U of L vs. UK hoops.

I’m on record as saying I’m not a fan of the game.

I hate it but accept that Kentucky has been the far more successful program during my lifetime. I’d just as soon not have to get all worked up annually, as I am inclined to do. Always grateful the day after, when it’s over win or lose.

Both schools have won nattys in a season when they lost to rival.

For me, the game is a nuisance. I realize I’m in the minority. And that it’s not going away. Though a tip on November 11 indicates some don’t consider it in the realm of Blue Devils/ Tar Heels or Hoosiers vs. Boilermakers.

Still I’ve been ruminating about the very strange timing of next year’s meeting between a couple of highly ranked squads on the uptick.

Early November. Middle of the week.

Most odd. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Monday Evening PG →

Gonna set this Dance alight/ Cause Saturday night’s the night I like/ Saturday night’s alright alright

During a full immersion into the hoops extravaganza that stands among the greatest since Sir Charles busted Naismith’s last peach basket, I thought of an eve in the iconic summer of ’70.

The Mailman and I were sitting on my back stoop, deciding to smoke one joint after another, in perpetuity or until we ran out, to see where it took us.

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’.

At one point along the way I wondered aloud, “What if in the future, they discover this stuff’s really healthy for you?”

To which my less sanguine, less romantic, more practical partner in crime deadpanned, “I don’t believe that’s the discovery they’ll make.”

We did not OD. Although we might have visited an alternative reality. Or two.

Nor did I last night after the Houston comeback over Duke somehow bested the bloodbath of Gators chomping Tigers. But if the Blue Devils had somehow tied on that last possession, I’ve no doubt I would have had to check myself back into treatment this morning.

No mas, fully sated, I pleaded. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Saturday Night Alright Alright!!! →

Once again that unfathomable result from Big D Little a Double ll a S:

Louisville 98, Southern Methodist 73.

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Pro forma self indulgent intro:

Alright, where were we?

That’s right, I was falling into sleep deprivation mode, my already addled mind was checking out, me fingers was freezing.

So I cut GameCap short. Shut it down. Knowing if I dreamt at all, if I dreamt about SMU, it would be last night’s wünderbar smackaround, not that ’67 comeuppance.

Actually, I kinda dreamt about last night’s W. Sorta.

In dreams, I decided to go off honky tonkin’ into the night to celebrate the W. Like it was Back in the Day or something. At one place, the barkeep yelled out, “I was worried at the half, but we did OK.”

“Uh,” I corrected, “We were up 23 at the break.”

(Should have been 25, but Chucky Hepburn had his one and only brain fart of the night. Committed his 2d foul with seconds to play on a silly reach in, surrendering two FTs. Chucky, we need you to always be available. Be wise. Be insured.)

Still in slumber, I sauntered through a restaurant owned by a friend. She wondered, “Whatever are you smiling about, I can’t imagine.”

Grinning she threw up the L sign.

Then I awakened as I did way too often on the really frigid night.

 * * * * *

Now the grist, a few more takeaways on the game. Continue reading Seedy’s Second Helping: SMU →

Well strike another match/ Go start anew/ Cause it’s all over now, Baby Blue

Oh yeah.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.

Have ya heard the news about THE University of Louisville Basketball Team?

They’rrrrrrrrrre baaaaaaaaaaack!

Louisville 83, North Carolina 70.

How did this convincing win on the first day of the year come about?

The Cardinals closed. My oh my did they ever close.

Truth be told, they also started.

The Tar Heels led but once in the entire contest. By a digit in the opening half, at 15-14.

It lasted all of 16 seconds before J’Vonne Hadley hit an answering J.

The visitors knotted the tilt again with 8:37 to go at 61.

Forty seconds on the dot later, after a fallow possession by each school, Reyne Smith netted a a fast break triple. U of L never trailed again.

Here’s a descriptor I’ve used often about this resurgent, rejuvenating contingent: Steady. Continue reading CardFile: North Carolina →

Random observations from S1 E1 of the Pat Kelsey Era.

Cardinals 93, Eagles 45.

Warning: Plot spoilers below.

Though he’s talked about it, acknowledged it, expressed his gratitude for being part of it, U of L’s new coach again seemed truly floored while basking postbame in the glow of the Red & Black Nation’s intensity and adoration during a boffo Opening Night with rave reviews.

He said he “got goose bumps.”

(As I mentioned in Part I, so did I. We were not alone.)

 * * * * *

In that Q&A, he mentioned as he consistently has, how mature his put-together contingent is. He talked of their meticulous preparation and attention to the scouting report and its details.

It became apparent early on, the Cards knew exactly what Morehead State wanted to do on every play. The players were calling out the cuts and and swings.

Of course, MSU is a cut below talent wise, but still they were so discombobulated from the opening tip, they had more shots blocked in the opening stanza — 4 — than they made. Which is now famously 3/28 (1/11).

For the entire affair, the Cardinals forced MSU into 21 turnovers vs. just 12 made baskets in 52 attempts.

Louisville meanwhile, playing at a faster tempo than any previous Louisville team — Ever, including ’13 — gave it away just five times. Continue reading CardFile: Morehead State, Part II →

Who’s actually smiling at all the potential rejiggering of college football, more realignment, power grabs we’re hearing about?

I’ll tell ya.

The not so subtly named movie character Gordon Gekko. (Oliver Stone was never very finespun, when a thick needle and ten pound hammer would work.)

Recall Gekko was the financially avaricious dude with the motto, “Greed is good.”

So, yeah, there’s the Big Two, need I say their names? OK, SEC and Big Eighteen, who are apparently meeting to set a course where they can totally dominate the sport in the future. As if they don”t already.

Scheduling. Other stuff.

Including apparently their contractual ability to ensure they each get a minimum of four teams into the CFP under the next ideation of the post season. Whether they have that many worthy schools or not.

Has this sport’s superstructure gotten out of balance or what?

Truth: Those two conferences could pull it off.

Unlike the cockamamie proposal presented by some confederation called College Sports Tomorrow. Whose business leaders, entrepreneurs, interlopers and a few real college people could care less about anything other than pigskin. By their own admission.

Their initial suggestion is the top 72 powers broken up into 12 six team geographically  sensible divisions. The Power 12. The other CFP schools would be in Group 8. With a chance for prmotion upwards. Continue reading Seedy K’s Pigskin Palaver: 10/03 →

I am standing atop Lookout Mountain.

Allegorically speaking of course.

Though I have not Seen Rock City, I observe how Rocky Top checkerboarded the Wolfpack.

So what I says to myself, despite my unparalleled preeminence in the prediction universe, is, “Seedy, stop it already with the upset picks. You have enough trouble picking them for real.”

Full of myself after going with Tech in Week 0, I’ve now missed a couple upset specials in a row. Enough as we say is enough. No more picking big dogs.

Unless, of course, I change my mind.

So, yes, Tennessee ravaged the Wolfpack.

And, Kentucky, well, the Cats have now fallen to the Gamecocks (South Carolina version) three times in a row. Who figured? Not me.

While the Cardinals held serve against the Gamecocks (Jax State edition), triumphant Texas left the Big House in serious disarray, and Nebraska proved that Sanders (the coach) is more Wizard of Oz than the next Saban or Spurrier. (More on them just ahead.)

Three right. Two wrong. 11-5 for the season.

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

Football is in the air.

Don’t believe me, check with Jude Redfield, who said as much this a.m. when I did what old men do: Check in on the weather forecast first thing.

So, yeah, I know many loyal readers are chomping at the bit.

Some might have even sneaked a peak at this past weekend’s comeback by the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal at Saskatchewan in a battle of CFL division leaders. Alouettes 27, Roughriders 24.

A bronconagurskian does what a bronconagurskian’s gotta to do.

And, don’t I know some of you are more than ready for the reveal whether Georgia Tech will wreck the Seminoles in the only real battle of consequence in Week 0? Continue reading Diss & Dat(a): Pigskin Upon Us →

OK, my pal and loyal reader JR wondered at the gym when I was going to come through with some real prognostications?

Gently. But a legit admonishment nonetheless.

My advisement to him, I shall be weighing in next Week 0 and those thereafter with actual game predictions.

Today, to provide some wheat to my usual chaff, some substantive stuff. Of sorts.

Appetizers if you will to whet your gluttony.

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Two new aspects of the game you might have missed.

QBs will can now get signals from the sidelines through speakers in their helmets. Take that, Connor Stalions.

Now like the pros, there’s a two minute warning.

 * * * * *

Moving on, there are some coaches finding the seat warmers in their SUVs on despite the August Heat. A group I’ve always called the Dead Man Walking Club, admittedly a not so delicate description. Anyhow if their secretary happens to overhear the AD’s assistant ordering a guillotine, they should be prepared. Continue reading Seedy K’s Preseason Pigskin Diss & Dat(a) →

There’s a not so delicate term (especially in this day and age) some coaches use to describe getting three defensive stops in a row.

A Kill.

Well, during the Elam, which opened with La Familia up 9, 62-53 (Target: 70), the former Cards fashioned three in a row. Nine stops, maybe even a tenth.

To no effect whatsoever. The Ville missed their first eight shots and gave it away twice.

Eventually the deserving if less than gracious victors steadied.

La Familia 70, The Ville 61.

The most heated rivalry in the sport has another chapter writ.

More coals have been tossed into the rivalry’s already raging fire. Continue reading Seedy K GameCap: The Ville Eliminated, 61-70 →