A New Era -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Welcome Back! 

Before I get into today's article, which will be fairly short given that the schedule is bare and I don't feel like being the umpteenth person to provide an in-depth primer of the red/blue game, allow me to say "hello!" I feel like I need to reintroduce myself for as long as I've been gone. I've gotten all moved, and I finally became a world traveler. I've been to 38 states so far in my life, but to this point last week, had not yet put my passport to use. Thanks to my cruise, that fact is a thing of the past as I spent all last Saturday lounging on a beach bed on a private beach in Haiti. It was beautiful, and the social disconnect over the five day cruise was fantastic. My wife and I have also turned in the keys at our old apartment, making the move to our new house complete and final. We still have some unpacking to do, but it's really coming together. Anyway, that's where I've been for the last month, so how about some Cardinals talk.

MBB Hosts UK Today at 2PM

There isn't much on the schedule as far as Louisville sports go. The next women's game isn't for nearly a week, and there isn't anything other than this game on the calendar before that. This annual match-up is a pretty good one, though, and there is a lot to be excited about for Louisville fans this year. First, if you haven't read Mike Rutherford's article about what this game means for Calipari for the college basketball SB Nation site yet, I would advise you to go do that. You can find it on his Twitter or on Google. Mike is a great guy and he is really the reason that I am still writing about sports five years after deciding to give it a go (big shoutout to Paulie as well). The article is about how Cal has owned Louisville during his time at UK, which is no surprise to Louisville fans, but how this game may be a key to UK's season and to Cal's legacy at the school. 

There are a few things that are working in Louisville's favor for the game today. (I was going to say two things, but then the list kept getting longer in my head.) The first two things that came to mind are in a very similar vein; Louisville looks a lot better than people expected them to be this year, and Kentucky looks a lot worse. That is not to say that Louisville looks on paper like they could beat the brakes off of Kentucky, it just means the game looks a lot closer than it would have three months ago. Vegas agrees, as they've tabbed UK as just a one point favorite. A favorite has not covered the spread in 8 of the last 10 meetings.

The next major thing is that this is a home game. The Yum! Center at its best is an insane environment. I've been a part of a lot of the biggest games there. Add on the fact that this is a game against the team's most hated rival and the environment ratchets up one or two notches. As Rutherford pointed out in his article, the two times that Calipari has lost to Louisville while at Kentucky were both games in which his team was playing its first true road game of the season. Guess who hasn't played a true road game yet this year... (Also, can we talk about the fact that we're two months into the season and a perennial powerhouse hasn't yet played a true road game? Come on, man. Man up with the schedule.) In addition to the "first true road game" issue, this rivalry against Calipari has mostly been determined by home court advantage. Cal is 9-2 against Louisville, which is admittedly bad for the Cardinals. However, only two of those nine wins have come in Louisville. Cal is 7-0 in Rupp or on a neutral floor, but is only 2-2 in Louisville (against the Cards). Chris Mack's squad has a chance to push that to a winning home record.

The last item I'll talk about that is working for Louisville this season is the addition of head coach Chris Mack. John Calipari was in Rick Pitino's head. He lived there. Pitino hated the way that Calipari succeeded at the forefront of the one and done era, and he regularly couldn't get it done against Cal. More than that, though, Pitino really wasn't great against UK before Cal got there. Louisville was only 4-4 against UK under Pitino before the Cal era and almost half of those games were against Billy Gillespie. Chris Mack is different. He allows himself to be caught up in the rivalry, but no differently than he allows himself to be caught up in any other game. To say that rivalry games don't mean more to Mack would be a lie, but that doesn't mean it's going to eat him up to the point where he doesn't know how to coach for a week. Mack is ready for this game, and he's clearly getting his team ready for it. He said himself of the game, "As a competitor, if you haven't internalized that and thought about that 90-61 ass-whooping, then I don't want you on my team." Chris Mack comes from a history of a fierce rivalry. You'd better believe he's excited to be in charge of another one.

I'm not going to give a prediction for today's game. Call me a coward if you'd like, but I just can't do it. Neither team has been consistent enough this year to be defined in any way. I wouldn't be surprised by an extremely close game that comes down to the wire (although I'm already a bit worn out on those types of games from the Cards this season), but I also wouldn't be particularly surprised if this game was a blowout in either direction. Only the guys on the court will be able to tell us how this game will go, and we'll find out that answer in a matter of hours.

Cards-Cats, Yum! Center, 2PM, ESPN2. Appointment television.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

My return to the pages coincides with my return to the studio! I'll be back on Mellwood Avenue today with the gang for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour. I can't imagine what we'll talk about. Join us on WCHQ from 11AM-Noon. WCHQ is available on 100.9 FM, the new WCHQ app, wchqfm.com, and on Facebook Live. We don't take call-ins, but if you ask questions on FB Live, I do my best to at least bring attention to them.

LINK:  THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

Until next time, Go Cards!!

-CH-

Rick Pitino Fired...Taylor Stone named ACC Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

STONE ALSO SCORED GAME WINNER VS. UNC

It was a pretty good week, last week, for Taylor Stone...a defensive back on the University of Louisville Field Hockey team. The Herndon, VA junior not only scored the deciding goal in a 3-2 win over #4 UNC on the road in Durham, NC...but she was also named the ACC Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week. 

Stone's score helped the Stick Girls increase their win streak to seven games and stay tied for first place in the ACC with Virginia. These two squads will meet on Saturday noon at Trager Field in the final ACC regular season game for both squads and to determine the regular season conference champion. 

"T"...as she's called...is part of a staunch defensive wall that the Cards throw at opponents. Louisville (11-4)  has allowed just 23 goals in 15 games this season (1.53 per contest) and the Cards are 6-0 in Trager this year. Along with "Stone Wall" in the back, Ayesia McFerran guards the net, and sophomore Carter Ayars and frshman Alli Bitting also form the back line of resistance for opponents seeking to score.. 

Stone has played on the USA Field Hockey team the last four years (U 17, U 19, U 21) and started all 21 games last year for the Cards as a sophomore. Her freshman year saw her on the field in 16 games with eight starts...missing four contests with an injury. 

Her father played basketball at American University and grandfather (Bill Stone) is a former member of the UofL Board of Trustees. Don't mess with her...she also holds an orange belt in Karate. 

Maybe the new phrase for opponents when they leave the Trager with a loss should be: 

"You just got Stoned..." 


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SEE YA RICK

The UofL Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Monday to terminate Rick Pitino from his job as head men's basketball coach. 

In other news...grass is green, cars run on gas (or electricity, in Worldwide's case) and it's still dark at 7:05 this morning.  

See ya, Rick. Don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out. Rick knew absolutely nothing during his time at UofL (just ask him) and that included a player's parents living in the Galt House...sponsored by UofL? 

We'll find out the fate of Tom Jurich Wednesday. Pitino didn't show up yesterday. Steve Pence represented him. 

I hear Miami is nice this time of year. Maybe you could go buy some plastic flamingos for your front lawn. Do us one last thing...offer Check Smrt a room in your guesthouse. What is this man's role (still) with UofL and why is he advising the board after his abysmal advice earlier? 

Smrt, Pitino and Pence....the new Three Stooges. 



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JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO TURN YOUR RADIO ON AGAIN...

Thanks to The Morning Jam guys at WCHQ 100.9 FM (Crescent Hill Radio)...Kevin Cox and Bryce "Blue" Gill for inviting me to join them on a regular basis to do a sports update segment on their show Monday thru Friday. 

I'll be with the guys at 7:45 and 8:45 a.m. to update the previous days action and stories and to give out information on upcoming local and national events and stories. 

I hope to be in studio for a lot of these but will also send them in via DropBox if I am not in studio. 

Another reason to listen to WCHQ...(or delete it from your pre-set stations). Maybe I'll get a key to the executive washroom now...plus learn the secret handshake! 


paulie
xxxxx

Not burying Tom yet...but is the Fat Lady getting ready to sing? -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

I had pretty much made a vow not to write anymore about the Jurich saga and UofL until after the 18th. of October. That's an important date to remember because it is when the board of trustees is going to review the situation and evaluate Tom's performance. 

I changed my mind, though, after the Courier Journal came out with articles about Tom's financial situation and how the athletic department wasn't turning a profit. I also got a phone call from a well-meaning relative in North Carolina ( I have several down there and they're pretty much equally divided between TarHeels and Blue Devils...except for the one cousin who is a big Elon backer.) This particular relative that called can't understand why Jurich isn't gone already. I asked him about how he was doing in those sham classes he had enrolled in at Chapel Hill. 

Let's face it. We are hostage in our fair city to a newspaper that prefers the University 80 miles to the east of us. (Not, not Transylvania). It's why I cancelled my subscription, except for Sundays, years ago and I'm about to end that as well. Millennials and others talk of "cutting the cord" when it comes to dropping cable, dish or commercial television. I'm ready to "dis the delivery" completely now. The Internet and cable have made daily newspaper, even Sunday newspaper needs obsolete. 

I wonder if Kelsi wears a waterproof music player when she is
practicing.?And if she figured out how to program it if she does.

Technology, wow....Worldwide would insert here. He cut the cable years ago and dissed the delivery. He seems OK. I bet he could also figure out how to transfer musical files from my computer to the new waterproof music player I won in a raffle. For me, it was shortly around paragraph two in the instructions that I ran into trouble. I know what "Windows" is. I found "This PC" on my laptop, I found the "Removable Disk" folder there.   I thought I transferred the musical files I wanted to the device. I even got a computer confirmation telling me I could unplug the USB cable from the device. 

But I got no music. Just the lady's voice complementing me on my new acquisition and choice of product. 

PAYING THE PIPER

Anyway, (Steady, Paul...concentrate and get back on track. =) we were on Jurich. Yes, Tom gets paid well. Why shouldn't he? The C-J showed figures and I honestly figured he was making more than that. In our society, if you perform well, get great results and are admired by your peers and bosses...it usually, and well should, translate out into $$$$$ increases. 

Take a look at the Belknap Campus when I was there in the 70's. Not many vestiges of that sleepy little college campus remain. Take a look a Floyd Street and Denny Crum Overpass since the late 90's. You see growth, success and sign of a vibrant college campus. Take a look at where Louisville has gone in conference alignment. Louisville was a proud member of the MVC (Missouri Valley Conference) when I was there. They've progressed through the Metro, C-USA, Big East and AAC to the ACC. This is hard for fans from some other ACC programs to understand. Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia, for example, have known the ACC and nothing else for a very long time .

How did athletics get there? Under the leadership of Tom Jurich. Do you remember when Maryland left the ACC? Do you remember who most pundits thought would replace them? Connecticut. Cincinnati. Louisville was a solid "show" bet here. Very few gave the Cards a shot at membership. 

How do you like UofL now? Who engineered the victory? Tom Terrific, that's who. The man is worth every dollar that is provided to him. How quickly would have UConn or UC tossed $20 mil at him five years ago to guide them to major conference affiliation?  If this board had the sense God gave a goose, if they're listening to the high profile, high dollar donors to the program and if they'll look at the overall picture and not just the last few months the choice should be as clear as the Montana sky. Keep Tom. Unfortunately, the board is a sham, Postal is an interim puppet for who knows what interest and the board would have difficulties reviewing the performance of a worm on a fishing hook, much less an athletic director's performance. 

UOFL ATHLETICS FINANCIAL STATUS

The Courier-Journal also took task to the financial situation of the UofL Athletic Department. Why aren't they showing a profit?   

This could be the four-iron that hits the green and sends Tom back to the clubhouse eliminated from match play. $7 million dollar subsidy to UofL Athletics in 2014-15 from the University prevented a $4.6 deficit. Again in 2015-16, helping reverse a $4.4 million deficit. 

UofL pays their coaches quite well. There are several "Million Dollar Men" on campus. Pitino was one, Petrino is another. Add Dan McDonnell and Jeff Walz to that exclusive fraternity. But, you pay good money for quality coaching. You can't control the idiocy of the coach, however, and that's why Rick took his third strike and walked back to the dugout with his bat on his shoulder. 

People rail about the $1.3 million dollar gender equity commitment subsidy provided to Athletics from the University. It's the best money spent on campus. It represents tuition paid by non-scholarship female athletes who otherwise might not attend the University if not for the chance to play. The University gives this money to the Athletic Department. The next time you see a freshman attack score on the pitch or a speedy right-fielder make a running catch of a dying quail flyball...thank UofL for this policy and payment, 

In their first two years in the ACC, Athletics spent $10.6 given to them by the University. 

Look at these schools: 

-- Houston spent $36.3 million in University money and $15 million in student fees. 

-- Memphis spent $21.5 million in University money and $15 million in student fees. 

-- Cincinnati spent $25 million and their athletic department is $140 million dollars in debt. 

And WE have a spending problem?  Seriously? 

I hope that, in ten days, the board wakes up and smells the coffee. I hope they retain Tom Jurich. However, I'm getting feedback of this "Carrie Nation, clean out everything" agenda the board is supposedly on. From more than one or two sources. 

This website is here today and you are reading it, thanks in part to some very encouraging words I received from Tom when Sonya and I were first considering it. 

And, no, I do not receive a penny from the athletic department, general fund, gender subsidy, university coffers or Knights of the Round Table. I can't even get a gratis Handicapped parking permit. Our fund raising drive is in November. I'll make some serious choices about our future after that. My pockets aren't as deep as they used to be because of a new hip, ailing knee and a few more little mysteries of life. 

I hope the board will listen to the voices around them. The donors, coaches, staff, student-athletes and fans who want Tom to stay.

Maybe we need Shoni to
"bark" at the board...

Toss interim President Postal in the dumpster and re-instate Jurich. Do the wise and right thing, Board of Trustees. You've cleared the bad apples out of the bag, including the $44 million dollar, 17-second man who had 'no knowledge' of strippers, scandals, payments, shoe deals and/or the student TARC bus schedule on campus. And, this guy had a golf cart and Sandy Pearsall doesn't. It boggles the imagination.

Keep Tom Jurich.  You don't have to be a scientist to figure out that this a successful formula.  You don't need a trip to Goobertown to realize how well we got it in Louisville. Tell the fat lady in the stage wings not to grab the microphone yet and we're NOT ready for her to belt out a tune yet. 


Do the right thing, Board of Trustees. Don't waste good. Keep Tom. 


paulie
xxxxx

First of two Friday articles...JC Sullivan weighs in on Pitino, Louisville basketball -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

A Brief History of Louisville Basketball and a lot of Conjecture

A Brief History:

Once upon a time there was a coach named Rick Pitino.  He was a great coach.  He had come into UK, cleaned up the program, played it straight, and even won a national championship.  Time goes by and he is brought in to UofL to do the same thing. As much as we all love Denny Crum, you have to admit things were never right after Wade Houston left. He was the yang to Denny's yin. He was a great recruiter and a great coach. Jerry Jones, Denny's right hand man, left and the decline was unpalatable.  Desperation led to poor recruiting choices and problems in the program.  Pitino is hailed as the hero come to save us. Some resent him, I will admit, I did, both because our beloved Denny was pushed out and that Pitino was once the enemy (UK).  Athletic director and all around wizard Tom Jurich knew all of the ill will could be cured by doing what Pitino does best - WIN.  And he did.  That first year he finished 19-13, but it was a winning record.  Never again did a Pitino team turn in less than a 20 win season.  In his fourth season he had us in the Final Four.  

Fast forward to 2009. Just three weeks after an upset loss in the Elite Eight Pitino released a statement that he was the victim of an extortion attempt.  Accusations of rape are then made by the extortionist Karen Sypher, but police find her less than credible.  Sypher is convicted but the extortion trial brings shame and ridicule. A 15 second tryst in a restaurant bathroom is the news that struck the University of Louisville.  The news media and Big Blowhard Nation had a field day.  Fans were divided.  Some clamored for his ouster.  Some claimed it had nothing to do with basketball.  Jurich defended Pitino.  I like Jurich, so like many UofL fans, I accepted that Pitino remains our coach.  I have never liked the guy and still don't, but red is the color of my heart.  

Going into the 2011-2012 season, Pitino was winning games but I remained at best, meh, on my feeling for him. 10 years and I still wasn't there. I missed Denny.  I wanted players with talent, passion, humor and embodied the love of Louisville I remember from the 1980 team.  I was sure I would never feel that again.  I loved my Cards. I cheered, but I still something was missing.  I just didn't feel it with Pitino.  

And then something happened- the 2012 Big East tournament. Pitino made some remark about having fun.  It was like a switch.  I watched him throw up his hands and shake his head at Russ.  A smile flashed on PeyPey's face, and then Gorgui's.  The camera panned to Pitino and he was laughing. Suddenly, I saw him having fun, enjoying this great beautiful thing that is Louisville Basketball. That is what had been missing! Had it been there the whole time and I missed it?  Or was there a change in Pitino?  I don't know and I am not sure that I care. I just know I was happy. The mojo was back.

They weren't supposed to win it. They were ranked 7th.  But they smiled, and they laughed, and they played loose. And they won. And Pitino, at long last, seemed to be having fun.  That carried into the NCAA. When Louisville, unexpectedly made the Final Four, I just knew we were going to win.  In short and bitter fashion, Kentucky crushed that dream, but even losing to our arch-rival couldn't stifle my renewed passion.  

I had taken a 2nd job working at the KFC Yum! Center.  I could never afford MBB season tickets so I worked every game I could the next season. There were games I was assigned as a ticket scanner where I never saw even a second of the game, but I was there, feeling the energy.  Soon I found my niche of working as a "stacker", the person out front welcoming fans, chasing scalpers and managing lines to get in. The best part was I finished work as soon as the crowd was in, early in the half and almost every game someone would give me a ticket they couldn't use.  The morning of the UK game I had to leave my brother's funeral and rush to Yum! to help with the large crowd. With no prospect for a ticket I doubted I would see the game but being there was something else.

At the last minute a friend, Dan Farmer, a UK fan (they aren't all bad), said when I got off work I could use his ticket to show my boss so he would let me staying the building (Glad, the boss never asked to scan it)  I got to watch the 2nd half of the game where Pitino finally bested Calipari.   I bought my Final Four tickets that night.  The game was fun again. The best part was the way Pitino talked about his players throughout the season.  You could tell he loved those kids like Denny loved his team.  I found myself feeling the same way about Luke, Gorgui, SVT, Russdiculous, Trez, Tim, Kevin, all of them as I did about Darrell, the McCrays, Jerry, Roger, Wiley, Derek, Tony, Poncho and the whole '80 team.  We all know what happened. That banner waves in KFC Yum! Center. (For now)  

A piece of the Final Four floor hangs in my house as the center logo hangs in Yum!  No one can take those memories away.  It happened. I was there.

But the feelings of elation were short lived. The scandal broke in Fall of 2015.  It was bad.

Strippers, players, recruits, and prostitution were all paid for by assistant coach, Andre McGee. The sanctions, the appeal were tough.  The idea that the banner could come down breaks the spirits of fans and all of our hearts.

If you have read this far, I hope you stick with it.  I don't know if this is what happened but at worst you'll get to see how my crazy mind works.

And now a lot of conjecture:

I don't think Pitino had a clue what McGee was doing.  Whether other assistants did or not,
my guess is at least some other staff knew.  Pitino was truly blindsided.  I believe he really was broken up about Damion and Trey missing their only shot at a NCAA tourney.  All of those feelings felt genuine. The process took its toll.  Pitino looked skinny and gaunt.  He aged years in a very short period.

The shoe dropped (foreshadowing pun) and we were going to lose the banner.  Yeah, we were appealing, but no one realistically thought we could save it.  Once Ramsey was ousted Jurich lost his ally to keep Pitino. The new board wanted Pitino's head on a platter.  Interim President Pinto didn't really seem to have the interest in tackling the whole scandal and got out of town at the first opportunity when the University of Cincinnati presidential position became vacant.  (I don't blame him.) 

In comes Greg Postel.  He wants the full time gig.  He has to make his mark to get it.  It is reported to me he has high morals and integrity and is disgusted by the scams and high payouts to Ramsey and his cronies, including Tom Jurich.  The university is in serious financial trouble due to the shenanigans.  Jurich didn't play a part but he benefited greatly.  That ticked off Postel even more.  Add in the fact that athletic department, the richest basketball program, was flush with cash and ever expanding while the university was forced into layoff and even eliminating already reduced funding to the student paper.

Postel and Jurich strained to present a working relationship but it was obvious a lower struggle between 2 alpha males.  It made me think we should be called The Ducks, calm on the surface, but paddling like crazy underneath.  Postel strong-armed money from athletics for the KFC Yum! Center refinancing.  Jurich does a very Jurich thing and one up a him with the new $160 million deal with Adidas with no notice or approval from Postel.  Both say it was his deal to make but both know it was to show Postel up.

Since the beginning Postel and the new board have pushed to get rid of Pitino.  His "sexcapades" and scandals have embarrassed the university and are poised to cost millions in returning tournament money and fines. Jurich resists every appeal from them to fire Pitino.  He is loyal.  Loyal to a fault we have come to find.  

Pitino knows Jurich is protecting him, but he knows once the appeal is lost all bets are off.  He also can't stand the thought of losing that championship.  He begins to realize the only thing that can save face and quite possibly his position is to win it all now.  He has the pieces, the players to make a run, but a run won't do it. Much like watching the full eclipse we recently witness, the difference between 99% and a full eclipse is literally night and day.  It must be a championship.  In order to win, his players must be inspired or challenged to work harder than they ever have.  In particular, Ray Spalding has to make that jump, or we need another talent, another spark.  With a scholarship open and late in the process there are only a couple blue chip players not committed.  He loses out on one to another school.

Playing it straight just doesn't work since the shoe companies have been money players in the AAU/college game. 

He needs that championship.  He is tired of the look of fire in Postel's eyes, the disappointment by Jurich despite his loyal defense.  He wants to feel what I described above, utter joy. I believe he even feels he owes it to the fans.  I know, pie in the sky, but I do think he loves the fan base even if he feels above us.  And so the overtures made to him by certain people to put blue chippers in Adidas and grab more of Nike's market share suddenly becomes a necessary evil.  Part of him even feels like he is being persecuted for something he didn't do so why not.  Everyone else is doing it. All the excuses everyone uses when they justify doing wrong.  He needs to replace that banner.  He needs to have one more success to wash away these scandals.

And so he goes down the rabbit hole.


Julie "J.C." Sullivan

Friday Cardinal Couple -- Jeff McAdams catches us up and weighs

OK, yes, I'll share my thoughts on the big UofL happenings of this week, though I really don't want to, but first let's run down the weekend schedule

Swimming

Swim Swam News just came out with their power rankings for the season and UofL swimming landed in 6th place, the same place their finished off last year in the national rankings.  They sang the praises of Mallory Comerford, of course, and with good reason, and spoke of the young sprinters also on the team and hinted that they would be getting more visibility this year.

They will be in exhibition action with an intra-squad meet starting at 3 today at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.  It continues tomorrow with an 8 am start

Softball

Softball finishes up their fall exhibition play this weekend with a 4 pm start at Ulmer today and a
noon start tomorrow.  We're hearing word of a bulked up pitching staff and some great offensive firepower joining the squad.  I haven't been able to make it to any of the fall play, thanks to the hectic fall sports schedule otherwise, but I'm looking forward to the spring.

Tennis and Golf

The men racket Cards are participating in the Commodore Scramble all day, today and through the weekend...I'm presuming that's at Vanderbilt.  While Men's Golf are in action at the UofL Golf Club (ULGC) out in Simpsonville for the Cardinal Challenge, again through the weekend.

Mark Beckham takes the Women's Tennis squad to Miami (OH) today, tomorrow and Sunday as well.

Field Hockey

As is typical for Field Hockey, the Friday game is in-conference, this week against Syracuse, and because it's ACC Field Hockey, we need to check on what the opponent is ranked...because they will be...and sure enough, The Orange are sitting in 7th.  The Cards did move up one spot after a couple of good wins last week against Wake Forest and James Madison, both ranked teams, and sits in 12th.  This one starts at 3:30 this afternoon with the usual ACC Network Extra coverage.  There's a coin flip chance of hearing former basketballer and all-around great person Cortnee Walton on the call as she has been doing a number of the ACC Network Extra events this year, building her film roll as she works her way into the field.

The Sunday game should give the Cards a little bit of a breather, but emphasis on little.  Central Michigan comes calling with a 1pm first pass-back, also available on ACC Network Extra.  C Michigan is unranked, but always dangerous.

Soccer

The Women get it started at Lynn with a 7 pm first kick against Duke.  The women are still looking to climb their way to .500 in conference, and hopefully beyond, but Duke, sitting at 3-0 in conference play, looks to be a real challenge.  Should be a beautiful night, maybe take a light jacket as the sun goes down, at Lynn to cheer on the Soccer Cards.

The Men also play Duke this weekend, but this one is down in Durham and Saturday at 7pm.  It also will be carried on ACC Network Extra, as will the women's match up tonight.

Volleyball

A tall task on order for the wide-net Cards tonight as Florida State comes to town.  The only ranked team in the ACC, the Seminoles are sitting in the 21st spot, down a couple of places from last week.  Again, ACC Network Extra has the call on this one, for the 7pm first serve at Cardinal Arena.

The visits from Florida continue Sunday with Miami being the guests at Cardinal Arena.  A 1pm start for this one, also on ACC Network Extra.  Another challenge for The Cards with Miami being undefeated on the season, and, yet, not ranked, though they are receiving votes.

Football

Murray State comes to PJCS with a 3:30 start on the Raycom Sports Network, which probably means a Fox Sports channel of some sort. Murray State beat Louisville 120-0 back in the 1930's . That won't happen tomorrow. 

Radio

The 3:30 start for football gives Paulie and Case enough time to do the radio show and still head over to PJCS to make it to the game, so check us out this week on Crescent Hill Radio for our weekly round-up of sports coverage.  We usually focus on women's sports, in line with our mission, but I suspect a fair amount of the time will be taken discussing the events surround Men's Basketball this past week.

Jared has his duties with his job that actually gives him a paycheck, imagine prioritizing that over Cardinal Couple, I just don't get it, but there's no drop-off in our sub rotation with Cardinal Couple as we've got Daryl Faust joining us.  I look forward to hearing her thoughts on this whole mess as well.

The Elephant in the Room

OK, I guess I have to share my thoughts.  Bear with me as this may be a bit jumbled and random.

I've always been a sports fan, but I've never been the sort of sports fan that intertwines their emotional well-being with the ups and downs of the teams that I cheer for.  Some of this is just a natural result of my tendency to be pretty even-keeled in my response to things (that's not always a good thing, folks, but it works for me in situations like this).

The latest discussion on this whole works is, "Is Pitino Coach-2?"  I don't know, and frankly, I don't care.  The culture of an organization comes from the top down.  Businesses are wise to keep this in mind, but so are university athletic departments, and even universities as a whole.  There has been, and continues to be (witness the parade of leaders with the word "Interim" in their titles) a great deal of turmoil and turnover at the top ranks of UofL as a whole.  James Ramsey, certainly a nice guy with a great vision for the university, departed under less than ideal circumstances, and in hindsight it seems, while his motives were probably good, he surely played fast and loose on the running of the university.  That creates the culture.

I similarly think Jurich has and had the best of motives for the UofL Athletic department, but I have always had this nagging feeling that he has been willing to "play the game" a little bit.  While I don't want to call into question, at all, the qualifications and effectiveness of any members of the Jurich family, the large number of people with the last name of Jurich in positions of significance in and around the university athletic department has always seemed ever so slightly unsettling.  Mark, Hailey, and others have, by all accounts, been supremely competent in their positions, and I have no reason to question their capabilities, or their qualifications.  The presence of so many people with the same last name, however, does tend to tamp down on contrary opinions being expressed, puts a damper on the ease of comfort of people in the environment to sound a word of caution.  This continues the culture.

Pitino is a fantastic coach, without any question.  From day one, however, I have had a similar sort of unease about his position.  Without any personal interactions with the man, and based purely on his public persona, the string of personal, and now professional, scandals are certainly off-putting.  Professionally, I believe his motives, like those of Jurich and Ramsey, were good.  Personally, that's a little harder to say.  I defended him after the Porcini's incident because he came clean about a personally embarrassing situation, and he studiously worked to avoid, even before it became public, involving the university and UofL Athletics, beyond merely his position as coach at the institution.  There was not even the slightest hint of impropriety from the perspective of NCAA regulations or even at the university.  This was purely a personal scandal, and honestly, I don't really care about his personal life any more than I care about the personal life of any other random person I might meet on the street.  Which is to say I wish him well, good health and happiness, as a fellow member of the human race.

The more recent scandals, however, suggest some problems on the professional side of things.  With evidence that Pitino knew about the goings on.  There is certainly a question about should he have known if he was providing appropriate oversight.  The newest scandal at the very least doubles down on the lack of oversight concern, and while the allegations so far, as I understand them, don't implicate "Coach-2" inherently in any wrong-doing, they suggest some, and now we also have the suggestion that "Coach-2" = Pitino.  Evidence is getting a might bit circumstantial, here.
the Katina Powell to-do, there still hasn't been any credible

All of that, however is about the "legalities" of all of these problems (using "legalities" somewhat loosely to include NCAA regulations), the bigger problem, however, comes back to the culture.  The culture created here, and again, it flowed down from Ramsey, through Jurich, and to Pitino, is a culture of trust and loyalty.  Now, that sounds weird to put it in that way, as trust and loyalty are generally considered positive traits.  Taken to an extreme, however, they become a problem as they start to interfere with good decision making.

That's what I think has happened here, and that's why I agree with those who say it's time to clean house.  I think, however, that process of cleaning house started some time back with the replacement of Ramsey.  Again, let me be clear that I don't question the motives of anyone, here.  I believe everyone involved at all levels wanted what's best for UofL, and wanted to do things "right".  So Ramsey was removed from his position and we now have Greg Postel in an interim position.  He gives every indication of working to change the culture to one where this is more accountability, and a less, but appropriate, level of trust and loyalty.  It's unfortunate that it took such a crazy scandal to force such a change in the culture of athletics and specifically within the Men's Basketball program, and we don't know for sure that that's really what will happen, here, but we can hope.  Do similar changes need to happen within other programs?  I haven't the foggiest, but as culture does flow down from the top, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it is needed.  Let's hope that culture change can be accomplished in a less drastic fashion and allow the current staff to adjust to a new way of doing business and retain their roles.

-- JMcA

Louisville Basketball -- SHOCKED. THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

(EDITOR NOTE: TODAY'S ARTICLE BY JARED ANDERSON IS A LOT OF HIS OPINION BUT HE STARTS IT OFF WITH THE BACK STORY AND FACTS. A VERY FINE PIECE OF WRITING TODAY FROM HIM. -- PAULIE) 


Shocked.

It's the pone most word that seems to be most common right now. With the fan base, media, observers. Not just Louisville, either

Shocked.

Everyone is shocked about what happened. It's the biggest news ever to hit the college basketball world and it has sent things spiraling out of control. 

The country is shocked. 

"DeJuan...you ain't gonna believe this $#!*"

Tuesday Morning will be a day we remember a long time. The FBI went public about an investigation that they have been doing for the past three years on college basketball regarding bribes and corruption. Although the investigation is ongoing, they did release information that 10 people, four assistant basketball coaches included, have been a major part of the investigation. There is more to come. The FBI says they have the"playbook." After all this time, they also probably  have the football, ticket rights, keys to the locker rooms, right to hire the officials and their own scorekeeper. 


Chuck Person (Auburn). Emanuel Richardson (Arizona). Lamont Evans Oklahoma St.) and Troy Bland (USC) will be known as the original "Filthy Four" and are the assistant coaches that have now found themselves faced with the distinct possibility that they'll be going from the hardwood to the prison yard. 

The allegations state they they took cash bribes to send talented basketball recruits in the direction of certain schools. And agents. 

The FBI and US Attorney's Division also stated that there were schools involved with "sportswear companies" and large payments were directed to recruits. The University of Louisville is not directly mentioned in the original allegations. It was, however, later confirmed that UofL was the school that gave a then-unnamed player $100,000 to come play basketball. It didn't take rocket science to figure out it was five-star recruit Brian Bowen...who, as of yesterday, was still on the Belknap campus and seen going into the YUM! Practice Facility .

In a press conference Wednesday, UofL interim president Greg Postal reported that Rick Pitino is on unpaid administrative leave and Tom Jurich is on paid administrative leave. Why the difference? Because of the difference in the nature of their contracts with the University. Postal said yesterday that he hoped to have an interim head basketball coach and an interim athletic in place within 48 hours. That time frame would make it sometime Friday afternoon. 

BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER...please note that everything here on out is my opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of UofL nor the staff and writers here at CARDINAL COUPLE. 



First, let's look at and talk about the recruits. These kids don't even have driver's licenses the first time a college basketball coach shows interest in them. They're still living the high school life under their parent or parent's roof. If I were in their shoes and someone offered me $100,000 plus a full ride to go play basketball at any school, I wouldn't hesitate in saying "YES". That money can go a long way for family -- especially for those that are less fortunate. And, most of the recruits don't know any better, anyway. I can't put the blame on them. After all, they are just kids. 




RICK PITINO


Rick Pitino, you must go. Your time has come and gone. Thank you for your 16 years of dedication with the Louisville men's basketball program. However, I do not thank you for three scandals. In fact, your rear end probably should have been gone after the Sypher affair. But, you were successful. Tom Jurich stands behind his coaches. 

I will give Pitino the benefit of the doubt on the Katrina Powell/Andre McGee issues where you pleaded ignorance. Evenif I find that hard to believe. But another major scandal involving huge sums of money and you are pleading ignorance again? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'm not buying it this time. You were the head coach for a highly successful basketball program with a rich and proud heritage and history. You've been known to micromanage. There is "no way in hell" you knew absolutely nothing about this. Please stop threatening to fight this or sue UofL. If you are truly a Louisville First guy, then you should open your eyes and see what's best for this University and just go. No fighting, no whining. After all, you are getting a $4 million buyout. 

I umpire baseball. Rick, three strikes and you are out. Go back to the dugout and no lip, please. 

TOM JURICH

Tom Jurich...my best guess is that you are gone also and I support that decision. Giving Pitino chances two and three was ultimately your downfall. You've been known to give out multiple chances before (see Football and Lacrosse). At times, I agree that people deserve a second chance. Bobby Petrino has seemingly turned over a new leaf. Our beloved CARDINAL COUPLE leader Paulie speaks glowingly and positively on the culture and attitude Kellie Young has brought to Lacrosse. They changed and we have benefited from it.

In Pitino's case, though, it's nearly destroyed the reputation of the school. 

There's a huge part of me that wants to thank you. Thank you for what you've done for this university. What you've done for UofL's Athletic Department is a true fairytale story. When you first put on the Red and Vlack in 1997, football was in shambles and was nervously building a new stadium with a sub-par coach at the helm. 

In the twenty years that you've been here it's unreal how drastically things have changed, mostly for the better. Under your leadership we saw the finishing of Papa John's Cardinal stadium plus two expansions.

We saw the renovation of Owsley B. Frazier Cardinal Park. Ulmer Stadium. The Bass-Rudd Tennis facility, Trager Field, the Ralph Wright Natatorium, the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium, Jim Patterson Stadium, Lynn Stadium, the YUM! Practice Facility, Cardinal Arena renovation, the University Club, the University of Louisville golf club, the boathouse on the Ohio River for rowing, playgrounds, walking tracks, a new student-athletic facility on 4th street and the move from Freedom Hall to the KFC YUM! Center. Have I missed anything? 

The way Tom Jurich has built this athletic program is unbelievable. Beside the facilities above (and it's been said that if there's not a crane in the air, Jurich is in despair.) we have seen nothing but the best coaches for each of our sports and not just the big ones. 

Paulie tells the story of the early days when he was thinking about a website that features UofL women's sports. He went to two people back in 2008 and asked their opinions. One is no longer a part of UofL athletics but thought it had some merit. You, Tom, gave Paulie a big "thumbs up" and told him that you would be there for him if he ever needed anything. He hasn't ever had to play that "ace in the hole" card -- but it meant and still means a lot to him. 


With Cardinal Couple being a UofL women's sports media organization, I do want to especially mention how he helped build women's basketball, field hockey, volleyball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and swimming into well-respected programs. You took a chance on a assistant from Maryland who stuttered a lot and was color-blind to guide the WBB program. You brought in established and well-respected coaches to build softball and lacrosse programs from the ground up. Currently, there are 12 Division I women's programs at UofL. They compete in one of the premier conferences in college athletics. We've gone from the MVC to the ACC. 

But, Tom -- it's time for you to go, too. It is unclear how guilty you are in the matter or if you are just the sacrificial lamb or scapegoat in the whole situation, but we need to do what's best for this university and that is...

Cleaning the house thoroughly. 

You gave a lot of coaches and players a second chance over the years. You stood by them. Will the administration and board give you the first second-chance you've ever required? Probably not. Your fate rests in the hands of others...something you haven't had to endure in a very long time. 



THE FANS

Ah, the fans.


This is the trickiest for us. Beside the student-athletes, we're also getting screwed. As fans we had nothing to do with any of this but it feels like we're being punished the worst. Stress, humiliation, shock, confusion, uncertain, rage and disillusionment. Maybe we need a three-hour therapy session (free admission) in Papa John's in the near future. With an open bar. 

One thing I have always said is that "true fans are there through the best and the worst of times." It's great and so much fun to celebrate the "highs" but we also need to be there for the "lows". 

Welcome to the "Lows". And I'm not talking about the hardware store, either. 

As fans, we are needed now more than ever. There is a university with students, staff, faculty and athletes that are hurting. 

Here is my call to the fans. You, me, Paulie and all Cardinal fans. Support all of our athletes, not just men's basketball. They need you right now. Go to games. Go to more games than you normally do. Cheer harder. Cheer louder. It may not takeaway the pain entirely but this can help ease it. We must not give up on the University of Louisville. We are One. We are a FAMILY. WE ARE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS.


Go Cards!
Jared Anderson

LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL SCANDAL -- MORE SPORTS...JARED ANDERSON ON WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS MEN'S BASKETBALL ROCKED WITH FBI INVESTIGATION

Update. 1:05 p.m.  Interim UofL President Greg Postal and the board have placed A.D. Tom Jurich on paid administrative leave and head basketball coach Rick Pitino on unpaid administrative leave. They are not fired...yet. They have different contract structures. They are waiting on more information from the FBI. The University expects to name an interim A.D. and interim men's head basketball coach within 48 hours...

Update. 11:50 AM. It is being reported that Rick Pitino has been let go and Tom Jurich also is gone. There is a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. We will monitor and report on it. 

There's a giant elephant in the room down at the Louisville men's basketball program so let's just get right to it. MBB continues to dig a deeper and deeper grave. The program is still recovering from the Stripper Scandal and now finds it is the subject of an FBI Investigation. 

An assistant coach receiving money from Adidas. Another involved in taped conversations in Vegas.  A  top-flight player (Brian Bowen) suddenly committing to Louisville (after Adidas sinks $100,00 into his parents' bank account). 

This isn't conjecture or 'he-said, she-said' innuendo. This is the FBI saying to Louisville (and four other Universities): 

"We have your playbook." 

Felony crimes. Evidence from the top investigative agency in the nation. 

It is importnat to note that this does not directly involve the women's athletic programs we follow here at CARDINAL COUPLE. But the side effects, the spin-off and future damage is evident, real and a plain disgrace. 

I expect to see a boatload (or big Cardinal nest) of fines. I mean A LOT. And, this goes way beyond the NCAA at some point. Someone, somewhere in college athletics is going to find themselves behind bars at some point. I also expect a mass cleansing of the Louisville Athletic Program.

I can see Pitino...gone. I can see Jurich...gone. I can see penalties of the strictest measure placed upon the program. THIS IS, OF COURSE, JUST MY OPINION AND BEST GUESS. Paulie will have some editorial comments at the end my column today. 

In the mean-time, let's pick ourselves up off the mat, get back to the corner and try to come out for another round. We promore the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports here. Let's go there...

Ayeshia McFerran, Louisville Field Hockey's goal-keeper, deserves a huge shout-out for being named the ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. The superstar net defender came up with seven saves in two wins over two top 15 opponents. The Net Stick Girls are now 6-4 and remain highly ranked in the NCAA DI polls. Has anyone played a tougher schedule that Justine Sowry's squad in the first ten games? They are home against Syracuse this Friday at 3:30 and Central Michigan on Sunday 1 p.m. 

They deserve your support. Head to Trager Field and cheer for them. Admission is free for all regular-season Louisville Field Hockey contests. 

Because I'm still hyped up over their win over Miami 1-0 on the Lynn pitch, a big congratulations to Louisville women's soccer. The Kickin' Cards get their first conference win over the year. Let's hear it for Wonder Women Emina Ekic...a Louisville native...and a freshman who leads the Cards in scoring with six goals. She is truly something special. 

At 7-4, Coach Karen Ferguson Dayes kickers still have a bit of work to do to reach Case's prediction of a 12 win season. That work continues of Friday with a 7:00 p.m. match against #4 Duke in Lynn. Ferguson-Dayes has a press conference (I guess it is still on) for today at 3:30 p.m. to talk about the match-up. Paulie will be there and report on it in his Thursday column. 

The Louigans are planning a "Red-Out" for the game. Come hear our chants, watch us bang the drums and you're invited to get rowdy with us down in the southeast corner of the seats. Women's soccer is a ticketed event...but well worth the admission price. $5 and kids under two get in free. A huge playground for the kids, berm seating and concessions for all. Be there. 

Volleyball also heads to the floor...they'll bring in FSU Friday night 7 p.m. over at Cardinal Arena. They're coming off a road loss to UNC after they defeated Notre Dame...so they'll be expecting your support. I know I'll be at WSOC, Jeff will be at Volleyball...the question is where will Case and Paulie end up? 

Alex, give me women's soccer for $500, please. Paulie in the press box and Case in the seats. 

Finally, I will be out of studio for THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR on Saturday (work obligations) but Paulie has filled my chair admirably with Daryl Foust . The co-host of Kentucky Women Talk Sports and ACC Network Extra announcer should have plenty to say about the current situation going on at UofL. Also, funnyman Bryan Cohen will call-in with the second in his series craziness...Bryan Cohen Looks At The Sports World. 

- JARED ANDERSON - 


PAULIE WEIGHS IN ON BASKETBALL SCANDAL

PHOTO BY CHARLIE SPRINGER. UofL CARD GAME.

Someone (or someone's) down at the UofL Men's Basketball program need to re-enroll in classes at take Common Sense 101. 

- Why does a five-star, one-and-done basketball recruit suddenly call Rick Pitino out of the blue in June and tell him, "Hey, Coach! I'm coming to Louisville" ?. 

- Who had the brilliant idea to have a discourse with Adidas about getting money to Brian Bowen and a 2019 recruit? 

- Who authorized these reprehensible, heinous felonies? 

A recent (like 12 hours ago) poll had 70% of the respondents wanting Pitino gone. Rick, of course, is wondering "what the hell is going on?" It seems he doesn't know much about what's happening in the program he is head coach of these days. He's lawyered-up, also...never a good sign. 

Jurich is the athletic director, the Godfather...if you will...of the University of Louisville Athletic Program. Are his hands clean? Is there plausible deniability here?  Does Jurich get the boot as well? 

Stay positive, Louisville fans! 

Questions...yes, many questions. A nervous and, in many cases, disillusioned UofL fan base waits, wonders and worries. Are you one of them? Sound off in the comments section...if you like. We'll have a little group therapy. 

Meetings today with the interim president and the athletic department. Will heads roll? Whatever happens, I sincerely hope UofL doesn't hire a Chuck Smrt type to run interference in this issue. Take the medicine as prescribed. You and the other four schools. You screwed up this time, Lloyd. Time to pay. 

This is the FBI. These are felonies. 

In the words of The Talking Heads:

"Thos ain't no party, this ain't no disco...this ain't no foolin' around."  

VIDEO


paulie
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