CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE
We report on the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports here. Thanks for checking us out! Click the picture of Louie to hear the latest Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast!!

Friday, March 23, 2018

Louisville WBB Sweet Sixteen... Softball Visits Duke -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Sweet Sixteen vs Stanford

Today is the day!  Pack your coffee and a sleeping bag because it's a late one.  Women's basketball faces Stanford in Lexington tonight at approximately 9:30.  Paulie enlightened us yesterday with Stanford basketball and what to keep an eye out for.

"what do you mean 'late game'?"
Jeff Walz was more concerned with the decision to play a late night game.  During Thursday's presser our commander-in-chief spent some time showing his displeasure.

When asked about his thoughts on playing 60 miles away from home Walz voiced his opinion:

"It's great.  We were really excited about it until they came up with a 9:45 tip time.  We're expecting snow tomorrow night, so it's going to cut down on a ton of our fans that want to drive back and forth. But it should increase the viewership, which is great, because that's what we're trying to do. I think it'll increase TV viewership. But the actual in-person, it's going to have a huge effect on.

You know, I'm still -- I know what they're going to tell me, and this is the standard line, you're the feature game on ESPN, all that good stuff. It's what you hear all the time. We never tip a game at 9:45 eastern standard time all year. Why would you do it in the NCAA Tournament? I just don't understand. I thought this was about the student-athletes.

But I mean, if we played at a normal -- if we play at 9:45 during the year, that's great, and I know it's listed as a 9:00 tip. The first game starts at 7:15. It will take two hours; they all do. So now you're looking at about 9:15, then they're going to put about 26 minutes on the clock, so you're talking about a 9:45 tip.


Rupp Arena seating chart
I'm not worried about the players, I just feel bad for the fans. I feel bad for the fans that want to come and support us and have a great environment. What player doesn't want -- when we go play at Notre Dame, they're not cheering for us, but golly, what an awesome experience to have a packed house. That's what it's all about. In '13 when we played at Oklahoma City in the regional and we're playing Baylor, I mean, it was all Baylor fans, but it's the environment that these kids remember.

You know, I can go back to '09, our first year we go to the Final Four, we play Maryland in Raleigh, and there was nobody there. There was maybe 2,000 people that were at a regional championship game. I'd much rather play in front of people.

So unfortunately, the times are just awful, and I hope it's something that we can look and try to adjust for the future, just for the fans. You know, I understand if I'm sitting in my house in Louisville and I'm watching a game that's taking place on the West Coast and it's starting at 10:00 my time. Hey, I understand that; it's 7:00 out west. But to be starting a game at 9:45, it's just sad to me. And it's not for the players; the players are going to be fine. I'm not worried about that at all. They're not going to be tired, they're not going to be anything. They're going to be excited to play. It's we're trying to grow our game, and I think we just had a huge turnover."

EDITOR NOTE: Fortunately, the chance of snow is gone. A chance of rain moving in after 9 p.m. and temps in the 40's. 


Asia Durr, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Jazmine Jones carried themselves well during the interviews as well, but then again, our Cardinals always present themselves with class.  The common theme all three mentioned was the chemistry this team has both on and off the court.  Juniors and seniors have taken roles as leaders while the younger classes have been open and willing to learn.  As a whole, the team has become close and the entire roster is a strong friend group.  Doo-Blay complimented the freshmen on the team.

To stay updated with the Baylor vs Oregon State game make sure to follow Paulie on Twitter (@cardinalcouple) and as always, he will be on top of things when the Cards take the court.  I will be on the court with my handy-dandy camera and will do my best to get some pictures up before the night is over.

LINK TO THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW: http://thecrunchzone.com/transcript-walz-hines-allen-jones-
durr-prior-to-sweet-16/  Thanks to our buddy Daryl Foust for posting it and you'll get to hear her and Swish Appeal's Paige Sherrard on The Couple Couple Radio Hour with Paulie and Worldwide Jeff Saturday morning (and on Facebook Live, too) at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM plus streaming throughout the Universe on the WCHQ app and at www.wchqfm.com.

Should be a good one with Delightful Daryl and Precious Paige. Plus the two old guys.

I wonder what they'll talk about?

Let's hear from you! What are your thoughts about the "late one in Lexington"? The city will probably be in a salty mood after the UK Wildcats men's basketball team fell out of the NCAA Tournament after a upset loss to the Kansas State Wildcats late last night. Give us your thoughts in the comments section. After all, YOU are Cardinal Couple and WE never forget that.



Ladies of the Diamond Visit Durham, NC

Sandy Pearsall
The first weekend of ACC play did not go as planned when Notre Dame swept the Cards.  They hope to turn things around today and tomorrow.  Today's games are set to be played at 3:00 and 5:30 (double header) with Saturday's session starting at 1:00.

The biggest concern right now is the status of Nicole Pufahl.  The Puf went down last weekend after chasing down a fly ball.  Her foot found a hole in the grass and she went down with an ankle injury.  Puf sat out the final game of the series.

Duke sits at 16-12 on the year and is 3-3 in conference play.  The Blue Devils swept Boston College, but fell all three games against UNC.  They ride a two game losing streak (South Carolina and East Carolina) into the weekend.

Their team batting average is .276 and the offense averages roughly four runs per game.  Defense has been a struggle for Duke, which has committed 41 errors on the year for a .955 fielding percentage.

This series could get ugly with errors on both sides of the ball.  Louisville holds an edge on offense IF the bats can get hot.  The Cards have power and speed.  They will have ample opportunities to put runs on the board so it is all about capitalizing with runners on base.

Tennis Visits BC

The women's tennis team has had a hot start to the first half of the season and they sit in the Top 50 in the rankings currently.  They visit the Eagles of Boston College today at 2:00.  If you have not made it to Bass-Rudd this season they do have a pair of home matches remaining coming up soon.

I hope to see many of you in Lexington tonight.  Do not be afraid to say" hi" or ask for a picture (we would love to feature pics of our wonderful readers) if you see me.  I am the tall, lanky guy with glasses on.

Happy Friday and Go Cards!

Jared


35 comments:

  1. I'm with Coach. I think the starting time is horrendous. (I typed that sentence several times to remove some of the colorful language) Baylor/Oregon State play at 6/4 p.m. for their fans while the only team in the Eastern time zone is assigned the late game. And, the only number one seed to play late. Scratch those 3/4 hours of extra rest before playing the earliest game on Sunday. True for the Cardinals or Cardinal. I have nothing good to say about the NCAA - ever.

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  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    Replies
    1. uh, anonymous...you might want to try that again later with a little less "salt" and profanity. I know you guys are hurting in Lexington right now, but take it out on your boards and not ours, please. I don't delete 'em often, but this one had to go. Go get some sleep. Thank you.

      Paulie

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  3. In case no one gets it by now -- the NCAA doesn't like Louisville very much. And ESPN is out to make money. Also, there are fish in the ocean and the desert can be dry at times.

    Nick O

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  4. Be proud of this, Cardinal fans:

    The University of Louisville’s Elizabeth Allgeier, Mercedes Pastor, Meghan Schneider, and Madison Walsh were named 2017 Zag Tours National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Scholars of Distinction.

    The Division I Scholars of Distinction program recognizes those student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.90 or higher through the first semester of the 2017-18 academic year.

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  5. I’m always proud of our athletes who excel in the classroom. That is a higher accomplishment that what they do on the field/court. Congrats to those four Cardinals and thank you for sharing!

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  6. Vivian and Nick, I'll beat the dead horse one more time....the NCAA did not set the game times. ESPN did that. ESPN wants to show both #1 seeds tonight. So either Louisville or Mississippi State has to play late. If Louisville were playing NC State and Miss State were playing Stanford, the times would have been flipped.

    I certainly don't like the way it played out, but it makes sense. As I've said more than once, if you're a fan of WBB you can't complain too much about ESPN. As Paulie said on another thread, there are other networks that show WBB but almost all are regional and/or are included in cable/satellite packages that not all subscribers buy. ESPN is global in scope.

    Now let's all quit whining and get our butts to Lexington tonight.

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    Replies
    1. Agree 100% with Mike. Anyone with a lick of sense that looks at the men's and women's brackets understands what is going on.

      It doesn't seem cool to whine about this. Our club has worked through things this year so let's just get on board, quit whining and beat the Tree tonight...no matter what time it is. This particular club hasn't ever whimped out and it isn't a good look for any of us to start now.

      Delete
  7. It is what it is. Control what you can, go out and win this game!
    GO CARDS!!!

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  8. The controversy over game time I hope is not affecting the psycke of the players, I hope. Is Walz trying to come up with a pre-formatted early excuse here if the Cards lose? I'll agree with kstarksr instead of Nick and Vivian here.

    Just control what you can and win the game. We spent the night here in Lexington last night and saw first hand in a local sports bar Lexington's disappointment on the Cats getting out-clawed by the K-State Cats. Co-ed crying. Farm boys shouting at the televisions in anger. I bet the free-throw kid is having a rough morning. We'll hit the Kentucky Horse Park later today and look around for a few hours before going to watch the first game. We're in our red and getting a few questionable looks from a disappointed UK fan base already today.

    You play the game. C'mon up, Cardinal fans. Sleep? Who needs sleep? With that, though, I can see a brief nap this afternoon at the hotel before rolling into Rupp.

    -- The real Joe Hill --

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    Replies
    1. Joe, where are your seats? I'd love to meet you.

      We are in Section 12 Row G Seats 7-8

      Delete
  9. Thanks to all for checking in so far today! Keep 'em coming.

    Paulie

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  10. Those two girls in the picture in today's article, are they Page and Daryl? If they are, you and Jeff are the luckiest two guys around to have them in studio with you. Talk about pretty! I may start following them and drop Cardinal Couple. SMDH. How about setting a pal up, Paulie?

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    Replies
    1. Whoa there, anonymous. Both are highly respected journalist in the sports community. That's why we invite them.

      Paulie

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  11. Just one more comment. I will be there tonight along with Worldwide, my brother, a cousin sitting in Section 11. I understand that ESPN is in this to make money but let us not anoint them as gods for providing coverage...they are making money.

    Like Jared and Anonymous, I would like to congratulate the Scholars of Distinction.

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  12. Just an update on Case. He went through surgery fine and is still taking but cutting back on his post-op meds. He'll be watching tonight from his TV and will be a part of our post game coverage.

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  13. For recreational purposes only ---

    Louisville favored by 14 1/2 points. Over/under is 128.5.

    Thoughts, anyone?

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    Replies
    1. MAn that seems awfully high, Mike. I normally pass on over/unders as a rule and will do so here...but I'm inclined, as the risk of getting our readership mad at me, to take Stanford and the points. Straight up, Louisville of course...but 14 1/2 just seems high.

      Paulie

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  14. Just wanted to comment on your site here. I've been searching for articles about the Louisville v Stanford game tonight and came across Cardinal Couple. Quite honestly, I don't know what to make of your site. I like parts of it, some of it I don't understand and some of it is just pure crap. Nevertheless, I'll give you and "E" for effort and providing a "different" look at the match-up.

    Wishes for a good game and don't take your impending loss to us too hard tomorrow.

    Terrance
    Palo Alto, CA
    Home of the Cardinal

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    Replies
    1. Well, thanks for stopping by!

      Trash talking from a person named Terrance? That's something you don't see everyday. I go to bed each night hoping California doesn't crumble into the ocean.

      We may be local, and of disdain to you...but life can be strange and full of twists and turns...but everyone of us sometimes learns that there is truly a place for all of us.

      We're proud of our site. Please say "Hi!" to the redwoods for me. Lemme know if the Yeti shows up....we could always use another "big" or two on our roster...

      Paulie

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    2. Hey Terrance,
      As a guy that lived and worked in SoCal for fifteen years or so I'm pretty familiar with Stanford's view of themselves as being superior beings only having been put on this earth to give others an idea of what they "might have been" had they only been blessed with a chance to hang out at "The Farm". Been there done that with the Ogwumike sisters.

      The only thing that rivals Stanfords arrogance is that of USC. Looking forward to your club getting handed their @ss tonight.

      Delete
    3. Well played Paulie! Terrance, please stop by AFTER the game and share your thoughts with us. Drink a lot of pinot noir first, you'll need it.

      Curtis "Are their Big Lots in Palo and why "Alto" instead of "Soprano" or "Tenor" Franklin

      Delete
    4. I dated a girl with lots of silicone once. I guess I have Silicone Valley and Terrance to thank for that.

      Delete
    5. How nice to see that the elementary school children in "Lu-ah-vul" have dial-up access to the Internet! Do you have to climb the telephone pole to hook up? Broadband and high speed will get there, don't "y'all fret none", and say "hey" to Goober and eb for me, "ya hear?"

      Terrance
      Palo Alto, CA
      Home of the Cardinal

      Delete
    6. Is that you, T-Will? or maybe Terrance Farley? How refreshing to have some one with your highly educated and cultivated, self-professed superiority stop by and educate us!

      Paulie

      Delete
    7. Terrance:

      I am a Clemson fan, first off, but find the article submissions, topics and genre of Cardinal Couple to be very interesting and always worth reading. You might say that I've adopted the Louisville Cardinals as my second favorite school and read the fine, insightful and timely writings here daily.

      I visited Palo Alto and Silicone Valley several years ago. I must say that I did find a certain air of arrogance and snobbery did exist there.

      The people of Cardinal Couple do this website for love of game, sport and school. They are non-profit and have a studying engineer, bank official, IT specialist and former coffee company visionary (now retired) that volunteer and devote their time here.

      Louisville women's basketball has some very touching stories on their roster. Look up Sam Fuehring. Read about how Myisha Hines-Allen reached out to Marquette fans after that game. Witness the beloved Jessica Laemmle and her sacrifices for the team. The exuberance of Jazmine Jones. The wonderfulness of Asia Durr and so much more.

      You, sir, need to pipe down and be respectful. I sincerely hope the Louisville Cardinal kick the ever-loving "crap" (as you say) out of Stanford and I will be cheering them on.

      Arthur
      Greer, SC
      #1 Clemson fan

      Delete

    8. Arthur,

      Hi, Hillbilly. Send me some boiled peanuts.

      Terrance
      Palo Alto, CA
      Home of The Cardinal

      Delete
    9. Denise is right on...trust me that "Terrance" won't have the stones to check back in after The Farm got Plowed tonight. It's a beautiful thing.

      Also want to recognize many non-official ULWBB fans who were gracious enough to send good wishes...including The Guv, Arthur and several others who I'm sure Paulie will recognize. When the time is right we'll return the fairness and good wishes.

      Thank You

      Delete
  15. OK, Some of these responses and comebacks are classic (and a bit disturbing) but let's all settle down (me included) and just get ready for this game. And pray it isn't a 51-foul-fest like last night's UK v K-State marathon.

    Just survive somehow.

    Paulie

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  16. Paulie,

    Just wanted to stop by and wish your "little birdies" the best of luck tonight. I'll be there, one of my dearest friends and her husband have invited me and it's rumored they might even try to get me in a red shirt.

    All kidding aside, Louisville has had a marvelous season and I hope it continues for a chance at the National Championship. I'm still suffering over my Cats' loss last night to Kansas State. Someone needs to spend about 1000 hours in the gym with P.J. and get him to practice free throws!

    Matthew Mitchell for Governor

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    Replies
    1. Class move, Guv. We appreciate it. I still think UK had much more talent than K-State but the madness of March is upon us and anything can (and has) happen(ed)

      Paulie

      Delete
    2. P.S. -- I need a picture of you in a red shirt.

      LOL

      Paulie

      Delete
  17. Final thoughts:

    Terrance, have the folks cut back on your Ritalin.

    Louisville: Be yourself. No one can ever take that away from you. Believe in your coaches, what they've taught you, your game plan and your talent. Leave it all out on the court.

    You got this. Go get it.

    Blue Lou

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  18. Stanford senior Kaylee Johnson on Louisville:

    “We know they play scouting report, so yeah, that's something that we'll have to be aware of,” she said. “But I mean, we're okay with it. We've played teams who have played scouting report before, and we've been able to succeed against them. So I think just being aware of how they're playing, what they're trying to do or what they're trying to force us to do will be helpful. . . . They just prepare really well for their opponents. They don't let them do what they like to do, so you have to score in different ways.”

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  19. Hey Cards:

    Kick their butts back to the Pacific Ocean. Go ACC and chop down the Trees, Louisville!

    Semi-good-in all-sports-according-to-reports
    Miami, FL

    ReplyDelete

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