I'm Haughty?

Over on Yahoo Sports, Mike Huguenin wrote a solid piece on Coach Krzyzewski, however, one thing struck me…actually, one word in particular struck me.

“Their fans — and their coaches and players — can be haughty, and there is an arrogance about them.”

Haughty?

I’ll be honest, I’m not the brightest guy in the world. I try to use small words and I would have failed college without spell check, so I had to look it up. If you’re as stupid as I am, it means: blatantly and disdainfully proud.

Really? Duke fans are disdainfully proud? I wish I could get Huguenin’s reasoning behind this. Let’s assume he’s come across some Duke fans (which I have to believe he has). What is it that Duke fans do differently than other fans who cheer, root, paint their bodies, hold up creative (or not creative) signs at games, discuss, brag or celebrate their teams?

Mike wrote a nice article, but I am curious about this one word. What does a Duke fan do that is different from a UNC fan, an Illinois fan, or a Maryland fan? What does a Duke fan do that puts the ‘disdainfully’ in front of proud.

I’m sure he’s met some douchebag Blue Devils fan(s) along the way. There’s a douche in any fan base, but this guy is too good of a writer to judge a whole fan base on this. I also believe he’s too good of a writer to write it based on a stereotype created by haters. What is it that makes Duke fans ‘haughty’.

He also wrote that some of the coaches and players can be haughty too. I would like to hear an example of what any Duke player, coach or fan has done or said that would be considered disdainfully proud, just an example…however, it needs to be something that other players, coaches and fans from other schools don’t do.

Since I’ve been a Duke fan for over a quarter-century, I can tell you what it is like to be a Duke fan. You’re spoiled. You don’t remember what it’s like to not expect your team to make it to the tournament. I can barely remember ’95 (its called selective memory).

It ain’t easy being spoiled. The Sweet 16 is a disappointment. A 5-point win over Clemson is considered a set back. My wife, who I met after Duke’s last title run, won’t even come into the room when I watch, because she can’t figure out why I don’t get more enjoyment. I expect the Blue Devils to be up by 10 points against anyone five minutes into the game, and if they’re not, I kick the cat (not literally, I love all animals). Hell, when I play NCAA basketball on X-Box, I don’t even play Duke because I suck and I don’t want video game Duke to suck t00. That’s nuts, but is it haughty?

When it comes to being spoiled (and nuts), how’s that different than a Tar Heel fan, Kentucky fan or more recently, any Gator fan? Is it simply because people associate (wrongly) that all Duke fans are rich, spoiled and from the Northeast? Unlike UNC, UK or Florida fans that are all considered (wrongly) local rednecks?

I am spoiled. I want championships. Duke went 20-11 last year and the world just seemed a little less brighter. I am spoiled, but I’m not haughty.