The CourtMaster on Hate
In my latest Duke Basketball Report column, I take on the issue of fans hating their rivals, especially in the Duke-North Carolina and Duke-Maryland rivalries. I've been guilty of it myself, but I'm trying to reform and I tell you why.
I also give a reason why I think Maryland basketball has slipped over the last two seasons, briefly examine the benefits Duke received from its overwhelming advantage in free throws in their last two games, and discuss the problems the Blue Devils' Shelden Williams is having stopping opposing centers from scoring.
http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/columns/index.cgi?179
posted by Jim Johnson, The CourtMaster @ 7:02 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Good post on hate. There's no need for it in college sports. The players don't hate each other. So why do the fans feel they HAVE to in order to show support for their teams? As for Thornton "lighting up" Sheldon Williams: c'mon, Williams wasn't covering Thornton. And Thornton, a really fine player, took 32 shots! That's almost half the entire team's shot total. He made only about 50 percent of those shots and they were ALL from right under the basket. How great does that make him or his performance in that game? Redick had the same point total with about half the number of shots. Look at the stats, for goodness sake. As for the discrepancy in foul shots, the Seminoles were obviously fouling hard under the basket -- there were some 20 shooting fouls against Duke, two of the intentional. All of them were hard enough to make it impossible for the Duke player to make the shot. If you want to pay enforcer under the basket and force the other team to beat you from the free throw line, you can't complain about the number of foul shots you give up.
I agree with your post on hate 99%. However, there is something about J.J. Redick, a certain silky smarminess, that makes you WANT to hate him. I don't feel that way about Williams or Melchione. I never felt that way about Danny Ferry, Christian Laettner, Elton Brand or Shane Battier. I respected all of them for their talents even when they beating my beloved Terps. But Redick -- there's something about that little troll that just brings out the worst in people. It certainly does in me.
Steve from Mt. Airy
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