As I am sure you will be receiving a lot of mail RE: your recent open letter in The Chronicle, I will try to make this brief. I’m sure you had the best of intentions in writing your article and, like all Dukies, are sad that Kyrie is leaving. The manner and tone of your article, however, was so arrogant and condescending, I could hardly finish it. It is that kind of hubris and condescension that contributes to the hatred and misconception of Duke around the country.
I am a Blue Devil and proud graduate, and am keenly aware of the public perception of Duke versus the reality. Duke is an amazing place where we celebrate the tradition of supporting all of our teams with great passion. Writing to Kyrie the way that you did not only dishonors that legacy, but also discourages future great athletes from wanting to come to Durham. Why would another once-in-a-generation athlete like Kyrie or Elton Brand want to come to a place where the fan base doesn’t support what’s in their best interest? Are you familiar with Kyrie’s situation? Will you reimburse him the millions that he would lose if he came back next year and broke his leg instead of going pro this year before the NBA lockout? Selfishly, of course all Duke fans wanted Kyrie to come back and make a run at a NCAA Championship. I’m sure his decision was not an easy one, but it was his and his alone.
Before you write another article about a talented young guy with an amazing opportunity to be the number one pick in the NBA draft and advance his career, put yourself in his shoes. What sort of support would you hope for from a community that wants you back? Your article was not it.
Kyrie, we love you. Thank you for being a great player and teammate this year.
Patrick Forquer
Trinity ’08
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