Category Archives: Football

U of L CardFile: Notre Dame

My other lifelong obsession besides University of Louisville Cardinal athletics is rock & roll.

The Allman Brothers Band were always my faves.

Until the last decade or so when, though they have lost no luster, they’ve been supplanted in my soul by their sole and true heirs, the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

I walked out of a TTB show in Naptown this past July, wondering to myself, “Is that really the best live set of music I’ve ever heard in person?”

Before reviewing the show, I parsed what that means, the parameters of “best” when it comes to musical performance.

I have no intention of saying or parsing that last night’s amazing Cardinal victory over Notre Dame was the best in program history.

Nor the most fun . . . though maybe.

Nor the most significant. There’s West Virginia, Florida in the Sugar Bowl, and several others worth considering including that smackdown of the Crimson Tide in the Fiesta Bowl on the day we buried my dad.

But, for many reasons, factors on and off the field, U of L 33 Notre Dame 20 on October 7, 2023 may be the most special. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Notre Dame

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week VI

I am so pretty sure what Lane Kiffin thought last Wednesday afternoon. After he scurried out of a game-planning coordinators meeting to settle in front of his computer for his weekly ritual of reading yours truly’s pigskin picks.

“So, that’s the deal, Seedy,” he thought as he read my take on the LSU/ Ole Miss game? “You find me more loathsome than Brian Kelly? Really. Well, I’ll show you, SOB. LSU is goin’ down, and you with him.”

Which misguided resentment really begs the question. Had the Ole Miss coach read with more focus, he would have realized that it was my love for most all matters Louisiana than my distaste for either of the coaches. Both of whom, to be fair and honest, I regard with equal deep-seated disdain.

Actually I love the Magnolia state, which I’ve visited a number of times. Clarksdale, the birthplace of rock & roll. Itta Beena, where I witnessed a Grambling/ Mississippi Valley State football game. The strange affection for tamales in the Delta. Greenwood, home of the White Citizens Council. Stovall, Dockery. Muddy Waters’ cabin. Oxford Town. Biloxi.

Oh well.

Does it matter that the Johnny Reb’s victory came at the end of a really exciting back and forth offensive tit for tat?

Not really. Though I was locked in.

Kiffin was right. Seedy was wrong. Let’s pray it doesn’t happen again.

I also incorrectly went with Utah at Oregon State, oops, forgetting that the Utes blow one every year.

BC survived against almost as inept Virginia. Kentucky gave indications they are really good. U of L left Tobacco Road with a W, hard fought as it was.

3-2 for the weekend. 20-10 for the season.

This week’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week VI

Some Final Thoughts on Friday’s W

We start with the quarterback, right?

Alway with the QB, isn’t that the imperative?

Yeah, but no. Though we’ll get to the Best Plumm(b)er in Town soon enough.

 * * * * *

First one more shout out to a couple of truly impressive TD grabs in paydirt.

Chris Bell showed strength and poise and focus on his. The one that counted, to pull the Cardinals within 3 at 7-10. Bell and the DB fought for the ball, and Bell won.

Then there’s the fantastic grab Jadon Thompson made in the farthest corner of the endzone that coulda shoulda woulda put U of L up 14-7. He fought DB Aydan White for the ball, while getting both feet on the turf before falling out of bounds yet retaining possession.

Bad call.

Cards settled for a 33 yard FG by Oscar-winner Brock Travelstead to tie the score at 10.

 * * * * *

Other passing game highlights that immediately come to mind: Continue reading Some Final Thoughts on Friday’s W

U of L CardFile: NC State

Were I more of a professional, not so disinclined to do actual research as to whether there is some symbiotic connection between Cardinals and Lions in nature, this would be a totally different, more informational lede.*

*Yes, I’m going to get get to the U of L victory over the Wolfpack in a sec. Bear with me in the flush of W(s).

Were I a better more pithy fashioner of phrasing, like, say, Charles Pierce or Ryan McGee*, this might be more to the point while still elegantly snarky.

*In yet another aside, which has absolutely nothing to do with the Cards gritty victory in Carter-Finley, I must share this brilliant bit of writing from ESPN’s McGee. Speaking of a center snap that caught Heisman holder Caleb Williams by surprise, the scribe said, “Oh, and he also received a direct snap that hit him right in the family planning aisle.” Wordsmithery of the highest order, there.

So, where am I going with this, ye Cardinal faithful are wondering? Here:

For the second time this season, I am basking in the glow of a Detroit Lion/ Louisville Cardinal Thursday night/ Friday night double W. (So too, Glorious Editor at the Chron, who happens for some reason to also be a Lions fan. My allegiance comes honestly, I was born in Motown, and have been longing for success since the days of Leon Hart, Joe Schmidt, Night Train Lane, Bobby Layne and Les Bingaman.)

So, yeah, on separate football weekends, the Lions won in Arrowhead and Lambeau in Thursday night previews to the University of Louisville Cardinals prevailing in Atlanta and on Tobacco Road on Friday.

Can I get a witness?

How ’bout a Huzzah! Continue reading U of L CardFile: NC State

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week V

The nagging nabobs of naysaying who are continually on my case for not picking against the line, or picking games they feel are like shooting fish in barrel, have been eerily quiet of late.

Yoo hoo, dudes, you up or down at your new favorite sports book in town? Or, are you still bookin’ your bets with the barkeep at your country club?

No losing weeks, two weeks in a row of 4-1 pour moi.

And, allow me to pat myself on the back — as much as I can given a bum shoulder — I’ve taken some risks. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, to coin a phrase.

Last week, it bit me in the proverbial bum.

Thanks to some coaching gaffes of biblical proportion. The Irish lost with only ten men on the field. Not once but twice in the last minute. The Dabos lost because their mismanaging HC let the clock run out. (There are more details of these miscues and more in Monday’s Pigskin Pundit.

I picked both Notre Dame and Clemson to win. Sigh.

But the Cards won big. The Cats won. And Washington State beat Oregon State for the PAC2 championship.

3-2 for the weekend. 17-8 on the season.

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

Pigskin Pundit: Let’s Talk Coaching

Coach Prime, meet Will Stein.

Unless you checked out some parochial school football during your stint on the Redbirds, you probably weren’t really aware of the former U of L Cardinal QB before this Saturday past.

One must presume you know his name now.

Stein’s Oregon Duck offense whomped your Buffalo D up one side of the head, then the other. A few shots to the solar plexus after that.

35 zip at the half. Then Will called off the Quack. Down 42, your guys finally put one in the endzone late, very late, garbage time.

 * * * * *

Speaking of coaching, how ’bout that Marcus Freeman? Continue reading Pigskin Pundit: Let’s Talk Coaching

U of L CardFile: Boston College

It is obviously difficult to pick nits — or clean the burrs out of your shoes — when your team beats a conference foe with four touchdown 56-28 dispatch.

Yes, I’m most pleased, as I’m sure most of the Cards’ fans are.

But there are reasons for concern, mostly on the defensive side of the ball.

 * * * * *

But, first there’s these smile inducing observations.

In the first half, the Cards had six possessions. They scored six touchdowns.

To quote Ed Kallay, long time Louisville play by play guy a long time ago, “You can’t do much better than that.”

The last tally was the sweetest. With :33 on the clock before halftime, the Cards got the ball on their own 25, after BC had scored TDs on consecutive possessions.

As he did last week, when in a similar situation, Jeff Brohm called a timeout.

This time around the team lined up for a half ending kneel down.

Did you groan? I certainly did. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Boston College

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week IV

Yes, it is true.

Despite the reality that I have constantly chosen Graham Mertz as my perennial whipping boy, I picked the Gators to beat the Vols.

So they did. Rather easily actually.

Meanwhile I predicted that Pitt would win its brawl with West Virginia. Even though they lost to Cincy, who then lost to Miami (Oh). Forgetting all the while that the Panthers’ twice transferred TPQB Phil Jurkovec was a non entity at Notre Dame, then really bad at Boston College. I mean his mediocrity has made Mertz seem a legit Heisman hopeful.

Anyway Jurkovec did what he does in Morgantown, lose. My mistake.

North Carolina, Kentucky and the Cardinals all took care of biz, as it was stated would happen in this space.

Second 4-1 weekend in a row, making the kid 14-6 for the season.

This week’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week IV

U of L CardFile: Indiana

So there was Uncle Mo on the IU sideline at the beginning of the second half. He’d changed his garb into a crimson and cream hoodie.

Sharp-eyed observers of the game would have known something would be up. They’d have noticed that he was reaching into his duffle bag after that last play of the 2d Q.

Because what we have here is a classic case that would have been an A+ answer to  a question on Professor Chinstrap’s Psych 431 (Coaching Decisions and Game Momentum) final:

Give an example of how duel coaching decisions can totally turn a game around. Extra credit if both benefit the same team.

Totally dominating the interstate rivalry in the opening half, U of L, up 21 zip, got the ball back with :25 on the clock in the 2d.

HC Jeff Brohm called a timeout before 1st down.

Apparently to decide between taking a chance, and throwing deep. Or taking a knee.

The former made sense — to me anyway. The Cardinals have Jamari Thrash, who was breaking open deep with impunity. (And would have had two scores before halftime, had Jack Plummer gotten him the ball long when JT was wide open.)

The latter made less sense. But was somewhat defensible since U of L got the ball to start the 3d Q.

So, one guy’s take, gamble and throw it loooooooong. See what happens.

Brohm, usually wont to double down and raise rather than fold, but was obviously happy with a three TD cushion, folded. Greed might have been good.

Uncle Mo’s change of haberdashery was telling indeed. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Indiana

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week III

Not to boast or anything like that, your resident “expert,” it can now be said, has reached mid-season form before the Ides of September.

Four up. One down.

Were I to hazard a guess which game of those on the Board, I’d have missed, I’d never have considered the Longhorns would prevail in Tuscaloosa. By double digits, no less. First time that’s happened to The Nick while his roamed the Bama sideline.

But, as it is said, that’s why they play the game.

I’m sad the Johnny Rebs bested the Green Wave in New Orleans. But at least I picked it to happen. Cats did not roll, but overcame EKU, who just the week before surrendered 66 to the Cincy Satterfields. Angst in the Bluegrass?

The Cardinals, they did roll.

And, my guy, Bronconakurskius, Greek God of Pigskin, once again showed he’s paying attention, making sure that, when really necessary, he will make all right with the world, including Fansville. The U 48, the A & M Jimbo Bobby P’s 33. Thank yuh thank yuh vury much.

So, can I get a Huzzah!, 4-1 for the weekend. 10-5 for the season.

This week’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week III