The Team Everyone Loves to Hate

It's an annual sports right of passage. Twelve young men earn a place next to John Mark Karr and Scott Peterson in our Halls of Hatred. That's right — college basketball is back and it's time to start hating Duke again.

Never mind that it doesn't make any sense. The Blue Devils don't resemble any of our other archetypical sports heels. They don't fire off rounds into the air like Stephen Jackson. They don't coldly break hallowed records while swimming in an ocean of steroid innuendo like Barry Bonds. They don't exercise $200 million dollar payrolls like the Yankees. We hate them because ... well, just because.

This should have been America's team. As Dick Vitale will remind you 7,845 times this year, the Dukies achieve at academic levels above most of their peers. They rarely run afoul of the law. They rival David Eckstein in grittiness and hustle. A quick review of some of the most hated Blue Devils of the past decade-and-a-half provides plenty of examples: Steve Wojciechowski slapping the floor on the defensive end; Shane Battier diving into the stands for a loose ball.

And yet we just can't help but hate them. Their great sin? They win too much.

That we got to this point is inexplicable. Perhaps there is a natural level of disdainful jealousy at play here, as Duke has dominated the college hoops landscape. But our blind abhorrence of the Durham dozen goes way beyond that.

To find evidence of this from last year, all you have to do is remember the smiles on the faces of your co-workers the Friday morning after Duke lost to LSU in the Sweet 16. Remember the glee with which grown men relished J.J. Redick tearfully mourning the end of his career. And now look at the hint of a smile that curls the corners of a college basketball fan's lips when you tell them Duke is starting the season ranked outside the top 10.

But don't get too comfortable, Duke-haters. This year's team could be better than last year's come tourney time. Last year's group spent too much time on offense with the ball in Sheldon Williams' and "Just Jumpers" Redick's hands. Williams and Redick may be gone to the NBA, but the cupboard is hardly empty. Sophomore forward Josh McRoberts is an athletic interior presence, and junior wing DeMarcus Nelson looks poised to match some of the backcourt points the departed Redick notched.

But the biggest reason to doubt a Blue Devil drop-off is also their most prominent target of hatred. It's been four years since Mike Krzyzewski needed to do this much molding and coaxing of his stable of talent. If nothing else, this year's squad gives Coach K the opportunity to prove himself as the hardwood genius many commentators tout him as. These Blue Devils are less experienced than a mail room intern, but one glance at their high school resumes and accolades leaves no doubt as to their talent.

In fact, as inexperienced as Duke is, they still have an advantage over many of the other top-flight programs ahead of them in the preseason polls. Tobacco Road rival North Carolina nearly swept all of the first place votes in the ACC writers' conference poll, but the Tar Heels are just as green as Duke. However, while Carolina will bank on many true freshmen who were playing high school ball last March, Coach K will hand the keys over to players who may not have played much, but have spent plenty of time in the system.

So as this college basketball season progresses and Duke inevitably succeeds, give credit where credit is due. Let's be reasonable and recognize them as one of the great sports dynasties of this era. And let's all have rational, mature opinions ... nah, screw it.

Go Carolina, beat Dook.