It’s time we must bid a sad adieu to the soon-to-be-yesterday’s-stale-bagel Big East, her intense rivalries, Dave Gavitt’s well-intentioned promise, her glory early spring days in the Garden, Big John with his shoulder towel vs. Little Louie in Macy’s ugliest sweater, and her sad but inevitable decimation and demise.

The Big East, she will be gone, but not forgot, remaining forever in our memories.

This one is sad, but inevitable. Louisville jumping to the ACC was the straw that broke the camel’s back (to coin a phrase).

It makes total sense for the hoops-only schools to do their own thing. Actually it would be more accurate to describe them as non football schools, since they need a league for their minor sports too.

Which leaves that muddled mess of Cincy, UConn, South Florida, the C-USA  and Mountain West jumpers standing around looking at each other woozily like a bunch of wasted guys at closing time early on a Sunday morning at their favorite bar, looking at each other, wondering, “What da fuh, where did all the babes go?”

Thinking globally, but concerned locally, let’s hope this means the ACC and U of L can get their act together so the Cards can compete in its new home next school year.

* * * * *

I’m also thinking about Willie Taggert.

Lots and lots of talk about Western Ky hiring Bobby Petrino to replace Taggert, but what about the up and comer’s move to South Florida?

The Tampa Bay area school has been considered, “the next great college football power,” given the recruiting base, etc. Yet, it is mired in po with little mo. The potential is there, the upward momentum is not.

Especially now that last rites have been recited for the Big East, I have to wonder if Taggert made a wise move?

It ain’t lookin’ so good at this point. The Toppers and Bulls could end up in the same league.

And, lest we forget, Tommy Tuberville, come on down.

How’s the move to Cincy woikin’ out fer ya?

* * * * *

Which brings us to deposed SoFla coach Skip Holtz who, thanks to name recognition and who knows what else, has landed at Louisiana Tech.

* * * * *

While watching the very intense volleyball semi last night in which Texas stormed back to win the last two games and the match, I got to thinking about Louisville coach Anne Kordes.

If you’ve been in her presence, you know what a determined young woman she is. For awhile I’ve been trying to figure out who she reminds me of?

It finally came to me last night. Pat Summitt.

Given Kordes’s focus, given what a volleyball hotbed this town has become, given her resources, I would be most surprised if she doesn’t turn the Cardinals into a national power in the next few years.

* * * * *

Excellent ESPN.com hoops writer Dana O’Neil has written a terrific piece on the seminal Loyola/ Mississippi State NCAA game in ’63.

You can read it here.

* * * * *

I can’t help but smile at the ineptitude of the Los Angeles Lakers.

* * * * *

I watched some of the Harrrison twins last night on TV.

One has a strained hammy. Aaron or Andrew, I’m not sure. Their school, Travis, ended up winning in OT, but, to be honest, I was expecting more dominance.

Then again, I don’t watch enough high school hoops these days to discern which players are really special and which aren’t? One must assume that the recruiting gurus and Coach Cal, who was in the stands last night, know what they’re talking about.

– Seedy K

]]> http://score.leoweekly.com/2012/12/14/fridays-final-shots-sayonara-big-east-goodbye-willie-whatup-la-more/feed/ 0 http://score.leoweekly.com/2012/08/07/tuesdays-tidbits-a-little-this-some-of-that/ http://score.leoweekly.com/2012/08/07/tuesdays-tidbits-a-little-this-some-of-that/#comments Tue, 07 Aug 2012 22:46:05 +0000 c d kaplan http://score.leoweekly.com/?p=7751 During the couple of ends-with-a-whimper-not-with-a-bang Cardinal hoops seasons, the two before last year’s surprising Final Four visit, there was a running joke among my friends.

With Charlie Strong at the helm, U of L had once again become “a football school.”Or, so we’d joke after a disappointing hoops L.

We knew — and still know — that it really isn’t the case. Nor will it ever be, though we’d all love our school to become a major playah on the national gridiron scene. Keeping our fingers crossed.

I thought about the prospect — U of L considered among the Crimson Tides and Buckeyes — while listening to Tony Vanetti, who was sitting in last Friday night on WHAS evening sports call-in show. A reporter was on the scene at U of L’s practice fields for an opening night report.

But, they talked almost as much about the Trinity scrimmage the same night, from which they were also going to file live on-the-air reports.

You think the media guys in Tuscaloosa and Ann Arbor were talking high school football during their reports from Alabama’s and Michigan’s practices?

Just wondering.

* * * * *

Whither Mangok Mathiang?

* * * * *

I haven’t been able to watch any of the Olympics today. So, there might have been more scintillating action from London.

I’ll stand by my Facebook post during the latter stages of regulation of USA’s stunning W over Canada on the ladies’ futbol pitch. It was as exciting a game as any I’ve viewed in any sport for a long time.

Canada up 1 nil. Yanks tie it early in the 2d. Canada retaliates a couple minutes later for a 2-1 lead. The red, white and blue respond to knot it. Just a few ticks of the game clock later, that Sinclair gal completes her hat trick. Canada, 3-2. Penalty kick after a questionable hand ball ties it again.

Two regulation OT periods. No score.

With 150 seconds of a three minute injury time extension gone, US heads in the winner.

The flip side of the coin — for America’s fans, that is — came in men’s volleyball.

The Yanks were up two sets to love in the best of five match. With match point. And the Russkies came back to win it.

Unfortunately, Major “King” Kong (Slim Pickens) wasn’t there to give our boys his pep talk from “Dr. Strangelove”:

Well, boys, I reckon this is it – nuclear combat toe to toe with the Roosskies. Now look, boys, I ain’t much of a hand at makin’ speeches, but I got a pretty fair idea that something doggone important is goin’ on back there. And I got a fair idea the kinda personal emotions that some of you fellas may be thinkin’. Heck, I reckon you wouldn’t even be human bein’s if you didn’t have some pretty strong personal feelin’s about nuclear combat. I want you to remember one thing, the folks back home is a-countin’ on you and by golly, we ain’t about to let ‘em down. I tell you something else, if this thing turns out to be half as important as I figure it just might be, I’d say that you’re all in line for some important promotions and personal citations when this thing’s over with. That goes for ever’ last one of you regardless of your race, color or your creed. Now let’s get this thing on the hump – we got some flyin’ to do.

Then he went out and took care of business made sure himself the job was done.

* * * * *

The word that comes to mind when considering Usain Bolt.

Fast.

Very, very fast.

– Seedy K

* * * * *

Both Ken Lolla, mentor of the #1 ranked Louisville Cardinal futbol team, and Anne Kordes, first year volleyball coach, spoke on the undercard, and mentioned Strong with affection and admiration that was not pro forma. Lolla spoke of a cookout Strong hosted at his home this summer for the U of L athletic department. He mentioned how unusual it is to have a football coach so interested in the rest of the school’s teams, Strong was apparently in the house for the opening soccer W against UCLA.

After Kordes addressed the media, she stopped for a genuine hug with Charlie Strong. Plus a several minute conversation that was obviously of substance and indicated a legit relationship between the two.

* * * * *

Lolla is a coach with a confidant mien. He speaks with certainty and perspective.

His take is that Louisville’s pressure, especially on D, wore down the second ranked Bruins on Saturday. He also admonished, “It was fortuitous we caught UCLA in the first game of the season.”

He feels his team will be tested this weekend with two away games against Southern Cal and Wake Forest.

* * * * *

It was the first time I heard Anne Kordes talk. This is a woman in charge. She reminds me of a young Pat Summitt, always in command of the situation. On the court and off.

She speaks in specifics and with authority. When explaining why this year’s squad is short-handed by two schollies, it was obvious she has a long term plan for success.

She spoke glowingly of Gwen Rucker, who formerly played both hoops and volleyball. “She’s a potential first team All-America.”

The squad opened with two Ws last weekend in Atlanta over Tennessee Tech and Kansas State. Then allowed a 2 games to love lead against Georgia Tech to slip away for a 2-3 L.

This weekend the Cards play Ole Miss, Eastern Illinois and Wichita State at sold out Cardinal Arena.

After the last question, she looked the assembled media in the eye. “You guys coming to our game Friday night?

“Any of you all seen a volleyball game?”

Keep your eyes on Louisville volleyball. The eyeball test tells me Tom Jurich made another very wise hire in Anne Kordes.

* * * * *

Charlie Strong didn’t provide much new info.

Center Mario Benavides, DL stalwart B.J. Butler, Corvin Lamb and Jalen Harrington are injured and will definitely not see action in the opener. Alex Kupper will start at center. (Which means up the middle on O, U of L will be starting two Trinity grads, both of whom walked on the Belknap Campus.) The other starters on the OL will be Jake Smith, Ryan Kessling, John Miller and Hector Hernandez.

There has been zero contact from the NCAA regarding Clint Hurtt, who, Strong advised, will continue in the same duties as always.

Strong, when asked about the Hurtt situation at Miami: “We run a clean program. We have to take care of our program. The focus is on our team.”

All three QBs, Will Stein, Teddy Bridgewater and Dominique Brown, will play against Murray State.

Murray State QB, Casey Brockman, like Stein, started as a walk on. He was Ohio Valley Conference Offensive POY.

Strong and Racers’ coach Chris Hatcher are good friends. Hatcher was slated to be Strong’s first QB coach at U of L, but took the Murray job, “because he had some coaching friends from Southern Miss who needed jobs,” according to Strong. Hatcher was an assistant under Hal Mumme at UK.

* * * * *

The best line of the day came from Will Stein.

When asked what it means to “manage the game,” Stein said, “Coach always says ‘Don’t be Brett Favre,’ but every once in awhile you have to be.”

– Seedy K

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