Monday Cardinal Couple - Watson the Coach..

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Watson looks at the role of coaching


(Cardinal Couple Special Correspondent David Watson takes us into Monday with his views on coaching. As usual, David puts a unique twist on it.)

I wasn't the best athlete around growing up. I wasn't even the best athlete on the block and we only had three houses on my block. I didn't play the popular high school sports but made the golf team because they needed four players to compete in matches against other schools. I had coaches, though, because I played Little League baseball and Optimist basketball. 

If you're reading this and ever participated in sports, how many of you remember your first coach? Mine was Mr. Lawson. We weren't on a first name basis. He was Coach Lawson and the skipper of my Little League baseball team, the Pirates. He worked awfully hard along with his two assistants, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Herman. Their sons played on the team. They also started, like Mr. Lawson's son did. Nepotism doesn't fall far from the tree. 


There were drills to learn, points to be made (I'll probably never forget those harsh, shrill words "Get IN FRONT of the ball, Watson!") and games to prepare for. We played on Wednesday nights. A six team league. Ten games in the season. No P.A. announcer. A concession stand complete with hot dogs and fountain drinks. Me, Terry and Matty, vanquished to the end of the bench where we threw pebbles at each other and waited for our chance to play.


Coach Lawson was a larger than life figure to me. He had the power to rule destiny. He decided who played, where they played and who sat. This was before every kid had to play in every game. We had twelve kids on the team and me, Matty and Terry were the odd men out. Only because we were the worst team in the league (by far) did I get the chance to play. Mop up stuff. He'd look down the bench, grimace and wince and yell, "Watson, you're going to right field this inning. Try not to let the ball go over your head." If he could have stuck me, Matty and Terry all out in right field at the same time, he probably would have. We weren't exactly Derek Jeter's out there in the field. 


It's easy to substitute when you're down 8-0 in the fifth. 


I remember my first at bat ever in Little League. Three pitches, three strikes. At least I swung at the third one. Wasn't even close. Unfortunately, it didn't get much better the more I played. 


I gave up Little League baseball after two years. My father gave me his old golf clubs and I became enamored with the sport of hitting a little white ball and praying it went straight. Man against the sport and elements. No whizzing fastballs to deal with and no screaming, red-faced coaches wondering why I was throwing to first when the runner was headed to third. 

I remember my golf coach, Danny Grigsby, most of all. I was a sophomore in high school and it was OK to call coaches by their first names by then. A calm, philosophical man who smoked a pipe on the course during matches. Never given to fits of anger or rage. Just gentle reminders after bad shots. Follow through the ball, keep your head down. Keep your eye on the ball and bend your knees. Positive reinforcement when you did well. The same wise counsel whether you played well or not. I think they eventually committed him to an insane asylum shortly after my graduation. No one coaches like that and gets away with it.


I wonder if they ever checked what he was putting in the pipe?

My youngest daughter recently expressed an interest in playing golf. She's officially a teenager now and two of her best friends play, so -- naturally she wants to learn and I have become a coach. We thought about letting her take lessons from a pro but decided to wait and see if this was going to be a long-term obsession with her or a fly-by-night whimsy. Got her a nice, but not overly expensive set of clubs. We've spent evenings at the driving range, learning how to hit irons, tee shots and chips. When I felt the time was right, we took to the public course for nine holes. All in all, it went well. She has the calm, even temperament and demeanor of her mother. Bad shots don't drive her into a Tasmanian devil frenzy and good shots produce a satisfied smile and occasional fist pump. 


All this from a girl who used to turn up her nose and frown when I'd announce to the family that I was headed to the links. 


This isn't my first time coaching. I did assistant coach my son's Little League baseball team. I stood by third base and told the kids to run or stop. Usually, I got it right. I was a spectator for my oldest daughter's field hockey. They didn't want me running around out on the field trying to teach something I didn't understand.  

You learn when you teach. Patience. Encouragment. Analytical thinking. Strategy. Pride through accomplishment. You also go through the gauntlets of occasional frustration, exasperation and disappointment.  


All that and more and that's just during the drive to the golf course with three teenage girls in the van with you. 


Whether she'll follow in my footsteps and try to participate on the high school level is anyone's guess. Thirteen year old girls change their minds more than Goodyear changes tires, but -- for now -- it's a fun way for her to get a little exercise, learn about challenges and competition and it keeps her off Facebook for at least four or five hours a few times a week. 

I can look back now at the coaches I've had in my life and realize that the time and effort sacrifices they made weren't all self-sufficing or egotistical. I find that the lessons I've imparted to her have even helped me with the sorely lacking fundamentals of my golf game. 


She'll be able to drive a cart in three years though, and that worries me. I remember me in a golf cart at sixteen.  


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I'm going to keep this request alive. If anyone has a picture or link to the University of Louisville bulletin board in Springfield, OR. please post a link to it in the comments column. 


Knowing Paul, it's a wonder he hasn't sent Bill the Goat up there in the CARDINAL COUPLE golf cart to snap a photo of it. 


(David's golf game isn't as bad as he makes it out to be. He has a natural ability to find sand, water, trees and tall grass wherever he plays.) 
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Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Cardinal Caravan rolls along

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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Cardinal Caravan to make five stops in July

Cardinal Caravan, the yearly summer stops for the University of Louisville sports programs, has announced five stops over three days in July. UofL coaches and players address the crowds and the LadyBirds, UofL Cheerleaders, Louie the Cardinal Bird and Al Greener and the UofL Pep Band are expected to appear. 


Louisville head women's basketball coach Jeff Walz is schedule to appear at the caravan stops...along with football coaches and members of UofL's men's basketball team. Sandy Pearsall will represent the 55-win softball team. Here's the schedule:


TUESDAY, JULY 17th:


Frankfort, KY. - Buffalo Trace Distillery. 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.


Newport, KY. - Newport Aquarium. 4:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.


WEDNESDAY, JULY 18th:


Bowling Green, KY. - National Corvette Museum. 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.


THURSDAY, JULY 19th:


Owensboro, KY. - River Park Center. 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.


Louisville, KY. - Captain's Quarters. 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.


You can RSVP your intent to attend to: 


CARDINAL CARAVAN   (LINK)


www.uoflalumni.org/caravan2012  (WEBSITE)


Looks like Southern Indiana doesn't get a stop this year. Never attended the ones at Huber's or by the Ohio but heard they were a good time. Maybe later? Maybe it's time to hold one in Lexington. Calipari's front yard would be a idea. 


************************************************************************

I can't help but wonder what will come out of all these women's basketball recruits that are suppose to be showing up in 2013 at UNC?  Seven, so far, and they are still chasing after Mercedes Russell. That, coupled with recent academic scandal on campus, have Chapel Hill ready for a reality series on TV. Russell won't (or will...depending on which news source you check) attend the UNC skills camp that is taking place before the one-day Louisville elite skills camp on the 28th. 


Louisville had six recruits show up at the same time a couple of years back. It was the 2008-09 season and Louisville had Gwen Rucker, Becky Burke, Monique Reid, Janae Howard, Mary Jackson and Tiera Stephen on the roster as freshmen. 


We all know how that turned out. 


Hard to believe that Mo is the only one left on the 2012-13 roster that went to St. Louis for the final four. I wonder if her teammates will call her 'grand ma-ma' or 'the old lady' this year? Becky was one of the ones who made it as well. She's busy studying up on her Polish. Gwen settled on just one net after her sophomore year. Turned out pretty well for her, too. 


Last we heard, Janae Howard was playing for St. Catherine (KY) College. Mary Jackson was at Memphis for awhile but we've lost track of her. Tiera Stephen ended up at Wisconsin. 

Walz probably felt like Happy Gilmore (right)
at times during the 2009-10 season.

One wonders if any of the three that left would have had a helpful impact on the 2009-10 season. the Cards went 14-18 and had a short roster. Howard had a pretty good outside shot and Jackson might have been helpful inside. Stephen's guard play might have spelled Burke, Harper, Rachel Story and Raddie.


It's all conjecture, of course.


Injuries played a huge role in that season. Dez Byrd, LaToya Johnson, Nikki Burton, Chauntise Wright, Laura Terry all on the shelf. Ashley Rainey left. The hard work, dedication and effort that those who contributed to that season...against great odds...will never be forgotten. Shelby Harper, a walk on freshman, took on the best that the BIG EAST had to offer night after night. 


I don't doubt that UNC will have similar outcomes with the seven that arrive in the fall of 2013. Especially when you're already calling the class the "Fab Five."


Have a nice Sunday!


-Sonja
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Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE -- C.E. and I go trout fishing.

Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE


-Paul returns to the stream


-More hip trouble at UofL?


One of my favorite reasons to go to Gatlinburg is to go fishing with my friend C.E. I met him years ago on the Arts and Crafts Community loop south of Gatlinburg. We hit it off right off the bat. 
Mind you, he's a die-hard Vols fan...but we still get along quite well. 

When I go to Gatlinburg, I usually call him a few days in advance. Although he still owns his shop on "the loop"...he lets his daughter and son-in-law handle the day-to-day stuff. That allows him plenty of time for his passion. Trout fishing. 


We set up a trip for Friday, and C.E. likes to get "out and at them" early...so he swung by our cabin to pick me up at 5:30 a.m. I hear you groaning out there...yes, it was early...but a few cups of coffee and his lively conversation had me going full throttle in no time. We stopped for a quick breakfast and we were ready to hit the waters as the sun was coming up.  Accompanying us was his newest beagle, Snoopy. 

Dancing with Bears in Pigeon Forge! 

For our trips, I bring several things. My "hip waders", rod and reel, hand-held scoop net and a few artificial flies. I proudly wear one of my UofL hats when I go hit the secluded streams where he likes to fish. The trout don't seem to mind.


His 4X4 got us about a quarter of a mile from where he were going to fish. It took us about a half hour time to drive there...we gathered up our gear and hiked in the rest of the way. Fortunately, we didn't run into any snakes on the way...but did startle a wild turkey...who fluffed off in anger and gave us a verbal assault. I'm not the most limber of guys anymore, and it took me awhile to get down the steep bank and into the water. He's 70+years old and beat me to the stream by several minutes. Must be the air or water down here...he had the agility of a man half his age. 

We've fished this area before...some really nice brown and rainbow trout can be pulled out of the holes in the area. There were brook in the water as well, but those are strictly "catch and release" in the Smokies for now. Snoopy entertained himself by flushing rabbits out of the brush and jumping in and out of the slow moving parts of the stream. I can't divulge the exact location...C.R. guards his trout spots closely. 


Since I only go trout-fishing once a year anymore, it takes me awhile at the beginning to get accurate at casting again. I was still trying to hit holes with my casts when he caught the first fish of the day, a fighting brown that measured in about an inch short of "keeper" size. We catch and release if they aren't keepers, so this one got a reprieve.


C.R. had pulled in three, one keeper size, before I got my first strike. A good fighter...it gave me a nice five minute battle before I got a net on him. A keeper brown, biggest of the day, so far. 

We fished the spot, walking the side of the stream and bank, for several hours. We totalled 10 trout "keeper" size and that was the limit for the day...five each (even though he caught seven and I just hooked three). We also released some furious-fighting "brookies" per park regulations. I was tired but happy as we went up the bank and back to his 4X4. His wife, Cheryl, had prepared some bologna and cheese sandwiches for us and we ate those and sipped on iced tea sitting under an expansive, shady oak tree. It was barely noon and it already felt like it was ninety degrees. C.R. is working with Snoopy on tracking rabbits and the beagle is getting good at it.  


I rode back with him to his house and we went to his garage to filet our catch. One thing that we have in common is that he's also a women's basketball fan...the Vols, of course...and as we de-boned our catch we talked Pat Summit, SEC and also UofL. C.R. is a big Walz fan. He kids me that Jeff will be learning the words to "Rocky Top" in a few years. I kid him back that UofL WBB will lead the nation in attendance now that Pat has retired.  

Once we finished our knife-work, he stuck the filets in cool, salty water until breading in a couple of hours. We all were to be guest for dinner...fried trout, slaw, potato salad, green beans and chicken fingers for the kids. Sonja and crew arrived around 5 p.m. with cherry pies for dessert.


All the food was delicious. He uses a cast-iron skillet and a cornmeal batter. Olive oil, not vegetable oil or lard to fry the filets in. The filets were fresh and meaty. No one left the table hungry. 

Snoopy.

Finally, after lemonade and conversation on their huge front porch, the evening took upon us and we left C.R, his wife and his seemingly never-out-of energy beagle Snoopy. One of those days you wish you could capture in a jar and release whenever you're feeling blue or frustrated. 


Have a great weekend, Cardinal Couple readers! 


-Paulie


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Rumors spreading that another of Louisville's women's basketball team member might be going under the knife are true. Senior forward Asia Taylor has been experiencing hip pain. She is expected to be back and 100% by the start of the season.


Better to get these things taken care of before the season begins. And, maybe the rest of the Cardinal squad should walk around in medieval armor suits to avoid any further injuries for the season begins. 
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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Card Fan from afar

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- Guest columnist today : Jim Sykes


( Jim Sykes is the oldest brother in the Sykes' family. He is a school teacher at Ganado High School in Arizona. He has been a UofL fan for years. ) 

My earliest recollections of Cardinal Sports are from the late fifties. Yes, I am a senior citizen. Our father liked to listen to basketball games on the radio in the evening in our den. He would sit in his recliner, tune our huge Philco Radio to WAVE 970 and follow the action of The University of Louisville men's basketball team. As kids, we were allowed to listen with him, but we knew we had to be quiet and attentive. He would send us out of the den if we became unruly. When my brother Paul told me that Joe Reuther had been one of the softball referees in a league he played in, I reminded him that he had played basketball at UofL. Paul's comment was: 

"Maybe so, but he has a horrible knowledge of the strike zone." 


During my college years at Centre, my Cardinal Sports following dropped off a bit. I was busy with academics, participating on the swim team and following the exploits of the Colonels. I remember thinking that Denny Crum would never last at UofL and he'd eventually migrate back to UCLA. Goes to show you how wrong you can be at times. 

Photo by Charlie Springer - UofL Card Game

When Louisville won their first National Championship in basketball back in 1980, I was watching via satellite in Switzerland. I tried to call Paul after the game, but found out later that he was in Indianapolis cheering the guys on. 


Paul and I actually watched the 1986 Championship Game together. We were at my parents' house, with Mom and Dad and all four of us saw Louisville beat Duke. I remember Paul had just married this cute, strawberry-blonde named Sonja who was there also. I guess that turned out pretty well...

I now live out in the desert of Northeastern Arizona and teach high school at Ganado High School. It is located on the NAVAJO Indian reservation and it's a pretty desolate area. Most of my students are native Americans. There has been a marked interest in Louisville women's basketball on the "rez" since the Schimmel sisters enrolled at Louisville. My students are very proud of their accomplishments and I can't help but wonder if someday we might have a girl or sisters who graduate from here and emulate what the Schimmel's have accomplished. 


I follow Louisville sports via Internet. Fortunately, there are a lot of great sites available to read about the sports and I can watch most UofL Cards via a CARDS TV subscription.

My interest in Louisville womens' sports began basically because of my little brother (and Sonja's) writings and love for them. I've had a lot of fun this year following them. I was very proud of the women's soccer team and their success. Basketball gave me fits at times, but I was really proud of the way they advanced to the NCAA Tournament and played. Softball was great fun to watch via TV. 


I also use Sportstracker to follow events that aren't on TV and   I receive Louisville Sports Report to catch up on all the news I might have missed. Those guys do a great job!

When I get back to Louisville, (and it's been awhile) it's usually summer vacation time...so there aren't any live events to go watch. I still haven't seen the inside of the KFC YUM! Center but I have been inside the expanded Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Paul and I attended some great football games back when a former coach who also likes motorcycles was there. I got to see some great games in Freedom Hall, too. I remember going to a women's basketball game with Paul and Sonja and hearing them rave about this player named McCoughtry on the way to the game. A couple of hours later, I was a "raver" as well. 


And, I read CARDINAL COUPLE almost daily. I'm very proud of the way my "little bro" has built the site and the work he, Sonja and the writers do here. They have a following here "at the rez".


We're excited about Cortnee Walton being on campus for Louisville WBB. She's a Arizona girl, you know, and played for a very good team in Phoenix. 


Thanks for reading this transplanted UofL fan's writings.


GO CARDS! 


-- Thanks, "Boats" (my nickname for Jim). We'll get you in that YUM! Center eventually and maybe even a Italian sausage. (Jim has a fondness for those back from the Freedom Hall days)  -- Pablo.
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So--You Want To Be A Bull Rider?

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- Bull riding more than just jumping aboard and holding on..


( The Commish continues his insights into the world of Bull riding today. )

Even though Paulie may call me a detective, a Commish, or even a writer (I use that term loosely), a Bull Rider I am not.  After all, what person in his right mind would get on the back of a 1500-1800 pound Bull and try to stay on its back for 8 seconds with the chance of being tossed around like a wet dish rag , stomped on, ran over, or even killed?  Cowboys are of a rare breed.  They are probably some of the best athletes in the world and they play their sport for the LOVE of it.  Yes, large amounts of money can be made since the inception of the PBR but that was/is not always the case.  

Like sports where athletes are under contract and get paid whether they play or not---the life of a Bull Rider is different.  NO PLAY---NO PAY---and you only get paid if you RIDE your bull and WIN.  Some Bull Riders in the PBR have done really well.  Twenty Five have career earnings of 1 million dollars or more.  The top 5 earners of all time are:

1  Justin McBride--Two Time World Champion 2005,2007--retired in 2008--$5,124,418.42

2  Guilherme Marchi--World Champion 2008--still riding-- $4,010,813.61

3  Chris Shivers--Two Time World Champion 2000,2003--retiring this year--$3,916,279.33

4  Adriano Moraes--Three Time World Champion 1994,2004,2006--retired in 2008--$3,504,344.71

5  Mike Lee--World Champion 2004--still riding--$3,004,254.71

The chances of earning 1 million dollars and making it BIG in the PBR? Pretty slim. More than 1,200 bull riders from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico hold PBR memberships.  Only the top 35 can qualify for the World Finals. (Total Money won determines that). As you can see 35 out of 1200 riders are not good odds.  Almost as bad as the chance a college football player has making it in the pros. As a money making proposition, Bull Riding is a RISKY BUSINESS in more ways than one.

Before the PBR the amount of money to be won was not very good.  And since there were no sponsors for the riders, they paid their own way.  Most riders would travel by car to events with a couple other riders.  They would share expenses and use their own money for entry fees, food, and hotels.  As Bull Rider Mike White (retired 2010) said, "In 1999, it showed I made $155,000.  It does not show I SPENT $55,000 to make the National Finals Rodeo.  In 1999, BEFORE the National Finals Rodeo started, I had won $56,000 but SPENT $55,000. If I had not made the National Finals, I would have been in DEBT".  (In 1999, at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) Mike White placed 12th and won $57,887.13 in the Bull Riding Category).  The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States and is not affiliated with the PBR.

The quickest way to make the most money in the PBR is to be the overall Season point leader after the World Finals and collect (in his Doctor Evil’s voice---from AUSTIN POWERS): "ONE MILLION DOLLARS”. Of course that is the goal of every rider.  Become the World Champion.

The age range of a Bull Rider in the PBR goes from 18 to the late 30's.  At this time the #1 Rider in the standings is Valdiron de Oliveira.  He is 33 years old.  The oldest rider to compete was 3 time World Champion Adriano Moraes.  He retired in 2008 at the age of 38.

Most pro bull riders are approximately 140 - 150 lbs and are usually no taller than 5' 8".  Of course there are exceptions.  For example, rider Beau Hill is 6'1 and 190lbs.  He has been riding pro for 13 years.  On the other hand, Brian Canter is 5'3 and 120lbs.  He has been riding pro for 7 years.

There is more to riding a Bull than just climbing and holding on for dear life.  A Rider must be in top physical condition.  To be successful, he should participate in a program which includes work on the following: 

A. Strength

B. Flexibility

C. Endurance

D. Weight Control

E. Ab conditioning

Lots of weight lifting,running,flexibility exercises, and eating a balanced diet all contribute to the Rider being able to perform at his best.  It may not prevent injury but will help him recover at a faster rate.

Two of the top riders--LUKE SNYDER and AUSTIN MEIER have added something different to their training regimen:  YOGA and PILATES.  Pilates is defined as: a system of exercises using special apparatus, designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.

According to Snyder, “We’re athletes. We’re some of the toughest, if not the toughest athletes out there. If you can put your body into the right shape, you can handle injuries better, you come back quicker, you get off bulls cleaner and your reaction time is up.” 

Every move the Bull makes there is a COUNTERMOVE the Rider must make. Snyder explains: “You have to be able to put yourself in a position to take the power away. When they come up in the front, you have to be quick to the front, and when they break over, you have to shove your hips back down and you have to be quick on the kick, too. If you find that happy medium, it’s easy.”

Snyder also felt he does not breathe as hard during rides and is not winded afterwards.

Meier had this to say: “One of the first things a guy recognizes is your endurance.  You might think, ‘Eight seconds, well, how much cardio do you need?’ In those 8 seconds, you use up a lot of cardio.”

Meier also felt that his balance has improved giving him a better idea of where his center of gravity is, regardless of what position his body is in.

Did this training pay off?  

In 2010 Luke Snyder finished 37th in the standings with a riding percentage of 30%. After starting the program, in 2011 he finished 12th with a riding percentage of nearly 40%---the highest it had been since he first started in 2001. This year he is currently ranked 10th.

Meier went from finishing 42nd and 28th in the world standings to finishing sixth and second the past two seasons.  This year Austin is currently 8th with a riding percentage of 50%. 

( Editor comment...In case you don't want to be a bull rider, the Byrds offer some advice on becoming a rock 'n roll star at the link below)

So you want to be a...




Unlike sports where teams are playing against each other, Bull Riding is more of an individual sport.  Even though riders compete against each other, it is essentially Man vs. Bull.  The rider does not go out thinking  “I have to beat Rider A to win”----His mindset is “In order to Win I have to Ride My bull and take the score the Judges give me.”  And if any of our readers watch the sport for any length of time they will notice this:  Even though the Cowboys are competing against each other---They actually CHEER for and help ONE OTHER. For example, a rider may be unfamiliar with a bull he has drawn.  If he knows a fellow Cowboy has ridden him before or knows about the bull, it's not uncommon for him to ask about the Bull's tendencies. What did he do the last time you rode him? Does he spin to the left? Does he spin to the right? How many jumps before going into a spin? Does the Bull have any "tricks" he may need to be aware of? The Cowboy will always tell him.  It is not a cut throat competition.  They want to see their fellow Cowboys do well---even if it means they score  enough points to beat them.  Next time (or first time) watching an Event, notice the Cowboys behind the Chute as a Cowboy is riding his Bull.  They are cheering for him, shouting words of encouragement, and if that Cowboy gets hurt/injured during the ride, they can be seen removing their hats and praying for him.  That is one aspect of the sport I admire. The fact that they are like a family---A close knit group of athletes. 

 Bull Riders do this for the love of the game and are some of the best athletes around.  And since the Cowboys can only make money if they ride, many compete with injuries.  I have seen Cowboys compete with a broken arm and even a broken leg.  One rider had a broken hand and decided to ride using his opposite hand which is not easy. That's like a left handed pitcher having to all of a sudden start pitching with his right hand. Or Paulie having to ask CO-CO the Chimp to open his can of Bud Select because he injured his fingers typing the latest edition of Cardinal Couple.   

Injuries sustained in bull riding are comparable to injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident.  Broken legs, torn ACL’s, Broken Ribs, lacerations, and even death.  For an inside look into the mind set of a Bull Rider, why they do it, and injuries they have sustained, view this excellent video: PBR: THE DANGERS OF BULL RIDING: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et8KdwVg-do

After watching the video and reading this article--if you wish to become a Bull Rider on the PBR Circuit just like Paulie does, click the link provided and fill out the 2012 Bull Rider Application Packet which includes:

 

a) 2012 PBR Membership Requirements:

b) The current membership application;

c) Waiver of liability for third party claims (Paulie may have trouble signing this since it has no mention of his beer being replaced if dropped/spilled during a ride);

d) Compliance with PBR rules and policies; 

e) Publicity consent form;

f) Waiver and Release form;

g) Membership Dues;

h) Examples of PBR Approved Rowels;

Notice the legalese when reading the Waiver.  The PBR Membership application even requires  the applicant to name a LIFE INSURANCE BENEFICIARY. (Paulie's is BILL THE GOAT but CO-CO may have something to say about that.)

 Any one interested in looking over/filling out the Application just click the link below. And Good Luck in your newly found career!

http://www.pbr.com/media/1613746/2012_bull_rider_application.pdf

Commish Mark


( Great stuff, Mark! We have a specifically tailored Life Insurance policy that gives the massive profits earned here at CARDINAL COUPLE to our favorite charity...Children Without Foreheads. Co-Co and Bill the Goat are to be donated to Poobah in the event I've fallen and can't get up. ) 
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BREAKING NEWS!!

Shoni Schimmel was invited to the White House today to sit on a 5 person panel discussing Title IX and the opportunities that it has provided her.  She was accompanied to the DC area by Coach Cameron Newbauer.  Shoni was the only active player to be included in the panel.  At least one of the the other panelists was Billie Jean King.  We will report more as we learn it.  

Wednesday CARDINAL COUPLE -- Kentucky Junior All-Stars

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Jenny reports on Junior All-Star Game


-Jenny's "take" on Walz Elite Skills clinic


( Jenny O'Bryan brings us the Wednesday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE. She's developing a strong following amongst our readers and WE know you'll enjoy her offerings today!) 

I attended the Junior All-Star Game between Kentucky and Indiana on Saturday night at North Oldham High School.  This is the first time that All-Star juniors from each of the states have suited up to play each other.  Indiana won both games between the girls.  On Friday night, Indiana won 101-98.  Saturday evening the final was 78-68...with Indiana on top again. 

The leading scorer each night was the same for each team.  Becca Greenwell, of Owensboro Catholic, led Kentucky with scores of 44 and 16, respectively.  For Indiana, it was Taya (tie-a) Reimer out of Hamilton Southeastern, who led the Indiana girls with 28 and 24, respectively. 

I decided to go to the game to watch several key players.  On the court for Kentucky, and of key interest for Louisville fans, was Becca Greenwell and Makayla Epps (of Marion County).  Recent Louisville de-commit Kyvin Gooden-Rogers, China Dow, from Christian Academy of Louisville who was mentioned here last week, were also junior all-stars.  My primary interest was to watch Greenwell and Epps. 

On the Indiana side, I was particularly interested in seeing the game of two of their All-Stars Taya Reimer and Stephanie Mavunga.  Reimer is a recent commit to Notre Dame and a future UofL opponent in the Big East.  Reimer is currently ranked #4 in the country by ESPN Hoopgurlz.  Stephanie Mavunga

out of Brownsburg, IN, is currently ranked 17^th in the country and was a recruiting target of Louisville’s, until her recent commitment to North Carolina.   If Mavunga’s name sounds familiar, it could be because it is often tied to the name of Mercedes Russell.  The two are said to be very good friends and long thought of as a package deal to whatever school they chose.  As we all now know, Mavunga has committed to UNC and Russell has yet to make her college choice.   Louisville, UNC and Tennessee are thought to be the frontrunners for Russell.

On the Kentucky side, Greenwell did not disappoint.  While she led all KY scorers on Saturday night, it was an off-night offensively for her.  She went 3-18 from the field.  While I do not have final stats of the game, she was at the free throw line on multiple occasions.  If my memory serves me correctly, she was perfect from the stripe.  With an off night offensively, you may be wondering what impressed me.  The kid never gave up, on a single play and she played with no hesitation.  That is what impressed me the most.  With the bulky knee brace on supporting her right knee from an ACL tear last summer she is not going to be the fastest kid on the court.  But, she made up for it with tenacious defense, fighting for loose balls, getting hands in the way of shooting lanes, blocking out, and rebounding her own misses and going up for second and third chance shots.  She was seemingly beat down court by her opponent only to swipe the ball from behind and deflect a shot.   She was well defended behind the arc, would hesitate a second, and shoot over the outstretched arms of her opponent.  The kid never gave up.  She played hard the entire time.  Even though it was an off night for her offensively, she found ways to score and found many ways to impact the game. Hands down, she was the best player on the KY side by this untrained eye.  Should Louisville wind up keeping this valued in-state talent home and playing at the YUM, rest assured scoring records will be broken. 

Epps was in and out of the game a lot.  She seemed off of her game compared to when I have seen her at previous outings.  There was some speculation perhaps she tweaked her knee in the Friday night game.  She was a non-factor in this outing.  What I can say, is that she looked both taller and trimmer than I remember. 

Gooden-Rogers impressed me in the first half, coming out with some quick buckets to get KY on the scoreboard.  She also made a couple of nice defensive efforts against Reimer on the Indiana side in the first half.   While her second half of play was nowhere near as strong as the first half, she is going to be a great ball player.  I am saddened by her de-commit from Louisville.  I wish her the best as she reopens her recruiting.  I look forward to watching her game, wherever it is she may end up. 

There were two surprises on the KY side worth a quick mention.  Larryn Brooks out of Richmond Madison Central managed the point most of the game.  She was effective, fast, and played tight defense, causing multiple disruptions and steals.   On Friday night, she scored 22 to back up Greenwell’s 44.  She was fun to watch.  Also worth a mention as having caught my eye was Whitney Hartlage.  Hartlage plays for Mercy.  On this particular night, she had a hot hand.  A quick release from behind the arc had this young lady as the second leading scorer for the night at 14. 

On the Indiana side, Taya Reimer did not disappoint either.  I look forward to watching her game continue to grow and having her as an opponent in the Big East.   A Notre Dame commit, Reimer was powerful, aggressive with the ball, and around the rim.  She had several blocks, played tight defense and had no trouble getting through traffic to the bucket.   When she was not scoring buckets she was drawing fouls and making it to the free throw line.   Reimer was by far the best player on the floor on the Indiana side. 

Stephanie Mavunga was the other Indiana player that drew my attention.  Mavunga is tall, and powerful around the rim.  She never gave up on a rebound and immediately would go back to the rim with rebounds secured.  As stated before... I did not get a final stat sheet, but I am sure her stat line was stuffed with rebounds and hard fought points in the paint.


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As Paul mentioned in his Friday article, I was able to attend the latter half of the skills clinic last Thursday.  While the clinic was attended by at least 50 kids, I am speaking of just a few that caught my eye.  All of the kids played hard, and seemed to be getting the most of their time and money from the Louisville staff and players.  Mine is an untrained eye, so, take my thoughts for what they are worth.

Ayanna Edwards- As Paul mentioned, this post player from Sacremento, CA already has an offer by Louisville.  I saw some 5 on 5 half-court scrimmaging with her.  What stood out the most to me was her presence in the paint.  With a big body Ayanna was able to clog up the lane and had several blocked shots in a quick 7-8 minute span.  

JaVonna Layfield is a local player from Ballard High School.  JaVonna has an athletic build and was cat-quick up and down the court.  She saw the court well and passed the ball well.  If my information is correct this young player has Cardinal ties in that she is the niece of former Louisville stand out, Larry O’Bannon.

Sabrina Haines attended the camp from Arizona.  She probably stood out the most to me.  This sturdy framed guard scored, defended, rebounded, blocked out and went after loose balls.  She was all over the court. 

The roster of attendees was helpful so that Paul and I could identify kids as they were playing.  Unfortunately, the jerseys the kids wore had very small numbers on them.  While my eyes are not that old, they felt terribly old that day as I had a difficult time identifying players on the court.  That being said other kids caught my eye, but I could not identify them.  I do not know if anyone involved with the clinic reads these articles, but if they do, bigger numbers on the jerseys would be very helpful!

All of that being said, observers at the clinic on Thursday, June 28 from 1-5:00 at Cardinal Arena should have absolutely no problem identifying Mercedes Russell.  The tall, lean 6-5 post player from Oregon no doubt will stand out not only with her size but with her skills on the court.  Grab a friend and please join Cardinal Couple writers on the 28^th as we get a sneak peek at what the #1 kid in the country looks like on the court!!  We’ll see you there!


( Another couple of great reports from Jenny ! We can't stress it enough...please join us the 28th. at CARDINAL ARENA to watch the camp. You won't regret it...and we'll try to remember to bring binoculars for Jenny...)
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Tuesday Cardinal Couple -- LAUNDRY BAG - AGAIN

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Sandy Walker's column


( If it's Tuesday, it must be Sandy time. Today she fills us in on several different aspects of womens' sports. Enjoy! ) 




It is again Tuesday and once more I am unable to focus on just one subject relating to women’s athletics so for a 2^nd week I am bringing out my Laundry Bag of news.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

The first mark of my season basketball calendar begins with EKU.  I can’t guarantee that it will be the first game of the season but surely one of the first of the 2012-2013 UL women’s basketball games will be on November 28, 2012 when we will host EKU at the YUM arena.

TITLE IX

Once again as a part of the 40^th anniversary celebration of Title IX another documentary will debut on June 23, 2012.   A video with the subheadline , The“Sporting Chance” celebrates the laws anniversary.  “The NCAA, in conjunction with ESPN and Creative Street Entertainment, will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX and recognize individuals who helped shape the ground-breaking equity law with the documentary premiere Sporting Chance presented by Northwestern Mutual. The documentary will debut on ESPN2 at noon ET June 23, the anniversary date of Title IX.” 

Details and the complete article can be found at http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2012-06-11/title-ix-documentary-debuts-june-23.  The promotional webpage http://www.sportingchancetitleix.com/ states that “Opportunity is just the beginning” where “ Through personal narratives and historical perspective, this is the story told in Sporting Chance.”

Whatever your personal opinion of the law might be; as someone who grew up in the atmosphere where in high school the gym became available to the girls basketball team only after late into the evening when the pee-wee leagues were finished or at 6 in the morning before anyone else wanted it – I promise you that the progress we have seen to date would still be many years into the future.

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Louie the Cardinal Announces Summer Social Media Plan

Beginning June 18 and for the next 8 weeks, Louie begins his social media plan of the summer as a way to keep fans connected with University Activities and Schedules.  Check out http://www.uoflsports.com/genrel/061412aad.html  where different interactive components for each day will be posted using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.   Fans will also have the opportunity to win prizes.  The page states a following of more than 129,000 fans on Facebook and 15,000 Twitter followers, with the Cardinals having the  30 largest social media followings among NCAA Division I schools.  Let’s help to fix that problem by either joining or causing others to join and increase our ranking to our rightful position of  number 1.

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ESPN BIG EAST PREDICTIONS

ESPN's 25 “teams to watch” in 2012-13, the sports network named four BIG EAST teams in the top 11. Connecticut was predicted as No. 2, Notre Dame as No. 8, St. John's at No. 10 and Louisville at No. 11. Of Sports Illustrated's top-10 teams for 2012-13, three were from the BIG EAST with Connecticut listed as No. 2, Louisville at No. 4 and Notre Dame at No. 9. 

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SHOULD COLLEGE ATHLETES BE PAID?

This week’s article in Teen Ink which contains Teen’s opinions 
http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/sports/article/15153/Paying-College-Athletes/
Should-College-Athletes-Be-Paid...essay by peapod416 of Louisville, KY has picked up a contribution by University of Louisville’s Bria Smith and Monique Reid.  “This is a hot topic especially during the NCAA tournament. Even the popular IPhone application, Instagram has recently put this hot topic on display.”


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ith the premiere of the one-hour do

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SHELBY HARPER INTERVIEW

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Check out this week’s women’s basketball member interview with Shelby Harper at http://www.uoflsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/061412aaa.html   When asked “What will be the team's strength this upcoming season” she replied  “I think our strength will be pushing the ball in transition” and has a person al goal to lead the team in assists and steals in at least one of this years games.


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SEASON TICKETS

Specific seat selection not yet available but you can go to http://www.uoflsports.com/tickets/lou-tickets-w-baskbl.html  to make known your wish to purchase season tickets and relocation requests are for the 2012-13 season. My memory is that last year we had over 8,000 purchased season tickets so anyone interested in guaranteeing their seats for next year should check this out as soon as possible.
 

“The University of Louisville Athletic Ticket Office is currently accepting applications for the 2012-13 Louisville women's basketball season! If you are interested in obtaining Louisville women's basketball season tickets for the 2012-13 season and would like to be formally placed on the season ticket request list, please complete a season ticket application or relocation request and follow the submission instructions provided on the form. “   You also can contact UL Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. by phone (502-852-5863) or e-mail (ticketoffice@louisville.edu.  Those who have made their wishes known should be contacted starting late in the summer.


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ANGEL McCOUGHTRY  DOCUMENTARY

Michelle Smith reports that filmmaker Stephen Philms plans to produce a TV/movie documentary about Angel’s life called, living the dream.  

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-opinion/6961467/wnba-playoffs-angel-mccoughtry-living-dream

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LEFT SIDE OF THE SITE SUBMISSION OF THE DAY

Moody's downgrades KFC Yum! Center bonds to junk status.  See

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120531/BUSINESS/305310063/Moody-s-downgrades-KFC-Yum-Center-bonds-junk-status?nclick_check=1

The bonds issued to build the KFC Yum! Center are now classified as “junk” status by Moody’s Investors Service – goes to show why investor services and others in similar businesses have such a good historical track record of telling others how to invest their money.  NOT!

Sandy W.

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