Duke Blue Devils Lacrosse Team
Two players are indicted for a racially-charged rape, damaging the school's reputation.
The prestigious name of Duke athletics is being sullied. Although the nickname Blue Devils is certainly one of the sexiest in all of sports, it has until recently belied the image of Duke. The Tobacco Road scholars and sportsmen have always seemed more like angels than devils.
From their storied basketball programs to their marvelous academic reputation, Duke is more king than Mephistopheles. At least it used to be.
With the recent arrests of two lacrosse players, accused of raping an exotic dancer, Duke may now be earning the nickname, Devils, whether the university likes it, or not.
Collin Finnerty and Reade Siligmann grew up on the eastern seaboard, a silver spoon in one hand and golf club in the other. Rich suburban boys from exclusive private high schools, Finnerty and Seligmann, their allies say, couldn't harm anything off of a lacrosse field.
Siligmann has a reverend preaching his goodness, and a high school coach attests to the character of Finnerty. The rich kids in the Harvard Skulls seemed pretty innocent, too.
Now, the quiet, racially mixed, Durham town is torn, and Duke's reputation is suffering. Members of a nearly all-white lacrosse team are accused of raping a black woman at a frat house. Of course, nothing has been proven, but the damage has been done.
There's always some truth to every rumor. Remember Kobe Bryant and Mark Chmura? Both innocent in the eyes of a court but guilty to the public. Their teams and communities were vilified for the actions of the individuals, with whom they were associated.
Perhaps Siligmann and Finnerty are innocent. As far as Duke is concerned, this won't matter. The damage these two have done is irreparable, because Americans equate accusation with guilt. The accused players association with Duke makes the university guilty, too, even if these frat boys are not guilty.
So, the media, the Duke community and prospective students will begin to scrutinize this fine university more carefully. It will take many years for the sullied image to return to its beautiful, spotless hue.
For now, thanks to the juvenile behavior of two elite lacrosse players, the Duke Blue Devils have earned their nickname.
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