Thanks to a change in arena policy last week removing the vaccine requirement for entry, Kyrie Irving was allowed in the building in Brooklyn on Saturday night for the first time all season, as a spectator, for Duke-Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. He wore a hat that said "Love me for my brain". Really. After one year at Duke, Irving went to the NBA. Irving came out as a flat earther. The man who turned the Nets' dream lineup into a nightmare by making himself unavailable for home games and alienating James Harden was Deadspin's No. 7 Idiot of 2021.
Is it possible that Irving wants to be loved?
It's like saying that we should all be saluting Mike Krzyzewski for his warm demeanor as he prepares to retire from Duke.
Irving was in attendance to see Virginia Tech get off the bubble and make the NCAA Tournament.
The Hokies had never won a tournament in the conference. They hadn't won a conference title since 1979. Virginia Tech got an 8 seed in the 40-team tournament and beat Jacksonville in the Midwest opener before losing to Indiana State in the round of 32.
In 1979 Duke lost to St. John's in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but Krzyzewski didn't have to deal with it. He wouldn't take over at Duke until after the following season, because he was still the coach at Army.
If the Blue Devil's two losses in the last four games cost them a top seed in March Madness, they will find out on Sunday. Duke knows it will be playing later this week. Irving will have to miss the Knicks game and the Nets next three games, all at home.
Irving won't have to pay to watch Duke in March Madness. Hats off to the Blue Devil.
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