Jeff Walz Teleconference -- Squeeze Fall in Monday action -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

JEFF WALZ TELECONFERENCE

(DUE TO JARED ANDERSON LOSING INTERNET CAPABILITIES FROM LAST NIGHT'S STORMS HERE IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA, I'M FILLING IN FOR HIM TODAY. HOPING HE GETS HIS CONNECTIVITY BACK SOON!) --PAULIE

Jeff Walz took to Zoom yesterday afternoon to provide an update on the Louisville women's basketball team. He fielded questions from media representatives. 

A couple of things we learned: 

-- Freshman Hailey Van Lith will be on campus after the July 4th holiday weekend. The classes run longer in Washington. 

-- Freshman Malea Williams will redshirt the 2020-21 season and will arrive on campus in August. 

Walz discussed a variety of other topics and answered quite a few questions in the presser. A link to see/hear it is below:  

LINK:  JEFF WALZ PRESSER 6/29.20

I also recorded an audio version of the presser, in case you want to hear that and that is accessible at the link below. My audio recording runs about three minutes longer that the video...catching all of Walz statements: 

LINK:  JEFF WALZ PRESSER (AUDIO ONLY)

Enjoy! 


MANATEE FALL MONDAY

• The Squeeze fell behind early and couldn't recover in a 7-3 loss to the Impact on Monday. Impact took the lead on a grand slam in the first inning.
• Impact got on the board in the first inning when Howell homered on a 0-1 count, scoring four runs.
• Kenna Wilkey (Northwestern) took the loss for FGCL Manatee Squeeze. She gave up seven runs on eight hits over four and a third innings, striking out six.
• FGCL Manatee Squeeze scattered eight hits in the game. Sara Berthiaume (FAU) and Alexis Johns (FIU) all managed multiple hits for FGCL Manatee Squeeze. Johns (FIU) and Berthiaume (FAU) each managed two hits to lead FGCL Manatee Squeeze.
• 
  

For the Squeeze, Louisville right-fielder Jordyn Wolfe started and went 0-2 from the plate, striking out once. Paige Schindler took to the circle in relief and threw 2.2 innings of scoreless, hitless ball for Manatee, striking out one. 

• Impact had eight hits in the game. Fava and Bejarano each had multiple hits for Impact . Impact didn't commit a single error in the field. Hawthorne had 13 chances in the field, the most on the team

Manatee remains at 6-2 on the season, since the game was considered an exhibition game and did not count in the FGCL standings. Manatee takes on the Bradenton Lynx tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Have a terrific Tuesday ! 

paulie

xxxxx

Hartlage Finishes in NWA -- Walz teleconference today -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

paulie xxxx

UofL's WGG'S LAUREN HARTLAGE FINISHES FIFTH IN NWA CHARITY CLASSIC

It was back to the links for Cardinal women's golfer extraordinaire Lauren Hartlage over the weekend and she fired a -3 under par 285 for the 72-hole NWA Charity Classic in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Hartlage finished fifth in the event and had a steady four days with scores of 70-71-71-73.

The event was part of the WAPT Tour (Women's All-Pro Tour) and was held at two different courses in the Bella Vista area -- The Bella Vista Country Club and the Scottsdale Golf Course. Hartlage played as an amateur in the event and was not eligible for any of the prize money. 

Her score was the second lowest for the amateurs in the event. 15-yr old sensation Alexa Pano finished second overall in the event with a -10 under 276. Pano is the youngest golfer to ever appear in on the LPGA Tour and was a member of the USA Junior Ryder Cup squad, who won the event in 2018. 


WALZ TELE-PRESSER TODAY AT 1:30


In a switch from the occasional Wednesday pressers we've come to expect out of the UofL WBB head coach, Jeff Walz will be available to members of the media today at 1;30 p.m. 

It's a chance to ask Coach questions, according to the e-mail notification about the event -- so I'd expect the folks who do media for a living will join in for a chance to get a sound-byte for their publications and media outlets. 

If you've got something for Coach, let me know in the comments section. I'll be part of the call. I'll try and get any questions in that you want answers to, and, our Jared nderson will review the tele-presser in tomorrow's Cardinal Couple 


NEGATIVE RESULTS

On a personal note, some of you know that I went in, along with my wife, last Wednesday to get COVID-19 tested.

After several days in "wide-open, no masks in presence" Gatlinburg, we figured a test might be wise.  We went through the drive-in testing offered by Kroger's The Little Clinic held at Southern High School. 

The results showed up via e-mail this morning and we tested negative for the virus.

Maybe one of the few times I've been pleased with something that has been negative, I guess. 

The procedure is a bit uncomfortable, jamming the elongated Q-Tip up your nostrils and swirling it around -- but you get a free mask, bottle of hand sanitizer and package of tissues out of the process. Their sanitizer smells better than some of that junk out on the market, so that's a plus. 

Now I know, and that's one less thing to worry about. 



Have a marvelous Monday and stay safe,


paulie
xxxxx

Softball -- Coach Mitchell -- Podcast -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

Manatee Squeezed

The Manatee Squeeze team, with Cardinals Jordyn Wolfe and Paige Schindler sit in 2nd place in the league after a loss, yesterday, to the Bradenton Slice.  FGCL Myakka City RiverMocs are currently the league leaders with a record of 8-1-0 with the Squeeze just behind at 6-2-0.  The Slice are down a couple of more sports with a "just below water" 4-5-0 record.

The Slice used a four run 4th inning to break the game open. A grand slam home run did the trick.  The Squeeze would get one back in the 6th but it wouldn't be enough.

Jordan Wolfe had a double in three at-bats. Her fourth of the season. Paige Schindler did not appear in the circle to pitch...she did throw Thursday and Friday, so was probably scheduled for a rest. 

Sunday is a day off in the FGCL, but the teams will be back in action tomorrow.

Matthew Mitchell Undergoes Brain Surgery

Matthew Mitchell, generally well known around these pages for being the head coach of UofL
Women's Basketball arch rival Kentucky, underwent brain surgery yesterday to address a faint but persistent headache resulting from a subdural hematoma.  He is expected to fully recover.

Mitchell fell and experienced a concussion back in March, and then a couple of weeks ago he started experiencing headaches.

A subdural hematoma is a bleeding from blood vessels between the brain and skull.  The bleeding results in a pooling of blood the puts pressure on the brain matter and can, if not addressed, result in serious complications.

Of course the UofL vs UK rivalry is a big deal, and Mitchell is on "the other side" of it from our perspective, but of course we do wish the best for Mitchell and hope for a full recovery for him.  We look forward to seeing him with a perplexed look on his face on the sidelines, not because of any brain injury, but because the UofL squad shuts down Rhyne Howard again and he doesn't know how to deal with it.

NWSL Returns to Action

The connection to UofL women's sports is thin, but it's good to see the NWSL back on the pitch in Utah.  Yesterday kicked off the league's Challenge Cup with two matches.  Both matches, yesterday, were won with a 2-1 margin.  The first, between the North Carolina Courage, and Portland Thorns FC saw the Courage come out on top.  The second match, between the Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit, saw the Spirit get the win.  Cincinnati native and World Cup star Rose Lavelle got the first goal for the Spirit.

The big headlines from the NWSL kickoff came from before the first ball was put into play.  During the playing of the National Anthem for the first match, all of the starters for the Courage and Thorns donned Black Lives Matters t-shirts and took a knee to protest against racism and police brutality.  Notably, when famed soccer commentator and former national team player Alexi Lalas criticized the players on Twitter, the NWSL account itself came to their defense, saying, "If this is your takeaway from the organized action by our players, you clearly haven’t been listening, Alexi."

Lalas had suggested that taking a knee is now the the norm and that actually standing for the anthem would now take courage.  His tweet was subsequently deleted.

The next games in the NWSL are Thursday.  The Utah Royals will be in action at 12:30 pm.  The Royals have UofL alumna Gabrielle "Gabby" Vincent on their squad.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

Four in action yesterday for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour.  Jared, Case, Paulie, and myself were all online.

We covered UofL Volleyball scheduling and how social distancing might work in L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.

We spent some time talking about the FGCL and our players' role there.  And finally we had the traditional summer quiz.

Once again, Jared proved his mastery over us in the quiz. Yesterday's theme was "Kentucky Proud" ... and was based around UofL women's athletic coaches and players from the commonwealth of Kentucky.  Take it yourself and see if you can top Jared's score of 100. 

Check it out below

Fans in the Stands -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Sports are Returning, but Will Spectators Come With Them?

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to afflict the globe, and the United States in particular, but you didn't need me to tell you that. Little by little, people are starting to try to return to a sense of their normal lives. For millions of people in the US, normal life means watching every kind of sport that they can get their hands on. Personally, I'm a fan of almost every major sport played professionally in the states, and I follow an English Premier League soccer team and the Formula One racing series. I'm a sports junkie. Because the powers that be in the sporting world know that people like me exist (as well as people who are even more rabid about sports than me), they want to get back to the field, court, track, etc. There's also the point to be made that the powers that be want to make money, and not having competitions means no sponsorship money, no TV revenue, and a slip in loyal fandom that can lead to lost future revenue. I digress.

Over the last week or so, we've been writing about a pair of Louisville softball players that are currently taking part in the Florida Gulf Coast League. In addition to this and the associated baseball league, professional softball is one of the few sports in America that has continued, or at least restarted. Also getting back into things are the PGA Tour, NASCAR, and IndyCar, though the latter has only had one race since returning to action. Across the world, professional baseball and soccer leagues have returned to play, but I'm going to stick with the US for the majority of this discussion due to the unique situation the States find themselves in with regards to the pandemic. One thing that most of these events have in common is that they have not allowed fans. However, that has been inconsistent, as some of the sports themselves have allowed fans, while other sports have deferred to local rules for their decision on fans.

That's the unique spot the US is in, by the way: the local responses have varied so greatly that it's hard to formulate consistent policy for sports leagues that compete across the country. Some, such as the NBA, WNBA, MLS, and NWSL, that intend to play all of their games in one location, have a simpler choice that just requires saying they won't be allowing fans.The MLB, which announced that its return will include playing games in home stadiums, did not make such a determination, and it appears that the decision will be left up to the home teams. Similarly, the USL announced its return to action plan and Louisville City FC appears poised to open their new stadium to limited capacity. The team announced plans to enforce masking, block off seats to maintain social distancing, and to perform temperature checks for all entrants. Those are all great steps, and are likely to be effective in an open air stadium, but any congregation of people poses a risk, as there is still ticketing, restrooms, and concessions to deal with, on top of the fact that people in a sports setting are likely to be eating, drinking, and yelling. 

IndyCar has already indicated their plans for fans in the stands at races are based on local rules. Though Texas was reopening at the time (they've since had to step back from that plan), the opener of the IndyCar season was without fans. Similarly, when the Indy GP and Brickyard 400 head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next weekend, they will be without fans. However, the race weekend at Iowa Speedway in the middle of July is set to have fans, albeit in a limited capacity. Roger Penske, the new owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NTT IndyCar Series, said that he doesn't anticipate having an Indy 500 without fans in the stands. The 500, which is typically on Memorial Day Weekend, has been rescheduled to August 23rd this year. 

Yesterday, it was announced that IMS has not yet made its distancing plan for fans, and that they need more information. This leads me to my current conundrum, Indy 500 fans are supposed to tell IMS if they plan to attend the race by July 6th so that the track can make a determination about next steps. First, over a month and a half is a long time for things to change between when you make your decision about an event and the event, for better or for worse. Second, IMS's plan here is pretty transparent, but I'm not sure it's going to work out the way they hope. IMS stated that they will be limiting capacity to 50% for the race. That's not just seating capacity, though, that's capacity for the entire track, so drivers and teams will count against the number. While making that statement, though IMS did not put forth any plan for how they would determine priority. The track has an extensive seniority based ticketing system, so it's assumed they'll turn to that if they need to. Obviously, IMS's hope is that more than 50% of people just say they don't want to come. If that's the case, IMS can just spread out the remaining ticket holders to maintain distancing in the stands and everyone's happy. If you ignore the ticketing, restroom, and concessions items from earlier, anyway. Personally, I don't think that's likely to happen, so we'll see what they decide to do after that. Asking people if they still want to come and then telling some of them they can't seems like a PR nightmare in waiting.

Another major event in the area that will reportedly have fans is the Kentucky Derby. There's less information out so far about how this one will be handled, but speculation puts it at less than 50% capacity. The Paddock will reportedly be closed completely, and without designated seating areas in the majority of the infield, I'm not sure how you'd enforce social distancing there. Churchill Downs has already announced that they're working on their wifi network to improve connections, hoping that they can encourage more in-app betting while at the track, rather than having people stand in lines at the windows. Of all of the sports, horse racing is one that has a fairly monopolized major revenue stream that doesn't require people to be at the venue. This seems like it would lend itself well to not requiring fans to be in attendance to have a successful event. We still have a couple of months before the race, though, so we'll see what kind of specific plans come out and whether or not the entire concept has to change.

As for sports in the fall, who knows? Louisville has been pretty quiet about its plans for football, but moving the season opener tips their hand a bit. Obviously if increased traffic between Thurby and a home football game is a concern, it is because fans are anticipated at both. As numbers continue to climb across the country, particularly in places that have reopened with fewer restrictions, it will be interesting to see how local leaders in various places rethink their strategies and how sports are impacted. More and more college athletes are being reported as having positive tests, with some teams having as high as 15-20% of the team infected. MLB and NBA have set their sights on end of July starts, but that's a long way off and trends aren't looking great. Numerous MLB teams are reporting multiple infections among players, in addition to infections in the staff. Meanwhile, the NBA is set to go in Orlando with Orange County, Florida having a higher daily new case rate than 38 states last week. 

I'm cautiously optimistic that lessons we've been learning over the last few months can lead to returns to action that are safe and enjoyable for everyone. To this point, NASCAR has traveled quite a bit and and a number of races all while not reporting a single positive case. It seems that there can be a way for things to work, but I think that more consistent policies need to be in place. Allowing fans in some locations seems like a bad way to maintain control, and it's also pretty unfair in team sports. Either way, we'll get a lot of answers about sports over the next month.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

That's right, it's Saturday. Of course, you probably already knew that since you just had to read my long-winded, speculative ramblings. We'll have updates from softball to talk about, as well as some recent accolades for UofL student-athletes, and, of course, a Cardinal Couple Quiz. Jared has dominated the quiz circuit this season, so Jeff and I will hope that we can take a win, with or without him. Join us at 11AM on the Cardinal Couple YouTube page for the live show, or tune in for the replay any time after noon (or 12:30, depending on Paulie's mood). 

Until next time, Go Cards!

-CH-

Jordyn Wolfe/Paige Schindler Interview -- Manatee Outslugs Fast Pitch U in FGCL -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

JORDYN WOLFE/PAIGE SCHINDLER INTERVIEW

I had the opportunity to catch up with Louisville Softball junior student-athletes Jordyn Wolfe and Paige Schindler yesterday for a phone interview. The two are in Florida, playing in the Florida Gulf Coast Summer Softball league and play for the Manatee Squeeze. 

A great chat with Wolfe and Schindler! 

They talked about many things, including the decision to go to Florida, their team and teammates and what it's like to be playing in this summer league. 

You can follow their pursuits at https://gc.com/g/fgclsoftball   Live games and replays can also be viewed at Stream Live Tampa -

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYUMY4ctg4GR_Rd3WLiDlHQ

A special thanks to Jordyn and Paige for joining me in the interview and to Louisville Softball S.I.D. Lori Korte Harmon for arranging it!   LINK below to the interview: 

LINK:  JORDYN WOLFE and PAIGE SCHINDLER

Enjoy! 


MANATEE FINISH STRONG IN 13-8 WIN OVER FAST PITCH U

When a team trails 8-4 in the top of the seventh inning in softball, the objective is pretty clear. You need four runs to tie it and keep the game going. 

And, that's exactly what the Manatee Squeeze did last night in their 13-8 win over Fast Pitch U. in Florida Gulf Coast Summer Softball league action. They tied the contest, largely helped by a Nikki Cuchran two-run homer to center field. 

Manatee was not done with the "hot bats" by any means.

They added five more runs in the top of the eighth inning, pounding two more home runs -- including another by Cuchran, who plays for Northwestern in the collegiate season.

The 13-8 win featured the Manatee holding Fast Pitch U scoreless over the last four innings behind the strong pitching of Kenna Wilkey -- also from Northwestern. Manatee had 16 hits in the contest and five home runs. 

Louisville Cardinal softball pitcher Paige Schindler started the game in the circle for Manatee and went 3-2/3rd innings. She surrendered seven runs and seven hits. 

Outfielder Jordyn Wolfe, another Cardinal, entered the contest in the fifth inning as a designated hitter and went 0-3 at the plate in the contest. 

Manatee remains tied for first place in the league with the FGCL Myakka City RiverMocs . Both have 5-1 records.

Manatee is on a five game win streak, after dropping their opener by one run back on June 18th to the FGCL (SUA) Collegiate Pioneers 2-1. 

The Manatee get a chance for a little revenge this evening...they'll face the Pioneers again in a contest tonight. 

Game time is 7 p.m. EDT. 


The action is well worth your time to watch it. Let's face it, live sports aren't exactly flooding the TV screen or Internet these days, and a chance to watch some very competitive softball is just a few clicks away on your laptop, tablet or PC. GameChanger does a wonderful job with the stats, too -- keeping a comprehensive, detailed and current account of the plays and action.  

Have a fantastic Friday and stay safe. 


paulie
xxxxx

Weddle Named Johnny Bench Award Winner -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Weddle Named Johnny Bench Award Winner

While Jordyn Wolfe and Paige Schindler are focused on softball down in Florida we turn north for the latest softball news.  Taryn Weddle, a UofL softball signee, was recently named the Johnny Bench Award winner for Indiana.

The Johnny Bench Award is giving annually to an athlete based on single-season accomplishments, but was changed to career accomplishments for this past year due to COVID-19 cancelling seasons.

Weddle comes from just across the river at Floyd Central High School.  In her three seasons with the Highlanders, Weddle produced 139 hits with 124 RBI's.  She also had 34 home runs.  The catcher had a .471 batting average and a .518 on-base percentage.


She also earned 2019 ICGSA all-state first team honors and was named the News and Tribune
Softball Player of the Year.



What Are They Up To ?

With most of the student-athletes back to campus and unable to have outside physical contact we
have been curious what they have been up to.  Well, they're finding ways to stay busy.

On my drive to get food from the Mt Fuji restaurant near campus after work yesterday I saw several softball players taking voluntary batting practice on the field.  I texted Celene Funke and wished them good health, which she was appreciative of.

Volleyball made their way to Baxter Jack's for some sand volleyball.  They can often be found playing on a private sand court at the popular bar and restaurant, without the drinks part of course.

Over the weekend, soccer enjoyed a nice hike to Tioga Falls out near Ft. Knox.  This one may have had minor exposure to others at the waterfall or hiking along the trail, but they tried to stay in just their group for the most part.

We didn't really expect to keep them locked in dorms and athletic facilities on campus, right?  These teenagers and young 20-year old's need to be able to get out and have fun and live life.  Thankfully, UofL has found ways for that to happen while still keeping them safe and in good health.


Happy Thursday and Go Cards!

Jared

How will WNBA return go? --- Manatee Get Another Win -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

QUESTIONS...

As the WNBA gets closer to the (probable) beginning of their 2020 season, today players will start to decide whether they will participate or not. We've already heard from some players and their choices. If things go according to plan, the season would start in early July, go through a brief training camp and feature a 22 game regular season. Players have until June 25th to opt-in or out. 

There are unanswered questions. Here are some:  

1) What is the played testing plan and how often will test be run?  Will a "negative status" be required before they can enter the bubble? 

2) How many "positive tests" will lead to a cessation  of play? And, will player testing be treated differently than coach or staff testing, in terms of cessation, is the results are positive? We hope that NO ONE tests positive, but that hopw is probably unrealistic. 

3) If certain players decide to not play, how will signing replacement players be handled? 

4) How will practices be conducted with 12 teams?  The IMG Academy -- "the bubble" -- has a total of four courts on campus, spread over two gyms. 

5) Just who will be required to wear masks during practices and games? Will coaches and staff? Will masks be required for players who are on the bench or who have just come out of the game? How about during time-out or stoppage of action sideline huddles? 

We have no word yet on the decisions from the five UofL WBB players in the WNBA on whether they will play yet or not. We'll updatte you when that information becomes available. 

We hope that the season and the opening practices can go off without a hitch and that the players, coaches, referees and staff can all be kept safe and COVID-19 free. I'm excited to watch some basketball, like a lot of you, but I do hope that the safety of the athletes, coaches, staff and personnel will be "game plan #1". 


MANATEE GET ANOTHER WIN

I've been following the pursuits of the two Louisville Softball players (Jordan Wolfe and Paige Schindler in the FGCL Summer Softball league. Both play for the Manatee Squeeze squad, Wolfe an outfielder and Schindler a pitcher/utility player. 

The Manatee won again Tuesday night,  a 3-2 win over the Myakka City River Mocs Tuesday night. The Squeeze are now 4-1 on the season. Manatee is tied for first place in the league with the River Mocs. 

Wisconsin's Taylor Johnson had two home runs, solo shots, for the Squeeze. Pitcher Jenna Greene (Presbyterian College) went all seven innings for Manatee and threw nine strike outs. 

Jordyn Wolfe went 1-2 in the win, getting a double. She's having a good season for Manatee -- batting 5 for 13 (.385) and has three doubles in five games

Paige has appeared in four games for Manatee, two as a pitcher. and has one start. She's 0-0 in decisions, has pitched 5.2 innings, has an ERA of 2.47 and has thrown four strike-outs.

 Against Myakka City last night, she batted once and was hit by a pitch. 

Today is an off day for the league...the teams play five games a week, taking Wednesday and Sunday off.  

Best of continued luck to our Cardinals and Manatee as the league continues! 


paulie
xxxxx

Breakout Fall Players -- Go Vote -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Predicting Breakout Fall Players

Keeping with my bold predictions I'm going to predict my breakout players for the fall sports for the 2020 season.  With each new season it's up to different players to step up and fill larger roles as seniors graduate and continue on with their successful lives.

When guessing breakout players it's important to note that I'm not going the easy route by picking stars such as Emina Ekic and Mechi Pastor.  Those are obvious great players that we already expect to have great seasons.

It's also important to make note that this is going off the assumption that these players are returning for the 2020 season.  I did not name any freshmen to the list.


Field Hockey

Starting with Justine Sowry's squad there's shoes to fill with the departure of several key players.

Erica Cooper has been a favorite of Coach Sowry's and sees a lot of playing time.  The Louisville native had two game winners, her only two goals on the 2019 season, but will be Pastor's dynamic duo partner on offense the upcoming year.

Margot Lawn was low on the list in minutes played but was fourth in total points and fifth in goals scored.  She has one game winner on the year, but with her high point percentage in terms of minutes played she has a good shot at having a breakout season.

Volleyball

There's only one player that graduated even though a couple players decided to retire from volleyball so a majority of the roster returns for similar roles.

Anna Stevenson doesn't see the court as often as other players being a middle blocker.  However, she makes the most of her time on the court and led the team in blocks by 43-block margin.  Her talent level is too good for Coach Dani Busboom Kelly to not find a way to integrate her into the rotation more.  Stevenson has the potential to be one of the top blockers in the country.

Amber Stivrins got hot in the back half of the season and her playing time increased.  Besides being middle of the pack in sets played she ranked fifth on the team in points per set, fourth in kills per set, and sixth in attack percentage.  One of those ahead of her in attack percentage graduated, another transferred, and one went 1-for-2, moving her up to third in the category if those numbers repeat themselves.

Soccer

Anna Henderson showed leadership capability during the spring season and showed she can run withthe big dogs.  With plenty of key players having graduated someone will have to step up to be the number two beside Emina.  Henderson ran under the radar last season giving her an advantage over opponents in their scouting reports.

Delaney Snyder seemed to be overshadowed by other offensive players last season but finished third in goals and points.  Snyder has ball control that mirrors that of Ekic, so even though she lacks breakaway speed she makes up for it in skills and soccer IQ.  She'll outmaneuver defenders on her way to a breakout season.



Go Vote

If you have not gotten a chance to go vote yet your time is quickly running out.  It appears all of Louisville has to vote out at the Fairgrounds so if you're headed out to vote in person prepare for possible wait times.

If you're like myself you already requested your mail-in absentee ballot and sent it in.

We aren't endorsing any candidate here at Cardinal Couple or telling you who to vote for but please exercise your right and freedom to vote!  When 2/3 of the population pulls the "my vote doesn't count card" it doesn't work well.

Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!

Jared

Getting Comfortable Feeling Uncomfortable? -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

IS THE RISK WORTH THE REWARD? 

Across a number of college campuses, the results are discouraging. No, not game results or team record results...but the results of college student-athletes testing positive for COVID-19. Especially here in the south, where voluntary workouts have been suspended at some schools because of the testing results revealing that student-athletes are testing positive with the virus. 

The old explanation of "yes, cases are up because testing is up" doesn't make me feel anymore comfortable. Thankfully, in the vast majority of the college testing, the teams appear to be asymptomatic -- but that doesn't make it  "O.K." 

Not by any means.

Not everyone has the immune system of the college athlete. A Donovan Mitchell may show no symptoms, but what about a student who doesn't either but spreads it to a "60-something" administrator or trainer who ends up in the hospital or...worse. 

Fall sports?  The optimism of having them a month ago has done a 360.  Florida, Georgia, South Carolina all reporting the highest numbers they have seen since the outbreak. 

Do you want to be the college athlete that catches COVID-19, quarantines, shows no symptoms but then finds out "uncle Dave" contracted it at a family gathering a month ago where you made an appearance and died? I sure wouldn't want that on my conscious. 

I had my scare with it. Fortunately, I didn't acquire it. I know others who also have gone through quarantine because of fears of having it because of being in contact or near someone who had it. 

At UofL, there is no word about the numbers, or if there are student-athletes who may have contracted it. A lot of Power 5 Schools have come out with information. I understand the rationale of not making numbers and results public, though. But, did anyone really ever think that 100+ individuals would show up, all would go smoothly and no cases would be discovered? 

I went on vacation last week.  It's awfully good to be home after a week that, at times, scared and shocked me.

The wife and I like to explore the remote, forested places in the vast space that is the Great Smokies. Taking in the fresh mountain air. Enjoying the peace, quiet and solitude. That part went fine. We saw way more wildlife that humans. 


The drama was dining. Going to places for breakfast and supper that did not observe 50% capacity. Being in places where servers and waitresses wore no masks. Going in and out of these places where throngs of people had gathered to do the same as us -- dine -- but were not wearing masks and not social distancing. some even staring at us, because we were "masked". 

I'm sure Jared, our wonderful writer and photographer, who was down there as well with his gal Katy, could tell similar "in public" stories. The difference being...they're "20-somethings" in good physical health. We're senior citizens. 

Our meeting for dinner last Monday night was enjoyable and a good, in terms of the fellowship, fun and conversation. But, inwardly, I was freaking out at the wall of humanity surrounding us, long lines to be seated, no spacing and very few masks. At least the four of us were masked. We were a huge minority.  

So, it was five days of a lot of hand sanitizer and hot water hand washing for us, when we ventured out of the forest and into public. A lot of nervous time for me. I'm not a young man, my wife is not a young woman. If we got sick, would we remain asymptomatic?  And our travels were in a car, not going in-and-out of airports...like so many student-athletes have done.

So, the time away was nice -- in terms of "getting away" from the "everyday" and the pressures of life. Playing Russian roulette with a deadly and silent killer was abysmal and scary though. 

I hope sports can happen down the road. I hope that all the people who are in the high-test positive areas do the right thing and stay safe and sanitize. I hope for good things but I also am fully aware that COVID-19 has no emotions, feelings, viewpoints, discretionary strategies or game plan. 

It just gets people sick and hospitalizes and kills some of them. I feel fine after my dalliance with potential danger. I hope I still feel fine next week. I hope you stay safe and feel fine, too.



And, please do what you can to avoid the silent assassin. Maybe I'm being over-dramatic about all of this, but, I feel like I cheated the hangman and I'm not ready to dance with that devil in the pale moonlight again anytime soon. 


I'm not getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. This deadly game is nowhere over.  This virus isn't going to just go away. It's going to spread without proper precautions. 

If this article scares or upsets you, so be it. I just hope it re-awakens you to be cautious, do the simple things -- like washing -- and wearing a mask. 

If you don't want to think about yourself, please consider the health of others. It's the right thing to do. 


paulie
xxxxx

Father's Day Sunday Cardinal Couple

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there!

Cardinals Assemble

UofL is continuing its phased approach to bring Cardinal athletes back to campus.  The UofLWBB twitter posted a couple of videos this week created by players as part of their journey.  The videos are short, but do give a little bit of the sense of what their trips are like, including some extra challenges faced because of Covid-19.

Olivia Cochran and her family drove in to Louisville from Columbus, GA.  Google Maps calls this about a seven and a half or eight hour drive, and with the prospect that Olivia highlights in the car of needing to unload at the end of it, I'm sure that was a long day for the Cochran family.

You can find Olivia's video here:

https://twitter.com/UofLWBB/status/1274373958394097666

The other video came from Merissah Russell.  Merissah joins us from Ottawa Canada and her travel plans were complicated somewhat by Covid-19.  Because of the pandemic, she had to travel to Toronto, which is about a four hour drive, to get a flight through North Carolina, to Louisville.  Air travel is the source of stress in the best of times, but flying since the emergence of Covid-19 has to add another level of stress to it.  Merissah did arrive in Louisville safely, though we have no word on any reports of infections among reporting athletes.

You can find Merissah's video here:

https://twitter.com/UofLWBB/status/1273038899623809025

We welcome these players to Louisville and hope everyone is safe, healthy, and getting settled.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

(Timmy the Intern tries his luck on the quiz) 

The whole gang was on the call yesterday.  Paulie and Jared have returned safely from their getaway to the mountains and joined Case and I on the latest Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast.

We covered a lot of topics in this one, but probably spent the most time on the ACC Honor Roll announcement that came out this week.  We did, of course, also have a quiz, with another return to mascots.

Per usual, the quiz was highlighted by controversy and melodrama. We wouldn't have it any other way. Jared and Jeff tied for the win. Can you beat them? Give the quiz a shot at the  link below. 

The CCRH is always fun, and this one was no exception.  Check it out below.

JMcA

Guessing Team Captains -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

He's Back...

My week in the Gatlinburg area with Katy has come to an end.  The next time I see her will be in two months when she is moving to Louisville.  It was an enjoyable week and the weather cooperated for most of it. As Case and Jeff mentioned earlier in the week, we did meet up with Paulie and Sonya at the Old Mill Restaurant for a nice dinner.

Now it's time to get back in the flow of things.

Although the fall sports season remains uncertain we continue to prepare for the season to happen- we're staying positive!

Most student-athletes have arrived back on campus or will be arriving shortly and the rosters have been out for quite some time, although UofL recently hid the 2020-2021 rosters.

Today I will predict the team captains for various women's sports.

Field Hockey

Mercedes "Mechi" Pastor is a pretty safe guess.  With Bethany Russ graduated, Mechi is the leader on the pitch and will command the offense.

The second team captain spot remains uncertain.  Hollyn Barr graduated, leaving Sam Minrath as the current starting goalkeeper.  Coach Justine Sowry puts a lot of emphasis on goalkeeping so Minrath will most likely find herself in a team captain position.

If there were to be a third team captain, which we have seen in the past with field hockey, I am going with Madison Walsh.  The rising senior was high on the list in several offensive categories and Coach Sowry often went with Walsh in overtime situations.


Soccer

Gabby Kouzelos seems to be a shoo-in for a team captain.  She was one last year and should carry that into this season.

Emina Ekic would be a safe bet, as she has been one of the best players to play at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium.  She isn't one to boast about her own accolades but the team trusts and relies on Ekic during late game situations.

Sarah Hernandez is a good candidate as a third team captain, if they choose to go with three.  Hernandez stepped up as the defensive leader last season and has been a strong centerback and extremely vocal on the pitch.

Volleyball

A setter usually ends up being a team captain due to their involvement with all aspects of the game.  That would put Tori Dilfer in prime position to be a team captain.

We typically don't see a freshman named a team captain but Aiko Jones made that happen last season.  My money is on her to retain that spot.

Volleyball rarely has three team captains, but if they go with a third one I'm guessing it would be the soft-spoken Alexis Hamilton.  Hamilton is a fantastic libero and defensive specialist when healthy, and she is more than a year removed from her ACL injury at this point.

Basketball

(Editor's note: Jared prognosticated these guesses with no knowledge that Kianna Smith and Dana Evans would be selected as the team captains...) 

Dana Evans is reigning ACC Player of the Year and has stepped up majorly each year she has worn the UofL jersey.  Coach Jeff Walz has full trust in the guard from Gary, Ind., and the rest of the team will too.

Mykasa Robinson is too tall to fit Paulie's Yorkie requirements, but Robinson is fun to watch on defense and chasing down rebounds.  Her offensive game is still in the works but she has shown she can step up when needed.

Elizabeth Balogun has only been a Cardinal for one season, but she showed what she can do on the court and how much she is needed when she isn't dressed.  She proved to be a leader at times and will be the third team captain next year.

Lacrosse

Rachel Florek was on pace to set program records and even possibly take the NCAA goalkeeper title last year before COVID-19 took over.  The team is built around her and there is no doubt she will be a team captain.

Ally Hall was a team captain last year and she was the scoring leader.  Returning for her senior year, Hall will remain a team captain.

There's a few candidates for the third team captain spot but I am going with Caroline Blalock.  She has filled any and every position Coach Scott Teeter has asked of her and has earned team captain honors.

Softball

Celene Funke is returning for a fifth year.  There is 100% chance she will be a team captain.

Maddy Newman was a team captain last season and can almost match Funke's energy.  She'll keep her spot as team captain too.

Softball rarely has a third team captain, but if they choose to add a third one next year Carmyn Greenwood stands a strong chance at taking the spot.  Although new to the team, she is best friends with Funke and showed her leadership on the diamond and in the dugout last year.

Tennis

With some potential roster changes uncertain and one-third of the team having graduated we will have to wait for the final roster to be announced before predicting the team captains.

If all of the players from last year return I'm going with Rhea Verma Andrea Di Palma.

Cardinal Couple Podcast Hour

It's Saturday so that means it's time for another rendition of the Cardinal Couple Podcast Hour.

As far as I know all four of us should be ready to go for this week with Paulie and I both back in Louisville.

Will Paulie have had time to prepare a quiz for us this week or will we have to babble on for the back half of the show?

Tune in to find out!

Happy Saturday and Go Cards!

Jared