Category Archives: Volleyball

Tuesday Noise & Nonsense: 12/23

Football, Volleyball

I recently happened upon a truly quirky, unique, irreverent, seriously funny short series on Peacock.

“We Are Lady Parts.”

It’s about a group of young Muslim women in a punk band.

Like I said, unique.

Anyhow, in the last episode of S1, the group — Lady Parts — is playing a gig at what appears to be an industrial dump of some sort. Like I said, quirky.

Along with their usual tunes about killing their sisters, Voldemort hangin’ out under their head scarfs, they cover “We Are The Champions.”

Which brings me to this: One last tip o’ the chapeau to the U of L Volley Girlz.

The University of Louisville volleyball women are not NCAA champions.

Technically. Continue reading Tuesday Noise & Nonsense: 12/23 →

Anna Denied

College Sports, Volleyball

It is the yin and yang of life.

It is the the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat.

It is yet another reminder of reality, the randomness of circumstance.

It is a tale twice told.

The final pages do not read the same.

It is life telling us yet again, enjoy this instant, carpe this diem, one never knows what the next shall bring.

Anna DeBeer was not able to compete at the moment she’d dreamed of years ago, that she’d been pointing to forever.

Playing in her home town, for her home town team for supremacy in the endeavor she chose.

She is not the first.

Darrell Griffith made the same vow.

Playing for his home town team, leading his home town school to national supremacy.

The tales differ.

Life in chaotic, coincidental, haunting corrective balance.

Grif won his title a few miles north, though Cardinal red-drenched Market Square was Freedom Hall North that glorious ’80 March weekend.

But, what would the outcome have been had the Cardinal star gone down in the semi against Iowa?

Happily we will never know.

Sadly we do understand for certain what happened with Anna.

Without their their leader, their catalyst, their soul, their star who was injured in the semi, Louisville was game against long time power Penn State but mustered not quite enough for victory.

It was frankly too much watching DeBeer holding back tears in an interview.

She normally has an eerily mature demeanor.

Her look on the court, determined, stoic, focused.

Who among us doesn’t understand that the exigencies of the day sometime present a breaking point?

Anna DeBeer’s came on the biggest stage, at a long awaited pinnacle.

Anna DeBeer, Long May You Run.

— c d kaplan

 

Volley Girls Reach Final

Volleyball

Volley Girls, yeah, I know, like some folks are going to be, like, offended.

As if.

What . . . Ever.

It’s at times like these when your team is playing for a natty that all is tubular.

After gunning down Pitt in the semi final Thursday night, the University of Louisville women shall compete for the NCAA volleyball title on Sunday against Penn State.

No way.

Way.

 * * * * *

There’s the thrall of victory shtick.

Here’s the disclaimer I always start with when weighing in on another sterling moment for Dani Busboom Kelly’s charges. Continue reading Volley Girls Reach Final →

Some Boffo Moments in a Week from Hell

Basketball, Volleyball

Was it the worst week in the history of U of L sports?

Or just the strangest, most weird, most discombobulating?

Well, yes.

And, you know, no.

It was a week that could only be savored by someone who introduces himself as a man of wealth and taste.

But there were three incredible moments of joy, satisfaction and a task well done about which the whole Cardinal community can be proud.

Plus, I’ve got a few thoughts about men’s hoops.

 * * * * *

Of all the images of the week, the one that most resonated locally, that actually brought tears to my eyes so proud I was of our community, came Sunday afternoon before the Kentucky game.

The pallets and pallets and pallets of water stacked outside the Yum! to be sent to the devastated portions of our commonwealth. People in Red, and People in Blue, carrying cases to the drop off. People with U of L stickers on their cars, and people with UK stickers on their bumpers, pulling up and dropping off water. Continue reading Some Boffo Moments in a Week from Hell →