The March to Madness

Duke's Traveling Party

Yes, Duke seems to get its share of calls when it plays at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Check this video that has been making the rounds from the Blue Devils' game against Wake Forest on Sunday. There's more after the jump.

Speedo Guy

North Carolina pays a visit Wednesday night to Duke, and ESPN has recycled its featured on Speedo Guy, who holds a special place in history for Blue Devil fans.

Despite the rotten economy, tickets are still a hot item. As of Sunday morning, two tickets for seats in the upper corner of Cameron Indoor Stadium were being offered for up to $2,075.

Duke Is Duke

Duke Blue Planet is the snazzy new site of Blue Devil basketball that is heavy on video. Here is a highlight package from Duke's 76-67 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, the Blue Devils' 67th consecutive nonconference home victory, longest streak in the nation.

If you simply can't stand the Dookies, check Truth About Duke.

Krzyzewski Involved in One-Car Accident

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was not injured after he was involved in a one-car accident near his residence on Friday.

Spokesman Jon Jackson said the accident "was nothing serious" and that Krzyzewski made it to practice without further incident.

Durham police, of course, did not have a record of any accident involving Krzyzewski.

Michigan Is Becoming a Basketball School

Michigan fans normally don't start thinking basketball until January — long after the bowl games. This season is different after the football team's 3-9 season.

The Wolverines (6-2), who lost to Duke, 71-56, last month, surprised the No. 4 Blue Devils, 81-73, on Saturday at Crisler Arena and could be headed to their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1998.

Duke (8-1) finished seven of 33 from three-point range and had its streak of 31 consecutive victories against unranked nonconference opponents come to an end.

Time to Tune Out the 'Coach K Classic'

Joel Huerto is managing editor of One Man Fastbreak.net and a sports consultant with Opposing Views.com. He has been a member of the sports media for almost 20 years, which included nine years as a news editor at the Los Angeles Times. He will cover a variety of topics, from coach and player profiles to hot-button issues. Joel is also known as "maniLA ice" for his cool demeanor in the friendly confines of the YMCA hardwood. He loves to shoot the "tear drop" and prefers to play zone to hide his deficiencies on defense.   

The infatuation with Coach Mike Krzyzewski has got to stop.

I know he's the most celebrated college basketball coach for his squeaky-clean program and his impressive NCAA tournament resume, but the inordinate amount of man crushes on this guy is getting ridiculous.

ESPN throws so much love at Krzyzewski's feet that the network might as well change its college hoops coverage to the "Coach K Classic." Sure, the man has done a lot for college athletics and I am well aware of his three national championships ... but he's not John Wooden! He's not even Bob Knight.

Give Knight the kind of resources Coach K gets at Duke and The General just might challenge Wooden's 10 national titles. Remember, Knight taught Coach K everything he knows. Krzyzewski's offensive and defensive philosophies at Duke are all products of the Knight School.

Besides, Coach K hasn't won The Big One since 2001 and most of his success came during the 1990s when he was blessed with bags full of high school All-Americans. And I have not forgotten that he was the same coach who lost to Yugoslavia and Greece as caretaker of Team USA in the 2007 FIBA World Championships.

Coach K had LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul at his disposal and got outcoached by his Greek counterpart. Krzyzewski was given a full training camp to assemble the "greatest team ever" and couldn't deliver a gold medal.

Had Larry Brown been given a full season as Team USA coach, things might have been different at the 2004 Athens Games. If it wasn't for Kobe Bryant's late-game heroics in the gold-medal game at this year's Beijing Games, the Great Coach K would have been 0-3 as coach of USA Basketball.

Year after year, ESPN broadcasts a minimum of five Duke games. Dick Vitale, someone who I admire and respect, gets teary-eyed whenever Coach K is mentioned during a conversation. As much as he's given a brand name to the sport, it's time that we stop the love affair with the Dukies and their coach.

The days of dominance for Duke basketball is long gone and Coach K is no longer alone atop the college basketball coaching landscape.