Category Archives: Fandom

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 →

Monday Morning Mayhem (Kinda, Sorta)

Basketball, College Sports, Fandom, Football, Soccer, Sports Finance, ,
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Before we get started with another rasher of foolishness, some Coming Attractions.

Later this week — like in a day or two — yours truly’s anxiously anticipated, nationally heralded predictioneering about the upcoming college football campaign shall be revealed.

Seedy K’s Peerless Preseason Pigskin Prognostications are but hours away. So too, hopefully, arrival of my brickbat resistant armor from that Bezos fella. Then, because that’s really nothing more than an appetite whetter, next week come my ever prescient Week 0 game predictions.

Wyoming vs. Illinois. Vanderbilt vs. Hawai’i. Nebraska vs. Northwestern, from that hotbed of American football, Dublin, Ireland.  And more, perhaps.

And don’t tell me you won’t be watching. I know better, ready to pounce, should I in the unlikely event prove incorrect.

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Speaking of football across the pond, do you want to hear about yesterday’s West London Derby at Stamford Bridge between my faves, Tottenham Hotspur, and their hated arch-rival Chelsea?

Of course, you don’t.

But what if I told you how as heated events unfolded during and after the action, I was reminded of a specific U of L hoops game against the Cards’ egregiously disliked nemesis from down the road? Continue reading Monday Morning Mayhem (Kinda, Sorta) →

Monday Morning PG: AD Search, Card 9 & Those Wacky Playoffs

Baseball, Basketball, College Sports, Fandom,

Obviously not in a rush, the muckety mucks at the University of Louisville finally hired a search firm to help choose a new Athletic Director.

I understand there are other administrative priorities.

Like, ya know, a university president.

But still, it’s been like five months since that Tyra guy decided to take his talents to Florida State, or somewhere which was somewhere else besides his office at U of L.

That the school wants to be thorough makes sense. But still.

Given familiarity, Josh Heird’s name is the most resonant.

He’s intelligent. He’s competent. He obviously wants the job.

But, as I’ve previously opined, the quiet nature of his personality is different from most fellows who fill such positions. Which are filled with men and a few women, who are Intelligent and competent, as well as being able to work the room.

Is hiring a Johnny or Janie Handshake an imperative? Continue reading Monday Morning PG: AD Search, Card 9 & Those Wacky Playoffs →

Reid Hurls No-No, Nick says “No No” & the 3-5-5

Baseball, Basketball, College Sports, Fandom, Football,

So by now, anybody within the sound of my voice is aware that former Cardinal ace Reid Detmers hurled a no-hitter for the Angels the other night, in a blowout W against Tampa Bay. 12-0.

Pretty cool.

Yet another exclamation point to the incredible job Dan McDonnell has done turning U of L baseball into a national power.

Lots of interesting sidenotes to the 108 pitch performance. Some of which, I gleaned on my own. Like how it was old old school. Only two Ks along the way. Only one other guy has pitched a no-hitter with so few strikeouts since 1980. Francisco Liriano.

But much of which info I pass along I hereby acknowledge came from my favorite baseball writer Joe Posnanski at his JoeBlogs, to which I subscribe. Like the second half of the above paragraph. Credit and acknowledgement to Joe.

Turns out this was the first nine inning complete game Detmers has ever pitched.

At any level. Pros. (Never tossed more than six.) College. HS. (One perfecto. 7 innings.) As in ever.

How about a huzzah for Joe Maddon for leaving the rookie in. Continue reading Reid Hurls No-No, Nick says “No No” & the 3-5-5 →

As The World Turns: Cardinal Cataclysm

Fandom

It’s been a soap opera, right?

Maybe it should be called “Search For Tomorrow”? U of L’s future is ahead of it, qu’est-ce que c’est?

Or an offshoot of “General Hospital,” something like “GHER” or “GH Triage”? (I know, grammatically, the ? should be inside the quotes. But, hey, these are cockamamie times for the Cardinal Nation, apparently anything goes.)

Anyway, whatever title they arrive at, there’s surely a channel somewhere that is willing to pay for the property.

Not Hallmark, of course. But there are those that have shows about 600 lb. people and hoarders and the overbearing moms of adolescent fashion show kids and people who can’t get their cars out of the Philly tow-in lot. One of those networks will give it a green light.

Got to be iconic Erica Kane, Susan Lucci playing Neeli Bendapudi.

In the role of Vince Tyra, first ask is to Josh Duhamel. If not him, Justin Hartley.

 * * * * *

Thank heavens for the undefeated #1 ranked, top-seeded Cardinal volleyballers. Continue reading As The World Turns: Cardinal Cataclysm →

Louisville CardFile: N C State

Fandom, Football,

There are moments in the continuum of every diehard’s fandom which are memorable.

Most come from what we observe on the field or diamond or hardwood.

They remain indelible, years, decades later, be they instances of joy or sorrow. They become fodder for discussions of reconsideration over pizza and a brewski.

Shoni Schimmel’s termination of Britney Griner with extreme prejudice.

U.S. Reed’s halfcourt dagger in Austin.

Doug Buffone going Bobby Orr, laying out three foes on a crackback after a Cardinal pick.

Jerry Eaves undercutting Kiki VanDeWeghe.

Lamar Jackson leapfrogging a Syracuse Orangeman.

(Stay with me, I’m going to get to Saturday’s L in Raleigh. Simply providing context.) Continue reading Louisville CardFile: N C State →

Card Fans’ Hope Springs, Uh . . .

Fandom, Football,

I’ve always been of the belief, if you can’t have some optimism about your favorite team’s chances before the season starts, when can you?

That’s what this time of year just before kickoff is about.

Especially with the transfer portal, adding new blood. Some new coaches to add a fresh perspective. Natural development of returning players. Etc, etc.

Plus, last year, one guy’s opinion, is simply a throwaway. Nothing was normal.

Which brings me to a poll they ran at theathletic.com, the purpose of which was to gauge the sense of optimism of the nation’s college football fanbases.

Apparently, they got a reasonable sampling of responses from the loyal followers of 62 institutions of higher learning. Including the Red & Black Faithful.

The good news is, enough followers of the Cards responded to the poll.

The rest of the story. Continue reading Card Fans’ Hope Springs, Uh . . . →

Nightmare on Floyd Street, Part ??

Basketball, College Sports, Fandom, , , ,

So, this is what Roman Numerated sequel to this series, Part IV?

Let’s see. Yeah, that’s right. Sypher. Stripper. Bowen. Gaudio.

One of the cottage industries I’ve embarked upon since my retirement from the Bar, is reviewing films for public radio, a dalliance really, but I take it seriously.

I choose never to view or review slasher or horror flicks. The last one I believe I saw was “Macabre” in ’58, a William Castle movie, where you got a $1500 life insurance policy in case you died of a heart attack during the showing. My 13 year old pals and I sat in the balcony and laughed our way through the whole thing. To the annoyance of others in attendance.

OK, I did see “Psycho.” Anyway, get to the point, c d, I hate such fare, am not entertained a bit.

I couldn’t tell you the difference between “Saw” and “A Quiet Place,” between Freddy Krueger and that guy standing by the chainsaws in that TV commercial, where the dunderheaded HS kids don’t get in the running auto and escape.

But, as a lifelong close observer of U of L sports, I can’t take my eyes off the screen, when yet another of these Cardinal dumpster fire plotlines premieres.

It’s getting oh so so very old.

This week, it was the filing of his Sentencing Memorandum, by Dino Gaudio’s attorney. Continue reading Nightmare on Floyd Street, Part ?? →

Games That Never Came: U of L vs UK 3/13/82

Basketball, College Sports, Fandom

Fans, coaches, and athletes of every school, team, franchise, and sport have those “If Only” battles through the years, the ones that never came about. 

This is the fourth installment  of a here’s-what-never-happened series of indeterminate duration featuring what might have been but never was for various Louisville Cardinal contingents through the decades.

The Dream Game was truly epic.

Despite three national crowns, it remains their favorite basketball game ever, in the minds of many long time fans.

At least that’s how it’s fondly remembered and rehashed by Louisville Cardinal faithful.

Winner to the Final Four.

Close proximity of Knoxville.

A stand alone NCAA game with no fans of other teams in the building.

Denny vs. The Beasmon back and forth.

Decades of pent-up longing.

And the delayed reality that it was finally coming about. After the Wildcats beat IU. And the Cards survived Arkansas.

And after two previous near misses in the Dance. Continue reading Games That Never Came: U of L vs UK 3/13/82 →

Hump Day Hustle: The A B C Ds of U of Ldom

Baseball, Basketball, College Sports, Fandom, Football

Yeah it’s Thursday, not Hump Day as we have  traditionally come to know it.

Hey, I just got my full rant on. So, deal with it. Blame it on the NIL if you like. Borrow somebody’s new iPhone and call someone who cares.

Now, getting to it.

 * * * * *

A is for Aspect.

As in mine. My point of view. My perspective.

Specifically to give context to my opinonating about the Butch Beard stuff. Which, obviously, comes next, under, you guessed it, the B section.

As with all matters that deal with racial issues — which this does, Beard’s denials to Bob Valvano notwithstanding — I need to explain my viewpoint.

I am an elderly Caucasian, with enough sense to understand, I cannot for a nanosecond pretend to know what it’s like to grow up with black skin. Or, know how that would affect my world view. Such is obviously alien to my life experience.

I can listen. I can attempt to understand, but I cannot truly empathize.

So, that’s where my soapbox is situated.

 * * * * *

B is for Butch Beard. Continue reading Hump Day Hustle: The A B C Ds of U of Ldom →