Sunday saw Duke down by a single point as the clock ran down on their Elite 8 game against Michigan State in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
It was a tough match with the Blue Devils and the Spartans swapping the lead back and forth right up through the final minute of play.
I'm sorry to see Duke's run in this year's tournament come to an early end. I had my heart set on getting a new Duke Blue Devil's NCAA Tournament Champion shirt.
I imagine a lot of people involved in betting pools were also sorry to see Duke's run in this year's tournament come to an early end. A lot of people had Duke in the Final Four with a big chunk of those people having the Devils clinch the whole thing.
I imagine CBS is not happy to see Duke exit early. The Blue Devils do have a substantial fan base but they are also a team that a lot of people love to hate. A lot of eyeballs tuned into CBS anxious to see Duke reach ultimate victory or be crushed in defeat will not be as interested in a Final Four match up of Virginia, Michigan State, Auburn, and Texas Tech. Not a lot of passion for these teams good or ill.
Good thing I'm not a betting man because I would've been out of some bread.
I really, really thought Duke would make it all the way this year.
Of the teams remaining in the NCAA tourney, I reckon I'm pulling for the Virginia Cavaliers. They represent the ACC and after the debacle of last year, Virginia winning the whole shebang would be considerable vindication for the team.
The "debacle of last year" was that Virginia was a #1 seed and got beaten in the opening round by a #16 seed, something that had never, ever happened in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. It was quite an embarrassment.
Virginia secured a #1 seed again this year but the shadow of last year's premature expulsion from the field still has hung over them. Advancing to the Final Four this year has done much to silence the doubters and shatter the shadow of their shame. A complete win of the whole damn thing would make everybody shut the hell up.
Meanwhile, alas, poor Blue Devils. The journey is now over. A new journey likely awaits Zion Williamson, the impossibly good powerhouse of the team who will probably opt out of another year in college to go to the NBA. And who can blame him? With a gazillion dollars on the line, I'd say his destiny is calling him elsewhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment