Why Everyone Hates Duke's Success

The Duke Blue Devils get as much respect from fans throughout the U.S. as the New York Yankees get in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Before the Men's NCAA Basketball Championship game was played on Monday night, the Duke basketball team knew that everyone throughout the U.S. wanted them to lose in Indianapolis against the Butler Bulldogs.  The only fans Duke could count on for support where the students back in Durham, North Carolina, their alumni across the U.S. and the few people who don't buy into the stupid reasons of why others hate Duke.

The reasons for why people hate Duke span from ridiculous to pointless, but the common reasons are because of the academic success the players achieve, their success on the basketball court and the academics in general at Duke University.

The college student-athlete today is looked upon by others as a person who only fulfills the athlete part of the word student-athlete.  Many people have accepted this view and because of that when student-athletes succeed in sports as well as in the classroom, many people frown upon it.  The Duke basketball program has been successful with its player graduation rates.  From 1999 to 2002, the NCAA did a research report on graduation rates for Division 1 college basketball players and Duke's graduation rate is 92 percent.  25 percent higher than the Federal graduation rate.  Success in the classroom should be the most important factor in any student-athletes life, but what one thing gives up the other takes.  At least that is what one wants to believe.

Duke's success on the basketball court has improved since Coach K became the head coach.  Before then Duke was a nobody in college basketball.  Since Coach K started coaching at Duke they have won 4 national championships, 11 ACC regular season and tournament championships, 760 total victories and 12 national coach of the year honors.  Not many people enjoy seeing the success of one program because it gives them national media coverage and with national media coverage comes the spotlight, which everyone wants at one point in their lifetime.  Jealousy and success should not cause people to hate a person or team, especially when the success is done in the right way.  Along with the success of its basketball program as well as its other sports programs, Duke Universities academic success has caused many too dislike the university even more.

Duke University is a small private school in Durham, North Carolina.  It is very difficult to get accepted into the University, but those who are accepted end up being successful in their career.  Their Law school is one of the top schools in the nation along with their business and medical schools.  Who wouldn't want to attend a university that has great notoriety in the business world along with a well-known basketball program.

In the end, don't hate a person or team because they are successful.  Yes, the New York Yankees will always be disliked in Boston and the Duke Blue Devil's will be disliked by most people not affiliated with the university.  As my high school principal always told us, "the key to happiness in life is the joy you get from other people's success in life."  So stop looking at the negatives and respect what others accomplish.     

       

           

       

Opening Night Greatness

What more could you want from Fenway Park on opening night of the MLB.  A classic Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry game.

The game started off as a pitcher's duel, but that was soon lost by the second inning when the 6 through 9 hitters started to get to Red Sox starter, Josh Beckett.  Beckett gave up back-to-back homeruns in the 2nd inning that gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead.  Jorge Posada hit a screamer down the first base line that hit the foul pole for a homerun and Curtis Granderson hit his first homerun of the season and as a Yankee. 

CC Sabathia kept the Red Sox hitters off balance through his five and two-thrids innings of work.  Boston only had two hits through 4 innings until Joe Girardi took out Sabathia late in the 5th inning. 

With a 5-2 lead, it was up to the Yankees bullpen to give Sabathia the win.  Unfortunately things went south for the Yankees as Boston tied the game up in the 6th inning. 

The Yankees struck back in the top of the 7th inning, but failed to hold onto the lead as Red Sox second basemen, Dustin Pedroia, hit a game tying 2-run homerun.  The Red Sox later tacked on 2 more runs in the 8th inning to secure their lead.

In the 9th inning, it was Jonathan Papelbon time.  Papelbon earned his first save of the year.  Giving up one hit as the Red Sox take the 1st of 18 games against the Yankees this season.