It hasn't been that hard for me. I make the "choke" sign then I laugh at them. If I'm feeling particularly generous, I'll say that Kansas probably would have beaten Duke too so I'm glad the TarHeels decided to take on the "most embarrassing Finals loss" accolade.
I actually feel that way. I would have preferred Coach going out with the title, but we Dukies would have been truly insufferable if that happened. I've managed to convince myself that it really was better this way.
Losing stinks.
Yeah, the rivalry lost its bitterness for me when we found out about the decades of cheating. The recent stench of racism from the Board of Governors with the whole Nikole Hannah-Jones fiasco didn't help. From an integrity point of view, the University is not what it once was. Would I have rather Coach K not lost to Carolina in the Final Four? Sure. Does it bother me as much as it would have 20 years ago? Nope. Carolina sold its soul in an effort to keep up with Duke during the Coach K Era but the thing about selling your soul, once you get the reward, you don't get your soul back, even when you beat Duke in the Final Four.
Maybe I view it differently because I grew up in Durham. UNC was the class act of the ACC during my elementary school years. I hated their sports teams but I was always proud of my home state's university - The Carolina Way meant something to me even though I wanted to beat the wanker out of them. They destroyed that. But they also destroyed the hate. They aren't worthy of my hate anymore.
Even I mostly agree. I will never forgive them for not self-imposing some sort of penalty across all affected sports. It was shameful and I don't feel the way I once did about the rivalry. They mortgaged a lot of integrity in that process. There is also the wonderful news that all of my buddies from there recognize that I will NEVER talk junk about basketball. So we never talk junk. Ever. And I am too mean for the Walmart UNC crowd to mess with.
Factors that have decreased my level of attention to college basketball (in no particular order):
- NIL deals
- Nonstop transfers
- OADs
- K retirement
- Unbalanced ACC schedules, loss of home and home series
- Disappearance of the four year player
- Deterioration of the "student athlete"
Now, not all of these things are Duke related, and not all of them are bad developments. K was going to retire one day, and he's certainly earned it. I welcome more freedoms for athletes to transfer, and I think NIL is a step in the right direction as well - even if it clearly needs more definition and refinement.
But if you told me in 1992 that in 2022 I wouldn't be able to rattle off the names of every player on Duke's roster a few weeks before the season tips off, I would have said you were crazy. But, here we are.
Let's go Duke!
I would add the non-punishment of the institution with the largest academic cheating scandal in the history of "college" sports (which exposed the NCAA as a pantywaist).
Indian food is nice for breakfast, particularly with an egg on it.
That's not what I'm having this morning but wish that I was.
My issue isn't with the NCAA. That was correctly adjudicated based on NCAA guidelines, which are set by the member institutions (which is international and also stupid). My issue is an academic institution choosing to protect the institution rather than taking responsibility. As a graduate it was embarrassing. And it was embarrassing to all my Tar Heel (grad) buddies.
My issue is with stale na’an.
I'll put my vote in for saag.
Back from the State Fair. My feet hurt. Disappointed that House Autry was not there giving out hushpuppy samples. First time in my life I did not have hushpuppies and a Mt Olive kosher dill pickle to snack on. Prices crazy high this year. Howling Cow ice cream went up by a dollar and there was considerably less in the cup.