HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY! -- LACROSSE NEWS -- FIELD HOCKEY #2 -- PICK EM' -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY 

Tis a day for the wearing of the green, lasses and laddies, as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day. 

Although the celebrations and parades and such will be a bit tempered today because of the pandemic, St. Patrick's Day always reminds me that we are getting ready to enjoy the sheer madness of March Madness and to raise a cup o' cheer ! 

As my late father used to say, "Let's raise one to all of those who wish us well. The rest of you can go to hell." 

They've closed the establishment that I normally spend time at on St. Paddy's Day, alas, but here's wishing the luck of the Irish to all today. Erin Go Bragh!  to one and all on this 17th day of March. May the sun shine down upon ya, and may ya safely be in heaven a half and hour before the devil knows your dead !  We're all Irish today and "slainte" to one and all ! 

LACROSSE PREPARES FOR #1 UNC

Let's hope the "Luck of the Irish" are with #15 Louisville's Lacrosse student-athletes tomorrow, as they bring in #1 North Carolina for an evening match.  Big things afoot for this one, as the two squads will face off under the lights at football's Cardinal Stadium. 

This won't be a leisurely walk-in-the park for the LAXCards.  UNC is #1 for a reason. They bring in the best, recruit the best and play the best. They travelled to Blacksburg, VA for their first road game of the season and cooked the Gobblers 22-1. 

UNC is 7-0 on the season and have already won three ACC matches -- with victories over Duke (13-6), Boston College (21-9) and Virginia Tech. They've also downed Florida (11-5), Stony Brook (14-7), High Point (19-5) and Vandy (17-6). no one has posted double digits on the TarHeels yet and Jamie Ortega has netted 27 goals and 12 assists this season so far. 

Admission is free for this one and Jared will elaborate more on this match in his  Thursday column. I did catch up with the incredibly busy Scott Teeter yesterday and got his thoughts on the game, the seasons so far and what remains for the 4-2 Cards.  You can hear thaat interview at the link below: 

LINK:  INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT TEETER 3/16/21

FIELD HOCKEY CLIMBS TO #2 

With a 10-3 overall mark and recent 2-1 win over Virginia, the Louisville Field Hockey squad finds themselves at #2 in the nation in the most recent NFHCA poll. 

The Cards will travel to face #20 Miami (OH) on Monday, March 22nd.  In this split fall/spring schedules, Louisville is 2-1 since they came back -- with wins over Ball State (5-0) , the previously mentioned win over the Cavaliers and a 2-1 loss at North Carolina. 

If it involves a stick, the TarHeels seem to be pretty decent -- tKaren Shelton's squad is #1 in the poll. All seven ACC school that play Field Hockey are ranked in the top 15 in the nation. Behind the Heels and Cards are Syracuse at #8, Duke at #12, Wake Forest at #13, Virginia at #14 and Boston College at #15.  Talk about a power-house conference. 

Five games remain on the spring schedule before the ACC Championships at Chapel Hill, the Cards will entertain Syracuse and Wake Forest in April at Trager Stadium and go to Miami (OH), Duke and Boston College. 

CARDINAL COUPLE NCAA PICK 'EM CONTEST

You have until Sunday noon to get in your Picks for the Cardinal Couple NCAA WBB Pick 'Em Contest. 

I've dove deep into the prize chest and come up with $25 Gift Cards to either Subway or Raisin' Canes for the winner, the second place finisher gets what the winner doesn't want. 

In keeping with full disclosure and tradition,  I am releasing my picks right here in today's column. Use them as a guide on WHAT NOT TO DO, or get a good laugh from them. I will say that I feel this year's tournament is the widest open affair that we've seen in several years and there is no clear favorite to win the crown. 

I had my first shot of COVID vaccine yesterday, a couple of Black and Tan's last night and a shot of Jameson's during the selection process. Besides a sore arm and slightly hung-over demeanor, I am alert, typing and chugging coffee this morning. 

THE PAULIE READ 'EM AND WEEP PICKS: 

FIRST ROUND:  STANFORD, WAKE FOREST, MISSOURI STATE, ARKANSAS, OREGON, GEORGIA, NORTHWESTERN, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA STATE, GEORGIA TECH, WEST VIRGINIA, TEXAS, UCLA, ALABAMA, MARYLAND,

 CONNECTICUT, SYRACUSE, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN, TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA TECH, BAYLOR, NC STATE,  SOUTH FLORIDA, GONZAGA, INDIANA, BYU, ARIZONA, IOWA STATE, TEXAS A&M 

SWEET SIXTEEN:  STANFORD, ARKANSAS, OREGON, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA TECH, TEXAS, MARYLAND, CONNECTICUT, KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN, BAYLOR, NC STATE, INDIANA, ARIZONA, TEXAS A&M. 

GREAT EIGHT:   STANFORD, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, MARYLAND, CONNECTICUT, BAYLOR, NC STATE, TEXAS A&M 

FINAL FOUR:  LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, CONNECTICUT, NC STATE

TERRIFIC TWO:  SOUTH CAROLINA, CONNECTICUT

CHAMP:  CONNECTICUT

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY! 

paulie