Football practice starts this week. School starts this month. Hoops is just over the humid horizon.

Can I get a witness?

Lemme hear a Hallelujah!

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Last night while getting an early football fix, watching the CFL battle between Saskatchewan’s RoughRiders and the Hamilton TigerCats, I wondered about Stefan LeFors? Is he still playing north of the border on the extended field perfect for his game?

Turns out the answer is No. U of L blog Card Chronicle reports that the former U of L QB has retired because of injury, and that he’s likely to join Paul Rogers on the Cardinal radio network.

Speaking of football in Canada, it has been a long time since I watched a game. I’d forgotten how wide open it is. Longer field. Wider too, I think. Extended end zones. Multiple players can run toward the line of scrimmage before the snap.

The players are smaller than in the States, so the game is generally quicker.

Fun.

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For some unfathomable reason difficult to comprehend, Sunday morning’s C-J failed to list movie showtimes, an omission I cannot recall ever happening before.

However the paper did list the 99 Kentuckiana players in NFL training camps.

It’s an interesting breakdown. At least I think so.

U of L and Purdue tied for the most pigskinners with 28 former matriculators from each school.

Coincidentally UK and IU also have the same number in camp: 13.

What’s it mean?

Well, a quick assessment is that — before you know who whose name shall not be mentioned, the guy who wrecked the program — John L. Smith and Bobby Petrino recruited some pretty good players to play at Papa J’s. And they coached ‘em up.

That Rick Brooks was pretty fair football coach, with more success in Lexington than his talent on the field would suggest.

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This week’s winner of the Look Who Is High & Mighty Award goes to Boise State.

The formerly cuddly Broncos of the Blue Field are cutting off their annual game with instate rival Idaho. Because, it seems, those uncouth Vandal fans drink alcohol at the games — It’s twu, it’s twu — and don’t treat Boise State with deference when they travel to Moscow for the game.

Tsk, tsk.

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I know it’s a bit early, but . . .

Before you make your Christmas day plans, make sure you leave room for the game the NBA is sure to schedule. That would be the LA LA Kobes vs. the Miami LeBronWades.

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ESPN.com is doing a summer series of assessments of next year’s college hoops season.

As part of the U of L section, Bilas, Gottleib, Fraschilla and Lunardi all weigh in on the program.

Every one of them mentioned UK and Calipari in their considerations of the Cardinals.

Is it possible anymore for Louisville fans to think of their program without comparing it to its rival down the road?

– Seedy K