Business…here’s the scene from the first Duke lacrosse game.  Bring the hate mail on.
Speaking of that, my editors and I made the decision to disclose the fact that I have had affiliations with both Duke and North Carolina in my four years living in Durham.  Their concern was with people digging through my archives or this site, finding out some things about me, and assuming I was operating with bias when I wrote the piece.
Allow me to assure you that any opinion I offer on anything is from an objective position.  That isn’t to say I don’t hate Duke basketball.  I do.
But I also wrote what might be the most glowing piece on J.J. Redick on record (even though I had a blast taking shots at Duke, the piece is fair to Redick).   I also wrote a reverential look at Duke’s run of ACC tournament dominance since the late ’90s.  I also have written on the Duke lacrosse situation in an unbiased manner.
What I like and what I don’t like have nothing to do with what I think.  And, for the most part, I write from what I think.  Emotions are irrational, and I’m not irrational when I write.  I might be wrong, but never irrational.
As it relates to this piece, I wrote what I saw and what I was told.  Based on that, I wrote what I thought and noticed.
That’s the job.  And nothing is more important to my job performance than integrity.
So say what you want about me, or call me what you will.  But never, for a second, question whether I’m fair.   I’m passionate and imperfect, but I’m not a fool.  Neither are my editors.  They never would have sent me to the game if they didn’t think I’d do the job right.
And that’s all I have to say about that.