Cards face EKU in softball on Wednesday -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 COLONELS COME TO TOWN ON A NINE GAME WIN STREAK

Normally, one would look at the midweek match up between Louisville and EKU in softball as a probable romp for the ACC school against the mid-major in Richmond. Not so this season, EKU comes to Ulmer stadium on a none game win streak and with a sparkling 17-5 record...with wins over Georgia Tech, WKU and Dayton.

As a matter of fact, these two schools are 2-2 the last foir time they have met..so much for padding your schedule, eh? 

Whitney was an excellent Cards infielder. 

EKU plays in the ASUN conference and has former Cardinal softball great Whitney Arion on their staff as a Director of Player Development. Arion played for the Cards from 2012-2015. She was a sure-gloved shortstop for the Cards, and was an All-ACC selection her final year, a two time All-Big East selection and an AAC second team pick. 

EKU has won their last two games this season by run-rules...over Purdue Fort Wayne. They have one former Louisville high school player on the roster in junior catcher Lilly Davis, who attended Butler High School. Davis has been the starting catcher the last two season for the Colonels 

Louisville is 8-5 against EKU since 2001, but fell to the Colonels 6-2 last year in Richmond. The Cards did defeat them 10-1 in 2023. .Davis had a double and home run against the Cards last year and Cardinals pitcher Brooke Gray was touched for four first inning runs. 

The game will be shown on ACCNX at 5:00 p.m

FAREWELL JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN

Louisville MBB great Junior Bridgeman passed away of a heart attack while speaking in Louisville Tuesday at the Galt House. 

My own personal memories of Bridgeman come from when I was a sophomore at UofL. Bridgeman was a senior and I had an encounter with him one day. That fall, i was on crutches, due to an ankle surgery and was going to class, trying to juggle a couple of books and crutches. The elevator that I planned on taking to the second floor of the building was out of order, and i pondered the dilemma of going up a flight of stairs...with crutches and books...when he came over to me, and kindly offered to carry my books for me as i went up the steps. He also followed me to make sure i didn't fall backwards. 

I remember I thanked him and he just smiled and went back down the steps...this was when our city and county was going through the busing upheaval in the high school system and tensions between whites and blacks were probably as high as they have ever been. 

I saw him years later, at a UofL women's basketball game and reminded him of his kindness and thanked him again for that kindness many years ago. He just smiled and thanked me for my coverage of women's basketball at UofL. 

He will be missed by all Cardinal fans...and Louisville has lost a true legend.  

paulie

WSOC Cards v. Duke tonight -- Who's the Twitter Queens? -- Buckin' Katie -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

SHOWDOWN IN DURHAM


A fall trip to the TarHeel state to many sounds like a wonderful chance to catch the changing colors of the trees, revel in the majestic beauty of the western N.C. mountain ranges or maybe even get in a little golf down in the south east corner of the state at one of the nine courses at Pinehurst or nearby Whispering Pines or Southern Pines. I've had some fun football road trips to schools in North Carolina and make the trek annually to Greensboro for the ACC WBB Tournament and to visit relatives in Burlington and Haw River. 

For the Louisville women's Soccer squad, though, it means two crucial games in ACC competition that offer the Cards a chance to make claim on a high conference ranking and inclusion to the ACC Championships. 

That quest begins tonight at 7 p.m. against the Duke Blue Devils. #10 in the nation and sporting an impressive 11-2-2 record overall. The "Dookies" are also in second place int the ACC and have one more point (16) than the Cards in the scoring system for soccer that Jared explained to you in yesterday's column. The Cards are at 11-3 overall, already achieving more wins than last season with three contests remaining...but getting no love in the NCAA women's soccer polls and rankings. 


If anything, one could suggest a tie tonight (in terms of game outcome, not mode of dress for watching the contest) and not be making a bold or improbable statement. 

These two have faced five times in the series and four of them have ended in ties. Duke has the lone win...the heart-breaker we discussed a couple of days ago. 

Louisville looks to continue the "no goal for you" strategy that they've employed in the last two and seven times, so far, this season. Funny, indeed, how the Cards have the "best goalie in the world" in Field Hockey...i.e. Ayeshia McFerran, but WSOC goal-tender Gabby Kouzelos has a 0.93 G.A.A. average (that means you give up less than one goal a game) and McFerran is at 1.13 in fifteen matches. 

NO GOAL FOR YOU...

Maybe we and the other media are promoting the wrong goalkeeper for "best in the world". (Don't get mad or send contemptuous e-mails my way, please. Just joking around, right?) 

The Cards have multiple scoring threats, who shows up on which night is the question...but Emina Ekic, Brooklyn Rivers,  Maisie Whitsett and Delaney Snyder are just some of the many on the Kickin' Cards rosterwho have the ability to boot the ball past the defender and into "net city". 

In any event, I expect a low scoring one tonight that can be seen on the ACC Network Extra. Here's a link: DOOKIES AND BIRDS WOMEN'S SOCCER 

Oh, yeah....Tie optional.


WHO'S BEING FOLLOWED? 

Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram, You Tube, Quora, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google + and Whatsapp. Yes, there are a lot of social networking and browsing sites and apps available for the internet user these days. 

Where will it be ten years from now? 

One of the most popular is Twitter. Do you tweet? A lot of people do, including me and my woeful efforts to put together constructive, meaningful and correct spelling efforts in the a readable, intelligent fashion. Don't even get me started about the "@" and "#" options. 

People track everything these days. An enterprising (whatever) on Twitter that goes by the handle @SkullSparks has tweeted out some figures on the "Top 25 Most Followed Women's Basketball Teams on Twitter." He includes the hashtag #smsports on the tweet.


Nope. Western Kentucky, Louisville WBB's first opponent didn't make the list. 

The Cards did, though...checking in at ninth place. Who's number 1? Why the UConn Huskies, of course. Kentucky WBB beats the Cards with a fifth place finish. 

Does this surprise you? I've included the graphic so you can see who is where in popularity terms. I was surprised that Oklahoma finished in eighth, one above Louisville.

I guess those Sooners are more "trigger/finger/thumb happy" that the Cards WBB fans.

Shoot me a tweet, we can discuss it. @CardinalCouple.  All of the "knuckleheads" at Cardinal Couple have one or more twitter accounts and you can follow them, too...Worldwide's is @CardCoupleRadio, Jared is at @MrAndersonJared and Case goes by @Bstcasescenario

After all, how many cute pet or sweaty locker room and funny GIF's are enough? 



BUCKIN' KATIE

By now, most of you probably know that former Miss USA and Louisville Volleyball standout Katie George has packed her gear and headed to Milwaukee to be the sideline reporter for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. I miss not seeing her on local FOX affiliate WDRB or hearing her on Howie's Lindsey's morning radio show LOUISVILLE FIRST on 790 WKRD. 

Katie seems to be doing OK, though, in the land of  cheese curds and beer. I haven't seen one of her reports yet, but with the NBA season just starting, chances are I probably will soon. Truth be told, I'm more of a WNBA guy in terms of viewing and haven't given the Bucks much eye-time since the days of Junior Bridgeman and Kareem Abdul Jabbar prowling the court for them. 

My NBA watching mostly consists of seeing how former UofL Cardinals are doing in "The League". This time of year has me busy prepping for UofL WBB and following other women's sports on the UofL campus. And, that's quite the task.

A story I'll share on Katie and her mom: 



A few years back, me and Mrs. Cardinal Couple attended the UofL Volleyball banquet and found Katie, her boyfriend at the time (a soccer guy named Paolo Del Piccolo who currently plays for Louisville FC and seemed like an O.K. fella), Katie's mom and a few others at the same table. 

Sonya asked me later that night, on the way home, about "Pablo The Pick and Roll"

Classic.

We had fun at the table and I caught a few interviews around the room to boot. Not with Katie, but...upon Sonya's suggestion... I interviewed Katie's mom. It's in the archives somewhere her at Cardinal Couple. Katie was listening intently. My rationale was "everyone always interviews Katie but how often does her Mom get any interview requests?" 

We wish Katie the best in Milwaukee. Below, a link to an article recently published about her.

I miss the double fist pump. We always figured she was destined for more than just local Louisville media. She idolizes Erin Andrews.

She could very well become her equal or better down the road. 

LINK: KATIE GEORGE INTERVIEW


paulie
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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
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