Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

Ladies, Gents, Acolytes of the Red & Black Nation wherever ye may reside, Louisville Cardinal basketball is but seven days and a wake up away.

My resting heart rate is doing wind sprints.

Though there is rarely any actual info to be consumed at such affairs, such is the level of my anticipation in advance of PKY2, I attended.

The meal, as expected, was meh. Except for that deadly/ get your cardiologist on speed dial  chocolate-iced cheesecake dessert. My girth took a major hit.

Coach Kelsey, admited he does so many of these talks he’s running out of material. The shtick thus was at a minimum. But the pep went to 11. Nigel Tufnel would be proud.

There were a couple of takeaways. An anecdotal survey at the media table confirmed that none of the others like me had been to a practice.

That’s how it rolls.

Which is why when I’m asked my evaluation of the team — at least a handful of times daily — I’m as clueless as the woman with a dunking Cardinal on her quarter zip at Trader Joe’s filling her cart with their knock off of Unscrutables™.

What intrigued me was an observation — or two — of Kasean Pryor. He walked to the podium for his little moment without a hint of limp. A good thing.

More important, his hair was his natural brown color, not dyed blonde.

 * * * * *

So, Wednesday at Media Day, when we of the Press were finally let out of the corral to talk with the players, I darted for Pryor.

“Dude, what’s up with the natural hair?”

He laughed. We fist bumped.

“You gonna play like that? Or, you gonna grab some hair dye before taking the court?”

He admitted that it does give him a feeling of power, when he plays as a blonde. And will probably go there.

By all means, my man, whatever it takes.

 * * * * *

The player I’m most fascinated by preseason is Sananda Fru.

#13 in your program.

The Berlin native was last seen on the hardwood competing for Loewen Braunschweig in the German BBL He was also previously on the German U20 national team. He’s 22 now.

One of the things that fascinates me is the national buzz he’s getting as one of the best international newcomers.

Because, he told me, U of L was the only school that recruited him. Cardinal staff is obviously paying attention. Let’s hope they saw something everybody else missed.

Fru’s goal at U of L is to get his degree. Assuming he’s as awesome as we project, that would be most cool. He’s a junior.

I was intrigued by his demeanor in a couple interviews I saw. True to the character traits attributed to those from his country, he seemed serious. (The antithesis of Kasean.)

I mean, can you name a German comedian?

So, socio-culture buff I am, I asked him about the current fad of German youth, gathering in crowds and eating pudding with a fork.

He was sweetly defensive. Mentioned how it was a way for younger folks to interact.

Which is not that illuminating about the Euro, but confirmed he shall not be leading the squad in goofiness.

PK on Fru: “He’s an underrated passer. Skilled. A terrific finisher.”

 * * * * *

Kelsey’s press conference Wednesday started right on the button at 3:00 o’clock.

No surprise there.

I inquired about the Kansas exhi. Wondered whether it was balls out to prevail, or a chance to experiment before the games count? Not using those exact words, mind you.

His end to the response was the essence of Pat Kelsey..

“It is SICK we’ll be playing an exhibition against Kansas in front of 20,000.” A paraphrase.

Essentially his overall take was there would be balance.

“But I want to beat that sucker. I always want to win.”

He was questioned about his dustup with Mark Pope on the recruiting trail

Whether it was the beginning of the rivalry like Denny vs. Joe B., or Pitino vs. Calipari?

He didn’t mince words.

“No.”

 * * * * *

I’m not going to go through it all.

If you didn’t watch, here’s the link to his meeting with us.

— c d k