Credentials

Duke basketball has three types of fans: the ones that only seem to creep out in bunches come March, the ones (both male/female) that want to have JJ Redick's baby, and finally, you have the ones that have been there through the good and the bad. I am, of course, the latter of the three. Sure, Duke has never experienced any type of downturn, except for 1995 when Coach K hurt his back (Duke fans try to block out 1995 like it never happened sort of like what Germans do for the years 1939-1945), but it always seems when Duke loses, they lose in heartbreaking fashion. Sure, I've been there for the good: 3 National Championships (1991, 1992, 2001), 10 Final Fours and an unfathomable eight 30-win seasons. On the contrary, I've been there for the loss to Arkansas in the National Championship Game in 1994 when they blew a 10-point lead with 10 minutes left. I've been there for the last second loss to Kentucky in 1998 in the Elite 8 when they had a 17 point second half lead. I've been there for the shocking loss to UCONN in the National Championship Game in 1999 when Duke was 37-1 entering the game. I've been there for what I call the worst loss in Duke Basketball history when Duke lost to Indiana in the Sweet 16 in 2002 when they had a 17 point second half lead and Jay Williams missed a free throw to tie the game and Boozer got the rebound and missed a point blank layup. I've been there for the loss to UCONN in the National Semifinal in 2004 when Duke had an 8 point lead with 2 minutes to go and lost. Finally, I've been there the last two seasons when Duke has lost in the Sweet 16 to teams that were superior athletically. My point is that whether they win championships or lose in the most gruesome fashion possible, I will continue to root for this team because I do, in fact, bleed royal blue.