Hating Duke

Duke plays George Washington this afternoon. GW is Mrs. Rhino's alma mater, and I hope they take Duke apart. Why? First, I love Mrs. Rhino (even though she's currently kicking my ass in the NCAA pool), and second, I just hate Duke.

I'm hardly alone in my feelings toward Duke. In fact, I doubt that there's ever been a college team that inspires this kind of white-hot hatred. Sure, there are legions of Notre Dame haters, Michigan haters, Miami haters, and Florida State haters, but Duke's different. There is something so intensely grating about the arrogance and sense of entitlement of Mike Krzyzewski's teams that I think it's fair to say that Duke hoops ranks right up there with The New York Yankees in terms of loathsomeness.

There's also the snotty rich white boy factor. You know the kid I'm talking about--his name changes, but he's always there: from Mark Alarie to Danny Ferry to Christian Laettner to J.J. Redick. He's the sneering little preppie who gets every call, gets the cover of every sports magazine, and most of all, gets his talents grossly exaggerated by the legions of Duke apologists who populate the media. Of course, the most outrageous of these apologists is Dick "Dukie V" Vitale, who never met a Duke player that he didn't have a nationally televised verbal orgasm over.

Fortunately, Duke hatred has spawned some excellent websites. The premier haters' website is The Truth about Duke, although Deadspin lists a few others that are worth a visit.

Duke haters of the world, unite! GO COLONIALS!!