Tim Eatman on the move again -- Friday Cardinal Couple

FORMER LOUISVILLE ASSISTANT WBB COACH GOES TO RUTGERS

Tim Eatman was one of the people influential in getting Angel McCoughtry to the Louisville campus. When Tom Collen left for Arkansas after Angel's sophomore year, Eatman went with him.

Eatman has been named an assistant for C. Vivian Stringer at Rutgers. It also means he gets to work with Julie Hermann again.

Tim's pretty excited: 

"There are three reasons I decided to accept the challenge of my life by joining Coach C.Vivian Stringer as part of her staff at Rutgers University," said Eatman of joining the Scarlet Knight coaching ranks.

"First, it is an incredible opportunity to once again have the chance to work with a pioneer and hall of famer. Secondly, I embrace her vision to have a chance to win a national championship. Lastly, I will be reunited with Athletic Director Julie Hermann, who was my Senior Women's Administrator (SWA) at the University of Louisville. Julie was an amazing asset in assisting the staff in recruiting the core players that propelled Louisville to their first two Final Fours in the program's history. I am looking forward to competing in the Big Ten. It is an exciting day to be a part of the Scarlet Knight family."

We wish him well in Jersey. He built some pretty awesome defenses at the "Ville" 

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USA v CANADA TODAY

USA U 19 WBB looks to advance to the Final Four of the FIBA U 19 World Championship when they play Canada today at 1:15 p.m.

This one will be back at Chekhov and on You Tube again. Someone put Walz and Jacob in a cab and keep him away from public transpotation. 

USA defeated Canada last week in the Spanish International Invitational 95-40.

I like their chances here...

paulie

xxxxx

Tuesday Cardinal Couple -- Louisville WBB set to play in Piscataway

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Cards, Scarlet Knights on CBS Sports Network

- Hermann the architect looking to build again

- Shoni named AAC Player of the Week

The University of Louisville women's basketball squad brings its 20-1 record and #5 ranking into the RAC tonight at 9 p.m. to face a 15-4 Rutgers team in a battle that will be shown on CBS Sports Network. Debbie Antonelli and Brent Stover will have the call in a contest that features two teams with a common denominator.

Julie Hermann.

One of the driving forces behind the success of Louisville women's basketball for the past dozen years, Hermann is now trying to resurrect a program which has taken some hits and loss in attendance since the glory years of 2007-08.

It's also one of those dreaded Sunday-Tuesday turnarounds that Coach Walz isn't particularly fond of...but an occurrence that he and the squad are in the second week out of three that they have the sequence.

Rutgers is 2-2 in their last four...falling at Memphis and to UConn before knocking off UCF and Temple on the road last week. They'll look to deflate the ball a bit against the high-octane offense the Cards have displayed as of late...RU has held opponents to under 70 points the entire season except once...when UConn rolled up 94 on them.

The Scarlet Knights are led by sophomore forward Kahleah Copper (16.9 ppg), junior G/F Betnijah Laney (13.4 ppg) and freshman guard Tyler Scaife (12.6). 6'4" Center Rachel Hollivay is eighth in the nation in blocked shots and leads the AAC with 3.3 a contest.

Will C.Viv Stringer and her team, which has no seniors, be able to slow down the streaking Shoni Schimmel...who has blasted the nets for 16 threes in the last two games? The affable C.Viv...whose been drawing up X's and O's for 43 years (19 at RU) has been under fire the last couple of seasons for not duplicating the successes of her teams 7-8 years ago

But most importantly...will we see Precious Person play...a member of our Cardinal Couple All-Name squad?

Road wins are worth their weight in gold. The RAC could hold double its season attendance numbers of almost 1900 for this one tonight.

After all, it is Louisville coming to town.

It will be a serious test for a Louisville team that really hasn't been severely tested since losing to UK.

Should be a good one tonight. Another rivalry that will go by the wayside at the end of this season.

Time to go to work, ladies.

We'll have a full recap in the Wednesday CC. Just who will write it remains to be seen. It's rumored Worldwide is back on dry ground and wasn't on the "sick" cruise...but he hasn't indicated what day he wants to return to keystroking.
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HERE'S AN ARTICLE ABOUT MS. HERMANN

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Julie Hermann says Rutgers women's basketball has potential to replicate Louisville's success    

 

Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann watches a basketball game at the RAC in November. / JASON TOWLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Written by

Ryan Dunleavy

@rydunleavy

 

ADVERTISEMENT

PISCATAWAY — The 6,000-plus empty seats at the Louis Brown Athletic Center during almost any given Rutgers women’s basketball game is the constant reminder of momentum lost over the last six years, as a program tumbled from annual Final Four contender to 2013 NCAA Tournament outsider.
Maybe only Rutgers athletics director Julie Hermann looks around at nearly 1,900 fans and thinks not of wreckage but of a foundation. After all, the crowd is twice the average size seen at Louisville a decade ago, before an explosion of popularity occurred under Hermann’s watch as the sport’s administrator.
“It can happen anywhere if you have the right combination of a program people want to support — which involves many things (like) right coach, right players representing the institution at a high level, and competing at a high level,” Hermann said in an exclusive interview. “If you have those pieces, then your marketing effort — or your reach to the demographic that will answer — can happen anywhere.”
When Louisville visits Rutgers at 9 p.m. today at the RAC in a televised (CBS Sports Network) matchup of teams with contrasting levels of popularity, it might notice a familiar script for everything surrounding the action. It is part of a long-term vision of interaction developed for a program in spite of the fact that its Hall of Fame coach, C. Vivian Stringer, is operating on a short-term basis, with a contract due to expire June 1.
“She is going to take us into the Big Ten,” Hermann said. “I don’t know how long we will arm-wrestle over the details of a contract about what she wants and what Rutgers can do, but my intent is for (her) to lead us into the Big Ten and her intent is to do so.”

Empty seats

Rutgers’ attendance reached its all-time peak of 4,740 in 2007-08 — off of a run to the NCAA Tournament final — but has experienced a steady and dramatic drop-off ever since. Last season’s average (2,084) was the program’s lowest since 1996-97 (1,571) but still is higher than the current 1,894 through nine games.

FOR MORE, GO TO THE LINK BELOW:

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20140127/NJSPORTS0210/301270056/Julie-Hermann-says-Rutgers-women-s-basketball-has-potential-replicate-Louisville-s-success


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We know the power of "Sho-time". The AAC recognized it this week...

Louisville senior Shoni Schimmel was named American Athletic Conference Player
of the Week the league announced on Monday.

Schimmel averaged 27.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists for Louisville last
week as the Cardinals improved to 8-0 in league play. She finished the week
shooting 63.3 percent (19-for-30) from the field and 69.6 percent (16-for-23)
from 3-point range.
Against Houston, Schimmel scored 25 points while going 7 of 11 from behind the
3-point line.  She also pulled down a season-high eight rebounds and dished out
five assists.

Schimmel hit a school-record nine 3-pointers against Memphis and finished with
29 points in 27 minutes of action. She drilled six 3-pointers in a span of four
minutes to lift Louisville to a 35-19 lead with 3:58 left in the first half.
Schimmel made eight 3s in the first half and Louisville never looked back. She
left the game with 8:55 left to cheers and an ovation from the crowd of 10,345.

Freshman Emmonnie Henderson was named to the weekly honor role after averaging
14.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last week.  Henderson scored career-highs
in back-to-back games last week against Houston and Memphis. Against Houston,
Henderson scored a career-high 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds.  She
finished the game shooting 6 of 9 from the field.  She also dished out two
assists and grabbed three steals.  Against Memphis, Henderson tied her
career-high with 14 points and pulled down two rebounds.  She went 4 of 5 from
the field and 4 of 4 from the foul line against the Tigers.

paulie
...
..
.

 

CARDINAL COUPLE FRIDAY PRESENTS:

 

 

 

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

 

 

-Cardinal golfers fare well in tournament

 

-Join us at the Trolly Hop

 

-CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO TOMORROW!

 

-Julie Hermann

-1400 and still counting

 

 

Louisville women's golfers Emily Haas and Laura Restpo used a strong finishing round to finish second in the 4th. annual Pure Silk Women's Collegiate Team Championship in Columbus, OH. They fired a combined 143 for the lowest score of all 42 teams participating to finish with a 287 total.

The score was five strokes behind MSU's Nagel and Witherby's 282.  

 

Coming in tied for eighth for the Cards were Katie Petrino and Tara Lyons...shooting a 302 for the three day event.

 

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Yes, news is rather sparse and slow this time of the year when it comes to the reporting on UofL women's sports. While attempting to line up interviews for our Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR, I discovered that none of the five coaches I was trying to reach were available due to being out-of-town.

 

It's either that or they've finally gotten tired of me.

 

Fortunately, we have part two of Jeff McAdams' marathon interview with volleyball head coach Anne Kordes.

 

The rest of the show? We may just have to wing it...

 

We'll get updates from Jenny on WBB recruiting and have other topics of interest in addition to a "Believe It or Don't segment and a little quiz for the listeners and my esteemed co-hosts Jeff and Jenny.

 

We may even send Jeff out on the mean streets of Crescent Hill wearing a sandwich board and soliciting fan reactions.

 

CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO ON CRESCENT HILL RADIO

 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Don't forget...Friday Night Trolley Hop on Frankfort Avenue tonight! Meet CRESCENT HILL RADIO and CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO personalities at the free event. The station is at 2520 Frankfort Avenue. We'll be hanging listening to the music and making sure the staff chimps don't torment and harass the food wagons that'll be there. We've posted more details on the "Left Side of the Site"

 

See ya there!

 

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Finally, in an interview with ESPN...former Cardinal hero and current Athletic Director at Rutgers University Julie Hermann announced that she was gay.

 

Does it really matter?

 

Given the body of excellent work she's spear-headed and accomplished in her long and illustrious career as a sports administrator and coach, she could be animal, vegetable or mineral as far as we're concerned at CARDINAL COUPLE.

 

Excellence knows no sexual preference. Good is good.

 

Julie Hermann is a happy, delightful and knowledgeable spokesman and innovator for college athletics. An absolute joy to be around and engage in conversation. A builder. She'll continue to be. And that, friends...is the ways she should be viewed, judged and remembered...because they are the traits that have made so many happy and successful.  

 

Julie is gay. Russ Smith is short. Sara Hammond is strong.

Shoni Schimmel is electrifying. Alicja Wolny punishes a softball with a bat. Tom Jurich is married. Jeff Walz stutters. We love them all. It's the person, folks...not the moniker.

 

And UofL is better than UK. 

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Today's column is the 1400th. in the history of CARDINAL COUPLE. A birthday of sorts, I guess. We've come a long way since that inaugural edition back on Thursday, Jan. 14th. 2010.

It was just Sonja and I when we rolled out the first edition. We've had some great writers since then and I'm very happy with our current lineup of Jenny O' Bryan and Jeff McAdams. I knew neither of them back then. I'm glad I met both.

We didn't have a radio show back then...or media passes. We had virtually no contacts, sources or access to players, coaches or staff either.

Yes, we've come a long way. But the journey has just begun, in our eyes.

Where will we be when we reach 2800 columns? It's hard to

say. One thing we can tell you with all certainy, though is this:

If it bounces, rolls, splashes, gets hit, runs or flies through the air and involves female athletes from the University of Louisville...we'll be covering and talking about it. That's a guarantee.

Thank you for reading and listening to CARDINAL COUPLE !!!

 

 

Have a great weekend! 

 

 

 

-Paulie

(who has facial hair and likes the Beatles...)

 

----- 

 

 

Cardinal Couple Thursday

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-WCWS KICKS INTO GEAR IN OKLAHOMA CITY

-WOLNY AND KELLER NAMED ALL-AMERICANS

(Columnist Jeff McAdams isn't talking about Julie Hermann today. He looks
at the Women's College World Series today. Just as well, some journalist
in Jersey will probably break news that Julie Hermann puts strawberries in her
bowl of Cheerios or she refused the automatic transmission fluid check eight
years ago when she had the oil changed in her car. Play Ball!)




As we reach the end of May, topics in women's athletics are getting to be slim pickings.

No, I won't be writing another opinion piece about whether Rutgers should stand by their hiring of Julie Hermann, or whether its reasonable to expect someone to remember being in a wedding from 15 years ago of someone that long ago ceased being a part of one's life.  Frankly, my interest in this as a media story has waned far faster than, it seems, the media's has.

There is, however, a women's athletics event that I will be trying to keep track of that starts today.  The Women's College World Series (WCWS) kicks off today in Oklahoma City with four games on the schedule.

Women's College World Series

The WCWS is played as two separate, four team, double-elimination brackets, then a best of three series between the two winners of the brackets.  This somewhat mirrors the Regional and Super-Regional structure of the broader portion of the overall tournament where four teams compete in a double-elimination bracket to advance to a Super-Regional with another Regional winner in a best of three series.

Play kicks off at noon between 11th seed Washington taking on 14th seed Nebraska.  Both teams upset higher seeds in their Super-Regionals to advance to the WCWS, which means they both spent the past weekend on the road.  The winner plays tomorrow in the 7:00pm game against the winner of the 2:30pm, #7 Tennessee vs #2 Florida game.  Both Tennessee and Florida were the higher seeds in their Super-Regional (Florida beat UAB who came out of the Louisville Regional), so they have the benefit of having played at home the past weekend, and as such may be slightly better rested.  The losers of these games move to the elimination half of the bracket and will play each other Saturday at noon.  Other games in this bracket include another elimination game (winner of the Saturday noon game, vs the loser of tomorrow's 7pm game), the winner of that game meets up with the remaining undefeated team Sunday at 1pm, and if the team that came from the elimination half of the bracket wins, the "if necessary" game will be Sunday evening at 7:00pm.

The other bracket starts this evening with a 7pm game between #5 Arizona State (who defeated UK 2-0 in the Super-Regional matchup) with #4 Texas.  The nightcap is at 9:30 between 8 seed Michigan, and top seed (and prohibitive favorite) Oklahoma.  All of these teams were the higher seed in their Super-Regionals, so all got to sleep in their own beds last weekend.  The winners of these two games play Friday at 9:30pm.  The first elimination game would be Saturday at 2:30pm.  The second elimination game will take place Saturday evening at 9:30pm.  The elimination side of the bracket meets back up with the undefeated team Sunday at 3:30pm.  The "if necessary" game is scheduled for 9:30pm, though one wonders if the "if necessary" game would go at 7:00pm if the other bracket didn't need to play its "if necessary" game.

The winners of these two brackets, will then play a best of three series with games on Monday and Tuesday, and an "if necessary" happening Wednesday.

All games are on ESPN and ESPN2.

After this is all over?  Well, its a long time until mid-August when volleyball gets into pre-season matches.

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Alicja Wolny and Katie Keller have been recognized for their contributions to Louisville
Softball by being named to the NFCA All-American second team. They are the seventh and eighth
players in Louisville Softball history to receive such an honor. Lacy Wood (2006), Kristen Wadwell (2009) Melissa Roth (2009, 2010) Tori Collins (2012) and Taner Fowler (2012) are also alumnae of
this prestigious award.

The Big Wol ready to send
one over the fence.

Wolny, a senior first baseman from El Dorado Hills, CA. led the Cards with a .423 batting average this season and had 11 fence clearer's. Keller, a junior second baseman...led the Cards in batting most of the season before finishing with a .402 average. She did lead the squad with 12 round-trippers.

Louisville (47-13) ended up #12 in the ESPN.com/USA Collegiate Poll and in the USA Today/NFCA coaches' poll.

Louisville has Keller, Taner Fowler, Hannah Kiyohara, Kayla Soles, Maggie Ruckenbrod, Ally Vaughn, Brittany Sims, Whitney Arion and eight talented new Cardinals arriving on campus this fall, Jordan Trimble is listed as a red-shirt junior as well, so I'm under the assumption we'll see her in centerfield next year. Still no word on the official status of freshman Jasmine Smithson-Willett.

Louisville looks well-positioned to compete as a conference leader next year. Pitchers Caralisa Connell and Rachel LeCoq, who had all 47 wins between them, also return for duties inside the circle.

-Jeff McAdams


--

The question is not about Hermann...

WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Rutgers stands behind Hermann.

Julie Hermann isn't backing down and Rutgers isn't either 

I keep hoping to wake up and see that the media firestorm over Julie Hermann has died down.   Not the case today as a new story emerges marring our beloved Hermann.

The latest media revelation is that Hermann was at the center of a sex discrimination lawsuit at U of L as recently as 2008. See the story here:
 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1654420-rutgers-ad-julie-hermann-was-reportedly-at-center-of-sex-discrimination-lawsuit#comments

 Under the lawsuit a former track and field assistant coach took concerns of sexist behavior and discriminatory treatment at the hands of the track and field coach to Hermann.  After taking the concerns to the Human Resources Department at the University, the assistant was fired 3 weeks later. 

The then assistant won the wrongful termination suit, but the Kentucky Court of Appeals later overturned it.  Her attorney now states they are taking the case to the Kentucky Supreme Court. 

As a lifelong Louisvillian, and a fan of Louisville Athletics in general, and the women’s programs specifically, it is so hard to reconcile the media reports with the woman we have known at Louisville over the last 15 years. 

The Hermann I know, the kind of “know” that comes from being a passionate observer on the outside, just does not mesh with the one in the media reports.  Those following U of L athletics know her to be passionate, witty, knowledgeable, dedicated and a “silent” partner alongside one of the best A.D.’s in the country.   This powerful duo has completely reshaped the landscape of Louisville Athletics, has attracted, and retained I might add, many highly sought out, top-notch coaches in the country.  Together they have rebuilt what was a decaying Louisville Athletic program.  Whether it be facilities, coaches, academic success in the classroom, gender equity, Louisville Athletics has soared under the leadership of Jurich and Hermann.

While I have never been in a boardroom, business meeting, conference call or any such business related scenarios with Hermann, I know people who have.  The resounding opinion of those she interacted with and oversaw give Hermann nothing but glowing praise. 

Hermann's popularity among UofL fans is off the charts.

How can one reconcile the person that the media is portraying her to be (or was) to who she is now,  It is so hard to wrap one’s head around.  I get whiplash watching this unfold in the media, as these two scenarios could not be further apart. 
and how beloved she is at Louisville?

Cardinal Couple founders and owners Paulie and Sonja are on record in supporting Hermann.  I, too, knowing the depth of which she has touched and changed Louisville Athletics, cannot imagine anything other than support for her.   All indications are that being a senior administrator at Louisville has undoubtedly prepared her for the enormous task that awaits her at Rutgers.  Rebuilding.  Recovering.  Rebranding a marred program.  I cannot help but think she will be excellent at this job, if given the chance. 

That being the case, I also cannot imagine how Rutgers decided to choose Hermann.  While I think she seems tailor made for this job, how could they possibly make the choice they made, given the allegations they had to uncover when vetting Hermann? 

Given the very recent goings on at Rutgers, how do you choose a new AD with abuse allegations in their past?   They had to know this would be a firestorm.  They also had to know that the public scrutiny would be at an all time high, and no stone would be unturned.  How do you make this decision, under such microscopic scrutiny, and expect your supporters to move forward and heal? 

C. Vivian Stringer one of the questions at Rutgers/

Rutgers is trying to shut the door on a disastrous PR nightmare, and yet they walk open-eyed into a scenario that the media is portraying as similar?  Assuming all of the aforementioned allegations by every media outlet are false, this hire by Rutgers is nothing short of shocking to me.  This is coming from someone who supports Hermann!  I can only imagine the outrage of Rutgers fans. 

To me, this decision is not about whether or not Hermann is capable of doing the job she was hired to do.  I absolutely believe is she is more than capable and qualified.  It is about understanding how Rutgers can make this particular decision in the face of (albeit long ago) allegations similar to those behaviors of a coach the Athletic Program is trying to heal from. 

Please, let there be no doubt, I support the Julie Hermann that Louisville has known for the last 15 years, but I cannot for the life of me understand Rutgers.  

-Jenny O'Bryan

(Jenny O'Bryan is a regular columnist for CARDINAL COUPLE and also one of the co-hosts on CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO. Her columns can be read on Wednesdays each week here at Cardinal Couple. The radio show can be heard at www.crescenthillradio.com and covers the joy and excitement that is UofL women's sports. It is Saturdays @ 11 a.m. and archived broadcasts can be found on the SoundCloud at the site. )

--

Hermann will not resign

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Despite allegations, Hermann not considering resigning

No quit in Julie.

"I never considered withdrawing because I feel very qualified to lead Rutgers into the future and into the transition into the BIG TEN," Hermann stated in a conference call yesterday with reporters.

She also denied having knowledge of a letter written by the 15 Tennessee players on the 1996 volleyball team when she was head coach of the Vols.

"My former boss at Tennessee never heard of it and I never heard my former players make the allegation. Rutgers officials have talked to me about it in recent days. I was an intense coach and may have made a few mistakes handling my team. I have matured since then. All of my life has prepared me to lead this organization. Whatever mistakes you make as a young person, you've got to learn from them and go and grow. It is my intent to go to Rutgers with this vast experience of super highs and super lows and lead what I hope is an outstanding program into the BIG TEN."

 Other items she touched on during the 10 minute call:

- Hermann said that the company that vetted her for the Rutgers job did ask about a lawsuit file by one of her assistant coaches over a job termination.

- She believes she can raise funds despite what has happened.

- She denied name calling, specifically when asked about calling the players "whores".

"That's not part of my vocabulary...Here's what I would say. Am I an intense coach? Absolutely an intense coach as many coaches are. But, there is a big canyon between being super intense and abusive, and this was not an abusive environment for these women. Was it challenging? It was incredibly challenging. Was I aware that there were players that were unhappy? I was aware of that at the end of the season and I was unhappy."

Rutgers President Robert Barchi stands behind Hermann, saying she was the best of the 63 candidates interviewed for the job. He commented also that

"We remain confident that we have selected an individual who will work in the best interests of all our student athletes, our athletic teams and the university."

So, there it is. Julie isn't planning on leaving and the head of Rutgers University isn't planning on asking her to. Only the university's board of governors can withdraw Hermann's appointment.

New Jersey governor Chris Christie is touring the New Jersey shore today with Barack Obama to see the rebuilding that's been done in the area after Hurricane Sandy and probably won't turn his attention to Rutgers until tomorrow. Although Christie can't terminate the appointment, he does have several ways of applying pressure. He does appoint six of the boards 11 voting members and can perhaps threaten to cut the school's funding or refuse to renominate a member of the board who doesn't support his view. It is unknown whether Christie would use any of these methods.

We asked for answers yesterday and we got some.



We, too, are satisfied that Hermann can do a great rebuilding job at Rutgers and if the Julie Hermann we saw at Louisville is allowed a chance to "do work"...it will be good work and will help restore Rutgers as a viable and powerful athletic program.

To paraphrase the song written by the Staple Singers back in 1971:

"Get out the way and let the gentle(woman) do her thing."

RESPECT YOURSELF


Respect. It begins with the respect and confidence in your own abilities and accomplishments. Ms. Hermann has that.


Hermann has shown the nation (and UofL) that she deserves and has earned the respect for her accomplishments. Sure, there are battle scars. The difference is that she has picked herself up off the mat and is still willing to fight...and win.

We're in her corner and think that she'll take the contest.

( Parts of today's column are from lehighvalleylive.com)


( Editor's note:  It should be clearly noted here that the opinions in this column may not necessarily reflect those of all the writers and staff at CARDINAL COUPLE. They are Paulie and Sonja views in this article. We have received different viewpoints from readers, former CARDINAL COUPLE contributors and writers and anonymous e-mails and commenters. )


-Paulie


--

Monday Cardinal Couple -- Memorial Day

MONDAY MEMORIAL DAY

-Please remember those who have served

-Hermann abuse allegations heating up.

Amidst the picnics, family get-togethers, events and day off from work happenings on Memorial Day, let us not forget the reason why this day exists.

Today is a day for a memorial tribute and rememberance to those who have served our country in our armed forces. We should thank them 365 days a year. Today is one of them.

I am proud of my wife, father, father-in-law, friends and all who defended our country so that we may be free from oppression, tyranny and dictatorship rule. I remain a solid believer in our freedoms and rights and will defend them also, even though my days of standing at the ready to serve and protect were many years ago.

Once in, always in.

If you see a current, soon-to-be or former member of our
armed forces...today or anyday...just simply say "thank you"...please.


And may we always be safe, secure and set in our principles of being a democracy and land of opportunity, not oppression. America isn't perfect. No country is. But we are the land of the free and the home of the brave. Not just words in our National Anthem, but a way of life. No bombs or missles overhead, no death squads hunting us out because of race, creed, religion, color or national origin. Children playing in parks instead of huddled in fear in bombed out buildings.

I am thankful. And, thank you to those who served, gave their lives and those who still serve today.



<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

We wrote an article in Sunday's CARDINAL COUPLE about the allegations surrounding incoming Rutgers University Athletic Director and former University of Louisville associate senior athletic director Julie Hermann. It seems there are reports that she allegedly upset a few volleyball players at Tennessee while coaching there in the 1990's.

Now the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, plans to speak to Rutgers officials about a report that Hermann quit as Tennessee's women's volleyball coach 16 years ago after her players complained she ruled through humiliation, fear and emotional abuse.

We know the Julie Hermann of Louisville. Quite honestly, we didn't know Hermann was the volleyball coach at Tennessee until a few years ago. It was something that was obviously of public record.

The Julie Hermann we know has been an excellent administrator and much-loved figure at UofL.

It is time, though...for Ms. Hermann to come out with a statement. Either own it, if all the allegations are true and substantiated...or fight it if it's a set up or overblown out of proportion.

The bottom line, I suppose...is whether the report will make Rutgers to re-consider the appointment of Hermann. It goes deeper than that. It is fuel to the fire for those who want Rutgers University president Robert Barchi to resign because of this potentially severe and additional punch in the gut to a university that has been a punching bag lately.

Question 1: If the allegations are true, why...in heaven's name didn't Rutgers do their homework and eliminate her as a candidate...saving everyone from a whole bunch of embarrassment and pain?

Question 2: Was Hermann really the monster that the former players claim she was?

Question 3: Can Rutgers, if the allegations are factual and she owns up to them, bring her in...based on the good things she did at Louisville? People change. Coaching is different than being an athletic director. Old dogs learn new tricks and second chances (see Bobby Petrino) are granted.

Question 4: If Hermann is not appointed Rutgers AD, does Tom Jurich keep her as second-in-command at UofL?

It would have been quite easy for Rutgers to take her aside and say...we have these questions, these issues from your time at Tennessee and, based on them, we are eliminating you from our job candidate search. Did they do the homework and, if they did, what did they discover?

Hermann has staunch defenders within the UofL ranks, who laud her time here at UofL. We are one of those. She's top-notch and above the board when it comes to her time as a Cardinal and she remains one of our all-time favorites.

But, we do feel that Julie needs to say something besides "Wow".

Many years ago, I took a chance on hiring an employee (when I did stuff like that) who had an incident in her past, but had turned her life around...and she turned out be an invaluable, essential employee to the place where we worked. I knew about her past, though. She brought it out into the open. People change.

Whether or not the allegations against Julie are all true and a cause for terminating her upcoming job at Rutgers is not your or my call. It is something that Rutgers needs to decide.

But...we need to hear Julie's side of the story. Innocent until proven guilty and should the alleged sins of the past destroy the future? Heavy rhetoric and complex questions.

I'm a Julie Hermann fan. The Julie Hermann I know is a good and honest person who cares and produces. If there was a rough patch there in her life, her employment of the past...well, most of us have been there. You move on and try to do better. Hermann has proven her value and worth.  

Weigh in.

-Paulie

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Julie Hermann to Rutgers

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( Columnist extraordinaire Jeff McAdams looks at Julie Hermann's move to
Piscataway and share his thoughts on the new Rutgers A.D. He also gives us
Lacrosse news and reminds you that CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO returns this
Saturday...our attempts to launch CoCo and him into space and do a broadcast
from the moon are proceeding quite nicely...)

WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR RIGHT HAND...

We've been talking about it for about a week, and now its official.  Julie Hermann, the Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator was introduced Wednesday afternoon as the new Athletic Director at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Julie has been at Tom Jurich's right hand for his entire tenure at the University of Louisville and has been a big part of the building of the Athletic Department here at UofL from the small, near-afterthought that it was 15 years ago, into one of the most successful programs in the country today.  Part of straightening out what was a Title IX wreck when Tom and Julie started here at UofL, Julie has been instrumental in the success and growth of women's athletics both here at UofL and elsewhere, helping to balance out the investment in the mainstream sports of football and men's basketball, and being a significant part of adding sports such as rowing and lacrosse.

I have had the pleasure of speaking with Julie several times of the past year and have found her to possess everything that a major university would want in an Athletics Director.  She is intelligent and insightful, and is adept at making anyone feel comfortable in a conversation.

One of the first times I spoke with Julie was during the 30-day countdown celebration to the
Volleyball Championship that was hosted by Louisville in December.  That November evening, at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium, I approached her and asked her if she and Kaitlynn James (an outside hitter on the Volleyball team and transfer from Nebraska) ever went off in private and did University of Nebraska cheers.  This, of course, alluded to Julie's college volleyball career as an outside hitter at Nebraska.  With perfect comedic timing, and a playful smile, she responded "Occasionally."  Ever the professional, she then took the opportunity to point out that the person in charge of the Volleyball Championship event was also a Nebraska Volleyball alumna.  We spoke for several more minutes about the great success that was coming into focus for UofL in so many sports.  She spoke of "building a portfolio" of sports programs, and not just focusing on success in one or two mainstream sports.  Keep in mind, this conversation was happening in mid-November...the football season was not yet over and we didn't know, yet, that we would be going to, and winning, the Sugar Bowl; the basketball teams were only one or two games into their seasons, and still months away from the magical March and April Championship and Runner-Up finishes.

Jenny wrote last week about talking to Julie in New Orleans, the night of that Championship, and the night before that Runner-Up finish.  The excitement in Julie's eyes at the success of UofL Athletics as a whole was obvious.  She spoke about the UofL Athletic Department in terms of an extended family and the joy that everyone experienced across the department as every team found success in their own sport.

Every family experiences departures, though.  As kids grow up, they launch out on their own and find their own place in the world and their own successes.  Healthy families remain in touch, however, and continue to support each other and cheer on each other's successes from afar.  The time is right for Julie to make her own way in this world and find her own successes out from under the shadow of Tom Jurich.  She's ready for it, and she's unarguably well qualified for the position.

The Rutgers job is a great move for Julie.  Yes, Rutgers's Athletic Department is in near meltdown right now, but Julie came to UofL when our Athletic Department was a mess of a place to be as well, and with Tom Jurich, turned it around.  She can, and I believe will, do the same in New Jersey.

Good luck Julie, you'll do great, and Rutgers is the better for it.  UofL loses a great asset, and I can't say that I'm devoid of sadness to see Julie go, but there is pride in seeing someone go off and do great things and carry on the new Louisville tradition of excellence.

Another Lacrosse Honor

Nikki

Hey, there is other stuff going on in the world of UofL Women's Athletics, though. How about lacrosse's Nikki Boltja?

I don't even have to look up how to spell her name, now, since I've been typing it so much. She picked up IWLCA (Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association) third team All-American honors.  This is only the second time in the six year history of Louisville Lacrosse that a player has picked up All-American honors.  Bergan Foley got the third team nod two years ago.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

Jeff shares a lacrosse story with Paulie

We'll be back at it this Saturday morning on Crescent Hill Radio for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour.  As always, we'd love to hear from you via our twitter account, @CardCoupleRadio.  I'm looking forward to hearing the interviews that Paul has recorded with some of the softball players.  As always, comments, questions, links to an astronaut singing David Bowie's "Space Oddity", actually filmed in space, are welcome.

-Jeff McAdams

( Saturday will prove to be a busy day for the slackers of the CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO SHOW.  A full day of softball at Ulmer Stadium after the 11 a.m. broadcast and then the Preakness runs later that afternoon. WE may need an extra golf cart or two to pile up in the bushes and haul us to and from the station to the left field berm and Churchill. If you'd like to attend a live broadcast of CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO @ CRESCENT HILL RADIO...tickets are available from Smilin' Charlie in the alley behind the station between midnight and 2 a.m. Cash only please. Prices vary, depending on what kind of mood Charlie is in and how snappy a dresser you are...)

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