Soccer's New Gear -- WNBA Protests -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 Soccer's New Gear

Louisville women's soccer released photos of some of their new gear that they will be wearing for the 2020 season.  Adidas and Louisville have had a strong contract for many years and they constantly bring out top-of-the-line gear for everyone in athletics.

We often see student-athletes, coaches, and staff repping nice Adidas gear.  Even us here at Cardinal Couple have been known to enjoy some swag.

Here are a few pictures the team released of some of the gear we will see the players wearing on the pitch:

Also, if you were wondering what happens with the old gear such as uniforms and cleats, the players usually do not get to keep them.  Either UofL or Adidas holds onto those for reasons I am not sure I understand.

The t-shirts, shorts, tennis shoes, and backpacks are for the players to keep forever.  With how high quality the material is, they can last a long time.

WNBA Protests

If you were expecting to see WNBA games last night, you probably already know that those games did not happen.  In protests against current events in the United States, the teams refused to play, and wore shirts spelling out "Jacob Blake" with bullet holes in the shirts.

Jacob Blake is one of the more recent stories right now as police shot him in the back seven times with his children in the car witnessing the event.  Thankfully, Blake survived, but he is permanently paralyzed from the waist down.

Besides the WNBA, we also saw teams in the NBA, MLB, MLS, and individual tennis players refuse to play in protest of recent events.

We are not here to discuss politics on the Cardinal Couple site, but we would be happy to openly discuss politics and the current situation through our various platforms of social media.

No matter your stance on the situation, please understand that these athletes are within their rights for freedom of speech to make their voices heard.  I expect to hear more from some of our UofL alums as they release their own personal statements in the coming days.

COVID-19 Testing

Have you experienced a COVID-19 test yet?  Everyone associated with UofL has.  I know Paulie and Sonya took one shortly after their visit to Gatlinburg.  Due to my interaction with the public on a daily basis at work I took my second test yesterday.

So, what's it like?

The test I take is the one where you sit in the car and run a nasal swab in each nostril.  It goes as far up your nose as possible and is not a pleasant feeling, although it does not hurt.  If you're like me, your eyes water and your nose is a bit runny.

For a process that takes less than 30 seconds, I would gladly take the test everyday if it helped us have faster results on who is positive as well as give us a chance of truly having sports again.

Happy Thursday and Go Cards!

Jared

SALIVA TEST A GAME-CHANGER -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 SALIVADIRECT DEVELOPED BY YALE

(Just a preliminary warning...today's article is not about scores, results, players or teams. It's a discussion on health...and that can ultimately affect any and all players, teams, results and scores.)

Paulie

If you have gone through COVID 19 testing, you know that it can be uncomfortable, it takes a few days  (normally) to get the results back and it wasn't widely accessible at first and still isn't, in some areas. 

That could be in the past, as a saliva-based laboratory test, developed by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health has been granted an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The NBA (National Basketball Association) funded the project and is validating the test for asymptomatic individuals. The good news is that SalivaDirect is simpler, less painful, less expensive than the nose swab and results can be determined in several hours, according to scientist.

It makes sense. Saliva is quick and easy to collect. It's less obtrusive to gather and labs can double their testing capabilities since the procedure of drawing the mucus from the Q-Tip is now eliminated. . 

For athletes, it's a game-changer. Quicker decisions to quarantine individuals who test positive can be made.to ensure the health and safety of the entire team, coaches and staff. And, all of society could benefit from this rapid turn-around in this procedure to determine if you have COVID 19 or not.

Imagine a test that can be made available, almost immediately, to diagnostic laboratories who could quickly scale it up for use across the nation in mere weeks. It is here in Saliva-Direct. 

To put it in sports terms, if you can identify a problem faster and take steps to prevent it, you're chances of winning are better. Or, the faster we stop (Player A) from scoring, the better (team B) going to do in the game.

For the student-athletes on college campuses all across our nation, it's a step to help alleviate fears of catching COVID-19. If a positive case can be identified fasted and quarantined quickly, the spread is lessened. 

The questions remain on how fast this new procedure can be implemented for mass usage and how widely will it be accepted and used by schools, organizations and other aspects of society. Like anything, there will not be 100% acceptance and those who hold out. To that, I simply say: "Welcome to 2020." 

Imagine going to work on a Monday morning, though, producing a sample for testing and knowing by the end of the work day (or sooner) whether you are positive or negative. Talk about a quick remedy for alleviating  fear and anxiety that exists in a lot of us! Talk about helping eliminating or lessen the chances of spread of the disease!  

Until then, it's important that you do the things being recommended. Wear a mask, avoid big social gatherings that don't have spacing properly implenents and proceduures in play and wash and use hand sanitizer. Follow the example of those in the "bubble", "wubble", on college campuses and (hopefully) schools that are choosing to resume in-attendance classes

Be safe and smart. If you;re "high-risk", don't subject yourself or others to danger and COVID-19. 

Many of us want to enjoy the possibilities of attending live sporting events and not having to worry about our or other's safety and health. Until a vaccine is developed and widely administered, it just makes good sense to stay safe. Ask your favorite coach or athlete. They'll tell you the same.  

I don't speak for the entire staff here at Cardinal Couple with these statements today, but I'd bet that my fellow writers and participants would agree in principal with the "stay safe" guidelines. I may not speak for you, the reader, as well. But, with the promising testing developments that are starting to surface, it's a benefit to all of us in our quest to put this game out of reach and get the win over COVID-19. 

As any coach will tell you, once you cut down on the decisions that can create errors or setbacks, your chances of winning go up. Play smart, make good decisions. Be a team player and align your own personal goals and desires with those around you. .You are part of the solution, if you become a team player. You're part of the problem if you are a "me first" type.

Let's go get this win. 

(If you're commenting today, keep it civil. If you want to e-mail me today about the article, have at it but keep it civil. Use your indoor voice and try to make a point.)  

paulie .  

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

UofL Begins Testing -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

TESTING, TESTING...

Yesterday marked the beginning of COVID-19 testing for student-athlete, coaches, and other staff associated with UofL athletics.  Each individual, including many who were self-quarantining after traveling back in town, went through a drive-in testing facility at Cardinal Stadium. Vince Tyra was reportedly first to go through.

The individuals included those from football, women's basketball, men's basketball, women's swimming and diving, and men's swimming and diving. Some staff, administrators and coaches also were tested.  It's unclear how many individuals from each sport went through or when the other sports will join them, but approximately 120 individuals were tested. In addition to the testing, individuals were given hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and masks.

Following testing and health educational advising, individuals will be able to begin individual
workouts without coaches involved.

Although there is a long way to go we have seen the first steps to possibly having a fall sports season.

There has been no official statement or information on the testing results and --will, or if they will -- be released from UofL. Also,no information on when the results of the testing will be announced. There are, of course, HIPAA rules to observe, where patient privacy guards against certain uses and disclosures of health information and the prohibition of this information with the tested's knowledge or contest.


LOBBYING 

In other news, bank lobbies reopen today.  With a limited number of people allowed inside at a time and cutting the number of stations we can assist people in half,  it's possible we may be backed up all day- something most of us are a little nervous about.

We also sustained quite a bit of damage to one of our virtual drive thru lanes earlier in the week, as someone attempted to break into the machine and steal money unsuccessfully.

Wish us the best of luck on a smooth transposition.




NOT SO SHARP

Former University of Louisville dance coach Todd Sharp has been arrested for fleeing New Albany police.

According to an arrest report, Sharp was swerving on State Street when he crashed his truck head-on into another vehicle. Police said Sharp nearly rear-ended a parked car, then sped off when an officer turned on his lights and sirens

A New Albany police spokesman says Sharp drove through two red lights, onto the sidewalk, and hit a cable that anchor a street light pole. He did not stop until his car was trapped between a light pole and a curb.

Sharp faces resisting law enforcement, criminal recklessness, and leaving the scene of an accident.

Happy Thursday and Go Cards!


Jared