Over the last several decades, one constant in the ACC was the presence of journalist Bob Novak at Maryland games. Unlike a lot of fans, he was there through thick and thin. When Maryland hit the skids after Len Bias died, he stayed with them.
So while we differed with him on our schools, we were proud that he chose Duke as the hospital where he would have his brain surgery, and were touched by his kind words after spending some time here.
Whatever anyone thinks of his politics is irrelevant. We admire people who stick with their teams through thick and thin, and no one was better about that than was Novak. He died Tuesday after his fight with brain cancer, and with him, part of Maryland tradition dies as well. He'll be missed around the conference.
