2008 Woodie Awards
Don't hate the teams, hate the game
Erich Pilcher
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: Sports
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"Hate me today, Hate me tomorrow."- Blue October from the song Hate Me
There are three types of teams in the world of sports: The lovable losers, the perennial winners and the hated champions.
The lovable losers lose and find new ways to lose every year and yet their fans still love them, i.e. The Chicago Cubs.
The perennial winners win consistently and do it the "right way" and the fans love them for it, i.e. The New England Patriots.
Finally, there is the hated champions. These teams win consistently and have a swagger they know they will win and there is not anything the opposing team can do about it.
These teams include the New York Yankees and the Duke Blue Devils in college basketball.
The last team is the one I would like to discuss. In this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament, the Duke Blue Devils had their earliest exit from the NCAA's in 10 years. Being eliminated by Virginia Commonwealth by a last second shot. Many college basketball fans rejoiced.
Afterward fans rejoiced like Luke Skywalker destroyed the death star again. The evil empire of college basketball had fallen.
Now it is time for the rejoicing to end, the Duke empire has not fallen it just had an off year.
In a pole conducted by ESPN.com 63 percent of America said there favorite moment in this year's NCAA tournament was that Duke and Notre Dame lost in the first round.
Many times I've heard fans say the Duke run is over and they will never be dominate again. I don't know whether to call that wishful thinking or complete stupidity.
Duke is coached by arguably the greatest coach in college basketball history, Mike Kryzewski. Coach K, as he is known by his players and fans only offered these words after his teams loss, "Sometimes you need to get your butt kicked to appreciate winning."
The Duke men had their share of butt kickings this year so to all of you detractors imagine how they will rebound from this.
Duke has one of the top incoming recruiting classes next season, furthermore they have Coach K. This man is a proven winner over the last 10 years his team made it to at least the sweet sixteen in the NCAA tournament, no other team can boast that record.
So before you have your personal parade celebrating the fall of this sport's dynasty, stop. It has not fallen it just had a hiccup and hiccups go away rather quickly.
So, in closing the new Duke dynasty has begun. Remember those words in 10 years and three national titles later.
There are three types of teams in the world of sports: The lovable losers, the perennial winners and the hated champions.
The lovable losers lose and find new ways to lose every year and yet their fans still love them, i.e. The Chicago Cubs.
The perennial winners win consistently and do it the "right way" and the fans love them for it, i.e. The New England Patriots.
Finally, there is the hated champions. These teams win consistently and have a swagger they know they will win and there is not anything the opposing team can do about it.
These teams include the New York Yankees and the Duke Blue Devils in college basketball.
The last team is the one I would like to discuss. In this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament, the Duke Blue Devils had their earliest exit from the NCAA's in 10 years. Being eliminated by Virginia Commonwealth by a last second shot. Many college basketball fans rejoiced.
Afterward fans rejoiced like Luke Skywalker destroyed the death star again. The evil empire of college basketball had fallen.
Now it is time for the rejoicing to end, the Duke empire has not fallen it just had an off year.
In a pole conducted by ESPN.com 63 percent of America said there favorite moment in this year's NCAA tournament was that Duke and Notre Dame lost in the first round.
Many times I've heard fans say the Duke run is over and they will never be dominate again. I don't know whether to call that wishful thinking or complete stupidity.
Duke is coached by arguably the greatest coach in college basketball history, Mike Kryzewski. Coach K, as he is known by his players and fans only offered these words after his teams loss, "Sometimes you need to get your butt kicked to appreciate winning."
The Duke men had their share of butt kickings this year so to all of you detractors imagine how they will rebound from this.
Duke has one of the top incoming recruiting classes next season, furthermore they have Coach K. This man is a proven winner over the last 10 years his team made it to at least the sweet sixteen in the NCAA tournament, no other team can boast that record.
So before you have your personal parade celebrating the fall of this sport's dynasty, stop. It has not fallen it just had a hiccup and hiccups go away rather quickly.
So, in closing the new Duke dynasty has begun. Remember those words in 10 years and three national titles later.
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