More Coaches Add Their Comments -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

More Coaches and Their Thoughts


Paulie mentioned yesterday that a few coaches added some statements to what's going on in our city and around the country right now.  We saw more statements made by coaches yesterday.

Dan McDonnell was one of the coaches adding their comments.  The Louisville head baseball coach McDonnell focused his comments towards love and non-violence including adding Bible quote Matthew 22:37-40.

Caerdinals head football coach Scott Satterfield also took a route focused on his religious beliefs including everyone being created in God's image and wanting unity.  He closed his comments with 1st john 2:9.

John Michael Hayden , Louisville head men's soccer coach, had a similar message with different verbage.  His comments emphasized accountability.  He talked about standing up for the injustices currently happening.

Our Louisville head women's soccer coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes took a slightly different approaching, retweeting and liking posts by other coaches while posting a "Stop Racism" picture.

Jutine Sowry, Cardinal head Field Hockey coach, added a post with her thoughts headed into the early evening.  She talked about her time being an Australian citizen while also coaching in the United States.  She mentioned her experiences and how it is her, plus and her players' responsibility to speak up and take a stand against discrimination and racism while protecting each other.

Louisville head Volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly typed her messages on the Notes app on her iPhone and posted the screenshot on Twitter.  She prayed for strength and courage while also bringing up the socio-economic backgrounds among student-athletes.

An ample amount of current and former student-athletes have voiced their support in the protests through various social media platforms and how they have their teammates' backs through-and-through.

One of the bigger pieces of news was the arrest of men's basketball assistant coach Kahil Fennel.  Fennel was at the protests downtown but was arrested when he remained outside past the 9:00 p.m., curfew and did not leave.  He has not released a comment on the matter but Chris Mack, UofL men's basketball head coach, voiced his support for Fennel.

Our coaches see student-athletes of all sorts of backgrounds with hundreds of different stories.  Our coaches would do anything for any single one of their players.  They have listened to their players and their concerns on what's going on right now.

I'm glad to have coaches at Louisville who have their players' backs and will stand up alongside them to do what's right, even if it means putting themselves at risk.

I have voiced my opinion on the matter on my social media and will keep the opinions there while reporting facts and statements here.

I do fear that things are going to start getting violent beyond vandalism to buildings as tensions continue to rise.

The term "No justice, no peace" has been a popular rallying cry among protesters. Basically, it means that as long as injustice prevails, acting peacefully is an impossibility.

The t-shirt you see me pictured in we're the words that George Floyd spoke as he slowly died due to police restraint in Minneapolis. Those words have, as well, become a term used by protesters.

 Please make sure to take any needed precautions whether you go out to participate or stay home behind locked doors.  Remember, we are all in this together and as UofL says "We Rise As One."

Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!

Jared

Our coaches speak -- Return to Campus -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

OUR COACHES SPEAK

It has been an eventful last four days here in our city. With the protests and demonstrations capturing the news, we are all seeing things that most of us have never experienced before. In the sports world, when student-athletes experience situations they haven't seen before, it is normal to turn to the coaches on  your squads and discuss the situations and freely engage in dialogue to assess the next step.

Several UofL coaches and student-athletes have come out with thoughts and statements. Let's share them today. 

Jeff Walz

@CoachJeffWalz

Our captains, Dana and Kianna, and I wanted to release the following statement on behalf of our team: Our team had a great discussion on our Zoom call this week. We believe in communication. We address issues, large and small. We don’t think what’s going on is right. We can’t accept a world that isn’t safe for all. We stand with the black community.We will be getting back to campus soon, and we are committed to working together to better our Louisville community with empathy, compassion, and respect for all people. We plan to make a difference through our actions.

@UofLWBB

will be part of the solution. #ONE

We also saw these words from UofL head softball coach Holly Aprile: 

Holly Aprile

@UofL_CoachHolly

·

12h

As a leader of young women it is part of my responsibility to teach love and respect for all people; but “all” people don’t need me right now, our black community does; our athletes and their families do, and I stand with them and vehemently against anyone that condones racism.

Chris Mack UofL head men's basketball coach has posted these thoughts;

Finally, these important words from Louisville Softball alumnae Jordan McNary:

I would be doing myself, my people, and what I believe in a disservice if I didn’t speak up about the recent events. Innocent men and women were murdered. That’s facts. Don’t ask me do I know the whole story. We all know what happened. I do my research and read several articles before I have any serious conversation. No, I don’t know any of them personally, but someone did. Doesn’t mean I can’t be mad about it. People lost their lives and some of you are worried about the wrong things such as background. I don’t care about that, doesn’t mean they deserved to lose their life. Quit discrediting them. The justice system wasn’t meant for black people. We’ve had enough of police brutality and racist encounters. I get it, not all cops are bad and not all white people are racist. But, where are those good ones when they see harm done to blacks? Don’t recorded me, help me! Many of those who are not black are upset about the protest. What happened a couple of weeks ago when y’all were in police officers faces with guns, pushing and shoving, because you couldn’t get a hair cut and sit down at that Mexican restaurants where you don’t like the people yet love their food. Well, y’all were mad we sat, kneeled, and marched. So what do you recommend? Don’t complain without a solution. I don’t agree with the rioting and destroying your community. But, I understand the people don’t feel like we’re being heard and we’re not. A lot of non-blacks are awfully quiet though and that tells just as much as the loud ones making unintelligent/racist statements. I’m watching to see who and what I don’t need to be associated with. Many have showed their true colors and that’s okay. Folks run to social media with outrage about everything else. Y’all were outraged about your guns, Obama, gay rights, and more. Why aren’t you outraged by murder of innocent black people and posting that on social media? That’s why we say black live matter, not all lives. Blacks are the target. White people, I can’t deny you have the power. Speak up when you see wrong doing. Stop being silent. Have those difficult conversations with your black friends. If you don’t use your voice or take some kind of action, you are part of the problem. That goes for any other race as well. If you claim you love me, a young black woman, you shouldn’t be silent. If you claim you love any black person or the culture, you shouldn’t be silent. I’ve faced racism since I was 5 years old and it hasn’t stopped. I was never taught or thought to treat someone different because they were different in any kind of aspect. I continue to love and pray for everyone. If you know me, there is not a hateful bone in my body, just love and compassion. Last thing, thank you to all my friends and others that have spoken up. You are appreciated. You all stay safe and blessed.

CommentJacob Putman

As we go into June, let's all pay heed to the wise words of this leaders on campus and in our society.

RETURNING TO CAMPUS

Today (June 1st) begins Phase I of the return of student-athletes to the Louisville campus

The first steps are the most obvious and the steps most warranted. Checking the athletes health. Testing for the CoronaVirus and any symptoms. For UofL WBB, the returnees from last year's team will be on campus. By last count, that'll be nine players. Norika Konno, without a doubt, has had the longest journey of these nine, coming in from Sendai, Japan.

After testing comes instruction Not basketball instruction, but..

Under the first phase, a limited group of student-athletes totaling about 30 in football, plus additional for men's and women's basketball, would arrive on campus on June 1, with education on protocols to be employed prior to their arrival.  The group would begin testing on June 2, physical examinations on June 4 and be ready to participate in voluntary physical training, not directed by coaching staffs, on June 8.  Three UofL facilities -- the Schnellenberger Football Complex, Trager Center, and Planet Fitness Kueber Center -- would be open with limited occupancy during the first phase.

UofL Athletics administrators and health officials have been planning a phased return to campus for weeks, with goals to:
•    Provide a phased progression into athletic activity to promote mental and physical well-being;
•    Provide a phased approach of opening and use of athletic facilities;
•    Provide a safe environment that allows student athletes to transition into supervised activity to improve their strength and conditioning;  
•    Implement and adhere to operational guidelines to minimize the risk of virus transmission among student-athletes and staff; and 
•    Create an environment that generates a change in personal hygiene practices so that best practices are being used in individual life.

Along with you, we all hope that things go smoothly and our student-athletes are healthy, remain healthy and have a safe and seccure environment 

paulie

xxxxx

A New Era -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Welcome Back! 

Before I get into today's article, which will be fairly short given that the schedule is bare and I don't feel like being the umpteenth person to provide an in-depth primer of the red/blue game, allow me to say "hello!" I feel like I need to reintroduce myself for as long as I've been gone. I've gotten all moved, and I finally became a world traveler. I've been to 38 states so far in my life, but to this point last week, had not yet put my passport to use. Thanks to my cruise, that fact is a thing of the past as I spent all last Saturday lounging on a beach bed on a private beach in Haiti. It was beautiful, and the social disconnect over the five day cruise was fantastic. My wife and I have also turned in the keys at our old apartment, making the move to our new house complete and final. We still have some unpacking to do, but it's really coming together. Anyway, that's where I've been for the last month, so how about some Cardinals talk.

MBB Hosts UK Today at 2PM

There isn't much on the schedule as far as Louisville sports go. The next women's game isn't for nearly a week, and there isn't anything other than this game on the calendar before that. This annual match-up is a pretty good one, though, and there is a lot to be excited about for Louisville fans this year. First, if you haven't read Mike Rutherford's article about what this game means for Calipari for the college basketball SB Nation site yet, I would advise you to go do that. You can find it on his Twitter or on Google. Mike is a great guy and he is really the reason that I am still writing about sports five years after deciding to give it a go (big shoutout to Paulie as well). The article is about how Cal has owned Louisville during his time at UK, which is no surprise to Louisville fans, but how this game may be a key to UK's season and to Cal's legacy at the school. 

There are a few things that are working in Louisville's favor for the game today. (I was going to say two things, but then the list kept getting longer in my head.) The first two things that came to mind are in a very similar vein; Louisville looks a lot better than people expected them to be this year, and Kentucky looks a lot worse. That is not to say that Louisville looks on paper like they could beat the brakes off of Kentucky, it just means the game looks a lot closer than it would have three months ago. Vegas agrees, as they've tabbed UK as just a one point favorite. A favorite has not covered the spread in 8 of the last 10 meetings.

The next major thing is that this is a home game. The Yum! Center at its best is an insane environment. I've been a part of a lot of the biggest games there. Add on the fact that this is a game against the team's most hated rival and the environment ratchets up one or two notches. As Rutherford pointed out in his article, the two times that Calipari has lost to Louisville while at Kentucky were both games in which his team was playing its first true road game of the season. Guess who hasn't played a true road game yet this year... (Also, can we talk about the fact that we're two months into the season and a perennial powerhouse hasn't yet played a true road game? Come on, man. Man up with the schedule.) In addition to the "first true road game" issue, this rivalry against Calipari has mostly been determined by home court advantage. Cal is 9-2 against Louisville, which is admittedly bad for the Cardinals. However, only two of those nine wins have come in Louisville. Cal is 7-0 in Rupp or on a neutral floor, but is only 2-2 in Louisville (against the Cards). Chris Mack's squad has a chance to push that to a winning home record.

The last item I'll talk about that is working for Louisville this season is the addition of head coach Chris Mack. John Calipari was in Rick Pitino's head. He lived there. Pitino hated the way that Calipari succeeded at the forefront of the one and done era, and he regularly couldn't get it done against Cal. More than that, though, Pitino really wasn't great against UK before Cal got there. Louisville was only 4-4 against UK under Pitino before the Cal era and almost half of those games were against Billy Gillespie. Chris Mack is different. He allows himself to be caught up in the rivalry, but no differently than he allows himself to be caught up in any other game. To say that rivalry games don't mean more to Mack would be a lie, but that doesn't mean it's going to eat him up to the point where he doesn't know how to coach for a week. Mack is ready for this game, and he's clearly getting his team ready for it. He said himself of the game, "As a competitor, if you haven't internalized that and thought about that 90-61 ass-whooping, then I don't want you on my team." Chris Mack comes from a history of a fierce rivalry. You'd better believe he's excited to be in charge of another one.

I'm not going to give a prediction for today's game. Call me a coward if you'd like, but I just can't do it. Neither team has been consistent enough this year to be defined in any way. I wouldn't be surprised by an extremely close game that comes down to the wire (although I'm already a bit worn out on those types of games from the Cards this season), but I also wouldn't be particularly surprised if this game was a blowout in either direction. Only the guys on the court will be able to tell us how this game will go, and we'll find out that answer in a matter of hours.

Cards-Cats, Yum! Center, 2PM, ESPN2. Appointment television.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

My return to the pages coincides with my return to the studio! I'll be back on Mellwood Avenue today with the gang for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour. I can't imagine what we'll talk about. Join us on WCHQ from 11AM-Noon. WCHQ is available on 100.9 FM, the new WCHQ app, wchqfm.com, and on Facebook Live. We don't take call-ins, but if you ask questions on FB Live, I do my best to at least bring attention to them.

LINK:  THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

Until next time, Go Cards!!

-CH-

ACC Accolades for Women's Soccer -- Softball Commits -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Women's Soccer Places Three on All-Atlantic Teams

Louisville women's soccer had three Cardinals announced to the All-Atlantic teams.  Emina Ekic, Gabrielle Vincent, and Brooklynn Rivers were named to the First, Second, and Third teams, respectively.

Ekic, a sophomore from duPont Manual, makes her second appearance in the ACC Awards history book after earning Freshman of the Year last year.  After coming off an ACL injury, Ekic finished 2018 with seven goals and five assists, including five goals in the final six matches.

Vincent earned her first ACC honors.  The senior started at centerback her entire career at UofL and has been one of the pillars for the team the past few seasons.  The Louisville defense recorded seven shutouts this year.  Vincent was a captain the past two years.

Rivers earned her first ACC honors after leading the team in scoring.  The junior scored eight goals and dished out seven assists. Her four game-winning goals were first on the team.

Softball Receives Five Commits for 2019-2020 Season

Five prospective recruits signed their letters of intent yesterday for Louisville softball.  The group
consists mainly of infielders and pitchers.

Lexi Carver is a catcher and infielder from Spencer, IN.  Carver has been one of the top hitters in the state and is also listed in Extra Inning Softball's (EIS) 2019 Elite 100 and Flo Softball's Hot (FSH) 100.

Taja Felder is a pitcher and utility player from Fresno, CA.  Felder is reigning Offensive Player of the Year for Three Rivers Athletic Association (TRAC).

Payton Hudson is a pitcher and utility player from McMinnville, OR.  Hudson is a three-time Greater Valley all-league selection and was Greater Valley Pitcher of the Year in 2017.

Elana Ornelas is an infielder and outfielder from from Oldham County High School in Lagrange, KY.  Ornelas is currently District 29 MVP and recently played in the Kentucky East-West all-star game.

Jenni Servi is an infielder from Monterey CA.  Servi is listed in EIS Topp 200 players.  Servi is also the daughter of former assistant coach Amy ReCouper-Servi.

Brohm Watch

The rest of Louisville sports media is zoned in on "Brohm Watch" This phenomena is a rare occurring state of being transfixed on following a particular entity that might be taking over a 2-10 Football team.  We realize as (mostly) literate, comprehending people, you probably have your own "take" on the phenomena.

We are a women's sports site the vast majority of the time. So, our "take" is not nearly as relevant nor controversial as many of the "experts" out there. We do, however, like to see our reader base happy about things.

 It would appear that the vast majority of you out there would like to see the Louisville Trinity grad bring his family, brothers and Honda Accord home to the "Ville" and start the reclamation project of making a now woeful pigskin program meaningful again. Such a task will take time. After all, the Allied Forces didn't make it back to France a couple of days after the retreat from Dunkirk. It took strategy, planning and rebuilding.

Make it so, then, Vince and Louisville Athletic Board. As Vito Corleone said in the movie THE GODFATHER: "Make him an offer he can't refuse". 


Other News

Congratulations to Chris Mack and the Louisville men's basketball team on defeating No. 9 Michigan
State in overtime last night.  The win secures Louisville's undefeated November record in the KFC Yum! Center. Our apologies to the Indiana and Duke MBB fans who were waiting in agony to see this thriller end so they could watch their tussle on ESPN.  Several women's basketball players were present to cheer the men on after the men had done the same for the women on Monday night.  I'll be back in action and joining Paulie at the women's game Thursday night.

 I mean, who would turn down free dinner?


Donation Month

As we draw near the end of November this is my last article talking about Donation Month 2018.

 Although I do not know the numbers I do know that this year was on the good side of the pendulum. Still time for you to jump in the Couple pool.

Thank you to all who have donated and helped keep Cardinal Couple alive and well.  We appreciate everything you do to help supply us with the resources to bring you the latest and best coverage in all Louisville women's sports.  YOU are Cardinal Couple. WE never forget that.

Happy Wednesday and Go Cards!

- Jared -