FanHouse CoachK

ESPN commentator Dick Vitale and Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski will get together Friday night to raise money for the "Dick Vitale Gala To Benefit The V Foundation For Cancer Research." I'm sure it's a fine cause, but I can't help but cringe when I see quotes like this from Vitale:

"Coach Krzyzewski is an icon in the coaching fraternity," Vitale said. "His record is absolutely magnificent. To me, however, he is an even better humanitarian. He has a magical way of extending a hand to those in need."

Really? He's a better humanitarian than he is a coach? Krzyzewski is one of the five best coaches in the history of college basketball. Is he really one of the five best humanitarians in the history of humanity? He's been named Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (1991), The Sporting News (1992), and Basketball Times (1997). Why hasn't he also been named Time Magazine's Man of the Year or won the Nobel Peace Prize? Something is wrong here.

Throughout the season we'll look at bubble teams and assess whether they have a better chance of ending up in the NIT or the NCAA Tournament.

Team: Duke

Record: 18-7

Good wins: Air Force, Indiana, Georgetown, Clemson

Bad losses: Virginia, Florida State

Comments: It's amazing that we've actually gotten to the point where there's a chance that Duke might miss the tournament, but it's reasonable to at least consider it. Their current four-game losing streak has the Blue Devils at 5-6 in the ACC.

Other views: Sportz Assassin says yesterday's loss to Maryland could place them smack dab on the bubble. Bracketology lists Duke as a 4 seed. Prior to the Maryland game they ranked 14th in RPI and eighth in Ken Pomeroy's ratings, and counting the Maryland game they rank 14th in the Sagarin ratings.

Verdict: The Blue Devils had a good enough non-conference schedule that if they go 7-9 in the ACC, they're in the tournament. But if they finish 6-10, they'd probably have to win a game or two in the ACC tournament to be safe. As much as fans everywhere think Duke gets preferential treatment from the college basketball establishment, I think the selection committee might relish the opportunity to show they don't play favorites. But it won't come to that. Duke is a good team that will play well down the stretch. I think they'll win four of their next five before the rematch with North Carolina and make the tournament comfortably.