Althouse: "Other than the New York Yankees, is there a team that makes more Americans happy to see lose than the Duke Blue Devils?"

March 19, 2012

"Other than the New York Yankees, is there a team that makes more Americans happy to see lose than the Duke Blue Devils?"

Asks Adam (at Throwing Things).

57 comments:

Joe Schmoe said...: Not so much for me anymore. The high point of my Duke hatred was when Christian Laettner (sp?) played there. I HATED that guy.

ARod bugs me as bad as Laettner ever did. Maybe worse.; 3/19/12, 9:11 AM
tim maguire said...: I don't know. But I do know that the Yankees are in a class by themselves, so far ahead of whoever is in second place that it seems silly to even wonder who might be in second place.

I barely know who the Duke Blue Devils are.; 3/19/12, 9:12 AM
Mark O said...: Duke rules.; 3/19/12, 9:14 AM
David said...: Bears. (Wisconsin Americans.); 3/19/12, 9:17 AM
LakeLevel said...: The Dallas Cowboys. America's team my ass. You don't get to anoint yourself as such.; 3/19/12, 9:19 AM
Bob_R said...: Once upon a time I think LakeLevel was right. Nothing like being irrelevant for a decade to cool the fire.; 3/19/12, 9:22 AM
Rialby said...: The Heat; 3/19/12, 9:23 AM
Bob_R said...: Was Notre Dame football as hated back in its heyday? USC football? UCLA basketball? Celtics basketball? Before my time.

Might be more of a function of 24/7 national coverage.; 3/19/12, 9:25 AM
Craig said...: I think there was a duke in Huckleberry Finn.; 3/19/12, 9:27 AM
MadisonMan said...: The Lakers and the Heat.; 3/19/12, 9:27 AM
George Grady said...: Notre Dame football's been irrelevant since the early 1990s, and it still makes me happy when they lose.; 3/19/12, 9:27 AM
Dopey said...: THE Ohio State University is right up there.; 3/19/12, 9:29 AM
Tank said...: I'm with George.

Still, no one is close to the World Champion NY Yankees for inspiring envy ... I mean ... what was the question?; 3/19/12, 9:31 AM
Anonymous said...: The hatred of the Yankees we see in some parts is continuing testament to the savagery and abject ignorance that remains in so much of America.; 3/19/12, 9:37 AM
Humperdink said...: For me it was the Yankees by extension. It was George Steinbrenner that I wanted to see lose. He was the straw the straw the stirred the drink.

PS Second effort of deciphering the stupid letter code.; 3/19/12, 9:39 AM
traditionalguy said...: The word Duke is also the name of an aristocrat who rule a Duchy for the collection of the King's revenues.

Duke Power was the Monopoly created with Yankee investor's money to rule and collect money from the North Carolina part of impoverished south half of the USA following an 1865 conquest of that area by war.

The Duke Power guys needed a private College to train its young prince and princesses down here inn the south so they did not all have to go to Harvard, Princeton and Yale.

Interestingly, in Scotland the Norwegian conquerors by war of the NE half of Scotland, for over 300 years called their local taxing/ruling official "the Laird".

So their family name itself has triple self condemned them as tax collectors, aristocrats and proud, wealthy Yankee followers of the Devil.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.; 3/19/12, 9:44 AM
jrberg3 said...: I concur with LakeLevel....always fun to watch the Cowgirls lose!; 3/19/12, 9:47 AM
edutcher said...: Indiana roundball, largely because of Bobby Knight, but, otherwise, Lake and Dopey have it.

The Buckeyes are still suffering leftover dislike of Woody Hayes.

As for the House Ruth Once Built, they were hated long before Steinem.; 3/19/12, 9:56 AM
Heather said...: As an NC State Fan I'm always happy to see UNC lose.

Since Duke can beat them, Go Duke!; 3/19/12, 10:02 AM
Christopher said...: Miami Heat?

The hate for the Heat was quite intense last year.; 3/19/12, 10:02 AM
kjbe said...: I don't know, I had them picked to go a couple more games than they did. I'm not crazy that they lost, but the bracket's shot, anyway.; 3/19/12, 10:05 AM
Kate Danaher said...: My dad - a Brooklyn native born during the Hoover administration - loathed only one team more than the Yankees...

The LA Dodgers.

It was a white hot burning hatred he nursed tenderly and carefully in his heart.; 3/19/12, 10:06 AM
edutcher said...: Ah, yes, the people at Flatbush were only too happy to contemplate a memorial to Walter O'Malley.

As long as he were lying under it.; 3/19/12, 10:09 AM
Petunia said...: Duke, NYY, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Dallas, Vikings, Bears, and now, the Lions.

Re the Bears: it's fun to listen to 670 AM radio after they lose. Two former Bears host a post-game show and they become absolutely apoplectic when the Bears lose. And the callers are just brutal.; 3/19/12, 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: @Quayle:
The hatred of the Yankees we see in some parts is continuing testament to the savagery and abject ignorance that remains in so much of America.

C'mon, man, that's no way to talk about Boston!; 3/19/12, 10:16 AM
Tom said...: I used to be a Duke hater but not anymore. After reading Guilty Until Proven Innocent, Coach K and the various sports teams were among those that did NOT crucify the Duke Lacrosse team members.

As much as my favorite team is an opponent of Coach K, I've become more and more a fan of his and Duke given the fact that they run a clean program, uphold sportsmanship (as far as I can tell) but always play hard.; 3/19/12, 10:26 AM
Beta Rube said...: I absolutely love seeing the Euros get stomped in the Ryder Cup.

A nasty bit of jingoism on my part, but I am an unrepentant troglodyte rightie. So there!; 3/19/12, 10:27 AM
MadisonMan said...: I'm not too enamored of Duke, they seem just okay to me.

But I will say: HD-TV makes Coach K look dreadful dreadful dreadful; 3/19/12, 10:31 AM
Popville said...: As a lifelong NC State basketball fan I hate Carolina equally as much as Duke. Simply look back at the ACC semifinal State vs. Carolina on March 10, where the referees bent over backwards to assure a Carolina vistory.; 3/19/12, 10:37 AM
TomB said...: The Heat are not even close to the Yankees. The Yankees are hated as an institution, the Heat are hated for their current lineup. What started it all was having a championship celebration last year before the season ever began. Once the "big 3" are gone, the Heat will probably not be singled out.

As for other teams, Id agree with the Dallas comment for anointing themselves as "America's Team". I would say that I do take immense pleasure in seeing the Brazilian national soccer teams lose because they seem to feel entitled to the championship. They never actually lose, something happens that unfairly deprives them of a win.; 3/19/12, 10:45 AM
Franklin said...: @Popville

State fans are always pissed at UNC because UNC doesn't care about beating State. We care about beating Duke. I once had a State fan tell me - "we just want you to care [about the NCSU/UNC rivalry]". And I disagree wholeheartedly with the notion that UNC gets favorable calls. Take a look at the Creighton game last night if you want to see some flagrant fouls.

There was a great quote from one of the Lehigh guys after the Duke game where he said something to the effect of, "We couldn't believe all the support we got in Greensboro - Go Lehigh, beat Duke - and they were all Carolina fans. I've never seen two teams that hate each other so much."

That warmed my heart.; 3/19/12, 11:19 AM
LakeLevel said...: I hate to say it because I'm not a fan but, if anyone is America's Team its the Packers.; 3/19/12, 11:20 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Whether or not you care about basketball or hate Duke's winning streak, I think there is a lot to admire in Coach K, his ethics, his methods and his dedication to his players. Sitting on the bench at Duke is better preparation for life than starting anywhere else...; 3/19/12, 11:24 AM
TMink said...: I attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

What is this Dook place you speak of?

Trey; 3/19/12, 11:34 AM
David said...: Duke Power? Just a sidelight, a fun little business.

The Duke money was tobacco money. A corrupt game from the onset, but no longer in the liberal crosshairs since the federal and state governments (and the trial lawyers who they hired) became the biggest financial beneficiaries of the tobacco industry.

Better than Brown though (which was founded by slave traders.); 3/19/12, 11:40 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: Agree with others that Coach K has crossed into some sort of sovereignty of the venerable. He's universally admired. In addition to the fine things mentioned here, he also led the US men's team back to a gold medal in Beijing. The US hoops team had lost its way for a couple of Olympics.

It's hard to hate someone who has grown into Yoda before our very eyes.; 3/19/12, 11:50 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: It's funny how we hate teams and politicians that come across as morally righteous, but we are much more forgiving of the bad boys.; 3/19/12, 11:54 AM
Christy said...: I never hated Notre Dame until I tried finding SEC broadcasts in Baltimore. They carried every ND game but ignored the SEC half the time. Of course, Baltimore stations would preempt NASCAR for lacrosse, so there you go.

For some reason Baltimore Orioles' home games with both the Yankees and the Red Sox drew as many Yankee and Sox fans as Oriole fans. Made for lively fun crowds. I never truly hated the Yankees until the '96 Championship game where a damn Yankee kid reached down and grabbed the ball at the wall as it was falling into the Orioles' right fielder's glove. Changed the game. Umpire called it a home run. Kid was praised as a hero, made the talk shows.... If I have any witch powers at all that umpire and that kid will never sire a child.; 3/19/12, 11:58 AM
Kevin Walsh said...: Whenever the New England Patriots lose, somewhere a poor child gets a shiny new toy.; 3/19/12, 12:08 PM
Unknown said...: Kentucky. Just a bunch one one-and-done rent-a-players.; 3/19/12, 12:34 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: The Red Sox.; 3/19/12, 12:40 PM
ken in tx said...: I really do not understand why anyone would care enough to hate a sports team. If my college teams, Alabama and Clemson, win, fine. I know it will make people I know feel better. If they lose, that's OK too. It won't make my life any different one way or another.; 3/19/12, 12:41 PM
Joe Schmoe said...: Christy, the reason for so many out-of-town fans at Orioles games is because you can actually get reasonably-priced tickets to an Orioles game. Red Sox and Yankee home games sell out way in advance, and they have high base ticket prices to begin with. You can't get into Fenway or Yankee stadium without paying exorbitant scalper/ticket agency markups.

I'm guilty of going to Baltimore to watch the Red Sox on a few occasions. Easy access from BWI to Camden Yards via Light Rail. Camden Yards is a great park. Maryland crab and Boog Powell BBQ. What's not to like?; 3/19/12, 12:41 PM
Christy said...: Joe Schmoe, Maryland crabcakes and Boog's BBQ. YES!; 3/19/12, 1:03 PM
Joe Schmoe said...: Christy, compare the treatment of that kid to Steve Bartman in Chicago, whose interference should've been inconsequential if the Cubs shortstop didn't boot an easy grounder on the subsequent play. Bartman practically had to go in the Witness Protection Program. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at Chicagoans' displays of thuggery.; 3/19/12, 1:18 PM
AlanKH said...: Why would I root against a college whose archenemy is Mike Nifong?; 3/19/12, 1:18 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Alan said...
Why would I root against a college whose archenemy is Mike Nifong?

If that is the case, Why are Duke, Nifong and Durham co-defendants in the Civil Trial?

Duke is on the wrong side of the LAX case IMHO.; 3/19/12, 1:49 PM
Astro said...: Notre Dame.
Most of the rabid ND fans I've know never even went to college and couldn't find South Bend if you dropped them off in Indianapolis.; 3/19/12, 2:13 PM
Scrutineer said...: Joe Schmoe - The high point of my Duke hatred was when Christian Laettner (sp?) played there. I HATED that guy.

I love that guy: vid

(This was from some charity all star game hosted by Kentucky.); 3/19/12, 2:52 PM
Issob Morocco said...: The Michigan Wolverines come to mind.; 3/19/12, 3:54 PM
Toad Trend said...: The Dallas Cowboys and Manchester U.; 3/19/12, 4:55 PM
LoafingOaf said...: Most definitely the Miami Heat.

And I think I'd feel that way if I weren't from Cleveland, too.

God bless the Dallas Mavaliers!; 3/19/12, 7:46 PM
LoafingOaf said...: TomB: The Heat are not even close to the Yankees. The Yankees are hated as an institution, the Heat are hated for their current lineup. What started it all was having a championship celebration last year before the season ever began. Once the "big 3" are gone, the Heat will probably not be singled out.

That's true.

Remember when LeBoob James said they'd win 8 or more titles? VIDEO LINK

I've come to hate the Red Sox more than the Yankees. Ever since they won that title in 2004 (with the help of roids) their fans have shown that they always wanted to be just like Yankee fans. I also hate how they started romanticizing Fenway Park, which should have been replaced many years ago.; 3/19/12, 8:01 PM
Known Unknown said...: 1. Yankees
Red Sox, Duke, Manchester United, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Lakers, current incarnation of the Miami Heat, Alabama Crimson Tide football, and the New England Patriots all tied for 2nd.

Notre Dame is not as loathe-able since they really haven't been good in quite awhile.; 3/19/12, 8:51 PM
Joe Schmoe said...: I also hate how they started romanticizing Fenway Park, which should have been replaced many years ago.

I agree with the last part wholeheartedly. As do many, many Red Sox fans. The seats at Fenway are a wonderful size for the average man. Who lived in 1912. Many seats are oriented away from home plate, requiring you to crane your neck, and there are tons of obstructed views behind 19th c. structural support techniques. Leave aside that you can't park anywhere close to the stadium for under $40/$50, and getting out of the neighborhood after a game can take hours.

The average fan, like me, would love a new stadium. The romanticizing is a function of the media members and the rich Boston Democrats who enjoy the game from the luxury boxes. Please know that there is not unanimity among Sox fans about the 'lyric little bandbox' (so named by John Updike).; 3/19/12, 9:08 PM
Joe Schmoe said...: Scrutineer, good video. Laettner would've been great in the WWF.; 3/19/12, 9:10 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Ted Turner made a bid for most-hated-team when he started the "America's Team!" ad campaign for the Braves. That's such a pathetic misunderstanding of sport that it could almost topple the Yankees. But not quite.; 3/20/12, 9:21 AM