Storyline: Three Dukies are at the top of a long list of Despicable Characters. Those three exhibit characteristics that make us dislike Duke–being a bully, being a hypocrite, and being unsportsmanlike.
In my column last week I analyzed and discussed on why “The Shot” should have never happened in the 1992 Kentucky-Duke game. But, in reality, what actually makes “The Shot” so irritating is the person who made it: Christian Laettner. He is, without a doubt, the most disliked Dukie of all time.
Jay Bilas, a Duke “good guy”? (photo, Hawk Central)
Laettner is just one name on a laundry list of despicable characters associated with Duke. Sure, every now and then a “good guy” comes through Duke, like ESPN commentator and college basketball analyst, Jay Bilas. But players like that were/are by far the minority at Duke. Trying to understand how or why classy and respectable guys, like Bilas, played for the Blue Devils is as baffling as a Calculus problem.
While there have been many unsavory characters to come and go from Durham over the years, three in particular stand out at the top.
- Christian Laettner
If you didn’t see this guy ranking at the top of the list, then you shouldn’t be reading this column…or living in Kentucky for that matter.
While Laettner wasn’t a spoiled, “trust fund child,” like about 90% of the Duke student body, he sure acted like one. For one thing he played very dirty. An event that will always be remembered is “The Stomp” on Aminu Timberlake of Kentucky during the 1992 East Regional Final. Laettner used his right foot to stomp on Timberlake’s chest. Instead of being ejected, Laettner went on hit the game-winning shot.
But the main thing is how Laettner belittled, teased, and bullied his own teammates. Nobody will ever figure out how former Duke point guard and current Arizona State head coach, Bobby Hurley, dealt with Laettner for four years. Laettner claimed that he was making Hurley a better player. This is what he told ESPN a few years ago: “Bobby, it was just easy to get under his skin. As soon as I saw it and how easy I was able to get under his skin, it became like an infection where I just wanted to do it all the time.”
So it’s not like Laettner didn’t know what he was doing. He knew EXACTLY what he was doing. It was just some sick, twisted form of “tough love.” Well, at least in Laettner’s mind it was.
All in all, Laettner was just a “bad dude.” Trying to find facts to view him from a positive light will take searching ocean abysses.
- Coach K
Coach K is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the sport. Statistics do not lie. Over the course of over four decades he has compiled a 1,065–326 record, appeared in 12 Final Fours, and won five national championships. He has surpassed legends like Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, and John Wooden. Krzyzewski is a basketball immortal.
Courtesy: The Key Play
Coach K is also a hypocrite. Krzyzewski has preached principles like loyalty, a strong work ethic, and leadership during his tenure at Duke. But he has let things slide that shouldn’t be acceptable at a highly prestigious (*hacks, coughs*) university, like Duke.
The first thing to examine is the Bobby Hurley and Christian Laettner relationship I wrote about earlier. Laettner was definitely the leader of those teams, but is his bullying, harassing, and making fun of his own teammate good leadership? Of course not! There’s a fine line between pushing a teammate for the good of the team and constantly putting a teammate down for the heck of it or because “it became like an infection where I just wanted to do it all the time.” Coach K should have been making Laettner run stadiums for the way he treated Hurley.
Coach K also swept a certain situation “under the rug” a couple months ago, which leads me to my next point.
- Grayson Allen
Stop the presses! This is just in! We have a player who may be Christian Laettner’s long lost son.
YouTube
Grayson Allen is desperately trying his best to become the most hated Duke player since Laettner…and he’s getting close to achieving his goal.
Grayson Allen is a great player, a potential NBA draft lottery pick. But he has become a menace on the hardwood.
In a matter of 17 days, he tripped opponents from Florida State and Louisville. Then he tripped Steven Santa Ana of Elon. Initially, Coach K suspended Allen indefinitely and stripped him of his team captain status. But Allen only ended missing one game and returned to action against Georgia Tech.
A lot of fans became pretty heated with Coach K for this “laissez faire” approach to the situation. While Krzyzewski should have suspended Allen for more than just one, measly game, the real villain is Allen himself.
Tripping somebody in a basketball game is a serious offense. It’s just not a part of the game AT ALL and I don’t think there’s anything else that could possibly show a lack of sportsmanship than tripping an opponent. It’s uncalled for and immature. It’s time that Allen gets rightfully punished for his actions.
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Courtesy: The Odyssey Online
Laettner, Krzyzewski, and Laettner, Jr. (whoops, I mean Allen) are at the top of a long list of Duke’s Despicable Characters. While other players, like J.J Redick and Sheldon Williams, are close runners-up, those three exhibit characteristics that make us dislike Duke–being a bully, being a hypocrite, and being unsportsmanlike. Society will always find these three guys despicable and, ultimately, will find the Duke Blue Devils despicable, too.
“The Shot” and “Despicable Characters” were are two reasons why everybody hates Duke. What’s the third reason? Read next week’s column to find out.
