April 6, 2010 - I Hate Duke

I had a great opportunity to attend the Final Four this past weekend. I went over to Indianapolis and saw the semi-finals games. I didn’t have a dog in the fight as my brackets were busted like the bail jumpers on "Dog Bounty Hunter."

The first game was outstanding with Butler outlasting Michigan State by 2 points. The only drawback was an annoying woman sitting behind me constantly talking on her cell phone. I was soon to learn that was a mild wave to the pending tsunami of her rudeness.

The second game featured West Virginia and Duke. Once game #2 started, I learned I was in for a torture that would make water boarding seem like a quick stop at the drinking fountain. Apparently she was a “Dukie.” She had a “nails on a chalkboard”, ear piecing squeal / scream. She would do it non-stop, except when she would attempt a witty remark about West Virginia’s dental plan or their family lineage.

She let everyone know that she had graduated from Duke with honors, however none of her courses could have been in etiquette or class. She even cheered when the star West Virginia player went down with a torn ACL. Nice.

It is OK to root for your team, but not at the expense or enjoyment of those around you. By the end of the game, she had emptied all of the seats around her because of her incessant, obnoxious, and rude behavior.

I’ve always admired Duke’s coach. He is a class act in how he treats his players. Coach K always has top graduation rates. It is unfortunate that the Duke fans haven’t learned from his example.

I had seen the news stories about “Duke Haters.” I got to see first hand why this is a growing demographic. Going forward, I will be a card carrying member of the local chapter of “Duke Haters”.

And yes, I know Duke won the championship on Monday night. I woke up in the middle of the night with that woman's familiar screaming in my head. But alas, it was only the local tornado warning sirens. What a relief!!!