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As Syracuse fans, who do we root for in the National Championship tonight?
You look at the two teams, Duke vs. Butler, and it should be obvious. You just don't root for Duke unless you went to school there (traitor! No, not you Greg Paulus), have family there, or live in the area (and that's pushing it). So we're rooting for Butler tonight, right? And look at Butler's story! The 5-seed mid-major who no one believed in but just wouldnt lose. First it was UTEP, then upset-minded Murray State. Then they chopped down the big 1-seed Syra...oh...right.
I watched Butler against Michigan State on Saturday. I hated Butler from the very beginning of the game. I'll be honest, every time I saw Matt Howard I wanted someone to punch him in the face. But by the end I felt fine. I was actually sort of excited for Butler and their story. And then I realized their next game is the finals. The team we should have beaten will be vying for the effing National Championship! No way I'm rooting for them! I want their opponent to take them to the wood shed. Make them wish they'd never even been in the Tournament to begin with. Who's that opponent again?
Oh, it's Duke. And we're back to square one.
There are other arguments for rooting against Butler. For example, if Butler wins Syracuse will forever be included in their "Cinderella" story and we will have to hear about it over and over for the next week or more. Syracuse is bound to be captured in an unflattering light for Butler's One Shining Moment. If Duke wins, this might all go away just a little faster.
But it's Duke!
So who do we root for tonight? Or is tonight finally time to give Dancing With the Stars a shot?