Robbie Hummel's Injury: Purdue's Loss Isn't Necessarily Duke's Gain

As a Duke fan I was not happy to hear the news that one of Purdue's best players, Robbie Hummel, was hurt.

I certainly wasn't glad to hear he was lost for the season with an ACL tear.

Apparently, however, there are some who feel it is a good thing for Duke that Hummel is out of Purdue's lineup. This may mean that Duke could leap frog the Boilermakers for a top seed in the NCAA tournament.

That thought is without question disgusting. No one regardless of rivalry, or competition should wish ill on another. There is a thing called sportsmanship.

I cringe each time I hear an ESPN commentator raise the question about whether or not Duke will now be a No. 1 seed over Purdue.

First, Purdue has yet to do anything worthy of losing that position, and second, an injury does not automatically mean a team as good as the Boilermakers are finished.

I recall Duke losing starting center Carlos Boozer in 2001 to injury just before the last game of the regular season. Many felt the Blue Devils were done then too. They only went on to win the National Championship that year.

Fans should want to beat teams who are at their best, not because they are a player short.

While the Blue Devils have played well of late they certainly aren't entitled and still have work to do before they are awarded a No. 1 seed.

Unless the Boilermakers fall off completely it is way premature to rule Duke as their replacement as a No. 1 seed.

And while it is understandable for the sports reporters to raise the questions, any Duke fans who are cheering Hummel's injury should be ashamed. If you are not then something is seriously wrong with you.

You should be wishing the kid a speedy recovery, and you should want to face the Boilermakers, if it came to that, at full strength.