Badgers over Blue Devils; it's a family thing

FULL DISCLOSURE time.

I have been a Duke fan ever since Gene "Tinkerbell" Banks announced he was heading to Durham in 1977. That was pre-Laettner, pre-Krzyzewski and pre-titles.

I have also come to respect the Duke program, having met Coach K not only as a media member but also as a parent when my son attended Duke's camp. He was cordial, professional and everything I expected him to be.

But tonight I will be pulling for the Badgers of Wisconsin.

Why? I have always been a Bo Ryan fan, for the same reason I am a Tom Izzo and Mike Krzyzewski fan: Their teams win with class and play the right way. OK, Christian Lattener stomped on a Wildcat's chest one time, but other than that . . .

No one really seems to hate the Badgers. Minnesota is their archrival but when was Minnesota any good? Wisconsin is the Switzerland of the Big Ten.

And in 2003, my middle son's high school coach said he was going to run the Wisconsin offense. So, me being me, I called the Wisconsin basketball office and asked to talk to a coach. An assistant coach, whose name escapes me, picked up the phone and I mentioned to him that I was looking for a tape on Bo Ryan's offense. He said Bo put out a tape when he was at UW-Platteville. I told him I had the tape but the quality was awful. He said, "Let me see what I can put together." Two days later, a package with a red VHS tape arrived in the mail. It was an hour of clips on the Wisconsin offense. I was impressed.

Now the main reason I'm for rooting for Wisconsin tonight: my youngest son graduated from Madison last May. It's a lot of fun rooting with your son for a program and a school that you respect so much. Apologies to Coach K.

So, my prediction for tonight is 82-69, Badgers.

On Wisconsin!