Louisville Interim Athletic Director -- A Six Pack to Consider? -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

WHO'S GOT NEXT? 

UPDATE: Vince Tyra was named the acting Athletic Director today. Interesting the term "acting" here. I know Vince, not sure of his acting skills but he should do a fine job in however many days he is in the position.    -- Paulie

The word is that the Board of Trustees, Greg Postal, the Three Musketeers and Laurel and Hardy will name an interim Athletic Director sometime this Tuesday. I don't like this, first off the bat. Tom Jurich is the guy who is the Athletic Director, and should be retained as the Athletic Director and if you look up the phrase athletic director on Wikipedia or any other search engine... it should have a picture of Tom Jurich by the description, in my humble opinion. 

I get two questions a lot lately. One is will they eventually retain Tom? The other is why is Rick still hanging around? 

I am a Jurich loyalist, as you might know. I believe the body of work establishes the man as the rightful heir to the title. Yes, I know, he stepped on toes with the Adidas announcement. Maybe it was one up-man-ship on Postal for the KFC YUM! incident. Postal needs to get over it. You want Tom in that role, you need Tom in that role and the coaches and players agree. 

But...it appears that they're serious about putting someone in a interim role...so, let's bandy a few names about. These are names that came from multiple sources. my own theories and from the secret scrolls hidden in the deep, dark recesses of the caves beneath the Louisville Zoo. Grab a coffee, take a seat and relax...no one is or has been on double, secret probation here. As far as I know. 

Vince is the tall guy in the picture

1) Vince Tyra. A name that has surfaced recently and has some merit. His dad Charlie, a incredible basketball player back "in the day". His mom, Sibby, a wonderful, giving person. Vince is a financial guru...his understanding of corporate structure, financing and he possesses a unique skill of being able to bring many and diverse groups together to successfully function as one unit.

I met Vince years ago when he was transforming The Parrish House into Cardinal Alley..a prime tailgating spot for Football on Floyd Street across from the east entrances to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Personable, likable and has a well-developed skill for attention to detail.  His resume has Elite Medical Staffing, Southfield Capital and ISCO Industries, Inc as places of employment. He has a excellent knowledge of venture capital and private equity in his wheel well. Yes, he was a UK grad but that doesn't seem to matter. He would be a good fit for UofL as an interim. I don't think he has a full time interest in the job either...which would bode well for a possible Jurich return. The hot pick as of late...Paulie morning line odds 7/2. 

2) Christine Herring. An associate Athletic director at UofL with special emphasis as the Cards Senior Women's Administrator. Has been in the position since 2012 and on the athletic staff since  2008. Is also a former student-athlete at UofL...(track and field) and also served as an assistant coach for that sport. Obviously, she has a wide range of responsibilities at UofL. She was also associate director of the Cardinal Athletic Fund for the Cards and served as Director of Special Events, too. 

I've known her for several years and find her to be a person with great warmth, personality and attention to detail. We keep planning to sit down and let me interview her for CARDINAL COUPLE but haven't finalized that. The plus is that she's been part of Jurich's brain trust for several years and knows the "in's and out's" of the job and the athletic program. Ironically, that could be a negative as well, if Postal the Pistol and crew are looking to go outside of who's already on campus. Married, a UofL grad, has a son and you'll see her at a lot of UofL women's athletic events. There is the associated stigman of what happened to Julie  Hermann at Rutgers and does UofL want to take a chance on a female athletic director? Paulie likes her chances and it would be a boon for women's athletics at UofL...which we cover here. Paulie morning line odds 4-1. 


3) Christine Simatacolis. She's the Associate Athletic Director for Student Life at UofL and has held the position since 2013...when she returned from the NCAA Corporate offices and her job as working in the area of academic reform. She was at UofL and Florida before that previously. 

I don't know her all that well. I see her at UofL sporting events...she was at both Field Hockey and women's soccer Friday and I think Field Hockey again on Sunday. She seems personable enough and students...yes they are pretty important to a University, right? She has expertise in that and academics...and with UofL getting a "Good Job Award" from the SACS recently...she'd help continue to foster the school's tenuous accreditation status. 

She's a 1993 graduate from Northwestern and was a swimmer there. Married to former UofL football player Jim Simatacolis and has three chidren. 

The same things apply that do to Christine H. University athletic operations knowledge under Jurich...is that good or bad these days. Paulie sees her a medium longshot who could wire the field and take this thing and we'll put her at 7-1 morning line odds. 


4) Kenny Klein. We all know Kenny. The main S.I.D. at UofL. He's also the Senior Associate A.D. for Media Relations. He's the straw that stirs the drink for sports information and is highly respected nationally as a man who runs a smooth yet taut ship. He deals with a myriad of coaches, players, bizarre media types and other schools in 23 sports. He has a solid staff assembled beneath him. 

I get along OK with him these days. A rough patch once, but we talked it out. The real questions here are twofold. First, would he want the job and secondly...can UofL afford to lose him from the position he's currently in?  Paulie thinks he would be capable but I'll go with the Leroy Jethro Gibbs theory here and question why move good? He is needed as the SID. Paulie morning line odds 15-1. 

5) Jerry Abramson. The former mayor of Louisville. Special adviser to Barack Obama. Brilliant legal mind and current professor at Bellarmine. He had the leadership skills and personality to do the interim job quite well...but, once again, is their an interest? 

My sideline buddy at UofL women's basketball games and I think the guy hangs the "L" in leadership but Jerry is in a comfortable spot in his life these days. He's been a great public servant to this community for many years and would serve if pressed into action...I have no doubt...but I don't think that phone is going to ring for him. Paulie is a fan but this isn't the race Jerry needs to be entered in. Let the man enjoy being what he wants to for awhile. Paulie morning line odds 25-1. 

(I'm the one in the toboggan)

6) Paulie. Hey...I like sports. I like coaches. I like players. I don't like wearing ties, though and have issues with a 9-5 workday. I have some questionable skills...but I've been president of my bowling league, vice-president of Sportsmen's Supper Club and was clean up hitter on my softball team...so I know about pressure, responsibility and can delegate with the best of them. I announced earlier today, though, on Howie Lindsey's LOUISVILLE FIRST radio show that I was taking my name out of consideration. The fall meet at Keeneland is coming up, I like my seats at UofL football games and there are still kids to chase off of my front lawn and socks to match up in the laundry hamper. I placed my odds at 1,000-1 before withdrawing for consideration.


To answer the second question from the second paragraph of today's article...Rick, it's time to just head to Florida and quit being a pest. You're not going to get, nor do you deserve the $44 million left on your contract, the Louisville fan base is tired of you, the team has moved on...it's time you do the same. Thank you for the past but, nothing to see here, just leave. Please. 

Nobody likes the guy who doesn't know when the party is over or the lad who doesn't know it's time to head home. Don't be that guy, Rick. Act like a tree in the fall...and just leave. You had your turn at bat and you picked up your third strike so...just go back to the locker room and pack your grip. 

Finally...



Rest in peace, Tom Petty.
Keep Tom Jurich.
Stay tuned. 


paulie
xxxxx

With James Ramsey out as UofL president...who's next? -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

RAMSEY'S REIGN EQUALED GROWTH

The University of Louisville executive board met yesterday in a marathon session to address the the resolution of President James Ramsey's resignation. Ramsey is out. Immediately. Offered a two-year package, thanked for his leadership and will receive a $690,000 buyout to avoid the expense and delay of litigation.  

During his 14 year tenure, the University grew, grew and grew. It will be hard to find a replacement that is more involved, interested and pro-active toward UofL sports that Ramsey was. All UofL sports, not just the holy trio of football, basketball and baseball. Yes, there were mis-appropriations and there was scandal during his tenure. There was also a change from being a commuter-based place of learning to joining the ACC and numerous dorms, facilities and a downtown arena. Never underestimate how essential Ramsey was in helping UofL get to the ACC.  I hope to still see him at Louisville sporting events. 

Neville G. Pinto, the University provost, is the top guy now...until the board interviews and hires a replacement for Ramsey. He was a chemical engineering professor at the University of Cincinnati. He came to Louisville's Speed School of Engineering, eventually became Dean of the Speed School and then moved on to interim and then permanent provost of UofL. According to University by-laws, he's the guy until the 18th president in UofL history is appointed. 

Petrino, Pitino and Pinto. It has the ring of a law firm title, medical practice or sixties pop group. 

So...the search begins. Junior Bridgeman, perhaps the most recognizable of the board members, indicates that the board "must be quick but not hurry" in selecting a replacement for Ramsey. Sage advice. I hope Jeff Walz adapts the phrase to UofL WBB guards this upcoming season.  

Is Bridgeman a candidate to become President of UofL? It is an interesting question. The man knows a lot about success and leadership. He parlayed a basketball scholarship to UofL in the early seventies into a NBA career, successful fast food franchisee owner and now soft drink bottler. Is Louisville ready for a African-American university president. Oh, yeah. Very ready. The question is, will he submit his application and would he accept the job? Honestly, he's probably made enough money in his lifetime to sustain him and his family quite well if he were to retire tomorrow. The challenge of leading a academic institution doesn't come along every day. 

I'll toss another name out there as a candidate. Jerry Abramson. He was Louisville's "mayor for life" for 25 years. Another guy who knows a thing or two about the University of Louisville's interaction with the city and Commonwealth of Kentucky. A former lieutenant-governor and successful attorney. He was also a candidate for the UofL Presidency fourteen years ago when Ramsey was selected. Would governor Matt Bevin veto any such move? Would the board consider him? Is Jerry interested? I love the guy. He'd be my top pick. 

And then there's still that whole issue of...is any of this positioning and maneuvering legal?  Kentucky's attorney general Andy Beshear is suing...saying that all of Bevin's actions in this reorganization are not constitutionally legal. 

This isn't some county ambulance-chaser trying to create a name for himself. This is the attorney general. One who has the power, knowledge and backing to keep this thing tied up in legality issues for quite some time. 

" UofL WANTS WHAT FOR CHRISTMAS? " 

Lastly, how will all of this affect UofL sports? We know of Bridgeman and Abramson's love for UofL athletics. Can we ensure the new president will give Tom Jurich the same 
'green light' to building, progress and continued growth of the sports programs we so dearly love in this community? I remember in the early eighties...there was a movement on to drop Louisville out of Division I football. Thank goodness Donald Swain came to his senses and Bill Olsen hired Howard Schnellenberger. 

Interesting times ahead...

paulie
xxxxx

Saturday Cardinal Couple -- Volleyball goes to 14-0 in AAC...Soccer gets their kicks today.

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Mattingly, Juhl rule as VolleyCards sweep UCF

-Kickin' Cards host Redbirds in NCAA 1st round action

-Oklahoma? OK!!

-The hour of doom approaches. Radio today @ 11 a.m.

(Not allowed to drive
the team van anymore.
New name:Flat Tire Al)

The University of Louisville Volleyball team kept their record perfect in the AAC with a straight set sweep of the UCF Golden Knights (which makes no sense...because it's women's volleyball --- so we'll just refer to them as the damsels in distress today) 25-19, 25-11, 25-14.

This yawner in Orlando was maybe the best the Cards have played all year...if you subscribe to the Anne Kordes logic she delivered after the game. She's learning the Pitino/Walz/best this-or-that we've ever whatever/playbook quite well:

"This was our best all around performance of the season. We controlled both the front and back row and everyone performed incredibly well tonight," said U of L head coach Anne Kordes. "At this point in the season, you want to be executing your game plan and we did that tonight. I love to see the effort and intensity."


And the VolleyCards did keep it interesting in the first set...there were eight ties early in the game before the Cards broke loose on a 6-1...Emily and Brooke in the engineering booth with two key kills each.

Louisville displayed more of the willingness to allow the distressed damsels to hang around in the second set but the Cards grew tired of a 9-9 tie and went on a 12-1 run...seven straight of those coming from the serving of Caitlin Welch.

In game three, Louisville once again delayed the "boom"...taking a 5-5 tie and accelerating it to a 13-6 lead. The senior slammers...Emily and Brooke...had four kills each in the game.

The Cards skip over to Tampa next...for a running with the Bulls on Sunday. This Florida jaunt will be the final regular season road trip for Anne's crew.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Football isn't the only athletic event getting their kicks on campus today....the Cards women's soccer team starts NCAA Championship play with first round action against the Redbirds of Illinois State today at 1 p.m. in Cardinal Park.

Louisville made the field as an at-large and ISU got the automatic bid for winning the Missouri Valley Conference.

These Redbirds are on a 9-0 streak and face the Cardinals for the first time in history. If our birds fly past their birds, they'll face the winner of the Michigan/Milwaukee first round contest.

Unlike NCAA Field Hockey...who had no idea how to set up a championship tournament...NCAA women's soccer actually has 64 squads in their "big dance". They only give seed rankings to the top four in each region (Michigan is #3) but based on the bracket layout...it appears the Cards were a #6 seed.

Kick it in the net, girls! Many times...

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Louisville women's basketball will attempt to be crowned the WNIT Preeseason Champions on Sunday in Norman, OK. against the "Coale-miners"...Sherri Coale's Oklahoma Sooners.

Our illustrious Jenny O'Bryan will have much more pre-game analysis in the Sunday edition of Cardinal Couple. Today, we'll discuss the e-mails and questions I've been getting about Louisville having to travel to Oklahoma to play this final game.

After careful thought and deliberation, I've had a break-through and come up with the Top 10 reasons why Louisville has to travel to Norman to play.

10) WNIT OFFICIALS DIDN'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THE RUNNING OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY

9) TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS AFRAID OF WHAT WALZ WOULD OFFER TO BUY FOR THE NEXT LOUISVILLE HOME GAME

8) OKLAHOMA HAS EIGHT LETTERS...LOUISVILLE TEN. TONS OF MONEY SAVED ON PRINTER INK WHEN DISTRIBUTING THE LOCATION INFORMATION

7) BIG 12 OFFICIALS TRYING TO DIVERT ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE SOONERS LESS THAN STELLAR FOOTBALL SEASON BY HOSTING OTHER EVENTS.

6) LOUISVILLE PRESIDENT JAMES RAMSEY UNWILLING TO HAVE 500 OR SO SCREAMING CATTLE RANCHERS AND FARMERS FROM OKLAHOMA IN THE YUM!
 
5) LITTLE KNOWN CITY ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS WOMEN FROM ENGAGING IN ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES ON SUNDAY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

4) MASSIVE Fraternity PRANK BY THE GUYS IN THE DELTA TAU EPSILON CHAPTER AT O.U. INVOLVING FORGED DOCUMENTS FROM TOM JURICH REQUESTING A CHANGE IN VENUE. THOSE CRAZY DELTA'S!!!

3) ROAD MAINTENANCE ON I-65 IN BULLITT COUNTY.

2) LT. GOV. JERRY ABRAMSON THOUGHT A ROAD TRIP MIGHT BE FUN

1) KFC YUM! CENTER CLOSED THIS SUNDAY FOR SEAT CLEANING, FLOOR WAXING AND TOILET INSPECTION.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


Hey, Y'all...we be on the radio this morning! We'll be welcoming Worldwide Jeff McAdams back into the studio and we're offering 2500 free toothpicks to our studio audience.

The program should be a blast today...we're going to secretly replace Jenny's blood with Folger's instant coffee and see how she performs on live air!

Air time is 11 a.m....which gives you plenty of time to get to the bakery and pick up a loaf of marble rye and some hummus before we start babbling!

LINKIE BELOW:

I KNOW YOU ARE BUT WHAT AM I???


-paulie

...
..
.