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
xxxxx

16 teams prepare for WBB Tourney...Sixth Region results

HOLA! Welcome to Wednesday with CARDINAL COUPLE


-Looking at the BIG EAST WBB TOURNAMENT


-Central wins, Central loses (say what?)


-Golf grabs fourth in Sir Pizza.


-Does Louisville need an NBA franchise?


Paul and Bob Domine (picture above) did not join Al Greener's fabulous pep band...they're just sitting in front of them at a recent Lady Cards game. Domine would make a fine addition, though...he's full of hot air and always toots his own horn. (oh, boy...I'll pay for that remark).

Just kidding, Bob...and remember that teasing is the most sincere form of...well, something or another. Enjoy today's column and "thank you".
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The standings are final and sixteen women's college basketball teams (or fifteen and the professional players at UConn) are headed to Hartford, CT. for the BIG EAST Tournament at the XL Center. Action begins Friday with seeds 9-16 going at each other. WE'RE going to take a look at these first four games and see just who might be advancing to second round action.
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#12 Pittsburgh vs. #13 USF. We see this one as a toss up and it features a Bulls team that had lost seven straight before waking up at the end of the year. The win over Georgetown impressive. The Smith twins are ballers and Porsche Grant can dominate on the boards. They don't have much skill from behind the arc...but they don't really play that style. They rough and tumble you and sometimes don't even seem concerned whether they score or not. Pittsburgh comes at you with the talented trio of Harrison, Cole and Sims. They've got regular season wins over WVU and Providence and they beat the Bulls in the Peterson Event Center during the regular season 70-66. On a neutral court, we think this one could go down to whoever takes the last shot...SONYA SAYS...Bulls by two.
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#9 SYRACUSE vs. #16 Seton Hall. The Orange have been a enigma this year...rotating between winning and losing streaks. Lord knows they have tons of talent in Alexander, Morrow, Hall and Hemingway...and no real need to explain the losses to DePaul, Connecticut, Notre Dame or Rutgers. There is probably a little bitterness there that they didn't make the top eight and have to play on opening day and WE expect them to take those frustrations out on a Seton Hall team that is having a "bridge" year. A bridge that isn't paved, dead ends and is crumbling. We feel Anne Donovan will eventually build a winner down the road at Seton Hall and they do get good play out of Crow, Johnson and Ashmeade...but losing Kandice Green hurt. The 'Cuse won the regular season matchup 75-50 and SONYA SAYS...Syracuse by double digits, maybe 20.
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#10 WEST VIRGINIA vs. #15 Cincinnati. The matchup between these two was strictly no contest during the regular season...72-44 'Eers (at Cincy) and this one could be the same. Repella drives this WVU train and she gets plenty of help from Ali, Miles and Hampton. WVU is another team that is probably disgruntled about not making the top eight. Poor Cincinnati is down to seven players, their win over Marquette unexpected but nevertheless a step in the right direction. They get quality performances out of Ulis each time out, Turner is a banger on the boards and Cook can shoot...but it won't be nearly enough. SONJA SAYS...WVU by 20+ unless Repella get in foul trouble.
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#11 Providence vs. #14 VILLANOVA. Could be closer than most expect. 'Nova only lost to the Friars by five in league action and they've been playing well at the end of the season. Kimmel and Sweeney could go to any of the other 15 teams in the league and start. Providence comes in with the big win over Louisville to close the regular season...they've got Hankins and Wright big on the boards and Tate is a legit three point threat. SONJA SAYS...Upset special of the first round. Villanova by 3. You heard it here first.... i

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Girls regional action in the Sixth last night:

In the Cougars battle, Holy Cross held off Bullitt Central 48-48.

Louisville Central got 21 from Brianna Averette and sent PRP packing 59-50

Butler is to be feared. They disrupted Presentation last night 63-41. Megan Cureton with 13.

Bullitt East thumped Doss 70-13. 49-8 at halftime. Nikole Isabel 21 for the winners.
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In the 11th region, Sara Hammond and Rockcastle County had no trouble with Wayne County...winning 77-35
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Louisville women's golf finished the three day Sir Pizza Challenge at Weston Hills Golf Course in 4th place. Sara Maude-Juneau was third in the competition and ended with a 216...just four strokes off the winning total. Anna Karin Ljungstrom carded a 229 and ended up tied for 21st. Candice Wiley played the 54 holes in 229 also. Laura Anderson toured the three days with a 231. Tata Lyons took 233 strokes, Maria Castellanos finished with a 241 and Maike Klein 244.
The Cards head to the LSU Gold Classic next, beginning March 11th.
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Talk of Louisville and a possible NBA Basketball franchise has ebbed and flowed ever since the Kentucky Colonels and the ABA folded some 30 years ago. It has resurfaced recently with the Sacramento Kings franchise looking to vacate the California capitol city. Louisville does not need, would not support and should not consider getting an NBA team. Even though the KFC YUM Center would a excellent showcase for any franchise...NBA teams are costly, they dictate the terms and schedules of arenas during the season and the University of Louisville men's and women's squad don't need that in their coffee. The Colonels were a lot of fun, back in the day...Paul was a regular attendee. You could also get great $6 seats back then. Those days are gone. A family of four would easily shell out $100 and we're not including beverages, food and team gear.
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A suitable alternative would be a WNBA franchise. Lower prices, the season doesn't conflict with college basketball and it's an entertaining product. No multi-million dollars pompous athletes whining about practice, playing time and being misunderstood by coaches, fans and other teammates. Affordable ticket prices and some very good talent for the female version of the pros. Drop all this nonsense about the NBA and chase a WNBA team. Sermon ended.
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