UK beat Sam Houston State handily. Yet, with three fresh faced frosh, playing only their third college game, scoring 66% of the Cats points, the caterwauling still began.

Yes, Kentucky’s defense was as substantial as cardboard that sat at the curb in an all day rain. Giving up 18 threes just days after giving up 15 is not the way you win championships. But excuse me if I hold back a bit on the postmortem.

If Coach Cal is the deal, and these frosh are even half as talented as their reps would indicate, UK will be way more than just fine.

DeMarcus Cousins, he of the headband and distraught demeanor, went for 27 and 18. Not bad. Even if his defenders came up to his waist. “I felt I could not be stopped,” the kid said. He was right, you know. But, just to let the pivot phenom know he still had to follow the plan, Coach Cal sat him down for a spell in the second half.

Were I a UK fan, I’d be more worried about Cousins’ pout than his considerable talent. Will he be coachable enough to develop the team mentality?

Stay tuned.

Here’s what would bother me. Zero points off the bench. Zed. Nil. Zilch. Nada. In 35 minutes of action, the four reserves only took three shots. Total combined. Jonathon Hood looked like he might have should have possibly probably matriculated at Western Ky, in Bowling Green where the lights aren’t so bright.

Here’s what would bother me. Wall’s assist to TO ratio was 6-6. Ditto Bledsoe.

Here’s what wouldn’t bother me. That Tony Delk and Scott Padgett wore no neckties to the game. There’s a whole thread at catspause.com on the issue. Good example for the freshmen? Of no consequence? The fanaticism of the Big Blue Nation never ceases to fascinate. It knows no bounds.

Here’s what wouldn’t bother me. That they beat a reasonably talented lesser light by 10 on November 19 with a new coach, new system and lots of young players. If Cousins is complaining after battling UConn’s front line, if they give up 15 threes to U of L in January or Florida in February, if the bench doesn’t thicken by March, come back and talk to me.

Until then, anybody with any basketball sense recognizes that UK, these bumps in the road notwithstanding, is on a collision course with being heralded as the greatest team ever to take the hardwood.

– Seedy K

The slumbering finale of last week’s Iowa/ Ohio State game was the season in microcosm. Tis a campaign that surely has Ara Parseghian smiling. In ‘66, he had his Not So Fighting Irish play for a tie in that decade’s Game of the Century against Michigan State. And they succeeded. Wonder what Biggie Munn would have done, were he on the other sideline? (Which former Michigan State and Syracuse mentor I mention only because his is such a great name. Something also missing these days in sports.)

Who knew that Kirk Ferentz is as self contained as Mr. Vest Jim Tressel? In a tight game with the clock running down, both schools eschewed going for the win in regulation to play for a tie and overtime. Even the latter was B*O*R*I*N*G.

Which is, like I said, how nap inducing this season has been.

But I digress. I notched another 3-2 Saturday last week, thanks to the locals and the suddenly ferocious Pitt Panthers. Which puts the season tally at 32-23.

Louisville @ South Florida. Stop laughing. This one is far from a gimme. The Bulls looked like a squad ready for some time off last week at Rutgers. 0-31. Jim Leavitt’s teams know how to fall apart mid season. And thus they have trended that way again. You know things are bad at PJ’s when Coach Krack Me Up Kragthorpe’s press conferences are more exciting than his offense on the field. Despite the woes, there’s a part of me that has believed the Cards will pull it all together for one surprise. Truth: It ain’t gonna happen. Bulls survive in a snorefest that will have you heading out to Freedom Hall for tipoff sooner than you figured.

Oregon @ Arizona. Did my Quack look B*A*D in black last weekend or what? The Ducks know no haberdasherial bounds. They play as good as they look. Except against Boise and flavor of the month Stanford. This battle actually means something in terms of who plays in Pasadena. Mike Stoops’ Wildcats did themselves no favor, falling to roller coaster Cal last week. But they remain in the hunt. Which makes this perhaps Saturday’s spiciest match up. I have learned this lesson: Don’t Deny the Duck. Go Quack.

Stanford @ California. Speaking of The Cardinal, Harbaugh’s surging Pine Trees play their rivalry game this week away from home. One hopes the coach’s preparation isn’t clouded by visions of roaming the Papa John’s sideline next season. It could make for a rough afternoon. The Golden Bears have underachieved, but remain a test. I see a comeuppance and sad bus trip back to Palo Alto for Stanford. They’ll win the battle of the bands though.

Purdue @ Indiana. Danny Hope’s Boilermakers certainly have a better resume. They did beat the Buckeyes after all. The Hoosiers have been a tease all season, playing significantly better squads tough. But if ever there was a close but no cigar contingent, it’s the boys from Bloomington. This one’s just for the trophy. These teams be goin’ home after the game until spring practice. Well, break out the biscuits and apple butter in Brown County, Indiana will prevail.

Cleveland @ Detroit. I know, this is a pro game. At least the players get paid, even if these teams couldn’t crack college football’s Top 25. For someone born in Motown and who grew up idolizing Bobby Layne and Night Train Lane, and Otto Graham and Marion Motley on TV, it’s sad to see what’s happened to these franchises. These affairs used to be bloodbaths in the snow and cold. Now they’re yawners of little consequence, played indoors on carpet. Sigh. My man Jimmy Brown, an inveterate Cleveland fan, has been pointing to this one all season. As a Lions fan, frankly, I’ve been trying to look away. Sorry Jimmy. Detroit wins for their 2d W of the season.

– Seedy K

Who was the guy who not so long ago wrote that Reggie Delk and Jared Swopshire were the weak links in this year’s version of the Cardinals, that they are the fellows most likely to get lost in the shuffle?

Oh yeah, that was me.

Oopsy daisy!!!

Shows how much I know.

(But, hey, you’re here already. Please read on.)

Okay, one more question. Who said Ralph Willard would be the best addition for the Cards?

Yep, same guy. Me.

Shows how much I know.

The Rick gave his new ace assistant credit for using Delk early instead of Kyle Kuric. Good move. The Mississippi State transfer showed signs of life for the first time since he’s been a Cardinal. Actually much more. 20 points. 5 boards. A couple of assists, a couple of steals, a blocked shot and 0 turnovers. Now, that my fellow hoopaholics, is a great line in the box score.

Hopefully he’s totally shaken off the Curse of TWill for good. (As yet more evidence that what goes around comes around. TWIll’s Nets remain the NBA’s only winless squad.) Et tu, dude.

Plus it was Delk’s sweat that Rotnei Clarke was wringing from his jockstrap after the tilt. I set the over/ under on the fire plug guard’s tally at 13. (He’d netted 51 in Arkansas’ opener.) Delk, along with Knowles and Smith and Sosa and Siva, put the clamps on Clarke. When he touched the ball he must have felt like he was on a Tokyo subway. 16 was the number he scored.

A reader wrote me this morning, comparing Jared Swopshire to Jamal Wilkes. Actually he said Keith Wilkes, deferring to the name used when the forward was matriculating at UCLA. Maybe. I like to think Swop can turn into Herbert Crook, the best 2d forward to play for the Cards. Won a title too. Swopshire tallied 10 points, 11 RBs and a couple of assists.

Edgar Sosa had 7 assists against only a couple TOs. It still seemed like he was playing out of control and thinking “I can drive through this traffic jam and score” instead of passing. Looks can obviously deceive.

Of the major players, the most iffy to me remains überheralded Samardo Samuels. Four boards in 27 minutes. Not enough. 50% shooting from point blank range. Not enough. Plus he continues to think “I need to score” almost every time he touches the ball.

Siva, Buckles and Kuric played nervous, committing some really stupid fouls. Marra played nervous, not able to find the range on his allegedly fearsome jumper. TJ is yet to show up this year. George Goode registered a DNP and is obviously not doing something right.

The one stunning stat for Louisville was its 2.5 to 1 assist to TO ratio. 25 helps to only 10 giveaways. Sweet.

All in all a stalwart if not scintillating effort against a woefully undermanned Arkansas squad. Louisville has three rummies coming up this weekend to prepare for its first real test of the season at UNLV on Thanksgiving weekend.

– Seedy K

One of the nagging issues about college hoops, one ruminate upon by Seth Davis more than anybody, is the lack of legitimate Opening Day. Years ago it was the first weekend of December. But there’s obviously been some time creepage.

This ESPN 24 hour marathon, as gimmicky as it may be, is way nifty. I’m so sure my buddy Johnny P canceled all his court appearances for this day when he learned of it. The guy is a hoopaholic. He’s not alone.

Sooooooooo, to honor all so addled, to honor of the season, and for your viewing and listening pleasure, please stand, doff any chapeau you might be wearing, take a moment of silence to thank the B-ball Gods and Goddesses on high for the tip off of another of our most hallowed seasons, and allow me to present the Hoopsylvania National Anthem:

* * * * *

Anyway, I’m watching Temple and Georgetown tally buckets at a point a minute pace . . . combined. Looks like the Owls have been up all night catching all the action on ESPN’s sumptious hoops marathon. So far the Hoyas are looking like the team that tanked last year after starting 10-1, bashing UConn on the road in their Big East Opener and ending up one and done to Baylor in the NIT.

Trying to morph into a man of some moderation, I’ve been picking and choosing my spots on this game after game after game after game day. (19 games in 24 hours. Life could be worse.)

Unfortunately I decided to workout on the elliptical in front of the TV while Clemson was dismantling Liberty. I did watch part of that St. Peter’s/ Monmouth battle that tipped off at 6:00 a.m. It was pretty neat, seeing all those fans — not just students pulling all nighters either — in the stands at such an early hour.

The downside of course was the season’s first encounter with He Who Would Be Digger. At 6:54 a.m., if you desire exactitude. What does it say about the guy when the first thing we look for is what color his tie and marker are? Well, for one, he knows how to market himself. And, he has nothing cogent to say about the game of basketball.

What is it about ESPN and Notre Dame? Phelps knows no hoops and what he may discern he absolutely can’t articulate. Lou Holtz similarly provides little insight, and his shtick wore off long ago. Guess those Irish castoffs have photos of network execs with kiddie porn or something. Kind of like they do with the Big East. All of which does nothing at all for the viewing audience, but bodes well for Humpty Dumpty Weis, when he’s canned in South Bend. He’ll be able to take his paltry $18 mill buyout and feel secure he’ll find a job on College Gameday.

* * * * *

U of L tips off in a couple of hours against Arkansas. The Razorbacks are some missing some pieces because of suspensions. Maybe the Cards will finally win one of these November neutral court made for TV games.

I’m most interested in seeing what Hog Rotnei Clarke does. Doing his best Bevo Francis imitation, he netted half a hundred +1 in their opener. Thirteen treys.

One thing Rick Pitino does as good as any coach ever when he has time to fully strategize is shut down one player on the other team. I’m guessin’ Clarke will be washing Preston Knowles and Peyton Siva sweat out of his jockstrap after the game. I’m placing the over/ under on Clarke’s output tonight at Lucky 13.

* * * * *

Is it just me, or are we making tooooooooo big a deal over Bill Belichick’s decision to go for it on 4th and 2 at his own 28 with two minutes to play? At any moment I’m looking for the announcement of an 8 part series dissecting the move on the History Channel. New footage. DVD narrated by the ghosts of Walter Cronkite and John Facenda available at Amazon.com.

Anyway, the New York Times reports their computers back the Patriots Head Curmudgeon. Who am I to disagree?

I just hope for pro football sage Peter King’s sake, he has a cup of decaf Starbucks that will calm him down, and allow him to move on with his life.

* * * * *

Oh shit. The Hoyas have pulled away from Temple 19-13 at the half. And my screen is now filled with the lime green images of Digger’s tie and magic marker. Let’s face it, the guy has more wardrobe changes than Lady Gaga. I’ve seen the guy only twice and I’m already on the phone to my personal physician for a script to treat the symptoms of gibberish toxicity.

And you know who — Hint: “Freeze Itttttt!” — has yet to be heard from. A buddy of mine is betting he’ll be in St. Louis for the doubleheader that includes U of L. I’m betting Michigan State/ Gonzaga. Whatever, you know it’s coming folks. Get out those Bose sound reduction headphones.

* * * * *

As of 4:58 p.m., Steve Kragthorpe is still U of L’s football coach. But I did get an email from a source today. In its entirety, it read, “Mike Leach.”

* * * * *

Two other things have been lost in the cacophony over Belichick’s strategy. 1) It wasn’t the most boneheaded coaching decision of the day. Jacksonville’s Jack Del Rio wins that honor. He had RB Maurice Jones-Drew take a knee at the one yard line instead of scoring a TD with a minute and a half to go. The Jags were down a point at the time. You can laud Del Rio all you want, that decision was stoooooooooopid.

You gotta score when you can score. Anything can happen on a FG attempt, even at point blank range. If Bill Belichick was dissing his D, what was Del Rio’s message to his? Mark Sanchez ain’t no Peyton Manning, and the rookie would have to lead the Jets down the field for a TD.

Now that was a Leonard Pynth Garnell Baaaaaaaaaaad Call of the Day.

* * * * *

Would I be remiss if I were to end this rambling opus without mentioning The Second Coming’s game winner for the Cats against Miami’s feisty Red Hawks?

Yes I would.

So I have.

– Seedy K

I mean they’re actually cutting their 2-0 Cats some slack. Perspective. Whodathunkit?

Okay, one guy was calling for D’Andre Liggins at the point. But, other than that, the Big Blue Nation is displaying far more patience than one might expect. The only thread calling for Calipari to be fired was an admitted joke.

The Wildcats are talented but very very very young and immature as a team. UK doesn’t have the look of a team that will win the national title, but they will be in the hunt come March. Even at the end of the season they will be awfully young.

Cousins played big in the 2d half, but looks like a pouter who might affect team chemistry. I’m not sure playing Wall and Bledsoe at the same time is really going to work out. Then again, it doesn’t look like they’ll ever need to be in the game at the same time. Patterson has a long way to go to learn how to play out on the court.

But against a feisty but overmatched Miami five, John Wall did what he’s getting paid the big bucks to do. He hit the game winner on the fly with 0.5 on the clock.

So, all in all, the Cats remain on a collision course with an undefeated season. So all’s right, so far so good, in the Big Blue Nation.

– Seedy K

My point being that everybody I know with even the slightest interest in U of L football is asking anybody who might have once sat next to Tom Jurich at Lake Forest CC’s 19th Hole if they have a clue who Louisville’s next coach is going to be.

Remember now, those of you playing along at home, Steve Kragthorpe is still the head coach. And he’s got a mighty handsome buyout that will need to be paid. If, that is, TJ pulls the plug after the season.

At today’s news conference, U of L’s the-buck-stops-here Offensive Coordinator/ Burgeoning Comedian gave this answer to a question that actually broached the subject everybody wants the answer to: “I have no idea what my future holds, I have no idea what tomorrow holds. I’m planning on being here. I’m not going any place voluntarily, so if it’s involuntarily — I can’t answer that question.”

Allow me to translate that into RealSpeak for you: “Show me the money!!!”

Frankly, who can blame him.

Anyhow, my reliable source, who has reappeared after going underground for way too long, is talking like a man who knows there will be a change. He confirms what I wrote weeks ago, that the new coach will be somebody not mentioned yet. Even the names I’ve tossed out. He says it will be somebody young, energetic — a diamond in the rough — with lots of recruiting connections in the state of Florida.

And it will not be, ahem, Jon Gruden.

– Seedy K

Sure I’m looking forward to the Cincy/ Pittsburgh matchup. I mean I’ll certainly tune in when Texas plays either Florida or Alabama for the “national championship,” but I’ll be hoping for some good football without worrying whether the winner is the best team in the land. Who will really care about that except for the t-shirt dealers in Gainesville, Austin and Tuscaloosa?

Here’s what I’d like to have happen. Auburn beats Bama by 17. Then the Crimson Tide smothers Florida by a couple of TDs. Texas A & M beats the Longhorns by at least 10. Boise State crushes Nevada, Utah State and New Mexico State. And TCU batters Wyoming and New Mexico without mercy.

The Horned Frogs vs. The Blue Fielders on the final night of the season. Now that would be some kind of fun.

Of course, not as nifty as if those teams had to negotiate their way through a 16 team playoff, having to best Oregon or Stanford or feisty Iowa. Your a D coach. You wanna have to teach your guys how to defend Georgia Tech’s running attack on a week’s notice? Or prepare for two different Bearcat QBs? Or the Houston Cougar hurry up O?

What is so sad about the state of college pigskin is that, with the season winding down, there’s nothing actually happening of interest on the field of play to talk about. Except the old saws. Why there isn’t a playoff? Whether Humpty Dumpty will survive under the Golden Dome? Whether Rich Rod will really be fired in Ann Arbor? Who will actually replace Steve Kragthorpe? If anybody?

Florida, Alabama and Texas are easily the three most boring title contenders in years.

I, for one, could care less which one ends up BcS champ.

– Seedy K

Do not look for replays on ESPN Classic.

But before I slip into the deep negativitude this woeful game deserves, let’s praise some deserving folks.

Trent Guy. He had a 94 yard punt return TD justifiably called back because his knee was down right after the catch. The right call. But it in no way diminishes Guy’s effort. It was a stunning bit of running. He responded later like a gamer, with a 44 yard punt return and 36 yard reception. The latter should have been called back but it wasn’t and it in now way diminishes Guy’s effort. (To repeat my phraseology.) He was also a stalwart on kickoff returns.

Josh Chichester. He had his “breakout” game. Such as it was. Scored the winning touchdown on a corner fade, after catching an earlier one — one handed no less  — with was nullified because of his offensive interference.

The Offense. Bracingly ineffective all day. They caught a breath of life in the fourth quarter. Total offense through 3 quarters: 38 plays, 84 yards. Against a bad team, a really really really bad team. In the 4th, the Cards ran 15 plays for 67 yards. Included was the game winning 1:50 drive: 4 plays for 45 yards. Thank Trent Guy for the field position.

The Louisville Cardinal W. Ws are always better than Ls. Even when it’s by the hair on their chinny chin chins against Syracuse, a Division III quality team. Ben Schwartzwalder must be turning over in his grave.

Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy. No more Mr. In Between. The Truth:

Worst Squad on the Field. It’s a tie between the Orange and the simply awful Big East officiating crew. Come to think of it the Zebras win this one. There were enough replays to wear out even the most loyal tape watcher. The refs missed a bunch of plays. Guy’s knee obviously touched on that punt return. It had to be reversed. A ‘Cuse receiver caught one obviously out of bounds. It had to be reversed. Guy made an important catch out of bounds, but was called in. It wasn’t reversed on the “irreversible evidence” technicality. A Syracuse fumble/ interception had to be reviewed. And reversed. It was a simply inexcusable performance by the guys in the stripped shirts.

Which honor isn’t meant to in any way undermine the importance of Syracuse’s botched extra point.

Worst Unit on the Field. Louisville’s offensive line. The Cards netted 34 yards rushing on 35 attempts. Stellar stat, eh? Not to mention four sacks allowed to a defense that couldn’t win a Toy Bowl.

Louisville’s Offensive Coordinator. Another ridiculously lousy performance by the guy they say Urban Meyer calls for consultations. The Cards scored zero TDs last week in Morgantown. They finally got off the schneid this week with 1:24 left in the contest. Against a team that hasn’t beaten another Big East squad besides Louisville since Eisenhower was president, and Jim Brown, a recruit.

Louisville’s OC called the Cards’ last time out, before they commenced their game winning drive. It worked out, which doesn’t in any way diminish what a silly call it was. It could have been fatal and allowed Syracuse a chance to win after Louisville scored. Only the Hall of Fame quality ineptitude of the visitors provided respite from the bad strategy.

Speaking of which . . . bad strategy that is, how about a Syracuse game plan that let the Cardinals’ woeful secondary off the hook? The Orange passed only 21 times, completing 14. Greg Paulus was actually 12-16. Why on earth wouldn’t they keep it in the air? The Cards were the beneficiaries of that inexplicable largess.

Best Sustained Drive of the Day. The announced crowd of 33,223. They started the WAVE early in the fourth period, which looked like it might never peter out.

And so it goes. Ob la di, ob la da.

Are the Cards on a collision course with bowl eligibility? Stay tuned. Next stop: South Florida. Jim Leavitt’s Bulls were nudged the other night at Rutgers, 0-31.

And, should the Cards, by some miracle, win the next two, wouldn’t that make things interesting around here?

Correct answer: Way more interesting that you’d ever expect.

– Seedy K

“I think they should still be able to play football, regardless,” Corey Zickafoose said. “Tennessee is my place. It’s my football team.”

“Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?” 6 News asked.

“Yeah, it’s Tennessee. That’s the way it is sometimes,” Zickefoose said.

Come on now, sing along one more once with Corey: “Rocky Top you’ll always be/ Home sweet home to me/ Good ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top, Tennessee/ Rocky Top, Tennessee.”

Didn’t this used to be One of the Big Weeks of the Year? Fall hoops signing day came and went not with a bang but a whimper. Unless you’re enlightened enough to follow the gals. The Cats nabbed one and the Cards none. It’s been a less than Fab (Melo) week for U of L fans.

How ’bout them Chicago Commodores? The team formerly known as Monsters of the Midway features five guys who played at Vandy. It’s beginning to show. Super Whiner QB Jay Cutler threw — count ‘em — five picks last night against the 49ers. One on the last play of the game, in the endzone, sealed the L for the Bears. Who are now certainly, if not mathematically, out of the playoff picture.

Dead Man Walking Report. South Florida was nudged last night at Rutgers, 31 zed. The Bulls have lost three of their last four. They finished last regular season, losing 5 of their final seven. I’m hearing the tempestuous Jim Leavitt will be toast after the season.

The latest Gruden Rumor. So silly is all this stuff about the former Tampa Bay coach turned TV announcer coming to DerbyTown, Cards fans need to read a reality check here.

Is the Big Cheesehead too sensitive? Seems a long time worker at Lambeau Field — that would be in Green Bay for those you not fully informed — was fired for something he swears he never said to coach Mike McCarthy before the recent loss to Minnesota and the Vikes QB You Know Who. Seems the coach is being a might sensitive. Read all about it here.

Red Wings catch a Groove. Finally got to see my faves from Hockeytown the other night. They blasted Columbus. I tuned in after the match had started, and the Wings were already up, 2-0. They won by like 8 or 9 goals. They followed with a 3-1 smackdown of the Canucks and are only a point out of first in the division.

Forget DoomsDay, A New Era in Humanity Begins Tonight. The Coach Cal Era begins at Rupp. I daresay that life, Western Civilization, the fate of the globe and quantum physics will never be the same again.

– Seedy K

Think again.

The man whose name appears eponymously on the building — after his local boosters came with some serious cabbage to get ‘er done — is asking the same questions now down in Boca Raton.

Schnell in Charge lost his starting QB Rusty Smith. He has a replacement. His foe this week is Arkansas State. Yes, that Arkansas State. Their season has been has been as disappointing as the Fighting Owls. So the Red Wolves’ coach is waffling between his long time starter, a senior, and a fresh faced frosh.

Our Man isn’t worried. “I don’t think there is a great deal of difference between the two. They run the same offense. I think we’ll see the starting quarterback they’ve had for the last three years.”

Schnell does become A Worried Man when he considers his home turf, where FAU is 0-3 this campaign, 15-14 since they started using it as a home field.

“It has never been a home-field advantage. We may be better on the road.

“We are playing off-campus in a high school stadium. Even though the students have done a good job of turning out and being enthusiastic, we haven’t gotten the crowds we would have liked to have gotten.”

Maybe he can get his players to use Facebook and Twitter to implore boosters to show up.

– Seedy K