What Should We Call July? - Sunday Cardinal Couple

I thoroughly enjoy my lazy Sunday mornings.  I don't set any alarm (unless for a special event), I wake up when my body decides that it has rested enough.  My normal routine is: checking up on all of the world's knowledge via my phone, shower, dress, and head out of the house.  Usually Sunday mornings of late find me at the newish Heine Brother's coffee shop at Hikes point to write this article.

Despite what I may appear to be at UofL sporting events, I am massively an introvert.  I've referenced this on The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour a number of times.  I put a very high value on my alone time, my time to be just with myself and my thoughts.  The physical location a situation doesn't matter quite so much - there are a handful of people around me in this coffee shop as I write this, for example - it's the having time to recharge my "social energy" and impose a sort of mental calmness on, what feels like, but isn't really, the chaos and insanity of day-to-day interactions with other people.  Such is the perspective of an introvert, please don't take offense as it's not an indictment of those around me, it's just the way my mind processes my environment.

Separately, as someone who is probably vaguely autistic (no formal medical evaluation of this, just my own knowledge about the autistic spectrum, and knowing my own tendencies along it), loud noise is also something that I tend to eschew (quit turning my headphone volume up, please, Paulie)

Such a depressing sight for a UofL sports fan

Despite all of the above, I find myself thinking wistfully of the energy, noise, and joy of visiting with other UofL fans at various sporting events.  I miss seeing high level athletics, and my beer league sand volleyball on Sunday afternoons/evenings certainly doesn't qualify as that.  We have fun, but no one will accuse of having ever been professional volleyball players.  I miss visiting with other regular fans, and while I have "friended" some on Facebook, that interaction just isn't the same, of course.  I miss having the reason to look at the gocards.com website every couple of days to check the sports schedule to remind myself when the next event is.  I miss, for at least some of the sports, the opportunity to hang out with some of the behind the scenes UofL Athletic Department people.

To be sure, as a massive introvert, when I return home after these events, I am consistently exhausted and fall into bed for a good night's sleep, and in a day with multiple sports events, will wake up the next morning with what I call a social hangover.  Despite all of that, I miss it.  For a college sports fan, July is just...dull.

My life is great, even in July, don't get me wrong, I took a wonderful road trip Friday with my mother and nephew and had an absolute blast of a time.  My work keeps me plenty busy, as does keeping up with various other random events that seem to collect in the month of July.  But being a UofL fan, while not all consuming to the point of being unhealthy, is certainly a real part of who I am, and July leaves a hole, there.

So what should we call this period of time when there are no official UofL sports events, this month that is totally devoid of activity for that realm of my life?  I've heard other sports folk call it the Summer Slump, or the Summer Slowdown, but while those have the advantage of being alliterative, I don't think they capture the impact that it has on the psyche of...well, of me at least, I don't know how much I can speak to the thoughts of others on this topic.

As UofL sports fans, what do you call July?  I'm curious, and looking for a descriptive term that captures these nuances.  Help me out, and maybe make plans to join me, August 12th, for the first UofL sports event of the fall in Louisville?  Women's Soccer takes on DePaul at 5:30, and if you're a soccer fan, you can stick around for the Men's exhibition game against Lipscomb at 7:30.

CATCHING UP WITH

If you missed the Saturday broadcast of THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR....you missed a good one! Fortunately, you can go back and listen to the rebroadcast at the link below:

LINK: THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR 7-15-17

"I pledge...to be in Section 110, in my designated seat
by 6:47 p.m....for the 7:30 p.m. tip against Clemson." 

What you'll find is a great interview with Cardinal WBB hero Becky Burke in the second half of the
show, the weekly quiz where Worldwide held his dominance over the guys with his third straight win (play along and see if you can beat him) and a frank and revealing discussion to start off the show about the possible use of apps to verify whether certain WBB ticket holders will be attending home games.

(Big brother is watching!)


It's all great fun...we'll see if Paulie's index cards survive seven days and reappear next week and the same four knuckleheads have conspired to invade this community radio station's air time space next week. Let this serve as a warning.

-JMcA

Women's Soccer Preview -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

What's in Store for the Kickin' Cards?

Since the women's soccer team will be opening up the fall competition this year for UofL, it seems only fitting for them to get the preview treatment first. You've already seen my lofty goals for the Cards. I want 12 wins, a win in an ACC tournament game, and an NCAA appearance. I think that if the first two happen, the third is a foregone conclusion, but stranger things have happened. Last week on the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour, you may have heard me defend my goals. While the Cards finished only 7-7-4 last season, with a 2-5-3 conference mark, I think they are far more likely to move forward this year than back. The women's soccer team is due for a big step up, and I believe they have the team this year to do it. 

The ladies at Lynn are led by head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes. Coach K has been in charge for 16 seasons, and there are those that believe her best days as head coach are behind her. The Cards have made the NCAA tournament 4 times under Coach K's control, but not since 2013. It was in 2011 that the Cards made the Sweet 16 and won a school record 14 games. (Yes, my goal for their season is only two games off of the school record.) To the naked eye, it may appear that this team has seen better days and that it will take a new leader to bring them out of their current slump. However, soccer is a fairly cyclical sport. A single player or group of players can spell massive success for a team, and losing those players can create a void. That does not mean that Coach K is not able to recruit other good players or that the team cannot exist without stars, merely that it can be harder to find an identity in that situation.

I played soccer for 15 years before graduating high school and putting my particularly competitive days behind me. Since I have played in an adult league and in college intramurals. Unlike football, where all eleven guys on the field have a specific role and a specific task on each play, soccer requires extreme team chemistry and mental understanding. Not having a vocal team leader can lead to miscommunication on plays, and a single misplay in soccer can lose the game. Other sports provide other opportunities, whereas soccer may be the most punishing for even an attacker making a mistake. The attack is, of course, the first line of defense. The Cards this season may not have that star player to shine on the field and lead the team (but they might, who is to say), but they certainly have a greater chance at team chemistry. Some of the key members of last year's offense were young. Even if they were extremely talented, it is hard to create significant chemistry in such a short time, especially with organized team activity rules in place in college. Look for a step up in maturity and teamwork on the field this season.

This past year, Louisville's biggest loss was that of goalkeeper Taylor Bucklin. She provided a rock solid defense in the goal box, yielding only 20 goals against while racking up 72 saves in 1,714 minutes. She recorded 3 clean sheets and had a 1.05 goal against average. It is hard to replace that, but the Cards have last year's back up, Victoria Gabor, leading a host of challengers to take the spot on the back line. Tori is the only other keeper on Louisville's roster, having played 37 minutes in relief last season, garnering 1 save and giving up 0 goals. However, most of Louisville's key players returned. That said, Louisville sits with 6 seniors on this season's roster. With some of the star studded names from last year (Allison Whitfield, Brooklynn Rivers, Niamh Nelson, Sarah Feola) being only sophomores and soon-to-be big contributors like Kennadi Carbin being added to the fray, this is the year for the offense to be the driving force of this team. Last year's offense put up 27 goals, however many came in the early part of the year against lesser non conference opponents. They finished with a shot conversion percentage of just over 9% and an on-goal percentage of 47%. Yikes. This year's team should make strides toward better shot decision making, which should only lead to an increase in goal production. Last season's team outscored opponents by a total of 27-20. They still lost or drew 11 games. With a higher octane offense this season, the Cards stand to turn a lot of those losses and draws into wins.

Last year the Cards played only 8 non-conference games with only 1 on the road. They went 5-2-1, with the draw coming at Ball State. Louisville with face 10 non-conference teams to open their schedule with perhaps the three biggest (Ohio State, Indiana, UK) all coming on the road. Louisville will need to be tuned in ready to go. After opening with OSU on the road, they'll come home to open at Lynn Stadium against Depaul. Last season's early season successes may have been fools gold. Louisville played inferior opponents and got burned in ACC play. That said, one of Louisville's two conference wins came against then-number-one UNC at Lynn Stadium. This season's non-conference schedule, while still containing a few pushovers, should create a more realistic view of this team early on. I have complete confidence that they can find an average of 6 wins each between conference and non-conference.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

It's Saturday, and you know what that means! We knuckleheads will return to our seats in the studio and bring to you an hour of the joy and excitement of women's sports. Paulie might even drive himself! We may ramble, get off track, and discuss the male Cards, but we will have plenty to discuss regarding the crux of this site. Paulie also gathered an exclusive interview with former Cardinal Becky Burke that you won't want to miss. Tune into the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour at 11AM on 100.9 WCHQ FM. The replay can be found at the link below:

LINK: THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR 7/15/17

Until next time, Go Cards.

-CH-

Softball adds two...The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

COUSINEAU, HALE JOIN SOFTBALL SQUAD

We haven't had a lot a Softball talk here in the CARDINAL COUPLE articles since the season ended back on May 11th. in the ACC quarterfinals with a 5-2 loss to NC State. One thing we have lamented about is the lack of getting runners on base to home plate. 

Sandy Pearsall is working on that. 

Madison Cousineau and Darrianne Hale are the two newest "Hit and Pitch" Cards to join Pearsall's roster...both coming in via the transfer route. They'll be on campus for the fall 2017 session and both have impressive numbers. 

Cousineau comes to Louisville from Mississippi State. She spent two seasons as a Bulldog and plays catcher. Her knowledge of the game and communication with the pitching staff are strong points for the Otto, N.C. native and she also possess a strong bat.  

Returning from last year behind the plate is senior catcher Jenna Jordan...who started 40 of Louisville's 44 games and batted .286. After that...with Alison Szydlowski now looking to be more of an infielder now than plate guarder and Shelby Graybill...listed as a catcher but used primarily as a pinch hitter...Cousineau's addition adds valuable backup at the position. 

Hale hits the Belknap Campus after a season at Butler Community College. She was a member of the 2017 National Junior College Athletic Association championship team. Playing first base and pitching...she complied a .407 batting average and hit 22 home runs for the Grizzlies. She also went 6-0 on the mound with a .187 ERA in 45 innings of work. She comes in as a junior...spending her freshmen year at Incarnate Word...where her numbers were equally impressive. 

The Cards have needs at all three areas of Hale's expertise. WIth Tiarra Sanabria graduated and Michala Riggle transferred to Liberty...first base is open. Pitching wise, the Cards show only Megan Hensley and Sydney Warriner...who spent most of the season injured... on roster. A back up in the circle...especially one who can hit...is a welcome aspect for this squad. 

We haven't seen a list yet of the freshmen that will be on the 2018 squad yet. We imagine there will be a sizable number...a look at the current roster, adding in Hale and Cousineau, shows 16 players. Of those, six regularly saw starting roles for the Cards in the 2017 campaign...so opportunities exist for immediate playing time for the reserves and newcomers to the program. Another key element will be how starting shortstop Sidney Melton comes back from an early season-ending injury last year. 

We'll miss the speedy McNary...but will cover her
future political aspirations as they develop. 

Graduation hit Louisville fairly hard. Gone are Maryssa Becker, Jordan McNary, Morgan Meyer and Tiarra Sanabria...all key starters from 2017. Transferring out of the program were Lillie Goetz (Murray State)...in addition to Riggle. 

Cardinal fans and the players are anxious to see this squad return to post-season play. Hopefully, the returnees and newcomers can accomplish the task. The Cards will play a fall exhibition schedule and we'll watch it with interest as a pre-cursor to what lies ahead for the squad in the ACC for 2018


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BURKE ON THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

We have had a lot of fun and you, the listeners, have really seemed to enjoy the "Catching Up With" segment we've been featuring on The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour the last couple of weeks. Believe me, it's been a blast creating the piece and my sincere thanks to Sara Hammond and Asia Taylor for eagerly agreeing to be our subjects of examination and providing us great interviews in the first two episodes. 

We go to a Burke this Saturday. 

No, not musical performer Justin Burke. It's not ESPN announcer Doris Burke (although both would make for pretty interesting interviews). 

#11. "Double B's"...the Gunslinger. Becky Burke joins us to catch us up on life in west central Arizona as she prepares for her second season as head women's basketball coach at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. 

Some teases to listen for..

- What "aged Becky 20 years"? 

- How does she view this current crop of Cardinals? 

- What were her favorite memories as a Cardinal? 

- What is a common misconception about Embry Riddle Aeronautical University? 

- Can she still drill the "3"? 

Becky's segment will run around 11:30 Saturday. The show starts at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM locally and on the Internet at www.crescenthillradio.com

You can go to the Cardinal Couple archives at the radio station website to re-listen to the Hammond and Taylor interviews if you missed them. I think the previous show list goes back about four months currently. 

Go to the site, hover over Programming, click on Cardinal Couple and scroll down to see the previous broadcasts. It's so simple even Paulie can do it! 

Who said we've nothing to cover in the off-season? Join Worldwide, Case, Jared and I Saturday for sports talk radio that "beats anything on the air in Bradenton" according to David Watson.


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ACC MEDIA FOOTBALL DAYS

Normally, this wouldn't be a big area for us to cover here at Cardinal Couple. Since it seems about half the Louisville sports media has descended on Charlotte, however, and it involves Lamar Jackson....I did sample some of the stuff that happened down there yesterday. 

Three things I liked: 

"New look" Lamar

1) I wonder if Florida State head football coach Jimbo Fisher is an auctioneer in the off-season? Have you ever heard this guy ramble? I think only horse racing callers and ice hockey announcers have a faster delivery style...

Sample a bit of his audio if you don't believe me from yesterday. I surely would not want to have to transcribe him live for visual content. He's the Hannah Koloski of talking! 

2) Head Syracuse football coach Dino Babers has a sense of humor. During the media days yesterday, he walked up to Lamar Jackson and touched him on the shoulder. He then turned to the cameras and said: 

"Did you get that? I just wanted to prove to our defense that you can get to him...he is touchable." 

Reportedly...Lamar got a big kick out of the encounter.  (Last year, L.J. put 610 total yards and five touchdowns on the Orange.)

3) Speaking of Lamar...how about the "new look" for the Louisville quarterback? Sporting a new haircut and a under-toned but stylish suit...it looks like he's undergone a bit of GQ transformation. We approve. We think he'll have a lot of photos snapped of him this upcoming season and you might as well be photogenic, right?  


paulie
xxxxx

Coming soon and catching up -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

JULY LEADING TO BETTER THINGS

Ah yes...the doldrums of summer. July does have some bright spots in terms of Cardinal ATHLETICS...most of the 2017-18 athletics are on campus now and busily preparing with individual workouts and the occasional coaches contact sessions...but as far as scores and games...we got nothing. It is that time of year. Football is going through their ACC Media Days currently. I'll pass...a bunch of guessing about what might happen and reviewing what we already know. I wonder if Lamar took the Heisman Trophy with him? 

We'll follow the USA U 23 women's basketball team tryouts with interest. Two current Cardinals (Asia Durr and Myisha Hines-Allen) and one former Cardinal (Mariya Moore) are scheduled to be part of the 40 trying out for 12 spots. Jeff Walz is the head coach of the squad and former Cardinal assistant Michelle Clark-Heard is one of his assistants. That training camp starts on the final day of July and the dozen roster members will be announced on Friday Aug 4th. 

Out of the 40, here are some tidbits: 

-- Walz, Hines-Allen and Durr have played or coached against 15 of the invitees. Kristine Anigwe, Erin Boley, Lexie Brown, Kalani Brown, Natalie Chow, Rebeccas Greenwell, Linnae Harper, Marina Mabrey, Jamie Nared, Arike Ogunbowale, Mercedes Russell, Jessica Shepard, Desiny Slocum, Asura Stevens and Jackie Young 

-- The ACC is represented by eight players from three schools (Duke, Notre Dame and Louisville). 

-- Two players from the state of Kentucky are on the list of 40....Greenwell and Boley. 

-- Walz coached six of the invitees as an assistant coach on the 2015 U 19 team. Wilson, Slocum, Moore, Stevens, Collier and Angiwe. 

-- 22 schools are represented in the 40 players. Notre Dame and UConn each have four invitees. Texas has three. Ten schools have two players. 

We'll keep an eye on the proceedings and keep you updated. 


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COMING ATTRACTIONS

In case you were wondering, Louisville women's soccer will be the first women's fall sport to host a match on campus...when they bring in DePaul on Saturday, August 12th. Field Hockey has Miami (OH) on campus Friday, August 18th. and the annual Alumnae Game on Saturday, August 19th. WSOC also hits the pitch on Aug. 18th. when they face Boston "Univerity" (we're pretty sure that's supposed to be UNIVERSITY...unless BeanTown has sprung up a new school). Oh...that accurate SID crew. Do they need a proof reader? 

At least they've differentiated on the start times for the 18th. Field Hockey hits the Trager at 1:30 p.m. and WSOC squares off in Lynn at 7:30 p.m. Thank you, scheduling staffers! Maybe a promo of sorts to get people to both? Like bring a poster or some giveaway from the Field Hockey game (which is free admission) to get free admission to WSOC? Or have a tailgate for a few hours somewhere on campus in between games? 

That Paulie, always thinking...


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ON A PERSONAL NOTE 

(Sadly...the surgery failed to make me
any cuter... )

Hard to believe...but it's been 35 days (5 weeks) since I got my bionic right hip. I'm walking without a cane now, started driving again Tuesday, and working on strengthening the right leg muscle, tendons and stuff they had to cut to get at the bone. A bit of a limp still...and still taking steps one at a time...but progressing each day. 

It's been a experience...that's for sure. I want to take a minute and thank all who have provided me with words of encouragement, offers to aid, tips from previous hip replacement folks, those who have inquired, called, e-mailed and texted, stopped by and commented. Your positive reinforcement was needed.

Most of all, thanks to "Coach Sonja". She's been my sidekick, motivational instructor, drill sergeant, compassionate ear, taxi and chef for over a month and there is no way I could have got through this without her. 

A bit of a worry yesterday when out walking in the over 90 degree heat... I got real dizzy, real fast. Thought I was going to end up horizontal on the sidewalk. After a prolonged rest and hydration, though...I got back to the car. And got a "probably needed" chewing out from Coach when I got home for not taking the walk in a air conditioned facility and waiting for her to get home and go with me. I saw the high schoolers out practicing football and went with the "if they can do it, I can do it" philosophy. Coach Walz would probably question my "heat index" IQ...and I've discovered I ain't 18 anymore. 

We go on. We get better each day. We stay positive and headed in one direction. 


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"CATCHING UP WITH" SNARES ANOTHER

We have been having big fun on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR with the "Catching Up With" segment...where we interview a former Cardinal WBB great and see what's up with them these days. So far, we've chatted with Sara Hammond and Asia Taylor.

This upcoming Saturday, we'll hear from Becky Burke. "Double B's" is excited about the chance to fill in the listeners on what she's doing these days and the life of being a head coach at ERAU. 

Ol' #11 thrilled many a fan with her three-ball efforts during her time as a Cardinal. What got her into coaching? How did she end up in Prescott, AZ? Just a couple of questions we'll ask. IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO ASK B.B....e-mail me or leave it in the comments section. 

Tune in at 11 a.m. for the show Saturday. We do the "Catching Up" sequence at 11:30. It usually takes me 30 minutes to get the cast of knuckleheads in studio with me in some semblance of order, clarity and control in the studio. Usually unsuccessfully. (I wouldn't have it any other way.)  

It's big fun.  Go to www.crescenthillradio.com to see what's happening now! 


paulie
xxxxx

Jared Anderson on U23 squad, Donovan and shoes -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

PLAYING THE GAME, WEARING THE GEAR
 AND BEATING THE WEATHER

The talent of Jeff Walz's squad continues to improve year after year. A pair of women's basketball players have found themselves invited to the 2017 USA Basketball Women's U-23 National Team in Colorado at the end of the month. Asia Durr set a UofL single season record with 119 3-pointers. She posted a team-best 692 points on the year and averaged 19.2 points per game. Asia, who is on the 1000 point club, will return as a junior and we hope she'll remain an offensive powerhouse. Myisha Hines-Allen has played many positions with the Cards. She has battled numerous injuries in her first three years. Myisha posted 17 double-doubles this past season, tying Angel McCoughtry's two-time record. She is also in the top 50 in the country for double-doubles, rebounds, and rebounds per game. 12 of the 40 players invited to the tryouts will make the team. The final squad will face Canada, Australia, and Japan in a round-robin tournament in Tokyo in mid-August. All players must be 23 or younger and coming out of their freshman, sophomore, or junior year in college. Another Cardinal to look for on the team will be head coach Jeff Walz. He will be the captain of this year's team. He was an assistant on the teams from 2014 and 2015 when both squads went undefeated and took home the gold. The men counterparts had some recent news of their own. Donovan Mitchell and adidas have announced a shoe deal. The rookie Utah Jazz player has already shined in the summer league. Imagine the back order of shoes from the Louisville fanbase. My closing remarks for today will be a reminder to keep those air conditioners running and to stay hydrated. The weather continues to get hotter!

David Watson on...Success and UofL women's sports -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

SUCCESS...OBJECTIVE AND DIFFICULT 

Hi, again from the nutty ex-professor living "the dream" (or nightmare) in Florida. It has been awhile since I've been on these pages. A dottering old man can find all kinds of mischief to get into if he applies himself to the task.

I have taken up another hobby beside golf, collecting 8-track tapes, pestering my kids, wondering why I can't grow tomatoes like I used to back in Muncie, IN and keeping a still very interested eye on UofL Athletics. 

Bocci ball. 

Some call it lawn bowling. it is widely known as bocce, too. Some call it croquet without mallets. Some call it a good waste of valuable land property. Whatever you want to call it, I call it a fun way to spend a couple of hours a few times a week. Maybe it's the shuffleboard of this decade for old farts like me but it is challenging and rewarding at times. Or maybe I just like sitting around after a couple of games and sipping wine and beer with the other participants. I play in a men's and mixed league. Maybe with a few under the witness-protection act -- I don't ask a lot of questions. Keep your eyes downfield and develop a strategy, son.

I would not say I am successful at it yet. But, I am fascinated by it to a degree and trying to become proficient at it. I have gotten pretty good at placing the "jack" (smaller ball -- also called a a pallino or boccino) and I am trying to be a valuable team member. 

I'm not a Asia Durr or Myisha Hines-Allen yet. Maybe a Sam Fuehring or Jazmine Jones. Without the strength and speed. It's fun, though and another reason to slip out of the house before my betrothed can find me with her "honey-do" list. Elusiveness suits wide receivers and me quite well, at times.   

I have to say that I am excited about the things I am seeing here at the website. I like the writing styles of Case and Jared and I think they add a valuable emphasis and depth to the already excellent Jeff and Paulie. Keep up the good work guys. You've come a long way and greater things are ahead for you -- of this I have no doubt. You and your rapport on radio is fun and refreshing. A lot better than some of the crap that passes for sports radio down here. 

I read with interest the recent articles on success. I even took time to send Paulie an e-mail and offer my ideas on it. That's what brings me here to these hallowed and respected pages today. He said "Go for it." I think his hip has his interest more than the site or show these days. I can't condemn him for that. Walking? Yeah, that's a pretty valuable commodity and need. 

I am a firm believer in the quotation: 

-- Successful people do what unsuccessful are not willing to do. Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better -- 

I have met a few very successful folks over my years and found that, to a rule, almost, they have been willing to look at things with an objective viewpoint. Instead of "I can't", they say "Let's try." Instead of "impossible" they see "difficult but possibly worth the effort". The will take the road that many don't want to travel. They see the journey as a chance to learn and benefit, not arduous and cumbersome. They caught breaks, sure, but they make a few of their own as well.  

They are willing to go a few steps further. 

I'd like to think I've been moderately successful in my time here on earth. Not a corporate tycoon or Nobel Prize winner, no yacht or hovercraft in the back yard -- but felt I've made the difference for a few in their lives. I've sent my kids to college. I've retired from a very prestigious university. I can still amble the grocery aisles and come back with a lot of stuff originally on the list. I'm nice to waitresses and can routinely whip Joe Hill in golf. 

I have taught, people have learned. They have come back years later and thanked me for what they learned. That is rewarding. It is maybe one of the most simple concepts out there, but one of the most rewarding.

To learn.

Once you close your mind to the concept of learning, of betterment -- that's when you start to die, in my opinion. I try to be open. Sometimes, it is not an easy thing to do. Embracing concepts and ideas that may not correlate with your own is not easy. The thing is, you can always give them a try, a look-see -- and if they aren't meant for you, at least you probably gained from the experience in some way or means. Ignorance is a sin. Apathy is pointless. 

Or: 

It's difficult to remember your initial objective was to drain the swamp when you're up to your ass in alligators but you learned a valuable lesson.   

On success and sports: 

So -- here's what I would consider successful for three of the six UofL women's sports the guys here have been bandying about lately. No offense, Paulie -- but lacrosse and women's soccer just aren't my bag and I just haven't followed them very closely. After being a field hockey parent and watching one of my daughters for 14 years of grade, middle, high school and college field hockey -- I do believe I am worn out on the sport currently and I'm taking some time away from it.  

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL.

Water Under the Bridge

I think the Walz Cards need another Angel or Shoni and a supporting cast to surround one. Is Asia Durr that next-in-succession candidate? I didn't ever think it was Mariya Moore and don't think it's Myisha Hines-Allen. Maybe that player is a year or two away? With those two (Angel and Shoni) the "buck stopped there". Yes, a Final Four is probably needed. Or, at least a better performance than the abysmal performance against Baylor that ended last season. That Louisville team quit. Does Coach Walz need to be off coaching USA squads during the summer when he has a relatively unproven roster of 13 on campus that have never been to a Final Four? I'll trust in his judgement, he knows better than I. He does have good assistants. He needs scorers, rebounders and a leader on the court. Whether he can find them or not is a question some are beginning to ask (again). Never doubt the mad scientist, some say. What has he done lately, though? The golden ring has eluded him.  

VOLLEYBALL

Who knows what changes Dani Busboom Kelly can affect? In horse racing parlance...the breeding looks good, the past performances are impressive and there is talent in the barn. Is there spectacular, though? A Katie George? A Lola Arslanbeckova? I'm willing to give Dani a few years to "build it and see if the wins come." I'd think that a top-four conference finish and a better than .500 mark would be the right steps for 2017. And, an emerging star. Normally, when a program moves from a larger to smaller arena, that's not-so-inspiring. Would the Louisville Bats move to Jim Patterson for the season? Or the Tampa Bay Rays to the USF campus? Or is it a step back before a big step forward? A boutique arena might be trendy, I couldn't say for sure, but if you can play in front of 3000 or 1200, which would you choose? Maybe it was a financial thing. 

Will this bunch eventually become "Kelly's Heroes"? The stopwatch has started and you're under the gun, Dani.  

SOFTBALL

She will be greatly missed

Is the clock starting to wind down on Sandy Pearsall? Or has she been reborn and rejuvenated by a new staff and improved facilities? Fans want to see this team get past a regional, or even to a regional, and they've been waiting for awhile. The ACC is a good, but not great conference. Besides Florida State, there are no perennial powerhouses. So, shouldn't the Softball Cards be able to ascend the ladder to success here rather quickly? A follower of the program for quite a few years who now has retired and lives and resides in Florida offered me this insight. 

"Pearsall's successes started to slide when she lost Carol Bruggermann as an assistant. Those high profile recruits don't walk through those gates at Ulmer like they used to. Maybe Sandy's peaked." 

A struggling infield that can only get better with the return of Melton but also an infield that lost Goetz and Sanabria. Losing McNary's speed and Becker's arm. Who will carry the circle staff besides Hensley, who could be inconstant at times last year? A great pitching staff usually has three great pitchers. Louisville has maybe one very good one and question marks. They have hitting returning. The thing is, pitching wins titles. Coaches go get good and healthy pictures.  

So, dear readers: 

It's been great being with you all again. I catch the radio re-broadcasts and the writings here most everyday. I think what Paulie and the guys have built here is a success. It's been a long time since the days of me, Paulie and Sonja doing the articles here and site has come such a long way. I think the ship is in very good shape and full steam ahead, ladies and gentlemen! Keep representing the fans. Don't let the muckity-mucks bully you. Stay strong and independent. There's a lot of negativity out there about UofL Athletics these days. Continue to be a bright spot! 

In the meantime, Ill be out searching for a little white ball in a glorified cow pasture, tossing a hard plastic ball down a freshly manicured surface as close as I can to a smaller ball or scouring yard sales and flea markets for 8 tracks 16,000 + now and still growing. (From Aardvark to ZZ Top and all artists in between). Maybe I'll open a retail outlet. (Next to Mouseville, of course!) 


Your friend, 

David Watson

A Look at New Pros -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Former Cardinals Doing Well Early

Today's article (which is coincidentally kind of about success) will be pretty short and unfortunately shies away from women's sports. I wanted to peek at how some of our former fan favorites have fared (say that five times fast) in the early stages of their professional careers. This will be brief and there is plenty more out on the internet about more in depth statistics and about the guys I don't mention. With all of our talk about success recently, though, I felt like this would be a good time to talk about former Cardinals we loved getting off to good starts on the road that they hope can lead to success in their respective sport.

We also will point out that, although this is primarily a women's sports site...many women's sports fans at UofL follow the baseball and men's basketball squads. We see many of you at baseball and men's basketball. 

Drew Ellis was drafted 44th overall to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. His pro career started off better than he imagined as he was fully expecting to be sitting around for another 19 picks, where the Boston Red Sox had promised they'd select him. Ellis has since packed his bags and headed to Hillsboro, Oregon to play with the Short A league team there. In eight games, Ellis is hitting .324 with two different 3-hit games. Last night, he hit his first career professional home run. He'll need to knock down the strikeouts (10 in 34 at bats) to be sure, but he seems to be seeing the ball decently well and getting hits when he makes contact. As long as his glove continues to be sure--he's got 0 errors in 17 chances at third base in 53.2 innings--and he continues to improve his hitting, Ellis is probably not long for such a low league.

Ellis's teammate and National Player of the Year, Brendan McKay, has yet to suit up in a professional uniform but he has reportedly seen a victory of his own already. Much ado was made about McKay, the two way star, and how a professional team would be forced to make a decision on how to best utilize his talents. We knew that McKay did not want to be boxed in, and it seems as though the Rays will give him a chance to show all of his talents. Brendan will head to Short A Hudson Valley, where there is a schedule in place for him to be a starter and play first base/designated hitter on some (not all) days that he is not the starting pitcher. There is no word on whether he'll be allowed to hit for himself when he is the pitcher, but this is a major accomplishment nonetheless. Brendan McKay was more than a generational talent at the University of Louisville, and I hope that he gets every opportunity to shine in every way he can at the professional level.

Donovan Mitchell may not have come to the University of Louisville had he pursued baseball, but he did get the chance to throw out a first pitch for the Salt Lake City Bees after being drafted by the Utah Jazz. Mitchell has played in three summer league games so far, scoring 15.3 points per game on 43.9% shooting. He's 5/13 from three, has 10 steals, 10 assists, and only 4 turnovers. He scored 23 in his first game, and he may be best known so far for a fantastic behind-the-back-out-of-bounds-saving assist and for putting Jayson Tatum on his behind with a spin move. Mitchell has clearly impressed the Jazz leadership, as he earned himself a day off last night, presumably so other young Jazz players could get a chance to step out of his shadow and show their stuff. Mitchell has looked nothing but prepared for his transition to the NBA and I'm hopeful that his success continues when the real season rolls around.

He's hardly a new pro, but honorable mention goes to a player that is getting new life in Chinese
basketball. Russ Smith recently signed with a Chinese team and immediately proved that his poor showing in Turkey had more to do with misuse by the team and not a lack of talent. The fact that Russ Smith, who holds the single game scoring record in the D-League, has not been given another opportunity to go wild for an NBA team absolutely baffles me. I seem to see another Russ get to do whatever he wants on the court and receive MVP votes for it. Am I calling Russ Smith as good as Russell Westbrook? No, but it would be hard for you to convince me that Smith could not be a significant bench scorer and defender for an NBA team. By the way, the reason I mentioned Russ is because he's averaging an insane 58.5 points per game through six games on about 50% shooting. He made major headlines when he scored 81 points in his fifth game. It's easy to argue that he's doing this against significantly inferior defensive competition, but it's very challenging to argue against 60 ppg. 

There are many other men and women, a lot that have been mentioned on this site, performing well at the professional level of sports and business and fantastically representing their alma mater. For those who have completed their days at the University of Louisville, I wish them nothing but happiness however they can find it and success in the pursuit of their goals.

Until next time, Go Cards!

-CH-

Success - A Response...SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Ruminations on the Meaning of "Success"

In yesterday's article, Case wrote a fantastic short essay about the nature of Success.  Ok, there was more to it than just a philosophical and epistemological discussion about what "Success" means, but it was definitely an article that made many of us pull up short and think about the meaning of the term.

I couldn't just let the topic go, though, so, on this lazy Sunday morning, I find myself ruminating about some of the ideas, and I'll also share where I agree and disagree with Case on what I would consider a successful season for each of the women's sports teams at UofL.

Sports fans seem to frequently define success as achievements specifically within sports for their team and/or the individuals of that team.  Towards the more reasonable end of the sports fandom spectrum, you'll find fans that see success not just in National Championships, but steps along the way.  It seems pretty rare, in my perception, to find many sports fans that look for success beyond that, and I think that's something of a shame.  Case mentioned Brian Brohm and Luke Hancock.  Brohm is in the coaching staff at Purdue where his brother is head coach, and Luke, after playing limited pro ball suffered a career ending injury and is now a financial advisor.

Of course, my sport of choice is Volleyball, so I'd like to highlight some of the spectrum of success that see coming out of that team over the past years.

Let's look at a few players, and let's start with some of the players that have gone on to play
professional volleyball.  The first that come to mind are Lola Arslanbeckova, and Erin Fairs.  Lola had several years of playing professional volleyball, mostly in Puerto Rico, but has since had a child and is spending some time being a mother.  Where does more success come from there?  I have no children of my own (I have a niece and a nephew, both of whom are absolutely delightful, and I find tremendous joy in being an uncle), but I surely tip my hat to those who chose to have children and raise them well.  That's a contract that's at least a couple of decades long.  Erin Fairs is about to start playing professional volleyball with her 4th team in Romania.  She has already spent time in Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Turkey and has seen a great deal of team success on those teams.  Is there non-sports professional life ahead for Erin?  I have no clue, but from the little I got to know her in her year with the Cardinals, I have little doubt that whatever is ahead for her, it will be able to be described as successful.

But what about some other volleyball players?  Emily Juhl was a great hitter and server for the Cardinals, but chose not to pursue a professional sports career.  Emily is enrolled in the UofL School of Dentistry, and has already had the opportunity to put her developing skills in that field to some charitable use.  You could disagree about how much success she had on the volleyball court at UofL, and what impact she had on the team, though I think, pretty clearly, it would be an disagreement about degree of success, rather than success vs failure.  Clearly, though, she is a success story in what she is doing with her life "post-sports".

Friday, I posted a fun article about Gabbie Wiley playing in a Mud Volleyball tournament back home in Hannibal, MO.  But let's talk a little bit more about Gabbie, not only is she tearing it up as a defensive and serving specialist, but she's been named to pretty much every honor roll list announced for the past couple of years, making (just on a quick check) the Athletic Director Honor Roll at UofL for multiple years, but also the ACC Honor Roll.  Let's remember that she's a pre-med student, while playing D1 varsity Volleyball.  This is not a light workload, by any stretch of the imagination.  I don't expect Gabbie to go play pro volleyball anywhere, but I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who knows this young woman, even to the limited degree that I know her, that would say she is and will be anything but a success.

SUCCESSFUL

Case touched on this idea yesterday, but I want to amplify it a bit.  Let's not just consider success as an on-the-court measure for UofL Sports.  Yes, it's awesome to talk about being the only school to have ever had a Heisman winner and a Golden Glove winner in the same year, and I have no doubt that Lamar Jackson and Brendan McKay will see success in the pro ranks of their respective sports, but lets look beyond that as well.  Let's look at Teddy Bridgewater, who has seen some professional success, but also embodies success just in who he is (just look at the loyalty and admiration he has engendered, even in the pros...where players are thought of even more as commodities to build value for the team - well compensated along the way, to be sure - to be discarded as soon as they are no longer useful).

As much as I love to rip the NCAA as an organization, there is one slogan they have that is good to remember.  "....Most will be going professional in something other than sports."  Let's not shortchange the success to be found there.

What About the Teams, Though?

OK, a couple of quick thoughts about what success will mean for the UofL Women's sports teams this year.

Soccer: Generally agree, here.  Also, I'm not as knowledgable about soccer, so defer quite a bit to Case and Paulie's judgements here.

Field Hockey: Generally agree, again.  Though 5 losses probably doesn't earn you a top 2 spot in the ACC in this sport.

Volleyball: Top 4 in the ACC would be a moderate success for me.  I think this team can win the conference, and I'd like to see them advance to the 2nd weekend of NCAA tournament play.

Basketball: I don't think anything short of a Final Four appearance will be considered a fully successful season for this sport anymore. Top 3 in conference, Elite Eight in NCAA is a good season, though.

Lacrosse: Top 3 in conference is probably good for top 5 in the nation in this sport.  I'd agree with that criteria, but bump up the tournament expectations to a Semi's appearance.

Softball: Top 3 in conference is probably pretty good (I doubt anyone takes FSU out of the top spot if they're half as good as they were this year), and I think a Super Regional appearance that goes 3 games would definitely crown a successful season.

THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

We had a great time in the studio yesterday with Paulie, Worldwide, Case and Jared! A GREAT interview with Asia Taylor, a challenging quiz (for some) and our usual totally irrelevant, off the subject rants and diversions. DID YOU MISS IT?

Not to worry....the replay is HERE

-- JMcA

Success -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

What is Success?

A ride home from work the other day found me listening to a Louisville radio show. The hosts were discussing the desire of professional leagues to see specific players improve parts of their game to make them pros while the college fans of those players just wanted to see them do whatever gave them the best chance to win while still in school. The players are stuck somewhere in the middle of this argument, obviously wanting to be successful in college but also wanting to put themselves in the best position for success in the professional game. This is much more prevalent in a few revenue sports than it is in others where there isn't huge pressure from above to buck a coach's instruction for selfish personal improvement. However, it does beg the question: "How do you, as a fan, define success?"

There are multiple types of success in my opinion. I view team success as getting wins, both in the regular and post seasons. Individual success includes not getting in trouble, performing well academically, receiving individual honors, and succeeding in the professional ranks. There are many who do not care about individual success. Obviously a Heisman Trophy and having the most decorated player in college baseball history are exceptions, but some fans do not care about the names on the back of the jerseys. They may as well be playing the old NCAA sports games; the players likenesses are unique, but they're really just guys running out there with the team. Then there are those on the opposite end of the spectrum, for whom success in the professional ranks defines a player's legacy despite what the did in college. Many detract from players like Brian Brohm and Luke Hancock because they did not shine at the professional level, despite the fact that their two programs would not be in such a position today without those two guys.

In addition to the various types of success, there are levels to success. If a team fails to win a championship every year, is that team unsuccessful? Many fans on Seattle Seahawks blogs would have you believe that is the case. But there can only be one team champion in any given sport in any year. How far into the NCAA tournament is a successful basketball season? Is making the postseason an accomplishment for the women's soccer team or an expectation? The varying levels of success that different athletic teams have within the same program we cheer for make it hard to temper our expectations for one group while keeping excitement high and expecting the most for others. Many of us fans fall into the trap of seeing Team A repeat success over and over again while watching Team B struggle. We become cynical about Team B, not recognizing the differences in the landscapes of the programs. 

This season, we will see the same varying types and levels of success at the University of Louisville we always do. Teams will exceed expectations, while others fall short. Individuals will amass honors in some fashion and others will watch as their name isn't called. Some players will jump ship and see what the professional landscape holds. Others will graduate and look for a job in their field, a different type of success entirely. Yahoo recently ranked UofL Athletics as the 28th best overall program out of the power five conferences. The blurb about the Cards said that the program was on the rise, and I find myself agreeing. If a few more teams can pull out the championships they so desperately desire, the Cards will see themselves climb this list. 

So how do you define success? Sound off in the comments about what you consider to be a successful season for a Louisville Cardinals team. Does Donovan Mitchell going in the lottery add to the success of the men's basketball season? What about 8 baseball players drafted? Do they take the sting out of an Omaha loss a bit? As a fan of both college and professional sports, I find myself stuck in the middle on a lot of these questions. For the sake of Cardinal Couple, though, I will focus on what I would consider a success for a few women's teams. If these teams don't achieve these marks, I wouldn't consider them disappointments necessarily. Getting close but not achieving my goals would be a scratch, falling apart completely would be a disappointment. 

Soccer: 12 regular season wins; advance to second round in ACC tournament; NCAA appearance

Field Hockey: No more than 5 regular season losses; top 2 in ACC; quarterfinals in NCAA (stretch goal: win the NCAA Championship at home)

Volleyball: finish top 4 in ACC; advance to second round in NCAA tournament 

Basketball: Top 3 in conference; Elite Eight (basketball is one of the toughest to set goals for, in my opinion)

Lacrosse: Top 3 in conference; quarterfinals in NCAA tournament

Softball: Top 3 in conference; win a game in the regional round of the NCAA tournament

I have high expectations for many of these teams in the ACC because I believe Louisville is near the top of the ACC as an overall program. I would go so far to say that continued success across all sports puts Louisville in the top 2 in the conference. As such, I expect teams to show that in their conference standings. I also believe that successful seasons end with at least appearances in NCAA tournaments, even if you bow out early. Like I said, there can only be one champion. I've had my take, now have yours. Let me know where you think I've expected too much or too little from a team. I'm genuinely interested in hearing what you all consider a successful season!

The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

Today's show features a return of the fearsome foursome to the studio. Paulie, Worldwide, Jared, and I will take our seats and ramble on for an hour about whatever it is we can think of. As mentioned yesterday, we'll have an exclusive interview with Asia Taylor on today's show that you won't want to miss. Tune into WCHQ at 11AM to hear all of the shenanigans. The show can be found at 100.9 FM if you're in the Crescent Hill area, on the free WCHQ app, or on the Crescent Hill Radio website. 

Until next time, Go Cards!

-CH-