RSS Top 10: The Top 10 Most Hated Teams in Sports

The RSS Top 10 is back with our 10 Most Hated Teams in Sports. Duke's win last night got us thinking - where do they rank among the most despised of the disliked teams? The answer: pretty high. These teams are the most hated for a number of reasons, but a common theme is dominance at the top of their respective sports. Of course, since we're all about peace and love here, we don't endorse or promote real hate... only the good, healthy, fun kind of sports hate. It's good for the soul don't you know.

10. Chelsea and Manchester United - Soccer

-We start our list by looking worldwide across the pond to the top two teams in the EPL - Chelsea and Manchester United. Both teams are hated because of their recent dominance on the field, but mostly their billionaire owners off of it. Chelsea's Roman Abramovich has gone Steinbrenner on the soccer world trying to buy a Champions League title, but hasn't done it yet. Man U's owners, the Glazers of the Tampa Bay Bucs, have ridden the club with so much debt that the fans are showing up to games in green and gold scarves (above) instead of the traditional red to protest. Love United Hate Glazer signs can be seen all around Old Trafford. But, the hate doesn't have to stop there. Man U's manager Sir Alex Ferguson makes Coach K seem humble with the whining he does to the officials. For Chelsea, John Terry is the most hateable player in world soccer after his affair with the WAG of ex-teammate Wayne Bridge.

9. USC - College Football

-Maybe USC's sins are about to catch up with them, but since they're such an established powerhouse and cash cow, don't count on it. And that's why S.C. makes our list, they get to play by their own set of rules. From the nefarious recruiting scandals that have hovered over the program, to their hiring of the sleaziest Snake Oil Salesman of them all, Lane Kiffin, the Trojans are the antithesis of a program centered around student athletes. The favorite sons of Colin Cowherd and the West Coast elites don't get a pass from the majority of America just because they think they're cooler than everyone else, Snoop Dogg and Will Ferrell not withstanding. At least we were one of few that noted Pete Carroll being a hypocrite last season. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, USC did have the 2nd best team in college football in the last 50 years in 2005 according to ESPN's "experts"...too bad nobody told Texas. Yeah, maybe having USC shoved down our throats for an entire month added to their hatred around the country just a little bit.

8. SEC - College Football

-Many fans hate the SEC because of the perceived preferential treatment and fawning towards the conference from the media. Granted, the SEC has won 6 of 12 BCS Championships, but that only adds to the conference's hateability factor. Start with the sweetheart deal ESPN hatched with the SEC to help them start their own network...objectivity anyone? Add to that a healthy dose of some of the most dislikable and polarizing figures in sports: Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and on and on, case in point:

Not just that, it's the fact that the SEC still acts like it has a chip on its shoulder, even though it's already so accomplished. Maybe someone should tell the almighty Southeastern Conference that its champion doesn't have a rite of passage to the BCS title game forever.

7. Los Angeles Lakers - NBA

-Pardon the pun, but the Lakers have been the gold standard for NBA hatred for much of their existence. Sure, they started out humbly as the Minneapolis Lakers behind gentle giant George Mikan. And from the championship standard of greatness set by the Showtime 80s to the current Kobe incarnation, it seems the Lakers always strive to be the best. Which is commendable, if they weren't so arrogant about it. From Jack Nicholson complaining about calls while wearing his trademark sunglasses indoors (real cool, Jack), to the surliness of Kobe and Phil, everything about the Lakers reeks of arrogance. The fact that most of their Hollywood fans go to their games to be seen rather than see a game is a big put off too. I don't think the old Forum was filled to capacity by Dustin Hoffman and his stupid camera or Dyan Cannon and her newest Botox injections between those championship eras, was it? That's why it's easy to hate the Lakers, they're the ultimate front-runners.

6. New England Patriots - NFL

-The Patriots are relative newbies to the most hated teams list, but they've entrenched themselves with the evil mastermind Bill Belichick running the show. Pre-hoodie, Belichick was a below average head coach with Cleveland, but for some reason he founded a dynasty in New England. He also became a surly, unlikeable figurehead for the Pats. There's also his QB Tom Brady, who gets the trophies and the supermodels. Men everywhere can be envious of that. But how did the Patriots become winners? We heard about the "Patriot way" for so many years and that this team did things the right way. Then... well, then the Spygate scandal tarnished the Patriot dynasty and made everyone skeptical of the Belichick Era. What followed was a bitter team running up the score for an entire season on their way to 16-0. Fortunately for Mercury Morris, there weren't many unhappy fans outside New England when the Giants ended their unbeaten hopes in SB XLII.

5. Boston Red Sox - MLB

-Red Sox Nation. Let me stab my eyes with a burning pitchfork. As Boston drew closer and closer to a World Series, the "Nation" came into the spotlight with such a "lovable" team and fanbase. There were parties, sappy stories, books, and even the predictable Jimmy Fallon/Drew Barrymore movie. Puh-lease. The Red Sox won their World Series and then a funny thing happened. The world figured out that the Red Sox were just as evil as the Yankees! The Sawx spend just about as much money and are just as privileged as their Northeastern neighbors. I know the comeback - at least the Sawx have Papi and Pedroia and Youk and Theo! Gag. With the Sawx 2nd World Title in 2007, they officially crossed into hateville as the Nation became insufferable. What makes your fanbase a "Nation" anyways? What does that even mean?? Do you walk into Fargo, ND or Mobile, AL and expect to see Sawx jerseys? Does Nashville Predator Nation exist yet? The Red Sox earn their spot because they think they're the little guy and everybody should love the Nation when really, they are as hateable as the dreaded Yankees (more on them in a bit).

4. Dallas Cowboys - NFL

-It was over 30 years ago when the Cowboys were christened America's Team. Sure, they maybe were the most popular team in the NFL back then, but that was before the Jerry Jones Era. Well, maybe Jerry's new billion dollar Palace in Dallas, with its Gladiator-esque doors and 8,000 foot videoscreen scream America more than anything. Seriously, how many starving children could that videoboard feed? The Cowboys make our list because they still think they're America's Team, even though no team is bigger than the NFL these days. Heck, the most watched TV program in history was just played between the Colts and the Saints!! From Michael Irvin and Primetime to Tony & Jessica and TO, the players haven't been easy to love either. Even their best player, Emmitt Smith, referred to his last year in Big D as being a "diamond surrounded by trash." Stay classy.

3. Notre Dame - College Football

-Perhaps more of an old school choice, Notre Dame still makes our list because their hatred is so deep-seeded around the country. Especially here in the Midwest, you either love or hate the Irish, there's no middle ground. The sad thing about Notre Dame is that they don't realize time has passed them by. They still think they're the best in the sport because of Knute Rockne and the Four Horsemen and Lou Holtz...but their last national title was 1988! They've won one bowl game, one, since 1994! It doesn't matter any more that the Irish have their own TV network to prop them up (NBC) or that they see themselves as above joining a conference. If they didn't have these false pillars of strength, they'd be forgotten. But because they're the Irish, and only because they're the Irish, they are the still a part of the national conversation, which is why they're still hated with a passion by people who just wish they'd go away!

2. New York Yankees - MLB

-The Evil Empire, doesn't that say it all? They spend more than everyone else, think they're better than everyone else, and expect the world to revolve around them from March to November. Their owner isn't just George Steinbrenner...he's the Boss! His son and apparent heir Hank seems as if he hasn't fallen too far from the tree either. Check out this gem:

"Red Sox Nation?" What a bunch of [expletive] that is," he said in an interview with The New York Times' Play magazine. "That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans. "Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."

I guess I forgot to wake up this morning and pledge my allegiance to the Yankees. I also forgot that MLB only had two teams you could root for, the Yanks or the Sawx. That's the worst part about the Yankees and their fans...it's like there's something wrong with you if you're not a fan of the mighty Yankees or consumed by their war with the Red Sox. Little do they know, there's a big wide world outside little old New York City, which also includes other professional baseball teams! It's so easy for anyone (say, LeBron James) to thrown on a Yankees cap, claim to be a lifelong fan, and show themselves as a phony bandwaggoner. Perhaps no other team on this list has such a rich history of hatred from other fans. Although I guess 27 World Championships will do that, as sickening as it is. I mean, how many teams have a play written about the hatred for them...it's surprising Damn Yankees isn't the longest running show in history, it could sell out across the country 12 months a year!

1. Duke Blue Devils - College Basketball

-Maybe a surpise choice, but with their soul-crushing defeat of Butler last night, it's only fitting that the Dukies claim the top spot in our countdown. Come on, anyone can hate the Yankees. We detailed 5 reasons why it was ok to hate Duke here last week, and those reasons apply here. It could be stories of how arrogant Coach K really is (he said he was most excited about 2 private schools playing for the title, huh?), the arrogant players that have come through the pipeline like JJ Redick, Dick Vitale, or the fact that they never get any calls... except the ones they always get. Hey, who else but Duke could win a title and then directly have F&#k ____ as a Twitter trending topic.

But, what places Duke above the rest is that you and I, average sports fans, are told by everyone else that we shouldn't hate Duke. That sentiment in the media is exclusive to Duke on this list. We're told we should love Duke because they play the right way and go to school amongst other courageous activities. How could anyone hate such a fine program? If anything makes you want to hate a team even more, it is people telling you that you can't hate them. So hate away Duke haters... there's always next year.

Honorable Mention: Ohio State (football), Michigan (football), Boston Celtics (NBA), Canada (Olympic Hockey), Mexico (Soccer), North Carolina (basketball), Kansas (basketball), UConn (women's basketball), Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR), Jeff Gordon (NASCAR)

Final Four Live Blog - Duke vs West Virginia

FINAL THOUGHTS

3 Stars

1) Singler, Scheyer, Smith - The Big 3 for Duke combined for 63 points. It was simply a masterclass performance.

2) Bob Huggins - The compassion shown for his injured superstar was as real as sports gets.

3) Da'Sean Butler - A tragic end to his WV career, but he has a lot to be proud of during his time in Morgantown.

Final Thoughts - Well, that was about what we expected. A game that was dominated by Duke. But, at least we didn't get the greatness of high and mighty Duke jammed down our throats. CBS did a great job keeping the adoration to a minimum during the game broadcast. I hope that Monday's broadcast will be short of the hyperbole that we'll hear ad nauseum over the next two days. I sure as heck didn't have Butler and Duke in the finals. It's the fitting end to one of the maddest Marches we've seen in a long time. Thanks for joining us for our Final 4 live blog. Bye for now...

2nd Half

*OK, let's cut through the crap and give a couple thoughts on the title game before our Monday pick, here's how Butler might be able to beat the Dukies...

1) Butler will be a huge underdog... but don't be surprised to see a close game. Butler will have to play a slow it up style because Duke doesn't have the capability to get out and run.

2) Duke will most likely crush Butler on the offensive glass. It's going to take a masterclass of boxing out to stay competitive on the boards. No 2nd chance points for Duke.

3) Butler's going to have to match Duke shot for shot - Duke shot 52% in the Semis... Butler 30%. If that happens Monday it'll be a replay of last year.

Final Score - Duke 78 WVU 57

2:07 - That's never stopped Duke from running up the score... 75-57

2:40 - Duke up 15 and we've now entered Gar-Bage time. Bleh.

3:39 - We had to wait 21 seconds for Clark to refer to it as a David v Goliath matchup.

*Seriously though, I hope race isn't a factor in the pregame hype. Both teams have more white dudes than we're accustomed to seeing on the national stage, but that doesn't and shouldn't have anything to do with the game, the analysis, or anything else. Of course, I'll expect all of the typical stereotypes to be thrown out there in the prelude to the title game.

As much as I (and 85% of sports fans) dislike Duke, give them credit for getting to the finals by having Smith, Scheyer, and Singler play career-best bball. Similarly, Butler is playing the best team ball of the tournament and has beat Syracuse, Kansas State, and Michigan State on the way to the Finals.

4:00 - This is the WVU team I expected to see against UK. Announcers are right that this is Duke's best game of the tourney by far. Time to hit the exits in Indy and watch the sports world drool over the Great White Hope against the Great White Hype! Butler vs Duke! Monday night!

5:50 - Scheyer to the hoop. He has no moves. He looks like he's going in slow motion. But, he finds a way to get to the basket and get lay-ins. There's no physical explanation for his success. This is why we hate Duke. They cheat by using Flubber.

*Interesting to see the Twitter world talk about the Huggins/Butler scene. Established media types saying it's one of the most touching scenes they've ever seen. Rest of the world talking about awkward closeness and intimacy. I guess I'll lean towards the former... although the sophomoric college side of me goes with the latter. Come on, I'm out of school. That was an awesome player/coach moment.

*Duke's Big 3 now 19/37, 10/18 3PT, and 55 pts combined. That's the story of the game right now.

7:07 - Huggy with a timeout down 15. Smith now has 19 for the game. Maybe we can get UConn's women's team out here to try and beat the Dukies.

8:12 - Butler being carted to the back. Looks like a bad ending for one of WVU's finest.

8:59 - Good Lord. Duke is not this good. 63-48. I'm officially in denial... Butler now on the floor writhing in pain. Replay shows what could be a bad left knee injury. Huggins is now on the loor consoling Butler in what could be a touching scene if he wasn't so awkwardly close to his face. This looks bad. At this point you hope it doesn't affect his future career in the NBA.

10:06 - You want to know the best way to play bad defense? A) Allow easy shots from the perimeter. B) When said shots are missed, allow offensive rebounds and second chances to the opposition. WVU is executing this plan perfectly.

11:14 - Ironically, if anything, the refs are keeping West Virginia in this game. Eh, whatever. I'll give up on the Duke hate for the year. I've still got a Saints Super Bowl to celebrate and not even a Duke title can ruin that.

11:44 - A Class B technical? I knew I should have brought my NCAA rulebook to watch the game!

11:44 - HOLY CRAP! A technical foul called on Duke for one of the Plumlees hanging on the rim... Smith holds his private parts as our pops comments, "He must have got hit in the nuts." That's the highlight of this game thus far.

12:11 - Nolan Smith is showin the scouts something tonight. Nice drive to the bucket to go to the line. He looks like he could be a combo guard off the bench in the Association. WVU in trouble down 12 and now turning the ball over consistently.

13:00 - Nolan Smith. Is. A. Knock down. Shooter. Someone mail this telegram to the guy in the sweatsuit standing on the sidelines.

14:11 - Right on cue CBS. The Dookies haven't shot a free throw yet tonight. They're living on the outside game. *Mental note - already dreaming of scenarios where Butler wins Monday night including Celtic Pride-esque kidnapping scheme* It's a movie people, take it easy.

14:42 - "Zoubs" finally called for an over the back foul. Unfortunately, no ref conspiracies tonight. There's always Monday Duke-hating universe!

*Here's a good piece from the NY Daily News that is pro-Gus. 49-40 Duke. Hey, I'm trying to cope with an eventual Duke title, bear with me.

*The best I could find is a Facebook group. 17 members?!?! You can do better sports fans and Facebook!!

16:09 - Tell me again why you would leave Nolan Smith standing wide open at the 3 point line? Maybe after 8 3 point makes Huggy will want to guard him.

16:35 - Good drive from Butler to try and get in rhythm offensively. Is it just me or has the crowd and atmosphere seemed dead all night? Nantz and Kellogg's drab commentary hasn't helped matters. I feel like I'm watching a midseason game instead of a national semifinal. Is there a Gus Johnson petition out there somewhere to bring him to the Final 4??

17:30 - Smith hits an important 3 to keep WVU within single digits. The Neer's defense has been losing guys all night, they'll need to keep Duke at or below 40% this half to have some hope.

18:38 - That was one of the more awkward loose ball scrambles I can remember seeing. Much like the 1st game, this seems much larger than an 8 point lead for the Dookies.

19:30 - Does anyone notice the weird design on the back of Duke's uniforms? Can't make it out what it is but saw kinda a similar thing with UK. Good sign with Mazzula finding the first bucket of the half.

20:00 - WVU has to do 3 things - 1) Get Da'Sean Butler in the offense 2) Play perimeter defense 3) Start searching for good tickets for Monday's game

1st Half

END OF HALF - Well, the Neers don't make a dent in the score after Smith goes to the bench. Lucky to be down only 8 at the half 39-31. We'll be back for the home stretch after halftime!

:55 - Duke shooting well tonight (55% and 7/14 from 3), but here's more fodder for conspiracy theorists. Duke played in the regional with the huge dome, has inherit advantage. (Shhh, don't say anything about WVU playing in the Carrier Dome)

1:30 - Poor positioning on the defensive glass from the Neers. Missed chances to end the first half with some mo it looks like.

2:30 - My bet is that the Dick Enberg Tribute won't include his epic WVU/UK pregame botchfest from last weekend. Nolan Smith with 3 fouls (what is Coach K thinking???) and WVU can cut into the lead.

3:20 - WVU discovering they can attack the basket. Guys falling all over the place. Mazzula is lying on the floor as Smith waltzes to the hoop. Boos reign down as fans rush towards the court! Hey, I'm trying to channel my inner Bill Walton. Anything to survive a Duke blowout.

4:00 - Thank goodness "banana cut" has entered are basketball lingo. Finally Clark Kellogg has awakened!

4:27 - Duke now shooting the lights out. Maybe they'll waste all their baskets tonight? I may boycott TV for a month if Duke wins this national title. At least they'll be 32 more teams in next year's tournament.

5:04 - Nolan Smith gets his 58th 2nd chance 3 pointer in the last 2 games. 34-24.

5:42 - Duke now out to a 10 pt lead after back2back 3's by Singler and Smith. Pray for Butler.

6:16 - WVU needs Butler in the offense. As that ball went out of bounds you could see the fear in Row 1 with the raised court. Yipes.

6:56 - Mazzula changes jerseys. Ripped, blood, same thing. Nantz not exactly on his A game tonight. Someone tell him the most watched golf tourney in the history of the universe is right around the corner.

6:56 - WVU now 3/4 from downtown. But, they still find themselves trailing. Scheyer and Singler are getting way too many easy paths to the basket. WVU has to start playing some Big East defense here.

8:34 - Give it to Singler, if he's going to shoot like Kobe Bryant, Duke is hard to beat. Those are terrible shots and WVU has to bet that they won't fall all night. 23-18.

9:04 - WVU shooting over 50% from the field and getting thoroughly outplayed so far. Not a good sign.

*This is the article I've been looking for. The best, and most systematic case against rooting for Duke now and forever from SBNation. Give it a read at halftime or after the game. Duke 21 WVU 16.

10:15 - And another timeout. Gotta say, I'm disappointed in Special K thus far. I think his "Allen Wrench" quote from Game 1 might have self-retired his goofy euphemisms.

10:41 - Great to see Huggy Bear dressed up for this big game. Finally WVU makes a 3 with Jones. 18-14.

11:03 - Duke's doing a better job getting to the rim. They lead by 4. WVU has got to play some better interior defense. Crap. And now Singler is catching fire. Make it 18-11.

12:46 - Add another reason to the list, their players sound like Clark Kellogg. Lance Thomas wants to "pursue the pumpkin" and I want to pursue the mute button.

13:05 - That was a strange shot from Smith. Much like Game #1, Butler has to realize he is the best player on the floor and take the game over for the Neers.

13:30 -

*Here's one look from the Chicago Sun-Times about Coach K as "annoyingly arrogant."

*Duke's most detested moments

*Hearing Clark Kellogg refer to "Zoubs"

Oh, and Duke is up 11-9

16:20 - And now the teams trade 3's. Scores tied at 7. I think both teams enjoy the physical, slower tempo. Duke will have a much harder time on the offensive glass than against Baylor.

17:40 - Both teams on the board. WVU having a block party the opening 2 minutes and Ebanks gives them a 4-2 lead.

18:54 - Butler way off with his first 3. Coach K must be gaining so many fans with that stool on the far sidelines. I'll try and find some good Duke-hating links at the first commercial.

19:49 - 11 seconds in and the first call goes Duke's way. This blog might not last long tonight.

20:00 - The key early will be WVU's outside shooting. If they drain it from international waters in any similarity like they did against UK, it will bode well. We'll underway and the Neers win the tap.

PREGAME

*Duke's video package makes you just love them even more, right?

*I'm still waiting for UK to come out on the court for this game, and so is my bracket.

*Give Huggy credit - he knows that he has to battle Duke on the inside. Don't underestimate the Saints-like quality with this Mountaineer team. They're playing for an entire state and plan on taking the trophy on tour if they win.

*Good. A look inside the Butler locker room. Coach Stevens is smart enough to tell his team they'll shoot better on Monday. I hope he said that with a straight face. Butler now commences into some sort of clapping song. The dork factor of this team is skyrocketing exponentially.

*OK, I have no idea who this guy is, or what this movie is, all I know is I don't want to see it. Great, now we have to be subjected to The NCAA National Semifinal Show presented by CapitalOne. Ugh.

Game 1 has just concluded, I'm going to go recharge the batteries and we'll be back for the tip of Mountaineers vs Blue Devils. Country Bumpkins vs Intellectual Elites. Huggy Bear vs Coach K. It's All Relative vs Cameron Crazies. Jerry West vs Jay Bilas. John Denver vs whoever has written a song about Durham, NC. A live blog of West Virginia vs Duke coming up next!

5 Reasons Why It's OK To Hate Duke

We're now at the Final 4, but we have to address Duke advancing to the Final 4 today. For a lot of normal college basketball fans, yesterday was a sad day. Why? We hate Duke. So, for those of us out there that are looking forward to driving a burning Q-Tip into your ears this week while the media wets their pants talking about Coach K's Dukies, this article is for you!

1) The Bracket

Duke was the only #1 Seed to advance to the Final 4. Now that most of the tournament has played out, we can look back and see that in a way we were right about this year's version of March Madness. This is what we said before the tourney began before the madness began...

"The Group of TeleTubbies is the South, which in irony of ironies, is Duke's bracket!! Somewhere Dickie V is smiling. Duke has the weakest 2 (Nova), 3 (Baylor, yes, Baylor is a 3 seed), 4 (Purdue - without Robbie Hummel and coming off of an 11 pt 1st half in the Big 10 Semis), and 6 (ND). Glad to see the committee is doing all they can to get Coack K back to the Final 4. Only Duke's terrible recent tourney history can keep them from reaching Indy. Ridiculous."

In the end, we didn't give Baylor enough credit, but the rest of the bracket played out on schedule. In fact, Baylor should have beaten Duke yesterday (more on that in a little bit). But, from the beginning, it was clear that the powers that be were doing the Dukies a favor. Compare that to Kansas who was in the same bracket where very capable 5 and 6 Seeds (MSU/Tenn) WHO JUST HAPPENED TO BE RANKED 13 AND 15 IN THE COUNTRY played in a great regional final. How convenient that we forgot about that whole S Curve thing this year...

2) Baylor Got Screwed

-I'm not going to use this space to complain that Baylor played 5 on 8 the entire game. For the most part, the refereeing was solid, but you hate to see one call change the course of a game. And isn't it something that that call usually goes the way of Duke. Let's set the scene...

4:37 left in the game, Baylor leads 59-57. Quincy Acy drives to the hoop and into a sliding and sideways Brian Zoubek. Acy scores and everybody in the building, including the Duke broadcast team of Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg thinks it's an And 1 opportunity and the 5th foul on Zoubek... but no! Of course not! It's an offensive foul! Duke then goes on a 10-2 run. Ball game over.

So, instead of being up 5 - you get a crushing call going against you. For Baylor, I can understand how the wheels came falling off from there. Even if that call didn't happen, it's not like Baylor would have strolled to victory... but it would have been nice to see if they could.

3) Dick Vitale

-For years, Dick Vitale's transparent love affair with all things Duke has sickened college basketball fans across the country. His endless spewing of praise and adoration along with his tired schtick turns off fans. Well, get ready for a long week America, this was Vitale this morning about the insanity of the Duke haters...

"What is there to hate about a bunch of kids that play hard, play with feeling, play with intensity, play the right way, go to class, get their degrees, do things with integrity. I totally get amazed by those out there that have such an anti-feeling... and there's a lot of jealousy involved about their success."

It's not that we hate the kids Dickie - we hate that you and your friends love Duke so darn much. Here are some facts for Dickie V -

1) Duke is not the only team that plays hard - see Virginia, West.

2) Duke is not the only team that plays with feeling - I guess John Wall or Evan Turner can't feel, what monsters.

3) Duke is not the only team with players that go to class - maybe Dickie V is there with the kids in class though, just to make sure they're doing their Calculus homework.

4) Duke is not the only team that gets their degree - in fact, Duke's Graduation Rate is 92%. 6 teams that made this year's tournament (BYU, Marquette, Notre Dame, Utah State, Wake Forest, and Wofford) all rank at 100%. And yet, I bet that Dickie, or anyone else at ESPN, isn't going to spend a second of air time talking about those programs. Here's the full list.

5) Duke hasn't been to a Final 4 since 2004 - In comparison, Michigan State is at their 3rd Final 4 since then and North Carolina has won 2 titles, you tell me who I should be jealous of...

OMG - now Colin Cowherd is talking about Duke's diversity. Let's just move on before I get angry.

***UPDATE - Let's add Duke fans to this one thanks to this great and hilarious article from our friends at Rumors & Rants where they interview actual Duke fans. Just be thankful that you aren't one of them.

4) Conspiracy Theory

-It's funny how the conspiracy theorists only come out for the NBA Playoffs. Waaahh... David Stern wants the Lakers and Celtics in the Finals.... waaahhh Lebron James always gets every call. Umm... did we just witness what happened yesterday and throughout the tournament? Let's take a trip to Crazy Town and let the conspiracy theorists have some fun!

*Refereeing in yesterday's game. It might not show up throughout, but look which way the biggest call of the game went - check.

*Easiest bracket - check.

*The NCAA can opt out of its TV deal with CBS after this year. Ratings = dollars. Duke = ratings. The question is, who picks up the red phone first to give Duke the best chance to make it - the NCAA or CBS? Seeing Nantz and Kellogg follow Duke's yellow brick road to Indy adds further spice to the whole network conspiracy. I can't believe I'm agreeing with Jason Whitlock here, but conspiracy theories make for strange bedfellows.

*Coach K is secretly a Communist Spy and was also the second gunman on the grassy knoll.

OK, I made that last one up, but I almost had you for a second!

5) Duke Colored Glasses

-When one program is shoved down your throats as all that is right with the world, you begin to ask questions. What makes Duke so much superior to other programs? Is it because they're smarter? Or their coach is a "good guy" and "respectable"? Is it because they have "good kids" who "play hard" and "play the right way"?

Does Duke tangibly play harder or righter than Michigan State, UNC, UK, or other top programs? No! Yet, they are lifted up as the holy grail of basketball programs. Don't get me wrong, it's great that they recruit good kids and that they graduate and all the rest. It is admirable. But Duke is not the only team in the country that does these things.

In an age where so many guys are out after a year, it is the programs and coaches that become the leading characters. Duke and Coach K don't recruit the one and done guys like Derrick Rose, John Wall, or DeMarcus Cousins. You rarely see guys at Duke with headbands and tattoos like DeMarcus Cousins. You see understated guys like Scheyer, Singler, and Smith. You see Duke recruit guys that will likely stay for 4 years in school. Yes, they can ball, but they won't make a lot of noise doing it.

Here's 2 takes about UK's talented big man - who might symbolize the Duke divide.

From CBS's Gary Parrish

No, the biggest threat to Kentucky's national title hopes is that DeMarcus Cousins seems a little unbalanced and capable of snapping at any time. Or, as Louisville's Edgar Sosa reportedly put it after the game, Cousins is a "nutcase." The guy is capable of getting 20 and 15 in the Final Four against Kansas or of throwing a punch at Sherron Collins before the first media timeout.

From RealGM

He undoubtedly doesn’t have the maturity of a Blake Griffin in 2009, or Oden/Durant in 2007, but he has a great sense of the game, plays extremely hard within a team concept and is genuinely well-liked and well-respected by his teammates... Ultimately in Cousins, I see a pretty decent guy who plays with a lot of emotion. I might need a longer vetting process if my future unborn daughter brought him home instead of someone like Evan Turner, but he shouldn’t have any serious problems to override his talent.

And yet, the stigma of Cousins is that he is a nutcase and unbalanced. By the way, don't tell me Cousins lost his cool and cost UK against WVU - Cousins didn't shoot 4/32 from downtown. And yet, he plays as hard or harder than any of Duke's big guys - however that judgment is made. Compare that to glowing articles about Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler. Here's a great line about Singler from Bleacher Report:

He is willing to play the entire game without a break, grab rebounds, make hustle plays, and hit big baskets without receiving any credit on the national level... It's true—no one in the nation works harder and more efficiently for his team than Singler does for Duke.

Is it the tattoos and the headband and the showing of emotion that scares us? If DeMarcus Cousins put on a Duke uniform would we see more clearly the big man with the high basketball IQ with the skills to be a future All-Star - I bet we would. If Singler didn't play for Duke would folks say he's the hardest working player in the nation? Of course not - he'd be Jon Diebler. In the end, that's my biggest problem with the love affair with Duke. Nobody sees past the uniform.

Quick Hits: Bracket Bits

Here are some of our instant thoughts on the 2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket. I haven't won a bracket pool since my senior year in high school. Looking at this year's field, I am supremely confident that Jessica Simpson and most 4 legged creatures have about as good of a chance as winning bracket pools this year as this blogger does. Let's try and analyze the crapshoot....

*As we mentioned in our roundtable, this hasn't been a good year for NCAA Basketball. Looking through the field, both the top and bottom lines of the at-large teams are awful. Aside from penciling in Kansas and Kentucky in the title game, there aren't many teams that look capable of cutting down the nets.

*But then again... although Kansas and Kentucky have more than 30 wins, are they really unbeatable? Kentucky needed a desperation hoop and OT to beat Mississippi State yesterday, and Kansas has had several close calls throughout the season. Neither appears invincible, but they might not need to be.

*Look at the 2 seeds - Ohio St, WVU, Nova, Kansas St - Nova has the tourney pedigree, but lost 5 of 7 to end the year and K St can't beat the big boys. OSU and WVU are the most likely, but they are also matched up with KU and UK

3 seeds - G'Town, New Mexico, Baylor, Pitt - Excuse me? Yes, G'Town has the talent... and 10 losses, 16th ranked Pitt and 21st ranked Baylor are 3 seeds? Huh?

4 seeds - Maryland, Wisconsin, Purdue, Vandy - 29 losses between these teams including a crippled 27-5 Purdue team without their best player.

Can I be that guy who picks all 1 seeds? Is that allowed now after last year?

*My biggest problem with the at large selections are inconsistency. Virginia Tech finished 10-6 in the ACC while Georgia Tech finished 7-9. VT beat GT head to head. GT has good run to ACC Tournament Final and makes the tournament over VT. OK, so evidently we are rewarding conference tournament performance here.

Switch to the SEC. Mississippi State and Florida finish at 9-7. Both teams have solid resumes, FLA beating MSU on their home court. MSU beats FLA in the 1st round of the SEC Tourney, beats 4 seed Vandy, and comes within .1 seconds of beating Kenutucky. MSU makes it over FLA because of their great SEC Tourney run, right..... wrong. FLA is in.

Maddening.

*Kansas is the overall #1 seed - this means that Big 10 Champion Ohio State, who was in contention for a 1 seed, is the last 2 seed. They're behind Nova, WVU, and Kansas State. Does the selection committee know who Evan Turner is?? Ohio State is simply better than any of those teams, except maybe WVU, who beat the Bucks at home earlier this year. But the champs of the 2nd toughest conference in the country as the 8th overall seed? Again, insanity.

*The Midwest is the proverbial Group of Death. Kansas, Ohio St, G'Town, and Mich St, and Tennessee are the best seeds at their slots in the entire tournament. Tennessee, who beat UK and KU, and is ranked 14th in the country, is the same seed as Notre Dame, who supposedly slipped in this past week off the bubble. This is just crazy.

*The Group of TeleTubbies is the South, which in irony of ironies, is Duke's bracket!! Somewhere Dickie V is smiling. Duke has the weakest 2 (Nova), 3 (Baylor, yes, Baylor is a 3 seed), 4 (Purdue - without Robbie Hummel and coming off of an 11 pt 1st half in the Big 10 Semis), and 6 (ND). Glad to see the committee is doing all they can to get Coack K back to the Final 4. Only Duke's terrible recent tourney history can keep them from reaching Indy. Ridiculous.

*1st Round upsets to watch - Siena over Purdue, Utah St over Texas A&M, Cornell over Temple, Murray St over Vandy, Winthrop over Duke

The tournament doesn't look great on paper, but here's hoping for a March Madness full of upsets, buzzer beaters, and classic games... and bracket pool wins wherever you are.