The more Duke envy you guys display, the more I smile.
Okay, I have a serious question for the Duke hatahs. I recall one instance while in the Dean Dome, one of the lady's from Dean Smith's office was taking me and my budyy down on an elevator to the court. I was talking to her and simply asked her if Duke had a game that weekend. The lady scowled up and said about as hatefully as you could say it, "Pffft...Yeah, probably playing some high school." This woman worked in the athletic department and it was obvious she had disdain for anything and everything about Duke. It was the one place in the country that I'd been to where I genuinely felt the same passion/hatred/whatever for your rival as I do in this part of the world with AU/UAT.
I get that. If you're a true fan of or graduate of Carolina, it comes natural. I, me, myself and I...we're bandwagon fans. I became a Duke fan in 78' when they made an improbable run through the tourney and faced Kentucky for the gold. It was truly David vs. Goliath. Since I'm an Auburn grad, if I didn't jump on someone's bandwagon, I'd have nothing to care about during college basketball season. So, I began to follow that program closely and have followed them just as if not more closely than Auburn's program. I know that's bad...we have a Chubb. What's not to love.
But, I've stayed with Duke because I truly like the way the entire program is run. I like watching someone being driven to success and the way they go about it. An article a few years ago in SI told how Coach K doesn't allow freshmen to have vehicles on campus but requires the upperclassmen be assigned to them to mentor them and make sure they get to class, understand what is required of them and in general, be responsible for them. And seemingly, they do things the right way. Players aren't getting arrested...you don't hear of scandals (other than LaCrosse...but hey, she asked for it) You have the winningest coach of all time who by all accounts, is like a father to his players and you hear nothing but the utmost respect for him from former players. He's quick to give props and respect to any opponent...in the first Duke/UNC meeting, the first words out of his mouth were, "We hung in there and found a way to win, but they're still the better team".
Not trying to sway anybody to be a Duke fan or back off. I know it's in good fun, but I'm always curious about why the hate for Duke. For a UNC fan, I'd expect nothing less. Part of one of the biggest rivalries in sports. One long time Yahoo Sports Radio guy, Peter Brown, hates them with every fiber of his being. When pressed on why...the only thing he's ever come up with is, "They get all the calls." Oh yeah, that's one hell of a reason.
There is no philosophical explanation for the visceral hatred between the two schools. Growing up in North Carolina there comes a time in a young persons' life when they have to make a decision. "Duke or Carolina?" Almost all of my Family who went to college (except my uncle who was an FSU grad and myself who went to UNCC) graduated from Carolina so that decision was easy for me. And I have two cousins who teach there. So, there are a lot of connections to Chapel Hill in my family heritage.
And I hate Duke with every fiber of my being.
And I'm glad they lost to Lehigh in round two of the NCAA tournament.
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