Thursday Cardinal Couple -- Cards will take the fifth

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- LOUISVILLE gets #5 WBB national ranking

The Louisville women's basketball team earned its highest preseason ranking yesterday when the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll came out.  The Cardinals are ranked fifth in the poll.  The Cardinals were ranked No. 8 in last season's preseason poll, which was the previous high.

The Cardinals tip off the season in the preseason WNIT on Nov. 9.  Four of the Cards' possible opponents are ranked or receiving votes in the poll.  Oklahoma is ranked #14, LSU is ranked #17 while Gonzaga and Quinnipiac are both receiving votes.

#1? Why those dogs in Storrs....Geno's Huskies. That should surprise no one. Even aliens visiting earth with no concept of basketball have UConn #1 in their extraterrestrial polls. And, it's well deserved. Stanford, Duke and Tennessee are above the Cards. Forget that we beat Tennessee in the NCAA and lose only Mo, Shelby, and Sherrone from that team.

Poll voters can be such imbeciles at times...

Tennessee needs to show they can succeed with quality players. Mercedes Russell chose UT over
Louisville in a highly competitve recruiting war. She and the 2013 recruits join a team that...on paper, at least...look pretty awesome. Last I checked, they don't play games on paper. And #8 UK isn't going to throw up their hands and say:

"Yes...you're Tennessee. You're obviously better than us..so we'll just let you win and settle for second place in the SEC."

Dance, Mattie...dance. I think I'm going to enjoy watching this UK team this year. Not saying that I'll cheer for them...but they have a lot of talent and are very, very quick.

Many are saying Stanford may not be the best team in the PAC-Howevermany this year. My buddy "no-call" Lindsey Gottlieb out there could take that conference. I don't think either Cal or Stanford could beat the Cards. Ain't skeered of no Bears or Cardinal. (Remember, hold the "S". They're an academic school...)



"I'm 99% sure the court is THAT way!!!"

That leaves the Dukies and Coach Joanie P. A train wreck waiting to happen. Other teams in the ACC scare me more. Sure they got Elizabeth Williams...who is a powerhouse...and depth. Chelsea Gray and Haley Peters return also. They also have to battle with UNC, Miami, Florida State, Maryland....yeah, yeah... the beat goes on. If they end the season in the top five...I'll drive to Duke and kiss the Cameron court. Wearing a Duke jersey. They scored 122 points against Glenville State last night in an exhibition game. They also gave up 77. Did either team bother to play defense? And who is Glenville State?

A school started by the guy on The Walking Dead???

Jeff Walz will tell you he doesn't care about preseason rankings...it's where the team finishes. He's a man wise beyond his years and that proved to be prophetic last season.

This Louisville team will return to the Final Four. They may go in as a #3 or #4 seed from their region...but they'll get there. Unless Shoni runs off and joins the circus, Nita moves into a monastery, Bria hops on a space shuttle and the entire front line switches to lacrosse.

Not that Kellie Young would mind. Imagine Sara Hammond in the crease charging a petrified goalie.

Rank Louisville #33. It doesn't matter. Rank UK, KU, UT and TTU ahead of them. Makes no nevermind. It's the end result that matters. As Jenny mentioned yesterday...Baylor was last year's #1. The major difference this year is that UConn has a coach that is fairly certain of what he's doing most of the time and isn't prone to wardrobe malfunctions. If Louisville triple-teams a UConn player...I'm fairly certain Geno will show his kids how to find the open player. And, Chris Dailey is there to counsel and attend to the coat-tails.

It should be a very interesting season. Could there be a re-match of last year's championship game in Nashville this year? Notice I didn't say repeat. I definitely wouldn't want to sit through a replay of last year's championship game. To this day, I haven't even watched a replay or highlight reel of it.

Don't bet against "the Mad Scientist". I'll give you 13 reasons why. Look at the UofL roster.

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For those interested...and in honor of Halloween...I've put some Breeders Cup picks for Friday's racing over at my largely neglected and seldom used personal website. They ought to put a real scare into you...(insert chilling, single note piano music from Michael Myers' movie.)

Hold your breath and enter. LINK below.

PAULIE PICKS


-paulie

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