MOVING FORWARD...MOVING BACKWARDS -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

NOTICE OF ALLEGATIONS OUT...WSOC FALLS TO MIAMI

MOVING FORWARD

Ah...the duality of this Friday. 

Yesterday, the NCAA finally delivered the news that Cardinal fans have been waiting for since it was revealed that Andre McGee was spending money on things other than Skittles or nachos at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Local sports media and beyond went beserk yesterday when the annoucement was released around 9:30 am and UofL held a press conference at noon to discuss the allegations. 

Four Level 1 allegations...none including the current bunch of chaps that make up the University of Louisville 2016-17 MBB itself...two of them concerning McGee, one toward mysterious staffer Brandon Williams...who wouldn't surrender his cell phone to the NCAA and one on Rick Pitino...for supposedly not monitoring McGee properly. UofL will dispute the Pitino charge. Which they should...despite the clamoring that Rick Pitino should be paying more attention to everything happening....24/7, seven days a week on the UofL campus. We also think he should monitor the food buffet for the media at Cardinal athletic events, drive a shuttle bus down Floyd Street Tuesdays and Thursday and raise and lower each Cardinal flag on campus at dawn and dusk. 

Sleep is over-rated. 

We would like to see the ponderous oval where Floyd Street meets The Avenue of Champions on campus by Ulmer Stadium to be named Rick Pitino Circle...in honor of the man that people expect the man to jump through way too many hoops. 

It is time for Andre McGee to step forward and tell the truth. Whether that will happen or not is anyone's guess. 

It is finally out there. It is not over by any means...the Cards will respond, the NCAA will respond to the Cards, they'll agree to get together for coffee some morning but it'll never happen and there will be no final decision...most likely...before the UofL Women's basketball team is cutting down the nets in Dallas after winning the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

Equate this, if you wish, to a long, long seven course meal...where the entree has finally been served. Long after the soup has turned cold and the salad has wilted. 

But it is moving forward. 

Remember, this won't affect how many threes Quin Snider sinks this year, how many dunks Ray Spalding and Donovan Mitchell get on Denny Crum Court or times Pitino laments in a post-game presser that "We're not a very good team right now." 

Take a ticket, take a seat. The circus is still in town...and the clowns are still in the center ring. We are furtively waiting for the popcorn vendor to bring the goods and spread the next rumor. Hey, here's an idea. Let's just play ball... 

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MOVING BACKWARDS

The Louisville women's soccer team took a step backwards last night in Coral Gables in their quest to make the ACC Tournament with a 3-0 loss to Miami. 

Canes junior Ronnie Johnson got a hat trick against the Cards...who have had their road woes this season (1-1-3). UofL (7-5-4, 2-3-3) held the Canes to just one goal in the first 45 minutes and had two great chances in the 62nd. minute from Cards freshman Brooklynn Rivers deflected. Time ran out on the Cards and the Canes' Johnson tacked on two goals in the final ten minutes.  

The loss sinks the Cards into a tie for 9th. place in the conference standings with Virginia Tech. Miami rose to seventh with the win. With games at second place Florida State and at home against third place Virginia remaining, it's beginning to look like the conference tournament ship has sailed.

Anything is possible. If the Cards can pull out one of these, they could still be breathing. Ties aren't going to help much unless the Hokies and NC State tank completely. 

A win against FSU is difficult...but not impossible. Given that the Noles have out-scored Louisville 9-1 in their two previous ACC match-ups...and that FSU would like to claim the regular season crown and the three points earned for a win could possibly put them in first place...a win won't be easy for Karen Ferguson-Dayes squad. 

The Cards are guaranteed at least a .500 season this year. They have a program that has a lot of talented freshmen and sophomore who will only get better next year. As the announcers on the ACC Network Extra commented last night...Louisville is a team that very well may be contending for the conference title in a couple of years. I can see that, too...with the talent on the squad. 

Sometimes you have to take a step backwards in order to move forward. Let's hope the Cards can take a giant step Sunday and take down the Seminoles. 


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MOVING EARLY

Louisville Football has one of those dreaded noon kickoffs tomorrow at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. As a result of this and several other situations...we won't be on the air for THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR Saturday. HANDICAPPING HEROES will still air at noon on WCHQ 100.9 FM. 

Morning tailgating isn't exactly what Paulie (and especially Sonja) wait for with giddy anticipation. The foe is a good one, though, in NC State. They should have beat Clemson last week...but it seems they have a kicking game equally as bad as the Cards. And, it's Homecoming! 

We'll be moving early Saturday morning. Not quickly or particularly inspired...but it is what it is. We'll also have results for you on the volleyball and field hockey matches taking place today in the Saturday morning edition of CARDINAL COUPLE. 

Have a great Friday! 

paulie
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