This morning, for the first time in weeks, I couldn’t stop thinking about the severely disappointing end to U of L’s basketball season. There was something seriously out of kilter about that loss to Michigan State.

The way the team just didn’t seem prepared for what the Spartans threw at them. The way Louisville just gave up in the face of adversity, after being so steely in the second half of the season. The obvious brouhaha between TWill and Pitino, the truth of which still hasn’t outed.

And now there’s the knowledge that Rick Pitino had other things on his mind in March which seem like they skewed his tournament performance. Like people calling him at the behest of Karen Sypher on his private cellphone and sending him written demands for — affect Dr. Evil accent for next phrase — $10 million dollars.

Then Richard Pitino goes off to Gainesville just weeks after Elder reiterated in no uncertain terms how glad he was that Younger didn’t get the BU job and would still be here at U of L.

Now there’s a seemingly more legit than usual report at Yahoo.com Sports that Pitino has actually talked with one of the Maloofs about possibly becoming coach of the woeful Sacramento Kings.

Not to mention that the normally high profile coach assiduously avoided any pub during Derby week when he’s normally been good for a mention and quote or two in the C-J with maybe a photo of him and some NY buddies in his Jockey Club suite.

I don’t have any answers. Nor any further rumors or even substantiation of past gossip.

Just these ?????? marks swirling around my head like cartoon birdies. There’s something weird afoot. Like a car has skidded to the shoulder of the road, is still headed in the right direction but is soon going to crash unless it can swerve back onto the asphalt.

Geez, I hope I’m wrong. But it would sure be nice to nibble on some morsel — no matter how meager — of good Cardinal news.

Other than the above mentioned internet report, I have heard absolutely nothing about Pitino leaving U of L. I continue to fervently believe as I have since he arrived here that he will not leave Louisville for another coaching job, college or pro.

But I could be wrong. I often am. In which case I know that the program will survive, the Cards will find a new coach that should be as successful as the last four. (That’s Pitino, Crum, Dromo and Hickman. Forget the Howard Stacy interlude.)

Bottom line is I sure would like to be able to put some closure on the Michigan State debacle, and begin to fondly look ahead to next season. But something about the whole situation keeps gnawing away.

– Seedy K