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Monday, April 2, 2007

Duke Basketball: Victims of Vitriolic Hatred

If only there existed a group of people that could tell us what it is like to be unfairly persecuted against, misrepresented in the media and hated simply because of the color they wear. A group of people that do nothing inherently wrong, and everything inherently right. And are solely hated for who they are. A group that just tries to live good lives and be good people on a day to day basis. That does absolutely nothing to provoke the malfeasance and divine dislike that they receive. Hatred based on inconceivably irrational logic and a lack of understanding and appreciation for the culture they have created.

Where can we find a group to tell us about the details of the viciousness they endure? To enlighten us with the lessons of how they trudge on in day to day life; facing the hatred and ill will of an uninformed and biased opposition. To detail the history of hate levied against their people. A group to teach us that, in the face of torment and caustic words, the appropriate response is to cry out in defiance and complain to all that will listen. Although, usually the only sympathetic ear is attached to the nerdy, rounded head of their fellow group members. But no matter! If the media does not cast an entirely positive light, cry out one must.

Through trembling lips and teary eyes they tell the world: "We shall be your whipping boy no longer! You will LOVE us! YOU will! You WILL!

As one, they come together as a people and allay the jealous and hateful insults with an offensive attack meant to show everyone how wrong they are!

"Freedom", screamed William Wallace on the torture table.

"Stop being mean", would be the rallying cry of this venerable group of ideological stalwarts and warriors of self preservation in the face of innumerable forces designed to thwart their very existence.

But, where is such a group?

Are they a civil rights coalition aimed at fighting racism? An anti-defamation league aimed at combating negative stereotypes and mistreatment? A group fighting for acceptance and the right to live out their lifestyle choices in equality and peace?

No, this group has undertaken a far more socially responsible movement. A movement designed to not only impact how we think, but how we live. This is a group that has been the recipient of hate and persecution that Negroes, Jews, Homosexuals and all other groups combined could only imagine in their worst dreams.

And now, it is time for them to respond. The time has come for this group to rise up against the media, opposing fans, naysayers, carpetbaggers, muckrakers, rabble rousers and all such undignified entities that would find fault with their identity. Fault with the identity they have willfully chosen: Duke Blue Devils (fans and team alike).

Unwilling to allow the proliferation of anymore hate against them, they have responded with a detailed history of the roots of the ill-placed hatred; and a sure fire plan to stamp it out.

"But the performance of the media at times, particularly in light of a recent incident during the tournament, has been disturbing, and several reporters have contacted us to express their concern and their hope that we would take this up. Wish granted."

On high, the wish for a consolidated and powerful response to any media that might perform an act which could be construed as not flattering towards Duke is most appreciated and most righteous. We feel a kinship and a solidified perseverance in our own work when we read such highly motivated and ideologically sound expressions.

"To a large extent, what now gets called Duke hating started at Maryland and was spread by Gary Williams, who in various ways insinuated that Duke gets all the breaks. In the 2001 Final Four, when Duke came back against Maryland, he famously yelled at a court side official, “how badly do you want Duke to win this game?”

And in that one moment, when a frustrated coach mocked the referees, a Pandora's box of execration was unleashed. And an easily swayed and unnaturally accepting media and citizenry wrapped themselves in loathing and brought Gary Williams vision of intolerance to life.

"His jihad against Duke and his perception of a favoritism towards Duke have had results which were likely beyond his wildest dreams. "

And here would be our only point of contention: Beyond his wildest dreams? Indeed. His precursory attack on the referees with the accusation of favoritism was calculated and intentional. Williams knew quite well that such an insult would lead to the rest of the basketball world forgetting that Coach K and Duke were worthy of only love. The results fully realized what Williams intended that day, with those refs.

"But in 1992, with Christian Laettner’s “stomp” of Aminu Timberlake (we’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: if a 6-11 guy plants his foot in your stomach and you get up laughing and clapping, it’s not much of a stomp), which, remember, closely followed UConn’s Rod Sellers pounding Laettner’s head onto the Meadowlands floor, Duke started getting some heavy criticism from the media and, of course, from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. And no discussion of Laetter in this context would be complete without mentioning the rumors that he was gay and that he and teammate Brian Davis had an intimate relationship."

For some reason, the author inadvertently forgets to mention Gary Williams' role in all this. After all, he started the hatred for Duke in 2001, right? Wait. What?

And we agree. For some reason NO ONE can mention Laettner and Brian Davis without bringing up that rumor of an intimate relationship. Thank goodness the author of this article lays that slander to rest with an all none to definitive denial and deters its proliferation by ambiguously referencing it in a context which bears no relation to it. That is the text book method for debunkment.

"In the late ’90s, antipathy towards Duke coalesced around Steve Wojciechowski, who played with a surpassing intensity despite his limited athleticism. One national columnist responded to e-mails by telling people he just couldn’t stand Wojo and thought he shouldn’t be a candidate for any postseason honors (he said it in a harsher way than that)."

Who is this columnist that would suggest that Wojo shouldn't be the player of the year? We remember watching Wojo slap the floor with the agility and poise of a rabid gibbon; and we thought, "Now there, there is the ACC player of the year." And then Duke lost the game and Wojo shed salty, giant tears. And we thought, "What passion!"

"Online, it was far worse. Duke fans had long since gotten used to the taunts about Krzyzewski’s surgery and the suggestion that he bailed on his team."

Excellent point. Anyone who knows basketball knows that his team bailed on him!

"But then there are some truly abhorrent sites. There is the normal pedestrian crap, which we don’t link to, and then there’s stuff like the nakedly racist Nation Of Islam Sportsblog"

We assure all readers, the posters on this blog are clothed at all times.

"However, the willingness of ESPN (among others) to fan the flames is pretty hard to take - and grossly unfair. It’s gotten to the point where every call at the end of a close Duke game is highlighted and questioned."

And this is further evidence of the hate. Questioning close calls, or pointing out obvious errors by referees couldn't be more prejudicial and hateful towards Duke. The madness must end.

"Still, it’s hard to understand how ESPN can allow Stuart Scott to openly display his bias towards Duke. It gets tiresome to say the least to hear him promote UNC and constantly denigrate Duke. ESPN also employs Bomani Jones, who could moonlight at the Nation Of Islam blog with statements like this: “without question, I’d say that Duke is a white supremacist institution.”

Agreement! ESPN should balance the tables. It would be wonderful if they had a Duke grad as a major analyst. Or a Duke fan as their top color man. If only.....sigh.

And we can't agree more here with the brilliant method of combating the "Duke is a white supremacist institution." Going after a Negro anchor and Negro writer is the BEST means of promoting a Duke image of colorblindness. Well done, author! Well done.

"There’s nothing one can do about individual wacked-out fans, but when the media loses their sense of perspective, whether out of a rooting interest or because slagging Duke pumps up ratings, the only way we can deal with it is to express ourselves, frequently and forcefully. "

Agreed. We would suggest the same. Do yourselves......frequently and forcefully.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, this was brilliant analysis and counterpoint to what those guys were crying about, Nation.

Lame, Duke, lame. The Duke athletics program is going to hell in gasoline draws for their handling of the Lacrosse case in my opinion. The basketball team and their coach had been so used to getting slurped by the media that any criticism hurts like a butter knife cut.

Duke athletics is so 1998.


Dee Dee

the butler said...

"a group that has been the recipient of hate and persecution that Negroes, Jews, Homosexuals and all other groups combined could only imagine "


Sir, please do not forget the Irish. We had it bad.


And you should actually feel honored with the man's words - he basically said that your site is NOT "normal pedestrian crap". I'd say that's pretty cool.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"any criticism hurts like a butter knife cut"

Ma'am, Dukes pain is not the result of simply criticism. Simple criticism would never bother them.

It is the result of an institutionalized effort to marginalize their program, mock their coach and degrade the intelligence of their fan base.

Duke needs a modern day Abraham Lincoln to come along and emancipate them from the chains of jealousy that confine them...and to cease the lashes the whip of envy slices upon their exposed backsides.

The author of the article is that modern day emancipator. A leader who shall prod his tribe to rise up and join in a battle to quell the voices of contempt that he hears in his head.

"Freedom" "Freedom"!

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Sir, please do not forget the Irish. We had it bad."

Sir, we have made mention of the Black Irish on this forum in the past.

"he basically said that your site is NOT "normal pedestrian crap". "

Sir, is the implication that we write "abnormal" pedestrian crap? If so, that hurts.

We will write a history of where the hatred for our blog started in response...

Anonymous said...

wow, that column the duke guy wrote was pretty sensitive.
I think his problem is that a lot of the criticism levied at Duke rings true, and they don't wanna hear it.

Anonymous said...

um....did they actually mention the 'televised cursing' of jj redick, while selectively ignoring the words that come of coach KKK's mouth? did they actually say that a reporter almost got a technical foul (i've seen roughly 4000 basketball games in my lifetime, and i'll see 10k more before i die, i'm pretty sure i'll never see a reporter get a technical)?

praise be to louis farrakhan this website exists to expose the duke myth. and to retort the duke article as it should properly be done.

Anonymous said...

are these idiots so shortsighted that they forget the KKKameron KKKrazies' treatment of visiting players in the pre-duke dynasty days?

when elijah muhammad's mother plane arrives, this website will be vindicated. and dukebasketballreport will be exposed.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"when elijah muhammad's mother plane arrives, this website will be vindicated. and dukebasketballreport will be exposed"

Sir, the fact that Duke Basketball Report feels the need to attack our righteous offerings is a testament to both our vindication and their exposure as an empty vessel. Hurled at us from the hand of satan in an effort to harm our intellect by exposing us to unsurpassed ignorance.

I warn them: Ignorance is not contageous. But it is congenital (like degenerating hips). You only hurt your own with such empty assaults on righteousness.

Anonymous said...

hey nation-

you are just mad that coach K woudln't let you smell his dirty underwear.

Sickos!

Anonymous said...

Is there nothing the Duke White Devils will not try?

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Is there nothing the Duke White Devils will not try? "

Sir, we'd suggest they won't try reality.

Bobby said...

Very mature response. You didn't prove that site correct by manipulating what they were saying or irrationally responding to claims they didn't make. Case in point: no one said that a blown call at the end of the game isn't worth reviewing. Rather, the site said that if the media chooses to closely pick apart offficiating at the end of duke games, pay similar attention to blown calls that decide games in the favor of teams like Georgetown, OSU, etc.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"You didn't prove that site correct"

Sir, are you sure? We fully intended to....


"Rather, the site said that if the media chooses to closely pick apart offficiating at the end of duke games, pay similar attention to blown calls that decide games in the favor of teams like Georgetown, OSU, etc. "

Agreed! To believe ESPN, NOT one call was blown ALL season...save for Duke's games. Excellent point. ESPN wasn't just persecuting Duke...ESPN crucified them.

Oh, the calamity. Oh, the biased unfairness that Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas and the rest of ESPN have heaped upon the humble and wonderfully innocent throes of Dukedom.

Hold that thought, I have to get a tissue to wipe my eye. Injustice of this magnitude is heartbreaking.

Anonymous said...

I'm a Duke grad and huge basketball fan. Even so, I enjoyed reading your response to the DBR post. Very nice. Well struck.

Anonymous said...

Way to hold down your page man! This guy had the blinders on that most Duke (aka "Perfecto Prep") fans wear whenever they see their guys being smacked around by the media. I doubt that Clemson (getting time ADDED to the clock so Duke could win) would agree with this crap-tacular defense of Coach Evil and his Empire.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"This guy had the blinders on"

Sir, all jackasses require blinders to focus their limited thoughts on any endeavor. Unfortunately, the endeavor of focus here seemed to be an exercise in self ridicule.

Anonymous said...

you clowning man. I haven't been here since you created this blog.

Now I got you on favorite. Keep doing what you do.

Unknown said...

Sir, to where do we send contributions to the legal defense fund? Because, as the author stated, "Coach KKK...should sue the pants off of this guy".

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

" Because, as the author stated, "Coach KKK...should sue the pants off of this guy"."

Sir, pants are a machination of the white man. They are nothing more than cloth shackles designed to prevent the Negro from enjoying the dangling freedom the creator granted. We wear no pants!

Anonymous said...

Coach KKK's lawyers would be powerless against NOIS. I am sure Mike Nfong would also be willing to do some pro bono work on NOIS's behalf.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Coach KKK's lawyers would be powerless against NOIS."

Sir,the NOISb keeps Jackie Chiles on retainer.

Anonymous said...

"cloth shackles designed to prevent the Negro from enjoying the dangling freedom the creator granted" -- Holy sh!t. Now that's funny! I laughed so hard I think I just stained my cloth shackles.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

" Now that's funny! I laughed so hard I think I just stained my cloth shackles."

Sir, there is nothing amusing about an institutionalized effort to restrict the freedom of the Negro male.

Anonymous said...

Are you too young to remember the legacy of David Rivers - point guard of the briefly great Notre Dame Fighting Irish teams in the late 80's? Rivers: one of the last to have the courage to wear his hair in the style of the great Mother Continent aka an Afro. Only to be mocked by the KKKameron KKKrazies who chanted "Buckwheat!" at him in a game at the white devil temple KKKameron indoor stadium.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Only to be mocked by the KKKameron KKKrazies who chanted "Buckwheat!" at him in a game at the white devil temple KKKameron indoor stadium."


Sir, we had erased it from our psyche...until now..

Anonymous said...

Sir:

Your ability to discredit the duke outrage without a single reference to Shane "the flopper" Battier is impressive. In fact, my guilt for centuries of impressions upon your race is overwheling. My question: how can I, as a lowly white basketball fan in texas, best show my hatred toward duke?

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"My question: how can I, as a lowly white basketball fan in texas, best show my hatred toward duke? "

Sir, this presents a dilemma.

We were unaware that there were ANY college basketball fans in Texas.

Anonymous said...

"We were unaware that there were ANY college basketball fans in Texas."

Are you equally unaware of Marylander named Kevin Durant? I'm shocked that you disrespect a greate basketball state that is also home to NBA championships by the Spurs, Rockets - and, soon, the Mavs)

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"I'm shocked that you disrespect a greate basketball state that is also home to NBA championships by the Spurs, Rockets - and, soon, the Mavs)"

Sir, your ignorance is unmatched.

We said COLLEGE basketball.

And Kevin Durant is ONE player that played ONE year in Texas.

LOL.

This is sad.

You are trying sooooo hard.

But, to quote the women in your life, "your stroke is always short"

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else note a hint of Duke-like arrogance in NOI's response? Oh the Irony. Oh the Humanity.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Does anyone else note a hint of Duke-like arrogance in NOI's response? Oh the Irony. Oh the Humanity"

Sir, there is no such thing as Duke-like.

You are either Satan's child (we're looking at you).

Or you are righteous (like us).

It's not all that complicated.



Well, ok.

For you it is.