Indy Star apologizes to Coach K for illustration

They were satirizing the public opinion of Duke. It was juvenile on purpose. How is that "childish"? That line of thinking just isn't connecting with me. To me, this is complete phony outrage by Coach K. Like a certain politician, there's no way he can really be as outraged as he claims to be. Ineffective editorially? That I can buy. But owing an apology to Duke? Ridiculous.

Should we get rid of editorial cartoons in the news section, too?

 

Then put that in a political cartoon on the editorial page. Photoshopping that crap on an actual photo on Mike Krzyzewski, then centerpiecing in a section?

No one should apologize to Duke, but Coach K wasn't out of line for any of his remarks and the Star was smart to issue an apology to him.

I don't think Krzyzewski was outraged. Someone asked him about it, and he replied. If he had denied comment, people everywhere would be barking about that. How exactly would you recommend Coach K handle this?

 

Maybe make a joke about it or let it roll off his back instead of using it to launch into yet another insufferable lecture about how they are the only classy program in America where kids go to class.

You've never seen a photo illustration centerpieced on a section front? It was portraying the way that people think of Duke. Is his visage so sacred that it shalt not be defaced? He's not Mohammed, you know.

 

I'll weigh in once more. That story idea was a good one. Duke is a lightning rod in college basketball, non-aligned fans either love them or hate them. That's a given.

The art was lame. An idea that bombed. It happens. I've killed graphics on stories before (including one spoofing suicide about two months after a high-profile student in our area killed himself). I can't understand how so few eyes saw this cartoon before it went into production. Well, maybe I can. A lot of higher-ups are out the door as soon as their last meeting of the day is over.

But the whole Duke as Satan idea amuses me. I've been covering college hoops long enough to remember when Duke (in the 80s) was the David among Goliaths, intruding on the Tar Heels' ACC birthright of championships, going to four Final Fours (didn't win any) in a five-year span. Then something happened. They won championships, and kept winning.

The fans, and the media, like to see the mighty brought down. It just seems to be human nature. The worst thing that can happen to an underdog is that it keeps on winning. We get bored with success. When was the last time anybody got excited about Gonzaga in the tournament? It was a bigger deal when the Zags didn't win their conference tournament this year.

So a caveat, Butler. Lose today. And whatever you do, don't make the Final Four again next year.

 

WFW

 

The illustration was sophomoric and tacky.
But please, spare me the self-righteous indignation and piety about how holy Duke is.

 

Tacky is exactly what I was going to say, slappy.

 

Didn't think there was anything wrong with the first graf of his quote. Nothing at all.

The second one could easily be construed as a little pious and holier-than-thou. But he did rescue himself, at least partially, by adding that if you're to criticize us for going to class, graduating and winning, then keep right on drawing pictures.

Most schools are aiming to do the same thing. Well ... maybe not a program coached by Bob Huggins, but most others.

 

I'm with Piotr and SixToe - the target was the problem.

I dunno... Is anybody paying attention to the ... I dunno... NEWS lately? Sarah Palin just caught shit for putting targets on her web page on the faces of Congressmen who voted for health care reform. We've got crazy, armed militia people being arrested for targeting cops. We've got your death threats. It's just not the best week to do "target" art.

As for the Devil horns... Well, they are the Blue Devils.

But since the point is that Duke is not hateful, but hated-- at times unjustifiably so-- I think art depicting a "joe hoops fan" drawing a devil face on a Coach K picture would have more nailed the point.

That way you're not making a statement that K is the Devil-- you're saying some fans, in their juvenile fan-hood, think of him that way.

 

That's what I thought, too, immediately. I was like, "Holy, shit, they drew a target on Coach K.'s head!" But then nobody mentioned it anywhere. The emphasis was exclusively on how "juvenile" it was.

 

How many times has that Duke-hated story been told? Half a million? That's the best you've got as the sports centerpiece the day before a Final Four that the local team is playing in?

And is the angle even true? UNC people hate Duke but are they really, truly loathed nationally? I've never experienced that.

 

Reading my alma mater's message boards(s), people either really hate them or absolutely love them because my alma mater is nowhere near a bball powerhouse and doesn't compete with Dook, so it's OK in their minds to have two favorite teams.

I'd say it's 80% hate