Louisville CardFile: Prairie View

Basketball,

It is difficult, and to be honest, unfair to try and assess what kind of team U of L is going to be at this juncture, because half the expected rotation is out with injuries.

Meaning, among other things, I’ve been forced to learn how to spell Wiznitzer.

Not an onerous task, mind you, but certainly one I hadn’t considered, while bubbling in here at the Seedy K Sports Suites on the 17th floor of Culture Maven Tower.

So I’m trying simply to get a general idea about the team conceptually, along with more specific takes on those who are actually taking to the hardwood.

In Sunday’s 22 point dispatch of Prairie View, 86-64, the only holdovers to see action were Aidan Igiehon, who to Cardinal fans’ chagrin still is aways away from prime time minutes, and David Johnson. More about DJ in a bit.

So, here are my takes on the newcomers, at least as much as can be discerned from a three game sampling. As well as a few plusses and minuses from the victory itself. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Prairie View →

Louisville CardFile: Boston College

Football,

Meh.

Snared in the trap of genetic verbosity, I usually have too many words to offer about the Cardinals on the gridiron, hardwood or diamond. That aspect of my character is entwined in the helix of my DNA.

Not today.

Not about Saturday’s defeat in Chestnut Hill to Boston College.

First of all, U of L should have been at home yesterday, playing arch rival Kentucky for the Governor’s Cup, in front of a rabid throng at Cardinal Stadium.

With a victory, it would have made this oddest of seasons, a weird, sad campaign really, worthwhile. Beat the Big Blue and all else would have been set aside.

But, in its infinite wisdom, the Southeastern Conference decided to keep its strain of the COVID to itself. League games only.

Then the ACC, like the other leagues, changed and rearranged its slate. If all had been normal, the Cardinals’ trip to South Bend would have been last weekend, not earlier, when Louisville played surely its best game of the season in a narrow defeat to the Irish.

So, that worked out for the better. Not much else has. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Boston College →

Hoopaholics Gazette: Sorting through the Opening Daze

Basketball

Given that college football is falling apart at an alarming, if not surprising accelerated pace, I’ve been stuffing myself with more hoops than Turkey Day fixins. Just in case, it follows suit.

No Dickie V. No problem.

Games tipping at 11:00 AM. Bring it.

The most surprising aspect of that early morning tilt was that noted Hall of Fame late night tippler Bill Raftery was doing color. And was lucid at that early hour, his usual too cute self.

 * * * * *

The major takeaway thus far: Gonzaga is way ahead of every other team in the land. Way way way ahead. Continue reading Hoopaholics Gazette: Sorting through the Opening Daze →

Louisville CardFile: Seton Hall

Basketball,

Whew.

Get the sedatives ready, U of L fans, it’s going to be one of those Cardiac Cardinals sort of seasons.

At the media timeout with 7:38 left, Louisville’s double digit lead of just moments before had been cut to 60-52.

Shavar Reynolds trey was just the third Seton Hall FG of the 2d half. They were 2/21 after intermission until that harbinger of stess to come.

Noting the 3/22 inaccuracy in my notes, I wrote, “Lead should be BIGGER.” The results of the next three Card possessions were a Carlick Jones miss, a Quinn Slazinski turnover and a David Johnson miss. The visitors quickly pulled within a digit at 60-59.

They knotted it at 60, again at 62. Then, at the 3;08 mark, Sandro Mamukelashvili put the cherry on a huge Hall comeback, netting a triple for a 65-62 advantage.

At which juncture, it was apparently time for the newbies to display they could pull it out for the shorthanded Cardinals. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Seton Hall →

Louisville CardFile: Evansville

Basketball,

Just a few quick observations after viewing the blessing that was the University of Louisville Cardinals hoops opener of the season, a 79-44 romp over Evansville.

Why just quick as opposed to incisive?

Because we’ll have a much better take on the Cards after four tilts in the next ten days, three against legitimately Dance-worthy squads from Seton Hall, Western Kentucky (an opening day winner over formidable Northern Iowa), and UNC Greensboro.

Plus, more to the heart of the matter, I’ve got a waiting platter of turducken, its aroma wafting tauntingly in my direction as I sit at my desk, reporting dutifully, if succinctly, about the Cards performance.

 * * * * *

Carlick Jones is I.N.D.I.S.P.E.N.S.A.B.L.E. With Josh Nickelberry sidelined, and David Johnson falling prey to sophomoritis from the opening tip, it is imperative that the Radford grad transfer stay healthy, and foul free. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Evansville →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XIII

Football, Gaming, , ,

Last weekend, the University of Louisville Cardinals skunked Syracuse.

I too threw an ofer. Five correct, zero incorrect.

The Cards’ foe was hapless.

I’ll admit for the sake of transparency, that at least several of my predictions were gimmes. Bama over the Cats. Buckeyes over the Hoosiers. But Boomer Sooner was not the lock they now seem in retrospect over the Cowboys.

And Cincy did its best late to outwit itself, but still hung on for a win at Central Florida.

5-0 for the weekend. 39-21-4 on the year.

To satisfy, or at least feign an attempt to mollify, my naysayers, I’m adding a special bonus pick this holiday weekend. Six picks for the price of five.

The Winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XIII →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Whither the U of L Cards?

Basketball,

Was it really a lifetime ago that I was in my recliner, tuned into conference championship week, and games were being cancelled while one was still on, at least for a half?

Just one lifetime?

Talk about pulling up short.

Comprendez vous this vernacular, “blue balls?” And I’m not talking about what UK uses during practice.

Well, that’s what it felt like. At least to this hoopaholic.

Leonard Hamilton was accepting the ACC title trophy. How strange was that?

Then the NCAA tournament . . . pffft! Into thin air and gone.

But hey not much has gone on since last March. You know, just kind of another ordinary 21st C annum.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow has crept in this petty pace from day to day . . . until . . . tomorrow.

On the morrow, November 24, life starts anew. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Whither the U of L Cards? →

Louisville CardFile: Syracuse

Uncategorized

How bad a football team is Syracuse?

Very.

One has to wonder how on earth the Orange, for its only victory, bested Georgia Tech? By three scores no less.

The same Ramblin’ Wreck squad which battered U of L its next time out. By three scores+.

The University of Louisville Cardinals are a moderately better football team than its Friday evening foe.

Operative word: Moderately. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Syracuse →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XII

Football, Gaming, ,

Here’s what wishful thinking got me last time out.

Nuttin’, Honey.

If I’ve learned anything in this the most strange annum of my long lifetime, it should have been that it ain’t ’93 anymore. And that Boston College, feisty former future Fighting Irish Star QB at the helm or not, was going to trap this year’s Notre Dame team.

So, I got that one wrong. Which I supposed was going to happen, but hey.

I did predict that the Cats would survive Vandy. Big Props to both Kentucky and the Commodores. The former for declining the penalty UK received when sweetly honoring its lost OL coach; the latter for the team’s display of affection and grief.

Nebraska afflicted the Nittany Lions with their fourth L of the season against zero Ws. Indiana continued on its roll. And shorthanded U of L fell to Virginia.

4-1 on the weekend puts me at 34-21-4 on on the season.

This weekend’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XII →

Louisville CardFile: Virginia

Football,

Let’s get this mea culpa out of the way at the get go.

I did not know that Calvin Prince in the mid 70s was the correct answer to the Aflac™ Trivia Question. Who was the last Cardinal runner to fashion consecutive 1000 yard rushing seasons?

I knew it wasn’t Bilal Powell, as one of the announcers surmised. Because Powell was somewhat of an underachiever until Charlie Strong arrived, and got him going in his last season 2010, before BP moved on to a significant career with the New York Football Jets.

 * * * * *

Nor can I impersonate Nostradamus and say with any certainty that the outcome of U of L’s disappointing L to UVa might have different, had the Cardinals the services of several significant players. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Virginia →