Tag Archives: Kenny Payne

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Back on the Beat

Basketball, College Sports, ,

Inquiries have been made.

So I’m advised.

“Why hasn’t Seedy weighed in on the whole NIL deal?”

For one, I have. Kinda.

Back when railing against those fat cats asking for the return of a former U of L AD, I suggested they put their energy, and significant disposable wealth into forming a collective. So there’s that.

Plus, I have nothing to add to the rampant dialog about the accelerating phenomena. It’s the Wild West out there. Those under the table envelopes of cash are now Bitcoin deposits into off shore bank accounts.

You thought the Oklahoma Land Rush was a clusterfuck on meth? Silly you. Google up Isaiah Wong to see how the culture of college sports has changed, seemingly overnight.

 * * * * *

Speaking of that Miami Hurricane, I tried to go Wong on Glorious Editor and the guy controlling the purse strings in Finance on the 73d floor, a fellow named John Beresford Tipton IV.

“How about a little bump for the kid,” I inquired? “I’m read. I’m nothing if all but about name, a nom de plume affectation, image and likeness. Have you seen those mashup vanity portraits I post with my articles? Some would say that stuff is more important to me than quality of content, but there’s always going to be nabobs of negativitude. I’ve been nothing but NIL for years.” Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Back on the Beat →

Nolan Smith Comes Back Home

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Spoiler Alert: The only addition to Coach Kenny Payne’s staff announced at U of L Basketball’s Monday press conference was the one we already knew about, Nolan Smith. Meaning the following contains essentially no breaking news about other members of the staff or roster changes.

Early in the presser, one anxious scribe, poised to jump the gun — guilty — inquired, when we might expect announcements about others on the staff?

To which fellow, KP gently chided that the question was premature, saying, “Good timing. I just hit a home run.”

Sufficiently chastised, allow me this observation: Nolan Smith checks all the boxes.

In fraternity parlance, he’s a legacy. He lived in Louisville until he was six, attending preschool at The Temple, then summered here through his youth. His father, you may have heard, was a starter for U of L’s first title team in ’80.

He’s intelligent and articulate. He’s a family man with an engaging wife Cheyna, a daughter and son.

To this point, he was tutored in his coaching career by the GOAT, at Duke, where Smith was an All-American and national champion.

Sitting in the jam-packed conference room, the inner Cardinal diehard in me had goose bumps.

Actually, truth be told, what I felt was verklempt.

This whole Kenny Payne/ Nolan Smith reformulation of University of Louisville Basketball Just Feels Right. Continue reading Nolan Smith Comes Back Home →

Hoopaholic Musings: More on U of L’s CKP

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Doc checked in Sunday morning.

Seems his son, a similarly addicted chip off the block, has been checking out message boards around the land. Where, it seems, Louisville is getting a measure of grief for hiring a fellow who has never been a head coach before.

Doc referenced Michigan’s JuWan Howard and Memphis State’s Penny Hardaway, alums at their schools who seem to be doing fairly well.

To which I responded with one thing that duo has in common staff-wise.

An experienced old head  in the next chair. Phil Martelli for the Wolverines. Larry Brown for the Tigers.

In addition, IU grad Mike Woodson has Thad Matta in the program, as director of basketball ops or something.

Which is to reiterate, one fan’s hope is that when Kenny Payne is assembling his staff he does the same. An available guy, like Bruce Weber or someone of that ilk. A seasoned veteran. Continue reading Hoopaholic Musings: More on U of L’s CKP →

It is Just Right: Coach Kenny Payne

Basketball, ,

Driving to the press conference to introduce Kenny Payne as head men’s basketball coach at the University of Louisville — Let us let that resonate for a sec, U of L Coach Kenny Payne — there was this on a vintage Jeep in front of me at a light.

The tire cover on the back was festooned with images of flowers.

It read “Good Vibes.”

Which is as good a place to start here as any.

Today is not about assistant coaching hires.

Not about looming NCAA sanctions.

Not about recruiting Milt Wagner’s grandson.

Not about Nike.

Not about offensive schemes or defensive philosophy or the transfer portal or which of the current squad Coach Kenny Payne hopes to keep for next season.

Today is about the symmetry that is the hiring of a former Cardinal Kenny Payne to lead the program.

Today is about the attendant JOY, plain and simple. Continue reading It is Just Right: Coach Kenny Payne →