All the sweet back stories. Peyton Siva’s transcendent play in the title game. Chane Behanan competing with the eye of the tiger.

Check out my previous blogs, if you’d like.

This piece, which I’ve posted at my own website is about how it’s all sitting with me. I’m actually kind of astonished by my emotions in the aftermath.

You can read the culturemaven.com essay here.

– Seedy K

You can find it in the print edition, available all over town at Louisville’s finest establishments.

Or, if you can’t wait, there’s a link to it right here.

Even with all I’ve written about this most blessed event, I think I’ll have a little more, either later today or tomorrow. So, stay tuned if you still haven’t contemplated this enough.

As for coverage of tonight’s celebration at the Yum!, well, you’re on your own.

Richard Thompson is at Clifton Center tonight. He’s been championship quality for decades.

– Seedy K

Cardinal flags are flapping from the windows of your car.

You even wore red socks to work today, the ones with Cardinal birds on them. Stylin’. And you intend to heed the mayor’s directive and wear red tomorrow.

So, as the Final Fours are drawing nigh for both Louisville Cardinal basketball programs, you are surely asking yourself, “What more can I do to support U of L sports?”

Well, the school has the answer. Just the thing to display your true allegiance to all matters Red & Black.

Correct Answer: Dig deep. Send mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money.

Nestled in my email In Box now, is a missive from the Cardinal Athletic Fund. There are photos of Peyton and Shoni, and Russ and Monique, etc. The banner reads: “Support the C.A.F. Champions Fund.”

Further down, the true believers in all things Cardinal, are implored, “Celebrate two historic Final Four with a gift to the Champions Fund.” Then there’s the place you can “Click To Donate Today.”

If you really really really care, you will do it this minute. Don’t even read the rest of this blog. Do It Now!!!!!!!

You are directed to a web page that reads like this:

“Cardinal Atheltic Fund Champions Fund

The Champions Fund is a special discretionary fund to be allocated by Vice President for Athletics, Tom Jurich, to support the championship efforts of Louisville Athletics.

Help us as we celebrate two historic Final Four appearances with a gift to the Champions Fund. Gifts to the Champions Fund help fund the critical items necessary to recruiting and training championship level student-athletes and coaches.”

Just in case you really feel the spirit, you can make your donation a monthly one.

Anyway, I’ve got a suggestion to make to those in charge of the richest college basketball program in the land (by a wide margin). How about you sending a gift to me and all the other loyal fans who have donated tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars each through the decades? You know, to show how grateful you are that we’ve given our hard earned money to get the programs to this lofty status?

Now that would be a really nice expression of gratitude.

But, nooooooooooooooooooo, U of L Athletics, in its own inimitable ways says, “Dig deeper. We Want MORE!!!!”

– Seedy K

Kansas and Duke are the only other schools, whose men’s and women’s teams have both advanced this far.

It was the Cardinals’ first W ever against the Boilermakers, having lost the five previous encounters with the ladies from West Lafayette.

U of L never trailed. Purdue missed its first nine shots, but knotted the score at 4. Sheronne Vails hit a FT at 14:48. The Cards moved on from there, taking a 12-4 advantage and never looking back.

* * * * *

I frankly don’t pay as much attention to the women’s team as the men, so it’s hard to provide acute analysis.

But here’s what I did see.

Sara Hammond is turning into the force that had her high on Geno Auriemma’s recruiting list. 21 points. 10 rebounds. 2 steals and a block. In 36 minutes of action. Most of her damage was inflicted after the break, during which the Cards never allowed the visitors to come within single digits.

Jude Schimmel controlled the game for the Cardinals. The substitute point guard had 6 assists and 8 steals, to go along with her 7 points and 4 rebounds. Hers was a steady hand on the throttle. Her measured, cerebral play is the yin . . .

. . . to the yang of her more highly touted sister, Shoni Schimmel. Who, by the by, played a much more mature game — by her unique standards — than I’ve seen her play. She tallied 14 on 4/11 shooting, including 5 important points when Purdue was attempting a surge midway through the final stanza.

Schimmel the Elder also committed 10 turnovers. When referring to her maturing game above, the operative phrase was “by her standards.” She is to be given credit for the weight she lost during the season. And, for her acceptance of a new role as the 2 guard. If only she calmed down another notch or three.

Antonita Slaughter scored 16 and snared 7 rebounds.

* * * * *

Starting point guard Bria Smith had a tough night. To say the least.

Her contribution was significant, though her numbers were modest.

What she’ll remember were the two moments she spent woman down on the hardwood.

Once she was mugged at mid-court, plundered and pillaged of the ball. She lay there while the Purdue perpetrator took in for a layup. No foul was whistled.

The other moment was more spectacular, though, frankly, more innocent. If no less painful for Smith. Purdue has a marvelously talented sub in the pivot named Taylor Manual, who has superb ball skills and footwork. But, who is at least 75 pounds overweight. She is an immovable force in the middle.

On one play, Manual grabbed a rebound with Smith on her back. She shrugged the Cardinal off her back, sending Smith hard to the floor. The refs reviewed the play to see if there was an elbow thrown or flagrant action. Despite the crowd’s reaction, the zebras correctly called a foul on Smith and nothing on Manual.

Though Manual was booed now and again when getting a touch during the game, she did not play dirty, and displayed admirable sportsmanship throughout. It would be interesting to see how good she’d be, should she drop that avoirdupois.

* * * * *

To be honest, it was unfair that Purdue, a higher seed than the Cardinals, had to face U of L in the Yum!.

That hosting schools are guaranteed NCAA tournament home games, regardless of seeding (if they qualify for the tournament) is evidence that the women’s game is still evolving. That all the #1 and #2 seeds are alive, having advanced easily so far, is further proof that there is little parity in the women’s game.

* * * * *

Next up for U of L: the top seeded and defending champion Baylor Bears.

– Seedy K

At a web site called theawl.com, they play the bracket out, school with highest tuition advances to the next round.

U of L’s $8930 was hardly a match for Jerry Falwell-founded Liberty with its tariff of $17, 806.

If only the Cards opening round tilt was with Morehead State. Sigh.

The Final Four: Duke ($40,665) vs. Notre Dame ($42,464) and Bucknell ($45,132) vs. Georgetown ($40,920).

Who says the mid majors don’t have a chance in the Big Dance? The Bison obviously have more going for them than pivot Mike Muscala, America’s leader in double doubles.

You can see that whole bracket here.

* * * * *

Wait a second though, Cardinal fans, don’t be despondent. There is always redemption.

U of L’s top dog status isn’t only in the category of seeding.

Actually we’re still talkin’ money.

With the Cards, as any season ticket holder know, it’s mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money.

Forbes Magazine reports that U of L remains at the top of the heap when it comes to program worth. $38.5 million, a $2.4 million bump from a year ago.

According to the article you can read here, here’s why:

The team’s financial success is largely tied to the KFC Yum! Center, the waterfront arena that opened in 2010. The new arena had an immediate impact, driving ticket sales up 28% to $14.2 million and generating over $20 million in contributions to the team, an 84% increase from the prior year. Income from program sales, concessions, parking and other sources also increased by more than $2 million.

As if we didn’t already know.

* * * * *

Yeah, I know you’d like a few nuggetoids of trivia that actually have to do with the games.

Alrighty then.

Lon Kruger is now the only coach to lead five teams into the tournament. Oklahoma, UNLV, Kansas State, Illinois and Florida. The Boomer Sooner mentor’s four former schools are all present and accounted for this season.

Iona’s Sean Armand and Mo Mo Jones are the highest scoring duo in the tourney (and in the entire land, for that matter), averaging 39.6 ppg between them. Armand has hit 43% of his threes over the last three seasons (248/578).

52 of the schools that made the dance owe their soul to Nike. Only 13, including the Zubaz-adorned Louisville Cardinals, bow before Adidas.

I’m sure you’ve read this one before, but Florida is a less than stellar 0-6 in games decided by single digits. Despite its disturbing propensity to meltdown, the Gators remain #1 in Ken Pomeroy’s respected computer rankings. But remember, your PC doesn’t have eyes.

A #13 seed has beaten a #4 seed in each of the last five seasons. The question, of course, is whether it will be Ole Miss over the Badgers, New Mexico State over St. Louis, Montana over Syracuse or South Dakota State over the Wolverines? The blogosphere is loving Nate Wolters and the Jackrabbits.

As loyal reader Bobby Bellarmine pointed out in a comment to another blog, Knight’s coach Scotty Davenport has done perhaps his best coaching yet this season. In a rebuilding year, the Norris Placers have made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

* * * * *

Okay, kids, it’s past my bedtime.

Mo’ later.

And, I’ll be blogging from Lexington on Thursday and, B-ball Gods willing, Saturday.

LEO’s print March Madness issue hits stands Wednesday. It’ll be online also.

– Seedy K

I intend to tune the engine, get the juices flowing again, rest my metaphors.

I’ll be back later in the week, refreshed, more pithy than ever and ready to guide you through autumn’s games.

See you in a few days.

– Seedy K

Then I’ll get on to college football the way the Good Lord means it to be . . . now that he’s wearing a hounds tooth hat.

* * * * *

The USA vs. Canada semi-final in women’s soccer was as good a game in any sport as I’ve ever witnessed. Intense. Exciting. Twists and turns. The good gals win. Plus, what’s really neat about the women’s game of futbol is they don’t flop. When the ladies are hurt, unlike most of the men, they’re really hurt.

Almost as good . . . well, okay, really good but not almost as good as the one previously mentioned: Men’s Volleyball final. Brazil was up two games to naught. And had two gold medal points in game three. And those Russkies came back to win it in five.

Apparently the Russian coach displayed some off the wall strategy and used line up changes that were the equivalent of playing Tyler Chandler at point guard and letting Russell Westbrook check Pau Gasol.

* * * * *

Awhile back I expressed admiration for the athleticism and talent of the synchronized swimmers.

But there’s another silly looking sport that is truly not sport at all. That’s that rhythmic ballet gymnastics thing, where women wearing too much makeup and sequins, prance around with a stick with a ribbon on the end.

* * * * *

Loved that Aly Raisman won her gold medal while doing a routine to “Hava Nagila,” and then paid tribute to the Israeli wrestlers who were murdered during the games in Munich.

* * * * *

Manteo Mitchell is indeed The Man.

He’s the USA sprinter who ran half his leg of the 4×400 meter relay prelim with only half his legs. I walked around for a year on a broken leg, so I have personal knowledge of how much it hurts. Running on one in world class time is . . . well . . . world class.

* * * * *

Angel McCoughtry sure didn’t get much PT in the semis and final.

* * * * *

What’s so stunning about Usain Bolt is that he always kind of slows up and turns sideways near the end of his races.

* * * * *

From hip hip and Pimm’s Cup to tap the keg and wooooooooooooooooo pig sooey.

And so we bid a fond adieu to Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Goodbye London Bridge — Oh, wait a sec, isn’t that somewhere in Arizona? — hello John L. Smith and the Arkansas Razorbacks.

– Seedy K

Indeed, GG, they are.

A running joke among U of L boosters, who always seem to be looking eastward over their shoulders, is the apocryphal tale of the UK fan, calling into sports talk radio after the Cats first loss of a season after 15, 18, 20 wins and stating, “I haven’t given up on this Kentucky team.”

The cacophonous stirrings of the Red & Black Nation in the aftermath of last night’s disgraceful performance have a similar feeling as expressed by the desperate UK fan.

What’s wrong with the program? Should Pitino be fired? Now? What’s wrong with Siva? Why doesn’t the coach give the freshmen more of chance? Why can’t he get Kuric more shots?

Every one of the faithful has a theory. Few, including myself, know the solutions.

But, despite the knee jerk despondency, I do feel it appropriate to look at the big picture. So I shall.

Frankly, one guy’s opinion, the problem is Rick Pitino.

* * * * *

Accountability. Of all the bad juju last night, far and away the least acceptable is the fact that U of L’s multi-million dollar coach, Rick Pitino, a mentor who expects accountability from his players on every single possession, sent his son out to do the post-game radio show, an obligation that is part of his contract from which he earns an obscene amount of money.

For this alone, he should be docked his next paycheck.

This is a coach who, without qualms, disses his players in the media. He does it often. He does it with impunity. His penchant for criticizing his players consistently in the public sphere is reprehensible.

Recruiting. It is in the area of gathering the herd of future Cardinals that I find great fault with Pitino. It is why the “product” on the court has only rarely, during RP’s reign, been what the Cardinal fans had hoped for, nor what they should reasonably expect, given the excessive cost of tickets and the absurd size of Pitino’s shill and salary.

Must I recite the litany of misjudgements? Ignoring a local five-star Rajon Rondo, while falling in love with one of many NYC guards who caught his wandering eyes, Sebastian Telfair. He’s like a guy standing outside of Bloomingdale’s lusting for every gal walking out the revolving doors in a miniskirt and 4″ Jimmy Choos.

Game Management. He has never at U of L allowed his players to play through their mistakes. A guy can hit five treys in a row, play stalwart D, but if he gets faked on one ball screen, he’s jerked to the bench.

Louisville fans have been spoiled by the fact that Denny Crum was as great as any college coach ever in making in-game adjustments. That Pitino doesn’t meet Crum’s standard in that regard is acceptable. Few do. That he rarely changes a game plan, or significantly tweaks the system during a contest is simply run of the mill mediocre coaching.

At the end of regulation and the first OT of the recent L to Notre Dame, every one who has ever been in the same room with a basketball knew that Peyton Siva would drive and try to score. That group included, of course, ND coach Mike Brey, who had the play perfectly defensed. It is but the latest example of Pitino’s intransigence.

* * * * *

Okay, even I’m getting tired of this. Before I’ve mentioned Pitino’s oversized ego that puts him front and center for the never ending pre-game intros, his talk of “rebranding,” his obvious machinations on behalf of his son’s career, his embarrassing private life, his inexplicable substitution patterns, his scheduling that makes money but doesn’t prepare his squads for the league and post-season, etc, etc.. I’m sure I’ve missed some of your concerns.

So, you might ask, what should Tom Jurich do?

I do not believe you fire him during the season. For all of his many faults, Pitino, if not the coach and recruiter and motivator he once was, if not the one Cardinal fans thought they’d be getting in a devil’s bargain, is still a cut above the norm. Though he is getting closer to old and in the way by the season.

I would hope that TJ starts to put the pressure on for a resignation, if not this coming off season, the one after that. That they work it out, so RP leaves so everybody still thinks he’s a mensch, and Cardinal fans get some new blood and refreshing energy.

It would be nice for U of L fans to have a likeable guy on the bench, one who lives the values he espouses, a stand up guy who is willing to admit mistakes and accept them of the youngsters he coaches.

* * * * *

Yes, I know, I have not talked about the players on this team, and the fact that they simply quit last night. It was dumbfounding. They are not devoid of responsibility. Doris Burke nailed it. In the second half, they looked like they didn’t want to win, they just wanted it over with.

I do not excuse them. But I think that they responded to adversity as they did results from factors emanating at the top. Nineteen year olds should be responsible, yet that’s a hard lesson learned when their mentor chooses not to be, when their mentor berates them and teaches constantly through negativity.

* * * * *

Beat DePaul.

– Seedy K

It may be the stupid way he wears that headband. (Somebody send him a photo of Slick Watts, will ya?) But I think it’s more than that. I simply can’t put my finger on it.

He’s a way better than average shooter. He’s strong. He passes and tries to make his teammates better. He can go to the goal. (And, a lot of the time, not actually taking that illegal second step the NBA zebras allow.) He seems a decent enough sort, even if every move seems calculated to aggrandize King LeBron as a brand.

But, as talented as he is, I can’t help but observe that he lacks something that Magic and Bird and Jordan and Russell had.

Let me hear from you. Am I alone on this?

* * * * *

That said, it looks like Pat Riley’s move to buy the title is going to work out. Miami’s going to win.

The Bulls are simply too young. I thought perhaps the Dookies and two-time college champ Joakim Noah, with his well of piss and vinegar, could help push Derrick Rose, who is still in the maturation process, to the throne. It ain’t gonna happen . . .this year anyway.

Speaking of immature, let me introduce you to Russell Westbrook. His teammate Kevin Durant still has some growing up to do also. OKC is simply not ready for prime time. Which is not to mention that Scott Brooks is most underwhelming as a coach. I know the pro game is different from college, and that I’m not as knowledgeable as I should be because of a lack of regular season interest in the game, but . . .

. . . OKC just looks lost a lot of the time. Too much one on one. Not enough sets, or the discipline to get into the sets, that get Durant and other scorers the ball in the right spot.

On the other hand, Dallas is under the steady hand of Rick Carlisle. And, star Dirk Nowitzki is well supported by mature Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion.

They will make Miami sweat. Simply don’t see how they can win 4 of 7 though.

Besides, their owner Mark Cuban, as refreshingly outspoken as he may be, is still a petulant putz. I find him hard to root for.

* * * * *

Perhaps the most annoying trend of the NBA playoffs has been this thing with everybody in the arena wearing the same color t-shirts What? Why for this silly trend?

I mean, really, this is not a Pulaski County middle school trip to Mammoth Cave.

Fortunately, the folks of New Orleans balked more than the other towns. A few drank the Kool Aid, but many more said “take your shirt and shove it, I’ll wear what I want.”

– Seedy K

I’m New Orleans. And not for the golf tournament. Nor the Lakers visit to town tonight. (Though I’d have gone if my gang didn’t already have plans for Galatoire’s.)

The other big sports news here will surely be the NFL draft. But Chris Berman is excited enough for all of us. So I won’t be writing much about that.

Anyway, if frequent reports on music and food and New Orleans culture float your boat, click on over to culturemaven.com here and check it out.

See ya on the other side. Unless, of course, I hear some juicy tidbits about Reggie Bush or Chris Paul or spot one of the Mannings going party hearty with a Bourbon Street professional.

– Seedy K