One of the most thrilling and important games in the history of this tournament that doesn’t get mentioned enough happened on March 30, 1991: Duke’s 79-77 upset of previously unbeaten UNLV at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis.

Or maybe it’s been mentioned enough and decades have passed. But I feel like I see Grant Hill to Christian Laettner — which happened one year later — 500 times for every replay I see of UNLV’s Anderson Hunt missing a 3 at the buzzer, into the hands of Bobby Hurley, into scenes of euphoria on his side and disbelief on the other. Keith Smart against Syracuse, Michael Jordan against Georgetown, Mario Chalmers against Memphis, Gordon Hayward from halfcourt against Duke — so close! — the finishes immortalize the games.

But Laettner’s winning foul shots, into Larry Johnson’s regrettable decision to pass to Hunt rather than attack, should warrant more replay rotation considering what that national semifinal meant. Yes, it meant Bob Knight’s 1975-76 Hoosiers were preserved as the last perfect team, fittingly in the Hoosier Dome. It meant no repeat title for Jerry Tarkanian and his renegade Runnin’ Rebels.

Most importantly, it was the last night in American sports history that it was OK to like Duke. More accurately, it was the last night it was OK to not hate Duke.

This was supposed to be a Hater’s Guide to the Final Four, following up similar public services before, such as the College Football Playoff and World Series. But Duke doesn’t leave much oxygen for anyone else. Haters and Duke go together perfectly, like peanut butter and jelly. Or liver pate and Pinot Noir.

Florida’s gator chomp is goofy. At least half of the Auburn and Florida fans on hand Saturday at the Alamodome will have been tricked into believing they’re about to see an unsanctioned spring football game. If Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and Houston coach Kelvin Sampson meet in the title game, it’ll be the show-cause showdown. Are we good here? Back to Duke.

Yes, of course, people hate Duke because of all the winning. Two days after Mike Krzyzewski’s inspiring upstarts upset UNLV — avenging a 30-point blowout loss a year earlier — they took out Roy Williams and Kansas for the championship. It was his first and Duke’s first. He would win four more with the Blue Devils, more in that time than rival North Carolina, Kentucky and Kansas, the blue bloods that laughed at the idea of Duke being part of their club until Krzyzewski forced his way into it.

But Connecticut has won six championships in that time, its first in 1999 coming at the expense of what still might be Krzyzewski’s best team ever. So why don’t people hate UConn like they hate Duke, even with Dan Hurley begging them to do so?

One, Duke has more than a decade’s head start on inclusion in another exclusive club, that of Notre Dame football, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees and the like — sports franchises that boast large followings and engender deep resentment among those not on the respective bandwagons.

And then there’s all the elitism, hypocrisy and objectionable personalities. “Two rings” Hurley may get there some day, but as of yet, there’s no documentary in existence titled, “I Hate Danny Hurley.” It’s been a decade since ESPN debuted “I Hate Christian Laettner.” It took him a year to go from righteous slayer of the UNLV dragon to face of sports villainy.

On the same night he hit arguably the greatest shot in NCAA Tournament history, off the Hill baseball pass to beat Kentucky in the Elite Eight, Laettner also stomped on the chest of Kentucky’s Aminu Timberlake while he was down on the court. It looked like a pro wrestling move. Duke has churned out more than its share of college hoops heels since then.

Forget that for every Cherokee Parks, Steve Wojciechowski, JJ Redick and Grayson Allen — players who annoyed opponents and non-Duke fans to the point of inspiring some to construct websites devoted to hating Duke — there are actually many more Duke players who are easy to like. Guys like Grant Hill, Thomas Hill, Chris Carrawell, Shane Battier, Jon Scheyer and, really, the entire team he’s coaching in San Antonio this weekend. I guess one rotten grape can spoil the whole bottle of Pinot.

Laettner apologized for that kick, by the way, in the documentary, which is a fair and nuanced look at how a narrative can spin out of control.

But see, that’s really the issue with Duke, at least for people who have paid much attention to college basketball in the 40 years since Duke became its most consistent force. The 1991 Duke-UNLV subtext was “program that does it the right way overcomes program that does it the wrong way.”

Time and perspective recast the late Tarkanian as a guy who had the guts to call out the farce of amateurism and big business coexisting, the guy who famously said of the rule enforcers who loved to make an example of him: “The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky, they’re going to give Cleveland State two more years of probation.”

Time and perspective also tell us Krzyzewski had an amazing knack for raking in the best talent in America for a guy who offered only room, board, tuition at an elite private school and his coaching skills. You don’t compete at that level for that long if you don’t swim in some murky waters at times, and if you think Duke never did, search Myron Piggie on Google. Or Marvin Bagley III.

Too many in media have wanted to confer “white hat” status on Krzyzewski as compared to, say, a Tarkanian. That’s not to say Krzyzewski didn’t do things “the right way” or that there isn’t a difference. But “the right way” used to be falsely applied to the farcical idea that some coaches were above having to deal with the underground — but very real — market. It should apply exclusively to caring about players as more than players and enhancing their development as people.

Krzyzewski’s magnificence in that area helps explain why the Duke brand is as strong as ever today. Also, just because you have an elite academic institution with a lot of top students in your program doesn’t mean you take only top students. You have to make exceptions and deal with outside forces to get the best talent all the time. Krzyzewski had the best talent all the time.

Still, there’s a “holier than thou” thing about Duke. Maybe it’s more from the outside than the inside. But it’s there. And that’s where the haters draw their inspiration.

Now that the money’s on the table, things are very different. Except that Duke still gets the best players. Duke might have another great coach, too. Scheyer has handled the enormous task of following his mentor with aplomb, with humility, with no arrogance detected. He’s hard to dislike.

But give him a championship, and some time.

(Photo of Grayson Allen and Mike Krzyzewski: Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

Wayne Gretzky finally has company. 

Gretzky became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer March 23, 1994, when he surpassed Gordie Howe with his 802nd career goal.

Now, 31 years later, another player has joined Gretzky. 

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals tied Gretzky’s record Friday night.

Ovechkin entered the game needing two to tie and three to become the new goal-scoring king. He lit the lamp just four minutes into the game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Just over five minutes into the third period, the Capitals went on a power play, and Ovechkin took advantage, taking a pass and squeaking it past goalie Spencer Knight.

Capitals players stormed the ice as Ovechkin got a loud, long ovation.

Gretzky was in attendance for the game, which still had over 13 minutes left at the time of publication.

Ovechkin was drafted with the first overall pick by Washington in 2004, but because of a lockout, his debut was postponed a year.

In his 20th NHL season, the record-tying goal was Ovechkin’s 41st of the year, which ranks third in the NHL behind only Leon Draisaitl and William Nylander. 

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals warms up before a game at Capital One Arena April 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

ALEX OVECHKIN ODDS: WHEN WILL HE BREAK WAYNE GRETZKY’S SCORING RECORD?

This is the 14th season in which Ovechkin has scored 40 goals in his career. Had the league not had a lockout in 2012-13, he’d probably have 15 of those seasons. Although, he did lead the league that year with 32 goals. He’s led the NHL in goals nine times.

What’s even more impressive is Ovechkin missed nearly two months of this season with a broken leg.

Ovechkin looked to be slowing down a bit last season, scoring 31 goals in 79 games. Perhaps he got some juice, knowing he could break the record this season.

While Ovechkin is breaking records, the Capitals are Stanley Cup contenders. Their 105 points rank second in the NHL.

Alex Ovechkin (8) of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena April 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The goal was Ovechkin’s 893rd career NHL goal. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Even if you take away all 894 of Gretzky’s goals, he still has the most points in NHL history.

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PHILADELPHIA — To many around the sport, the Dodgers have become villains for the way they’ve outspent the rest of the league, loaded their roster with international talent, and stockpiled depth at seemingly every position.

To the Phillies, however, it makes them the standard; one with which their own big-money, star-studded roster is trying to compete.

“I don’t know if people will like this,” said the Phillies’ biggest star, two-time MVP Bryce Harper, when asked about the Dodgers on Friday afternoon, “but I feel like only losers complain about what they’re doing. I think they’re a great team, they’re a great organization. That’s why guys want to go there and play.”

In other words, Harper added, “they’re doing what the Dodgers do.”

That’s why, on Friday night, there was a distinct buzz around Citizens Bank Park when the Dodgers came to town. Why, for the first week of April, this series had a litmus-test kind of feel.

“I think that both teams like to use each other as a barometer, or a benchmark,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

But right now, no team sets the bar higher than the Dodgers.

And for one night, at least, the first-place Phillies were able to measure up.

In a 3-2 defeat of the Dodgers, the Phillies handed the defending World Series champions their first loss of the season; dropping the Dodgers to 8-1 in a game that, yes, proved this year’s $400 million team is, in fact, beatable.

Knocking off the Dodgers was no easy feat.

Over six innings against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Phillies had only one unearned run, when Yamamoto misfired on a pick-off throw to third that allowed Trea Turner to score.

Philadelphia’s starter, burgeoning 27-year-old left-hander Jesús Luzardo, produced one of his best career starts, blanking the Dodgers over seven scoreless innings on two hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.

And the few times the Dodgers did have opportunities to erase the deficit, they squandered them.

Andy Pages got picked off to end the sixth inning. Kiké Hernández struck out with two aboard to end the seventh. Shohei Ohtani was caught trying to steal second with runners on the corners to end the eighth. Then, after Tommy Edman hit a two-run homer in the ninth, the game ended with yet another out on the bases, with Chris Taylor getting tagged at second for a strikeout-caught stealing double-play.

Such are the kind of performances that will likely be needed this season to beat the Dodgers, whose perfect start to the season fell two wins shy of the all-time franchise record of 10-0 set by the 1955 “Boys of Summer” World Series squad.

Such is the standard that rival National League contenders like the Phillies (6-1), San Francisco Giants (6-1) and San Diego Padres (who also lost their perfect record Friday, dropping to 7-1) are all trying to match.

“There’s a mutual respect,” Roberts said of the Phillies. “I enjoy playing these guys.”

As for Harper’s comments about people who take issue with the Dodgers’ way of doing business?

“I guess that’s probably why Bryce is one of my favorite players,” Roberts said with a laugh. “I agree.”