What is this?
This is . . .
. . . Fa fa fa fa, fa fa fa fa fa fantastic.
I happened upon a videocast yesterday from Field of 68, on which insider’s insider Jeff Goodman and another fellow were interviewing new UVa coach Ryan Odom and Pat Kelsey.
When the subject of the week’s transfer portal haul came up, PK was all PK.
With that frat boy/ fan boy kind of enthusiasm, he said something to the effect, “Last year this time, we had zero stinkin’ recruits.”
As I recall, it was well into May, or later, when some announcements came. Like this year, in a flurry.
In 2025 starting on April Fool’s Day — joke not on Cardinal Nation . . .
. . . Pat Kelsey = Portal Kelsey = P(ortal) K(iller).
That’s what it is what it is.
Three consensus Top 15/ Top 20/ Top 25 portal ballers.
Adrian Wooley. Come on down.
Ryan Conwell. Come on down.
Isaac McNeely. Come on down.
When it rains it pours.*
*OK, sorry. Not so cute given there’s so much rain and flooding, roads closed, basements flooded, and MSD is asking us not to use our washing machines and dish washers, because the waste system is at capacity already. With more inclemency comin’.
Some recruiting geek named Aaron Torres was so excited about the Cards’ haul and prospects, he could have been Rob Hickerson in disguise. Torres is the guy who dubbed PK, Portal Kelsey. I think.
Either he or the Field of 68 guys dubbed Kelsey, “a menace to society.” Which I don’t really get, but was meant to be a compliment.
All three of those guards shoots better than 40% from beyond the arc.
Conwell’s from Indy, but chose U of L over any Hoosier school that showed interest.
Wooley’s from Tuscaloosa. If Bama came a callin’, he turned the Crimson Tide to low tide.
The Cards have a couple of roster spots available. Going to be fascinating to see who fills ’em.
Until then, we got, oh, Final Four weekend.
* * * * *
All that notwithstanding, for a Cardinal lifer here’s the weekend’s coolest story.
The U of L managers won a national championship competition in San Antonio.*
*Josh, give ’em a banner.
The team’s star: Carson Howard.
On the 50th anniversary of the missed FT that’s haunted his grandfather Terry his whole life. Grandson’s first post victory call was to gramps, whose #23 he wore during the competition.
Symmetry. It’s just too sweet. So appropriate. So endearing.
* * * * *
It appears U of L and St. John’s are working on a home and home series, starting next season.
Cool.
* * * * *
Fox’s made for TV post season tourney — College Basketball Crown — looks like a bust.
It’s in Vegas. Held in a 17,000 seat arena.
I tuned in a couple of times, and it appeared that 16,600 or so of those seats were unoccupied.
Even hyperexcitable announcer Gus Johnson couldn’t generate any enthusiasm.
This could be a one and done.
— c d kaplan