One lesson has stuck with me from my time as a youth basketball official: if you’re consistent, it can mask your flaws. Call a 50/50 play a charge on one team, and you’ll avoid some scrutiny when you make the same call on a similar play on the other end of the court.
It’s that inconsistency that makes Duke earning just a 5 seed in March Madness a bit tough to swallow.
Now, any discussion of the Blue Devils’ NCAA Tournament draw would be remiss without recognizing that, just a month ago, every Duke fan would’ve gladly taken a 5 seed, no strings attached.