CARDS MEN'S BASKETBALL ROCKED WITH FBI INVESTIGATION
Update. 1:05 p.m. Interim UofL President Greg Postal and the board have placed A.D. Tom Jurich on paid administrative leave and head basketball coach Rick Pitino on unpaid administrative leave. They are not fired...yet. They have different contract structures. They are waiting on more information from the FBI. The University expects to name an interim A.D. and interim men's head basketball coach within 48 hours...
Update. 11:50 AM. It is being reported that Rick Pitino has been let go and Tom Jurich also is gone. There is a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. We will monitor and report on it.
There's a giant elephant in the room down at the Louisville men's basketball program so let's just get right to it. MBB continues to dig a deeper and deeper grave. The program is still recovering from the Stripper Scandal and now finds it is the subject of an FBI Investigation.
An assistant coach receiving money from Adidas. Another involved in taped conversations in Vegas. A top-flight player (Brian Bowen) suddenly committing to Louisville (after Adidas sinks $100,00 into his parents' bank account). This isn't conjecture or 'he-said, she-said' innuendo. This is the FBI saying to Louisville (and four other Universities):
"We have your playbook."
Felony crimes. Evidence from the top investigative agency in the nation.
It is importnat to note that this does not directly involve the women's athletic programs we follow here at CARDINAL COUPLE. But the side effects, the spin-off and future damage is evident, real and a plain disgrace.
I expect to see a boatload (or big Cardinal nest) of fines. I mean A LOT. And, this goes way beyond the NCAA at some point. Someone, somewhere in college athletics is going to find themselves behind bars at some point. I also expect a mass cleansing of the Louisville Athletic Program.
In the mean-time, let's pick ourselves up off the mat, get back to the corner and try to come out for another round. We promore the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports here. Let's go there...
Ayeshia McFerran, Louisville Field Hockey's goal-keeper, deserves a huge shout-out for being named the ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. The superstar net defender came up with seven saves in two wins over two top 15 opponents. The Net Stick Girls are now 6-4 and remain highly ranked in the NCAA DI polls. Has anyone played a tougher schedule that Justine Sowry's squad in the first ten games? They are home against Syracuse this Friday at 3:30 and Central Michigan on Sunday 1 p.m.
They deserve your support. Head to Trager Field and cheer for them. Admission is free for all regular-season Louisville Field Hockey contests.
At 7-4, Coach Karen Ferguson Dayes kickers still have a bit of work to do to reach Case's prediction of a 12 win season. That work continues of Friday with a 7:00 p.m. match against #4 Duke in Lynn. Ferguson-Dayes has a press conference (I guess it is still on) for today at 3:30 p.m. to talk about the match-up. Paulie will be there and report on it in his Thursday column.
The Louigans are planning a "Red-Out" for the game. Come hear our chants, watch us bang the drums and you're invited to get rowdy with us down in the southeast corner of the seats. Women's soccer is a ticketed event...but well worth the admission price. $5 and kids under two get in free. A huge playground for the kids, berm seating and concessions for all. Be there.
Alex, give me women's soccer for $500, please. Paulie in the press box and Case in the seats.
Finally, I will be out of studio for THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR on Saturday (work obligations) but Paulie has filled my chair admirably with Daryl Foust . The co-host of Kentucky Women Talk Sports and ACC Network Extra announcer should have plenty to say about the current situation going on at UofL. Also, funnyman Bryan Cohen will call-in with the second in his series craziness...Bryan Cohen Looks At The Sports World.
- JARED ANDERSON -
PAULIE WEIGHS IN ON BASKETBALL SCANDAL
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| PHOTO BY CHARLIE SPRINGER. UofL CARD GAME. |
- Why does a five-star, one-and-done basketball recruit suddenly call Rick Pitino out of the blue in June and tell him, "Hey, Coach! I'm coming to Louisville" ?.
- Who had the brilliant idea to have a discourse with Adidas about getting money to Brian Bowen and a 2019 recruit?
- Who authorized these reprehensible, heinous felonies?
A recent (like 12 hours ago) poll had 70% of the respondents wanting Pitino gone. Rick, of course, is wondering "what the hell is going on?" It seems he doesn't know much about what's happening in the program he is head coach of these days. He's lawyered-up, also...never a good sign.
Jurich is the athletic director, the Godfather...if you will...of the University of Louisville Athletic Program. Are his hands clean? Is there plausible deniability here? Does Jurich get the boot as well?
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| Stay positive, Louisville fans! |
Meetings today with the interim president and the athletic department. Will heads roll? Whatever happens, I sincerely hope UofL doesn't hire a Chuck Smrt type to run interference in this issue. Take the medicine as prescribed. You and the other four schools. You screwed up this time, Lloyd. Time to pay.
This is the FBI. These are felonies.
In the words of The Talking Heads:
"Thos ain't no party, this ain't no disco...this ain't no foolin' around."
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paulie
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Oh, my, Paulie! The little Birds have soiled the nest big time this time. I hate to see this, in all sincerity.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Mitchell For Governor
No doubt, Guv. We wait, we wonder, we worry but ultimately, we have no say in what happens. I'll add again, this is NOT directly related to UofL women's sports...but, much like the fallout after a direct nuclear blast...this fallout will affect all programs at Louisville and six other (that we know of) programs.
DeletePaulie
When all of this start to break yesterday, I was amazed and disillusioned. I do have to say, though, I have been a UofL women's sports fan -- mainly WBB and Field Hockey -- for many years but this can't be good for them or any of the programs on campus.
ReplyDeleteI can only hope and pray for the best but I will NOT waiver in my support for UofL Athletics. Heads may roll, people may be fired -- but the proud tradition of Cards athletics still remains.
Show your support for Jurich and Pitino. Call the university and tell them. Or call and speak your piece. 502.852.5555
David Watson
Can 'em all, I say. Tired of Rick's lack of knowledge and Tom's appeasement. Bring in honesty and tell Adidas to go f*&% themselves. Sorry. I am fed up.
ReplyDeleteCurtis "another day, another disaster" Franklin
I am a huge U of L fan. Pitino should have been gone after the stripper scandal, period. Jurich has been protecting him for far too long and as much as he has done for women's sports at U of L, I'm glad he's gone too.
ReplyDeleteCoaches come and go but the university and fans stands tall after the smoke clears. Mental note watch out for last min. recuits!!
ReplyDeleteBig time CRP fan,but a bigger UofL fan!!!!!!!!GO CARDS
MLW
Agreed. Go Cards!
DeletePaulie
Jeez...I'm so sorry about all of this. Hard to know the full truth but I guess if it has feathers, a beak and quacks it's probably a Duck. The UL Community deserves better. Can't continue to have these character issues...the fan base deserves better.
ReplyDeleteYeah....Burn. It is pretty much a Duck and it's been served roasted on a platter to the Cardinal fan base. WE'll sit and endure it. Got no choice.
DeleteWe are a UofL women's fan site for the most part there and (hopefully) there are no bombs waiting to detonate in their programs.
I'll still wear my Red, I'll be Cardinal Strong and Cardinal Proud but it's amazing how much an effect an 18 year old kid who never stepped on the court here and never has changed the Louisville basketball landscape.
Paulie
I'm still on board with Walz & ULWBB...seems to me he's always been a high character guy. I just hope someone can come in above Walz and really reset the tone and environment. Once you get as old as us you understand winning isn't everything...character is. That's what I got from playing ball and am thankful for it.
ReplyDeleteI am concerned that Jurich is getting railroaded...Pitino not so much. He owns that program. That said the only thing that has ever moved the needle at UofL is MBB. It has aways paid for everything. Gotta wonder if Jurich might have been rationalizing things too much. Poth Pitino and Petrino had huge baggage coming in...a reasonable person would have thought that Jurich would have been in front of the potential problems.
In any case there's no place to go but up. Best of Luck.