Did You Know? -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE OFFERS EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY DEGREES. 

I had the chance recently to catch up with a friend who I knew at UofL and in the course of our discussion we started talking about her grandson, who was graduating from UofL also (like she did)...but with a degree in Exercise Physiology. I was not aware of the field of study, so she explained it to me. Exercise Physiology is also called exercise science,  kinesiology, or human movement and UofL is one of the leaders in the nation in the study.  

It is basically an intense look at the how we understand and optimize the movement and effectiveness of the human body. At UofL is can be broken down into three different subcategories. 

-- Allied Health Therapies. Aimed toward those who are pursing physical therapy or medicinal fields and careers. 

-- Human Performance. Geared to those who want to be in strength and conditioning, sport science or personal training. 

-- Physical education and Health -- Deigned for those who want to go on and be physical education teachers..like in schools and such. 

I wish this had been around when I was an undergrad, but it didn't become a degree option until around 2000. Human Movement developed out of kinesiology and beside University of Louisville...other major universities who offer the degree include Texas A&M, Michigan, Northeastern and Maryland. 

 If you are a prospective or current student looking for exact syllabi, office hours, or specific course registrations, you can view the complete faculty directory on the UofL Health and Sport Sciences Faculty Page.

UofL Athletics deep in debt...what will the future bring for college athletics.? -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 A $30 MILLION DOLLAR PROBLEM

You've probably heard the news by now, UofL's athletic program is $30 million dollars in debt. The problem is there...staring right at The Thinker on campus. What is the answer? 

A friend sent me the Eric Crawford article. I can only take a look at some the woeful media moguls for UofL sports information and think about this suggestion. Send them packing like hobos from the railroad yards. They hid the information of the increasing debt far too long. After all, this is a public institution, not some prestigious private college Turn the promotion of UofL athletics over to companies skilled at information reporting who know a little about what they are doing in the advertising and promotion world. Put spending under a magnifying glass. 

It also may be time to start collecting for attendance to some on the non-revenue sports. I know it's a steep cliff to jump off of...attendance could plummet...but these sports are paying coaches, assistant coaches and the S.I.D's just like all the other revenue sports  and are a cost to athletics as well.

Yum! Brands, Texas Roadhouse, Humana and Brown Foreman make big money. Maybe they might have an interest in helping salvage UofL sports more than they currently do. They are based here, after all. 

And, when you are that deep in debt, it's only a matter of time before women's sports start to take some money allocation hits. You know they are gong to try and salvage men's football, basketball and baseball first before they worry about lacrosse, field hockey and volleyball. 

"How did we get this deep in the hole?" 

Maybe take a look at how Texas, Ohio St. Georgia and Michigan are out of the red and into the black in revenue producing. UK was valued at $910 million dollars....fifteenth best in the nation. UofL is at 37th. at $645 million. 

Any other business model that would lose that much would probably be shutdown. And maybe it's time for some of these high pocket professional franchises to realize that their talent comes from college athletics and maybe they need to throw some huge bucks at their source of players. 

I got tired of the way media got pushed around and slighted a few years ago and just stopped attending games. Some were definitely more equal than others . But, being a graduate of the university and fond of many of the women's coaches on campus..it's certainly not the coaches fault that monies spent far exceed revenue produced. And, a student fee for athletics isn't going to solve this dilemma. 

The SEC and Big Ten have 18 of the top 20 revenue producing programs. Notre Dame and Clemson are the only two in that top 20 that are not members of either conference. Both have storied football programs. Both have no problem getting butts in the seats to watch games.  

Maybe one of the most ridiculous things is the makeup of the Atlantic Coast Conference...that has California, Stanford and SMU...hardly on the Atlantic Ocean coast.  The Big 10 has 18 members. 

But, I'm not a numbers cruncher. I just report on the joy and excitement of UofL women's athletics.

 Being $30 million in debt, though, isn't much of a joyful thing, is it? 

pauliie

Denny turned me into a UofL fan -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE DENNY

Looking back at my long-time love for the Louisville Cardinals, it was Denny Crum who first drew my focused attention to that sports program for the school that lies between I-65 and 4th street. It was 1971, and it's hard for me to believe that none of my other writers here at Cardinal Couple weere even born yet. 

I was a tall, skinny kid who spent a lot of hours shooting at a basket in my parents' backyard, at the local grade school gym and in the parking lot of the high school down the street. I never attended camps sponsored by colleges and was really uncommitted to a particular college's basketball program. It was me and the other kids on the street. I had enjoyed the UCLA run in college basketball when I was younger and my first coach tried to treat us as adults on the junior varsity squad. He spoke of John Wooden a lot, so when I heard that Louisville was getting a UCLA assistant to take over there program, I was intrigued. I knew of several Cardinals basketball players by name...Wes Unseld, Butch Beard and...from the 1970 team...Ron "The plumber" Thomas, Henry Bacon and Jim Price. 

I knew of them, but just didn't find Missouri Valley Conference basketball (where Louisville played at the time) as exciting as the SEC, and neither conference was as exciting to me as watching Kareem or Jerry West in the NBA. It was three channels on the television back then...WAVE (Channel 3), WHAS (Channel 11) and that upstart on UHF....WLKY (Channel 32).

Denny changed my interests in basketball into a local rooting interest and venue to focus on. . He was bold, brash and challenged the state wide fandom of Adolph Rupp and the Kentucky Wildcats. It made me unpopular at high school, at times, how could I not love the Cats and throw my support toward those upstart Cardinals? Denny getting to the Final Four his first year just verified my belief that something good was happening in Louisville, on campus, in the city and I followed UofL more intensely than ever.. I would go to UofL basketball games if I wasn't playing on the same night and loved the majestic and rowdy Freedom Hall. Me and a buddy would stand near the entrance and merely hold up a finger, muttering "need one for the game, I need one for the game." We simply didn't have the money to buy. And, we almost always got in, the both of us. We even figured out how to get in free if we couldn't get tickets, by entering the restaurant that was attached to Freedom Hall back then, and sneaking into the Hall that way.

I wanted to go to UofL. Before I actually got to UofL as a student in 1975, I already had a "fake UofL ID" and would attend games that way. Back then, students got in free, we went one of the back doors to Freedom Hall, went up the ramp and had great seats near half court. I'll never reveal the source where I got me "fake ID" but it was a good likeness of the real thing. 

Once I got on campus as a freshman, I also started making every womens BB game I could, as well. They didn't always play in Freedom Hall, but a few of us "in the frat" would pile into a car and drive to the local high school they were playing at. We loved Valerie Owens. That's why it's so great to still see her at courtside for the women's games. It was the same with Field Hockey, we had a frat brother who dated a field hockey player and he's round us up to go watch her matches. 

Crawford Gym was the basketball facility back then for practices and it was also a big intramurals facility, too. The whole campus had access to the building with the white top. Where else could you play basketball, take a swim and shoot hoops all in the same building? You could at Crawford. 

(My green ghost by the Ohio)

You would see Denny on campus, mostly at Crawford, from time to time back then but I never really got to meet him until 1984. There was a car wash on Preston Highway near the entrance to the KFEC, and I used to take my 1969 Chevelle Malibu, which was a classic by then, there for a wash. You got out of the car, waited in the lobby and walked out anther door to get back in your vehicle when the vehicle has finished going through the wash. I drove in one afternoon, got out, and went into the lobby. I hadn't noticed the red Cadillac behind me and was quite surprised when the driver turned out to be Denny, and he wanted to chat with me about my car. Imagine that, the world-famous basketball coach chatting about my muscle car with me. 

We chatted amicably for a couple of minutes, what exactly we talked about, I don't remember but I'm pretty sure he learned I was a huge UofL fan and recent graduate and I told him my car had a 135 mph speedometer and I tried to "peg" it one night on I-71. (I was always telling people that back then). 

(I took Sonja to a UofL BB game on our first date)

Days fly by. Some memories just disappear but some remain with you, no matter how old you get. 

I remember a football road-trip to Cincinnati where I was "the quarterback" for both pre-teen groups of kids pre-game in the UC parking lot. A little dark-haired boy came up and asked if he could play, too...so we put him on the team that was a "man short". He was Denny Crum's son and I remember he had good hands and didn't drop anything I threw him.. Denny stood there, smiling and watching. When the game broke up, I walked over to Coach Crum and told him he had a future wide-receiver there, or something to that means. I didn't bring up we had met before. Denny Crum probably met a million people in his life. 

Yes. Days fly by. 

Rest well, Coach. You are the reason I became a UofL fan, and that's never waivered. 

Thank you. 

paulie 

Fans in the Stands -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Sports are Returning, but Will Spectators Come With Them?

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to afflict the globe, and the United States in particular, but you didn't need me to tell you that. Little by little, people are starting to try to return to a sense of their normal lives. For millions of people in the US, normal life means watching every kind of sport that they can get their hands on. Personally, I'm a fan of almost every major sport played professionally in the states, and I follow an English Premier League soccer team and the Formula One racing series. I'm a sports junkie. Because the powers that be in the sporting world know that people like me exist (as well as people who are even more rabid about sports than me), they want to get back to the field, court, track, etc. There's also the point to be made that the powers that be want to make money, and not having competitions means no sponsorship money, no TV revenue, and a slip in loyal fandom that can lead to lost future revenue. I digress.

Over the last week or so, we've been writing about a pair of Louisville softball players that are currently taking part in the Florida Gulf Coast League. In addition to this and the associated baseball league, professional softball is one of the few sports in America that has continued, or at least restarted. Also getting back into things are the PGA Tour, NASCAR, and IndyCar, though the latter has only had one race since returning to action. Across the world, professional baseball and soccer leagues have returned to play, but I'm going to stick with the US for the majority of this discussion due to the unique situation the States find themselves in with regards to the pandemic. One thing that most of these events have in common is that they have not allowed fans. However, that has been inconsistent, as some of the sports themselves have allowed fans, while other sports have deferred to local rules for their decision on fans.

That's the unique spot the US is in, by the way: the local responses have varied so greatly that it's hard to formulate consistent policy for sports leagues that compete across the country. Some, such as the NBA, WNBA, MLS, and NWSL, that intend to play all of their games in one location, have a simpler choice that just requires saying they won't be allowing fans.The MLB, which announced that its return will include playing games in home stadiums, did not make such a determination, and it appears that the decision will be left up to the home teams. Similarly, the USL announced its return to action plan and Louisville City FC appears poised to open their new stadium to limited capacity. The team announced plans to enforce masking, block off seats to maintain social distancing, and to perform temperature checks for all entrants. Those are all great steps, and are likely to be effective in an open air stadium, but any congregation of people poses a risk, as there is still ticketing, restrooms, and concessions to deal with, on top of the fact that people in a sports setting are likely to be eating, drinking, and yelling. 

IndyCar has already indicated their plans for fans in the stands at races are based on local rules. Though Texas was reopening at the time (they've since had to step back from that plan), the opener of the IndyCar season was without fans. Similarly, when the Indy GP and Brickyard 400 head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next weekend, they will be without fans. However, the race weekend at Iowa Speedway in the middle of July is set to have fans, albeit in a limited capacity. Roger Penske, the new owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NTT IndyCar Series, said that he doesn't anticipate having an Indy 500 without fans in the stands. The 500, which is typically on Memorial Day Weekend, has been rescheduled to August 23rd this year. 

Yesterday, it was announced that IMS has not yet made its distancing plan for fans, and that they need more information. This leads me to my current conundrum, Indy 500 fans are supposed to tell IMS if they plan to attend the race by July 6th so that the track can make a determination about next steps. First, over a month and a half is a long time for things to change between when you make your decision about an event and the event, for better or for worse. Second, IMS's plan here is pretty transparent, but I'm not sure it's going to work out the way they hope. IMS stated that they will be limiting capacity to 50% for the race. That's not just seating capacity, though, that's capacity for the entire track, so drivers and teams will count against the number. While making that statement, though IMS did not put forth any plan for how they would determine priority. The track has an extensive seniority based ticketing system, so it's assumed they'll turn to that if they need to. Obviously, IMS's hope is that more than 50% of people just say they don't want to come. If that's the case, IMS can just spread out the remaining ticket holders to maintain distancing in the stands and everyone's happy. If you ignore the ticketing, restroom, and concessions items from earlier, anyway. Personally, I don't think that's likely to happen, so we'll see what they decide to do after that. Asking people if they still want to come and then telling some of them they can't seems like a PR nightmare in waiting.

Another major event in the area that will reportedly have fans is the Kentucky Derby. There's less information out so far about how this one will be handled, but speculation puts it at less than 50% capacity. The Paddock will reportedly be closed completely, and without designated seating areas in the majority of the infield, I'm not sure how you'd enforce social distancing there. Churchill Downs has already announced that they're working on their wifi network to improve connections, hoping that they can encourage more in-app betting while at the track, rather than having people stand in lines at the windows. Of all of the sports, horse racing is one that has a fairly monopolized major revenue stream that doesn't require people to be at the venue. This seems like it would lend itself well to not requiring fans to be in attendance to have a successful event. We still have a couple of months before the race, though, so we'll see what kind of specific plans come out and whether or not the entire concept has to change.

As for sports in the fall, who knows? Louisville has been pretty quiet about its plans for football, but moving the season opener tips their hand a bit. Obviously if increased traffic between Thurby and a home football game is a concern, it is because fans are anticipated at both. As numbers continue to climb across the country, particularly in places that have reopened with fewer restrictions, it will be interesting to see how local leaders in various places rethink their strategies and how sports are impacted. More and more college athletes are being reported as having positive tests, with some teams having as high as 15-20% of the team infected. MLB and NBA have set their sights on end of July starts, but that's a long way off and trends aren't looking great. Numerous MLB teams are reporting multiple infections among players, in addition to infections in the staff. Meanwhile, the NBA is set to go in Orlando with Orange County, Florida having a higher daily new case rate than 38 states last week. 

I'm cautiously optimistic that lessons we've been learning over the last few months can lead to returns to action that are safe and enjoyable for everyone. To this point, NASCAR has traveled quite a bit and and a number of races all while not reporting a single positive case. It seems that there can be a way for things to work, but I think that more consistent policies need to be in place. Allowing fans in some locations seems like a bad way to maintain control, and it's also pretty unfair in team sports. Either way, we'll get a lot of answers about sports over the next month.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

That's right, it's Saturday. Of course, you probably already knew that since you just had to read my long-winded, speculative ramblings. We'll have updates from softball to talk about, as well as some recent accolades for UofL student-athletes, and, of course, a Cardinal Couple Quiz. Jared has dominated the quiz circuit this season, so Jeff and I will hope that we can take a win, with or without him. Join us at 11AM on the Cardinal Couple YouTube page for the live show, or tune in for the replay any time after noon (or 12:30, depending on Paulie's mood). 

Until next time, Go Cards!

-CH-

Campus -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

DRIVING AROUND ON A RAINY DAY

Yesterday (Thursday) was a rainy day in Louisville, KY. A day where Sonja and I could not do anything related to our we spend a lot of days lately -- working outside in the gardens and on the lawn. 

A check of the scheduled/cancelled events revealed that Louisville Softball would have been getting ready to host NC State in softball. Lacrosse would have been involved in the ACC Championships. So, I invited Sonja to hop in the car with me, take a drive to the Belknap Campus and have a  "look-see" of what was going on around Floyd Street. 

We did not leave the vehicle much. All photos were taken out the window. We took face masks with us and had hand sanitizer with us. We did not encounter anyone on our trip, much less get within six feet of anyone. 

My photography skills are nowhere near the legendary Jared Anderson's, who is one of our  Cardinal Couple columnist and our  photographer. The pictures were taken with a Verizon cell phone.  



An empty, desolate campus.  We look forward to the day when student-athletes return and events are taking place. 

The first picture is of the main entrance (Kueber Center) where UofL WBB, MBB and Lou. Lacrosse coaches access their offices and players go to the practice facilities, locker rooms. It is also where the media room is. 

I probably couldn't count the number of press conferences, post game interviews I've attended here over the years. 


I miss hearing "Walz Words". "Teeter Talks" and "Mack Monologues". I miss hearing student-athletes address the media corps about events, achievements, results and future contests and aspects of their lives. I miss having Nick Evans or other asst. S.I.D.'s greet me at the door as I go to the media room.

 Now, the sign on the door greets you

I miss heading to the second floor of the "little Yum" to visit the WBB offices or cut through the WBB lobby to visit the Lacrosse coaches and staff. A few casual, friendly words  and exchanging greetings with Kate  Tucker, Patty Norton or other coaches and staffers before I reach my intended destination that that day. 

The Louisville Lacrosse Stadium in next door to the Koeber Center as you head south on Floyd Street and that was our next stop.

This view is of the bleachers and press box on the west side of the stadium. The scoreboard is in the far distance. 

It seems strange not to see the "Yellow Shirts" (Cards Care personnel) there, to exchange a few pleasantries with me as I would head to the press box. I  would walk past fans in the stands. A lot of them parents of the Cardinal Lacrosse student athletes, who I got to know and would stop and chat with.


There were also student-athletes from other sports in the stands, there to cheer on their classmates and friends. A nod and wave to them as I walked. Sometimes getting them to pose for a photo with me.

The next picture on this rainy, cloudy day shows where goalkeeper Rachel Florek would be positioned for half of the game, defending the goal against opponent shots. 

Something she did quite well. 

Louisville Lacrosse was 5-4 when the matches were ceased. 




Continuing south on Floyd Street takes you to football's home -- Cardinal Stadium -- and the Trager Center -- Louisville indoor practice facility. The Thornton's Center for Academic Excellence is on the South side of Cardinal Stadium. 

Football practice fields are on the north side of Cardinal Stadium. This picture shows them empty, but still being maintained. It's strange not to hear the coaches imploring their players to "hustle", do better or other terms of encouragement, instruction or advice.




The Trager Center is west of the football practice fields. It is the indoor facility where football and other athletic squads practice when the "elements" make outdoor practicing an un-viable option. I've seen players practicing in this building many times. The facility can even be used to stage scrimmage and exhibitions. Our staff has watched soccer scrimmages in here in past years. Out in front of the Trager, I remember attending a "markdown" sale of UofL Athletic ware. I got a great pair of athletic shoes for a fraction of the retail cost. 

This is one of the spots where people who are attending football games enter the facility. I chose the media entrance gate on the west side of the stadium.  

Credentials are checked here and the elevators that take riders to the press boxes, Brown and Williamson Club and other spots are located nearby. 

I can remember taking those elevators to softball banquets, football "signing day" parties and many other activities. 

Continuing south, we drove to one of the tunnels/underpasses that connect the parking lots for football. It is a significant tunnel, because it is where the football team stages their "Card March" before each home football game. 

Fans lining the red walkway to shout out encouragement to the football student-athletes as they walked by -- en route to the stadium is something a lot of you miss, I am sure. Seeing friends, other student-athletes and visiting the booths that line the walkway, too are things that'll be missed this September. 


Our next stop on our Floyd Street drive was to Lynn Stadium,  south of the football complexes. Lynn is the venue for men and women's soccer. The offices for both sports sit east of the actual stadium and are usually a hub-bub of activity.

Parking there is usually impossible on game day, or even just stopping by to interview Karen Ferguson-Dayes or a player, parking can be tight. 

UofL fall Sports used to have their "fall preview day" in this building and media would get treated to a lunch, hear from coaches and student-athletes who participated in fall sports and we'd get the chance to ask them questions. 


It was strange to look upon the field and the stadium and not see players warming up or competing in matches. This view is where I would exit from the contests, after interviewing Coach KFD and a a player or two. It is so strange to see those seats empty.

Jared, Case and I had some very memorable interviews on the pitch in front of the press box at Lynn. "Miss Kim" would set up the interviews while we would wait as a group for the interviewees to come over to us. I hope the interviews will resume soon.  I hope Kim and Karen Ferguson Dayes are doing well in these "stay at home -- social distancing" days. 

From there, we decided to take Central Avenue to Jim Patterson Stadium to get a couple of picture of the baseball facility, but, traffic was quite heavy and it was raining too hard to stop and get any pictures. So, I took a brief detour from our campus tour and headed to Churchill Downs. 

This is the entrance I usually go in when I attend racing at Churchill. The lot was open and we drove over to one of the Clubhouse entrances. It'll be empty here next week, a time where Derby Week is getting underway in normal years. There is a lot of construction going on in the Longfield Avenue lot, but the only person we saw was one employee picking up trash near the entrance. 

i wanted a couple of more campus shots, so we headed back to Floyd Street and went north. Using the McDonald's parking lot, I got a shot of Trager Stadium, where Louisville Field Hockey plays.

Empty bleachers. I took the photo from the gate where I enter to walk up the steps to go to the press box. 

We've seen some very memorable contests at "Trager" over the years. Back in the fall of 2019, we saw an excellent Justine Sowry squad play in early NCAA Tournament action. Not seeing players scurry back and forth on this turf, or the water cannons blasting the turf at halftime seems very strange and I got a bit sad while taking this photo. 

A short drive north on Floyd takes us to the S.A.C -- the Student Activities Center -- . I've dome countless interviews in this building where a lot of Cardinal athletic squads have their offices, where many S.I.D. personnel are located and where Louisville Volleyball practices and plays their home matches. 

Talks with softball, volleyball and other personnel are missed. Afternoons and morning of popping in Nick Evans or Kathy Tronzo's office to give them a visit are missed. I miss seeing Susan sitting at her desk inside the entrance to the offices on the second floor.  I look forward to those days returning -- riding the escalator to the second floor and starting an adventure.

No one bustling in and out the main entrance. The lone scooter sitting in the walkway, near Floyd Street. No crowds at the Starbucks that is adjacent to the S.A.C. 

We entered the parking garage south of the S.A.C. to try and drive to the top of the facility and get a photo of softball's Ulmer Stadium.

Unfortunately, we could not get up there. 

Not wanting to leave Holly's "playground" and "Funke's Field" out of our tour, I suggested we drive north on  Floyd and use the roundabout to head to the I-65 Arthur Street exit thoroughfare and take a photo of Ulmer from the right field berm. 

The rain had started coming down heavily again, but Sonja braved the elements to go stand on one of the "grassy knolls" and shoot our final photo. 

Standing behind the right field fence, she got this picture of Ulmer. 

Where fans would watch softball contests with their dogs. She stood right about where Alicja Wolny's historic blast landed when Louisville Softball defeat Valparaiso in the NCAA Tournament. 

That was a really good memory for me, so we decided to jump back on I-65 and head home. 

I look forward to the days when there will be events to cover on the Belknap Campus. To the days when it's safe to leave home again and there are no masks, gloves and distancing.

The days when there are crowds cheering and players celebrating. Until then, we wait patiently, hope for a vaccine and pray we don't fall victim to the Coronavirus. 


paulie
xxxxx

Mickey Clark: Farewell -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

MICKEY CLARK PASSES AWAY 

Singer-songwriter, musician, Cardinal fan and husband and father Mickey Clark passed away Sunday evening in his home surrounded by his family. He was 78. Clark, a popular performer in the Louisville area for many years with his band Blue Norther, also penned many songs about UofL athletic squads...including the 1983 release Cardinal Cannonball...which you can hear at the link below.

CARDINAL CANNONBALL

Mickey was a favorite at UofL Pep Rallies during tournament time at many different venues over the years. He was also a very accomplished song-writer -- having penned songs for The Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis and Tompall and the Glazer Brothers.

He was a regular, in latter years, at Fiesta Mexicana restaurant on Bardstown Road with his band Blue Norther and my wife and I saw him perform there on quite a few occasions. You just never knew who you'd see on stage with Mickey...one night I saw fiddle master Michael Cleveland play with him at the restaurant -- just one of many that got together with him and the Blue Norther guys Dale Perry, Tom Cunningham, Marty Miller and Chip Bush. We heard a version of the "Orange Blossom Special" while dining that night that just might have been the best I've ever heard.  

Mickey was a 1958 Flaget High School graduate and played basketball for the Braves. He attended St. Joseph's University and graduated with a mathematics degree. Musician and mathematician -- quite the interesting combination, right? 

My first encounter with Mickey was in the late 70's when he performed at the Red Barn on the Louisville campus when I was attending there. That was the original Red Barn location on Floyd Street, roughly where Cardinal Park now stands. I would catch him throughout the years at various venues. One hot, summer afternoon he showed up at my office when I was in the coffee business --he was an advertising salesman at the time doing a little bit of cold-calling and prospecting. I knew him right off the bat. Nobody had a smile like Mickey's. My office walls were decorated with quite a few UofL posters from over the years and he was quite pleased to see these -- looking at them and making comments about a particular player or event.  We talked quite a while. He was impressed that I knew several of the songs he did, he was humbled when I told him a was a big fan of his music and we spent a long time just talking UofL and music. Although I had no need to advertise at the time, that didn't seem to matter -- we were just two Cardinal fans and music lovers shooting the breeze. 

He also performed live and there is a significant song-base of his music at the radio station where we do The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour and Handicapping Heroes...WCHQ 100.9 FM. Below is a link that features his 2015 performance at the station: 

Mickey Clark plays at WCHQ

The last time I saw him was at Fiesta Mexicana not too long ago. He was typical Mickey, playing a set with his band and then spending his breaks walking amidst the diners....chatting amicably and sharing stories and jokes. He came up to our table, recognized me and my wife and I told him that I was enjoying his set that night. I got that huge Mickey smile that got even broader when I teasingly asked him if he and the boys could do "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin. 

"We'll have to work on that one." he joked. "I don't think I can handle the range of those vocals."  

My favorite Mickey song has to be and will always be "Don't Piss On My Boots And Tell Me That It's Rainin'"  You can hear him and legend John Prine do it at the link below: 

Don't Piss On My Boots

Louisville's version of Jimmy Buffett has left the building. The tributes, remembrances and memories will go on long after his departure, though. He was one of us. A regular guy with a wife, son, bills and a car. He was a poet, a story-teller and common man. He will be missed. 

Go easy bro and I 'd like to think that you'll be sitting in on a lot of jam sessions and swapping songs in that big music hall in the sky.


paulie
xxxxx

President Ramsey offers resignation/retirement to Governor -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

PRESIDENT RAMSEY A HUGE SUPPORTER OF UOFL WOMEN'S SPORTS

When the news broke yesterday that UofL President James Ramsey had offered his resignation/retirement to Kntucky governor Matt Bevin...after Bevin had disbanded the board of trustees at UofL...my first thoughts went to the James Ramsey I got to know over the many years at Louisville and before.

You see, the Ramsey's lived around the block from me when I was a kid. They never minded you running through their front yard. James is several years older than I, so us kids didn't see much of him...but his mom would always buy Scout-O-Rama tickets from the assortment of Cub Scouts that would make the trek to the front door. Later on in his life, the Boy Scouts would award him the prestigious Silver Beaver Award. 

James was a Fern Creeker back in those days. Went to Fern Creek High School with my older brother. Later on, he would be enshrined in the Fern Creek Hall of Fame. Some of the times I've spoken with him, he'd reflect on Fern Creek Road and the neighbors back in those days...almost wistfully. Those good ol' days in a sleepy suburb of Louisville. Fern Creek. One stop-light, two drugstores and a feed and hardware store. 

They say you can never go home again...but he never really left the hearts and minds of many Fern Creekers. You could point to him and say with pride...'that's one of our guys'. 

Local.

Dr. Ramsey is also a huge UofL women's sports fan. I picture him at Ulmer Stadium, there with Jane, his wife. Sitting in the bleachers...always ready to cheer. Willing to turn his ballcap into 'rally mode' if needed. You could find them in the KFC YUM! Center (and before that in Freedom Hall) sitting near half-court. Cheering on Angel, Tia, Shoni...Sara.

Sports weren't the reason that Ramsey has offered to sit down and the sports program will not suffer without him.... with Tom Jurich sitting in that A.D. chair. But...one of the women's sports program's biggest fans would be greatly missed and I hope he and Jane still attend games and events. 

If that happens...

Ramsey's resignation/retirement offer could be turned down. Probably unlikely, but a possibility. Yes, the words 'dysfunctional', 'an academic nightmare', 'situation out of control', 'golden parachutes', and 'non-disclosure agreements' were symptomatic with the Ramsey reign over the past 3-4 years...but when you take a look at the whole body of work during President Jim Ramsey's time at Louisville the good things that were accomplished while he was president far out-weight the questionable and disgruntling. 

Yeah, the sombreros were a mistake. The new center of Academics coming to Floyd Street is not. The growth of the UofL Campus in his 14 years is evident. 

Some media will bash James Ramsey. And Matt Bevin. I'll just be content with remembering the James Ramsey I knew from softball banquets and chats in the KFC YUM! Center hallway. I'll wonder if Bevin actually has the authority to fire an entire board of trustees. And watch the legal and political circus take over center stage. 

James Ramsey supported UofL women's sports. That's good enough for me...he gave Tom Jurich full reign and said...'give it your best'. And, to paraphrase an old song...written by Hazel Miller back in 1982..."look what we can do Louisville."

LINK TO SONG: LOOK WHAT WE CAN DO, LOUISVILLE!  

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We'll be back on the radio this morning for another exciting edition of The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100,9 and on the internet and at www.crescenthillradio.com

Join Worldwide Jeff McAdams and I for the Justine Sowry Interview, a quiz, Ramsey discussion and the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. 

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20160618

And, be sure to stay on WCHQ 100.9 for HANDICAPPING HEROES...a look at local Thoroughbred horse racing at Churchill Downs. Hosted by Paulie and featuring noted handicappers Scott Harris and Archie Karel. 

These guys have been on fire lately and providing some great winners. Hey, they're handing out advice...at no charge...to make you money. Listen, learn and profit. 

paulie
xxxxx

University of Louisville Ticket Policies Are a Problem -- Tuesday CARDINAL COUPLE

EDITOR'S NOTE:

( While Paulie pedals to Greensboro today, Worldwide steps up to the keyboards and brings you today's CARDINAL COUPLE entry. These are important words, read them carefully.) 

Before We Get Started...

I have written numerous times on this site, and stated many times on the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour, that the University of Louisville Athletic Department does an absolutely fantastic job of supporting its women's sports programs...perhaps the best of any school in the country.  I stand by those statements, they remain true.

But There's a Problem...

Any organization, when it stakes a major part of its identity to a particular goal, needs to constantly evaluate its policies, procedures, and even internal culture, to ensure that they are actually furthering the organization towards its goal.  Such an organization must remain vigilant to the existence of policies, even long-standing policies, that work counter to that goal.  To not be vigilant in examining policies, procedures, and culture that are counter to the stated goals risks an organization becoming blind to those and other obstacles in working towards those goals.

The UofL Athletic Department and Tom Jurich have stated publicly many times that they have a goal to treat their women's sports programs equally to the men's.  By and large, they do, but there's a (now) glaring gap in this goal.

Paulie posted a Cardinal Couple Special Report on Friday about UofL offering likely 1st and 2nd round Women's NCAA tickets to Men's Basketball season ticket holders starting Friday, and that Women's Basketball Season ticket holders would not get the option to order until yesterday (Monday).

First, Some Clarification...

Men's Basketball Premium season ticket holders, which, as I understand it, are seats in sections 105, 106, 107, 115, 116, and 117 (the 6 sideline sections in the lower bowl) have right of first refusal for all events at the KFC Yum! Center (not just UofL events). This the reason that they were offered tickets prior to Women's Basketball season ticket holders.  Not all Men's Basketball season ticket holders were offered early access to tickets, just the ones with Premium seats in those six sections.

And Yet, This is Still a Problem...

In announcing the availability of pre-sales of tickets to Women's Basketball season ticket holder, UofL clearly took some great pains to clarify the above, apparently with the thinking that this obviates any problem.

They couldn't be more wrong.

Just on the face of it, some Men's Basketball season ticket holders are given this "Premium" status, while equivalent Women's Basketball season ticket holders are not.

Beyond that, the result is that some Men's Basketball Season Ticket holders, some of whom may never have been to a single UofL Women's Basketball game (or perhaps to any Women's or Girls Basketball game at any level and any school), received priority in pre-ordering tickets for this event, and will, as a result, have better seats than nearly all of the faithful Women's Basketball season ticket holders who have cheered and supported this team throughout the whole season.

(It should be noted that on the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour on Saturday, I speculated that tickets would be allocated in CAF priority points order...I was wrong.  When you pre-order your tickets, you get to pick your seats.)  Of course, some of those Men's Basketball Premium season ticket holders are also Women's Basketball season ticket holders, and that is wonderful, but it doesn't eliminate the problem that some, perhaps many, are not.

This policy has been in place for all of the roughly six years that the KFC Yum! Center has been in operation, and by and large, it hasn't presented a problem until now.  And because the UofL Athletic Department did not remain vigilant in their examination of policies that might be counter to their stated goal of treating their Women's Sports programs equally to the Men's, I fear they have become blind to the obstacle that this presents to furthering that goal.

One can forgive Tom Jurich and others in the Athletic Department for not recognizing the threat to their stated goal of equality presented by this policy, but it has been spotlighted at this point.  To continue to leave this policy in place, as it currently exists, makes a mockery of their goal.

Tom Jurich has been great for the University of Louisville Athletic department over the years, but this situation is untenable and the Athletic Department and Tom Jurich need to take a long, hard look at this situation and see what an injustice it is

-- to the loyal Women's Basketball fans who have supported this team to the point of being the 3rd largest average attendance in the nation again this year.

-- to the team and the Women's Basketball program who may very well lose some of the loyal fans over this and will likely result in UofL fans in prime seats that will be surprised to see that the Women's game uses quarters instead of halves!

Tom Jurich, you need to fix this, and I mean really fix it, not just try to explain it away.  This policy is a problem, even if you refuse to see it.  It is disrespectful to the Women's Basketball fans and the Women's Basketball program itself.  It is not a communication problem, it is not a public relations problem, it is a ticketing policy problem and it needs to be really fixed.

Women's Basketball fans, I would encourage you to continue to voice your displeasure about this situation.  The ticket office phone number is (502)852-5151.  The webpage for the UofL Athletic Department directory is http://www.gocards.com/staff.aspx  You might look through that list and consider who else should hear about this. Jeff Walz has encouraged fans to e-mail him since he has been here. His e-mail is: jeff@gocards.com  Please be respectful, of course.


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Just a reminder that CARDINAL COUPLE is offering its annual ACC Tournament Pick 'Em contest. 14 games, 14 choices. The most correct choices win the $25 Panera or Cracker Barrel gift card. It's free to enter! Leave your picks in the comments section or e-mail them to us...

cardinalcouple@twc.com

Paulie got this entry from a Clemson fan and it shows the Cards a lot of love...

FIRST ROUND: Pitt, Clemson, Virginia Tech
SECOND ROUND: Miami, Virginia, Clemson, NC State
QUARTERS: Florida State, Notre Dame, Louisville, NC State
SEMI-FINALS: Louisville, Notre Dame
CHAMPIONSHIP: Louisville

Got a different take? Get in the game! 


JMcA
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