Tar Heels' Final Four berth leaves Duke fans confused

Somewhere in the depths of hell, the devil laughs maniacally. For only Lucifer himself could have forged a plan so evil. It must have been a dull March day in hell, and Satan-bored with standard evils like war, hate and AT&T commercials-decided he would try something new, just for kicks. Then it struck him: the perfect plan. Get UNC in the Final Four. The Tar Heels are an eight seed who have struggled all season. But in the wackiest tournament in my lifetime, UNC has a legitimate national championship shot. Friday night was the cruelest of evenings for Duke fans. First, they watched their beloved Blue Devils fall to Florida. That hurt a lot, but it was the devil who twisted the knife a few hours later. Just as the pain was starting to go away, Duke fans flipped their television sets back on, and to their shock and dismay, UNC beat Tennessee. The Heels had somehow advanced further than the Blue Devils, but what was worse, all North Carolina needed to do was beat Tulsa for a trip to the Final Four. The Tar Heels obliged, and Satan smiled. I'll admit that some sick, twisted part of me finds this kind of funny. The Heels were bashed all season long, and now they're in the Final Four. The day before the NCAA tournament began, The News and Observer of Raleigh ran a column that said UNC had no business being in the tournament. I guess they were wrong. But the initial perverse joy is gone, and now I'm being petty and jealous. If Carolina beats Florida Saturday, I will mope. I will sit motionless on my commons room couch, just shaking my head and mumbling profanities. People say I should cheer for the Heels, for their success demonstrates ACC muscle. But I can't bring myself to do it. Screw the conference, what about my needs? As I look at the Final Four teams, I get upset. I know Duke exceeded all expectations by having the season it did, but looking at the brackets, there could have been more. Much more. Michigan State is the only team left worth a damn, so you can be assured the Spartans are the only team I'll be cheering for this weekend. Am I being a typical whiny Duke student? Yes I am. But it's not my fault. The devil made me do it.