Tag Archives: Russ Smith

Louisville Card File: SMU

dunikcardOn a night when there were Cowboys in the corral, past, present and always — That would be Troy Aikman, Tony Romo and Jerry Jones — they were confronted with the new sheriffs in town.

Not TV’s Hannibal Heyes and Jedidiah “Kid” Curry, but the REAL Alias Smith and Jones — That would be Russ and Chris — who rode into town, tamed the Mustangs, went veni, vidi, vici before the school marms could flutter their lashes and were vámonos with a W before Dubya in the front row could figure out what was happening.

Yes, kids, it was that kind of victory. One to savor. One to joke about. One worthy of the most purple of prose.

Thus I must opine that the 7300 or so rabid SMU fans did not savor a Night In White Satin.

They remain in Search of the Lost Chord.

Their Days of Future (have) Passed. At least momentarily. Continue reading Louisville Card File: SMU

Louisville Card File: Memphis State

dunikcardSomething disturbing about the last five minutes of the Cincinnati game Saturday a week ago was lost in the euphoria of Russ Smith’s game winning jumper.

Louisville blew a 51-42 lead, allowing the Bearcats to tally 11 straight to surge to a two point lead.

Surely, it was to the Cardinals’ credit that they hung tough and pulled out the W.

Truth is it should have come significantly easier, had Louisville held steady against the offensively bereft Cincy squad.

It was deja vu all over again against Memphis State.

Except for one thing. Louisville did not hang tough at the end. Louisville . . . well . . . the truth . . . Louisville blew it. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Memphis State

Louisville Card File: Temple

dunikcardI’m constantly amazed at how fandom plays out.

Ran into an old pal the other day. Big Cardinal fan, he. Huge. And no a Johnny Come Lately, he’s been rooting red & black since his youth. Which was a long time ago.

But he happens to be one of those fans — we all know some, may even be of the ilk — who expresses his emotions negatively. Of course, we talked Cardinal hoops. He was all over Chris Jones.

The juco can’t do this. The juco can’t do that.

You’ve heard it. Hell, you might have even said it about a baller on your favorite team. Sometimes, we take out our frustrations, when a player isn’t meeting our expectations, by dissing the kid.

I attempted to make some rational arguments about Jones’ game to my pal. To no avail.

Well, avail this, dude.

Here’s what Jones did during the first 4:32 of last night’s battering of the Owls. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Temple

Louisville Card File: UConn

dunikcardThere is, of course, much to be said of Not So Silent L’s best game ever as a Cardinal. And I shall in due course.

USBWA requirements mandate I talk about that whole ejection thing, and the play that precipitated it. So surely I will.

* * * * *

But first, a breakdown of the most important four minutes and 29 seconds of U of L’s season so far.

U of L led by 6 at the half. A lead which the Huskies swallowed in a rush at the start of the 2d, on 3 FTs and a Shabazz Napier trey. Immediately after which @ 18:31, The Rick called one of those patented knee jerk timeouts of his.

Wise move on Pitino’s part.

Coming out of the timeout, Luke Hancock drained a three. 37-34. Boom!

Then Terry Rozier tallied on a lay up. 39-34. Pow!

Followed by another Hancock score on a driving layup +1. 42-34. Bang!

Soon thereafter, Russ Smith, said “I can do that too.” Layup +1. 45-34. Bam!

In a Gampel Arena more raucous than Jay and Dickie had ever seen it, in a truly important league game for both teams, the Cardinals displayed their steel for the first time this season.

They grabbed the game by the short and curlies. More important, they never let go. Continue reading Louisville Card File: UConn

Louisville Card File: Houston

dunikcardNowhere to be found last night — and I know for sure because I sought him out — was the dunderhead mentioned in my SMU report, who ragged incessantly on Wayne Blackshear that whole game. More’s the pity.

Whattayathinknow, asshole?

Anyway, it was after that game, and interlude, that I wrote this:

I bring up Blackshear because a) the Cardinal Nation has been expecting more from the Golden Arches All-American than he has delivered so far, and b) one guy’s opinion, the Chicagoan is the X factor on this Cardinal squad that’s still searching for its identity, personality, and success in March.

He is not without game. Yet that talent has not consistently been on display. Most important, the switch can still be flipped.

At Media Day before the season, I asked Blackshear what he’d been working on this summer?

“My confidence.”

Yet to come, that remains elusive. I, for one, am not giving up on Wayne Blackshear. It’s not like he’s playing below his talent level on purpose. Besides, if his game clicks into gear, this Cardinal team becomes significantly better.

One game does not a seismic shift make. But it’s sure a hopeful start. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Houston

Louisville Card File: Southern Methodist

dunikcardOne’s expectation about the actions of others is a pot of resentment ready to boil.

When Wayne Blackshear committed his 5th foul yesterday with 4:07 to play, a fellow behind me turned into a Ralph Steadman caricature. Bellicose and frothing at the mouth, he bellowed, “Sit down Blackshear, that’s where the hell you belong, on the damn bench.”

Such animosity is my least favorite trait of ardent fandom. Many take personally play that is less than the stellar standard we expect. It’s as if the guy figures Blackshear is bagging it just to piss them off.

I bring up Blackshear because a) the Cardinal Nation has been expecting more from the Golden Arches All-American than he has delivered so far, and b) one guy’s opinion, the Chicagoan is the X factor on this Cardinal squad that’s still searching for its identity, personality, and success in March. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Southern Methodist

Louisville Card File: Memphis State

dunikcardDuring halftime, as I usually do, I wandered from the press area over to my peeps for a quick breakdown of the game.

My greeting: “Welcome to the 2014 Louisville Cardinals. This isn’t a very good basketball team.”

Doc is a double alum, a long time diehard, and a fellow more inclined to doom and gloom than myself. Which is saying something.

He simply shook his head in agreement.

Then said, “This is a lose to Robert Morris in the first round of the NIT kind of team.”

Ouch. My knee jerk reaction: “Oh, these guys will make the NCAA.”

Which knee jerk reaction, I, frankly, reassessed on the ride home after the L. My certitude is wavering. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Memphis State

Louisville Card File: Rutgers

dunikcardLet me start out by repeating myself.

I know, as if, that isn’t my normal M O.

Any conference W on the road is a good one. No matter how abysmal the foe may be. Period.

Don’t believe me? Today’s referrals: UConn, again. Duke, who learned how strange things most always seem to happen when visiting South Bend. And, Oklahoma State, who came up short in Manhattan. Kansas, that is.

Yeah, I know the Bearcats won in Memphis. I would offer that it’s that old exception, proving the rule thing.

The Cards win at RAC was U.G.L.Y.

So what? A win is a win is a . . . Continue reading Louisville Card File: Rutgers

Louisville Card File: Central Florida

dunikcardLest you are deluded that a W on the road against a not-ready-for-prime-time league foe, let alone one by 25 points, is no big deal, find a UConn Huskie to chat up.

One of the Cards significant rivals for the AAC crown, Shabazz Napier et al fell at 9-5 Houston in a tilt contested in an eerily empty arena, but for a few family members and close personal friends.

Conference wins on the road are always big. Even against the over-matched Central Florida Brandon Benders.

The beleaguered Cardinals came up huge on New Year’s Eve, 90-65.

* * * * *

Despite all the hand-wringing in the wake of the L in Rupp, despite the despondency at the banishment of Chane Behanan and probability of Kevin Ware being a no-show for the rest of the year, this Cardinal squad, if nowhere near as potent as last year’s champs, is not without talent. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Central Florida

Louisville Card File: Missouri State (Very Cool Video Included)

dunikcardThe Boom came early.

A tick over two minutes into the tilt, the Bears led 4-3. At which point, they would have been best advised to find the nearest bomb shelter.

But, Mizzou State did not bunker down.

The Boom ensued.

Russ Smith FT. 4-4.

Montrezl Harrell second-chance deuce. 6-4.

Russ Smith jumper. 8-4.

Wayne Blackshear trey. 11-4.

Rebound follow deuce by Mangok Mathiang. 13-4.

Terry Rozier second chance jumper. 15-4.

Chane Behanan slam. 17-4.

Terry Rozier snow bird after stealing inbounds pass. 19-4. Continue reading Louisville Card File: Missouri State (Very Cool Video Included)