All posts by seedyk

Hybrid Schtick: Hoops + Dis&Dat

Basketball, College Sports

There is a now a firm belief, at least among some of the Cardinal hoops coaching staff, that Trentyn Flowers and his dad had their abdication planned all along. If not to Down Under, to somewhere.

That he’d come to town, nab an NIL deal, get some coaching over the summer, film his workouts, and shop them around hither and yon.

Obviously, the staff does not know that for a fact, but believe it to be so in hindsight.

Kinda like Shaedon Sharpe sorta did down the road.

 * * * * *

There are still many fans who won’t move past KP’s unfortunate statement early on that some interpret as him, not buying into NIL.

So, I pass this along. Continue reading Hybrid Schtick: Hoops + Dis&Dat →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week 0

Football, Gaming

I’m baack with my weekly mix of perfect pigskin projections. Look for them each Wednesday afternoon of the 2023 campaign, give or take 24 hours before or after that day.

Oh my, Blessed be Bronconagurskius, ye the Greek God of Pigskin, we are just days away from beginning to learn the answers to the nagging questions about College Football 2023’s questions.

And, get a much needed and appreciated respite from realignment jabberwocky.

We shall find out, sooner or later . . .

. . . How long it will take for Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino to throw down their headsets and duke it out on the sidelines?

Smart $$$ says, take the under.

. . . How much faster the battles will be with no game clock stoppage after 1st Downs (except in the final two minutes of each half)?

. . . Whether some school not from Dixie can win the CFP?

. . . Whether Hugh Freeze will work his magic at Toomer’s Corner?

. . . Will Caleb Williams join Archie Griffin?

. . . Who if anybody will be this season’s TCU?

. . . Will Iowa OC Kirk Ferentz’s O score 25 ppg, and will the team win 7 games, thus saving the Hawkeye HC from firing his son?

. . . How long before serially mediocre Graham Mertz costs formerly surefire hire Billy Napier his job in Gainesville?

. . . Deion Sanders?

. . . Will homeboy Jeff Brohm deliver?

And, oh oh oh so many more.

But we must commence at the start, or so they say.

Which in the case of this brutal sport we love is the absurdly designated Week 0.

Which brings us to the most crucial query of all, if I must say so myself. Which is, will the cybergalaxy’s most heralded and successful pigskin prognosticator, ahem, need I say his name, continue to provide his loyal readers with victor after victor after victor week in and week out, as he has so consistently in the past?

Smart $$$ says take the thumbs up.

So, let’s begin, shall we? Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week 0 →

Sayonara Trentyn Flowers

Basketball

Statement from Louisville men’s basketball coach Kenny Payne regarding Trentyn Flowers:

Head Coach Kenny Payne

“Earlier today, Trentyn and his family informed me of his decision to pursue a professional career overseas. We’re certainly disappointed in his decision and the timing. We fully believe in the University of Louisville’s ability to help student-athletes reach their goals, including to play at the highest levels of professional basketball – and we’re confident that Trentyn could have achieved his dreams by making Louisville his home. However, we wish Trentyn and his family well in all of their future endeavors.”

The hits just keep on comin’.

Only insight I have from someone who has observed practice, the kid and family: “His father Travis is a Little League dad, who thinks he knows more than any of the coaches.

“It might also have had something to do with playing time. Nobody expected Koron (Davis) to be as good as he is.”

— c d kaplan

Footballishness: Realignment Therapy

College Sports, Football

It’s been a running joke of mine for decades.

Invoked at moments in my mundane existence, when getting in touch with an inner Ken Kesey levity would be nice.

Where are those acid flashbacks now that I really need them, the ones our finger-wagging elders warned us about back in the day ? A few kandy-colored tracers wouldn’t be a bad thing now and again, as long as I’m not behind the wheel.

Little do I want, however, a brown acid bummer. Like the only one of mine experienced at a Chicago concert at Memorial Coliseum. Twas a very weird evening.

Anyway, that’s kind of how it felt to this college football analyst (of my own mind) with all this seismic plate-shifting conference rejiggering. Which kicked way up a notch recently, as if Emeril dumped a whole bottle of hot sauce in the roux he was concocting.

What’s coming this year is relatively benign. Four new schools in the Big Whatever.

But next season we got a transcontinental sea change a comin’. (Mixed metaphor used.)

Bicoastal nonsense. Accepting the non-presence of PAC 0.

With more possibly, hopefully not, on the way.

At any rate, to cope I have just completed Part I of a College Sports Realignment Assimilation Conversion Therapy course, presented by the Bear Bryant Institute. Part II is next summer. Continue reading Footballishness: Realignment Therapy →

Whither (Wither?) College Sports

Uncategorized

What a revoltin’ development this is.

Chester A. Riley’s punchline is the first lede that came to mind, when considering how to weigh in on the weltschmerz Tilt-A-Whirl that is college football’s obvious money grab.

Another descriptor: Cockamamie.

That’s getting in touch with my inner Paul Shaffer.

I also thought of a 1962 Italian “shockumentary” that I thought was pretty cool when I was in HS. “Mondo Cane.” A Dog’s Life.

(I was better able to tolerate depraved and perverse as a teen. Not so much now. Enamored back then, I just watched a trailer for the flick, a smidge of it anyway, and found it pretty disgusting. Which was the point, but still.)

So, yeah. College Sports = Mondo Cane. Continue reading Whither (Wither?) College Sports →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Cardinal Hoops, What Else You Expect?

Basketball

Last musings on the TBT thing.

I was not present at any of Peyton Siva’s meet & greets with the press. But seem to recall, though it might have been reading between the lines, he indicated his playing days might be over.

If so, here’s what I hope happens.

That there’s a spot for him in some capacity on the U of L Men’s hoops staff. If not there, somewhere in the Cardinal athletic apparatus.

He’s always been mature beyond his year. He’s an incredible leader on and off the court.

He’s a winner. Like, you know, an L1C4 Certified National Champion®.

If Siva is actually hangin’ up his Chucks, I pray it happens.

Josh, Kenny, if by some slim chance you are listening to these rambling thoughts, git ‘er done.

As for Peyton’s running mate, the reason he’s never had a shot at the NBA was on full display. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Cardinal Hoops, What Else You Expect? →

GameCap: The Ville 62, Gutter Cats 64

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You got to close the deal.

The Ville did not.

Their run to shake hands with John Beresford Tipton ended Saturday afternoon.

The locals, mostly former U of L Cardinals, led by a penny, 56-55, as the Elam Ending commenced.

First to 64 survived and advanced.

With the crowd at din level on the decibel meter, the locals moved to within a deuce of victory, on a couple Russ Smith FTs, a third chance follow by Chane Behanan and a Smith J. Countered by a lone Gutter Cat FT.

The Ville was close.

But no cigar.

The remaining possessions for the former Cards+ went like this. Four missed hoops, two turnovers. Continue reading GameCap: The Ville 62, Gutter Cats 64 →

GameCap: The Ville 79-74

Basketball

In a street fight, and make no mistake, Thursday night’s brawl in the Hall was nothing but, you got to have all the parts.

The brawlers.

Chane Behanan. 11 boards, 12 points.

Chinanu Onuaku. 11 rebounds, 8 points.

Guys who mix it up, but also carry a blade.

Omar Prewitt. 13 points, including a couple dagger triples.

A closer.

Need I say his name?

Russ Smith. 20 points, including the first two of the Elam Ending, and the game winning FT.

But the most important member of the gang is the organizer, the guy who makes sure everybody knows their role and sees to it that matters progress as they should.

Peyton Siva. Continue reading GameCap: The Ville 79-74 →

Game Cap: The Ville 91, War Ready 67

Basketball

C’mon, could it really have ended any other way in the first return of the Cardinal b-ball family since the ridiculously ab fab finale thirteen years ago?

No, truth be told, it could not.

So, the Grande Dame of College Hoops forever and always, World Famous Freedom Hall got its first taste of Russdiculousness.

Russ Smith is arguably the most beloved Cardinal ever. At the very least, he’s in the conversation with Grif and Westley.

That stature was improbably — or not so improbably — enhanced Tuesday night.

In The Ville’s opening round TBT tilt with War Ready (mostly Auburn ballers), the former Cards++ needed six more points to reach the Elam Ending Target Victory Score of 91.

Russ, defying Coach Marc Lieberman’s belief that you shouldn’t go for treys during that unclocked final segment, hoisted one up anyway. You could hear The Rick’s tasseled loafer slamming the hardwood from wherever he was watching.

Miss. Continue reading Game Cap: The Ville 91, War Ready 67 →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Luuuuuuuuuuuke!!! +

Uncategorized

In a late move, 2013 Final Four MOP Luke Hancock is now serving double duty with The Ville in The Basketball Tournament.

He’s now a player as well as a coach for the squad.

One must assume it was Earl Clark’s unavailability that was the catalyst for this move.

The presence of another member U of L’s national championship squad is sweet.

Whether he’s in hoops shape or not?

The Ville’s opening tilt is 7:00 PM Tuesday night in Freedom Hall. Tickets are available.

 * * * * *

Gratuitous non-sports plug ahead.

In a recent post, I mentioned I missed Manny Okorafor’s breakout game against that school up the road, because I was in Indy for a Tedeschi Trucks concert.

How good was that show?

Thanks for asking.

Click here for a link to my review.

You’ll be glad you did.

— c d kaplan