Thursday Cardinal Couple -- Collins, Fowler named All-Americans

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Tori Collins, Taner Fowler named Softball All-Americans


-"My Favorite Cardinal Womens Sports Moments" -- Arthur Albiero


Congratulations to senior pitcher Tori Collins and sophomore designated player Taner Fowler on their selection to the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association All-American third team. 

A total of 54 players from 33 different schools have earned the honor of being selected to one of the three teams. The selections were made by NFCA member coaches from each region. 


Collins went 25-2 for Louisville this season and had a 1.30 ERA. She fanned 186 batters in 179.1 innings. She finished her career at Louisville third on the schools all-time list for strikeouts (590), wins (86) and saves (10). She also had 23 career shutouts, fourth best in Cardinal softball history.

Fowler batted .366 for the Cards in 60 games and led Louisville with 12 home runs and 52 RBI's. In addition to her designated hitter role, she also spent time at catcher for Sandy Pearsall's squad. 


Louisville finished the season with a 55-5 record, the most wins ever for a Cardinal softball team. They were also the BIG EAST regular season and tournament champions. 

Nevins and USF survived the
Super Regionals

Previous Cardinals selected for All-American honors are Lacy Wood (2006), Kristen Wadwell (2009) and Melissa Roth (2009-2010). 


Other BIG EAST players making the 2012 All-American Teams were Sara Nevins (USF), Amy Buntin (Notre Dame), Kirstin Verdun (DePaul) and Jenna Caira (Syracuse). 


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We are starting a feature called..."My Favorite Cardinal Womens Sports Moments." In it, we'll profile the favorite sports moments from coaches, ex-players, fans and other people connected to the University of Louisville sports programs. 

Arthur (right) with Ron Mann. Jeff Walz and Jan Karzan

We kick this feature off with Arthur Albiero, the head Men's and Women's Swimming Coach at UofL.  Arthur is in his ninth year as the head coach of UofL swimming. The Cards won both men's and women's BIG EAST Championship titles in the 2010-11 season and the women repeated again in 2011-12. 


Here's his favorite Cardinal Womens Sports moment:

"Sophomore swimmer Gisselle Kohoyda (Midland, MI) finishes fourth in the 200 yard breaststroke at the Women's NCAA Championships !!...leads team to NCAA top 25, along with two-peat BIG EAST Championship team title." 


More on her outstanding feat can be found at the link below.


Gisselle gets fourth


Thanks to Arthur for sharing this moment in UofL Womens Sports history!


If you'd like to share your favorite Cardinal Womens Sports Moment with us, e-mail us at:


cardinalcouple@insightbb.com




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Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Women capture six out of ten BIG EAST titles

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Louisville's success in 2011-12 fueled by six women's sports titles. 


-More sword rattling.

The University of Louisville led the BIG EAST during the 2011-12 athletic season with 10 titles. Six of those belonged to womens' sports programs on campus: Softball (regular season and tournament), Volleyball, Soccer, Swimming and Diving and Track and Field. 

Football, Baseball, Men's Basketball and Men's Tennis were the other four title winners. The titles include regular season and tournament wins...as well as ties and co-champion honors.


Coming in second was Notre Dame with eight. 


Schools departing the conference didn't fare nearly as well. WVU (headed to the BIG 12) captured three titles. Syracuse (ACC) had four and Pittsburgh (ACC) zero. Good luck down the road. Maybe an easier conference will get you a few more trophies. 

Certainly a leverage point for Louisville to use in further BIG EAST plans...one would think. Also a bargaining chip in any possible UofL plans to seek a new conference home.   

The Ladybirds and Cardinal cheer-leading squads have also racked up numerous national awards over the years. No official BIG EAST Competition in those two events...but we know who the odds-on favorite would be if there were. 


Over the next several years the landscape of the BIG EAST will change considerably. New additions, new division alignments, new venues to visit and new challenges for the Cardinal athletes to overcome. 

IF, of course, the Cards are still part of the BIG EAST.


So how do the womens' teams look for 2012-13? 

Basketball under Jeff Walz will be powerful as usual. With graduation affecting both Notre Dame and Connecticut, the Cards could become major contenders to vye for a title. Softball returns all but three players from the regular season and tournament  title team. Sandy Pearsall will have them ready to hit, pitch and run. Volleyball will be strong again as Anne Kordes starts to put her brand on the program and returns several key players from last year. 

Soccer will be a contender in their division again and with WVU leaving, could be the favorite in the tournament. Swimming and diving is loaded again with talent and the track and field program with their strong throws contingent will look for their sixth straight BIG EAST title. 

Field Hockey is steadily growing with new coach Justine Sowry and new players. Lacrosse underwent a transition year and will return with more experience and strength in the highly competitive BIG EAST. Golf has several talented sophomores returning and tennis should continue to improve under Mark Beckham's guidance. Rowing finished third this year in the BIG EAST Tournament. Cross Country was 11th this year but a talented class of freshmen and returnees should improve those numbers. 


All in all, should be another exciting season for womens sports at UofL. Maybe the guys will eventually catch up with the Cardinal women...anyone up for another six-pack of titles for the ladies? 


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Those crazy Wildcats. 

Joker Phillips, head football coach at UK, has mentioned that if the SEC goes to a nine-game SEC football schedule -- that the Cats might have to consider dropping "that school to the west" from their schedule.


Open mouth, insert foot.


Do you really want to draw a line through the team that produced your highest attendance figure for your home games, El Joke-o? Maybe he's getting tired of all the "jokes" about Bobby Petrino buying a home in Lexington. Maybe he sees the growth of the UofL football program under Charlie Strong compared to the stagnation occurring with UK football with him at the helm. UK is ninth currently in SEC home football game attendance. These aren't the Tim Couch years, are they?  


The "Coach Kragjoker" moniker that has been making the rounds lately might be a bit too harsh...no one destroys a program better that the former UofL football coach...but the confidence level in UK gridiron concerns has plummeted since Mel Brooks left the keys to the program in Joker's basket. 


First off, chances are that the SEC won't go to nine conference games. Secondly, we understand that you are on the "hot seat" at UK. But, finally...do you really want your non-conference schedule to consist with the Norfolk State's, Bowling Green's and Ed's School of Barbering and Pedicures of the world? The fans may never leave the Harrodsburg Rd. tailgate area. 

Then, John Calipari is proposing a sports triple-header for the Cats at a dome somewhere. Football, men's hoops and ladies' hoops. 


Can't wait to see the ticket prices on that one if it ever happens. " Sir, your request for a UK Sporting Event loan has been approved! "   


How about a triple-header with UK women's soccer, volleyball and softball? Or rowing, lacrosse and rifle? 


It boggles the mind, sometimes...


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Tuesday Cardinal Couple - Where are they now?

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-We catch up on six former Cardinal foes.


With the WNBA in full swing now, we were looking at some highlights from games over the past few days and the questions arose about some of the foes that used to play against Louisville over the last few years and if they were in the WNBA.

We started our search with an easy one. Former Connecticut star Tiffany Hayes is playing on Angel's team...the Atlanta Dream. We saw some clips of the Dream's loss to the Fever on Sunday and Hayes appears to have lost none of the swagger and bravado that she had with the Huskies. She and Stefanie Dolson didn't have the best games in the KFC YUM! Center when they visited during the winter...but it was a UConn win. Dolson's going to miss Hayes when the 2012-13 version of the Huskies take the court.

Next on our magical player discovery tour was April Sykes. Besides sharing our last name, we watched her career at Rutgers over her four years with interest and saw her turn into a very good player after some rough earlier years. Still remember her uncalled for "enforcer" tactics in the KFC YUM! as a junior at the end of Rutgers' loss to the Cards. Friends of ours who follow the Rutgers program tell us she gained a lot more maturity and level-headedness as a senior. She's switched coasts...playing for the LA Sparks now. 

We followed the career of Natalie Novosel early on...starting with her days of high school ball at Lexington Catholic. Novosel was a key component at Notre Dame all four years that she toiled for Muffett McGraw. Her final appearance in the KFC YUM! Center was less than spectacular...Notre Dame won but a post game press conference revealed "Double N" was suffering from flu-like symptoms and allergy problems. Natalie is in our nation's capitol now...pounding the hardwood for the Washington Mystics. Skylar Diggins is going to miss the punch that Novosel and Devereaux Peters provided with Irish with last year...

Keisha Hampton had a fantastic collegiate career with Doug Bruno and the DePaul Blue Demons until injury cut her senior year short. She had a way of dominating the Lady Cards inside and was part of the injury train that went off the tracks for Bruno's ballers last season...leaving him with just seven bodies for the BIG EAST schedule. 


She was drafted 23rd in the WNBA draft by Seattle but didn't make the final roster cut. 

We also checked out a couple of players who made things rough for the Lady Cards from a couple of seasons ago. Although Hampton isn't going sleepless in Seattle, Victoria Dunlap is. 


She was the undersized center that over-performed during her years at UK. Hated it when she played the Lady Cards, but we did like watching her go up against SEC opponents for the Cats. She's on a Seattle Storm roster that looks awfully strong this season and teamed up with former Vol Shennika Strickland and powerhouse Lauren Jackson. 

We also wondered where Cardinal-killer Courtney Vandersloot ended up. We'll remember for a long time the whipping she and her Gonzaga teammates put on the Cards early in the regional match-up a couple of years ago...and the furious rally that Louisville mustered to get back in the game. Vandersloot has left the Pacific Northwest and taken her game to the Chicago Sky roster. 

Which Cardinals will we be tracking several years from now in the WNBA? We're confident Angel will still be wrecking havoc on opponents. We'd like to see Monique Reid get the chance to test her inside-scoring proficiency against some of the front-liners on the next level. Can "Sho-time" Schimmel take her magic act to the WNBA and have success with it? Will Becky Burke have success in the European leagues and maybe catch the eye of a WNBA team that needs a long-range specialist? 


Who do you think might be introduced as a ex-Cardinal and current WNBA player down the road?  


Maybe we can get Walz to lobby for a Louisville WNBA franchise, trade for Angel, add C.B. and staff the rest of the team with Lady Cards. It'd liven up the summer months around here...and we have no doubt that filling the lower bowl in the KFC YUM! would be no problem with (what to call our imaginary team?)...


The Louisville Lasers?
The Kentucky Fillies?


Nice mind-wandering on a rainy Tuesday morning...have a great day everybody!
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Memorial Day

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Memorial Day Tribute


-McCoughtry strikes again


-Fever dispose of Dream 78-62






WE GIVE YOU THIS TOUCHING VIDEO AS WE CELEBRATE 2012 MEMORIAL DAY.  IT IS A CELEBRATION...A CELEBRATION OF THOSE WHO HAVE DEFENDED AND STILL DEFEND OUR NATION. THE LIVES LOST AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP AMERICA AS "THE LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF THE BRAVE" SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. 


THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR NATION'S ARMED FORCES. 


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We recently ran an article about A. McCoughtry winning at Belmont Race Track. Yesterday, at Churchill Downs, McCoughtry entered the gate for the sixth race at Churchill at odds of 34-1. A definitive longshot, she broke from the gate  in mid-pack, stayed in touch with the leading horses and when asked by jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr....responded by moving to second place....where she finished. Although she was two lengths back of the winner, Dad's Shooting Star...McCoughtry rewarded backers by paying $18.40 to place and $9.80 to show. This "McCoughtry" wasn't a Rick Pitino owned entry. He might investigate into trying to buy her, though...knowing Rick.  


A. McCoughtry, McCoughtry, Fly Angel Fly, Angel's Dream...just several of the horses out there that have been named for or refer to #35. 


And, they've been having some success lately.


A $2 exacta box on McCoughtry, favorite and race winner Dad's Shooting Star and Why Izzy Why with track hero Calvin Borel on board cost $12. The payout yesterday was $102.00. Not a bad return on investment. 


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The human Angel and the Atlanta Dream finished second yesterday too. Indiana beat them for the second time this season, this time at Atlanta, 78-62. 

Angel scored 21 points and suffered a strained muscle in her left leg during the second quarter. It was right about the time that the Fever were making a 16-2 run to take the lead -- a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the game. 

Indiana used double and triple teams on McCoughtry to slow the Dream offensive attack down. That, and Angel's injury proved effective for the Fever. 


Tamika Catchings, who...it seems like...has been in the WNBA for 30 years...led the Fever in scoring.  


A lack of punch from the Atlanta bench -outscored 26-2 by Indiana - helped give the Dream their second loss of the season. Plenty of time left in the season...but the Dream and the Fever face six times this year. Not a good thing.  
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Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Six UofL Womens Track & Field Athletes qualify for NCAA Championships

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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Abdullah, Okoro headline list of UofL women headed to NCAA Championships


-Softball: Elite Eight almost set


Six UofL womens track and field athletes have qualified for the NCAA Championships that will be held June 6-9 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, IA. 


Here's the list:


Khadija Abdullah - Shot Put
Chinwe Okoro - Shot Put
Holly Knight - 10,000 meter run
Michelle Theophille - High Jump
Maggie Gilbertson - High Jump
Charachesicia Lockhart - Long Jump, Triple Jump

Lockhart will participate in two
events in the NCAA Championships

The Cards won the BIG EAST Championships earlier this month and almost had another athlete qualify yesterday for the NCAA Championship...Amashi Kendall just falling short of a qualifying throw in the hammer. 


The athletes who participate in track and field events at UofL, as well as other Universities, rarely get the recognition and coverage that players in football and basketball do. Their efforts, though, are just as dedicated and the practice hours they spend equal those of the hardwood and gridiron performers. 


Best of luck to the UofL participants in the NCAA. Six entries! Keep up the great work, Ron Mann! 


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Now that Louisville's softball season has ended, interest in the sport on the college level has dropped off somewhat locally...but 16 teams advanced to the Super Regionals and have made or are making their bid to be one of the eight that get to the Womens College World Series in Oklahoma City, OK. 

Bulls advance to Okla. City

From the BIG EAST, South Florida has punched their ticket to the "elite eight"...eliminating Hofstra in the Super Regionals two games to one. All three games had the same score...2-1. Sara Nevins, who had trouble against the Cards in the regular season and in the BIG EAST Tournament, back to her old form inside the circle.


Other schools who have made reservations for rooms so far in Oklahoma City:


Alabama (knocked off Michigan, who beat Louisville)
Arizona State
Oklahoma
Oregon


Three more could qualify today. Cal needs to beat Washington to advance. Same for LSU, who plays Missouri and Tennessee could secure a slot by beating Georgia today. If LSU, Cal and UT lose, it goes to game three in the best-of-three format. 

Haylie Wagner's pitching stymied Louisville
but couldn't get Michigan past Alabama.

Three PAC 12 schools, a possible three SEC schools, one from the BIG 12 and one from the BIG EAST. Those who clamor for a Cardinal move to the BIG 12 can't help but believe that the overall competition would be stronger, year in and year out...but for this season...each school has a representative in the final dance. 
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Saturday Cardinal Couple -- A McCoughtry wins twice on Friday

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SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Atlanta Dream defeats New York Liberty


-A McCoughtry wins at Belmont


A unique double yesterday in the world of sports. Trainer James Jerkins took Rick Pitino's filly A McCoughtry to Belmont Race Course and she won the second race of the day. The WNBA's New York Liberty traveled from the home of Belmont Race Course to Atlanta and fell to A. McCoughtry and the Atlanta Dream 100-74. 

As for the thoroughbred A McCoughtry, she broke alertly from the starting gate, had some early bumping issues with race favorite Jova Real, but got to the lead and went wire-to-wire on the sloppy track conditions to win the $75,000 maiden special weight race for 3 year old and up fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles. Kinda like the hoops Angel, a claim of foul was lodged against her for the start of the race bumping...but it was disallowed and the order of the finish remained the same. (We know our #35 never fouls, right?) 


She was ignored by the bettors, going off at 14-1 and returning $28.20 to win. It is her first win in three lifetime races and the furthest distance she's been asked to run in her short racing career. 


Rick always likes to point out he tries to get his basketball players in the best condition possible so they can compete in games. Looks like some of his teachings have worn off on his three year old filly. 


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The Atlanta Dream got 23 points, seven assists, six steals and five rebounds from Angel McCoughtry yesterday in a 100-74 win over the New York Liberty in WNBA action. The Dream were tightly locked into battle with the Liberty in the first quarter at 18-16...but went on a 10-2 run and never looked back. 


Atlanta is now 1-1 on the season and the Liberty drop to 0-4. 


A great day for the McCoughtry's!  We wonder, though...how the Pitino McCoughtry would look driving down the lane to hit a jumper or how Angel would have handled the sloppy surface at Belmont yesterday. 


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WE hope everyone has a safe, successful and fun Memorial Day holiday. WE also hope you remember why we have this holiday and join us in paying respect and saying "Thank You" to those who have served and given their lives for our country and those who still serve to keep us safe. 

Sometimes, we complain about the way things are in our economy and in our lives. We are living in a country here in America where we still have our basic freedoms, no tyranny and no civil wars. We have soldiers and sailors dedicated to defending those things and serving each day to protect us. 


To my Uncle Martin, who died at Pearl Harbor, my father who served in WW II and in Korea, my wife and my friends who have served...thank you and God Bless You. 


I'd have no qualms or hesitations, either...about defending my country in any way they needed me to again. I'm able to sit here in front of my computer, sip coffee and listen to the birds chirping and see the sun beginning to rise without the fear of bombs exploding around me or soldiers storming down my street in combat. I appreciate that.

Our friend Norma and her brother Ron served our
country. Thank you! 

Whether it's a backyard cookout, trip and travel, a visit to the cemetery  or just enjoying an extra day off work...have a great weekend, everybody! Locally, it's supposed to be a scorcher here. 


-- Paul, Sonja, David, Jenny, Sandra and the staff chimps.



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Pearsall to be inducted into Cradle of Coaches...Harrington headed to South Dakota...

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Sandy Pearsall to be inducted to Miami Cradle of Coaches Association


-Ex-WBB Harrington headed to South Dakota


Miami University (OH) has the nickname "the Cradle of Coaches" because of the many coaches in numerous sports that got their start with the RedHawks and went on to bigger jobs and national recognition.


The names Weeb Eubank, Woody Hayes, Paul Brown, Bill Mallory, Walter Alston and Ara Parseghian are just a few of the many individuals who used Miami as a proving ground before becoming highly noted and respected coaches in football, baseball and other sports. 


Add Sandy Pearsall to that august and distinguished fraternity. 

She and four other inductees will be the 2012-13 class and honored during Miami's football game vs. Massachusetts on Saturday, Sept 22 before being inducted during a dinner that evening. 


The Cradle of Coaches Association was established in 1971 to acknowledge the role Miamians have played in establishing Miami University as the Cradle of Coaches.

Coach Pearsall spent six years (1992-98) as the head softball coach of the RedHawks. At Miami, she coached nine All-MAC players and 16 Academic All-MAC students. She left the Oxford, Ohio school to begin Louisville softball from scratch. In her thirteen years as Cardinal skipper, she is 506-261 and taken the Cards to nine straight NCAA appearances. She and the staff were the BIG EAST Softball Coaches of the Year in the 2012 season and she has led Louisville to five conference titles in C-USA and the BIG EAST.


Congratulations, Sandy! 


Keep on, keeping on...


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Former Louisville WBB player Polly Harrington is on the move again. She's leaving Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS. to play ball and attend classes at the University of South Dakota.


South Dakota women's basketball coach Ryun Williams had this to sign about Polly: 

"Polly is a really neat young lady and a player with a very good skill set. She is a very physical and strong player inside and also has a great feel for playing on the perimeter. Her versatility will fit in nicely with our system. Polly comes from one of the best junior colleges in the country and she has been extremely well-coached during her time at JCCC."


She joins four other players as Coyote recruits for the 2012-13 season. USD was 23-8 last year and got to the second round of the WNIT before losing to Colorado. She'll have two year of eligibility with the Coyotes.  


Four days ago, Williams announced he was leaving the Coyotes and taking the head coaching job at Colorado State.


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Walton is a 6'2" forward

Jody Demling is reporting on his Courier-Journal recruiting blog that 2013 WBB signee Cortnee Walton and her parents will leave from Carefree, AZ and travel to Springfield, MO to meet up with fellow 2013 WBB signee Megan Deines and her family for a few days before the girls head to Louisville. 

Deines is a 5'11" guard

Seems they've become fast friends since they decided to attend Louisville. Deines visited Walton earlier this year in Arizona. 


They join a Cardinal WBB squad that looks to be the deepest, most talented and skilled since Angel and Candyce's senior season. 

Hoops are less than six months away. The girls are working hard with individual instructions, conditioning, strengthening, pick up games and some are attending summer classes as well.


You can read Jody's article about the Missouri Express that'll be steamrolling into the Derby City on his blog site at the Courier-Journal.   


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Thursday Cardinal Couple - Jasmine, Angel and Asia

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Asia and Co. at it again


-Smithson-Willett ready to re-stock Cards pitching staff. 


-WNBA, Angel off and running


-Paulie encounters the "man".


The avant-garde film crew of Asia Taylor, Shoni Schimmel, Antonita Slaughter and Sherrone Vails have released another foray into the world of video journalism. Their latest effort takes them grocery shopping. 


Sonja would agree..lots of fiber. 


Click the link below to observe the trip:


Let's Go Krogering !

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Louisville softball is losing Tori Collins to graduation and the teaching profession. One of the incoming freshman stands ready make her claim for that spot in the pitching rotation for Sandy Pearsall. 


Meet Jasmine Smithson-Willett. 


The righty from Lake Elsinore, CA played for the Lakeside Lancers in high school and it took only one visit to Louisville to convince her that it was the place for her. 

"My first and only visit was to Louisville. They say when you know, you know. I knew. It was everything I could hope for in a college. The dorms, the facilities and the dream field. After my tours and getting to know the school, I knew I had found my new home. All the coaches and players made me feel welcome and that's when I decided I would not want to be anywhere else." 


Smithson complied a 15-10 record her senior year at Lakeside...with a 1.21 ERA, in 151.2 innings. She struck out 146 batters. Pitching isn't her only strong suit, though. She also batted .520 for the Lancers and led the team in hits (41), runs (31) RBI's (31) and home runs (9). 

The Lancers lost in the CIF playoffs in the first round 7-1...a off-day for Smithson on the mound...but it looks like Louisville is getting a good one in her. 


Sandy Pearsall had a lot of success with three pitchers available to her this season and it looks like that trend will continue for 2013. We've even heard that junior Jordan Trimble has a heck of an arm from inside the circle...so the Cards appear to be in good shape with Caralisa Connell and Chelsea Leonard returning. Leonard's knees have to be of some concern, obviously, but with a few months off and some healing and rehab...we're hoping she'll be effective again next spring. 


A great link on Jasmine below:


From Alaska to Lakeside


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The WNBA is off and running and Louisville's Angel McCoughtry had 26 points in the Atlanta Dream's 92-84 loss to the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis Saturday night. 


The Dream return five players from last year's roster besides Angel. Erika de Souza, Lindsey Harding, Sancho Lyttle, Courtney Paris and Armintie Price are back. Atlanta picked up Tiffany Hayes and Aneika Henry in the WNBA draft and added Laurie Koehn, Cathrine Kraayeveld, Yelena Leuchanka and Ketia Swanier in the off-season. 


Atlanta hosts the New York Liberty next, on Friday night and had six of their next eight games at home. 


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"Get out of the car, sir and put your hands on the hood"

Not a great way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. 


But, I complied. Never knew that playing Tommy by The Who could get you in trouble. But, there I was, being search and going through a subsequent vehicle search as a suspect in an attempted food mart robbery.  

When the lights came on behind me, I pulled over. Knew I wasn't speeding (Roger Daltry could attest to that) and hadn't been crossing the yellow line. 


A few nervous minutes later, all was revealed to me. Suspect leaving a botched hold-up attempt was seen departing in a silver sedan. 


Yep, not many of them out there...that's for sure. I probably drive the only one.  


The officer and I chatted by the side of the road. We discussed where I'd been, who I work for and why I was a white male with facial hair. We didn't get around to the Lady Cards, global warming or why the Bulls faltered in the NBA playoffs. These things I had a definite opinion on. 


Case of mistaken identity. Released with a apology and handshake. Would have rather had a burger and milkshake. Drove off a little shaken and relieved.


I doubt they would have allowed me to take my lap-top to county lockup. And, two straight days of Watson on Cardinal Couple would consist of severe punishment for our dear readers. 


Just another tricky day. Right, Roger?


Just Another Tricky Day


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Wednesday Cardinal Couple - Watson writes.

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Watson on Derby, Cardinal Softball and poor ol' T.O.


(We turn today's CARDINAL COUPLE over to the questionable hands of David Watson. We'll probably regret it...but when he looks at us with those baby blues and his lower lip starts quivering...oh, snap! Here's David...)

First of all, the brain-trust of Cardinal Couple (yes, I'm referring to Sonja) are going to change it up a bit in June. No, they're not retreating to a monastery (imagine Paul with monks) or devoting daily coverage to Catholic league softball -- Instead, the other assorted writers and I here at C.C. will have a day at-bat each week on the site. I chose Monday. I understand that they'll probably run reader-submitted articles on Friday and UK head Basketball Coach John Calipari is writing on Sunday. 


OK, I'm kidding about Calipari. 

"Where's my S'mores!" 

The plan is to do this merry rotation through June and July. In August, I've suggested we all gather for a big barbecue in Hartford, Connecticut and sing campfire songs with Stefanie Dolson and the UConn women's basketball players and coaches. I'm not cooking. Someone has to watch Paul and make sure he doesn't try to sneak off into the woods with Chris Dailey. 


AND THEY'RE OFF! 


So, how many tickets does the governor of Kentucky need for the Kentucky Derby? 360, it appears. Ethics tossed aside, some of Beshear's biggest contributors are getting to spend Derby and Oaks on Millionaires Row at Churchill by buying tickets from the "gov". 


My guess is that state senator David Williams probably wasn't on the list. 


And guess who got 40 of these for the Oaks? Why, no other than "Guv's" son Andy -- an attorney with Stites & Harbison. 

Gov "B" searches the bricks
at Churchill for Paulie and a
little trifecta advice. 

The attendees are, at least, paying for the tickets. $773 each for Millionaires Row. My oldest daughter made $750 last month, working part-time. She didn't get an invite to Churchill. I would have tossed in the extra $23.


Whether she'd been safer in the infield or with the lobbyists, glad-handers and people seeking recognition and reward on the sixth floor is anybody's guess.


It's the same old "politics as usual". 


Looks like someone in the Commonwealth enjoys gambling. Just as long as it isn't in one of those dreaded casinos. 


As John Steffen, current executive director of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, said:


"...The use of tickets for economic development purposes is advantageous to the commonwealth but those allocated for political supporters would not be."


I wonder if any of them had I'll Have Another across the board? I have no doubts that "I'll have another" was a popular statement those two days. 


POOR,POOR PITIFUL ME


Let's all gather our nickles and dimes and send them to NFL Football great Terrell Owens. Seems that the $80 million or so he earned running around in a helmet is all gone. Vanished like a "fart in the wind" , I suppose. 

Won't you help us
help Terrell ?

Really? $80 million? OK. I guess taxes got around 20% or so of it. I doubt the rest went to feeding starving Ethiopian children, finding a cure for cancer or eliminating poverty in America. 


A fair amount of us will make, conservatively -- a little over a million and a half dollars if we work 35-40 years and retire at 65. We hope to maybe have a little nest egg to supplement our Social Security benefits. 


I'm going to set aside some loose change for T.O., though. The thought of him having to clip coupons, buy suits "off the rack" and prowl the aisles at Wal-Mart like you and me is just too much to bear. 


"For love of the game". A phrase that nowhere near describes the jaundiced excess of overpaid, fool-on-a-holiday professional athletes these days. Good money flushed down the toilet by pampered prima-donnas.


Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Stan Musial. These men were true heroes. The Terrell Owens, Ocho-Whatever and LeBron "Shames" of today's sports news are weak imitators.   


Tell me that I'm not "up with the times". Tell me that I don't understand the modern-day psyche of the professional athlete. Fine. Whatever. 


I do understand $80 million bucks, though, and going from $80 million to zero is not trendy, hip or 21st. century.


It's stupid.


THOSE AMAZING CARDINALS


55-5. The job that Sandy Pearsall and her softball team did this season is almost beyond description. 

I was talking with our fearless leader Paul the other night and he was telling me of an interview he did with "Coach P." shortly before the season began. She spoke of having to replace the left side of her infield after the graduation of Colby Wherry and Chelsea Bemis. She also mentioned that she put the two out there as freshmen and they played together at short and third for four straight years. 


She worried about the strong returning teams at South Florida and DePaul. She was almost thankful that the Cards didn't have to play Notre Dame or Syracuse during the regular season.


She had nothing to worry about, it turns out.


It looked like it was deja-vu all over again. Freshmen Whitney Arion and Kayla Soles spent a lot of time together this year over on that left side. Add a sophomore second baseman, sophomore catcher, and just one senior fielder and pitcher in the starting lineup this year and the future does look very promising for the gang of ladies that play next to I-65.


The energy and enthusiasm of the softball unit is heartwarming. These girls have no long term professional contracts waiting for them after college ball, most of you wouldn't recognize them if they walked by you in the Oxmoor Mall or pulled up next to you at the gas pumps at Speedway -- but they energized a campus and fan base this spring and summer like they were rock stars or Hollywood starlets. 


I wish I would have been a part of that 3000+ crowd Saturday night at Ulmer Stadium that saw them take Kentucky down for the third time this season. I was there via TV, though, and you could feel the electricity surging in the crowd through the set. 


Keep it going in 2013, Cardinal fans. And, thank you Whitney, Maggie, Tori, Caralisa, Jordan, Taner, Alicja, Katelyn, Jennifer, "Linnie", Hannah, Kristin, Katie, Kayla, Tesha, Kirsten, Trista, Chrisanna, the staff and coaches for bringing so much enjoyment and pleasure to the UofL fan base. 


I saw Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle hit home runs years ago. I think I enjoyed the ones that Jordan Trimble and Alicja Wolny hit over the last couple of weeks just as much.


Have a great Wednesday, everybody!  


-David Watson


( We can tell you that the blast by Trimble to beat the Irish is one of our top three moments in Cardinal Sports for 2012. Thanks for the memories, ladies... and thank you to David for today's articles. ) 
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