Thursday Cardinal Couple -- David Watson looks at hoops

out writing
THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( WE caught up with David Watson to see if he'd fill in for vacationing Jeff McAdams this week. He promptly asked who we were and who Jeff was and why we were contacting him. That's our boy...David discusses hoops today. We think...)


It's good to be back over here at Cardinal Couple. Paulie contacted me about writing an article this week since one of his writers went out to get ice and never came back. Or something like that. Been there, done that.

I'm just getting geeked up for the start of women's basketball season. I read with interest Queen Jenny's report here of the Cards systematic destruction of the Pikeville Bears.

5,000 screaming kids and Walz? This sounds like a free skills camp that escalated beyond control. Still, I suppose it's good that the UofL brain trust is reaching out to the next generation of WBB fans. If they can get mom and dad to some of the paid admission games, then the paln works to perfection. I did read that Jeff Walz wants a fan base/season ticket holder number of 11-12,000.

So does 3/4th of men's college basketball. And Major League Baseball

Still, you can't blame Walz for his lofty aspirations. PAULIE tells me that 8-9,000 is a regularity at most home games now. I'm glad to see it. I haven't been in the YUM! in two seasons now. Is the bourbon bar still open? I had some great second halves in there.

I think Walz and the Louisville WBB deserves his requested mandate. They did finish second in the nation, you know. Shoni Schimmel is fun to watch. They play great music. The seats are inexpensive. If they'd work on concession stand prices, I think they could pull it off.

Since Walz has arrived there, he's had a marquee player all but one season. First it was Angel for a couple of years. Then, the season we'd all like to forget and -- ironically, the season I attended more games than any other season. (A pattern is developing here. Keep Watson out of the KFC YUM! Center and good things develop.) Then, Shoni.

Who will be that next marquee player when Shoni takes her no-look passes to the WNBA?

You tell me. Personally, I think they find a codicil to keep her around for three more years. Hey, it worked for Tia Gibbs -- proud grandmother of two now and associate professor of life sciences.

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I'll also offer a top 10 in women's basketball this season for those of you still reading. Congratulations if you've made it this far. This coming from a guy who was driven thousands of miles over the last four months watching field hockey and golf. Consider the source.

#1   LOUISVILLE. This is the year Walz finally figures out how to beat Geno. I'm selling 40-0 t-shirts. Contact Paulie for more details. Or any UK MBB fan.

#2   UCONN. I know -- Geno has more weapons than a Texas survivalist. They will go 36-4. Four losses to Louisville.

#3   NOTRE DAME. Take Louisville and UConn out of conference play and Muffy McGraw has the equivalent of playing a bunch of girls named Jane and Alice from Monday night bunco. Hail the Irish!

#4   KENTUCKY. Mattie Mitchell has weapons also. A weak SEC -- save Tennessee -- will let him pile up mucho victorios.

#5   DUKE.  Another school that has stockpiled talent. The Coach is the weakness here.

#6   MARYLAND.  They bring it every year under "The Freeze" lady. This year will be no different.

#7   TENNESSEE.  I can't wait to see how Mercedes Russell does. Big shoes that the grandmotherly Vols coach Holly Warzone has to fill.

#8   OKLAHOMA.  Cards will be tested by them in the WNIT coming up. Then, they cruise for a few months.

#9   CALIFORNIA. I don't respect west coast hoops very much. Stanford could have this spot. I put them tenth. Ogumikes' have to run out eventually

#10. STANFORD. (see above)

DAVID
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