Is Duke CBS' BFF?

What with Duke being an attractive TV draw and the world full of powerful Duke alumni - from Jay Bilas to Seth Davis to Barack Obama's special assistant, Reggie Love, to Mrs. WatchDog - conspiracy theorists often speculate that the Blue Devils get special treatment when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding and scheduling.

For example: Many believe Duke does not deserve to be the No. 3 overall seed this year, nor does it deserve to be playing the winner of the play-in game.

So, how about it, CBS Sports president Sean McManus: Does the network exert influence on Duke's behalf given their value as a TV property?

Not so, said McManus, who called CBS' influence on the NCAA Tournament selection committee "slightly less than zero."

Oops, forgot to mention: McManus graduated from Duke in 1977.