John Smallwood: NCAA gave Duke lacrosse program an unfair shot at title

0 Comments | Philadelphia Daily News, May, 2008

JUSTICE WAS SERVED.

It was the verdict that was delivered on the most level playing field available - the field of play.

Some will say that yesterday's NCAA Division I men's lacrosse championship game between Johns Hopkins and Syracuse was anticlimactic.

Many thought the only just ending to the 2008 NCAA championship would have been Duke University winning, to provide closure for the hardships endured 2 years ago after false rape accusations and a rogue North Carolina prosecutor left the program in turmoil.

But honestly, had the Blue Devils won the title instead of being upset by Hopkins in a semifinal, it would have been a travesty of sporting justice.

It would have been another example of how certain universities are favored in the eyes of the...