Indy paper apologizes to Duke over 'juvenile' illustration of Coach K

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Star newspaper has apologized to Duke University after some of Friday's editions included an illustration of coach Mike Krzyzewski with horns and a target drawn on his head.

The illustration on the front of the sports section accompanied a story titled "Despising Duke" that detailed how some fans strongly dislike the Blue Devils' program.

Jim Lefko, the Star's senior editor/sports, said the paper pulled the illustration "when we realized it didn't meet our standards."

"It was an illustration that should have come together earlier than it did," Lefko said.

He estimated the drawing appeared in fewer than 30,000 copies of the edition distributed statewide. He said he apologized Friday morning to Duke officials, who said they hadn't yet seen the illustration.

But when Krzyzewski took the podium Friday afternoon, he had, and he was not amused.

"First thing I thought, 'That can't be,'" Krzyzewski said. "How could a newspaper do that? That's like somebody doodled. Actually, I thought I looked better. But it was kind of juvenile. Not kind of. Just juvenile. And my seven grandkids didn't enjoy looking at it. 'It's not Poppy.'

"It is what it is. It's very juvenile," he continued. "We have great kids who go to school, who graduate. If we're going to be despised or hated by anybody because we go to school and we want to win, you know what, that's your problem. Then you have a problem, because we're going to go to school and we're going to try to win. You don't like it? Keep drawing pictures. Just keep drawing pictures. Try to do them a little bit better than that, though."