Just Because

I probably don't have any real reason to blog tonight, other than the fact that I want to try and be a little more consistent with updating this thing, like I used to be, way back when I started it almost 2 years ago.

You'd think that, all things considered, I might actually have a few things to write about, considering that in the last few weeks I've gotten a job, gotten my diploma (hi $30,000 piece of paper), celebrated a birthday, got an iPod, and started going to the gym on a more regular basis. That's a lot of shit that I could have talked about.

And yet, I totally don't. This is mostly a self imposed pressure, but because I know most of my friends read this at some point or another, I feel compelled to keep this nice and light, and entertaining, and funny. (Even though I'm the opposite of funny, really)

Strangely though, the fact remains is that when I started to learn that I liked to write, or had any ability to do so, a long time ago, I did it as a kind of catharsis for when I had bad days, or weeks, or whatever. Truthfully, that wouldn't play here, for a number of reasons. See, when I was taking writing classes in HS, it was the opportunity to be autobiographical without being blatantly so. I wasn't a very skilled writer then (not that I am more of one now), so I'm sure it seemed pretty obvious when I was referring to certain things. This, however, this blog, has always been unabashedly self-referrential, so when I have a bad day, or negative thoughts, they are on display for everyone to see, should I choose to write about them, which, as you may have noticed, I try not to as much anymore.

That's the thing, as I've grown as a person, and learned that I don't always have to wear my emotions on my sleeve, I've become better at putting at least a tolerable face on the days that I don't feel that great. And, we all have those days. The ones where things just don't feel quite right. Where you don't feel right in your own skin, where you question the decisions that have placed you at the station that you are in life, and wonder about your self-worth.

I had one of those days today. And it's not that I couldn't talk to almost any of my friends about it, b/c I know that I could. Generally speaking, they are a wonderful group of people, each in their own way. It's just that, what's the point? There are certain things that don't change overnight, no matter what anyone says. But, if I don't say anything and then write about it here, I wonder that isn't that just the same as telling everyone I know about it?

That's all, just kind of needed to get that off my chest.....

(oh, and Duke lost tonight in the first round of the tournament, so, you know, if the sun didn't come up tomorrow, for whatever reason, I suppose that wouldn't be all bad....)

More Reasons to Hate Duke.....

Wow, so I haven't written here in two weeks? That's kind of bad form, isn't it? I guess I haven't had much inspiration lately. And yes, I'm aware, it's just a blog, you'd think it shouldn't take much to get me to write about something, ANYTHING. You'd think, at least. Apparently, that's the case though.

However, there was something that happened yesterday evening, that is getting more than it's share of press, and opinions written about it, that I couldn't resist. As most of you know, I hate all things Duke related. This is as much a function of my fandom for UNC as it is a product of just never really seeing much that I liked about Duke. Mind you, I didn't attend either school, nor did I grow up in, or near, North Carolina. It's just one of those things that's always been. I couldn't trace the exact roots of it if you paid me. It's just that simple.

So, as anyone who catches a glimpse of Sportscenter knows, yesterday Duke and UNC played their second game of the year at Chapel Hill, with not much more of importance on the line than the regular season ACC title for UNC (a nice to have, but not vital) and nothing but pride for Duke, (no comment).

Sporting a double digit lead with less than 20 seconds left, as you may have seen, one of Carolina's stars, Tyler Hansbrough, was shooting free throws. He missed them both. He got his own offensive board, because a) he's kind of crazy, and rebounds anything that moves, regardless of the situation and b) Duke isn't a good rebounding team. Having secured a rebound 3 feet from the hoop, he did the rational thing: He tried to put it back in. The hoop would have been meaningless, as the game was basically decided.

That's when a lot of stuff starting flying. Gerald Henderson through the air. His forearm into Hansbrough's face. Blood from Hansbrough's nose. A lot of empty explanations and lies. And defense of the action from the typical Duke apologists.

In short form, Henderson's blast through Hansbrough (a "hard foul" if your an apologist) got him tossed from the game, and a one game suspension to boot. After the game, Coach K said that it was unfortunate that there were still starters in the game at that point, and that his player (Henderson) wasn't trying to hurt anyone, b/c that's "not how Duke plays".

Here's my thoughts.

1) The whole thing was garbage. It was senior day, and with a little over a minute left, and still spoting a double digit lead, Williams had put back in Wes Miller, and left Rayshawn Terry (a third senior) in the game. Bobby Frasor (who also doesn't start) was in. The fact is, UNC is deep enough that they probably have 8 or 9 guys that would start at most of the programs in the country.
Duke was still pressing. Apparently, UNC was supposed to put the back end of it's roster in there and let the Black and Blue Devils pick their way back into it. I forgot that it's in the ACC bylaws that Duke is entitled every extra-ordinary opportunity to win a game that it can't win based on talent, coaching, and execution.

2) Saying that Henderson wasn't trying to hurt anyone is like saying that Barry Bonds has never shoved a needle in his ass. Do I think he was trying to bludgeon Hansbrough out of the game? Doubtful. But, there are different levels of hurt, I think. There's the kind that knocks someone out of a game, then there's the "send a message" style. The message being that Carolina was going to try and score anymore with the game more than likely out of reach, then they were going to pay for those buckets with bumps and bruises. Remember, Coach K comes from the Bob Knight school of coaching. That would be the school of coaching that belittles refs, throws tantrums the sidelines, and takes losing as a personal insult. It's "old school" which is a polite way of saying "occasionally dirty" Which is what that foul was.

To that end, it was dirty, and should be treated as such. I don't think that a one game suspension is enough, and it certainly won't deter it from happening again. It wasn't the first UNC player bloodied by a Dukie, and it won't be the last. However, I give the Dean Dome fans, and the UNC players, a lot of credit for not exacting any physical revenge. As Henderson was exiting, it would have been easy for the fans to throw things other than insults at him. They didn't. And, with only 14 seconds left, Carolina could have afforded to send a little used player in there to take a shot at a Duke player, but they didn't. I would have liked to see Roy Williams get a little more fired up over the whole incident, especially when he had a chance to give Coach K an earful while the officials were reviewing the tape. Then again, Roy also had the satisfaction of knowing that he's taken 4 of 5 from Duke, and that with the relative talent levels of the past two years recruiting classes, he's in good shape to take 4 of the next 5. That would be the best revenge of all.