Cards coverage of track and field plus a look into the future

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Field events do well in Knoxville


-How will 10 translate into 14?


-Baylor under the gun? 


-"Save Bobby" rally not a prime time event


The University of Louisville track and field team competed over the weekend in the Tennessee Challenge in Knoxville, TN. Louisville women recorded six wins in events on the University of Tennessee campus. Here's a list of the victors:


HIGH JUMP - Michelle Theophille
TRIPLE JUMP - Malinda Simmons
JAVELIN - Jenna Wargo
DISCUS - Chinwe Okoro
3000 M Steeplechase - Cassie Martin
3000 M - Maddie Davidson

In addition to the winners, Okoro had a strong showing in the shot put, finishing second. Khadija Abdullah also finished third in the discus. 


Louisville and the University of Kentucky will team up to take on Notre Dame and Indiana in the Texas Roadhouse Border Battle this Saturday at Cardinal Park Track and Field Stadium. The annual dual-team competition has produced some very good results for the women's track and field runners and field event participants and we're sure this year will be no different. 


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Is it ever out of season to discuss UofL women's basketball? WE don't think so at CARDINAL COUPLE and today we look at the potentials for the 2012-13 season. 


Jeff Walz said more than once at the end of the 2011-12 season that he thought the 10 remaining players on the University of Louisville basketball team at the end of the season had a very good chemistry and strong work ethic. With the probable addition of five more to this mix in the upcoming year, and the loss of just Becky Burke...how will the additional five fit in to the Cardinal mix? 

(Photo by Sandra Walker) 

1) Monique Reid. Sidelined with a knee injury, the leading scorer for the 2010-11 season was missed greatly last year. You know Mo...she can score inside with the best in college basketball and will be welcomed back into the Louisville mix with broad smiles and open arms. Walz has toyed with either starting the former Fern Creek High School star or bringing her off the bench during her time at UofL. Either way, Mo will go to the hoop and put points on the scoreboard. Ask her and she'll tell you..she's a scorer and that's what she does.

(Photo by Charlie Springer - Card Game)

2) Tia Gibbs. The ex-Vandy and Butler Bear was an essential guard on the 2010-11 squad but a shoulder injury at the start of the 2011-12 season sidelined her for the year. Gibbs is a hard-working, full-court hustle guard who can hit the three, lock you up on defense and make plays. She'll fit right back in with this group of Cardinals and whether it's starting or coming off the bench...you know you're always going to get 100% plus out of her. Another one that will bring smiles to the Cardinal faces when she's back in uniform. The combination of Gibbs and Smith sounds awfully deadly to us at guard. 

3) Monny Niamke. WE feel positive that Monny will arrive on the Cardinal campus and add depth, stability and experience to the point guard position. She saw a lot of playing time as a starter at Lindsey Wilson this past season and is a good ball control guard who can dish and distribute as well as shoot. How Walz will fit her into the mix of players he has available will be interesting to observe...but WE'D like to see Shoni Schimmel move to the "2" guard and see the competition between Jude, Megan Deines, Monny and Shelby at the point. She did score 15 points against the Cards guards when Lindsey Wilson and UofL faced off at the start of the season and we saw some things to like in her play. 

4) Megan Deines. The incoming freshman from Glendale High School (Springfield, MO) is a 6'0" point guard who runs her team's offensive sets quite well. Not normally a prolific scorer, Deines excels at setting up teammates and assists. Not a bad thing to have on a team full of proven scorers. She is the #36 ranked point guard in the class of 2012 and received a 89 ESPN rating. The old adage is that every basket has a passer and a scorer and Deines appears to be a player that can fulfill the passer role quite well. 

5) Cortnee Walton. The 6'2" forward is all about the hard work and blue collar performance in the paint. She'll get along well with the returning bunch of front-liners on Walz's roster if that is the case. Out of one of the best high school teams in the nation (St Mary's). She's ranked as the #10 forward in the Class of 2012 and gets a 93 from the ESPN scouts. She's also developed a good friendship with Deines which bodes well for the chemistry concept. No doubt that Cortnee will help fill the ranks in the paint. With a cast of Dyer, Taylor, Vails, Hammond, Slaughter, Reid and Walton -- the Cards will have a solid and aggressive group of board members. 


14 so far. Walz and staff have been on the prowl lately, too...spanning the globe for additional talent. Will there be a 15th member to this squad? 


WE'RE very excited about the prospects for the 2012-13 Louisville squad. Is it wrong to wish that it was already November? 


Here's a good read on the upcoming season and it shines favorably on Walz Ball. Linkie below.


Cards could fly high in 2012-13




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Baylor won the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship for 2012. They also received a light slap on the wrist from the NCAA for improper contact with recruits. Our Sandy Walker provides the link about the violation. We say strip them of the title and play the whole tournament over again. We're waiting for an answer from the NCAA. And, a re-match with Maryland... 


Baylor "bears" with NCAA Violation


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Embattled Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino awaits judgement from the Arkansas AD for his lying and philandering. There was a rally Monday night on the Arkansas campus in support of the Bobster. About 200 folks showed up to practice hog calls and chant 'Save Bobby Petrino' for the cameras. There were posters as well. We chuckled when we saw this one.


We're all about redemption and second chances here at Cardinal Couple. We've seen people make the most of second opportunities and we've had that blessing as well in our lives. But...if Jesus did, in fact, save Bobby...it makes you wonder just what HE has planned for him? 


We like the idea that we read on one of the Arkansas blogs. 


We don't think that firing Bobby is the right idea. We propose that Arkansas re-negotiate his contract. Three years at $1 a year. Let's see just how strong his "dedication and commitment to Arkansas football" really is. We suggest taking that 3.2 million per year he'd receive under current terms and using it to fight poverty in our grand state. It's not like Bobby is clipping coupons and taking his family to the 'early bird' dining specials to save money. He'll get by. If he decides to leave, we'll have our answer and there are good coaches out there that will take the job at considerably less than the hefty deposits being made into the Petrino checking account.


We could care less if his family alienates him because of the incidents. That's a private and personal matter.


What say you, BP? 


Finally, it was just a matter of time till someone got in the studio and did a song about the Petrino incident. 


Nick Coffey, over at CARDS CONNECT, has linked up the video and music that was made by a ESPN Memphis guy. Not a bad site, CARDS CONNECT, even if they rarely cover women's sports at UofL. But, that's why we're here, right?


Click below BUT BE ADVISED THAT THE SINGER MENTIONS A WORD AT THE END OF THE SONG THAT RHYMES WITH "LEANER" . 


The Ballad of Bobby Petrino
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