Duke Basketball: 9 Reasons Why the Blue Devils Will Win the 2011 Tourney

Ok, let's get this thang going.

It's 9:50 am here in So Cal, and Duke- North Carolina are about to play for the ACC men's basketball tournament championship.

The reason the time is important is that I don't want to be another of the million writers who try to sound knowledgeable after-the-fact, so I'll say my piece before this game even begins and I won't tune in until this article is done.

Thus, the reason for the article today is to tell you why Duke wins today and wins another trophy for the already overloaded trophy case in Cameron Indoor Arena.

Today's game is not a big game for Duke. It's another chance to get better at winning. Winners don't have big games. Winners simply win games against whomever they are playing. Thus, today is a warm-up for them.

Will it be easy? Probably not. Does North Carolina have what it takes to beat Duke? Definitely so. Will Duke win it all? That's my take, Skippy.

Duke men's basketball is a dominant winning program, much like the UConn women's basketball team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Argentinian women's power lifting team (jk, I just kinda made that one up).

It takes monumental efforts for teams to "outwin" dominant winning teams like Duke, and I ain't seeing it happen this year.

With that in mind, as this game approaches with North Carolina, it doesn't matter. Duke has already decided to win the NCAA title in 2011. Everybody else is going to give it their best and hope for the best, but Duke has made the title a destination.

But, to not carry on and on, let me give you the nine reasons how Duke ( as well as other dominant programs) always seem to get this championship thing done. Oh, yah, this same stuff will be in my second book, BAM! The One Minute Guide for Winning Athletes.

I will warn you, though. These concepts are pretty "out-of-the-box." So, don't get all crazy. These methods are tried and true. However, I just explain things differently than others do. Dig!?

Reason 1: Winning is Contagious: Want to know why Duke wins? Have you ever watched a game they play? Once Nolan Smith, drains a three to take the lead or extend the lead, the rest of the team catches that highly contagious "winner's bug" and it's all over. So, instead of one person taking over, the whole team gets involved. Game over. Try again next time.

Reason 2: Winners are Correctors: Listen, I'm sure Coach K. knows that in his losses this season, one of their downfalls was that they were launching threes instead of doing those things which allowed them to win in other games. They'll correct this by tourney time, so plan on it. Winners correct things which may cause them to lose.

Reason 3: Winners are Completers: Winners put games away and do not allow comebacks by their opponents. They complete the job they have set out to do. The scariest thing for Duke's opponents is when they begin to fall behind, Duke's winning becomes contagious, and BAM!, the nail gets driven, pretty much ending the game at that point.

Reason 4: Winners are Concentrators: Have you ever wondered what some guys on the court are focused on? Many of Duke's opponents concentrate on making a spectacular play, or talking to the Duke bench after a slam dunk, or even doing that ridiculous three-finger eyeglass thing after making a three-pointer. Not the Duke-dominators, baby. They concentrate on one thing, and that's winning the game. Let me tell you. Fancy plays get TV highlights, but concentrated winners get White House tours. BAM!

Reason 5: Winners are Contenders: Winners don't compete, they contend. Competing means you put up a fight, but probably still lost. Contending means that you are always in the hunt for a championship, and another win is just sitting there. Duke contends for championships, while most others compete against each other to see who eventually lose to the B. Devs. You know it's true.

Reason 6: Winners are Comebackers: Winners know the score of their games at all times, so being behind in a game is a common occurrence, but not a regular outcome. How a team deals with being behind determines the outcome of the game, thus Duke comebacks are just who they are. For the times Duke is behind, they stay composed, they communicate, and, somehow, someway, they comeback. It's the same with all winners, in any sport.

Reason 7: Winners are Cognizant: Duke players are always cognizant of what their roles are on the team. Their role is to win, and nothing else. Nobody's role is to score, or to rebound, or to shut down an opposing player. Each player's role is to win when they are on the court, and the Dukesters know and embrace this.

Reason 8: Winners Have Chemistry: What else needs to be said? Chemistry is a bunch of individuals who have made a team championship a priority and do what is necessary to achieve that. Heck, if a player doesn't have pass Chemistry 101 at Duke, see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya. Dukies get it when most others don't. Simple.

Reason 9: Winners are Koached: Uh,it's Krzyzewski, not Crzyzewski. Duke has a dominant winning koach, so a 2011 championship is only about four more wins away. BAM!

OK, it's 11:37am PST and, I just tuned in to Duke- North Carolina. It's Duke 58, NC 45. Brilliant!!!