When you're ready

Here's Kragthorpe in all his irritably-calm-after a-loss glory. Steve seems pleased more or less, we're just one or two plays away. Apparently there exists a 26 point play I'm not aware of. I half expected him to say: "Golly gee, why is everyone so mad at me? I'm trying." The word turd springs to mind.

Losing has become routine. And when losing becomes acceptable, it's a gotsta go situation, as Kornheiser would say.

Blog reactions continue

Another post from Eric Crawford on his thoughts from the game. Among them: Louisville played a pretty impressive first half, but everything that followed overshadows that. And what was up with all the country music at Papa John's? so asks Crawford, though I remember several in the CJ Live Game Chat commenting on it as well. Here also are Bozich's thoughts posted to his blog, and Charlie Springer's at Card Game.

We'll probably start dissecting this ornery bastard (a Howardism) in the next few days, after we recover.

The Burke Decision

I haven't seen the post-game interview yet, so for now I'll just say that I'm puzzled over the manner in which Adam Froman made his QB debut last night. The whole week went by without a word that Justin Burke was significantly injured, let alone questionable for the game. Then hours before kickoff of the most pivotal game of the season, word leaks out that our starting QB won't be playing. I don't buy the excuse that he withheld the information as part of pre-game strategy. It's not like Froman is Michael Vick; he shares essentially the same skill set with Justin Burke, and the game plan remained the same. The lack of honesty and direct communication with the fans is a significant defect in the Kragthorpe administration. The solution may lie with a new coach.   

Kragthorpe's future

Following last night's terrible loss, it is no stretch to say that this game could, and maybe should, be the beginning of the end, the nail in the coffin for Steve Kragthorpe at Louisville. I write that not out of venom or spite, but out of a sense of realism. In light of the Pitt game, even the unimpeded optimist, let alone the dispassionate observer, will have trouble denying the fact that there is serious, serious dysfunction woven into the football program, and that an end-of-season coaching change will be necessary to right this broken ship. We'll see.

Following the game, Eric Crawford made a few qualified predictions about the future of Louisville football. The situation is delicate enough that I don't want to put words in his mouth, so I'll just let you jump to the link.

Go Cards!!!

If you're reading this you can get our predictions here and here. Now turn off the computer and help the Cards steal a win out of the deep hairs of Dave Wannstedt's magnificent moustache.

Justin Burke

Justin Burke's injury is official; whether or not he plays tonight is still undecided, at least officially.

Rumors Abound

I'm walking our the door in about 30 seconds so I can't stick around to confirm this. But rumor has it from this blog (which seriously needs a spell-check editor), one radio host, and several text messages that the Cards will start backup QB Adam Froman tonight. Speculation is the Justin Burke has bruised ribs.

Last Minute Links

There's no need to hype it any more, but I think it's compelling how two teams are singing the same nervous tune. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"If we drop this first one, it becomes: When are we going to win a game? Last year we started out with Big East wins and that gets your confidence up...starting out with a win is huge for our momentum."

Rick Bozich's blog provides us some stats to watch for, but I can't get past this condescending line:

"Just checked the national stat rankings again for Pitt and Louisville, the teams that play tonight at 8 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium."

Thanks Rick, but what does stadium mean? And this link from the CJ can't be coincidence. Go Cards.

... and predictions

We're in for a sloppy game tonight, full of dropped balls, botched plays, emergency time-outs to get the play-call in, and other eccentricities with which Louisville fans have grown familiar and Pitt fans are quickly learning. Louisville's running game, while not shining, will provide better balance than it did against Utah, allowing Burke to have options downfield. The offense will be able to move the ball but will again have troubles in the red zone. However, special teams will play better, and field goals late in the game will be crucial. Meanwhile, Pitt's monster running back Dion Lewis will play strong, but a timely turnover or two will bail out our defense and keep us ahead. In particular, look for Johnny Patrick to make his third interception of the season.

We'll see touchdowns from the Cards and field goals from the Panthers in the first half, field goals from the Cards and touchdowns from the Panthers in the second. If they can hang on to an early lead at home, call it for the Cards, 35-30.

UK Hypocrisy Watch

Thomas Beisner for KSR refers to the reinstatement of Oregon running back LaGarrette Blount as "taking a page from the Ricky P discipline manifesto". Most normal fans of a team that quietly restored the status of a courageous female-puncher like Ridge Wilson only one week ago would lay off hurling discipline jokes for awhile. Lesson being? Never, ever, underestimate the thickness of the UK fan.

Predictions, predictions...

This one won't be close. And it's not what you're thinking. I don't think Pitt is very good, and I think the Cards are poised to play their best game of the season. We score on our first possession when Burke utilizes the amorphous pocket to hit Scott Long on broken coverage. Our defense rallies behind the crowd's energy to force 3 and out from Pitt. With a short field to work with, Vic Anderson leads the drive and gets the TD to go up 14-0. Playing with a sizeable lead for the first time this season, the Cards don't look back.

I expect a wild one, and think special teams will be an adventure. I think a returned punt, a blocked punt, and two shanked field goals will be seen, but I can't say who will benefit. The Cards will move the ball easily, and despite a few hiccups, will break out of their red zone stupor. The Pitt Panthers will move the ball as well, but will not be able to score efficiently enough to compensate for their broken secondary. It's a scenario where our greatest strength (our receivers) is their greatest weakness (covering receivers). UofL wins a madcap game, and for one night at least, there is joy. 38-24 Cards. Book it. 

Excited and hostile crowd

In the game-day preview from Pittsburgh's side of things, here were Wanny's last words:

"This will be a big challenge for our team -- No. 1, to bounce back from last week's game and, No. 2, to go down there and play in front of a very excited and hostile crowd on a Friday night on ESPN."

Let's not disappoint the Moustache Man... give 'em the full treatment tonight Cards fans!

Will it be morning again after tonight?

Here is Brian Bennett's take on what the Cards are up against tonight. Among the highlights:

"This team hasn't been as bad as its record suggests. Louisville twice led in the fourth quarter on the road against Kentucky before falling 31-27. Last week at Utah, the Cardinals fell behind 20-0 early after having a field goal blocked on their first drive and Trent Guy's fumble on a first-quarter kick return. They battled back to make it 23-14 in the fourth quarter but could get no closer. So at least they've been competitive, which is more than you could say for them at the end of last year during blowout losses to Pitt (41-7) and Rutgers (63-14). You could call it progress, but progress without victories isn't going to satisfy a fan base that seems to have made up its mind about Steve Kragthorpe."

Not much I would add to this analysis-wise. However, I think it's important to underscore how pivotal tonight's game will be. If we lose, I fear that despair and a sense of hopelessness will settle in among many of the faithful for the remainder of the season. But if we can somehow strangle a victory out of Pitt, then it will be morning again in Louisville. A run at the Big East championship would seem... possible. So cheer hard Cards fans! Wear your black proudly. The stakes couldn't be higher.

Hit me with your best shot

Impact player alert. Many of Pitt's defensive woes have been attributed to the absence of Adam Gunn, the senior middle linebacker. He had missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, but WILL be playing tonight. His arbitrary "percentage healthy" is not known at this time. Fire away.

Friday Night Lights

Before the season began I predicted that we would know the future of our head coach within the month. Well, it's October, and Judgment Day is at hand. This game has about as much juice as you're going to get for two middling Big East teams this season. ESPN. The lights. Embattled coaches. Playmakers. Play-allowing defenses. And one terrific mustache.

No excuses for this one. No respectable losses, no moral victories. This is an emminently winnable game against a solid but flawed opponent, with what will be the best home field advantage Krags can still hope for at this point. He must have this game to retain any credibility that we're moving toward the light. If we lose, we're looking at a future with few wins and an ugly coaching divorce. If we win, we begin Big East play with renewed optimism, and best of all--more meaningful football yet to play. Is it ideal? Is it pretty? Is it where any of us thought we would be three years ago? No. But it's Friday. And it sure won't be boring.

Some goosebumps to go with your coffee...

Morning Cards fans. Apparently Dan Devine was upset with his portrayal in the film, because it was his plan to play Rudy all along. He also claimed that the scene when the players laid their uniforms on his desk never happened, and if it had, he would have kicked them all off the team. Definitely NOT a player's coach; but he died in 2002, so don't get any ideas. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh C! A! R! D! S! CARDS!!!

Alright, alright, alright...

Tom Jurich announced today that UofL and Marshall have agreed to a one-and-one series beginning in 2011. The Thundering Herd will begin the matchup by coming to the Papa on October 1, 2011.

Kragthorpe's Kreek

Next up on the Steve Kragthorpe celebrity look-a-like tour is John Wesley Shipp, who played the father of that emotional teen Dawson in the TV series "Dawson's Creek." Mitch Leery was a celebrated character on the series and, for a while, was the football coach of Capeside High. Tragically, the character was killed off the show for eating an ice cream cone while driving.

Pitt Fans are funny

I've enjoyed the self-deprecating, gallows humor displayed by Pitt fans this week. The combination of a 4th quarter collapse and a 1-2 start by the Steelers has got that city on edge. Here's some sample questions from a fan chat. Whole chat and answers here. Pitt_s_It is particularly flummoxed.

Pitt_s_It: Ray, can you explain what Stull and Wannstedt mean when they say they are going to put an emphasis on 3rd down this week? What in the world have they been emphasizing?!?

bennett8111: This D is a joke. They cannot stop anyone, but what I would like to know is, is this a personnel problem or a coaching problem? Last year's D was good and now, with several returning vets, we stink! Bad coaching or time to plug in freshmen, as Wanny hates to do??

SomalianBuccos: If Pitt finishes the season without winning the Big East does the AD department pull the hatchet on Wanny? This is year #5 and we are still losing to chumps.

Pitt_s_It: It is becoming pretty apparent that the Pitt players have been overrated and the coaching is mediocre at best...it is time to panic! Your opinion on this mess please.

Pitt_s_It: Paul: Are the Panthers ready to make yet another no name quarterback a potential Heisman candidate?

Quick hits

Here's Friday's game preview from an oddsmaker... Jimmy Boyd! (it just sounds like the name of an oddsmaker or a bookie, doesn't it?) If you can manage your way though all the gambling references, the pregame analysis isn't bad. Nothing we don't already know, but it sums things up nicely. Elsewhere, Paul Sykes at Card Game offers his sunny forecast, like usual. Bozich reports that Kragthorpe is the 40th highest-paid coach in college football at $1.45 million... ahead of Rich Brooks, who makes $1.25 million.

Agony and Ecstasy

On Friday night you may bear witness to a rare alignment of 3rd down incompetence. UofL, managing a paltry 1.27 yards on third, will be going up against the Pitt D, who've allowed opponents to convert 43.1% of the time on 3rd down, good for last in the Big East.

On the bright side, don't leave your seat with all this punting going on! The Big East's two best returners, Trent Guy and Pitt WR Cameron Saddler will be looking to electrify under the lights. Saddler has averaged 30 yards a return on kickoffs (Guy avgs. 33.8) , and is anxious to take one to the house. Want to know a strange random fact? Cameron Saddler has a nephew.  He's "Uncle Cam" to former Pitt b-ball bruiser DeJuan Blair. Don't ask me how.

New York, NY

CJ Louisville beat writer C.L. Brown blogs about the prospects for the Yankee Bowl being added to the mix of Big East postseason destinations.

The Line of Scrimmage

Pitt's defensive line is one of the deepest and most talented in the country. At end they start a pair of juniors, Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard. Romeus was an All-Big East pick, while Sheard had an outstanding 2008 season with 45 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Two seniors anchor the interior at tackle, Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas. Perhaps more impressive than the veteran starters is the amount of depth. Tony Tucker, Justin Hargrove, Brandon Lindsey, Shayne Hale, and Craig Bokor are all highly touted underclassmen that are challenging the elder statesmen for playing time. They sub often and will be difficult to wear down. Justin Burke will have to improve recognizing pressure and his subsequent decision-making this week.

On the bright side their secondary is a disaster.

Pitt Trivia

* Pitt was the first college football team to wear numbers on their uniforms.

* Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine at Pitt University

* Was coached by Glenn Scobey Warner, better known as Pop Warner, who introduced the screen pass, shoulder pads, and the spiral punt to the game.

* Has claimed 9 national championships and 8 undefeated seasons in its 119 year history

* The Pitt campus has been largely wiped out by fires--twice. This hasn't stopped their tradition of holding an annual bonfire pep rally.

* Notable alumni include Dan Marino, Mark Cuban, Gene Kelly, Mike Ditka, Mister Rogers, Senators Rick Santorum and Orrin Hatch, Tony Dorsett, and Larry Fitzerald.

Lies, damned lies and statistics

On his blog, Crawford breaks out stats on the Cards (and Kentucky), and it ain't pretty... #105th ranked red zone offense, passing completion percentage of 29.4 percent inside the 20, and we're averaging 1.27 yards (!) on third down play. My least favorite tidbit:

"U of L ranks last in the Big East in scoring offense, sacks, tackles for loss, red zone scoring percentage, rushing defense, opponent kickoff returns, rushing defense and passes defended."

Had enough yet, Big East?

However, the stats also show that we are 6th nationally in kickoff returns, thanks largely to Trent Guy. Maybe we should allow our opponents to score more often, so that we can get Trent and the kick return team back out on the field...

Get Motivated!

We've already commented on how it's good to have the old Rick back, but his performance at the Get Motivated! seminar yesterday bears its repeating. Only Rick could turn such a tabloid-fodder scandal into an inspirational moment. The Godfather instructs: "Resist the darkness of doubt ... that will infiltrate your soul". I will Rick, I will. Now sign Marquis Teague and let's move on with our lives.

Looking ahead...

I know it's Wannstache Week, but I can't help commenting on Brian Bennett's profile of Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive end for South Florida. The 6-6, 260lbs Pierre-Paul first caught the attention of his coaches when he did a standing backflip in full helmet and pads.  And apparently he's only scratching the surface of his football ability. Gulp.

Bad days at the office

More coverage of Pitt from the Post-Gazette ... the Panthers' defense is severely underperforming, and the beat writer for Pitt football responds to the questions of concerned fans. In reading the latter link, I was struck both by this question:

"Hi Paul. The most disturbing thing about the loss on Saturday was that there were so many things going wrong that shouldn't have - terrible defense, a stalled offense, too many costly penalties, and the inability to put it in the endzone from the 8. Without some miscues from the other team, it could have been a lot worse. Eliminate any one of those four things and we probably win the game. Where does the blame fall here, and how does this team move forward?"
.
...and this answer:

"So I would say that most of the blame falls on the players but coaching decisions and coaching philosophy also comes into play. I mean, honestly, when you have a ball on the 8-yard line and four shots and only one of those four plays has a prayer of working, I'm not sure that is the entirely the players fault. So it is a combination of things, but I do think this -- this one game and we don't know yet if it was just a bad day at the office or more than that so I wouldn't overreact just yet. Wait a few more games and see how things play out before you decide to throw everyone under the bus."

Sound familiar? Actually, it seems like Pitt last Saturday endured more follies and sloppy play than even what we've come up with using the toss-option-sweep or defensive delay-of-game. (To be fair, our defense has been reasonably solid and occasionally spectacular, so no gripe there). This is a big game for the Cards because it is our best chance for early season course-correction, but the game must equally be important for Pitt. If they lose to us, then their program is truly stumbling (nice to be that barometer). For our sake, let's hope that Dave Wannstedt is headed for some Steve Kragthorpe-like heat, biblical-style. (or is it non-biblical? I still can't figure out what the hell he was saying...)

Sex Panther

Running back Dion Lewis has proven to be the real deal in his freshman campaign. At 5'8'' 190lbs, Lewis is cut from a different mold than the bruising Lesean McCoy, the former Panther that entered the NFL draft early last year. That hasn't stopped him from racking up 7 touchdowns, and breaking off 12 runs of 10 yards or more (9th nationally). He also seems to display a maturity beyond his years. The Cardinals linebacking corps will have a tough task keeping him contained.

Key Matchup: The line of scrimmage

Pitt's defensive line is one of the deepest and most talented in the country. At end they start a pair of juniors, Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard. Romeus was an All-Big East pick, while Sheard had an outstanding 2008 season with 45 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Two seniors anchor the interior at tackle, Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas. Perhaps more impressive than the veteran starters is the amount of depth. Tony Tucker, Justin Hargrove, Brandon Lindsey, Shayne Hale, and Craig Bokor are all highly touted underclassmen that are challenging the elder statesmen for playing time. They sub often and will be difficult to wear down. Justin Burke will have to improve his decision-making this week.

On the bright side their secondary is a disaster.

Wheaties con salsa!

Here's a highlight video of DeJuan Wheat apparently made by one of his Mexican admirers. The Louisville legend plays guard for the Soles de Mexicali.  With the new arena needs to come some new rules for the retirement of uniforms. Wheat's jersey needs to hang in the rafters. Watch the old confident free throw motion around the 2:20 mark and let the memories flood back.

Wannstache Presser

You can watch the whole press conference here, but here's what Wanny had to say about us:

"They are very physical. They've got an outstanding running back. I like their quarterback. I think he ran for 50 yards last week. He is not a Russell Wilson, but he can get out of trouble and make things happen on his feet. They have a receiver that didn't play against us last year. Scott Long, number 84, he's a big time player. He's their leading receiver and this guy is very impressive. Defensively, they are doing a good job. They are similar to us. They will mix in a little pressure here and there. They are physical. They are sound. It's going to be a big challenge for our football team, there's no question."

On the offense:
"I think their offensive line is going to be the most physical, by far, that we have faced this year. They will run the ball. They've got big play guys. They've got a junior college All-American at tight end. They've got three receivers. They bring in number three (Trent Guy). He comes in and is their big play guy. He had a 66-yard pass play. He can break it and take it the distance. So they have a nice compliment of power and speed. I definitely think they have gotten better from week one to where they're at now."

Ensepulchred within their crozzled hearts

In reviewing Pitt's surprising loss to N.C. State and prepping for their upcoming game against us, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Paul Zeiss had this remark about our "banged up," "lacking direction" football program:

"As another aside -- think about how far and how fast Louisville has fallen. I mean, in 2006 they won the Big East and a BCS Bowl. And that year after they played Pitt and won 48-24 in a game that wasn't even that close, I remember talking to some people in the press box and wondering if the Panthers would consistently be able to compete with the Cardinals because they had that thing rolling. Just two years later Pitt beat Louisville 41-7 and just three years later [meaning, this year] a lot of people picked them to finish last in the Big East. It is an amazing free fall and one which, sadly, has probably hurt the Big East's credibility in some ways because this is one of the programs that was on the brink of competing for a place in the top 10 every year."

Ouch. As if our decline isn't bad enough in its own respect, now we've got to consider the damage done to the friggin' conference? Yeah, well, at least no one shot a film in our town because it has "such a pleasing array of post-apocalyptic scenery"! (Actually, the fact that "The Road" was shot in and around Pittsburgh makes the Steel City even cooler in my book. That movie comes out Nov. 25, and I can't wait... by that point in our season, tales of the apocalypse may seem only appropriate).

You just can't defend that...

In keeping with our video game theme of the day, let's be ready for this play Friday night. Watch for the misspelling at the end. 

Pittsburgh Reeling

I'm torn on whether Pitt's 4th quarter collapse against NC State last Saturday bodes well or ill for the Cards. It certainly didn't help us against Utah, but I think the short week leaves them little practice time to correct some of their problems. And if this press box observation from Saturday's game is any indication, there are some problems.

"Sitting up here in the press box and watching the plays develop - I’m not sure if Pitt’s secondary has any idea what it is doing. There are plays when some guys are in man, some look like they are in zone and after every reception there seems to be at least one guy waving his arms as if to say “what the heck just happened?” I don’t know what the problem is, but it needs to get solved quickly."

Hollywood Steve

Finding Dave Wannstedt's celebrity look-a-like has sent me scrambling to find a Kragthorpe doppelganger, just in case my dark comedy screenplay "Building the Right Way" ever gets the greenlight. So far the best I've got is John C. McGinley, the guy from Scrubs and Office Space.

Playstation2 NBA Rookie of the Year

Rick Bozich catches up with T-Will.

Hey, Rick... what else would you say?

Best wishes to Mr. Simien

Good news on the injury front. Safety Terence Simien's kidney, lacerated during the game against UK, is healing itself and won't require surgery. This seems like a medical oddity to me. We're calling him Wolverine from now on. That's non-negotiable.

Wannstedt Week

Is it just me or does Dave Wannstedt look uncannily like actor Dennis Farina?

Here's 5 other things you may not know about the Wannstache:

1) Because of his close ties to Jimmy Johnson, the Steelers almost hired him for the head coaching position that went to Bill Cowher.

2) Once landed #7 on a list of best mustaches in NFL history.

3) Tore his Achilles tendon while walking. He required surgery and a knee scope.

4) As the Bears head coach, he traded their first round draft pick for QB bust Rick Mirer. A move still lamented in the Windy City.

5) Soon after getting married Wanny broke his hand and couldn't wear his wedding ring, so he got a tattoo of a ring on his finger instead.

Final word on Utah

My four points on the Utah game:

1) I still feel like our defensive players are playing as good as we can ask them. It's got to be draining to be out there making big plays but not seeing any point production on the other side of the ball.

2) The good news is that team penalties seem to be decreasing -- 6 for 35 yards against Kentucky, 5 for 50 yards against Utah. The bad news is that the ones we're still getting are nullifying key plays and getting kind of weird. There was the solid punt pinning the Utes deep in their own territory, nullified because we had too many men on the line. A personal foul on another kickoff. And a delay of game penalty against the defense? How does that even work?

3) Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes. The Guy fumble after carrying the football in the wrong hand. Broken plays. Burning timeouts because we can't get the play-calls in.

4) The heroics during the Kentucky game now seem attributable to the fact that it was a rivalry game, the rule of thumb of which is that anything making a tight contest can and will happen. There was no clutch play on display against Utah. The two performances were alike in terms of mistakes and red zone fatalities, but different in terms of intensity. At Kentucky, there was the feeling that we brought it despite all the mistakes we made. At Utah, after the blocked field goal in the first quarter, there wasn't much intensity felt the rest of the way.

(Hat tip: cbcard)

Kragthorpian Analysis

I just finished listening to Kragthorpe's press conference. Don't bother unless you're really intrigued by monotone coachspeak. But what dawned on me today is how sad Krags seems. He just looks worn down. For the first time I realized that a change of scenery may do wonders for Kragthorpe as well as for UofL. Think about it. Three years ago he was generally regarded as one of the hottest young coaches in the nation. Today he's viewed as the reason for the downfall of an entire football program. And mocked accordingly. He's no gruff authoritarian to be be sure, but he's a proud man nonetheless. This cannot be fun.

I think Kragthorpe throws himself completely into the Xs and Os of coaching as an escape. He watches the tape, puts in the hours, and goes through the motions. The result, however, is that he seems to live only on week to week basis, with no grand vision of where he wants the program to be. He prepares the team as best he can, takes a loss, and immediately moves his mind to the next opponent. He says all the right things about the team getting better, even to a ludicrous degree. That's somewhat admirable (he's never stooped to Jurich-level cheap shots to the fans) but it also furthers the impression that he just doesn't get it. The goal is not to steadily improve throughout the season. You have to create a playoff mentality on week one, at all levels of the program, fans included. Kragthorpe's vision, or lack thereof, does not seem to encompass this. He seems to be in survival mode at all times with no real identity or goal to attain. No vision. And judging from his demeanor today, he doesn't seem to be having much fun either.

The missing link

Yesterday I noted that Eric Crawford's column was witheld from the Courier Journal's web site and made available only to CJ online "subscribers." Well, today it is online and readily available-- and free as a bird. Does this mean that the standard policy going forward is that all Sunday columns are witheld online until Monday? Or has the decision been reversed? If anyone knows what the deal is over at Sixth and Broadway, we would be appreciative.

Big East Bonanza!

The often-maligned Big East conference took a step out of the BCS cellar this weekend. Cinci has cracked the Top 10, and wins by South Florida and Rutgers means that for the time being, all football conference-bashing can be directed towards the ACC. On the flip side, however, how are the Cards going to get a win in such a powerhouse conference??? Brian Bennett has us dead last in the Big East power rankings. Probably be second in the ACC though. ACC. Pfff. What a joke.

Monday afternoon press conference

Here's a link to Steve fielding questions. I don't want to spoil anything, but I hear he's going to take full responsibility.

We happy few...

Here's Charlie Springer's take on the Utah game posted immediately after the loss. Something about it made Charlie a little nostalgic -- first for Cards glory of only a few years ago, then of Cards struggles endured during the '80s and '90s.

The point being: we've come full circle. This season can be, and will be, entertaining, but there likely will be few wins, so we better learn how to enjoy things alternatively. A larger-than-life figure helped, but those shoes sadly will go unfilled. Our guys are a likeable, admirable bunch and will be easy to rally around, but the game-plan is never going to be there. However, this post is less about giving Krags a hard time, and more about Cards fans making a stark realization early on.

Saturday demonstrated fully the shortcomings of this squad, less to do with the players and more to do with the plays and especially the play-callers. Some might therefore be encouraged to believe that the challenges are surmountable (I can already see we're going to hear a lot of "we're so close" coming from the program this week, as we did last week). I hope they are right, but for me, the problems this season are the same ones that have dogged the program for three years, with no easy resolution in sight. Analysis, breakdown and reactions will all follow in the coming days, but suffice it to say that this year is shaping up to be a tough one, though hopefully not without a few surprises.

For most of us (and this was Charlie's point), we will need to appreciate the finer things of being a Cards fan -- the tailgating and the home games and watching the stadium get taller (absent the consideration of how we'll fill it) and watching the aways at the neighborhood pub or at whoever's house has the big-screen TV. If you can't enjoy this season without seven wins and a bowl game, then I feel sorry for you, because it is not likely. That's not to accept mediocrity or wave the white flag of surrender -- you will see that on this blog we will never give up. And it is definitely not to excuse the coaching staff. But it is where we are. For this season at least, Cards fans, we are left with our

lowest-common denominator -- each other.

.

Unless we beat Pittsburgh this Friday, in which case all bets are off.

.

Burke's Regression

In my opinion QB Justin Burke took a step back on Saturday from the poised performance he displayed against Kentucky. He seemed confused by the pressure, and unsure of when to throw and when to take off for a run. Six sacks is too many, but by and large I thought the O-line played admirably. Many of those sacks seemed to result from Burke's indecisiveness and holding the ball too long. Much like the team at large, there were flashes of promise embedded in the inconsistent play. "Bipolar" is the word Burke used to describe the team's play after the game Saturday. Also an apt description of his own performance.

True Words

Morning Cards fans. This from the EC, for free:

"And this UofL team, minus many of its mistakes, is not far from Utah or UK."

Here here. I never felt watching Saturday's game that we were the lesser team. Nor did I against the Cats. We had the athletes and the talent to win both games. What do you call it when a talented teams underperforms? Poor coaching. Poor coaching. Poor coaching. I can't say anything else on the matter that hasn't already been said here and here. But despite my frustrations with the headset, this team has got heart, and I'll stay behind them till the end. Go Cards. Now let's break down the tape... 

The Face of Cardinal Football

I've debated posting this, because God knows I looked like a dork in high school. But considering the Cardinals kicking woes these days, I figured it's relavant to introduce you to new Card commit Nick Robertson. His toe led the Trinity Shamrocks to a 9-0 victory on Friday. Glad to have you aboard Nick. I need a drink.

The CJ makes a date with irrelevance

Also on Crawford's blog this morning:

"SUNDAY COLUMN. You won't find today's column on the web this morning. It's available in the hard-copy print edition only. You can also find it in the subscription E-edition of The C-J, information on which may be found by clicking here."

I don't know if this refers only to the Sunday edition or if it is part of a more expansive change. The demise of print media and the pros and cons of a subscription service to generate revenue have been debated far and wide, by people more expert than I am. For my part, I can only tell you that I will not be subscribing, and that news on Cardinal athletics will come from somewhere else. On this blog and others, the CJ will remove itself from the conversation.

Maybe he was winded from all that, uh, kicking, yeah...

This from Eric Crawford's blog:

"Strange scene after the game. Sophomore kicker Chris Philpott wandered over to talk to somebody in the stands, when coaches trotting across the field after coming down from the booth spotted him. One of them yelled over, 'Philpott come on.' He broke it off and started walking toward the locker room where the rest of the team was, and wasn't in too much of a hurry even when the coach shouted, 'Come on, jog it off! Coach is talking!'"

Cards fans who already suspect that Kragthorpe's "players' coach" mantra has lead to the lack of discipline in the program will not be encouraged. I mean jeez, he's the kicker!

Surveying the damage

Not good. That's my expert analysis. I need to digest some more stats before I'll say more. But for now, Cards fans, can we please put to bed the Jon Gruden to Louisville rumor. It ain't happening and it makes us sounds delusional. I had plenty of laughs at UKs expense mocking the Bill Parcells fantasy. Don't be like that. We're better than that. Not at football so much, but you know what I mean.