Category Archives: Fandom

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 →

My Agathokakological Sports Saturday

Basketball, Fandom, Football

Though Dylanian in the elegance of its poesy and the truth of its message, the phrase comes from the intro to a TV sports show.

Wide World of Sports.

Iconic Jim McKay’s voice over the opening credits.

Who can shake the image of that ski jumper careening off the launch ramp, a Irish hurler being dropped by an errant swing. Pele’s ecstatic leap into a teammate’s arms after a big goal for Brazil?

The phrase lives Methuselahian in the lexicon of athletics.

The thrill of victory.

The agony of defeat.

My Louisville Cardinals 81, Virginia 67.

Thrill of victory.

My Detroit Lions 31, Washington 45.

Agony of defeat.

A healthy helping of both. Continue reading My Agathokakological Sports Saturday →

Let’s Have Some Fun, Card Fans!

Basketball, Fandom, Sports

Yesterday I was daydreaming, wondering about how far fans will go when they are in love with a team or a school?

So, I thought it would be cool to see if any of the Red & Black Faithful who are the vast majority of my readers have stories have any stories?

Which I hope all will share in the Comment Section below.

I’ve got some. Mine involve Cardinal hoops, but the sport does not matter, it’s what was done in the name of loyalty.

Three here underscore how strong my love is.

To start. It would be disingenuous not to admit my entire professional career path was altered by a U of L basketball game.

Truth is I never in my callow youth contemplated adulthood. Marriage. Family. Career. Never gave ’em much thought.

So, my senior year at U of L arrives in ’66-’67. Vietnam is the black cloud over all of us military age. I hadn’t a clue what I was going to do after graduation. I had a humanities prof whom I really liked. So, what the hell, I signed up to take the Graduate Records, and apply for a Masters or beyond in Humanities.

Like I said, not much aforethought.

But the week of the Saturday I’m going to take them, a pal walks into the Cardinal Inn with this.

Great news, he advises, he’d scored some tickets to the Cards hoops encounter that Saturday afternoon at Cincy. In their old gym. Continue reading Let’s Have Some Fun, Card Fans! →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XIII

Fandom, Football, ,

Readers who don’t understand a lot of the things they read here — and they are aplenty — have asked whether when sleepwalking at night, I type out my lede and predictions and hit Send without copyreading?

Others have wondered if there’s a warehouse somewhere with thousands of monkeys at keyboards banging away? And that I mindlessly cut and paste their senseless output and hit Send without copyreading.

Well, no. And no.

But there are times when I dazzle even myself with the senseless drivel I write.

Like this week, when I totally discarded my original opening shtick. It literally made no sense. Then I came up with the erudition above.

Anywho . . . last week . . .

. . . Minnesota and Okie State lost. My bad.

Auburn, Georgia and the now CFP #25 University of Louisville Cardinals prevailed.

Three up. Two down. 40-26 on the season.

Enough fathomless diversion.

This week’s winners: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XIII →

A Hoopaholic’s Perspective on The Cardinals

Basketball, Fandom,

To help move on from some unhealthy habits decades ago, among other things, I took to accepting the benefits of what I’d previously and derisively referred to as “fix me books.”

To great benefit.

Among my favorites remains Richard Carlson’s “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff . . . and it’s all small stuff.”

Short chapters. Quick reads. Sage wisdom to cope with the exigencies of daily life.

Given my days short of seven decade love affair with U of L hoops, for better or worse, through richer or poorer, it has been difficult in the recent troubled years for the program to find Carlson’s sense of perspective to it all.

The not fun, admittedly discouraging start of the Kenny Payne Era hasn’t helped.

I am as dismayed as any.

Those healthier than I am can deal with it more calmly.

In these knee jerk times when many, frustrated, live in ten minute cycles, there are fans mired in fury.

I have been preaching patience.

As much for myself as for those who might listen.

Though I truly am of the opinion that we won’t know for several seasons whether Kenny Payne is as good a coach as he is a decent human being. Continue reading A Hoopaholic’s Perspective on The Cardinals →

MMQB: Can You Say Wacked?

College Sports, Fandom, Football

Well, it certainly didn’t take long for the 2022 college season to bounce out of control.

Including, you know, at the Bounce House, where my Louisville Cardinals were the Bouncer, and the Knights, winners of 31 of their previous 33 on familiar turf, were the Bouncees.

Cue the Bobby Vee.

 * * * * *

Before I get out the Barb Gun, a shout out to a couple of players from around here.

First, my man Doc told me he was going to write me out of his will if I didn’t give some props to Cardinal punter Mark Vassett. As if I was ever in it for a bequest.

Vassett averaged 48 yards a kick in Orlando, providing advantageous field position for the good guys.

So insistent has Doc been, I’ve taken to calling him Wilbur, in honor of Wilbur Summers, who during one woeful TW Alley season was the Cardinals’ sole weapon.

And to a UK Wildcat. Yeah, U of L fans deal with it. Continue reading MMQB: Can You Say Wacked? →

Monday Morning Headset: The Guillotine Awaits

College Sports, Fandom, Football

Three P5 programs had loooooooong flights home from their distant Week 0 encounters.

One was the Program of the Future (Ref: Coach Clark Lea) Vanderbilt, which contrary to the thinking of the Nation’s Premier Preditctioneer, did not let frolicking along Waikiki Beach get in the way of game performance.

Vandy 63, Hawai’i 10.

Since the somewhat iconic Aloha Stadium has been condemned, the game was played at the Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex “Stadium.” Capacity 9,000.

Maybe Rainbow Warriors coach Timmy Chang could harvest some pigskinners to matriculate from nearby vaunted St. Louis HS. Can any of those Little Leaguers who dominated the LLWS, outscoring foes 60-5 in 6 games play QB?

The other schools taking a red eye were Pat Fitzgerald’s ever feisty Northwestern Wildcats, and . . .

. . . the Program of the Distant Past, Nebraska. Where are you Bob Devaney when the Cornhusker State really needs you? Really really really needs you.

Nebraska 28, Northwestern 31.

Yet again, and it’s almost inexplicable, former favorite son Scott Frost’s charges were Hüsker Dön’t. Seven single digit Ls in a row. So many more during what what was supposed to be his triumphant return to Lincoln.

Can Bob Mould play QB?

Live by the onside kick, die by the onside kick. Continue reading Monday Morning Headset: The Guillotine Awaits →

Friday Football Follies: Appetizers Anyone?

College Sports, Fandom, Football

You know how you get invited to a dinner soiree, where, forget the company, you know the spread is going to be magnifico?

Like, fresh shrimp as big as your fist. Crab cakey bites that are made from the real thing, not surimi. Pizza noshes the hosts have flown in from Lou Malnati’s in Chitown. Then your choice of fresh Dover Sole, or beef  so tender you cut it with the side of your fork and Henry Baines sauce. Some Chocolate Bomb thing for dessert that’s so rich you feel guilty from the second bite on, but forge to completion anyway.

That kind of dinner party.

Well, football fans, that’s next weekend, Week I. West Virginia/ Pittsburgh. Utah/ Florida. Notre Dame/ THE Ohio State, your favorite team finally in action on the telly somewhere, if you’re not actually in the stadium.

Tomorrow. Appetizers.

But you know, like, pimento cheese on Ritz crackers, Domino’s, Hostess Cupcakes. Continue reading Friday Football Follies: Appetizers Anyone? →

Football Follies: Let’s Get This Party Started

Fandom, Football

The usually spot on Elvis Costello missed his mark with this one, whatever the song really means.

At least this week, when he sang “Everything means less than zero.”

Because it is a time when college football junkies have come to cherish.

Week Zero.

In the subsequent increments to come, as the numerology increases, when it shall be wall to wall football, and our faves and the big boys will be competing on the gridiron, such matchups as Wyoming vs. Illinois, UConn vs Utah State and Western Kentucky vs Austin Peay* will hardly be must see TV. But this first week, they are.

You know, like, almost.

*Know how on PTI, Tony Kornheiser never passes up a chance to make a joke about Uranus? Similarly, whenever I mention that Clarksville, Tennessee institution of higher learning, it is an excuse to invoke the potty humor that is the greatest cheer in the history of sports, “Fly’s open, Let’s Go Peay.”

The addicted amongst us shall be fully heplocked up at high noon Saturday to mainline that first kickoff of the campaign from Bowling Green, Ky.

Soon enough, all but the most dedicated of fans for those schools shall clicking over to a game being contested across the pond. Continue reading Football Follies: Let’s Get This Party Started →