Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski speaks in a press conference after the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2022 NCAA men’s basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
NCAATwitterBy Sean Keeley on

Saturday night, the Duke Blue Devils fell to the North Carolina Tar Heels in a classic Final Four showdown that also meant the end of Mike Krzyzewski’s storied coaching career. Coach K fell just short of ending his Hall-of-Fame career with one more national championship and going out with a loss to ACC rival UNC has to sting.

While the Tar Heels move on to face the Kansas Jayhawks in the title game, the Duke basketball world now officially ends an era as Krzyzewski leaves behind a legacy with five national titles, 13 Final Fours, 15 ACC tournament championships, and so much more.

However, the Coach K legacy also includes a lot of distaste for the ornery 75-year-old. Duke basketball under Krzyzewski reached New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys levels of hatred as many loved to watch the Blue Devils lose in the NCAA Tournament over the years. And this year, despite the fact that it was Coach K’s swansong, was no different.

While there were some calls in the media to root for him, the college basketball world-at-large remained largely in opposition to Coach K and reveled in seeing his career end at the hands of his bitter rival as one more championship danced off his fingertips.

That’s why when Nike put up a tweet after the game asking people to share their favorite Coach K memory, they perhaps didn’t quite understand that, for many people, it was crushing defeats like this one that many fans will cherish most.

Good job, good effort.

[Nike]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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