Of scowls, frowns, faces, posturing and belittling - How Coach K and Duke talk about their opponents

Amid the biased people on the planet, with all the bias in today's silly at times idiotic act as if the pundits and absurd statistics can determine who is on the top line, and other ridiculous sports phenomena, we are presented with perhaps the very persons who have created it all. Duke's "hall of fame" coach Krzyzewski , or Coach K, and the Duke literati.

All year,  Krzyzewski has belittled his opponents, even so far as to add a new concept roundly reported by his sycophants, especially Jay Williams and Jay Bilas. Yes, they just did not have "it" when they lost. Yes, they should have won but were just off. Never, ever did they outplay Duke. So goes Coach K. And so goes his team.

As the ACC Championship game just ended with another Duke loss, we will have to hear from Coach K about how lopsided the free throws were.

Not how his teams traditionally hit, smash and thrash their way to the ball and basket. Not how his games often include substantial injuries to the other side by his punchers, maulers and brawlers.

But how it is that Coach K, the wonder who managed to win so many games, is just the best and he and his teams lose, the other teams do not win.

Leave aside his teams' talents, and believe that Coach K matters somehow whenever his teams win. And how the "nose in the air" attitude of Duke is how the university conducts itself, not how badly its coach with a "k" leads and how his teams always act so superior.

Terry Holland called his dog Dean Smith. Coach K never calls Coach Smith, and never has. Indeed, you will rarely hear Coach K talk about any coach other than those who are dead, and then only if it helps his image.

For the record, Dean Smith ruled Coach K and his Blue Devils according to a WRAL website. Something that was very hard for Coach K to take, so he constantly argued that Coach Smith got the breaks and other coaches lost because of bias.

• 1970-1979:  UNC 23-8
• 1980-1989:  UNC 16-9
•   1990-1999:  UNC 14-10

We have had a Duke majority in wins only in the last fourteen years.

Coach K was as unpleasant and rude to Dean Smith as possible, constantly claiming he was given liberties that were affecting him winning. A Coach K tradition that continues to this day. Also, Coach K has always tried to win through being physical. Check out the fouls. He told his players to play like this today. And they fouled and fouled and fouled. 

But perhaps the most significant war against a coach, other than Coach K's campaign against Roy Williams, is the following event that will always stand out in history.

In 1989, this became a reality when during the ACC Championship Coach K jumped off the bench in reaction to a foul on one of his players. He began scolding Carolina player Scott Williams for his aggressiveness and yelled, “Hey 42, that was a dirty foul!” Dean Smith was having none of it and yelled at Kyrzyzewski, “Don’t talk to my players!” As if reading off a script, Coach K turned to Smith and said with a face full of passion, “Hey Dean, Fuck You!” Needless to say, it was a polarizing moment in the Carolina Duke basketball history. In both the minds of both Carolina and Duke fans, there was now more than enough reason to hate their down the road counterpart. However the vibrant interactions between the storied coaches was not all that sparked the flame for the rivalry. The actual basketball games and the drama that unfolded within are also incredible to reflect upon.

It was hard for me to see Virginia out there instead of the Tar Heels. But the coach is new and a great guy. And his team is probably the top team in the US at the moment. In time, there is no doubt but that wins will do more than even out for him. 

And eventually, we Carolina fans will not need to see Coach K any more. For me, give me Tony Bennett any time. And leave Coach K to the rubble where he belongs.