Duke basketball: The 10 most hated Blue Devils of all time
By Matt Giles
The most hated Duke basketball faces: Mike Krzyzewski
1. player. 434. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1980-present. Head coach. Mike Krzyzewski
They’ve called him a coward for not scheduling true non-conference road games. They’ve called him a ratface or weasel for supposedly looking like both. They’ve called him an underachiever since he’s directed only two Final Four trips across his past 10 tries and won only two national titles during that span.
They’ve called him a whiner for disputing calls, a cheater for coaching Team USA to three Olympic gold medals, a blowhard for giving his strong opinions on various matters relating to the sport…there aren’t many derogatory terms Mike Krzyzewski hasn’t heard.
Yes, the haters love to hate Coach K. It’s as if they need to concoct excuses for his greatness in order to help them sleep at night. Yet considering the 73-year-old is still going strong after more than 40 years at the helm in Durham, it appears as if the college game’s all-time wins leader — a title that requires thicker and thicker skin the more his count grows — embraces the hate.
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The bulk of it comes from Tar Heels, Wolfpack, Cavaliers, Spartans, Jayhawks, Wildcats, and all varieties of non-Duke media members. But enter most any sports bar across the country when the Blue Devils are on the big screen, and you’ll likely hear a fair share of obscenities directed at the five-time national champ.
A sign of respect. A sign of envy. That pretty much explains it.
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Whether the haters admit it or not.