Another reason to hate Duke

As if their fourth national championship, won a few weeks ago with a band of well-mannered, upstanding student-athletes, wasn't enough, Monday gave us another reason to hate the Duke University basketball team.

One of the no-good punks on the team, Final Four Most Outstanding Player Kyle Singler, decided he's staying at Duke for his senior season. That's Duke for you. Another four-and-done player.

For years, all Mike Krzyzewski has done is recruit player after player who doesn't look or act like a thug, stays academically eligible and doesn't jump ship after one season for the bright lights and big paychecks of the NBA.

Granted, there have been exceptions at Duke, from the successful (Carlos Boozer, Shane Battier) to the not-so-successful (William Avery). But by and large, Coach K seems to prefer good kids who also are good basketball players.

Perhaps Singler realizes that his NBA stock is not high, despite his recent performance in the NCAA tournament. That's the case for a lot of Dukies: great college players, mediocre, at best, pros. But still, there's something gratifying about a top college player deciding to stay in school.

Players who leave school early have their reasons. Few Duke recruits, however, see the school as a means to an NBA end. These kids are Blue Devils for life.

You think John Wall will even remember where he went to college in a few years? Actually, he probably will when he opens his mail and, along with his check from the Nets, are letters from Kentucky asking for donations. But he never did, and never will bleed UK blue.