Category Archives: Baseball

Super Duper: Cards Omaha Bound

Baseball,

The easy take, one arguably misinformed, is that the now once-streaking-until-they-weren’t CWS-bound Louisville Cardinals limped into the NCAA.

Uh, guilty.

The harsher view, the Stephen A-ish knee jerk bloviational rant: The Cards backed into the tourney. Hard, but one that got a few clicks, given how nastiness is a default character trait in these social media days. Negativitude seems to be an aspiration for many.

U of L lost 6 of its last 7. The coup de grace, a 13-11 L to lowly Pitt in the squad’s one and done appearance in the ACC tourney.

The promise of those two Ws (out of 3) in that season opening showcase near JerryWorld, kickstarting six and eight game winning skeins, seemed to have died on the vine.

Taking of season series against Super Regional participants North Carolina and Florida State were just, who knows. baseball luck. That the win over #1 seed VandyBoys in May was simply a midweek aberration.

Recent late season meltdowns fueled the dismay among fans of the Cardinal Nine.

Now, looking back with fresh eyes, and documentation that those takes were if not illformed at least of zero consequence, there might have been a hint of what was to come from that loss to the Panthers in Durham. Continue reading Super Duper: Cards Omaha Bound →

Seedy K’s GameCap: Cards 8, Canes 1.

Baseball,

The cleaning crews were scurrying about on Thursday (Practice/ Media Day) at the Jim. It was obvious the Cards from nowhere sweep of the Regional had caught the powers that be off guard.

The place was getting hosed down from stem to stern.

Snack bars were swabbed down and replenished with Cracker Jack and brewski in advance of crowds that bought out the joint within hours of when tickets went on sale.

It appeared that the effort had been going on for awhile.

Some tasks take time.

Like getting the interweb connection to Miami to work for the visitor’s meet and greet.

Some tasks turn in the proverbial blink of an eye.

The Cards fashioned the latter in the twice rain delayed Super Regional opener against Miami Friday. Continue reading Seedy K’s GameCap: Cards 8, Canes 1. →

Diamonds and Pearls: Cards Sweep

Baseball, College Sports,

A 2 nil lead notwithstanding, worry wort that he is, your inveterate chronicler Seedy was seriously stressed after the top of the 1st Sunday night, when the Louisville Cardinals were facing surging Wright State.

Two plate crossings on the scoreboard, and the Cards still had the proverbial three ducks on the pond. With three outs left to work with.

Strike out swinging.

Inning ending 1 > 2 > 3 double play.

Coulda woulda shoulda been a Rocky Marciano first round knock out over Jersey Joe Walcott in ’53.

But nooooooooooo! Continue reading Diamonds and Pearls: Cards Sweep →

Seedy K GameCap: Louisville 8 , ETSU 3

Baseball, ,

Transparency here is imperative.

I have not paid as much attention to Cardinal baseball this season as I wished, as I have in years past.

It happens. Too often real life gets in the way.

Which is to say, I harbor zero belief that anything you read in this recap is anything approaching astute. Much of it many readers will already know, say “Duh” to themselves wondering why I’d dare to even comment. Others who watched the telecast on ESPN+ will go, “Hold on, Seedy’s just parroting stuff they mentioned during the game.”

Guilty. As. Charged.

If you decide to bail on the rest of this “insight” here and now, have at it. I might were I not actually writing to fulfill my contractual obligations with Glorious Editor.

 * * * * *

This first oddity I noted to myself, which wasn’t odd at all really, is that Dan McDonnell started the Cards quest for Omaha with Patrick Forbes on the mound. 4-4. A period of arm trouble kinda recently. And less than 40 innings of experience hurling at the collegiate level.

Well, as Seedy learned, Forbes was the Cards opening day starter. During which outing, he Ked 12 Texas Longhorns in an eventual 4-3 10 inning W over the SEC regular season champs. Though he didn’t have any Ws since March. Continue reading Seedy K GameCap: Louisville 8 , ETSU 3 →

Revival for Cardinal 9?

Baseball,

Because it’s how we roll here, let’s start this shoutout to the Cardinal 9, returning to a Quest for Omaha for first time in three seasons, with a concert last Saturday evening.

Music informs sports, one might say. Me. Or, vice versa?

“This is It”, right? What legit U of L fan doesn’t identify that ditty with a most special moment.

Mandolin maestro Sam Bush played that sweet little festival in Paristown over the weekend.

He who sort of invented newgrass music, and sort of adopted our burg as his hometown after growing up in Bowling Green, appropriately opened his ever energetic set with Grandpa Jones’ “Eight More Miles to Louisville.”

Then did Tim Krekel’s “All Night Radio.” Which could very well be the anthem for those of us who were 12 year old insecure chubbies, but found succor listening to WLAC through an earplug on his transistor radio beside his pillow.*

*God bless Mom and Dad, who never minded. 

Where was I when the lights went out?/ Up in my room listening to twist and shout
Hot summer nights by the window fan/ Out on the airwave, a big dance band/ On the all night radio…/ I gotta hear the new sound/ From across the ocean/ All strange and soulful,/ Full of new emotion

Now to the point — Louisville baseball is in need of a restart. Too many late season meltdowns in recent years. Continue reading Revival for Cardinal 9? →

Thursday’s Some Ado About . . .

Baseball, Basketball, College Sports, Fandom, Football, Media, Recruiting, Sportswriting

For a short while during my LEO stint, I had a copy editor with whom I had a, shall we say, testy relationship.

Not talking about then editor Cary Stemle, a friend and fellow sports/ music obsessive who totally understood and approved my modus operandi.

I forget the fellow’s name. My breezy, verbose, culture reference-laden style was obviously an anathema for him. He was prone to the pedantic. In extremis.

Along the way, I noticed some tweaks to my submissions that were becoming more vexatious. But, in a fit of maturity, I let them go without complaint.

Then, an issue came out in which he’d put a header over my column, which read to me anyway something like, “Here’s Another Stupid Nonsensical Article About Nothing.”

Pissed, I went to Cary, who given his other duties really hadn’t paid attention before the issue was published. I specifically recall we took a meeting with the guy, and a shouting match ensued. A new sports piece I’d submitted was during football season, and I inserted the totally cool acronym AFROS, which the Cardinal receivers had dubbed themselves at the time.

*America’s Finest Receivers On Saturdays. 

The fellow, totally clueless, did not understand, did not inquire and 86ed the reference. Continue reading Thursday’s Some Ado About . . . →

The Tortuous Path of a Sports Fanatic

Baseball, Basketball, Fandom, Football

If only I could heed my admonishment to my very own self.

To wit, Chuck, you care too much, this is not healthy.

But noooooooooooooo!

Oh, the ups and downs that can determine one’s state of mind.

On Tuesday, the Cardinal nine was upended by hapless Bellarmine.

Then my Detroit Tigers were down two going into bottom of 11th against the BoSox. This, after St. X grad Trey Sweeney kept them afloat in bottom of 10 with a game-tying RBI single.

Resurgent Javy Baez hit a walk off three run tater to win the game. His second three run shot of the night.

On Wednesday, the NFL released next season’s schedule. Continue reading The Tortuous Path of a Sports Fanatic →

Side Trip: Detroit Tigers in the Playoffs

Baseball

A little diversion today.

Taking a little side trip.

Feel free to come along. Jump in the back, remember to fasten your seat belt.

May not be as fun a diversion as, oh, stopping at the Weekie Watchie Alligator Farm. Or a spinoff to Buc-ees for a brisket on bun, one of those killer iced cinnamon buns, and a logo mini surboard for the grandkid.

But I’m looking forward to it.

Venturing into the world of post-season baseball. Because (for context) . . .

. . . my maternal grandfather owned a fruit/ vegetable stand outside the clubhouse entrance at Navin Field l/k/a Briggs Stadium l/k/a Tiger Stadium. The home of my faves, the Detroit Tigers. He knew a lot of the stars that came through.

My dad loved baseball.

Among the moments I cherish most from my youth are playing pitch and catch with him after dinner in the yard of our apartment building. I still drive by there, and many times just stop and soak in the memories.

Such was his affection, when they started a little league (small caps, was never Williamsport “official”) at the JCC, dad became Commissioner. Which some of my long time pals continued to call him until he passed away.

My first MLB game was at Briggs Stadium for the home opener of the 1956 season, the year after Al Kaline became the youngest winner of an AL batting crown. My Aunt Martha took my cousin Eddie and me. On a gloriously gray and drippy and chilly April afternoon, we sat in deep center field seats. Continue reading Side Trip: Detroit Tigers in the Playoffs →

Say Hey & Farewell

Baseball

That there was a time when any endeavor would be universally regarded as the National Pastime seems quaint in retrospect.

So it was in the early 50s with baseball.

Johnny U hadn’t transformed pro football yet. The NFL still had local telecasts.

College pigskin was also regional. Two platoons. T formations. Five bowl games.

The NBA style was stiff and slow with teams in Fort Wayne and Syracuse. Before Bill Russell and the Joneses that is.

Kentucky, Indiana, Philly and maybe North Carolina were the only places where fans really cared about college hoops.

Hockey as today was but a niche.

But baseball . . . Continue reading Say Hey & Farewell →

Back to the Jim

Baseball

Saturday dawned like the first true day of printemps.

(I know, too precious. But there are times when invocation of French is simply called for, the language is so resonant and lyrical. I gotta work the word for grapefruit in sometime soon.)

My immediate thought when seeing the sun glowing through my window: It’s time to get back to the ballyard.

I am a child of Willie, Mickey and the Duke. (As NY-centric as that may be. I mean, I recall asking my baseball-loving dad what the deal was when the Giants and Indians were in the ’54 Series. Still very young I thought it was just the Dodgers and Yankees every year.)

There were actual toys in boxes of Cracker Jack.

Baseball’s were the sounds of my youth.

The crack of ball against ash. The thwack of horsehide into leather.

The lingo. Continue reading Back to the Jim →