Are Duke's Cold Ass (Freshman) White Boys Going To Be Media Darlings Or Villains?
College Basketball tipped off last night, and while the biggest games were clearly Gonzaga vs. Baylor and Ohio State vs. Texas, one huge storyline that is unfolding before our very eyes is how Duke is going to not only start, but they are going to feature two cold ass freshman white boys. By now, Cooper Flagg has become a household name (if your household follows basketball recruiting) because of his performance against Team USA this summer and all of the hype surrounding the likely future #1 pick. But then they trot out this kid, Kon Knueppel, from Wisconsin and after a 22 point debut in which he was firing daggers from what seemed like the parking lot, I don't know how there's going to be a more fun to watch team this season than Duke. These kids led their team in minutes, points, and will ultimately be the deciding factor in if they make the Final Four or not. And I'm not going to beat around the bush....they're 17 and18 year old white boys. This is going to be electric. BUT, my question is this: are we watching them hoping they win? Or are we going to make them villains? The jury is currently out on that, but I'm intrigued to say the least. I think Cooper Flagg is very likable, and while I think Knueppel's game is more fun, I do think he has a punchable face. I think they become fan favorites across the country this year, but Titus and TJ feel that they're both one minor incident / situation from the entire world labeling them as the classic Duke villain that everyone loves to hate.
Other topics discussed on the latest episode of the Mark Titus Show:
- Gonzaga routes Baylor 101-63 (but VJ Edgecomb baptizes Mark Few's son at the end)
- Ohio State never once trailed against #19 Texas
- Derik Queen (great name) goes for 22 pts / 20 rebounds in his freshman debut for Maryland
- UCF upsets #13 Texas A&M and storms the court (as 5 point underdogs in Game 1?)
- Kentucky looks great in Mark Pope's debut, winning 103-62 and dishing out 30 assists to 7 turnovers
- UNC plays way too close with Elon, storming back from a 2 point deficit with 6:48 remaining to win by 14
Check out the Day 1 recap of College Hoops here!