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Duke's sports teams, namely its basketball and lacrosse programs, are widely recognized as consistently being among the best in those sports, and they have several championships between them. The team also plays several other sports, but those do not get nearly the recognition of the basketball and lacrosse teams.

Duke's sports teams, namely its basketball and lacrosse programs, are widely recognized as consistently being among the best in those sports, and they have several championships between them. The team also plays several other sports, but those do not get nearly the recognition of the basketball and lacrosse teams.

===2006 Lacrosse case===

===2006 Lacrosse case===

In 2006, three Duke players were falsely accused of raping an [[African-American woman]]. The lead prosecutor, Michael Nifong (who has since been disbarred) insinuated that this could have been a hate crime. Before the media convergence on the trial, problems began appearing within the woman's story, as she began to contradict herself. [[Ann Coulter]] wrote several columns in the players' defense. Soon, the players proved their innocence with a negative DNA test and with electronic evidence that they were elsewhere, but a corrupt judge refused to dismiss the charges. The 2006 season was canceled, and the players lost their reputations. Eventually the charges were dropped.

In 2006, three Duke players were falsely accused of raping an [[African-American]] woman. The lead prosecutor, Michael Nifong (who has since been disbarred) insinuated that this could have been a hate crime. Before the media convergence on the trial, problems began appearing within the woman's story, as she began to contradict herself. [[Ann Coulter]] wrote several columns in the players' defense. Soon, the players proved their innocence with a negative DNA test and with electronic evidence that they were elsewhere, but a corrupt judge refused to dismiss the charges. The 2006 season was canceled, and the players lost their reputations. Eventually the charges were dropped.

:[[New York Times]] sports reporter Joe Drape could have been an early hero for the truth, but when Drape began to divert from the favored storyline of Times editors, he was replaced by another reporter, Duff Wilson, who hewed more closely to the pro-prosecution slant preferred by the liberal editors at the Times ...<ref> [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/clay-waters/2007/09/19/new-book-destroys-credibility-nyts-duke-lacrosse-rape-coverage News Busters]</ref>

:[[New York Times]] sports reporter Joe Drape could have been an early hero for the truth, but when Drape began to divert from the favored storyline of Times editors, he was replaced by another reporter, Duff Wilson, who hewed more closely to the pro-prosecution slant preferred by the liberal editors at the Times ...<ref> [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/clay-waters/2007/09/19/new-book-destroys-credibility-nyts-duke-lacrosse-rape-coverage News Busters]</ref>