HAPPY NEW YEAR -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

                                                           HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year! 

LINK: MERRY NEW YEAR !!

PAULIE & SONYA

Happy New Year -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

From all of us, to all of you, HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

The Eagles -- Funky New Year

CARDINAL COUPLE

Happy New Year! -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

It has been one heck of a week, so you might notice this post is out quite late. After the last few days, we hit the hay around 10:30PM, not bothering to watch the ball drop, and I caught up on a lot of sleep to start my 2022.

I'm not much of a resolutions guy, having recently taken up the idea of yearly themes instead. Resolutions are very unforgiving and can put you in quite a poor headspace if you aren't able to stick to a new habit or hit an arbitrary goal you created, at least that's the case for me anyway. Themes give you the flexibility to model your year how you see fit and change targets as necessary if the situation demands it. 

My theme this year is the "Year of New", and I'm trying to freshen up a lot of aspects of my work and personal life. I'll be taking a look at my routines, habits, hobbies, physical spaces, and more to try to make the most out of 2022. It feels like the right time for that theme given what has been a bit of a slog over the last two years. 

As the sun sets on 2021, UofL and the athletic program will be going through their own Year of New as well, but theirs is due to a different set of circumstances. Hopefully as fans of the Cards, the new we see can be a new National Champion or two. 

Louisville women's basketball's quest for a national championship continues tomorrow when the two Louisville teams play a double-header against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Jeff will have more in his preview article tomorrow. As Daryl mentioned yesterday, we'll be back with the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast next week!

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

WBB handles BC 79-49 -- HAPPY NEW YEAR ; FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 FRIDAYS WITH DARYL 

Firstly, as we wrap up 2021, I want to say thank you to the readers.  I do appreciate your comments and viewership throughout the year and sports seasons.  Without you all, why are we even typing? So thanks to you all for making Cardinal Couple what it is.  Its a pleasure to bring a closer look into the squads we love so much with you! 

Secondly, I want to wish you a Happy New Year!  It's the last day of the year and I am looking forward to new goals and new memories to be made in 2022, hopefully plenty of fond Cardinal memories are in the future. 

                        Photo: Jared Anderson

WBB wins vs Boston College 79-49

Five Cardinals scored in double figures as UofL secures it's first conference win and moves to 11-1 on the season.  Emily Engstler had an efficient night and lead all scorers with 14 points on 5-7 shooting, going 3-5 at the free throw line, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals in 17 minutes on the floor.   Hailey Van Lith logged the most minutes and went 5-10, 2-3 from 3 point land for 12 points and 3 rebounds. 

                                             Photo: Jared Anderson

End of 1Q 12-11 Cards
FG %
3-15 20% Cards
4-9 36.4% BC
Reb. 10-7 BC
3-pt %
0-4 0% Cards
0-3 0% BC

Niether squad was able to land a three pointer in the first quarter which made for a very dry offensive battle to open the game. The Cards' starters struggled to get their feet under them while BC Taylor Soule went 3-4 and had 7 of the Eagles' 11 total points.  BC also had 8 turnovers in the first 10 minutes of play but the Cards only had 5 points off of them.  Coach Walz said he did not think the Cards had any rust after the holiday break because they had a great shoot around earlier in the day.                                                         

                                                                            Photo: Jared Anderson

                                

End of 2Q 23-13 Cards

FG %
10-16 62.5% Cards

4-11 36.4% BC
Reb. 10-6 Cards
3-pt %
3-6 50% Cards
0-3 0% BC
                                                        
Louisville bigs (Olivia Cochran and Emily Engstler) went 6-6 from the field to pull the Cards to a sturdy lead over the Eagles as the team shot 63% from the field in the quarter.  The defense held BC to 0-6 from three point land which was the difference maker in the first half.  

HALF 35-24

End of 3Q 24-13 Cards

FG %
8-16 50% Cards
5-12 41.7% BC
Reb. 13-7 Cards
3-pt %
1-1 100% Cards
1-2 50% BC

Engstler continued her campaign to get drafted in the WNBA by going 2-2 from the field, 3-4 at the free throw line, adding an assist and grabbing 4 rebounds in 6 minutes on the floor in the quarter. 

        

                   Photo: Jared Anderson

End of 4Q 20-12 Cards

FG %
9-17 52.9% Cards
4-16 25% BC
Reb. 10 All
3-pt %
1-4 25% Cards
1-7 14.3% BC

                        Photo: Jared Anderson

Starters were pulled and the bench really got to see some quality playing time. Payton Verhulst tied a career-high 12 points while Liz Dixon and Olivia Cochran had chipped in 10 of their own. 

                                                         Photo: Jared Anderson

UP NEXT

Louisville vs #16 Georgia Tech Sunday at 12 p.m. in Atlanta, GA

FRED REPORT


FREE THROWS -- The Cards managed 14-21 at the charity stripe.  Olivia Cochran made all 4 of her shots at the line.  21 total attempts as a team is alot more than they've attempted in recent weeks so we will give them credit for getting to the line more but making just 66.7% of them does not meet our required 70% minimum so Ill give it a lower case f

REBOUNDING -- UofL outrebounded BC 40-33 but the game's leading rebounder was BC 6-3 Freshman center, Maria Gakdeng with 9 boards.   The teams tied in second chance points with 12 a piece.  lower case r

EFFORT/EXECUTION -- As a team, the Cards shot 47% and 33% from three point land.  They connected for 17 assists on 30 shot attempts..  With Engstler leading the squad with 4 of them and HVL, Kianna Smith and Chelsie Hall combining for only 3, I would like to see the distribution numbers a little higher for this team that allegedly does not have just one star player to rely on.  Capital E

DEFENSE -  The Cards held BC to a season low 49 points.  As one of the team's leading scorers, Taylor Soule managed to keep BC in the game in the first quarter but was locked down after that short lived burst.  After going 3-4 to open the game, she went 1-3 from the field for the rest of the game.  Louisville forced BC into 21 turnovers where they matched BC in second chance points at 12.  Capital D

FINAL FRED TALLY: f_r_E_D

                                                                Photo: Jared Anderson

Again, a Happy New Year to you and yours!! I hope you make it a safe one this evening if you do get out and about.  Tell your people you love them and you will hear from me in 2022!

Cardinal Couple Radio - The gang will continue to enjoy the holiday with a break from radio this weekend but back to regularly scheduled programming next week! 

As always 

Go Cards! 

~Daryl 

HOPEFUL NEW YEAR -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

HOPEFUL NEW YEAR

The Cardinal Couple Staff would like to wish one and all a happy and hopeful 2021. A time to say good bye and a time to say hello.  Our New Year's resolution is to continue to bring you the best in UofL womens athletics news. We invite you to come along for the ride! 

Paulie, Jeff, Case, Jared, Daryl and Sonja

HAPPY NEW YEAR! -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FROM ALL OF US AT CARDINAL COUPLE TO ALL OF YOU...

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

(If you're looking for a recap of the Louisville vs. NC State WBB game, go to Sunday's article.)


Paulie
xxxxx

Happy New Year -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! 

From all of us at CARDINAL COUPLE...HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!


We're glad you made it to 2017 with us and promise to continue bringing you the best in
UofL women's sports coverage from a fan's viewpoint. The joy and excitement of Cardinal Athletics is alive and well here and we invite
you to make the trip with us as we roll 
through the next 12 months of Louisville
sports! 

No worries...Football will recover, men's 
basketball will shine..we have women's
hoops, softball, swimming and lacrosse to get
fired up about in the next couple of months and....Asia Durr is still awesome! 

Thank you to the folks at Crescent Hill Radio for putting up with our
nonsense on The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour in 2016 and we look
forward to another year with our hard working studio engineer Monk
and her faithful side-kick Punkin.

Also our appreciation to Howie Lindsey and Louisville First for giving
us another weekly radio outlet to share the joy and excitement of
Louisville women's athletics.

Our hats are off to the coaches, players, administration and staff of UofL Athletics 
who make it so very easy and so much 
fun to do this 365 days a year. You are the story...we just observe and comment. 

We are grateful for the sponsors and 
donors who keep this site and radio show
running. Your support is greatly valued.

Most importantly, we appreciate you...the
readers and listeners who have decided to
choose us. We are overwhelmed with your
support and always welcome your ideas, suggestions, input, comments and 
commentary. Our lives are truly enriched by
your presence and you are the reason why
we are here. 


YOU are Cardinal Couple...and we never forget that. Thank you! 

party, baby...
paulie

xxxxx

Happy New Year! -- CARDINAL COUPLE

HAPPY NEW YEARS FROM CARDINAL COUPLE!

Wishing you the best for 2016 from all of us 
here at Cardinal Couple. Starts today with WBB
against a very talented team from Tallahassee in  
FSU at 4 p.m. at the KFC YUM! Center that 
should be a very good game. We'll have the 
recap later today.

             ( The "not ready for high society" crew New Year's Eve.) 

paulie
xxxxx

Thursday Cardinal Couple -- Cardinal Resolutions

( Staff Columnist Jenny O'Bryan returns today with a list of resolutions for 2013. We're going to add a couple here for her...Stay healthy in 2013 and keep our readers informed with the best of Cardinal women's sports! )

Well, it is that time of year again.  Time for most of us to make New Year resolutions, that often fall by the wayside weeks, if not months, in to the New Year.   Over the years, I have become a bit more realistic in my goals for the upcoming year, and with that, have had better, longer lasting success at meeting those goals. 

Last year’s resolution was to do at least one home project a month for at least 6 months.  Any of you that are homeowners know, there is often a never-ending list of things to be done.  Between work, kids activities if you are blessed with them, keeping up with the day to day rigors of dogs, laundry, cleaning, dinner, grocery shopping and yard upkeep, there is not a lot of time left to tackle the bigger projects.  I am happy to say last year I accomplished some great projects that were long overdue.  With one big project a month, it is hardly enough to cut in to the laundry list of things to be done, but this approach made it more manageable for me. 

This past year, thanks to my resolution, I researched, planned, and planted a new tree to replace one that did not make it through the ice storm several years ago.   In keeping with that, the first project included cutting down the aforementioned, medium sized tree that still stood in the front yard, so that a new one could go in.  Against all odds, no one, or the neighbor’s belongings, were injured or damaged in meeting this goal.  An arborist I am not, but it got done.  After a season with a new deck on the back of the house, a huge project was cleaning, water sealing and decorating the new deck.  Many a Cardinal Couple articles were written from that very spot, having accomplished that goal this past year.   Those are a few of the projects knocked off the list last year.  For everyone accomplished, 2-3 more were added.   That same resolution sits atop my New Years list again this year. 

All this leads me to a new resolution to add to my list this year.  Upon reflection, I have come up with a few Cardinal Resolutions.   As many of you regular readers know, basketball seems to be my sport of passion.  Hence, the majority of my Cardinal Resolutions revolve around basketball. 

Follow my team:  I am an avid fan of Cardinal Women’s Basketball.  I never miss a home game.  Last year I traveled to several reasonable away games.  This season, I intend to expand upon that!  A minimum of one away game that requires travel will be attended.  Right now, it is looking like the Notre Dame game, February 11.   Many of the top teams in the country travel well.  While Louisville’s home game attendance ranks second in the country, I am pretty sure not a lot of us travel.  I want to change that.  I am starting that for myself, this season. 

Support my team:  It is easy to be a fan when things are going well.  With injuries to this program the last two seasons, high hopes upon the opening of the season always need to be tempered with reasonable expectations.  Regardless of what is going on with the personnel, I need to support my team, through the wins and especially through the losses.  I am not a coach, and have never been a coach, I remind myself to support my team, and the coaches, they are the experts here, not me as a courtside watcher. 

Watch more high school ball:  The state of Kentucky is loaded with young, upcoming talent.  Not only do I want to get out and see some of that young talent, I want to take in a big AAU Tournament this upcoming summer travel season.  As a fan of the recruiting world, the best way to know the talent is to see it, and I plan to get out and watch some high school ball. 

Learn about lacrosse:  I have never seen a lacrosse game.  I cannot write one intelligent sentence about lacrosse.  I intend to change that.  I am not sure how intelligent my reporting about Lacrosse will be, but I vow to read and learn about lacrosse, and challenge myself to convey that to Cardinal Couple readers.   

Do you have any Cardinal Resolutions you want share?  Email us or comment below.  If you want to join me at Notre Dame, let me know!  I am sure our team would love the support! 

( Editor's Note...Louisville plays at South Bend on Monday, Feb.11th at 9:00 p.m.)

Happy New Year, readers!  May 2013 bring you much peace, health and happiness, and may our Cardinal student athletes continue to excel both in the classroom and on their respective courts!

Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin - Auld Lang Syne

( HAPPY NEW YEAR!  SEE YOU MONDAY WHEN WE'LL PREVIEW
THE LADY CARDS WBB NEXT OPPONENT...MARQUETTE)
.
..

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

.
Happy New Year !!!

(From all of us at CARDINAL COUPLE...Happy NEW YEAR! We hope your 2012 is a great one! Thanks for being with us and we look forward to
seeing you in 2012 and beyond. From Sonja, Paul, Jenny, Sandra, David, Bill the Goat, Co-Co, La-La, Cletus, Mondo Vendo and Felton John...best wishes and GO CARDS!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SATURDAY 1/1/11

From all of us here at Cardinal Couple to ALL of you... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

.

Paul insisted we put the first pic

here on the site. Dirty ol' man..

.

(See Sonja's report on the annual UofL vs. UK party below)

.

The second pic is a pretty good synopsis of how 2010 went...

.

Some thoughts from the crew:

Paul (Giving up nothing this year)

Sonja (Happy New Year, readers!)

David Watson (Go CARDS in 2011)

Tommy Boy (May all your wagers be profitable..)

Bill the Goat (Haaaappyyy Neeww Yearrrrrr!!!!)

The Chimps (More egg nog!)

Tilly the Tour Guide (Best wishes and...SMILE!)

Tom da Bomb (I'm giving up bad beer in 2011.)

Poobah (May the blessings of this season be upon you...)

MArkyMArk (Oh...yeee-ahhh!)

Bonnay Saybel (Where's my luggage!)

Shannon CD (Where's the Tylenol?)

The interns, staff and government officials joining us today...Happy New Year!

************************************************************************************

(Sonja used a tape recorder to capture her observations on the annual Uofl vs. UK basketball party that she attends pretty much every year. Paul was with her this year. Her report below.)

It's a party I go to every year. About 15-20 couples, equally divided most years, between Red and Blue fans...held at the home of a "mixed" couple (one is Red, the other Blue). Sometimes, usually in the "odd" or Rupp Years, Paul makes the party. This year he did because of new arrangements with season hoops tickets and sharing 1/2 the games with an old and dear friend.

It's darn early to be playing this thing...but we get the morning things done and we're in the host's driveway by 11:30 a.m. Crowd is rolling in, looks like we'll have about 40 people this year and Paul has brought plenty of champagne for the post game toast. There is a 'pick the final total points' jackpot up and going and I go in low...at 119. Paul is a bit higher...seeing this one at 146. There are guesses from 101 to 170. It's tip off time!

-We look good early and the Red in attendance is whooping and yelling. 12-6 and about 14 minutes left in the first half. Someone brought a delicious quiche and it's getting my attention as well.

-OK, that lead evaporated. Cats tie it after Knight knocks in a uncontested three. Nervous time.

-21-14. Cats on a 7-0 run. The Blue is in full voice here and I'm thinking maybe an egg-nog might help. DeAndre Liggins looks like he could use one, also. A little over seven minutes to go in the first half. Paul and his buddy Bob are sitting rather gloomily in their chairs...not speaking.

-Terrence Jennings got all of that dunk! 28-22 and everybody in this basement is yelling now. Ernie leading a CATS cheer. Bob countering with the CARDS version.

-35-24 at the half. Nothing worse that a bunch of gloating, smirking UK fans. Paul, Bob and Case discuss the Cardinal collapse in the final minutes. I start looking at a jewelry/home demonstration catalogue that one of the ladies here is having a party for next month. Second half team, right?

-Harrellson just hit a three? Good gracious! 44-26. Can someone on this team please guard him and could we get a score? Sixteen minutes to go...plenty of time, but UK definitely has "the mo" right now.

-Three by Knowles. At least he's scoring. The egg nog is getting refilled and Paul is in full Bud Select, ex-coach and drill sergeant mode...shouting out instructions to the Cardinals that are down by 15 and 13:50 left.

-Go Preston Go! Down to nine points now and a little less than half of the final half to go. Sounds loud in the KFC YUM! Center. It's definitely loud here at the party.

-Would someone guard Terrance Jones? A layup from him and Cats up 66-52 with about six minutes left. My 119 total points isn't going to be a winner.

-Well, that was ugly. 78-63 and a bunch of happy blue clad here at the party. Paul's point guess barely loses to Ernie...who had nailed 141 on the head. The customary congratulations, hugs and Paul breaks out the champagne and glasses for the annual toasts from a winner and a loser. Paul's is classic.

"Here's to the winners. They played with no fear. Enjoy it while you can. We'll get you next year!"

-It's 8:30 and I'm pretty much done for the day. Up too early,not enough sleep last night and way too full of food and beverage. Paul's upstairs playing poker with the boys (and winning rather handsomely I'm told). I'm here in the basement watching FSU and South Carolina. The UK fans and I finally have something in common. We both dislike Spurrier.

This party will roll on until midnight and beyond but I won't see it. Too early a start for this ol' gal and as we leave around 10 p.m....stuffed full of food.... Paul taking the keys because he stopped several hours ago and I'm still with beverage. Happy New Year ALL!

Paul and Sonja did indeed make it home safely and watched Dick Clark bring in 2011. They were asleep by 12:30.