Looking For Positives For a Maryland Fan in a Duke NCAA Championship

Okay, so Duke won. Yeah, for a good 85% of you, it's probably akin to having your wisdom teeth removed. The other 15% were either ambivalent or supportive of Duke (you heartless souls) due to the ACC affiliation, so I guess you can be happy in...this.

But don't fret: there are a few reasons to not be upset about Duke taking home the cake:

• Maryland is the Champion at Beating Champions. Last year, the Terps beat both Michigan State and North Carolina in the regular season - and those two teams ended up playing for the national title. This year, they defeated Duke and North Carolina in the regular season - and those two teams ended up winning the NCAA title and the NIT (it's late and Duke just won a natty, I'm all disoriented). Maybe it's like being the third loser, but that's a load better than being the fifteenth loser.
• Duke's Cupboard Might Be Looking Bare... No, really. Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas, and Jon Scheyer are all leaving, giving Duke just two remaining starters for next season. And the better of those two starters, Kyle Singler, might've justed earned himself an NBA Draft spot. He said he's unlikely to leave without a first-round guarantee, but a solid championship game might've given him just that. It's highly possible that only Nolan Smith, Andre Dawkins, and the Plumlees return as major contributors. Incoming freshman Kyrie Irving notwithstanding, that's not a particularly intimidating group.
• ...And They Might Have a New Chef. What is there left for Mike Krzyz...Coach K to do? He's already won four NCAA championships, and certainly solidified his standing as one of the best five or so coaches in NCAA history. What's there left to do at this level? Nothing. Which is why he might just look at the NBA a little more seriously. He turned down the Lakers the last time in 2004 after a pretty decent amount of consideration, but the most recent offer - the New Jersey Nets - present an entirely different opportunity. They're primed for an immediate turnaround, which would make him look amazing if it happened, and they're about to hand down a record large contract offer. I don't think he'll go, but he'll be ludicrous not to consider it, and there'd be no better time.
• It Kinda Maybe Helps the ACC. Both of the last two champions came from the ACC. Of course, they just happened to be Duke and UNC, which doesn't help the whole "The ACC is made up of Duke and UNC" image, but it can't hurt for a conference prestige standpoint.