Duke Hater For Life

Like I knew it would, it's cold again. Not just a little cold, I'm talking real cold. I knew this was going to happen because as I mentioned previously, I said out loud that I was enjoying the nice weather. This happens yearly. Last year, it got nice for one day and then was cold for the rest of the year. I'm kind of hoping for some sun and what not in the next week or so. It has been six weeks since groundhog day, I think it is time for spring. On a positive note however, I haven't had to wash my pick up in a long time because it has been so miserable out. When it's warm out, everyone feels the need to wash their vehicles because no one wants a dingy looking vehicle when the sun is out and shining. When it is cloudy all the time and feels like it's on the verge of snowing, no one has to wash their vehicles. That's finding a positive out of something that is normally viewed as a very not positive thing. Some people are like, oh the snow and the cold is nice because it extends the ski season. I don't ski, I don't snowboard, I'm not even a real big fan of sledding. I think that rolling down a hill covered in snow isn't that cool. I don't like being cold and I don't like spending money so that immediately knocks skiing and snowboarding off my list for things to do.

One week away from the NCAA tournament. Selection Sunday is on at 4 p.m. this upcoming Sunday and I have been putting a lot of thought into my team that I'm gonna pick to win it all. I have spent a ton of time watching games, reading online, and trying to determine whether it's smart to trust a team that runs up and down the floor and might get upset in a high scoring game (North Carolina) or to trust a team that works through the inside but is sometimes stagnant on offense and could get upset by a team with a great game plan (Oklahoma). Really it won't matter because the best part of March Madness is that no matter what everyone expects, something unexpected will happen. Last year it was even unexpected that the top teams did as well as they did. There weren't as many upsets, and that made it just as exciting. My college hoops team is the Maryland Terrapins. I don't believe I'm going to have to worry about having a conflict of interest when I'm picking out my brackets this year because I can't see them being part of the 65 teams unless they go deep into the ACC tourney this week. And by deep I mean they are the team holding up the trophy at the end on Sunday. Don't see it happening but I will be rooting for them. Speaking of the ACC, I was reminded of how much I hate Duke and North Carolina once again yesterday. I think they are both on my top ten lists of least favorite sports teams of all-time. Well I know they are, and I also know there is a number 1 next to one of them that starts with a D and rhymes with puke. Year in and year out Duke becomes overrated and gets a top ten ranking in the nation despite never being that good on the road and getting more calls at home than any other team in the nation. They underachieve in the tournament and have the most annoying fans out of all sports teams. Furthermore, who was the last ultra-successful former Duke player in the NBA? I'm a Duke-hater, and proud to say it. I will continue to be on until the day I die.

I have respect for North Carolina, only because a certain Michael Jordan came from there. However, they are also annoying, but at least they produce some pretty great NBA players and aren't so annoying. (With the exception of Tyler Hansbrough, he just has that look like you need to constantly tell him, don't cry I was just kidding) The Duke-North Carolina rivalry is great and passionate. I just could care less who wins, but I think I've made my point on that.

Top Ten Least Favorite Sports Teams:

10. North Carolina Tar Heels-The retro Heels with Jordan, Worthy, and even up to Jamison were kind of cool. However, the new Tar Heels that whine all the time and have the previously mention Hansbrough drive me insane. I don't even enjoy watching them play (especially since they win all the time)

9. Utah Jazz-I think a lot of the hatred stems from the late 90s when Jordan and his Bulls had to beat out Utah for their last two championships. John Stockton was a great player and I have a lot of respect for him, but Karl Malone was a punk and he is the reason I'm a Jazz-Hater. The new Jazz with 185 year coach Jerry Sloan play the game like they are an undersized high school team just trying to keep the score close. They win a lot of games, and that's fine; just don't expect me to watch them.

8. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets-They are Miami Hurricane KILLERS when it comes to college football. There is nothing I love more than Miami Hurricane football in sports so I just have to hate them. In 2005 they ruined the Hurricane season and the Griz lost to the Cats on the same day. I have never forgiven them for that, in fact I feel some tears whelling up, I have to stop.

7. USC Trojans-They finished second in having the most pseudo-fans in sports to the Boston Red Sox with their recent success. Now it's cool to bust out USC apparel but 9 years ago no one would be caught dead in it. Just seems pretty lame to me.

6. New York Yankees-They spend and spend and spend, and that's just annoying. Now with the recent scandal with A-Roid it just makes me laugh.

5. San Antonio Spurs-Unfortunately for the Spurs, they were just eclipsed as the most boring team in the NBA by the Utah Jazz. Luckily for them, they held the title for a little more than a decade. Tim Duncan is the best player in the NBA that everyone hates. He is a whiner, and seemingly not liked by any of the players in the NBA either. But he is a hall of famer without question.

4. New England Patriots-After they overstayed their welcome as the team that was fun to watch because they beat the Rams in a huge upset in Super Bowl XVI. I think there was a conspiracty because it was after 9/11 and the PATRIOTS come out of no where to win an America Rocks themed Super Bowl? After that, they felt it necessary to add two more championships and the annoying run at a perfect season in which the New York Giants became my favorite team for the week of the Super Bowl and the month afterward when everyone talked about how they couldn't believe it. I'm smiling right now actually.

3. Boston Celtics-Sorry to the northeast but I have to hate on the Celtics too. Kevin Garnett's response to winning the championship last year was not only awkward for everyone around him and watching at home, but it established that I will never root for the Celtics again. (Actually that's not true, I'll explain in a second) They also beat out the Hawks (favorite NBA team) and the Cavs (2nd favorite NBA team) on the way to winning the championship last year. That's like the guy the not only spills his drink all over you at the bar, but he also goes home with your girlfriend.

2. Los Angelos Lakers-Remember when I said I wouldn't root for the Celtics. I sure as heck would if they were pounding on the Lakers and making Kobe Bryant get that look he had on his face the whole game six of last year. I will never forget that look. In fact, it cheers me up daily just to think about that look. Hopefully this year when the Lakers come up short again to LeBron and my Cavs he will get that look again, or maybe just cry. I'm already excited.

1. Duke Blue Devils-I hate them so much I don't even want to talk about it. (except for the rant above)

Shout Out For The Day: Bill Simmons. If you like sports, even if you don't like sports that much but just enjoy fantastic writing, check out his columns on ESPN.com. It's amazing, he has the best sense of humor and way of writing that he can actually make me laugh out loud in public as I'm reading his articles. He knows sports better than most, but that doesn't matter really. He writes about just about anything and then somehow at the end of the article ties it all together to the point where you are like wow that actually made a lot of sense. He's great, and his podcasts are equally as awesome if not better. Check him out!