I've never said a disparaging word to our dark shade of blue folks on this board... Not on a personal level anyway. I've always engaged with them civilly, most especially in terms of politics. Heck, I have more in common with most of those than I do with some of these so-called Tar Heel fans. I have several so-called Tar Heel fans on super ignore. I don't think I have any d00k fans on ignore. I don't dislike them, personally. As a matter of fact, I have "liked" them and "liked" their comments on this board continually.
Now, have I cast aspersions on their basketball team and coaches? Probably. Do I think they've been buying players and hooking up players' families with sweetheart deals on houses and employment? Yes. Do I think they've always gotten the top class of HS players year after year since about 2012? Yes. Do I think it takes much of a coach to stay out of the way of those top level players and let them win games with their talent and skills? No. Have I always had a dislike for K as a coach and Scheyer as a player? Yes.
But it wasn't always that way with me and d00k. I actually rooted for them against Kentucky in 1978. Tinkerbell Banks Spanarkel and Giminski. I disliked State back then more-so than d00k.
But I always had a dislike for Bobby Knight, and when K came on board and I found out he was a Knight disciple... that was it. That's all I needed to have an immediate dislike, distrust, and detestable feeling toward K. And then of course the long-standing hatred of d00k from way back in the 40's 50's and 60's - which all Tar Heel fans need to recognize - helped me remember that d00k, as well as State, will always and forever be on my shit list.
And then K got the Olympic job and wouldn't relinquish in like forever. He unabashedly used that connection to coerce NBA level talent to d00k... but who could blame him? It was a natural occurrence and to be expected. But I didn't have to like the fact he gamed the system in that manner. And when K went the way of Calishady and started buying all the one and done players without any hint of trying to get them an education, but was simply using them - and allowing them to use d00k basketball as a spring board to the NBA - it was all too clear to me what was going on in Durham. Even some d00k fans themselves started to sour on the fact that d00k was nothing but a one and done factory and that they were no more legit than UK and Calishady in terms of integrity or an institution of higher education.
Fast forward to IC and all that B.S. - yes, it was super nice of the Devil's Den folk to welcome some of us over there to discuss politics - and only politics. (They drew the line in the sand sharp and clear in terms of any discussion of basketball or other sports related topics while we were there.) Which, as it turns out, we weren't there but just for a minute for a cuppa coffee because Rock quickly developed this killer site.
But at the end of the day... nothing personal d00kies... it's just basketball... we will always have our disdain for all things trump and maga.