There have been times through the decades that I have been disappointed by the Louisville Cardinals.
By their performance. By their attitude. By some untoward, unnecessary actions.
Discouraged.
Distraught.
Dismayed.
Disturbed.
I needn’t move on to any other letter of the alphabet, I trust you understand my drift.
But, for the life of me, I cannot remember when I’ve been more disgusted.
Not so much with the team’s somnambulant play, though that’s part of it. And focusing on that would be to shortchange El Ellis, Sydney Curry, Sam Williamson and Noah Locke for his shooting. But for their energy, U of L would have lost at home to one of the worst teams in the history of the ACC.
Which they almost did anyway.
The word I wrote in my notes, after the inexplicable actions from the bench of U of L’s coach and U of L’s senior leader in the final minute, was REPREHENSIBLE.
Meaning “deserving of censure or condemnation.”
As I watched the last dumbfounding :47 seconds unfold, I’m sure there was enough smoke coming out of my ears to set off a fire alarm, had I been sitting near one.
* * * * *
In a back and forth battle, after 16 lead changes and the 6th and final tie at 63 all, U of L appeared to take charge.
It started with an El Ellis driving deuce. 65-63. (Actually he connected on a triple on the possession before, but that was countered by the visitor’s slam.) Then the Cards’ savior converted a 1+1 after several squiggly possessions by both teams. 67-63.
A Sydney Curry layin on a nice feed from Sam Williamson sandwiched a couple made and a couple missed Pitt FTs. 69-65.
At :47, Noah Locke netted a cold blooded trey from straightaway.
72-65.
Dagger, right?
Deal done?
Uh, no.
Ellis missed the front end of a 1+1, after an empty Panthers’ possession. It happens. Williamson snared the missed charity toss, getting fouled in the process.
But before he stepped to the line, Malik Williams who had fouled out, thanks in part to T in the 1st, committed his second technical from the bench, his 6th foul of the game, and was ejected.
Unacceptable.
After Pitt drained both technical freebies, Sam missed the FT, but to make amends hustled back and blocked a fast break Panther gimme.
At which point, another technical was assessed, I believe to Coach Chris Mack. I’m writing this immediately after the game to vent. And I’m so mad I couldn’t abide taking in his post game comments.
I’m advised he said something during his radio interview to the effect, “I said some things I shouldn’t have.”
Really, coach? At crunch time, with the game still in the balance?
So two converted FTs cut the Cards recently secure margin to three.
When steady Jarrod West netted two FTs at :14, the game was then in hand at 74-69, right?
Uh, no.
Jamarius Burton bullseyed another bomb. 74-72.
West hit one of two at the stripe, meaning at least it would take OT for the Cards to blow the game. But Burton’s last gasp missile bounced off the back of the iron.
U of L escaped the slog. 75-72.
* * * * *
Hear me now, and believe me later.
The University of Louisville Men’s Basketball Team that showed up Wednesday night in the Yum! will not make the NCAA tournament.
Louisville’s performance was rudderless, and to toss out one more “d” descriptor, desultory.
El Ellis saved the day. Sam Williamson in the 2d and Syd Curry in his 18 minutes showed some spunk was strong, played with gusto. Noah Locke drained three really important treys.
And the rest did enough to survive.
OK, one more:
I’m disheartened.
Can you tell?
— c d kaplan
You need a night of deli!
Question. Do lose lips still sink ships? No, but they can skin a Cardinal if they are loud enough. Apparently, they were. I’ve watched basketball 6 plus decades and have never seen or heard such an uncontrolled bench.
I have generally favored support for CCM. But things about him scream lack of discipline. This is not what our team or program needs. OK, this ref crew seemed more than ready to T-up. But all the more need not to play into it. And this lack of discipline expresses itself in other sloppy play. And program embarrassments. We are lucky to be 4-0 in ACC play.
And next up is Florida State a team that has shown a singular lack of success this year (1-2 in the conference and 7-5 overall), but a team that the Ville has recently been unable to beat on their home court. But in the meantime the real world continues to roll merrily along down here in beautiful sunny and warm south Florida with Covit variant cases and hospitalizations reaching new highs and 1000 teachers here in Palm Beach county out sick yesterday leaving our school kids in school without enough teachers to teach them anything, Oh well, just sayin.
Never heard of a game that garnered 6 technicals (at least not one without a bench clearing brawl). Maybe college basketball has change so much that it is not the game I expect to see. The season is in league play already and I’m still having to read jerseys to identify Cardinal players. As a budding member of the “bah humbug – get off my lawn” generation, I may be overreacting- or underwhelmed. Nonetheless, I’ve definitely not been entertained by Cardinal men’s basketball recently.
I’ll add my D….. DEAD, as in dead inside.
Season ticket holder for 40+ years, preceded by years as student and graduate in ‘76, I’ve enjoyed the best of times. I’ve suffered through some bad times, particularly the pains of recent years. Thought I learned a lesson many years ago to not get too upset after poor performances.
I wasn’t upset after last night’s game. Far from it. I just find myself not giving a damn. DETACHED might work. Here we are 4-0 in the ACC and I find little room for optimism. I hope I’m wrong!
I’ll keep football tickets, but I think it’s time to retire to the living room during bball season. I will always remain a fan. So many great memories over the past 50 years will always warm my heart! Go Cards!
Let me toss in a sorely needed optimistic “D”, as in “Determined”, as in Sydney Curry’s game vs. Pitt. I think this kid has a tremendous upside. Seedy, is there any way you can communicate a suggestion to the coaching staff that they get every piece of film they can find of Wes Unseld(NBA included) and Ellis Myles for Syd to digest? Every time I see him on the court his shape, size and apparent raw ability conjures up beloved memories of those two special Cards. Obviously, I’m not implying that he can fill either of those guy’s shoes, but both of them would seem to be distinctly appropriate role models for the further development of his game. (Just spit-balling here from a “D”–as in “Dedicated”–fan since the “DDs”, as in “Dromo Days”.)
So when was the last time a UL player finished a game with six fouls? And why is a player on the bench chirping at the refs. That’s for the coach to do. That’s the point where the team captain should step in and…oh wait. And given that these refs have clearly demonstrated that they are ready and able to give out technicals, why in the name of Denny Crum is Chris Mack even LOOKING at the officials at that point. Why would he say ANYTHING, let alone enough to get a T. My wife asked me as an aside if Pitino ever got technicals. I said, “Only when he wanted one,” because Rick new EXACTLY what to say to get one and what NOT to say so he wouldn’t. I’ll add my “D” : Dumb.