Greater Respect For Christian Laettner

While my level of respect for Bobby Hurley plummeted (after his weak comments challenging the words of the University of Michigan players following the airing of the Fab Five documentary on ESPN), my respect level for Christian Laettner increased tremendously.

While I didn't always like Laettner as a player for Duke University (admit it ... unless you were a diehard Blue Devil you hated Laettner in college), I did come to like him much more as a professional player. Full disclosure: I respected the hell out of his game as a college player though. He earned all of the accolades he got in college (although some question his spot on the 1992 Dream Team over Shaquille O'Neal).

While Hurley whined and tried to act like Jalen Rose and the Michigan guys could not have played for Duke or would not have played much for Duke, Laettner took the high road and seemed to understand the greater context and bigger picture of what was being said in the documentary (either that or he figured it was not worth being a Scottie Pippen).

Here is some of what Laettner had to say from the Bay City Times (Mich.):

Referred to by members of the Fab Five as "soft, overrated, pretty boy" — and far worse — Laettner said he found it all "kind of funny."

“When you’re competing against people, trying to cut their heads off and beat them, you can’t expect them to love you — or even like you," Laettner said. "All you can ask is they respect you after the game and say the game was decided fair and square.

“Jalen Rose has always been a good guy to me. Chris Webber has always been a good to me... But I don’t expect them to love me. I can’t even get Grant Hill to love me all the time.”

Laettner and the Blue Devils defeated Michigan during the regular season and again in the national championship game when the Fab Five were in their freshman year in 1992.

In the Fab Five documentary, former Michigan center Juwan Howard said "Duke was America's team and Christian Laettner was like God. And I did not like him."

Laettner took the high road and realized that, in the end, it was all about respect and the comments were more about initial impressions and honesty. In the end, Laettner and Duke earned the respect, victories and championships.

Laettner earned more respect. Too bad Hurley stopped learning when he left Duke.

No Respect For Bobby Hurley At All

I can totally understand former Duke University guard Bobby Hurley have his feelings hurt and ego bruised a bit by some strong words uttered by members of the University of Michigan's Fab Five during the highly-publicized documentary that aired on ESPN.

But, Hurley obviously has his panties in a bunch (and he has virtually no true basketball cred) if these words attributed to him have even a shred of truth to them.

In fact, Hurley lost major stripes for these comments:

On the Dan Patrick Radio Show on March 14, former Duke guard Bobby Hurley had strong words for "Fab Five" ringleader Jalen Rose.

Rose had been critical of Duke while promoting his ESPN documentary "The Fab Five."

"Jalen, on the other hand, I can understand why we didn't recruit him. He might have had a hard time hitting the floor, because he wouldn’t have taken my spot," Hurley said to Patrick.

Hurley, come on, now. Duke not recruiting Jalen Rose had nothing to do with whether or not he could have taken your spot. Besides, Jalen can play three spots on the floor. Hurley's little ass could only play one. Duke recruited Cherokee Parks and Christian Laettner was ahead of him.

Hurley knows why Duke didn't recruit Jalen Rose and it has nothing to do with talent. It's clear that Rose's comments struck a nerve. Go back and look at the Duke roster and the guys who played and ask yourself if Jalen Rose could have played. Hurley has no credibility on the topic and looks like a bitter guy ducking the truth on a sensitive racial topic that is a tough one for him to handle considering he wants to also defend his legacy.

Lets be honest, Duke didn't have too many (have they had any?) brothas from the hood.