Fortunately for the University of Louisville Cardinals, they were not mired in a letdown after their last encounter, a resonant stupendous W over Arch Rival.

Unlike my compatriots, a bleary eyed crew along Media Row.

At least those who had covered the pigskin disappointment Friday night. An anecdotal survey indicated bedtimes ranging from 1:30 at the earliest to 4:00 am.

The Cards were out of the gate early against the feisty Ohio Bobcats, scoring on 6 of their opening 7 possessions. The other resulted in a turnover, the first of many many many strange calls by the Less Than Final Four quality crew of zebras.

Consecutive Isaac McNeely treys. 3 of 4 at the stripe. An ORB by Ryan Conwell, ending with a couple more FTs. Then just one more immaculate pinpoint Ali Khalifa dime to Conwell for deuce.

13-7 begat the first double digit lead at 19-9.

U of L kept the green clad visitors measured the rest of the way.

The final: 106-81.

It is a testament to the potential of this edition of the Cardinals, who playing a C+/B- game still beat a not awful foe by 25. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Ohio University →

My name is Seedy K and I am a hoopaholic.

I’ve had a major relapse this week.

But I am jonesin’ no more for a win, a definitive win, a no questions about it domination over That Team. (Whatever mysterious pregame “distraction” Mark Pope might have been alluding to on Thursday that he may or may not have been using as an excuse.)

I am far from alone.

How do I know the town’s still buzzin’ about the Cards W on Tuesday night?

Other than all the red clad shoppers at my grocery stops, and not the usual number in blue?

The morning after, on really short rest — I couldn’t sleep very well from the emotions — I took my normal pre-dawn walk on Frankort Avenue.

Where a woman in a Cardinal jacket waiting at the bus stop, notices my Cardinal knit cap, and calls out “Go Cards!” Followed a block later by the same greeting from a fellow in Denver Broncos garb.

“Go Cards.”

I’ve been adorned mostly in red since the W over Arch Rival, and the shoutout has repeated itself several times. Often I’m the instigator. It’s been the singular conversation where I work out.

So, yeah, this one does mean more. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: One Last Look Back →

Two exhibition seasons in — one literal, one figurative — and, like 99 44/100% of the programs in the land, the University of Louisville has a few things figured out, and a lot more questions left to find answers to.

The latest laboratory work performed Thursday night concluded with a 106-70 taming of the Tigers from Jackson State.

This squad from the SWAC, while way overmatched, is significantly better than U of L’s previous victim from the MEAC. More talented, better coached.

(Beware of mixed metaphors. It’s not 5:00 in the a.m. yet, and I’ve consumed but a few gulps of joe.)

So, what I’m throwing out here this early morning after are random observations.

The good, the bad, the ugly, the beauteous, the subjective. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Jackson State →

I want to dive into the difference between the American goal tending/ basket interference rule and that for the rest of the globe.

That was in play in the singular “controversial” moment of U of L’s draw and quartering of South Carolina State, 104-45.

Because there wasn’t much tension after this:

On the Cards’ opening possession, rookie phenom Mikel Brown Jr. tried to connect with J’Vonne Hadley for a thirty foot alley oop. The pass sailed high over the outstretched arms of the receiver.

Next five possessions:

Hadley assist to Isaac McThreely for a triple. (Yes, it’s trite. Too obvious. Too cute perhaps. But gotta be.)

McThreely bomb. Assist Ryan Conwell.

Sanny Fru stopfer. Assist Brown.

Hadley threeball. Assist Brown.

Hadley fast break deuce. Assist Brown. Continue reading U of L CardFile: South Carolina State →

It was 8:16 am EST in Louisville, Kentucky, the forever and always epicenter of college basketball adoration. My coffee still brewing in the Mueller.

In Rock Hill, South Carolina, the game clock read 13:38, and on the hardwood the home standing Winthrop Eagles led the visiting ASun favorite Queens Royals, 10-5. (I envisioned a hyperventilating Pat Kelsey along the sideline.)

Your inveterate and long standing hoopaholic was getting an opening day fix. (Thank you, youtube.com)

You know, the classic view of a junkie strapping up, finding a vein, taking a hit, and finding bliss.

Yeah, that’s what it was like, fortunately without the H.

The cinematic image that came to mind — it’s kinda what we do here — is Joe Gideon in “All That Jazz” awakening from another fever dream, staring in the mirror, and invoking . . .

“It’s showtime, folks.” Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Time of the Season →

It is obvious from the final moments of Louisville’s second and final tuneup/ exhibition that the doomsayers aplenty among the Cardinal fanbase were correct.

Matters seem dire for the heralded Cards.

I mean, c’mon, U of L got within a trey of triple digits with 03:14 of action left on a Kobe Rodgers J in the paint. Yet U of L couldn’t finish the deal. A Khani Rooths slam — only two points — was all they could muster the rest of the way.

That drought over the final 02:56 needs to be cleaned up.

I swear I heard this conversation, seriously rendered, on my way to the car after U of L’s 99-76 beatdown of a well-coached but overmatched Bucknell Bison contingent.

“Cole Sherman blew that free throw that would have given the Cards 100.”

“Dude, he’s a walk on.”

“Well, he oughta walk off.”

I know it’s a too snarky way to lede into a take on Louisville’s more better bounce back from Friday night’s disappointment in their exhi opener.

Couldn’t help myself. The devil made me do it.

Anyhow, the reports of U of L’s imminent demise seem egregiously exaggerated. Continue reading U of L CardFile: Bucknell (Exhi) →

I am so sure that consternation reigns/ rains.

Though I like all Cardinal fans certainly was hoping for a better performance by the new look Louisville Cardinals, my u-trou are not in a wad after an exhibition against tough Kansas.

More important than the anticipation by the pumped Friday night crowd was the anticipation and attendant nervousness attendant in the Cardinals’ game.

It was obvious from the get go that the visiting Jayhawks were calmer. Not to mention, farther along in  their development, smoother at both ends of the court.

My context is this;.

55-77.

63-86.

Those were the final scores of two early games for last season’s 27-8 Cardinals. L to Tennessee. L to Mississippi.

In the long run, matters evolved and it worked out for U of L.

Nothing about Friday’s disappointing setback to Kansas negates the amelioration that shall follow. Continue reading Kansas Exhi Takeaways →

Some of you may be too young to get my attempt at humor in the header. Back in the day, when you walked into a game, they would sell programs. Lots of adverts, maybe some articles, roster listings, sometime with photos, and the players jersey numbers.

A classic hawker’s call would be, “Can’t tell the players without a program.”

Got it. 

So what we got here is not much substance but some deep dive anecdotia from the Media Guide provided by SID Dana Brown and staff.

A look see into the nature of Your Louisville Cardinals. Continue reading CardTalk: Know Your Players w/o a Program →