CARDINAL COUPLE...Parts I and II Today -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

PART I -- Radio and Anthems

We'll be coming at you in two parts today. 

I have an interview with Coach Kellie Young (Lacrosse) later this morning. I'll be posting that later...check back.


For the now, I'm readying myself for my Tuesday Morning chat with Howie Lindsey. WE review the weekend in sports....mostly, but not limited to, women's sports. Howie brings me on each week and it's worth getting up a little early for.

We air around 7:40 something and I get anywhere from 5-10 minutes. It's always a fun time and I'm glad that we can get a little information out there about how the UofL women are doing. You can listen at 790 WKRD or on the IHeart app. 

He may bring up the National Anthem controversy. I have mixed feelings about it. How do you feel about it? Give us your take in the comments section. Would you "take a knee"? How do you feel about that? 

We'll be back later this morning. Go out and get something done. Make breakfast. Go to work. Hit the gym or go to class in the meantime. Be productive...but if you need that extra rest or sleep, don't deprive your body. After all, it's the only one you'll get issued.

Listen here!   Louisville First with Howie Lindsey


PART II -- THE KELLIE YOUNG INTERVIEW

(THERE IS A LINK TO THE FULL INTERVIEW AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE) 

PRE-PRESS BOX LOOK

One of the most beautiful sites on the Belknap Campus is the view from Kellie Young's office. On a bright, sunny Tuesday morning I entered that office a little before 9 a.m. and just had to stop and revel in it a few seconds before Coach and I "got down to it". 

A sun splashed green, artificial turf...illuminated and the unmistakable Louie the Cardinal Bird logo at midfield. A new turf, and new Bird. Absolutely beautiful. In the distance, the South Side of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and the renovation cranes and stark, steel beams.

I have seen some wonderful things out of this window. On a cold and blustery day...former LAX great Nikki Boltja, by herself in an inch or two of snow...shooting a bag of Lacrosse ball at the north net. Going to gather those shots and repeating the process. The construction of the Press Box and spoofingly suggesting they name it The Cardinal Couple Memorial Press Box...since, prior to it, it seemed like Worldwide and I were the only two media representatives that regularly followed the squad. Sitting in the bleachers wth parents and Jeff's mom. I saw in my mind's eye Hannah Koloski running the field and taking passes from whomever she could get to go out there with her and firing them on the run at that north net first and then sprinting the length of the field to shoot and the south net. 

These eyes have seen many great, and a few tragic, things on that field. Upset wins. Faye Brust going down, in obvious knee pain and trying to return in the second half but unable.

I hope to see many more things there...and Faye's back! (We'll get to that....yes, the interview. Pardon me for waxing nostalgic a few paragraphs.)

Coach Young and I began our interview talking about fall practice. The squad, with nine freshmen, has been working very hard the last couple of weeks and she is seeing some great things from the newbies and the returnees. Of particular note...Lexie Ball at goalie and the freshmen Blalock twins. Seems they know a thing or two about face-off control at midfield. 

It's a big weekend for LAX. They'll face Marquette, Vandy and the alums on Saturday the 30th. Maybe a chance to hop over and see how they look while your tailgating at Football. Coach is excited about the chance to see the girls go up against some very talented competition. 

Nine freshmen in all out there. We also caught up on last year's standouts Hannah Koloski and Steph McNamara. Both are still on campus and pursuing academic and career training. We saw Steph at the recent Field Hockey game. Coach says she's seen her once, that Steph still has a hard time going back into the complex without getting quite emotional. That blur that flew past me as I walked from the lot to the Little Yum must have been Hannah. I can only assume she is preparing for the race against Jaz Jones, Jordan McNary and Minnie Mink to determine "the Queen of Speed" title. 

She's back! Cardinal lacrosse great Faye Brust is an assistant coach for Lacrosse. She embodies the spirit and culture that Young has for the program and she knows a couple of things about scoring as well. I chatted with "Fabian" very briefly after my interview with Kellie. Same ol' Faye...big grin and ready to roll. She was at Furman as an assistant when she got the call...and even brought a couple of grads from the Palladins program who have a year of eligibility left and are working in quite well with the chemistry of the squad. 

Kellie and I also touched on Sarah Blaylock's nice award during her senior year of high school and Elise Koehl's unique summer experience in Vietnam. Coach also provided her view on the National Anthem current controversy and....we have to add her to the list of those coaches without a GOLF CART! We discussed that, although she did mention that WBB has been nice enough to take her a few places in theirs. 

I learned (with a sigh of relief) that it was WBB assistant Coach Steph Norman driving and not Walz....

I'll have to double my efforts to get these nice ladies rides. I may take a knee in front of Kenny or Jurich's office. A short one...my tendinitis and bursitis won't let me stay down there long. The "GET WHEELS FOR THE COACHES" appeal is now gaining momentum.  

We learned with a sigh of relief that it was WBB assistant Coach Steph Norman driving and not Walz....

Name this coach for an entry in our $20 Panera
giveaway. Leave answer in comments section.

All too soon, our time was over. We said our goodbyes, lamented the fact that we didn't put asst. S.I.D. Nick Evans asleep during the eight minutes (he sat in with us) and let coach get to her 9:30 meeting. Nick showed me where the stairwell by Kellie's lobby went...it's a nice shortcut to the first floor that bypasses the basketball offices and puts you by the entrance to the practice court. You go through a few hallways and twists and turns...but it's functional.



They probably never should have given me a new route to plot and consider...

LINK to interview



FINALLY...

This result in from Paulie vs. the D.P.S. 

FINAL
D.P.S. 1
Paulie 0

I stopped by the D.P.S. office today after the interview and plunked down my $100 for a four-year handicap sticker. (They didn't know how much it would cost next year). IT DID NOT COME OUT OF CARDINAL COUPLE FUNDING...I shouldered the expense my-own-damn-self. 

After speaking with a few people who are paying $300 a year, I figured it was maybe my best option. 

Gotta hand it those those friendly robots in the D.P.S. office. No emotion, thank you or chatter....just give me your name, your show me your driver's license and fork over the $100. 

Or...as the late, great Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd sang...

"I got your drinkin' money...tune up your dobro." 

Guess I'll do THE SAFETY DANCE

PAULIE INTERVIEW WITH KELLIE YOUNG.


Paulie
xxxxx