On losses and near losses -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FOOTBALL WIN WAS JUST THAT...A WIN

Now that everyone's heart rate and blood pressure has stabilized...48 hours after the last-minute, 32-25 Louisville Football win over Virginia...let's review a few things. 

1) Lamar Jackson did nothing to hurt his Heisman Trophy campaign. Four throwing touchdowns, over 400 yards of personal yardage and a winning touchdown clip that was shown by every media outlet and replayed on every website and blog...except Hillary for President and Al-Jazeera (and I didn't check there).  They have to mention about four or five guys whenever broadcast dudes and duchesses talk about the Heisman...but there is only, in reality, one candidate.

Lamarvelous. 

2) Just win, baby. Al Davis popularized the phrase when he was dictator of the Raiders. And, in fact, it's all Louisville needs to do in their final four games. The four team above them in the polls and rankings are undefeated. One (or more) of them needs to lose a game. Since the Cards don't have Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson or Washington on the roster...we can't personally control that factor. 

Just win, Cardinals.

"Another early breakfast and mucho coffee Saturday morning"

3) Lunchtime Cardinals. The network honchos have stuck Louisville in the noon slot for the 11/5/16 game at Boston College. What a surprise. As a few of you may know...Paulie hates noon games...especailly on Saturday. I have little doubt that UofL will be slotted at high noon for the visit from Wake Forest on 11/12 and UK on 11/26. At least the power-brokers can't screw with the trip to Houston on 11/17. Thursday night football at 8 p.m. 

The Cards are the #5 team in the nation and can't get a 3:30 or 7 p.m. gig? I protest vehemently, your honor.  

4) Baffle 'em, Bobby. On the Cards final scoring drive...I, like a lot of Cardinal fans, was just hoping to get close enough to the goal-line for a easy field-goal. That nearly got de-railed when the Cards faced a fourth-and-three. Fortunately, the football that Lamar Jackson tossed to Cole Hikutini had eyes and avoided two Virginia hands. On the touchdown pass...I'm hoping for a 10-15 yd. gain to set it up easily for Creeque, O'Hara, Charlie Brown...whoever Bobby decided to trot out there. Jackson threads a 35 yd. pass to Jalynn Smith in the deep right corner of the end zone.

Yeah, that'll work...

Here's a nice LINK video on the win:   http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400869475

One day at a time, one game at a time, one win at a time. By 30 or 3...it really doesn't matter to me anymore. 

Just win, Cardinals. 

Ending this season with one loss will have exceeded any possible scenarios I had in the pre-season. Even going into the Florida State game.

 Score more points than the other team. Never seen a team lose that did that.


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VOLLEYBALL FALLS SHORT AGAINST MIAMI

My esteemed colleague "Worldwide" Jeff McAdams will have more on this Tuesday (we traded days today...due to his job requirements) but the Serve and Kill Cards dropped a exciting match to Miami in five sets...16-25, 25-20, 23-25, 30-26, 13-15.

Anne Kordes lays it out to us: 

"That was a hard-fought match and it is tough to walk away from that level of intensity without at win," said UofL head coach Anne Kordes. "It was right in our hands and we might have to chalk it up to inexperience. There was some nervousness from our kids but those are the same kids who made some big time plays too.  My heart breaks for the team because we kicked it off on Friday with some great play against No. 11-ranked team and came back strong. But hats off to Miami. Olga Strantzali stepped up big for them."  


The Cards hit the road next...at Duke Friday and Wake Forest Sunday


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HAPPY "PAUL-O-WEEN" !!

Have a great "Paul-o-ween" tonight! To celebrate, I've donned the infamous Bill Clinton mask for the occasion. 

If I happen to show up on your door-step tonight, bring me in, gimme a bowl of chili and a beverage and sit me down in front of the Bears-Vikings game. 

"If you're going out to soap windows tonight...do ours first, then get a bucket of water and a squeegie and finish the job."

( my late father...circa 1972) 

paulie
xxxxx