Tag Archives: College Hoops

Pat Kelsey’s Latest Eye Opener

Basketball, ,

By all accounts, Pat Kelsey knew of U of L’s monumental basketball tradition and place in the hierarchy of the sport before being tapped as the Cards’ coach.

That has been underscored by his reception in the community, his schooling how this area is the epicenter of college hoops fanaticism. How intense is the level of hunger for some success among the citizens of the Red & Black Nation.

Yet . . . yet . . . yet . . . he still seemed genuinely taken aback when walking into the media room at the Floyd Street practice facility for a presser on Thursday.

The place was so jammed there weren’t enough chairs for all. So many cables from so many TV cameras, a couple of folks nearly tripped when trying to maneuver about.

His opening comment was an expression of wonder that on a Thursday afternoon in June there would be so much attention being paid.

So it is. Continue reading Pat Kelsey’s Latest Eye Opener →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Joey B Predicts

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These three words that more than any others fill the heart of a too long suffering 24/7/365(6) Cardinal Hoopaholic.

Magic words these days, truth be told, all things considered.

“Last Four In”

My main man, Joey Brackets. Gracias.

I’ve always admired a person who made a career out of their personal obsession. Or their default personality.

Dick Vitale. Even as hard as it was to listen to him after the shtick wore off. But always himself.

Joe Lunardi, who while working in the St. Joseph’s athletic department, started crafting bracket predictions. He’s far from the best these days. But he has the biggest platform at ESPN. Plus he invented the thing, Bracketology, bless him. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Joey B Predicts →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: We Have Lift Off

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(The graphic that accompanies this post should be credited. Except that I haven’t the slightest idea who created it? If anybody reading knows, please let me know so that credit can be given where it’s due.)

Transparency here.

I haven’t a whole lot to talk about this time around.

Snark Alert: Other than, you know, the Cards have a full roster. But other than that . . .

Truth is, some FB friend posted the above graphic. Which immediately entered my Top 3 Cardinal graphics of forever. Along with Dunking Card. Duh. And the cover of the ’74-’75 SI preseason hoops issue.

So I just wanted to post something to use it.

And, minor matter. we got a new COO around here. Some former Aussie footy player named Glock Dementus. Whose management style is, uh, heavy handed. Can’t imagine why similarly inclined Glorious Editor might have hired him. Anyway, he not so subtly advised I had contractual obligations to meet.

 * * * * *

It is a phrase often heard to describe what’s just happened with Cardinal basketball.

“He hit the ground running.” Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: We Have Lift Off →

Diss & Dat(a): $$$$ Part Zwei

Basketball, College Sports, Football, , ,

So after he made reference of the boatload of moolah 502Circle threw at Kasean Pryor to complete his student athleticism at U of L, and not under The Rick or Coach Cal, I inquired of Glorious Editor how much?

He gave me a ballpark reference. Hint: A lot.

At which time, I thought maybe Ol’ Seedy should enter the portal, see what a defection down the road might bring were I to convert to Bluediasm?

GE saw through my ruse. He knew it was but a feign. Offered me not a nanofarthing uptick in the pittance I get for dodging my readers’ barbs.

So, here I sit, tethered to my red & black keyboard, buying my vittles on time at the company store, to which I owe my soul.

But excited for next academic/athletic year. Which can’t come soon enough. Continue reading Diss & Dat(a): $$$$ Part Zwei →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Got My Fix

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So, as previously reported, your inveterate Cardinal-loving wag awakened Thursday morn jonesing for a college hoops fix.

The withdrawal was severe.

And then, like manna from heaven, like back in the day my man would actually answer the phone when I needed to connect right then, the day unfolded.

It was like that day in ’70 in a field in Byron, Ga when I heard Duane and Dickey for the first time.

Or, more appropriately, let’s jump in the time machine back to January 28, 1956. It was like that blissful evening.

My obsession with U of L hoops was already four years on, though I was only 11.

That night is, to the best of my memory, the first time there was hoops on TV here. Television was still pretty rudimentary, the Milton Berle phase, just getting its sea legs.

A doubleheader no less.

My parents, from whom I am genetically disposed to hoopaholism, allowed me to stay up to the end beyond my bedtime. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Got My Fix →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: I Need a Fix

Basketball

Where have you gone Trilly Donovan, a hoopaholic nation turns its lonely eyes to you?

Donovan, this one, not the Bullish one who said no to the school down the road, is the fictitious nom de plume of one or more insiders who seem to be tapped in to every upcoming change in the landscape a day or two before it happens. Or doesn’t.

Like Nolan Smith to the G League.

Or, at least used to be.

I am an unrecovered hoopaholic, who continues to need news in this depressing time right after Final Monday. Plus I need to take a break from handicapping the cubes, the quaint name for the daily time schedules of JazzFest, which acts play on which of the 13 stages at what time.

So, yes, I shall admit before the Lord Above and my readers, most of whom bleed red & black, that I can’t get enough of the this and that about the coaching change at that school about which I/we couldn’t care less.

Soooooooooo, this morning I went for the first time in a long while to Trilly’s site burnerball.com.

It is dormant. Nothing posted for over a month.

What da fazook?

Has Trilly met his unfortunate demise?

So, I did what any unrecovered addict does, I went searching for a fix. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: I Need a Fix →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: The Real Eclipse

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When we woke this morning, who among us, the members of the Bermuda Triangle chapter of Hoopaholics Anonymous, knew we’d need those special protective glasses we bought off the interweb from Jeff Bezos . . .

. . . to listen to sports talk radio.

Sure, there’s the game tonight, but the Truth: That’s not as important in my neck o’ the woods than the reports that You Know Whom who used to coach up the road at You Know Where is now Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.

Thanks to Mr. Tyson.

In Tiffin, Ohio, where the solar blot is a 100% thing, and so many visitors were expected the police chief was advising locals to fill their tanks with gas over the weekend, they will be talking Buckeye football again before the more natural sundown.

As it is in Bessemer, Alabama. And Steeler Town.

But here in what I once attempted to designate Hoopsylvania — to literally no avail, I seemed to be the only one who found it cute — we talk hoops on the Fourth of July. And the 3d, 5th, 6th and the rest of the time.

In HoosierLand, the Bluegrass and Derbytown, we all got roundball eyes. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: The Real Eclipse →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Days Dwindle with Controversy

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No I’m not going to talk about the plane snafus of Hurley’s Huskies.

Flying sucks.

But shall comment briefly on the UConn women’s situation, exclamation-pointed by Geno Auriemma’s every pissy, passive aggressive postgame take.

As someone whose team’s fortunes went south this season after a ref’s untoward call cost them an important game against a league rival, I understand the frustration and resulting ire of UConn fans.

A blocking call against Aaliyah Edwards cost her team, down one with seconds to go, a shot at winning the national semi.

To my eyes, it was a legit foul. She moved to her left, spread her feet outside her shoulders, raised her forearms to her chest, and leaned into the defender.

It happens.

I’m of the belief that refs should not let the game play out amidst physical chaos if fouls are committed. An infraction of the rules in the 1st is also one with three tics on the clock.

That said, let’s hope this increases the focus on the egregiously less than acceptable officiating generally in the women’s game. It’s been a problem for years. Now that the sport has emerged into the nation’s consciousness, it’s time to fix it. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Days Dwindle with Controversy →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Musings of Title Week

Basketball,

Terrance Edwards Jr., star of 30+ win James Madison, Sun Belt POY, Transfer Portal Top 10, has announced his commitment to Pal Kelsey and the University of Louisville.

And there was evening, and there was morning, a the sixth day.

Yes, fellow hoopaholics of the Cardinal persuasion, it’s been about as invigorating week as a diehard could possibly hope for.

Three recruits. Most of the staff. A million simolien gift to the 502Circle.

Be still my beating heart.

And, loyal readers, be grateful I didn’t morph full biblical on ya. I did pull out The Holy Scriptures presented me at my Bar Mitzvah to see if I could somehow fashion a lengthier lede. But, since it is a sacred time of year — Easter, Passover, Ramadan — thought I’d be respectful. I do have a filter on occasion.

U of L Hoops is a matter of faith, but, ya know, not quite the same.

A new coach is not exactly the Second Coming, but . . . hope springs.

 * * * * *

Chris Mack to College of Charleston.

How symmetrical. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Musings of Title Week →

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Frosh, Final Four & the Portal

Basketball,

How many conversations did I have with my bestie hoopaholic pals — Smarts and Doc — over the weekend?

Correct answer: A whole lot.

During one with Doc, he asked rhetorically how many freshman were playing significant roles for the teams still alive?

The only name that immediately came to mind was UConn’s Stephon Castle.

We agreed that college hoops success is now — and possibly always has been frankly — predicated on experience. Among other factors, like, oh, talent and a great guard running the show, etc.

So, looking for some anecdotal evidence, I actually did some research on the squads of the Final Four survivors.

Of the players on UConn, Alabama, NC State and Purdue who have averaged double digit minutes over the course of the season, exactly four are rookies. Castle, one kid balling for the Boilermakers, and a couple rolling for the Tide. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Frosh, Final Four & the Portal →