Okay, a quick curse update! IU gets it first, with Mike
Davis freaking out (again), Bracy Wright playing footsie with the NBA, and a long losing
streak during the season. Also: Florida just got nuked by Michigan State in the
tourney.
First noticed at the 1991 Final Four by Julio and his brother the big shot scientist,
The Curse has been relentless, and we always ask teams who could beat Duke: is really it
worth it? You laugh now, but consider the evidence:
- 1984, Boston College, lost coach Gary Williams soon thereafter to Ohio State. Program
revived long enough to beat UNC, then self-destructed and lost Jim O' Brien to...Ohio
State. - 1985, Washington. The next year they played in Durham and were so riddled with injuries
that Detlelf Schrempf had to play point guard. A long decline ensued and their German
connection dried up. - 1986, Louisville: A long, slow descent followed, complete with probation.
Crum finally run off. - 1987, Indiana: A painful down period until 1992 Final Four (where they
lost to.....Duke). Controversial coach Bob Knight forced out in 2001 (see below). - 1988, Kansas: Probation, lost coach.
- 1989, Seton Hall: slow decline ensued, finally arrested by Tommy Amaker,
who almost got them to the Elite Eight before last season's meltdown. - 1990, Vegas. Lost rematch, lost coach, lost most prestige, got Rollie
Massimino - 1991 n/a
- 1992 n/a
- 1993, Cal. Probation, lost coach, big scandal, big stinking mess.
- 1994, Arkansas: a small probation, faded for several years, Nolan
Richardson fired in bizarre sequence of events. - 1995 n/a
- 1996, Eastern Michigan: Lost coach (to Cal), faded from view, not heard from since.
- 1997, Providence: Program peaked, fell, lost coach to UVa
- 1998, Kentucky: Lost players to hardship in '98, draft, transfers at the end of '99, a
rash of serious auto related problems. In 2001-02, chemistry problems and Jason Parker
injury doomed the 'Cats. . - 1999, UConn: El-Amin arrested for marijuana possession, , Hamilton left, two car/image
problems. Doug Wrenn arrested for alleged shoplifting before the season, suspended twice.
El-Amin suffers a critical injury in tournament, team loses to Tennessee in NCAAs. Wrenn
kicked off team after a post-season arrest. - 2000/2001, Florida: lost Mike Miller and Donnell Harvey to the NBA. Had a series of
injuries the following season. Knocked out early in tournament for the third year in a row
in 2003. - 2001, UConn flames out in regular season, can't even make the NCAA field.
- n/a
- 2002, Indiana loses Jared Jeffries to early entry, has extended losing streak, and still
has an unstable coach, but now without the genius to make it mildy acceptable.