Not so fast, Duke haters: These overachievers are worth rooting for.

[madinmaryland]

So you say you hate Duke. You always root against them. You consider it a crime against humanity, not to mention a conspiratorial act by CBS, that Mike Krzyzewski's team reached this year's Final Four. You can't wait to root against the Blue Devils when they face West Virginia on Saturday, though you fully expect the refs to do whatever possible to ensure they advance.

Dude, you're such an outdated cliché.

I won't try convincing you to root for Duke this weekend, not when every other team in the field has its own compelling storyline. Not when Butler is playing in its own backyard, not when Michigan State is playing without its star point guard, not when West Virginia has managed to turn Bob Huggins into a sympathetic figure. Choose your favorite accordingly.

But all this blind Duke hatred -- it's so 2006. Do you even know why you're still rooting against the Blue Devils? Or have you been doing it for so long that it's become as ingrained a habit as mocking Pauly Shore movies?

Because I've got to tell you -- most of the reasons people give for hating Duke basketball don't really apply to this year's team.

Mind you, I've been as big a Duke critic as anyone in recent years. I bristled at their penchant for late-season collapses. As recently as late January, I panned the Blue Devils' Final Four chances this year, which looks pretty foolish now (though I doubt anyone who watched that same Georgetown game came away feeling any differently).

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/stewart_mandel/03/30/duke.anti.hate/index.html

:popcorn:

[JonLP24]

1. Great post mad.

It was an excellent read. I honestly stopped hating Duke after reading this:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=215&topic_id=139901 I think that is an excellent article that turns Coach K into a likable guy to me where no one likes him on this forum.

[madinmaryland]

3. While none of here would agree with his politicaL views, he has

proven himself to be a quality coach with an impressive record. When was the last time you heard of a scandal from his program, or when did he choke someone.

Also, I don't recall him spouting off about his political view, as a well known RED SOX representative has.

[joeybee12]

2. Outdated? Last I checked, Coach K was still there...that's reason #1...n/t

[madinmaryland]

4. Nice post, Curt Shilling!

[elleng]

5. As usual, mad, I appreciate your thoughtfulness!

TESTING logo!

E

STILL too large!

NOW better, eh?

[Upton]

6. So you're a Duke fan now?

that figures...it goes hand in hand with your support of other redneck Republicans... NASCAR, Jerry Jones etc.

[madinmaryland]

10. Welcome back, Upton. Did you and cboy4 have a nice vacation?

BTW, I see the 49er's are taking lessons from the Cowboys and want to try and emulate the Boys running game!

[Upton]

13. How stupid..

using multiple backs in one style or another has been around for years...

Right now though, I'm pretty sure the Cowboys are running a version of the West Coast Offense.

[madinmaryland]

14. I'm glad you had a nice vacation...

I'm also glad that SF has not figured out how to utilize that type of offense.

BTW, when Jim Zorn says he is running the "west coast offense" with Jason Campbell, then the "west coast offense" has become a joke.

[era veteran]

7. Sure Duke is a great school, an elitist school

We have a history with the dukies.

[taterguy]

8. Elite is good.

If you, or someone you cared about, was going to be operated on; wouldn't you want the doctor to be an elitist?

Or would you rather take your chances with someone that went to community college?

[era veteran]

9. If your poor & smart you go to state / community colleges

If your rich Duke. Understand? Are you a Duke fan too?

[taterguy]

11. Understand that you can get a scholarship to Duke?

Not every student there is rich.

Granted, most of them but not all of them.

ps: It's spelled you're when it's a contraction. Sorry, that was 'elitist' of me.

[era veteran]

15. Never mind, I'm pulling for Butler, Shelvin Mack went to HS with my son

Touche' on the contraction. You need my red pen?

[madinmaryland]

12. My cousin went to Duke, and they were by no means rich.

[era veteran]

16. I'm just throwing shit on Duke because I'm bitter.

[Iggo]

17. Never.

[AndreaCG]

18. Rooting for Duke is like rooting for the Yankees

Sorry your article didn't convince me.

[Redbear]

19. Not quite like the Yankees. The Blue Devils player payroll

isn't more than twice what the average team pays its players.

[elleng]

25. I used to say, 'rooting for the Yankees

is like rooting for AT&T!'

[Kingofalldems]

20. The great mrclean agrees with you

[Threedifferentones]

21. Rooting against Duke basketball

Is to me like rooting against Irish football or Yankee baseball. The big, famous, glitzy teams that are good almost every year, and still in the spotlight even when they are not, just irritate me.

Let's go whoever plays Duke!

[CBR]

22. Especially on Saturday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb92H1wFtk8

[PVnRT]

23. Root for Duke, root for Rand Paul

[HughBeaumont]

24. You couldn't pay me to root for this shit-boring team.

Or Tobacco-U's boring coach or it's boring style of play or Dicky V's constant handjobbing of them and especially not for their cavalcade of douchebags and baguettes known as "DA CAMERON CRAYZIES BAYBEE!!"

I'm still bitter about 1991. :)

[Lasher]

26. You know, I've been thinking about that.

Here is some input from a friend.