Looking at...Shalia Beeler 2019 -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

DOIN' THE HIPPIE, HIPPIE SHAKE"

Back on these hallowed pages after a few days off...getting one of the load bearing structures on the Paulie machine replaced...into day five this morning of hip replacement surgery and trying to get a little better each day. One direction here and one goal...making that walk without pain that so many of us take for granted. I never will again, I can assure you. Haven't decided whether to call the new hip 'Asia' or 'Tia' yet...two of my favorite WBB Cards of all time and both came back pretty well after hip injuries. Or, as Sonja says...."You'll have no excuse for not cutting the lawn by Labor Day..." 

Paulie has missed being outside the Cardinal
Couple offices lately...

A special thanks to those who took over the Cardinal Couple ship and piloted it into port successfully and safely over the last few days.  Worldwide and Case took us from Louisville, to Omaha, Oregon, Cleveland and points in-between in their writings and teamed up with #1 Louisville Cardinal fan Julie "Bird Lady" Sullivan to put together an unequaled radio show Saturday in terms of topics talked about and variety of subjects discussed. They took you from ditch vaulting to baseball, discus throwing to jumping in dumpsters full of ice water...and tossed in a little rock and roll...baseball and there might have even been a apple pie in the studio with a dog, monk and banana. I tip my cap to my radio-mates. I hope to join them again soon.  I think it would be safe to say...we are our own summer replacements. 

A REVEALER ON BEELER

I was asked what I knew a couple of days ago about a recent visitor to the Louisville campus and basketball program.

A 2019 point guard out of Warren Central (think Indianapolis area) named Shai Beeler allegedly was on campus to have a "look-see". Or Sheila Beeler. Maybe Shalia Beeler...I've seen and heard her name in several different ways and forms.

What's most impressive to me... is not the multi-name capabilities, though. It is the descriptive adjectives and words that flow after the mention of her. 

An incredibly quick guard...Ms. Beeler is... who habitually collapses defenses. A floor leader who excels at interior passing. One of the participants in the USA WBB U16 trials. She dictates the tempo and pace in an upbeat game and she finds the rim and breaks down defenses easily. One of the top 100 for 2019 by Prospects Nations and #11 players in that class...according to ESPNW. She is a born leader on the court. she put up 14.1 ppg and 6 assists in a sophomore season that was cut to just 13 games by injury.

She's also currently 5'6"...which could also get her a gig on the Attack Yorkie squad. 

And she may not even have her driver's license yet....


Danny Riego is her coach for the Nike Gym Rats in Club ball. He's coached a ton of impressive players that have received D1 scholarships and has a dynamo in her. He's unquestionably glad to have her back for the summer circuit. Beeler did win Warren Central Player Of The Year. A lot of upside here, obviously.  

So...what do we make of her summer visit to the 'Ville...as she prepares for her junior year in high school? It's certainly an exciting time to be on the Belknap Campus with the switch over going on with Volleyball and WBB and their facilities. All three WBB freshmen are on campus now and Beeler (let's call her "SB" for now until we come up with something more creative) probably battled with two of them (Evans and Duvall) in club ball. Dana played for the Indianapolis Gym Rats Siver team...I need to ask Riego for some comparisons, I guess...I'm not showing that West Side High (Dana's previous digs) and Warren Central played during the season. 

S.B. has received offers already. Illinois is one of the several DI schools to  extend one.  No doubt those will accumulate this year like empty wings bones in front of Paulie at BW3. Coach Walz has had guards on his mind in 2019 recruiting...with all-Universe Nyah Green heading that list to say "Yes" to the 'Ville. 

When a rising junior that is getting lots of national attention comes to call, it's a very good thing for a program. 

The 2019-20 Louisville Women's Basketball team will not have Arica Carter, Myisha Hines-Allen, Asia Durr, or Sam Fuehring on their roster ...if the graduation process goes as normal. Jazmine Jones, Bionca Dunham, Jessica Laemmle, Sydney Zambrotta and Kylee Shook will be seniors...which is a distant vision barring any transfers, injuries or other things that can pop out of the blue. we'll be in the heat of another Presidential campaign by then, as well...and the Rolling Stones will just be coming off their 55th. anniversary tour. So...yes, 2019-20 is a long, long way off and anything can happen. 

Join me in a dream here... a potential back-court of Nyah Green, "S.B." Seygan Robins and Dana Evans just has to bring a smile to anyone's face...unless you're a ACC opponent. A team that also has Jazmine Jones and Kylee Shook on its roster. Are you smiling as broadly as I am? 

After all...what are we...without our dreams? 



paulie
xxxxx