CARDINAL LAWS

SUGAR BOWL CHAMPIONS AND SLAYERS OF THE SOUTHEAST

2013-01-03T00:33:00.001-05:00

YOUR LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

CONGRATULATIONS COACH STRONG AND THE CARDINALS FOR DEFEATING FLORIDA IN THE SUGAR BOWL

GO CARDS!

Marsupial Massacre, Punched in the Pouch, Russ & Roo-in; Cards dominate 99-47

2012-12-08T16:18:00.000-05:00

Against a pitifully overmatched opponent, the Louisville Cardinals flexed their muscle and hopped over Missouri Kansas City (last kangaroo pun, I promise) in style. Russ Smith recorded a new career high with 31 points, but as important, played his most complete game as a Cardinal with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals to fill out the stat line.

The last stat continues to be the most impressive, as Russ flashed some of the quickest hands I've ever seen on defense, with several pockets picked so cleanly the Cardinal faithful might have missed it if they blinked.

Everyone got in on the action. Kevin Ware and Montrezl Harrell had impressive first halves off the the bench; Luke Hancock chipped in solid play in the second. Otherwise it was a tough one to gauge from leaders like Peyton Siva and Chane Behanan since their services largely weren't required.

But even if it takes a woeful opponent, hopefully this performance will catapult Russ Smith into the national discussion, this time with the appropriate tone. Perhaps the pregame notes for national announcers will replace phrases like "novelty act" and "up and down player" with "All American caliber" and "potential Big East Player of the Year".

I love Russ' colorful persona, like everyone does. But as I've written on these pages before, I just don't want to see his personality eclipse what he really is when it's all said and done; a truly remarkable basketball talent.

It's December basketball in Louisville. A wonderful time of the year.

UK comparison or not, Strong still determined to fix Card March

2012-12-07T17:19:00.000-05:00

It's about putting fans in the stands -- or in this case, the pre-game parking lot. From Crawford:

Now, it's not what a person says, it's what they do that is important in these situations. But in each of those instances where Strong discussed loyalty, he didn't just discuss it. He demonstrated it by staying

Nor did he back off of his fan comments. "Some people don't like hearing the truth," Strong said, when asked about his complaints over poorly attended Senior Day festivities.

Jurich later said that those comments were fueled by disappointment some of his players had expressed after a sparsely attended pregame "Card March" on Senior Day. Strong, according to accounts, acknowledged it to players when he got into the locker room and promised them, "This (expletive) is going to change next season." His prodding of the fan base is the beginning of keeping that promise, popular or not.

Charlie Strong kept his end. Time for us to keep ours. We got to figure this (expletive) out next year.

OUR FUTURE IS STRONG

2012-12-05T21:47:00.001-05:00

Strong confirms he's staying, according to Jody Demling's twitter feed. Charlie Strong will remain a Cardinal.

What a whirlwind. In the course of seven days, our beloved head coach wondered out lout why couldn't we be more like perennial SEC football under-achiever Kentucky, but then turned down former SEC powerhouse Tennessee to sign a long-term contract at Louisville. All while the program earns acceptance into the ACC and a historic bid to play Florida in the Sugar and, as Wilkie notes, Louisville is named the top travel destination in the US. All in all, pretty good week.

Like what someone in athletics said: the guy is simply honest to a fault. And so we have to believe now: Strong wants to be here, build here, win here. Our great paranoia shall be lifted, perhaps, hopefully forever. Charlie's coming back.

A huge day.

Report: Strong Staying at Louisville

2012-12-05T21:00:00.003-05:00

From SI's Peter Thamel:

Charlie Strong is staying at Louisville, according to a Louisville source. Strong received a contract offer from Tennessee on Wednesday, but declined it after pondering the decision for a few hours.

Louisville and Strong are finalizing a long-term extension that could be announced as early as Thursday. It's expected to be a significant commitment in both years and dollars and will reportedly put Strong in the top echelon of coaches in the ACC.

The Louisville extension ends Tennessee's courtship of Strong, who had one brief meeting on Sunday with Tennessee chancellor Jimmy Cheek in Louisville. That was Strong's only direct contact with another university.

"It was Charlie's desire to end this constant speculation and re-commit long-term to Louisville," said a source.

Great News if true. Go CARDS.

****UPDATE****

Strong confirms, according to Jody Demling's twitter feed.

So in the same week, Charlie Strong compares us unfavorably with perennial SEC football under-achiever Kentucky, then turns down former SEC powerhouse Tennessee to stay at Louisville. In the same week we earn a bid to play Florida in the Sugar. On the same day, as Wilkie notes, that Louisville is named the top travel destination in the US. All in all, pretty good week.

Like what someone in athletics said: guy is simply honest to a fault. And so we have to believe now: Strong wants to be here, build here, win here. Our great paranoia shall be lifted.

A huge day.

Don't do it, Charlie

2012-12-04T20:39:00.003-05:00

Dear Charlie,

Hey. How's it going. You busy? You haven't responded to any of the other 776 letters I've written you, so today I'm going to try a different track. Today, I'm not writing as a Louisville fan. Not as someone selfishly invested. Not as an adoring admirer. I'm not telling you to turn down the Tennessee job because you'd hurt my feelings or any such nonsense.

I'm telling you not to take it because it's the wrong call. It's a bad football move. Just like running it straight up the gut on 4th and 1 or wasting a timeout that comes back to bite you.

The reason it's a bad call isn't because Louisville is great and Tennessee sucks. Doesn't have anything to do with it. It's because of one thing, one individual, really.

Teddy Bridgewater.

Think of the reasons that propelled you into coaching to begin with. There are more than one, for sure. The strategy of the game is compelling, working with youth rewarding, the roaring crowd must be an indescribable adrenaline rush, and the millions of dollars in compensation will provide for your family for generations to come.

But I guessing there's something more to it than that. Underneath it all I'm guessing there's the hope for an opportunity to work with a truly special player. The born leader, the preternatural talent, the old soul. The kind that are only supposed to exist in fiction.

The chance to mold and develop that kind of talent, to help him reach his true potential in this brutally beautiful game is what, in its simplest form, it's all about. Guys can coach an entire career without getting that chance.

And that's what you have in Teddy.

To walk away from two more seasons of guiding this kid would be an unfathomable mistake. Like I said at the beginning, you can forget about fans and facilities and conferences and contracts. I'll concede that the Tennessee Volunteers have a football tradition the Cards cannot match. And it's still a bad football decision.

Chances to coach at football powers come and go. Players like Teddy do not. If I were you, I'd want to see his arc completed and I'd want to be a part of it. As a coach, you'd be cheating yourself if you're not. Ask yourself, is there any conceivable scenario when at the end of your coaching career you reflect back and say, "You know, I really wish I hadn't spent those two extra seasons coaching that Bridgewater kid." Is that even a possibliity?

So stay. Don't do it for UofL fans, for Tom Jurich, or even for team. Do it for yourself.

Warm regards,

Mr. Red

P.S. Be like UK fans? Seriously?

Come down off that Sugar high with a Charlie Strong press conference!

2012-12-03T16:07:00.001-05:00

Charlie Strong said he'll be putting his team on lockdown during much of the time in New Orleans in order to focus solely on football. He may want to take his own advice, because based on comments made today, Strong doesn't appear too adept at juggling his own uncertain future with the requirements of the present.

Coach Strong made clear in the first minutes of the presser that he wasn't going to address coaching rumors and that he'll make a statement at the appropriate time (to be clear, if he was staying, case closed, this was the time). That's fine. Apparently he's not ready to rule out any possibilities regarding his coaching future; it's not in his job description that he must say things at all times to make Cardinals fans feel better. But I don't think it's asking too much to refrain from making Cardinal fans feel worse during anxious times.

And that's precisely what Coach did today by taking the fans to task for what he saw as low attendance figures during the Cards' sparkling 9-0 start. Even more disastrous, however, Strong expressed his wish that UofL fans act more like "Big Blue Nation" when it comes to supporting the team.

I've been digesting the comments in a couple of ways, and I must warn you, none of them go down easily. The way I see it, one way to interpret is that Charlie Strong flat out made a boneheaded comment. His train of thought ran off the tracks yet he kept going not realizing how he would come off. Strong is not the most media savvy man as he proved early this year with an ill-conceived 48 hour media "ban". What's worrisome about this is it would seem our coach is completely tone deaf about our program and its history, our community and its insecurities. The fact that he would use this time, one of should be joy and triumph, to instead throw a big hunk of red meat to our hated rivals that salivate over notching another "big brother" line shows an alarming lack of self-awareness.

Moreover, it refuses to acknowledge just how far the program has come, that UofL is currently boasting its greatest attendance in school history (49,000+) and from all accounts, are swarming to snatch up Sugar Bowl tickets. Those empty corner seats in the Papa are sure to fill out as the Temple's and FIU's give way to Florida State and Clemson in coming schedules. But that's one explanation, at least. That it was just a really stupid thing to say.

The other, I'm afraid, is even worse. It's the preemptive breakup move, Charlie's subconscious talking himself into what he's about to do, to try and justify himself by saying, "Well, if only the fans had been more supportive". This, to me, is the more likely explanation. It's clear he's not ruling out talking to other schools and he's making curious jabs in press conferences towards the fans. It's a far cry from what he could be saying, regardless if he should.

Bottom line, I don't think Charlie Strong knows yet where he's coaching next season. UofL has many pluses and minuses. Other schools do as well. What I do know, however, is that Cards fans deserve better while he figures it out.

Looking like Cards vs. Florida Gators on Jan. 2

2012-12-02T19:33:00.001-05:00

Looks like the Louisville Cardinals are headed to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. According to the CJ, the Orange Bowl passed on the Cards and invited Northern Illinois, who will take on Florida State.

So instead of heading to Florida, we'll likely be taking on Florida instead -- the fourth-ranked Florida Gators. The school where Charlie Strong once roamed the sidelines and solidified his future coaching career; the school many fans fear Strong would have the most difficulty turning down if there's ever an opening at the top and the stars seem to align behind Strong's candidacy for the job.

I think the team would have appreciated the chance to play in Miami, but as far as our matchup with the Gators is concerned, I couldn't be more pumped, for the same reasons you ought to be. Earlier today, Rick Bozich weighed in on some of the obviously attractive storylines that will surround this game:

Louisville couldn't ask for a better – or more difficult – opportunity to earn respect. The Gators (11-1) figure to be ranked third in the final BCS standings (behind Notre Dame and Alabama) when those numbers are released tonight on ESPN.

Many of Louisville's top players, led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, are Florida natives. U of L head coach Charlie Strong, and several of his assistants, coached the Gators before coming to U of L after the 2009 season. In fact, their final game at Florida was a Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati.

To these arcs I would add one more. Notwithstanding speculation that Charlie might already be on his way out (and I gotta say I just don't buy that Strong's jumping at any and every coaching job that comes along just 'cuz it's in the SEC), if Charlie Strong and ACC-bound Louisville can pull of the unlikely feat of beating Florida, would a victory of that magnitude -- against the school that some believe is Strong's dream job -- help ensure that Charlie becomes a Cardinal for life? Could this become that moment?

Let's find out.

Go Cards!

Cards escape Redbirds, nose past Illinois State 69-66

2012-12-01T17:28:00.001-05:00

First off, hats off to Illinois State, who played tremendous basketball for 40 minutes, certainly well enough to win. I'll remember their balanced attack when filling out my bracket come March. For Cardinals fans, the biggest positive to take away is that this is exactly the type of game UofL loses in past seasons. It was the perfect recipe for the proverbial early season "bad loss". To date, however, this team finds ways to win. It has the horses to eek out victory even when things go poorly.

A few other instant reactions to the win that left the fanbase with thinner fingernails...

* Holy moly, am I glad that Stephan Van Treese didn't transfer. I have a feeling we're going to be hearing that refrain more than a few times moving forward. When you do the kind of things SVT does, it's hard to describe him as being "in the zone". But with the skills he brings to the table, he's in the zone with those right now.

* I wasn't in attendance, but that crowd sounded amazing. Kudos Cards fans, that was a homecourt advantage. When you move into a new building, I think it takes time for fans to find their comfort zone. It's more than just butts in the seats, there's an organic quality, a pregame, in-game, and post-game ritual that has to be etched for the crowd to truly dial in. Sounds like the Cardinal faithful are finding that groove in the Kayefseum.

* That was the improved jumper from Peyton Siva we have been waiting to see. And as is always the case with Siva, it has as much to do with confidence as it does with form and technique. This Siva, senior Siva, wants to shoot the ball in big moments. Like we've always said, Siva doesn't have to be deadeye from the perimeter, he just needs to be competent to keep defenses from playing off him and taking away the other things he does so well.

* UK lost, which is always nice. Stunningly, it's entirely possible the Cards won't be facing a ranked opponent when we host on December 29. One more note on the Wildcats, I've been drawing parallels between Samardo Samuels and Nerlens Noel, two #1 ranked big men out of high school that, thus far, have fallen short of "surefire" status in college. It's amazing to me how different they are. Noel has tremendous quickness and athleticism, can probably touch the top of the backboard, but has zero touch around the rim, and while he is a great shotblocker, struggles with defensive footwork and can be bullied when a body is on him. Samuels was the polar opposite, the yin to Noel's yang. He struggled just to dunk the ball, but you could throw him an egg in the post and he could catch and score without breaking it such were his hands and touch around the rim.

Now Gorgui, on the other hand, probably isn't the athlete Noel is or have the offensive moves Samardo had. But he's without a doubt the best center of the three. Get better, big fella.

* That was a foul on the final play. The Redbirds should be rightfully pissed they didn't get a chance to send the game to OT at the line.

* Speaking of the pesky 15-footer, I wrote before the season started that Chane's free throw percentage is one of the hidden keys to the kingdom. Behanan is so physical he is going to get contact, but he's a couple inches undersized and will struggle to finish. Chane played with great heart and hustle today, and trust me, he's poised for a breakout game soon. But his abysmal outing from the stripe is not a good sign.

* It's past time for Wayne Blackshear to step to the plate. The Cards are getting above average play from the guard combo of Russ and Siva and adequate play in the paint. We're missing a slasher, and Wayne is lacking in that department. He needs to get that size and strength moving towards the rim.

* Russ provides so much more than his stats indicate. When his team is in the "danger zone", the 8-12 point deficit when the door could really come crashing down, Russ keeps his poise better than anyone, puts the team on his back, and keeps the margin manageable until the rest of his teammates settle down. He's a completely fearless basketball player; it's easy to love guys like that.

* It's December and it's Rick Pitino. So don't get bogged down by the strange lineups, some scoring droughts, some choppiness. Look for individual improvement, for defense, and for desire. We have the ingredients, but Chef Pitino is still in the assembly stage for this feast. It could be his masterpiece.

CHAMPS: Cards Seize BCS Bid, 5 Moments to Savor

2012-11-30T10:39:00.001-05:00

Last night's victory, its significance, its improbability, its instant-classic status will all be gleefully digested in the coming month. Frankly, I'm still in the processing stage. But here are five moments in last night's game that I'll never forget...

5) DeVante Parker's TD. There have been a lot of playmakers come through and wear the UofL jersey, I'm not sure I've ever seen one that makes it look so goddamn easy as Devante Parker. His 20-yard touchdown snag was pure poetry; leaping through two defenders, his lanky frame extended while maintaining total concentration, and landing softly as a gazelle. It was a breathtaking moment, the spark UofL needed to fuel the fire the rest of the way.

4) Will Stein picks up the first down. UofL doesn't win this game without the diminutive veteran. I can't even remember if it was on 3rd or 4th down, but Stein picking up the bootleg first down was awesome. He was so jacked up afterwards, it pumped me up on my couch. It's easy to see why he is so beloved by his coach and teammates. Also, it's important to note he had a man open in the flat for a fairly routine completion. But knowing the down, knowing the stakes, Stein left nothing to chance, tucked it, and took care of business himself. Heady play.

3) The fake field goal. Make no mistake, if that play stands, the Cards go down 21-3 and we're looking for Belk Bowl tickets today. And it was a completely broken play. Preston Brown said afterwards his role was to cover a receiver in case of a fake, but when he saw that no one was moving to stop Rutgers' J.T. Tartacoff from rushing for the first down, Brown attacked and strung out the play. Tartacoff was forced to back off and buy time before unleashing a would-be TD pass. It was those precious few moments that delayed the fake just long enough for Rutgers tackle Devon Watkis to jump the gun and head downfield early. Yellow flag. Rutgers punts. Cards survive.

Serendipity, folks. It's ain't just a crappy movie with Cusack.

2) Jeremy Wright absorbs the hit. It was a rough night for Wright, who could get next to nothing going on the ground and had fans clammering for Corvin Lamb. It would have been easy for Wright to hang his head, get down on himself, or (gulp) revert back to his bad habit of fumbling in big moments. But even though no space was opening for him, eventually Wright wouldn't be denied, and absorbed a huge hit in the backfield before spinning out and turning it into a nice gain (that almost could have been a touchdown). It wasn't "gamechanging", but it was symbolic of the night, if not the entire season. The will to win personified.

1) Teddy's signals TD. A moment I'll never forget. Bridgewater hobbling his team on a 90-yard touchdown drive. On a night when the endzone may as well have been in Mongolia for all the Cardinals struggles to reach paydirt, Bridgewater capped the drive with a nifty bit of improvisation, flashing what little mobility he could muster before flicking a shovel pass to Jeremy Wright who headed for the goal line with a full head of steam. When Wright reached about the 5, still with a few men to beat, Teddy already had his hands raised signalling touchdown. Part exhausted, part broken, part confidently defiant, Teddy knew. It was our time.

We s'posed to be ACC

2012-11-28T20:18:00.003-05:00

In the opening montage for UofL basketball games, there's a part I don't particularly care for. It's not a big deal, but it's the part when Rick speaks to the team in the locker room, saying something to the effect of, "You play in the finest basketball arena in all of college basketball, in front of the greatest fans in the world, in the most special yada yada yada".

It's the kind of pandering that always seems, to me, out of place in UofL athletics. Maybe it's because I enjoy a healthy dose of self-deprecation, or maybe it's because I've grown up around so many UK fans where ceaseless self-congratulation is ingrained in the DNA, but I always cringe at that kind of talk.

All I ever wanted, all any program can truly ask for, is a chance. There's been so much posturing and so many posers in the endless conference reshuffling, and I've partook in my fair share. But feeling "wanted" isn't what this is really about. UofL is not "better than" UConn in any way now (and as we proved in football last week, perhaps worse). There's no Cardinal team, from basketball to rowing, that is more worthy now that we've been tapped by the magic wand of the ACC.

But what we do have, the great gift of today, is a place at the table. It's a place where your successes and your failures are your own, a place where media markets or geographic condescension cannot dampen ambitions or preclude our passion from meandering into areas that are supposed to be off limits for a school like UofL.

Words like the Collision Course. Phrases like "longtime head coach Charlie Strong". Possibilities like "The Cardinals have had their way with Roy Williams and the Tarheels in recent years".

We are guaranteed nothing, of course. But we're not hamstrung anymore, either. The safe harbor of the ACC provides us the opportunity we always wanted as a program. Opportunity itself.

Some belated thoughts on UofL's no good, terrible, very bad Saturday

2012-11-26T22:44:00.002-05:00

Some whiplash between basketball and football below, but use your context clues...

* These last two football games have been extremely frustrating and disappointing, and brought to the surface underlying feelings of anxiety and malaise that have been present all season, even after wins. But still, we're 10-2 with a chance to play in the Orange Bowl going into the final week of the season. That's certainly still on the shiny end of the bell curve for what we could expect heading into the season. It's frustrating to watch, but I don't think fans should expect any sea changes at this point. Our coaches seem to sense that and are trying to project poise and coach 'em up as best they can moving forward. That's where I am too. This is still a rebuilding job in progress and the Cards are a good but flawed team with two games left. I plan to stop worrying and enjoy them.

* It's tough to knock a kid essentially playing with half his appendages at game's end like Teddy was on Saturday, but his final interception was heartbreaking. Even if we just get 3 there, I really liked our chances. The game had been so emotional and taxing, it was almost like the game was starting to feel surreal and Teddy just threw it up and hoped for the best.

* In order for UofL basketball team to reach its potential, we need to have two different ways of approaching the game. There needs to be one for overmatched teams, where the Cards can play witheringly aggressive defense, encourage Siva and Russ to gamble, and press tempo for 40 minutes. We're going to win a lot of games that way. But we need to have another in our arsenal, a strategy against competent teams that can take care of the ball, that can hit dagger threes, that are efficient from the free throw line. That was Duke, and we didn't have a gameplan for that. Trying to get them to break under our pressure was like forcing a square peg in a round hole; they were too disciplined.

Did you ever see the terrificly terrible movie "The Quick and the Dead" with Sharon Stone? Anywho, the movie, the film really, was about a March Madness-like gunslinger tournament fought in a lawless western town to the death. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the precocious cocky youngster who depends on blazing hand speed to intimidate his opponents. And it nearly worked for him, he makes it pretty damn far before running into Gene Hackman, the cold-hearted cold-blooded "mayor" of the town (who also may be his father, it's a bad movie). Leo gives him a close call, but Hackman is too poised to be threatened by the charismatic kid and guns him down in the street.

All this is a long way of saying I'm afraid of UofL being too much Leo; entertaining, a force to be reckoned with, but ultimately "handleable" once you get past their pesky press. So, Rick, if you're reading this, feel free to deebo the metaphor. Less Leo, more Hackman. Got it?

* Like UK after falling short against the hated Blue Devils earlier this season, it's tough to find anyone in the Commonwealth sweating the loss too much or that wouldn't be feeling confident in a rematch. I feel the exact same way. The game reminded me sooo much of how we've played against UK during the Calipari Era. The Big Games always come with a little tightness, continually shooting ourselves in the foot, yet somehow putting ourselves in a position to win but not finishing the job. It was textbook.

This season, however, I sense a different dynamic. I think next time, the epic clashes we'll have this year, we'll be more prepared mentally to seize that moment. It's a question of getting from, "We can win this game" to "We will win this game". More than any team in Pitino's tenure, I have faith this team to get there. Soon.

* I don't like the new catch-all euphemism for a beatdown is that that coaching staff "Didn't prepare his team to play today". What does that mean? That the team is playing like shit? Why not just say the team is playing like shit? The Cards were ready. They knew what was at stake. I doubt the coaching staff had been telling the team, "Don't sweat this next one, we got it, now let's hit up some Call of Duty and call it a day" all week.

The Cards got whipped. They didn't play well. They have to play better in order to end this skid. Simple as that. So unless you have inside locker room info, let's save all the "they weren't prepared to play" talk for when the team forgets to wear cleats.

* Nothing bad happening to Gorgui Monster could ever be described as a good thing, but still, it's not difficult to envision some February banter between commentators like, "In checks Zach Price/SVT, who really started to come on when Dieng sat out earlier this season". There's lots to be learned and tinkered with in the next few weeks. I love December basketball.

* Van Treese, in particular, is well on his way. Impossible not to like the way he plays the game, the yeoman's work in the post. Best transfer-return in school history.

* I know it's small consolation after such a disappointing loss, but I always look in at coach's post-game comments to see how correctly they diagnose what went wrong. Kragthorpe's diagnoses were often so out there that I quickly lost confidence not only in his acumen but his ability to change course. How can you correct what you cannot even evaluate?

So in that vein, I take solace in Coach Strong's seeming ability to figure out what the hell is happening to his squad. His first instinct, that the game was lost in the trenches on both sides of the football was certainly correct. Like he said, Senorise Perry couldn't have made a difference.

We knew that UConn was stiff against the run, so our o-line's inability to get much push didn't shock. The real story, and probably the biggest disappointment of the season, has been our defensive line's inability to get any pressure sans blitzing and leaving huge gaps for opposing backs to gallop through (particularly cut backs).

There was a lot of hype for the guys up front entering the season, and I thought B.J. Dubose in particular was due for a breakout season. But except for Marcus Smith (though Roy Philon has also been solid) it's been an underwhelming year for our big guys on defense. There's really no polite way to say it.

* Nate Silver projecting there is a 89.4% chance that Gorgui makes a comeback in time for the UK game on December 29th. Not really, but if you've learned anything from Rick over the past decade, that number might even be a little low.

* The difference in the defense this year is that opportunities literally keep slipping through its fingers. More interceptions, clean breaks on footballs, passed the Cards by on Saturday. Game of inches, yada yada yada.

* Well, it wasn't the 24 hours we hoped for; the Cards emerged battered and scarred, but emerged nonetheless. We'll be back. Who wants to die without a few scars, anyways?

Cards avenge 2003 GMAC Bowl in style, suck it Rothlisberger!

2012-11-18T19:30:00.001-05:00

Well, that was fun. For the first time in the young season, Cards fans witnessed the whole shebang, the full spectrum of our powers. High flying dunks, a pushed tempo, relentlessly aggressive defense, and when those shots start falling from deep...truly lethal basketball. Sure, the competition was somewhere between subpar and pathetic, but we've seen Louisville teams in the past get out of the gate slowly and play down to the level of competition. The early season "bad loss" was a staple of Pitino-ball for years and years.

This group shows no such signs of immaturity or lack of focus. The smiling sidelines and good natured personalities that make this team impossible not to love also belie a fierceness we ain't seen in awhile. Even Pitino's successful teams, and we've had plenty, didn't have this much depth, this much athleticism. And when the shots start falling from deep....well, that was fun. No need to get ahead of ourselves.

Other thoughts on win number three...

* There's a lot of wasted talk on who's "key" for UofL this year. But the beauty of this team and the way it's constructed is that there is no true, indispensable man. It's the sum total of aggressive defense and unselfish offense. It's the mindset they play with, the total commitment to defense, the not caring about individual stats. It's, dare I say it, Louisville First.

* What Teddy Bridgewater is for Louisville football, Siva is for basketball. He's in complete command, knows every facet of our scheme, and seems to see the game unfold at a slower speed than everyone else. Poor shooting from the Cards is the only thing that could keep him from averaging 10 assists.

* Speaking of, the Hancock Situation is officially stuck in "Awkward". As the Cards head to the Bahamas, it would be fair for his minutes to be trimmed considerably. I'm not giving up on the kid by any means, but this is a meritocracy. It's hard to make the case the Cards are better when he is on the floor over Blackshear or Ware. He's being outplayed in about every way possible.

* It'll be interesting as this season unfolds if Russ Smith's outsized, cartoonish personality keeps him from getting the respect he deserves on the national stage. He proves it time and time again, yet announcers and analysts still can't speak about Russ without giggling and making double-edged comments about the way he plays the game. He's much more than just a novelty; Smith could legitimately be in the running for Big East Player of the Year.

* If the goal for Wayne Blackshear is to become a T-Will like stat-stuffer with a better jump shot, he took a big step in the right direction today.

Alright, that's about all you can take from this one. A tremendous display of power to be sure, but we're still at the very beginning. The Cards now head to the Bahamas, but it looks like they're warmed up already.

Bringing back the Funct: Cardinal Laws rises like a phoenix from Arizona

2012-11-14T20:35:00.001-05:00

Wipe those tears. The defunct state of The Site is no more. We're the opposite of that. We're funct again.

I won't waste much time with apologies or explanations. What first began as a short summer hiatus kept being extended, both out of laziness and a little bit of blogging burnout. But last week I was feeling a little down; I did a little inventory and realized I could attribute at least some of it to the void left from not writing. The Louisville Cardinals are important enough, both to this community and to my life, that I'm grateful to have this little pulpit and whatever ripple we make. Besides, it's way too an exciting time to be a Cardinal right now to sit it out. In short, my bad. If you're reading this, thanks for coming back.

So let's do what our defense can't. Let's tackle some subjects...

* Even more painful than the loss last week was the loss of Senorise Perry. After Bridgewater's excellence, Perry's emergence had been the storyline of the season. For me, the indelible image of of the 2012 Cards (to date) came from Perry against Southern Miss. The rain was biblical. The Cards were sluggish and behind on the scoreboard. The hopes of a potentially great season depended on that changing.

With most of Bridgewater's brilliance taken away by the weather, the game was reduced to its basic elements. Down two scores, Perry gutted out a tough one-yard TD in the torrential rain that turned the tides, literally and figuratively. His helmet was knocked off during the play, and Perry didn't even bother pick it up. He headed for the sidelines with a look of anger, defiance, and determination on his face.

The team is going to miss that look.

* Having said that, if you want to know what side I'm on, I'm fully on Team Don't Burn Dom Brown's Redshirt. This season has been a hell of a fun ride to be sure, hopefully with more glories ahead, but we're looking at a window these next two seasons with even greater potential. Brown is too good to waste a whole season on fill-in duty the next three weeks. It's tempting to push all our chips in for a run at oranges this year, but we need to holster this particular weapon and chalk it up as an investment in the future.

* Switching to b-ball. Damn, our defense is good. It's the reason I believe we're ranked right where we should be, despite the fact we can shoot worse than Harry from Dumb and Dumber. There's quickness with Siva and Russ, rangy length with Ware and Blackshear, and erasers in the paint with Gorgui and Montrezl.

* Sorry to be a turd here, but I'm just not seeing what Luke Hancock brings to the table other than depth. So far, I've seen nothing more than a poor man's Jared Swopshire; a player that does a little bit of everything but nothing truly well. I felt bad for him last game when he was struggling with his confidence from the perimeter, and I got a little irked at Pitino for again thrusting such a heavy burden onto a player (a la Marra) before he even plays a game for the Cards. Old coaches aren't going to learn new tricks, but Pitino's hyperbole around Hancock is really unfair to the kid.

* All Cardinal fans need to pinch themselves at least once a day for the dumb luck that delivered Montrezl Harrell on our doorstep. Seriously, when you remember that Francisco Garcia and Taquan Dean essentially committed to Louisville sight unseen, and continue with a stud like Harrell that winds up with us after a whirlwind courtship, sometimes you need to sit back and marvel at the quixotic journey the program has undergone the last decade and appreciate the serendipity of it all. With the addition of Harrell, there's not a frontcourt in the country that can match the Cards' quality. The biggest compliment I can give Harrell is that I often mistake him for Gorgui when he runs down the floor.

* Having said that, I must admit I've engaged in some "Chane better watch out" stuff on twitter that is a little bit BS. Behanan is still by far a more polished player, particularly offensively. I'm glad Pitino taking these measures to get Chane's head on straight early in the season, because we're going to have to ride those broad shoulders back to the Final Four. One thing I'll be keeping my eye on very closely as the early season unfolds is Behanan's free throw shooting, because I think several outcomes will hinge on it. For all his virtues, the fact is Chane is short for a power forward. He can rebound and get position deep in the post all game long, but he's going to struggle to finish against almost any decent defensive frontcourt. He will, however, be getting hacked a lot in the process. He was 60% from the stripe last season. That's gotta improve.

* Pitino though 2022? Uh...sure, what the hell. You gotta send a clear message to the precocious second graders year out there.

* I would feel much less anxious about the upcoming season if Wayne Blackshear scores double figures tomorrow against Samford. As much as I love Russ Smith and believe he is much more than just a novelty act, this team desperately needs another scoring option on the perimeter.

* Glass half full = Kenny Carter is a fine running backs' coach. Glass half empty = Kenny Carter is only a fine running backs' coach.

I don't say this lightly, I literally would have been a better option playing for the Cards as return man last Saturday. Why? Because I would have turned and ran for the tunnel as soon as the ball hit their punters' foot, thereby not muffing a kick or faircatching the ball on the 5.

* Since the second half of the UNC game, Cards fans have feared a performance like the one we saw against Syracuse last week. It was even worse than we could have imagined. The defense is, obviously, broken. It's difficult to reconcile the fact that this is largely the same unit that was so fierce and smothering at the end of last season. When Brandon Dunn finally broke through the line to lay a hit of 'Cuse QB Ryan Nassib last week, it was remarkable mostly because it seemed like the first time in the entire contest where the Cards were able to disrupt the opponent's rhythm on offense.

It must make a defensive mind like Charlie sick to watch. I really wish I could spin this into a positive somehow, but I can't. Our defense has major problems, and they may not be fixable this year.

* Alright, I gotta ease back into this thing. Check back tomorrow for more.

Game Time

2012-11-10T12:04:00.003-05:00

BEAT SYRACUSE.

(We're coming back, promise)

Game Time

2012-11-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

BEAT TEMPLE.

Game Time

2012-10-26T20:00:00.000-04:00

BEAT CINCINNATI.

Cards Avoid Disaster (Again) against South Florida; Showdown Tomorrow Night

2012-10-25T23:17:00.004-04:00

The Cards survived yet another close call against a less talented underdog squad. That in itself is no cause for celebration, nor is coughing up an 11-point second half lead. Yet, that final dramatic drive to win the game orchestrated by Teddy "Growing Legend" Bridgewater left all Cards fans in greater spirits than any of us deserved.

These guys are giving the basketball team a run for their money over who are truly the "Cardiac Cards." They really do remind me of each other -- capable of beating anyone on any day, but somehow keep finding themselves in a bare-knuckle fist fight with that overmatched little guy who suddenly seems invincible.

Stats here.

It's a pity that Cincinnati couldn't keep their end of the deal; their loss to Toledo knocked the Bearcats out of the top 25 and sullied what otherwise would have been the most anticipated Big East matchup--nationally televised on Friday night no less--in several years. As it is, tomorrow night will not lack for amps on our part. Coming off a loss, Cincinnati--maybe the most put together team on our schedule--is scary dangerous. Plus, Cards fans love to party on Friday.

So here's to tomorrow night: if Louisville can knock off Cincy and retain the Keg of Nails, the victory would go a long way toward accelerating our national profile. If we lose, every questionable win thus far will look much worse, and whatever credibility we've earned for consistently surviving those games goes right out the window. Those are the stakes. GO CARDS.

Game Time

2012-10-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

BEAT SOUTH FLORIDA.

Louisville Smashes Pitt in 2nd Half for 45-35 Win, Moves to 6-0

2012-10-17T23:15:00.003-04:00

Louisville beat the Panthers on Saturday thanks to terrific second half offensive production as well as the tardy arrival of a defense we hope is finally coming around. Pittsburgh was the only team left that Charlie Strong hadn't beaten in the Big East. Think of it as a going away present.

Multiple terrific individual performances. Senorise Perry led the way with 101 yards on 12 carries and 4 (!) touchdowns, including a 59 yard scramble to the end zone in the fourth quarter that put the game away. Teddy threw the best long ball of his collegiate career and finished 17 of 26 for 304 yards and a touchdown toss. Very encouragingly, DeVante Parker hauled in 4 long grabs for 153 yards, making the deep-and-spectacular plays that were routine during his freshman year before the injury bug slowed him this season.

Stats here.

As has been widely commented, it was the best this team has looked since its almost star-crossed first half against North Carolina. That we won on the road is important, that we played with swagger even more so. We have to hope this represents the point in the season where, like in the last two, the Cards suddenly snap to attention, play crisper, tackle better, raise their team performance to a new level, and finish the year strong. That said, all we did on Saturday was beat a perennially disappointing team that is now 2-4 and learning from its third coach in as many years (Enjoy that, ACC). We have South Florida coming to town this weekend, whom we all know has shattered our dreams many times over the years. The week after, it's Cincinnati in a Friday Night Showdown for the Keg of Nails. Down the road, Rutgers looms. The Big East championship and a BCS bowl will hang in the balance for each of these games.

So yeah, we beat Pitt. Don't mean nothin.' 6-0? Big deal. Bowl-eligible so early in the season? Call it the new normal. No, the Cards can't settle for these meaningless midseason verdicts. They must stay focused, raise their game, and win. If they can do that, it will attribute all the meaning in the world to what the bowl-bound, undefeated Cardinals have accomplished so far.

GO CARDS.

Game Time

2012-10-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

BEAT PITTSBURGH.

Dancing in the rain ain't pretty: Cards over Eagles 21-17

2012-10-02T23:31:00.001-04:00

We're a few days removed from Saturday's swim meet at Hattiesburg, yet I'm still feeling a bit soggy about the Cards' performance.

Okay, yes, I'm glad that Louisville is 5-0. Yes, they're undefeated and nationally ranked. But they were favored to win each of those games too, mostly by large margins. And some of the performances that we've seen so far this season have been underwhelming. Especially, in my opinion, on defense.

Take this last game. Southern Miss is starting some kid at quarterback who's never completed a pass in college football. On top of that, the hurricane-like conditions. So we all know that they're going to run the ball, for as long as we allow. We KNOW that. Yet somehow, the Eagles go for 224 yards rushing on 48 carries, eating up tons of clock while we try to come back. The AP sum of the game noted that it was too difficult for defenders to change directions, giving running backs an overwhelming advantage. Maybe that's true. At some point, however, the Cards should have made their opponent play a much steeper price for such an imbalanced attack.

Okay, a big qualification is in order -- you can't pin the first touchdown on the defense since it came off Teddy's interception (not his fault of course). But the 10 points that followed knocked us on our heels, and we almost didn't recover. Of course it's true that the offense wasn't holding up its end either. But I think it's pretty clear the coach's mentality is that we're going to win these games with defense, not by staging a shoot-out. I'm cool with that, but it means it's Vance Bedford's burden to carry. Shawn Watson gets cut a lot more slack.

(Someone expressed to me their frustration that Vance Bedford has kept his linebackers safeties back rather than crowding the line. But my untrained eye didn't notice, so I couldn't really vouch. Just a thought. Anyway...).

There were some clear positives from last Saturday. Senorise Perry and Jeremy Wright combined for over 200 yards rushing, much of it coming in the second half. There was a stretch in the second half when SP kept burrowing through a line of hapless defenders that harkened back to the days of Michael Bush, and Mr. Red called it the moment when Perry put the whole team on his back. Jeremy, meanwhile, would benefit if he avoided running East-West too much, but he too came through with some clutch power running in the second half. As long as those two guys keep playing with such bruising ferocity, any performance issues on the offensive end should require only adjustment.

Given the conditions, I thought Teddy performed admirably. He completed 9 of 13 passes, and of the four incompletes, I saw a few hit our guys in the hands. One of the TV guys tried to say that a pass from Teddy was inaccurate despite hitting his guy in the gloves, but that seemed like grasping at straws to me. Teddy gives you something new to marvel at each game that he plays. This last one -- when his line collapsed more frequently than it has in prior games this season -- was definitely about toughness and focus. Hard to believe he's a sophomore.

(And by the way on those announcers... yes they were bad, like many have said, but I thought they were kinda funny in a juvenile way -- they clearly were having the time of their life. I won't lie... I actually laughed when they came back from commercial hamming out "Marco... Polo!" like two oblivious idiots enjoying each other's compnay. Alright, anyway...)

Give Vance's guys credit where it's due. After Jeremy fumbled the ball away in the fourth quarter (bad sign by the way; remember that was his downfall last year), the defense stuffed Southern Miss, saving the game and giving Senorise another chance to score the go-ahead. So in the end, it was the defense that turned the game.

But should it have ever come down to that? That's my question and I keep coming back to it. I'm grateful we won, but Southern Miss hadn't won a game this year. They were blown out by Western Kentucky. They were playing at home in a half-empty stadium. The Cards shoulda been able to pull out the ol' Ali quote on them: "If you even dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologize!"

The fact is, we dodged a bullet.

Stats here.

Look, the reason I was hoping for a more dominant performance on Saturday -- rain or no rain, road game or not -- is my faith in this coaching staff. They have very little they need to prove to Cards fans; the progress of the program speaks for itself. For this reason, I think we all expect to be able to dispatch the Southern Misss of the world with greater fluency than we did. Instead, Louisville probably faces more questions than any other undefeated team in the country.

Point against me, though -- YES, I would much rather be that undefeated team than one with a loss.

Bottom line: the Cards need to pull it together. Pitt, up next, beat Virginia Tech in September; they always give us trouble. Cincinnati is undefeated and also beat Virginia Tech. South Florida gave #4 Florida State a run for their money. The Cards have to raise their performance against these guys.

Conference play -- the rest of our season -- starts now.

Go Cards!

Cards Slip By FIU 28-21

2012-09-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

Louisville escaped from Miami on Saturday night with their undefeated record intact and national profile still on the rise; today, the Cards moved up in both national polls. Color me unimpressed.

Teddy Bridgewater came down to Earth for the first time this season, throwing two interceptions and barely completing 50 percent of his passes. The running game was mostly stagnant, and the defense again lacked the type of crackle that has to be there for this team to go places.

There's no shortage of talent on this team. But thus far, they have failed, except against Kentucky, to show off that killer instinct that, maybe, comes only with time and experience. The game was a homecoming for many on this team, but honestly, for a second week in a row, the Cards were lucky not to have spoiled their own party too early.

Stats here.

The Cards must do better. The good news? Each of Charlie Strong's previous teams caught fire midway through the season, demonstrating the type of dramatic improvement that accompanies great coaching. We know that that this team will get better. The question is whether they will still be undefeated once they do.

No overlooking Southern Miss. I'm hoping for a sensational road performance.

Go Cards.

Cards rumble, then stumble, escape humbled: UofL tops UNC 39-34

2012-09-15T20:41:00.005-04:00

Damn. Vegas is good at what it does. In less than 30 minutes, just after the Louisville Cardinals demolished the North Carolina Tarheels in every phase a football game can be dominated, the Sin City gurus proved they knew what they were talking about by setting just a three point spread.

A flat second half from UofL led to an erosion, then an implosion, of a monumental 36-7 lead until a fourth-down stand in the shadow of our own goalposts preserved the victory.

It was one of the oddest games in Papa John's history, when fans were treated to some of the most dominating football the building has ever witnessed, only to give way to some of the most flat and uninspired. So the question that will be beaten to death, propped up, and beaten some more in the coming week is, "Which team are the real Cardinals?"

The short answer, the most obvious, is probably correct. We're both. This is a sophomore-laden squad capable of a punishing brand of play when focused and motivated. But it is also immature, and not so talented that it can turn the intensity on and off like a light switch. When they're good they're very good. But when they're bad they're a gym sock.

But the ultimate positive news is that the Cards can get back to work (and expect a brutal week of practice) with a pristine record intact. Those commiserating over the poor second half showing are forgetting what a poor showing actually looked like just a short few years ago. I'll take a W and a teaching moment any day.

So let's all take a deep breath, appreciate the glass being 3-0% full, start kicking extra points like a fucking normal team so as not to give a certain fan a simultaneous panic and heart attack in the UPS FLIGHT DECK in late fourth quarters, and move onward. Go Cards.

Game Time

2012-09-15T15:30:00.000-04:00

BEAT NORTH CAROLINA.