Here’s what will put all the exotic animals to sleep at the Oakland zoo.

An Isaac McKneely three, a Sananda Fru deuce, a J’Vonne Hadley deuce, another IM trey, and one more McThreely.

In Louisville’s first six possessions.

13-0.

An astonishingly ineffective Pittsburgh team was on its heels and out of the game from the tip.

Skeptical the orangutans may be of changes in the their cages, but they were in slumber early.

The Panthers all seemed like they’d gotten into the zookeeper’s cache of rum.

With seven and half left before intermission, the Cards were up 39-8.

+31 was the margin at the break. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Pitt →

Listening to her say it over and over again through the decades was fingernails across a blackboard. A car with a bad differential.

It drove me crazy, her got to phrase, an admonition really, an astute but bracing bit of advice to accept life’s exigencies.

“It is what it is.”

In the years that I’ve come to accept the wisdom of the perception, it still is hard to accept the reality of certain situations.

Like at times like this for Louisville Cardinals.

Mama said there’d be days like this, mama said, mama said.

Louisville 70 , Virginia  79.

Here’s the reality, Cardinal fans.

Without Mikel Brown, U of L will be nip and tuck to make the NCAA tournament. They are 3-4 since he went down.

It is what it is. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Virginia →

My name is Seedy K, and I am most assuredly a hoopaholic.

I realized how my addiction had taken hold this Monday morning, when I was on the SoCon Network, watching a video interview with Samford AD Martin Newton, who is vice chair of the tournament selection committee.

After reviewing a run down of all the weekend’s games at Field of 68. Checking out the NCAA NET Rankings, Bart Torvik (whose rankings are now part of the selection data considered), Evan Miya and Ken Pomeroy, whose metrics are also officially considered.

Also I tripped to Bracket Matrix, which is a compilation of projected fields by the so-called bracketologists.

 * * * * *

Here’s where the Louisville Cardinals currently stand analytically. Alongside Virginia, Tuesday night’s foe, because of Rule #1: You Only Play Whom You Play.

NET: Louisville 18, UVa 16.

Torvik: Louisville 17, UVa 12.

Miya: Louisville 18, UVa 14.

Pomeroy: Louisville 16, UVa 15.

So, for all of you Cardinal diehards with an opinion who have a life outside of this, and don’t pay as much attention, the Cavaliers have better metrics, and beating them is far from an “oughta be.” Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Assessing Cards’ Situation →

Art.

That’s where I’m going to start.

Not by invoking my favorite Cardinal Art(s), Kaplan and Zubrod. Who somewhere up there watched this together, as they do, making sure the Cards make their FTs.

I mean art art.

Specifically Alexander Calder.

You familiar with this 20th C artist of note?

He’s most famous for his mobiles.

Different geometric shapes hanging in various configurations by thin wiring. Which somehow stay in balance, though it never seems like it ought to be.

That’s the brilliance of the configurations.

That’s also the importance of team chemistry. Balance. Each portion in its place.

Ah, but but subtract a piece, move one to a different spot . . .

. . . no more balance.

Koyaanisqatsi. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Boston College →

Ah yes, a disappointing conference L to a better, more talented, legit national title contender and the All Is Lost Brigade has emerged.

Of course, I’m disappointed. I was truly forlorn as the game slip slided away in the 2d against Duke.

But, I try to view in context.

Let me start with this reality:

Even after two losses in a row, the 11-4 University of Louisville Cardinals would be a Top 4 seed.

NCAA Net Rating: 15.

Ken Pomeroy: 15.

Evan Miya: 16.

Bart Torvik: 13.

So, there’s that.

Then another little item to remember. Continue reading Morning After Thoughts on the Cards →

It was a Dickensian nightmare.

The best of times. The worst of times.

A Tale of Two Halves.

So, the answer to the question I’ve been asked over and over again for the last several weeks is . . .

. . . “No it is apparent we are not ready to beat Duke.”

 * * * * *

There was a play that underscored why long after Duke had taken over the game with a 9 zip run for a 56-53 lead.

Down 7 with hope fading, U of L put on a dang nice full court press. But Duke — better, quicker and truly astute — made a couple of passes and the truly gifted rookie Cameron Boozer laid in a bunny for a 75-66 advantage.

Jon Scheyer — a worthy and wise successor to the GOAT — made some learned adjustments at the half. Louisville was unable to do anything they’d gotten away with in the 1st.

The outcome — 84-73 — was inevitable and inexorable. Yes, redundant, but used  for emphasis. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Duke →