Comments on: Weighing In

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 01:25:00 +0000

It appeared that each team was going at it very physically under the basket most of the game. Possibly it is always this way in a Duke/NC game, I don’t know. In general this “non-contact” sport is no longer anything close to non-contact.I just bet if you looked at enough game film you may in fact find a time or two when Mr Hansbrough gave a strong elbow that was more than “going for the ball”. I guess the thing that bothered me the most was that Mr Henderson had to have clearly known that he had landed a knock-out blow. And yet there was no reaching down to see if he was ok, no standing over him calling for the trainer, no hint of instant remorse. Under the circumstances it would have been appropriate… the game was over. So alas, I think my take-away from the entire incident is that I will make sure to remind my 10 and 12 year old boys to always try as hard as they can when competing in sport, to never ever give up, and lastly (and maybe most importantly) how important it is to exhibit genuine good sportsmanship at all times on the playing field and in life. Isn’t that what it is supposed to be all about?

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:45:00 +0000

I can’t resist… Henderson’s hit was so bad it almost gave me a Makhtar Ndiaye or Jeff McInnis flashback.

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:43:00 +0000

There is an unhealthy attachment to teams, I fear. It’s as if “my” team’s winning, and the style and purity in which they win and conduct themselves, is a testament to MY personal worth. I don’t have this with Duke, but I might with the Steelers. The fact that they play (and win) with hard-nosed defense and straightforward offense, nothing fancy, no cheerleaders, no dance team… nothing but pure football as it was meant to be played, that somehow reflects my purity of character and honesty. It’s bizarre.I once was speaking to a UNC fan who took this to another level. He told me that he didn’t like coach K. I asked why… what’s not to like? He said, “well, he runs his team like a Republican and Dean Smith ran his team like a Democrat.” So now he has TWO unhealthy attachments and has managed to combine them into one neat little package… the good guys and the bad guys.No wonder political discourse is so impossible. People view political parties like sports teams.

By: Jen F.

Jen F. — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:33:00 +0000

Although I’m a HUGE Carolina fan (yes, HUGE), I was embarrassed at the way the Tarheel fans treated Henderson as he walked (escorted, by about six people, I guess to prevent bodily harm from the Tarheel fans) off the court. I enjoy the rivalry. I don’t know any different, being born and raised here in the land of Duke and Carolina. But I think that game was overkill for the rivalry. I don’t think Henderson meant to hurt Hansbrough. I think, like you said, he meant to foul him. But I don’t think he meant to hurt him. I don’t know why other people (Tarheel fans mostly) don’t see this, but they don’t. I love the rivalry, but I don’t love the way that a basketball game in the ACC has become the measure of personal character. Unfortunately, no one will remember that game or Henderson without thinking of the broken nose of a really good player and ejection and suspension of a really good player. I think I might move too, and be a Carolina fan from afar.