Tuesday Cardinal Couple - Preaching to the Choir

No Respect

We here at Cardinal Couple obviously don't hide our disdain for people who dismiss women's sports out of hand.  You would think this isn't an issue that we would need to raise very often...certainly no one would be crass enough to flat reject all women's sports without any subtlety, and yet, it happens...on a regular basis.

I could probably write my Cardinal Couple contribution every week by pointing out examples of this, but ultimately, to advance our mission to share the joy and excitement of UofL Women's Sports, we can't merely point out when people express rampant, overt sexism in dealing with women athletes.  We have to show what's great about the sports as played by amazing athletes.

Occasionally, however, I feel we need to circle back to revisit just how disgusting the overt sexism towards women's athletics can be.

About a week ago, Mark Mravic tweeted a short video of a great goal in one of England's Women's World Cup games.

And here some people (ahem, @Andy_Benoit) argue that women's soccer isn't worth watching. https://t.co/0IdV8BdDH3

— Mark Mravic (@MarkMravic) June 22, 2015

As you can see, he alluded to the belief of another sportswriter, Andy Benoit  who apparently is on record as saying that women's soccer isn't worth watching.

Benoit tweeted, in response, in a tweet that has since been deleted, "Not women's soccer......women's sports in general not worth watching."

Benoit later apologized in a series of tweets, but not before Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler put together this throwback to their Saturday Night Live days on Late Night with Seth Meyer's.  (This is from a post prime-time show, so some minor language is used.)



Why do so many people, particularly sports fans, feel the need to so vehemently put down women's athletics?  The usual arguments are hypocritical at best, and completely nonsensical at worst.

"It's not athletic enough."  -  Then you should be watching track and field, not football.
"It's not exciting enough." - But you'll sit through hours of talking heads for the NBA and NFL drafts, not to mention the many talking head sports news shows that are on daily.

Gimme a break.

I'm gonna call it, if you can see your way to react as Andy Benoit did, even if you got "carried away" (insert epic side-eye here), then you're sexist.  If you can dismiss all women's athletics with a single tweet, then you're not even giving it a real thought, and I have to question how much stock I should put into anything you say.  Is it offered with the same vapidity that your tweet casting aspersions on all women's athletics was?  Did you put just as much depth of thought into your NFL analysis that you did the Women's World Cup?

Of course, as I alluded to in the title, I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, here.  If you're here, reading this on Cardinal Couple, you've already gone far above and beyond the level of a typical college sports fan to learn about and support your UofL women's athletics teams.  We here at Cardinal Couple thank you for that, and while I can't speak for the UofL athletic department formally, I think we can be pretty sure they appreciate it as well.

Keep up the good work.  Go out there and share the joy and excitement of UofL women's athletics, and bring a friend to a game/match/meet/round/race/regatta and let them see, first hand, what the excitement is all about.

Miss USA TV in Limbo

Well, The Don has gone and done it again.

No, not Don Paulie, Donald Trump.

During his announcement for candidacy for the Republic nomination for the office of President of the United States, Donald Trump made some comments that were considered hostile towards Mexicans and Latinos in general.  The fallout of those comments caused Univision to refuse to air the Miss USA pageant, and several days later, Miss USA co-owner NBC Universal, has followed suit.

On the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour the past couple of weeks, I was unsure of television coverage, and posited that it might be on Fox.  I suppose there is a possibility that it still could be.  With NBC Universal not showing it, where it will be shown on TV in the US, and even if it will be on TV is in some doubt at this point.

Of course, our own Katie George of the UofL Volleyball team is Kentucky's entrant into the pageant, so this is of more than a little interest to many UofL women's athletics fans, including myself.  We'll update as this story unfolds.

JMcA

Your top eight UofL WBB players of all time -- Monday Cardinal Couple

SHONI, ANGEL TOP THE ALL-TIME UOFL WBB LIST.

We have been running a poll in June here at CARDINAL COUPLE to see who your All-Time, top eight UofL WBB players are. We chose the number eight because felt that most great teams always had a few backups that could come in off the bench and give a championship team a spark. 

Here are your results. We have listed the years the player played and the percentage of votes they received also.



1. (tie) Shoni Schimmel (2010-14)  100% 
1. (tie) Angel McCoughtry (2005-2009) 100%
3. Jazz Covington (2003-07) 80%
4. Candyce Bingham (2007-09) 77%
5. Monique Reid (2008-13) 66%
6. Nell Knox  (1990-93)  62% 
7. Valerie Owens (1977-80) 48%
8. Asia Taylor (2009-14) 34%

Just missing was Antonita Slaughter (2010-14) with 32%.



A good mix of players are represented here. Five of the eight got drafted by the WNBA and two are still playing in the league. Five of the top eight played in a National Championship game. The top four scorers in UofL WBB history are represented in the list. 

Since there was a tie for top vote grabber...I suppose the question still remains on who was the best WBB player at Louisville of all time? 

Both Shoni and Angel were unique in what they did here in their four years. I did a very unofficial polling yesterday of five people I know and asked them who they thought was #1. 

Angel won....4-1.  

Thanks for taking part in the poll! Let us know what you think of this "Great Eight". How would it do in a fictitious game against a great eight from Kentucky? Or UConn or Notre Dame? How many on this Louisville great eight would make an All-Time great eight of NCAA WBB players since 1975? 

And....should we do it again in 2018 or 2019 once the college careers of a few current UofL WBB players has ended? 

paulie
xxxxx

Henderson finished 14th in USATF Outdoor Championships -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

EMMONNIE'S TOSS SIXTH BEST OF COLLEGIANS, 14TH. OVERALL

Emmonnie Henderson returned to the site of her personal best discus toss...Hayward Field...on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene. Although she wasn't able to duplicate her 58.34m (191-5) from two weeks ago, she finished 14th. overall with a toss of 54.39m (178-5).

To put that into perspective...it would be the equivalent of her standing on the baseline in Cardinal Arena and sending the discus over to softball's Ulmer Stadium.

Henderson's throw was only 1.88 meters from getting her a top ten finish. Gia Lewis-Smallwood won the event with a hurl of 63.09m (207-0).

Henderson finished sixth out of the eight college student-athletes who participated. Shelbi Vaughn (Texas A&M) was good for a 60.76m (199-4)....which was the third best overall throw.

Congratulations to "E" and remember...she has two more years of eligibility in track (and hoops)! 

( Let me just throw this out there...that's nothing to toss around lightly...)

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Our Saturday Radio Show that broadcasts on WCHQ 100.9 FM and on line at crescenthillradio.com should be available on the SoundCloud later today. We had a great discussion on women's sports, WorldWide destroyed the Quiz by getting a 110% and the show featured a lively debate on the new UofL football helmets.

Sonja says Jeff won the debate. I think I barely edged him out. 

You decide. Link below.

HENDERSON, HELMETS and HOOPS

paulie
xxxxx

Henderson competes today in USATF Championships -- Saturday Cardinal Couple

LOUISVILLE DISCUS THROWER TO COMPETE AGAINST ELITE TODAY IN OREGON

Emmonnie Henderson will compete in the USATF Discus finals today in Eugene, OR. She is one of 19 athletes who qualified and has declared for the US Championships. The event is one of 20 that are part of the women's division in this 4 day affair which also includes the men's division. 

She has her work cut out for her.

There are 10 college athletes, 6 club or other affiliated participants and 4 unattached entries that had tosses of over 56.55 meters during the season. 


Henderson's best is a 57.54...which she achieved in her third place finish in the NCAA Finals. That ranks her 15th. on the competition list in Eugene. Atop the competition roster is Gia Lewis-Smallwood (Nike/New York Athletic Club) who comes in with a 69.17. Shelbi Vaughan (Texas A&M) who won NCAA Championships is  almost five meters back with a 64.52. 

Kelsey Card and Tera Novy, who Henderson threw against in the NCAA Championships, are also entered. Former Louisville record-holder in the discus Jere Summers attempted to qualify for the event as an independent but her season best toss of 56.09 fell just short of the qualifying distance.

The discus is scheduled for around 12:30 p.m. Pacific Coast Time (3:30 pm here).

"E" shocked the college world two weeks ago in Eugene when she finished third after being ranked 24th. out of 24 participants. 

We hope she has another personal best in her today.

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NCAA EXTENDS FAMILY TRAVEL EXPENSE PROGRAM FOR D1 WOMEN'S HOOPS

If the Louisville WBB squad makes the Final Four in 2016...(and we see no reason why they shouldn't) the NCAA has extended the program to provide player's families travel expenses to see their daughters or sister compete. 

Here's how it worked in 2015:

The NCAA will pay up to $3,000 total in travel, ticket and meal expenses for family members of each student-athlete who competes in the Final Four semifinal games but doesn't advance to the championship game. The NCAA will pay up to $4,000 in expenses for each student-athlete's family who competes in the championship game. 

Schools will decide how and when to distribute funds to family members and be responsible for making sure the funds are used as intended. 

This allowance is meant to cover transportation, hotel and meals for two family members per player and there are no requirements on how far a family has to travel to receive the allowance. There are no requirement on what mode of transportation they use.

With the Final Four for WBB in Indianapolis this season...it would appear that Mariya Moore's family (Berkeley. CA) would have the furthest distance to travel (2275 miles) Arica Carter's family would have 2068 travel miles (from Los Angeles, CA). Syd the Kid's kin would have a 116 mile trip. 

(Oh, no...here goes Paulie on another
nonsensical rant...) 

The key words in the expense reimbursement profile are "up to" (when dollar distribution is mentioned) and "there are no requirements on how far a family has to travel to receive the allowance".

Does Syd's travelers get the same amount as Mariya's? 

It is also states that the school decides how and when to distribute the allowance. When I was a kid, my parent's would sometimes not pay my allowance if I had been "bad" 
during the week. 

As with all NCAA documentation, there is enough "grey area" and "wiggle room" here to make a contract lawyer do the Hootchie-Coo across a court room floor. 

Money. It's a crime. 
(Pink Floyd -- Dark Side of the Moon) 

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TURN YOUR RADIO ON

We're doing radio today at 11 AM on 100.9 FM WCHQ and streamed live on the Internet at:

 www.crescenthillradio.com


As of 8:48 AM...I have no clue on what Worldwide and I will discuss. Sam the Dry Weather Intern is on special assignment and won't be with us.

Maybe we'll talk about him?

It should be interesting. See you on the radio. 

paulie
xxxxx

Let's Not Go There For Women's Sports at UofL -- Adidas Design...Friday Cardinal Couple

DON'T MESS WITH LOUIE...

This is ridiculous

The University of Louisville has aligned their sportswear with Adidas...as most of us know. Nike...who is the most popular of the sportswear clothiers...would probably love to see the Cardinals fly over to their camp. It'll never happen as long as Rick Pitino patrols the Denny Crum Court sidelines and Tom Jurich has Athletic Director next to his name.

Adidas has designed new football uniforms for Bobby Petrino's football team. Of particular scrutiny is the stern looking bird in the helmet.

Dear sirs...what in the heck are you doing with Louie the Cardinal Bird? 

I get that football is a mean, tough and tumble sport. You don't get points for niceness. This disturbed looking avian, though....that looks like he is getting ready to take a peck at this football players eye...is too over the top.

If I saw a bird like this in my backyard...I'd head back in the house and call Animal Control Services. Or Alfred Hitchcock.

This rendition of the Cardinal Bird has to go. Or, at the very least, have its progression stopped and limited just to football.

Louie the Barbarian. 

Affixing Louie the Barbarian to this uniform would be
the only possible reason not to give Katie George a hug.

I don't want to interview Mariya Moore, Marissa Becker, Katie George or Chile Garcia after a game and have to stare at this obviously rabid and dangerous predator. I just might borrow my neighbor J.D.'s shotgun and keep the beast at a respectable distance. Or put it out of its misery and deranged state of existence. 

And...if they decide to give Louie the Mascot an overhaul and include this hideous facial portrayal of our university symbol and state bird...kids will be running out of the KFC YUM! Center is fear and trepidation instead of running to Louie for hugs and high fives. 

Adidas, you've crossed the line.

This is our bird. Don't mess with it
(Uhh...the one on the left...)

Dump this psychopathic-looking disaster and don't mess with our bird. Send this Louie the Barbarian to Ball State, Iowa State or any other college or university that has Cardinals after their name. 

If Daryl from The Walking Dead saw this thing in the woods...there'd be no hesitation in arching a arrow right through the cranium.

Walker Texas Ranger would lock it up immediately. Arnold Schwarzenegger would terminate it. Ralphie from Christmas Story would refuse to wear it and Clark Griswold would give it to his Cousin Eddie. Donald Trump would fire it. If it ever appeared as a logo on the Papa John Stadium Football carper, I'd encourage and applaud the opposing team to stomp on it. 

No bueno, Adidas. This does nothing to promote the joy and excitement of Cardinal Athletics. 

If our football team walks out on the field wearing these asinine, preposterous helmets (and shoes) down in Atlanta against Auburn...I hope we lose by 40.

(OK, maybe that's a bit over the top...but...please, dear God...don't take this nightmare to Atlanta..)

  

This Ball State Cardinal is bad enough. The new
Louisville Adidas Bird makes the Ball State logo
look benign and wholesome.

Can you imagine Louie the Barbarian sitting in the Stanford Cardinal Tree?

Stephen King might nod approvingly...but that'd just be an abomination.

What's next...a change of the saying "Louisville First, Cards Forever" to "Total Degradation and Nightmares for my Five Year Old"? 

Big Red, the lovable WKU mascot with an evil grimace and blood dripping from his rotund, red body? The Florida Gator with a disembodied senior citizen dangling from his jaws?  

Somewhere Hunter Thompson is smiling. Fear and loathing has finally come to Louisville. 

Leave our bird alone. And bury this mistake in the sandpit for the long jump over at Cardinal Park or underneath the Johnny Unitas statue in Papa John's.

paulie 

UofL Women'sBasketball was #3 in attendance for 2014-15 -- Thursday Cardinal Couple

9358 average attendance for Walz Ball last year.

University of Louisville fans love the women's basketball squad. The Jeff Walz squad averaged 9358 for home games in the 2014-15 season. Only Tennessee and Iowa State drew and the Iowa State attendance was only a couple of hundred ahead of Louisville. 

Why so high in on the outskirts of Ames, IA. you might ask? You have to understand the craziness for women's and girls basketball in Iowa. UofL Pep Band Director Al Greener (a transplanted Hawkeye) explained it to me a couple of years ago. Girls high school basketball in the state of Iowa is a religion. From Des Moines to the smallest of cities...the citizenship rolls out to watch the high school game. It is a social event. Main Street shops in rural communities close early so the owner and employees can attend games. 

The Iowa State women's basketball coaches are no dummies...the 2015-16 roster has four former Iowa high school stars on it. 

Equally high is was the Iowa Hawkeyes roster for 2014-15. (Lisa Bluder either hasn't released the 2015-16 roster yet...the Iowa WBB asst. SID is asleep on the job or I've lost my on-line search skills) 

They had three former Iowa high school girls basketball stars. Northern Iowa and Creighton draw well, too. The Iowa residents realize and support the fun and excitement of the game...on the high school and college level. 

Only Iowa State has crashed the top 50 out of the four schools...but match those four schools mentioned above up against any other four schools from any other state and I'd wager the total attendance is higher in Iowa.

And you thought Iowa was primarily known for corn, wrestling and Radar O'Riley from M*A*S*H...

Tennessee...well, the Lady Vols are going to draw because of the Pat Summit legacy. It is interesting to note that the yearly attendance for Lady Vols Hoops has dropped since Pat stepped aside. With the recent transfers to UT and returning roster, the Vols looked poised to be a top 10 program in 2015-16.  Fans still gripe about Holly Warlick.

It is hard to replace perfection. And, Pat does still attend home games. 


So...would local attendance grow for Louisville if a few in-state girls were on this year's roster? The Cards in the Walz era have recruited well in-state.  Let's not forget Sara Hammond, Nita Slaughter, Shelby Harper, Laura Terry and Candyce Bingham...just to name a few. Walz certainly hasn't ignored the Commonwealth of Kentucky since he had been here. He did go after the Lebanon duo of Epps and Goodin-Rogers. He would have loved to had Rebecca Greenwell and Erin Boley. He did have Gwen Rucker, Ashley Rainey and Janae Howard on board in the early days. 

Does anyone remember Monique Reid or Tia Gibbs? Point made, end of story on lack of local recruitment by the current regime. 

Sometimes, you just have to go after the best players. How many Final Fours have Iowa or Iowa State been to in the last eight years? Or, for that matter...Kentucky WBB? 

Louisville WBB outdrew the National Champs (UConn) in 2014-15. 

With the #1 recruiting class in the nation on campus...the dynamic duo of the M&M girls returning...everyone's favorite shot-putter "E" and fan favorite Cortnee Walton back...UofL WBB fans have a lot to look forward to in 2015-16. 

You're going to love Sydney Brackemyer and her all-out, 110% hustle and enthusiasm now that she's healthy. We hear Arica Carter has been "reborn again" with the desire and commitment to show us the high-school version Jeff Walz fell in love with. 

Yeah, we'll miss not having a Schimmel or two. That could change in a few years if younger sister Milan continues to tear up the New Mexico girls basketball scene. Will the Native American fan base diminish now...since #22 or #23 aren't on the roster? We hope not. 

Getting from #3 to #1 in attendance? Quite frankly, it's up to you...the fan base. You have a top-flight facility to watch games. Reasonable season ticket prices. Out-of this-world competition and a highly competitive Conference.

Best-in-class players and the best young coach and coaching staff in the college WBB domain. 

I reflect on the past sometimes... 

I remember going to games at local high schools to watch Louisville WBB. I remember when the women's played before the men's games...maybe 200-300 in cavernous Freedom Hall. When a student could get in by just flashing their student ID and sit at center court in section 335. 

I look at today and just smile...my, what a long way Louisville WBB has come! 

The program can go further. The program is committed to going further. Do you think Cortnee, Emmonnie, Arica, Syd, Mariya, Myisha, Asia, Taja, Brianna, Sam and Erin showed up just for the pretzels, Sean Moth and Derby Week?

They fully believe they can bring Louisville women's basketball a National Championship. So does Walz and the coaching staff.

So do I.    

Be there for it. Make the commitment and go to games. 

For those interested in obtaining season tickets for the 2015-16 Louisville women's basketball campaign, please click here to fill out a wait-list application. 

paulie

Lacrosse in Italy...Daley, Koloski honored -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

LAX TRAVELS TO ITALY

The Louisville Lacrosse team has safely landed in Italy and will promote the joy and excitement of the game for the next few days there. Lake Como, Milan, Cinque Terre, Rome, Pisa and even Switzerland are on the itinerary for Kellie Young and her girls during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They're keeping a blog over at GoCards.com and you can also follow their pursuits on Twitter (@LouisvilleLax) at www.twitter.com/Louisvillelax and Facebook at www.facebook.com/UofLLacrosse.

We've come up with a few helpful and suggestive "do's and don'ts" for the girls as they travel the boot-shaped country.

1) Don't attempt to straighten out the Leaning Tower of Pisa as an group-building exercise. They like it crooked.
2) Don't request a sit-down with "The Don" to discuss ACC Conference success. He might make you an offer you can't refuse and might regret.
3) Asking for directions to the nearest Chinese restaurant might be ill-conceived. Enjoy the pasta, marinara, sausages and canoli. 

4) Do try the pizza. It was originated in Italy and I hear it's pretty good stuff in the motherland. 
5) Be prepared to wait if you request an audience with the Pope. We hear he is pretty busy. Don't wear a halter top. 
6) Resist the urge to throw Coach Young in Rome's Trevi Fountain. You're a lacrosse team, not frat boys on Spring break...
7) Learn the words "amore" (love) "grazie" (Thank you) and "siete i benvenuti" (you're welcome). The Italians put great emphasis on politeness. They'll thank you for thanking them
8) Avoid swimming in the canals of Venice. Boat rides are highly recommended, though...
9) Avoid phrases like "fagettaboutit", "bada bing" and "lucido da scarpe signore" (run home and get your shine kit). You don't want to be mistaken for Robert de Niro, Tony Soprano or Joe Pesci.
10) Develop a taste for olives. The Italians have the best in the world. Olive oil and Italian bread. Bellissimo! 

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DALEY, KOLOSKI EARN ALL-ACC ACADEMIC HONORS

Cortnee Daley and Hannah Koloski have been named to the All-ACC Academic Women's Lacrosse Team. The award honors student-athletes who have earned a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.0 average during their academic careers. 

Daley, a senior from Hatboro, PA, earned IWLCA All-Region honors as a junior. She led Louisville in caused turnovers and was second on the squad with 47 goals. She'll be a co-captain for Louisville LAX this season. 

Koloski, who hails from Lakeville, MN, also earned IWLCA All-Region honors as a sophomore...leading Louisville with 51 goals. She had an impressive 11 hat tricks last year, including four games in a row. Throw your ball cap at her feet or give her a tip of the hat next time you see her...

Hatboro, hat tricks and Hannah...go figure.

paulie
xxxxx

Tuesday Cardinal Couple - Summer Golf

Golf Summer Fun

I really can't claim to be much of a fan of the sport of golf in general, but, our Cardinal Club swingers are out there representing the University this summer with several competing in the WWGA National Amateur Championship in Nashville, TN.

The tournament format consists of 36-holes of stroke play to qualify for a match play tournament to determine the champion.

Five Cardinals advanced to match play, Molly Skapnik (rising sophomore), Shannon Gramley (rising Junior), and three incoming freshmen, Lexie Long, Meredith Moir, and Meghan Nay.  Skapnik, Gramley and Long all advanced to the championship flight in match play, while Moir played in the 4th flight, and Nay in the 6th flight.

While Lexie Long lost in the first round of match play in the championship flight, Skapnik beat Gramley in the quarterfinals to advance to the semis before being eliminated.

There will be plenty of other golf events throughout the summer, so maybe I won't have to Google some of these golf terms for future articles.

JMcA

The Fallout continues in Chapel Hill -- Monday Cardinal Couple

MAVUNGA LATEST TO SEEK AND RECEIVE RELEASE FROM UNC

The latest joke going around about the UNC women's basketball program is an oldie but goodie. 

Will the last transfer from the program please turn out the lights in Carmichael Arena? 

Sylvia Hatchell...how life has changed in your locker room since 2013. It began with Diamond DeShields deciding to defect to Volunteerland last year. In May of 2015, Jessica Washington asked for her tab. A few days ago, Allishia Gray informed the desk clerk not to hold her room. Now it's Stephanie Mavunga's turn to apply for an address change. 

The heralded UNC Class of 2013? Vanished like Tommy Tutone after their 1981 pop/rock classic "Jenny, Jenny".

Mavunga is an interesting development in the continued fallout over UNC questionable academics. The returning starting center and first team All-ACC selection. 14.4 ppg and 9.8 grabs. 

The wording is interesting:

"It's with a heavy heart that I have asked for and been granted permission to talk to other teams and explore transfer opportunities...I have decided to look at transfer opportunities for personal reasons. As we all know, once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel."

She's got a future in politics with concession statements like that. 

The question arises if Louisville will be in the mad-scramble melee to have the Brownsburg, IN. native tour the campus?

After all, she was on Walz's list in the recruiting wars of 2012. 

She's played in and seemed to be impressed with the KFC YUM! Center. It's less than a 90 minute drive from her hometown. She would still be in the ACC and -- after sitting a year -- would have two years of playing time at a school that could be looking for a strong paint player to compliment the wealth of guards, wings and forwards that Jeff Walz is adding to his arsenal. 

The Louisville roster currently stands at 11 if you add in the five freshmen. 

After hearing Stephanie speak to the media after a tough UNC loss to Louisville in the KFC YUM! Center last season, I was impressed with her dedication towards the game, her intelligent, matter-of-fact straight forward approach in answering questions and how happy she was to have "around 40 or so" friends and family getting a chance to see her play in Louisville.

Hey, Steph...how about 35-40 more chances for them to do that beginning in 2016? 

Sure...it's speculation. We went down that road a few fortnights back when Cardinal killer Lexie Brown left the Turtles and checked out the Belknap Campus. We know of no plans or nothing concerning any possible Mavunga motives to matriculate with Mariya or Myisha.

Just wondering aloud here on the potential and possibilities. 

We'll keep an eye open and ear to the keyhole. Personally, we think she'd look great in Cardinal Red and Black. 

And, in Chapel Hill, Sylvia Hatchell...who overcame a awe-inspiring battle against leukemia a couple of years ago now faces a new challenge. 

Filling three jerseys and 37 points from the #9 team in the nation last year. 

The life of a college basketball coach. Easiest job on the planet, right? 

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Our weekly radio show was not on WCHQ 100.9 FM Saturday because the station had been knocked off the air due to the recent storms in the area. It was broadcast on the Internet, though, at CrescentHillRadio.com and is available for listening on the SoundCloud. 

Worldwide Jeff and Sam the Dry Weather Intern joined me in the studio to discuss women's sports and the boys fared well on the weekly quiz. Can you beat them? 

LINK BELOW:

WOMEN'S SPORTS ON THE AIR!  


paulie
xxxxx

Father's Day -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

A happy Father's Day to the part of our readership that can respond to that title. I tend to frown on specific days designated by Madison Avenue that laud congratulatory roles for occasions ( for example...are you really just a Veteran or Secretary just one day a year?) but...given the assumption that acknowledgement is usually a good thing...here's an extra salute to you on this one of the 365 days a year that you fit the title. 


Remembrances of fathers can be a tricky thing. Degrees of contact, friendship and familiarity of one's father can vary widely. If there is a father at all. How is the day explained to those whose mothers chose other ways of becoming mothers? For some, Father's Day is a bitter reminder of a tough childhood or abandonment. 


On this Father's Day, I think of my late father. My dad was a hard working, honest and gregarious fellow. Discipline, following rules and a sense of order were very important to him. It may have been why he enjoyed golf and baseball so much. 


In golf there is a structure and format to the swing and striking of the ball. I played golf with my father for many years. I can still here him admonishing me to "bend your knees, tuck your right elbow in, break your wrists at four o' clock, take a divot, keep your eye on the ball and don't raise up." 

If you're not a golfer...the above words probably sound like the maniacal ravings of a drill sergeant or exercise instructor. 

I was never a great golfer when I played (I gave up the game 15 years ago -- right around the time my Dad stopped playing) but I have a hole-in-one and a 350 yd. drive as the highlights of my game. My Dad was there for both and I do believe the accomplishments meant more to him than me. 

The instructions of a father...those life lessons passed on...fade as time goes by. If you're lucky...you pass the ones you remember to your children. My Dad was also a "5th quarter" coach. After a game, after the post-game talk from the coaches...I knew my Dad would also have his say on how I performed. A lot of times, it differed from what the coaches had to say. 


I have friends who never knew their fathers or had troubled relationships with them. They turned out pretty well. 


A father is a mentor...and throughout my life I have had other mentors and have tried to be a mentor. One of the most important things we can do in our lives is work for the betterment and improvement of those around us. It is best served in a non-obtrusive way. Advice available but never forced. A listening ear can sometimes be worth 10,000 words.


On this day of backyard barbecues, gifts, celebrations and family get-together's for Father's Day...try to see the event as a gathering not so much to celebrate "the one" but as a gathering of the whole to celebrate the joy and aspect of life, familiarity and relationships. Bondings that can be done any day of the year. 

Father's Day has been described as being akin to Darth Vader's Birthday. For all the times that Dad forgot to get us napkins when he bought us ice cream, when he filled us up with sweets and popcorn two hours before dinner, when he sent us into the kitchen to fetch him another beer and when he patiently taught us how feather the brake, ease into the accelerator and hold the wheel at "10" and "2"...


Thank You.


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Our weekly radio show was not on WCHQ 100.9 FM yesterday because the station has been knocked off the air due to the recent storms in the area. It was broadcast on the Internet, though, at CrescentHillRadio.com and will be available on the SoundCloud later today. 

Worldwide Jeff and Sam the Dry Weather Intern joined me in the studio to discuss women's sports and the boys fared well on the weekly quiz. Can you beat them? 

LINK BELOW:

WOMEN'S SPORTS ON THE AIR!  


paulie
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Catching up with....the WNBA -- Saturday Cardinal Couple

SURPRISES AT THE TOP

( OUR APOLOGIES TO THOSE WHO TUNED IN TO LISTEN ON WCHQ 100.9 FM IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA. RECENT STORMS HAVE KNOCKED THE FM TRANSMITTER OFF THE AIR. WCHQ IS EXPECTED TO BE BACK ON THE AIR AS EARLY AS MONDAY. 

OUR SHOW WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE SOUNDCLOUD TOMORROW IN CASE YOU MISSED IT. WE WERE ONLINE THIS MORNING AND THE STATION IS ON-LINE AS WELL...) 


The WNBA is off and running and there are a few early surprises atop the conferences as the teams are roughly 1/5th of the way through their regular season schedules...in some cases. 

How about the Connecticut Sun? Atop the Eastern Conference with a 5-1 record...they have won all three road games they've played. They're getting it done with a few familiar names -- Kelsey Bone is shooting 61% percent for the team and Chelsea Gray 62% from three-point range.
Alex Bentley leads the league in steals (3.3) a game. 

They took down Phoenix last night in double-overtime 90-78...getting 27 points and 14 rebounds from Bone. 

Over in the Western Conference, perennial doormat Tulsa is raising eyebrows with a 5-1 start as well. They're tied with the Minnesota Lynx atop the West and are currently on a five-game winning streak. Plenette Pearson is tossing in 16.3 ppg for the shock and Courtney Paris leads the league in rebounds with an impressive 12.7 a game.

They knocked out the Washington Mystics 84-81 last time out with Plenette Pierson getting 24 and Riquna Williams adding 22.

Bonus points are available if you can name where Plenette and Riquna played their college ball. (Answer at the bottom of today's column). 

The two teams that draw local interest around here...the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream have matching 3-4 records in the Eastern Conference. They are tied for 4th. place. 

Which two logos are no longer in the league?)

Angel McCoughtry is up to her usual scoring ability...with 19.4 ppg. That's third best in the league...Elena Della Donne has been on fire for Chicago (2-3) with 29.6 ppg.

Plenty of games remaining...but the league looks to have a great deal of balance (at least in the East) and a few surprises so far. In the West, LA and San Antonio are are combined 0-8. 

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RADIO TODAY

Our weekly radio show on WCHQ 100.9 and at www.crescenthillradio.com will have the full contingent of Paulie, Worldwide and Sam today. The fellas are going to have to carry me through this one...just recently back from vacation and trying to catch up on all things Cardinal since my return late last night. 


I do have a quiz prepared for my co-hosts and it centers around "Proud Papa's" in deference to Father's Day tomorrow. Plus the usual assortment of nonsense, rants, theories and dead air that live radio brings. 

See you at 11 a.m. on the radio! Link below:

THREE MEN AND A ....RADIO SHOW? 


ANSWERS TO TODAY'S QUESTIONS...

1) PLENETTE PLAYED AT TEXAS TECH AND RIQUNA WAS A MIAMI HURRICANE
2. THE MONARCHS AND COMETS NO LONGER HAVE TEAMS IN THE WNBA. 

paulie
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