Tuesday Cardinal Couple -- It's Caravan Time

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Caravan rolls starting today

Irv, Peggy, Tia and Sonja from last year's Caravan

It's time for the annual Cardinal Caravan to kick into gear. This event hits five cities this year in three days and offers Cardinal fans a great opportunity to see UofL coaches, players, cheerleaders, LadyBirds, Louie and get UofL gear and season ticket information.

The Louisville stop, which will be held at Captain's Quarters off River Rd. tonight, is the largest of the five stops. UofL requested that you make reservations for these stops because of capacity planning. I doubt they'll show you the door, however, if you show up unannounced and un-reserved.

We hope Anne Kordes is there this year...

The Cardinal Caravan crew kicks it off in Bardstown, KY. today at Kreso's Restaurant (218 N. 3rd St) at 11:45 a.m.

Never been there, but they tell me it's nice. Things get underway at Captain's Quarters at 6:30 p.m. You might want to arrive early to get a seat on the lawn and eat a little something.

Here's the other stops:

Wednesday, June 5th

12:45 p.m.   Bowling Green   SKyPAC  601 College St.
5:30 p.m.   Lexington  Grand Reserve  901 Manchester

Thursday, June 6th

6 p.m.   Shelbyville  Fairgrounds Pavillion  1513 Midland Trail

No southern Indiana stop this year...which is a bit surprising. We know of a lot of UofL fans across the bridges.

Last year's event was a great time and long lines formed to get autographs from Gorgui Dieng and Peyton Siva. We got to talk to Louisville WBB star Tia Gibbs for awhile and she posed for a picture with Sonja. We also got to talk to several coaches, including baseball's Dan McDonnell, who introduced us to five freshman. Baseball doing pretty well this year, headed to Nashville for the Super Regionals.

Poobah Al Parrish will be there. MArky MArk doubtful.

About the only bad thing that happened last year was the incredible thunderstorm that rolled up the Ohio River as the event was ending. We waited it out under the tents they set up on the lawn. They do have beverages and food for purchase...so it isn't a spartan-type affair.

Tom Jurich and Rick Pitino are scheduled to appear. We suspect there will be many more UofL coaches than that in attendance. Last year, Sandy Pearsall was there also. Our guess is Jeff Walz will be present, too...if he's not out recruiting. Julie Hermann? Probably not...

I suppose my favorite Cardinal Caravan was back in 2008. I wandered upon a group of Cardinal WBB players watching the proceedings. They were personable, posed for photos and I remember this senior by the name of McCoughtry telling me...point blank...that the team was headed to St. Louis to play in the Final Four. She was intense about it. I believed her. She, of course, was right.

Good times. See you there!

-Paulie

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