

My rules for bracket selection

1-Duke wins the whole thing
2-Carolina loses in the first round
3- any of my nieces’ or nephews’ school wins the first round, as long as it doesn’t violate rule 1.

So, this year, rules 2 and 3 combine. Go Wagner (assuming they get past Howard.)

[theschwartz]

Grew up outside LA and live here now, so I've always had an affinity for UCLA and USC. My 2 closest cousins are Bruin grads so I go to a couple games with them every year (just watched them get shellacked by Zona and Caleb Love a couple weeks ago at Pauley). Went to b-school at USC, so have a strong attachment to them as well. It was interesting watching the Blue Devils knock off both teams in the '01 SS/EE to reach the F4 my senior year, but there was no question where my loyalties lay. I was super stoked!

My wife is an Illini grad so we are a dual Blue Devil/Illini household. We'll be rooting quite vociferously for both teams in the NCAAT. Our toddlers love the I-L-L...I-N-I chant. I'm trying to teach them some non-profane Duke chants, but nothing's sticking yet.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Grew up in South Orange, NJ, home of Seton Hall University. One of their players who went on to the NBA went to my HS and babysat me a few times, and they had their magical run to the finals when I was in middle school so we got a day off for a big parade (Rumeal Robinson was not fouled). I had season tickets in HS (when Terry Dehere was on the team, as well as part of Danny Hurley's time). I was already a big Duke fan in HS so was not popular in school when Duke beat Seton Hall in the sweet 16 in 1992.

I don't follow them nearly as closely as I used to but have a fun text chat with my two HS buddies who I went to games with, dropping the names of random players from 30+ years ago. I was disappointed they didn't make it this year - so close.

[Maged]

I grew up listening to Big Five (Philadelphia) games on my Emerson tube radio and on UHF station 17. That tells you how old I am. So I'll typically root for a Big 5 team.

However, I like the Big East Catholic teams (not for religious reasons--I'm Jewish) and I'm going big time again this year for Marquette and Creighton. One of these years this strategy will pay off for me.

[DoubleBlue]

I grew up listening to Big Five (Philadelphia) games on my Emerson tube radio and on UHF station 17. That tells you how old I am. So I'll typically root for a Big 5 team.

Al Meltzer was great on WPHL-17. I used to watch Big-5 games on a portable B&W TV. I went to Penn undergrad, then Duke MBA. Duke is my #1 by far.

[Daddylawman]

I grew up in Connecticut and WAS a UCONN fan, but a gloating phone call in '99 ended that. My oldest daughter went to Brown, so I lost out there on a buzzer beater. The other went to SOUTH Carolina, so I will be cheering for them - especially on the women's side.

[Chicago 1995]

Grew up in Illinois making regular trips to Champaign to see my Dad's beloved Illini.

I went to Law School there too, and had season tickets for a couple of years after I graduated and returned to Chicago. I-L-L-I-N-I!

[Phredd3]

UDub (aka Washington) was my alma mater, so I root for them when I can. But they are only good at sports that I'm not a huge fan of (football) or that aren't big in the East (volleyball), so I don't get to cheer for them very often (and when I do, they generally lose, cf. this year's football championship). Duke has paid the bills for long enough, and now I have an alum and an alum-to-be as children, so now I probably root for Duke in a head-to-head. I also have a soft spot for the real U of M (the Golden Gophers), which is my parent's alma mater, since I know a bunch of the cheers from the '50s, and my parents retired to MN. Rah, rah, rah for Ski-U-mah!

[ClemmonsDevil]

Daughter went to Alabama, so Alabama football. I am a Duke basketball fan only.

[BlueDevil2K]

Grew up in Columbus, OH, going to as dozens (hundreds?) of OSU football and basketball games. For better or for worse, this rarely conflicts with my Duke fandom. Not thrilled that the women are in the same pod.

[burnspbesq]

Former UC Irvine season ticket holder, so I was disappointed when the Eaters lost to the Beach. Will definitely root for the Eater women.

Degree from USC isn’t enough to make me root for the Women of Troy. Living in metro Austin is definitely not enough to make me root for UT. Despise them almost as much as the Cheats.

Thank dog this Jersey Guy doesn’t have to pretend to give a damn about Rutgers.

[Ranidad]

Great thread!

Undergrad Duke and MBA from Michigan (3rd generation). Sitting in the Metrodome in 1992 I was curious how I would react on the hardwood…

100% Duke

I am still Go Blue in all other venues. Also met my wife in Ann Arbor. We get to Ann Arbor for a football game a year.

I grew up in Evanston and had season tickets to Northwestern hoops 1979-1981. Great era for Big Ten hoops. Isaiah Thomas at IU, Joe Barry Carroll at Purdue, Ronnie Lester at Iowa, Magic at MSU. That corresponded with a strong Duke run which put Duke on my radar when I applied to colleges, according to my father.

My wife went to Pitt undergrad and we moved to Pittsburgh in 2020 after raising our family in Northwestern country. Our Daughter graduated from Duke and our son from Tulane

My allegiances beyond Duke are Michigan,
Northwestern & Pitt with a touch of Green Wave.

[gam7]

San Diego State. Grew up in the 619. SDSU football was a lot better than basketball when I was a kid. My dad and I had football season tickets for a couple years at The Murph during the Dan McGwire and then Marshall Faulk eras. Some great offensive football teams in those days.

Went to a SDSU basketball game at Viejas Arena this year for the first time. It is a legit college basketball environment. Very fun.

Fun trivia: who is the SDSU basketball all-time assists leader?

Answer: Tony Gwynn

[hustleplays]

San Diego State. Grew up in the 619. SDSU football was a lot better than basketball when I was a kid. My dad and I had football season tickets for a couple years at The Murph during the Dan McGwire and then Marshall Faulk eras. Some great offensive football teams in those days.

Went to a SDSU basketball game at Viejas Arena this year for the first time. It is a legit college basketball environment. Very fun.

Fun trivia: who is the SDSU basketball all-time assists leader?

Answer: Tony Gwynn

Dear MarkD83, AG dukesky, Duke In Kansas, Old Phi Kap, Duke Trinity 11, DU82, Theschwartz, Crazy Not Crazie, Maged, DoubleBlue, Chicago 1995, Phredd3,ClemmonsDevil, BlueDevil2k, burnspbesq, Ramadan, gam7,

Thank you so much for contributing your stories! I am struck by how deep is the tapestry of our interwoven experiences and attachments. I will be able to watch the tournament with a much wider aperture of connections. Like, Go Eaters! :-)

I wish that I could respond to each of your posts. So many connections, in part because of my own nomadic wanderings as a kid. I mean, I saw John Arnett at the Coliseum in LA. My dear wife is from 'Bama, so "Roll Tide" is a liturgical phrase. [Digression: If any of you have not watched SEC Shorts, you must. Brilliant, funny takes on the SEC saga.] I love the U of Colorado Buffaloes. We played a team, Nucla, for the CO football championship, and we lost due mostly to the play of one Bill Symons, who went on to be an All American at CU and then played in the Canadian Football League. On the first play of scrimmage, I took him out on a desperate tackle [he was very fast, running a student-body sweep]. I said, "Welcome to Salida!" [our HS]. This was the only trash talk I had ever done. He looked at me, smiled and didn't have to say the words, "Game on!". Game was close, but he was transcendent. I have forever had an attachment to the Buffaloes, no doubt a case of Stockholm syndrome.]

As the tournament unfolds, I would enjoy hearing how your favorite secondary attachments are doing, and the effects on you and yours. Thanks so much for enriching our enjoyment of the tournament!