Walz hit with one-game suspension -- Baseball blasts Duke -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

NCAA SERVES JEFF WALZ WITH ONE GAME NCAA TOURNAMENT SUSPENSION FOR REMARKS

The ridiculous and sublime have crawled into bed together. Those friendly folks up in Indy with the NCAA, who love Louisville so dearly and go out of their way to accommodate and placate Cardinal athletics, have assessed a one game suspension to Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz for saying stuff in the heat of a game that damaged the ears of a few sideline chimps and officials. 

This is b.s. 

Let's just get that out of the way, right away. This wasn't grabbing or bumping an official. This wasn't hurling a chair across the court or running out to the foul stripe and doing handstands or cartwheels. It was words. 

Words that came out when the superior NCAA women's referees that grace the court didn't see what 23,000 saw in Nationwide Arena (and millions more witnesses on television). Myisha Hines-Allen was hip-checked fouled by Teaira McCowan while driving for a layup late in the contest. Walz did what any good coach would do. He went to the defense of his player. He said some stuff. It may have been questionable in nature but dead on in terms of correctness. 

Don't give me this "they're never going to make that call in a situation like that" stuff either. The referees' job is to call fouls. It doesn't matter if there is a 40-point blowout going on or a 2-point nail-biter with seconds remaining. You have a whistle for a reason if you're a referee. It's not given to you to summon the hot dog vendor or get the attention of a cute guy in row two. You make the call when the foul happens. 

The refs didn't. Walz reacted. Too strongly, according to the Victorian morals moguls who spend time on poop like this instead of the many more pressing problems confronting college athletics. 

We know Jeff. He's not afraid to tell it like it is. To shoot from the hip. No doilies or extended finger tea cup holding from this guy.  If the language is too rough for you...have you listened to what these kids he's coaching are listening to on their music devices? Walz comes across like a shy-mannered schoolmarm. 

Jeff also did the right thing. He offered an apology yesterday: 

"I used some inappropriate language as I expressed my frustration toward the scorer's table about the officiating. I realize that those comments are not acceptable, did not put the University of Louisville in the best light, and I apologize for my actions. I will be more mindful in expressing my emotions going forward." 

Vince Tyra weighed in on this as well: 

Director of Athletics Vince Tyra

“I had the opportunity to speak with Coach Walz at length and following our conversation have a clear understanding of the issue from both Coach and the NCAA’s perspective. Coach Walz’s intensity on the sideline is one of his most endearing qualities, but following our discussion, we both acknowledged that his behavior during the national semifinal game was not acceptable and is not how we want to represent the University of Louisville. I appreciate Coach’s cooperation resolving this matter and fully anticipate that he will adhere to championship policies, sportsmanship and conduct expectations in the future.”

So far, no admission of guilt from the referees or an apology for suddenly going snowblind. And, let's be perfectly clear that the missing of the foul wasn't the sole factor in leading to Louisville's loss. Jazmine Jones' follow-up shot was down and in the cylinder before the ball inexplicably came back out. McCowan was whistled for only one foul against Louisville and subsequently fouled out against Notre Dame. 

Coach Walz took the high road, he's the better man and class always comes through. Chances are the Cards will get to open again at home in the 2019 NCAA Tournament and Louisville will draw a first round, multi-directional, fake state or hyphenated school in opening action that Steph Norman and the rest of the coaching staff can easily lead the Cards to victory against. 

Some say...NCAA 1 - Louisville 0.

I say Jeff Walz took a few meaningless body punches from the tired old men in Indy and delivered a round-house right that sent them to the canvas. We support Coach and always will. He came out the better man in this. 

NCAA. It stands for: 

No
Constructive
Actions
Available. 

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/louisville-women-s-basketball-coach-walz-reprimanded



BASEBALL DEMOLISHES DUKE TO ADVANCE TO ACC SEMIS

The final game of pool play for the Cards in the ACC Tournament was actually over in the first inning. Nine batters, four runs and key hits from Josh Stowers and Zach Britton. With solid Adam Wolf on the mound, the Devils would eventually fall 9-2 to the Cards. By then, the RSN/Fox Sports South camera crew had started showing things like a Cardinal bird in a grassy area eating sunflower seeds and the distraught Duke women in the bleachers who probably was wishing she was in Cameron instead of the Durham Bulls baseball park. 

Louisville advances to play Pittsburgh today at 1 p.m. in the semifinals. One has to hope that the Cardinal bats continue to erupt in the fashion they have in the previous two outings. 

We'll discuss it further on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR today at 11 a.m. and get that ol' Diamond Dog Jared Anderson's opinion on all things glove and bat. 


THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR 


Join us today at 11 a.m. for three knuckleheads in the studio (Paulie, Jeff and Jared) as Case takes a hiatus to watch cars turn left in Indianapolis. We'll have a fun and action-packed 60 minutes for you discussing the joy and excitement of UofL athletics and showing our mugs on Facebook Live. 

Check in with us to see if Worldwide has changed jobs again this week, if Jared has discovered any interesting nickles or dimes and if Paulie can successfully find his way to the studio and gain access to the premises. It's live, unrehearsed and usually a big ol' time on the funky ol' Q from the magnificent media mansion on Mellwood. 

Join us, eh?  It don't cost nuthin. 

LINK:  THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR


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