Cheering for Duke or WVA? And why?
I think this match up poses some interesting issues for a Michigan fan. For me, before the RichRod hire, I'd certainly be pulling for WVA (because they're the underdog, not a perennial power, at a recruiting disadvantage, etc.). Plus, for a long time I hated Duke, although I recently started questioning that sentiment (because they run a clean program, play solid team basketball, eschew 1 and dones - some admirable qualities for a school in my opinion). Also, until this year, it had been a while since they've been the powerhouse they used to be. Anyway, I think I've downgraded my Duke "hate" to "dislike."
Then, there is the RichRod thing. Should we as a fan base be obligated to dislike a fan base that HATES us so much? Normally, I'd say no, but I think the way the school dragged our coach through the mud deserves some animosity.
So, after my internal debate, I feel that I dislike both schools about equally and I'll just be hoping for an entertaining game. Beyond that, the only team that I'd be happy to see cutting down the nets next week is Butler. I know I'm not the only one hoping for that.
Anyway, will you be cheering for Duke or WVA and why?
March 31st, 2010 at 12:40 AM ^
I mean West Virginia fans' hate is justified as we took both their basketball and football coach. So I can understand their animosity.
I'll be cheering for WV - Duke has just been a top power for too long I have never cheered for them. Probably won't for quite some time either
Is still in their locker room.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:44 AM ^
A benchwarmer for the Blue Devils is a family friend, and I've always wanted to say "I've beaten the hell out of a NCAA basketball champion, in foosball."
This is my chance.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:47 AM ^
to win it all in my bracket.
...in my "low confidence" bracket. I had Kansas and Kentucky in the final of my other two money brackets, with each winning one.
Id Duke wins it all, I take first. Unfortunately, that is the only scenario where I get any money as that bracket is sitting in 15th place out of 33 people.
One person in the pool picked West Virginia. Two picked MSU (Spartan grads of course).
March 31st, 2010 at 12:47 AM ^
West Virgina, Since we have both of their coaches, I consider them a little brother. And Screw Duke and Coach K's vampire hair.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^
If WV beats Duke I win my tournament pool and get $250
Similar situation, except I need Duke. They win, I take down the pool and $230. They lose, I miss out on the money by one spot.
Winning $250 is an excellent reason to root for WVU.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^
If we were obligated to dislike every fan base that didn't like us, we would all be big UM and Eastern fans.
how much Eastern fans like us.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:54 AM ^
Just because I have them in the national championship game.
Since I hate 3 of the 4 teams in the final four, I'm rooting for Butler to win it all.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:54 AM ^
Anyone but east lansing community college
March 31st, 2010 at 12:55 AM ^
I'm cheering for butler... who wouldn't?
...that's why he didn't have a companion " who are you rooting for: Butler or MSU?" thread.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:57 AM ^
as long as it's not MSU.. I don't care..
March 31st, 2010 at 12:59 AM ^
I hate Duke and always have.
Agreed. That and I have WV in the finals for my bracket. You know, the game where they lose to Kansas.
Couldn't have said it any better myself. WV vs. Butler. Would love to see Butler win it all. I hope Duke and MSU go down in flames.
is like cheering for anal rape. There are some things you NEVER cheer for. Duke is one of them.
Couldn't have said it better. If you root for Duke, you just haven't watched them for the last 20 years.
"Couldn't have said it better. If you root for Duke, you just haven't watched them for the last 20 years"
Or like to be anal raped.
I have a sinking feeling that Michigan State is going to win. It sucks but I just can't shake it... it consumes me.
Hey aaa
As much as I like underdogs, the thought of a WVU-Butler national championship game doesn't rev my engine.
Given that I'm rooting for Butler, I think that a Butler v. Duke championship game would have the perfect amount of "David v. Goliath" feel necessary to make it a seriously compelling story line.
No doubt Butler winning an NC is compelling in an of itself, but beating Duke adds a certain amount of "zing".
...is so freaking despicable that it totally blots out the significant distaste I have for all things Duke. Go Blue Devils? It still doesn't sound right but I am going to go with it.
... all else equal, I root for the underdog. It's the American way.
the fans put RR through, there is no way I'll root for WVU. This includes making up allegations of shredding documents, illegally contacting recruits, death threats against his family...
MSU & DUke fans (especially online) may be annoying, but it's personal with WVU.
I grew up in NC, and was an NC State fan. I didn't really care one way or the other about Duke, mainly because NCSU's biggest rival was UNC, not Duke.
I'm pretty indifferent about WVU.
I sure as hell don't give a crap about Sparty.
So I'm left with Butler. After seeing 3 of the top seeds ousted, it'd be nice to see an underdog who's never been there win it all.
I just want it to be over so I can stop pretending to care.
I hate Duke. I hate the Cameron crazies and just about everything Duke fans stand for - part of spending my post-college adult life in Maryland, where everyone hates Duke. Ever been to a Maryland - Duke game? Duke fans take obnoxious fan behavior to disgustingly high levels. And they are so damned smug at the same time.
I can get past WV's dislike of us; we did take their BB and FB coaches, did we not? I can understand why they are pissed at us - wouldn't you be a bit upset?
Duke all the way. For one, I don't hate Duke, and for two, I get more money in my pool if they win.
I lived in Bridgeport, WV for 4 years as a youngster, So I'll be screaming Let's Go Mountaineers. Plus I can't stand the ridiculous calls the officials give to Duke. I also can't stand the way many of their "fans" say I cheer for Duke because they play white guys. It makes me ill, that's why I hate Duke and always will.
My dad went to Duke, so I grew up cheering for the team. Also, a good family friend and lifetime Tar Heel had a brain tumor in high school and was treated at Duke hospital. Coach K was doing the visit sick kids in the hospital thing and became a friend of her family. He did all kinds of things to make her experience better including tickets to games, chances to watch practices, etc. Needless to say, the family friend is now a Duke fan. West Virginia winning would win me the bracket pool, but I cannot bring myself to cheer against Krzyzewski.
I like Duke. I can't explain why. They are sappy, their image is overly orchastrated, they get all the calls. I know, there are plenty or reasons to hate them, and I have tried, but I don't. I like Duke basketball. So I'm pulling for the Blue Devils. (But please, go back to the blue with white trim for the road unis, this new black experiment needs to end)
What a Final 4. Hate Duke, State sucks, West Virginia is, well they are West Virginia, do I need to say more. The only thing that would have made this even worse would be to have had Georgetown, UCLA or North Carolina be the fourth team. Go Butler!
Butler is the only team that remotely interests me in the Final Four. To me, it's almost as if it doesn't exist this year. I probably won't even bother watching the title game if it is Misdemeanor State against either of the other two teams, and I won't watch WVU vs Duke. It's not really hatred in their case: just an underwhelming lack of interest.
If I cared about either team much, I would make a top ten list of things I would rather do than watch them, but let it suffice to say I would rather watch my gf do her nails than watch Duke vs WVU.
I think it's been mentioned by others, but my rooting interest is dictated by my odds of winning money.
In the past, some of their players (e.g., Laettner, Wojo-something, Chris Collins) seemed like huge tools. I don't have the same feeling about the current bunch. I'm OK with the nerdy fans, too. (Aside: Their schtick seems worn-out these days.)
But, I have never been able to tolerate Coach K. All he'd have to do is drop the "Wook at me... I'm such sweet, sensitive wittle guy" routine in his public presentation. It doesn't match his on-court @#$%head personality. That's another way of saying the guy is a two-faced, dishonest @#$%.
As well, the whole focus-group vibe I get from Duke (as if unseen powers have determined that their team would be appealing to all of the USA) is annoying.
For those interested, here's a long anti-Duke rant:
http://www.mrtarheel.com/antiduke.html
March 31st, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
I hadn't seen that- Thanks for posting it.
To a victory in my bracket pool.
Actually I can't win, but I can get 3rd place in one and 2nd place in another, both getting a payout. In 2004 I won one of these same pools and got a cool $250 (thank you, UCONN).
So, I say: Go Mountaineers.
Edit: Also, I hate Duke. If I had no chance of getting in the money, I would root for Butler to win it all, though as it stands I will be rooting for them to beat Sparty anyway.
Rooting for Duke, but they must lose to Butler in the Championship game. If that happens I finish 2nd in a $3000 bracket and collect $1k, and as long as Duke doesn't win the Championship I win $300 from a separate work bracket.
If that happens, drinks on me for MGoBloggers Monday night!
Go Duke. They are an oddity such as a white running back. A team comprised mainly of whites winning in basketball would be nice.
March 31st, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
That's some odd reasoning, you have there, Mr. Ice.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
I don't think so. Although you may perceive it as racist it is not. Just as blacks came together to root for Texas Western I don't think there is anything wrong with rooting for a white team. Young white players coming up don't really have a great white hope to look up to. Larry Bird was once that but in a sport comprised of predominantly black athletes it would be nice to see a white team win.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
Duke should be to our 2010 Civil Rights' Movement what Texas Western was to their 1960's Civil Rights' Movement?
I know it's hard to get a point accross over text/email/blog, but so far, it seems you would agree with the following sports related statements:
1) Doug Williams ruined everything
2) Hockey is the last great frontier for real sports. Except in Calgary.
3) Dirk, Nash, and other "foreigners" are the only hope for saving the NBA
4) Mike Hart was an amazing running back because he was half-smart and half-athletic.
I think, being born in 1982 as a disclaimer, the reason blacks legitimately rooted for Texas Western in 1963 was that up until that point there was not an equality of opportunity for black athletes on the higher level teams. The powers in basketball were not avidly recruiting them with the fairness that they should have.
To say that there is not the equality of opportunity for white young players today is completely false- Hansborough, Scheyer, Kevin Love, Steve Blake, etc. These are important players on national championship quality teams.
For any argument, BTW, I suggest you avoid using "great white hope" as a positive thing. Historicaly, it has been employed by bigots or used sarcastically. However, to actually engage that portion of your argument, I don't think young white ballers need a white basketball player to look up to. If so, you end up with Tobey Gerhart being forced into a John Riggins, Mike Alstott mold when he is actually a much different back.