LOCKER COMBO 45-13-6

ESPN's George Smith , the network's unofficial scandal beat reporter, did a terrific segment on Duke lacrosse that I saw Friday. In it he talked about how (something hardcore lax fans have been aware of quite some time, but not casual sports fans) the Blue Devil players wear warm-up shirts that have one of three numerals on them: "45, 13, or 6".

Yes, those numerals correspond to the numbers worn by Evans, Finnerty and Seligmann, the trio that were indicted. That the Blue Devils don them in public, and that the administration does not censure the overt show of support, tells you just how much Duke's lax program thinks of the validity of Crystal Mangum's accusations. In short, they're saying, "She's not the victim; these three were."

Quite a bold statement.

They also have a Latin phrase on their sleeves, "succisa veriscit", which translates to "When cut down, it grows back stronger." It's the motto of the Delbarton School in Morristown, N.J., alma mater of three current Duke players. It's also my personal motto for chest hair.

--There should be between 45,000-50,000 fans here this afternoon. That makes the D-I Men's Lacrosse Championship the most highly attended NCAA championship conterst. Remember, bowl games are not official NCAA events and the hoops final is played indoors. So think about that.