Happy Happy Birthday from all of us to you/ May you have Happy  Birthdays now and your whole life through/ Happy Happy Birthday to You and You and you all out there in Television Land

So, here I sit the morning after U of L’s gritty, gut check 71-66 dub in Blacksburg, and you are wondering why I start the GameCap with Randy and Cactus?

Because today — Thank you for the marvelous gift, Cardinals — is my, you guessed it, birthday.

Not to reveal too much personal info, but I am now officially and unequivocally and no going back, an octo-.

Plus there’s this connection, which is pretty cool. I was on T-Bar-V for the first time on my 8th birthday, just a couple of months after my first Cardinal game, when I fell in love forever and always with Louisville hoops.

26,379 days ago.

Yet still, residing firmly in my dotage, one didn’t need a foley artist to fashion a sound effect of me screaming “BALL GAME!!!!!!” after J’Vonne Hadley stole the rock at :09, and Reyne Smith got fouled.*

*It was as loud as I — and everybody else in Hall — shouted against Memphis State in ’86 when Milt was egging us on aft™️™️er being fouled with seconds to go.

Milt made his. Victory.

Smith made his. Victory.

 * * * * *

Rare is the occasion when the Mr. Bunny Do Not Relinquish The Lead Dictum™️ and the Seedy K Answer Imperative™️ meld together out of necessity for U of L to prevail.

Against pesky, well-coached Virginia Tech, Louisville played a perfect opening 6:03. Efficient. Energetic. Focused. Both ends of the hardwood.

16-3.

Then the Hokies got pokey.

It was far from linear, but the moment came when the invocation of those pair of paradigms was mandated. With 10:32 left, the Cards lead evaporated entirely at 53 all, when Tech netted one of their 11 from long range.

After which, an agonizing 2:27 of less than boffo b-ball ensued.

Louisville turnover.

Virginia Tech miss.

L: held ball turnover.

VT: turnover.

L: turnover.

VT: miss, follow miss.

L: miss.

VT: turnover.

I ran outta Tums.

L: miss.

VT: offensive foul turnover.

And then Chucky Hepburn — thank you BadgerLand — tallied a Do Not Relinquish The Lead Answer from close in.

There were lots of important made shots. Terrence Edwards consecutive triples. James Scott’s put back for a 69-66 advantage. But if Tech had scored first at the end of that sequence, well, who knows?

I don’t.

During a media stoppage at 6:58, VT having knotted it just before at 55, I paced around the room. Wondering, superstitious as I am wont to be, “Is it fair to genuflect before Naismithius and ask for birthday W?”

Which I only thought about but did not actually do. Except passively aggressively by even  thinking about it.

 * * * * *

U of L prevailed despite not scoring for the final two minutes before halftime.

U of L prevailed even though they missed, what, 8 or 9 layups.

U of L prevailed even though they committed several of their 12 turnovers at key junctures.

U of L prevailed even though Tech hit 11 (11/26) treys to the Cards’ 6 (6/23).

U of L prevailed even though VT’s bench outscored the Cards’ 42-10.

 * * * * *

U of L won because it outscored Tech 44-24 in the paint.

U of L won because it outscored Tech 26-9 in points off turnovers.

U of L won because it drained 9 of its 11 FTs.*

*Pat Kelsey has mentioned what a video junkie James Scott is. Coach, show him footage of Rick Barry at the line. Wilt Chamberlain. Get Chinanu Onuaku on the phone. Bring in one of those FT Gurus. Off season task #1 for the Cards pivotman. 

U of L won because its D held the Hokies scoreless for the last 1:49.

U of L won because of preparation, knowing what VT would run on that key set late and switching assignments. And PK trusting his staff to institute the change.

U of L won because, dagnabbit, It Is What They Do. Why they’ve hit double deuces in the Win column.

 * * * * *

Loved the Cardinal unis. Old school simple. Old school font. Same as back when, except for names on the back.

Loved how ubiquitous Roger Ayers, after a review simply said, “Nothing there.”

Love Wes Durham on play by play. Also enjoy laconic Jim Boeheim doing color. Especially since there aren’t any cutaways of him picking his nose on the bench.

Loved how somehow I was actually able to get ACCN+ on my laptop for the first 8 minutes of the game.

Love how I eventually, after years of psychotherapy, was able to move beyond the trauma of that T-Bar-V visit, and discovering the birthday cake was made of cardboard.

 * * * * *

I love this win.

Because, well, I love ’em all.

Also, Louisville didn’t play really well after that first foray, but didn’t fold. Did what they needed to do. Pat Kelsey said it was good for the Cards to have one come down to the wire. I agree.

22-6. (15-2)

Happy Birthday to Me.

— c d kaplan