Play it again, Sam.

Cards lose 38-25. You've heard it before. UofL hangs tough for a half, moves the ball, craps out in the red-zone, cannot overcome costly mistakes. We've said it many times, and we'll say it again. There has not been a game this year when I felt we were overmatched. There's talent on the field, but an empty headset at the helm. Support the players; they've earned it. But don't get sucked into another week's spin of "we're so close...we're one or two plays away..." This is a rudderless team and a ruddlerless program right now. We're taking a day of rest tomorrow, see you Monday morning.

Go Cards!!!

If you're reading this you can get our predictions here and here.  Now turn off the computer and help cheer the Cards to a victory that will have pesky reporters asking Randy Edsall for his paycheck back.

Some goosebumps to go with your coffee...

Morning Cards fans. Unfortunately, Fortune, the wise janitor, was merely a fictional creation; in later interviews real Rudy would state that he was a composite of several people in his life at the time. Actor Charles S. Dutton, however, certainly is real. In and out of prison for most of his youth, Dutton served 10 years for possession of a deadly weapon and assaulting a prison guard. He started a theatre group in prison where he found his love for performance. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. C! A! R! D! S! CARDS!

...and predictions

Look for the Cards to struggle in the first quarter but catch up in the second. Connecticut will score early and often, but only one of these will result from a sustained drive. Froman/Burke will play well but lack of experience/shaken confidence finally will catch up with him/him (please circle the starter when announced). The Cards will convert a two-point conversion. Huskie mistakes in the third quarter will keep the Cards within striking distance. If they can capitalize late in the game with a solid drive down the field, call this one for the Cards, 28-24.

Predictions, predictions...

Brian Bennett at ESPN is bragging about his success ratio for picking Big East games. But he neglects to mention he always picks the favorite. He's like the March Madness analysts that pick all #1 seeds for the Final Four and are pleased with themselves when 3 make it. What's the fun in that? Same thing this week; all favorites, and he's got the Cards losing 30-20. Not here dammit! We live out on the limb, and I like the Cards this week in an ugly one all around. The conditions will be sloppy, the play will be sloppy, and the fans will be sloppy when UConn is trailing at the half 14-6. Unable to throw on a wet field and windy conditions, the Huskies will change QBs and fail to find a rhythm. UofL will pound the ball with the trio of Anderson and Powell, and Ashley. They'll control the clock and get one scoring strike spurred by a long pass to Scott Long. 24-13 Cards. Book it.

A peek down the road...

I'd be remiss not to offer some comment on the bacchanalian basketball festival taking place at Rupp Arena tonight. Sure, I loathe it, but even I have to admit that UK Midnight Madness is an impressive event, one that can even evoke a hint of jealousy that the Cards lack a similar fan celebration. But hidden in KSR Matt Jones's preview of the event, is a small nugget that reminds me why I'm glad we are what we are. Jones' mentions that amidst everything else under the sun that is rumored to transpire tonight, there will not be a 3-point contest; presumably because UK lacks the shooters to stage one. See, for all the garbage about "raising your program's profile", it's not about LeBron, Jay-Z, trips to China, uniforms to Obama, Worldwide Wes, and lord knows what else Cal has in store. When you break it down, it's just basketball. Five guys against five guys. Don't get me wrong, UK's going to be good, really good. But they're going into the season with a significant weakness that no one really talks about much because it's more important to have the swagger of the "It" program than it is to be a good basketball team. If in some parallel universe, if we were in UK's situation, I'd imagine pulling up my stool at a Germantown bar and having a conversation something like this...

Mr. Red: "You going to Cardinal Madness tonight?!? Nappy Roots and Terry Meiners are going to be there!

Old Guy: "Nah, we don't got no shooters."

And that, for some strange reason, is why I'm a Cards fan.

Impact Player Alerts

UConn's defensive captain, linebacker Scott Lutrus, is OUT for tomorrow's game with a stinger. I'm allergic to bees too. Also, Cinci coach Brian Kelly's stupidity has worked in our favor; QB Tony Pike is likely OUT for next week's matchup against the Cards; Kelly foolishly put Pike back in the game against USF for the second-half last night, after taking an ugly fall on his (already rebuilt) non-throwing arm. He took more hits in the 3rd quarter and exacerbated the injury.

Nor'easter, here comes a team from the Sou'east

Storm's a brewin' for tomorrow's game at UConn. Current noon forecast is calling for a temperature of 40 degrees, 60% chance of rain, and a steady wind of 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Sounds like Vic Anderson weather to me. And I'm sure I don't have to tell you the old axiom, but bad weather favors the underdog.

Where It'll Go Down

Owned by the state of Connecticut, Rentschler Field is home to Huskie football. In the 90's there was talk of sharing a stadium with the New England Patriots, but those plans stalled when Gillete Stadium was greenlighted (greenlit?). Instead, construction of Rentschler was proposed, and was also one of the preconditions of UConn's admission to Division-I. The 91.2 million dollar facility broke ground in 2000 and was completed in 2003. It seats 40,000, but UConn has often struggled to fill it to capacity. Attendance should not be a problem, however, this homecoming Saturday. More trivia you say? Don't mind if I do...

* Was designed by world famous architecture firm Ellerbe Becket

* First artist to perform there was Bruce Springsteen in 2003

* Was built on the site of a decommissioned airport

* Has ridiculous Tailgaiting Rules that ban charcoal grills, kegs, drinking games, and tossing footballs. I'm not kidding.

* The field is 100% Kentucky Bluegrass, baby

It don't faze me, bro.

Jerry and Sharp-head won't be suspended for any games, Coach Rick Pitino said Thursday. In my non-firsthand, completely biased opinion, I think these charges are bogus. The fact that the arresting officer added more offenses to the report retroactively, only to have the prosecutor say, "Nah", is telling. I'm also skeptical of the need for two tasings; I know Jennings is imposing, but if he had done anything remotely serious, these would be felony charges, not a misdemeanor. Kudos to Rick for ignoring the media hysteria and possibly opening himself to criticism (as if he's not immune to that by now); he got this one right.

Hodgepodge

Unswayed by Coach Pitino's own parallel, internal justice system, Jeffersonville City Court has moved Jerry Smith and Terrence Jennings' hearing to this Monday. You thought you knew about the Cards' woes in the secondary? Read about poor converted WR Andrew Robinson, who admits "he's still getting used to backpedaling off the line instead of sprinting". Yikes. The Gruden jokes have begun, I hope some of you are happy, I had 15 minutes of new material on Parcells-UK. What a waste. And last but not least, here's Coach Steve being comically diplomatic about the state of UConn-Cardinal relations. From the HC:

Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe said his team won't be looking for any measure of revenge after last season's 26-21 loss to the Huskies at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium..."I don't think that's going to be a big factor. Guys just go play, you know?"

What. The. Hell. Is. This. Man's. Problem???

Et tu Desi?

In a Hartford-Courant article, Louisville native Desi Cullen, UConn's senior punter, says Saturday's game has extra significance for him. Also, will teams please stop scheduling us for their homecoming game? I'm developing a complex.

Consequences of "if UConn somehow blows this game against Louisville..."

UConn football observers are preparing for the yearly ritual of ending the season in the shadows of the vaunted basketball program, something to which Cards football followers dating back to the '80s should easily relate. Following some questionable playcalls and surprising losses, the stakes are especially high this weekend -- so claims Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant -- for a loss at home to lowly Louisville would deliver the hearts of Huskie faithful into the vulgar Jim Calhoun's hands yet again. Writes Conner:

"If UConn somehow blows this game against Louisville in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday, I really do wonder what risk the program runs in seeing people fall off the bandwagon and for how long."

And then:

"A little birdie told me this week that when UConn hired Edsall the plan was for him to get the I-A thing going, which the administration figured was going to be a struggle, and then bring in a big name coach to carry the program to the next level. Then things started moving really fast - the Motor City Bowl appearance was a big surprise just after joining the Big East. It excited the fan base."

And finally...

"There's a fan base out there that bleeds for this program and much of it supports the men's and women's basketball programs as well. I'm just wondering if football is running the risk of turning some of that fan base off and what really would happen if the Huskies lose Saturday."

Here's hoping that we'll soon find out.

Smile!

If you see this face about town on Saturday put your best foot forward and try to say something funny. He's J.J.Moore, the 6'6'' 180lbs small forward out of Brentwood, New York; he's making his visit to Louisville this weekend. Competition for his four-star services amongst Big East teams is getting fierce; The Cards and Pitt are presumed to be the leaders, but UConn and Providence are also in the mix. Here's a link to a scouting video that shows a pretty impressive midrange game.

40292

A new weekly feature: around the world of Cardinal blogs.

Mike Rutherford at Card Chronicles meanders his way through several entertaining discussion points while waiting for basketball season to start. Charlie Springer analyzes several aspects of the Cards' victory over Southern Miss. Later in the week, he defends the honor and loyalty of Cards fans against the short-sighted criticisms of... well, other Cards fans. The issue is the estimate of attendance at last Saturday's home game (official: 37,258) and whether the fans are retreating from their season tickets as a sort of protest against the head coach. Says Springer:

"One thinks that some must have made their minds made up before kickoff when those estimates would have been pretty accurate. Five minutes after the game started, it was a far different story, except for the upper reaches of the end zone...From someone who has been watching Louisville football for decades, the turnout was impressive — considering the negative vibes around the program. The observer will go with the official estimate. For the record, there were some much smaller crowds at some games during the legendary Bobby Petrino era."

Attempting to quash the self-inflicted "Cards fans didn't show up" charges, Springer includes photographic evidence.

Fish in the Sea: Butch Jones

What tees your name?

Butch.
What does eet mean?
I'm from Central Michigan, our names don't mean shit.
What does eet feel like?
What does what feel like?
Keeling the MAC conference? Beating the other teams to death with your bare hands.
Tell ya what, you give me one of them beers, I'll give you an answer. I don't feel the least bit bad. You wanna know why Mister Red?
Yes.
Because I'm a football coach. I'm 21-12 in my career and have gone to two straight bowl games. I worked for Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia and know the Big East. After you've said that, you've said pretty much all there is to say about me. Now if anyone should ask you who your coach is, what are you going to tell them?
The truth. One, slightly toasted, casually-dressed, Kragthorpe.
Bon soir, Mister Red.
Sleep well, Bootch.
Stop talking like that you idiot.

The Pittsburgh Constant

Since both teams have been swept away by the Wannstache in the last two weeks, I thought a stat comparison of how each team fared against the Panthers may be enlightening. Or maybe not. The graph took a little time, so humor me.
          

                        

Total Yards          305                 303

1st Downs            17                   18

3rd Down eff.       3-15               3-9

Passing Yards       204                197

Rushing Yards      101                 106

Time of Poss.       30:07              24:01

Turnovers             1                     1

Penalties              10-98              2-5

In case you forgot...

Jim Calhoun is a real jerk.

Quick hits: last week in the Big East

Big East notebooks from from Greenwich Time and fanhouse.com. Among the highlights is this passage from the latter source:

"2. Trent Guy can giveth away and saveth -- three weeks ago, Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe threatened the media not to blame Trent Guy for the Kentucky loss after Guy's fumbled punt return led to UK's winning touchdown in UL's 31-27 loss. On Saturday Guy paid back his coach and may have saved Kragthorpe's bacon -- at least for the time being. After Southern Miss took a 23-22 lead with 2:13 remaining, Guy returned the ensuing kickoff 64 yards to the USM 30. It set up the game-winning 32-yard field goal from Ryan Payne in Louisville's 25-23 victory. It's doubtful Kragthorpe, who is on the proverbial hot seat this season, would have survived a 1-4 start and a loss to a Conference USA team. "

Probably not the quickest way to endear yourself to some Cardinal fans at the moment... it's okay, we still got your back Trent... along with Krags I guess.

Take a break, guys.

Unlike at UConn, where the guys in tweed have put the kaibosh on expanding their facilities, the Cards new arena is coming along as if built by beavers on cocaine. The arena project is 7 to 10 days ahead of schedule. Good news for the university and the city, but the real question is what effect this will have on that big giant countdown clock?

Victories they are you must find

AP preview of Louisville-UConn at newsday.com. Among the highlights... Ryan Payne describes local celebrity following his game-winner against Southern Miss:

"People you never even would talk to, just out of nowhere say 'Oh, great game,'" Payne said. "It's like 'Oh, I barely remember you from high school, thanks.' It's a great feeling. No one doesn't like a compliment."

For the record, Payne attended Dana Hills High School in California. That might help explain why he doesn't remember anybody from around here. There was also this gem from Coach Kragthorpe, sizing up the victory:

"I think it was important for us to win a game we had to finish it like we did."

Run-on sentence? Yoda talk? I'm scratching my head, but yes coach, it was important that we win a game, and yes coach, finishing with last-second field goals is also nice.

Two Minutes Hate

Whether it's the smirk of Larry Taylor, the arrogance of Geno Auriemma, or the ethics of Jim Calhoun, Cards fans have no shortage of UConn personalities at whom to direct our ire this week. I'm saving my animosity for the Huskie faithful, who seem to be getting just a bit too big for their britches. Check out some recent fan chat on the Hartford Courant:

* "I'm gonna assume we beat the ville which we should and talk about the game in morgantown for a bit..."

* "I think they have to bury Louisville and do it with attitude."

* "I want a thorough pounding of the Birds...I'm looking for a 31-10 type affair this Saturday."

* "I love UConn -11. We'll cover that easy."

and my favorite...

* "I find no redeeming qualities to a horrific Cardinals team."

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood."

UConn football may be young, but they're already dreaming big. Though they have trouble selling out their 40,000 capacity Rentschler Field, the fans are already clamoring for an expansion. Unfortunately, some killjoy adminstrators insist on selling out the current stadium before going to 60 or 70 thousand. Sound familiar? Also, you would think Coach Randy Edsall would be a local legend, having lead the UConn program from Division I-AA program to the Big Time, going to two straight bowl games, and bringing NFL talent (they produced 4 draft picks last year). But no, some fans are questioning Edsall's ability to take UConn to the next level. To be fair, Edsall isn't doing himself any favors, making a couple of boneheaded coaching decisions in last week's loss to Pitt.

Jerry and Terrence, continued

Not to toot our own horn, but it seems our our initial instincts about the Smith-Jennings arrest are coming closer to being confirmed. Not that it will do Jerry and Terrence any good, they now face added charges. According to the UofL press release, after apologizing for the incident, Terrence Jennings stated that he did not know that the men accosting him were undercover officers. The Jeffersonville police say otherwise. Smith appears to be guilty of nothing more than being loyal to a teammate. The more I read, the more I want to go to bat for Jerry Smith and Sharp-Head Jennings in this situation. Think about it. Would you react the same way to a uniformed officer as you would to a guy in a black tee-shirt with the word "police" written in small lettering, when you are indoors at an event? I think I would have assumed them to be security/bouncer types, and would have also been pissed if they got aggresive. Again, I was not at the scene and did not see it all unfold, but unless more comes out, I think that Jennings' belief that the men were not officers was a reasonable one. With the Sypher trial looming, and Calipari playing the rest of the state like a cheap fiddle, I was expecting an us-against-the-world mentality this basketball season. I wasn't expecting it to commence this soon, and certainly not in this context.

Everything you never wanted to know about the Indiana penal code

(Hat tip: Indiana attorney John Razumich's website)

Resisting Arrest

There are many instances when police will arrest people for what is commonly known as “resisting arrest,” but is charged in Indiana as “resisting law enforcement.” Generally, arrests on this basis are made when police are called to a gathering of people, be it public or private, and they instruct someone at that gathering to leave and if there is a refusal by that person, as well as some physical resistance, an arrest is warranted.

Such an arrest can be for any conduct that runs interference with a police officer’s “stated” intention. Such an intention, no matter what it may be, can be communicated by simply turning his or her siren on, making a verbal command, or flashing lights. And if the officer assesses a citizen’s action (such as pulling in front of his or her patrol car that is trying to pass) or inaction (such as not pulling over when pulled behind), the officer may elect to make an arrest.

Because the definition of “resisting law enforcement” is very broad in the Indiana statute, police have wide latitude to make arrests on this basis. There are a number of circumstances in which they may use it, much like the wide circumstances under which an arrest for “disorderly conduct” can be made – although a different basis for arrest.

Even though a relatively minor crime, do not make the mistake of underestimating what such a charge and conviction could mean for you. Depending on the county in which you were arrested, the circumstances of the arrest, as well as any prior legal problems you may have had – the consequences could present severe hardship. Therefore, you need a lawyer to make sure that the consequences of such a charge are as minor as possible.

Down goes Frazer!

The Cards aren't the only team with a quarterback question. Earlier today UConn coach Randy Edsall pulled the plug on heretofore starter Zach Frazer, who had been sidelined two games with a knee injury, making Cody Endres the official new #1. Frazer is the more experienced leader, but Endres is regarded as being more fundamentally sound. Don't be surprised to see both take snaps if UConn gets off to a slow start.

Impact Player Alert

Meet four-star freshman Dwayne Difton. Signing the highly-coveted star wideout from Florida was a huge get for UConn coach Randy Edsall and their young program. Difton was a key member of the 2007 and 2008 state champion St. Thomas Aquinas football powerhouse, ranked #1 nationally each year. Difton has gotten off to a slow start this season, largely because of Edsall's conservative playcalling, but seems poised for a breakout game as their head coach has vowed to step up the offensive firepower. Here's 9 more Huskies to watch for on Saturday

Garcia breaks arm

Former Cardinal Francisco Garcia broke his arm while lifting weights last Friday. Apparently Garcia was lying on an excercise ball while working out with hand weights when the ball popped, causing the break. He will have surgery tomorrow to set the bone, and is expected to be out for 4 months. The Sacremento Kings are exploring a lawsuit against the ball's manufacturer. Bad news for Cisco, who was expected to start at small forward for the Kings this season.

UConn Football: Though they are small, they are but fierce...

Jerry and Terrence, continued

A few more details are emerging about the Smith-Jennings arrest on Saturday. Apparently Jennings got into an altercation with another patron at Kye's when a plainclothes police officer attempted to intervene. Jennings reacted, presumably doing something to prompt the officer to down him with a taser. Smith was arrested for ignoring officers and going to Jennings aid. I think these charges may be dropped. Altercations with plainclothes officers seem problematic to me. Undercover or off-duty officers should be afforded the same protections as regular officers, but if Jennings did not know, or simply did not believe that the man was an officer, his actions may have been reasonable. You can't be charged for reacting against a normal-looking dude that suddenly accosts you. Furthermore, Jerry's response sounds downright noble! Coming to the aid of his teammate after he had been tasered, I mean, he had to be more than a little freaked out. I know how ridiculous this sounds considering the context, but that's the leadership I look for in a team captain. Replace bobsled with basketball, and Jamaica with Cardinal, and I imagine the whole scene going down something like this...

You can't handle the truth!

This QB situation is getting a little weird. At his Monday afternoon press conference, Coach Kragthorpe said that Justin Burke is still battling his mysterious chest bruise and his status for the UConn game is uncertain. I had come to the conclusion that Adam Froman was our new starter, Kragthorpe's favorite probably all along, and that the Burke injury was a thinly-veiled attempt to save him some face. But if that is indeed the case, he's taking this charade to an extreme degree. He's now going into detail on how the bruise is effecting Burke's long ball. So where do we stand? There's a few possibilities. One, Kragthorpe actually thinks it a strategic advantage to play these games through the media as to our quarterback's status. Two, Kragthorpe is worried about hurting Burke's feelings and is too wimpish to pull the trigger with a new QB officially. Three, Burke is actually sufferring from a strange chest bruise that wasn't serious enough to keep him out of practice the week after it occurred, but is still hampering him two weeks later. I know which one of these I believe, but I'll let you decide for yourself.

The Unfair Catch

It's UConn Week, so you know what that means. Nothing more needs to be said, but it's still the worst non-call I've ever seen. Recall Larry Taylor's laughing smirk on the sideline around the 2:30 mark to really get your blood boiling.

*** Note the announcer's dumb comment that this was a "lesson" for UofL special teams to "finish the play". I thought the reason for the fair catch was so that the defender did not finish the play, but hey, I'm no announcer.
*** Also, I forgot that Kragthorpe wasted a timeout to give the officials more time to review a non-reviewable play. Classic.

Welcome aboard big boy!

Cardinal football is on a recruiting roll. 6'5, 285lbs offensive lineman Zachary Hundertmark has verbally committed. He picked the Cards over Rutgers, Purdue, North Carolina, and UConn.

Doug Beaumont concussed

We may be without reliable receiver Doug Beaumont this Saturday. The junior suffered a concussion in the first half of Saturday's game, and did not play in the second half. He will be evaluated throughout the week. "Brain injuries, you don't mess with those," Krags said on Monday. For once we are in complete agreement.

"It means love, respect, community...and the dollars too. The package. The Quan."

As if we weren't excited enough to have a RB committment named Quan, check out some of Mr. Weaver's awesome runs in high school. I don't know if it's the grainy footage or what, but something about his running style is decidely old school. The clips starting around the 2:10 mark are especially bad ass.

Monday Afternoon Presser

Here's a link to Steve fielding questions.

Jerry and Terrence, continued

You know you're a UofL homer when the first reaction to this photo is "Alright! Jerry looks in great shape!" I'm not trying to belittle the significance of this incident, but since details are not known at this time, all I can do is speak in generalities. I have no idea how the altercation began (it may very well have been Jerry who provoked) but what I do know is that college athletes are often the target of jeers and insults when they go out. They are one drunken frat boy away from these sort of things escalating every weekend night. The players must, must, must be instructed to grit their teeth and walk away from any altercation. I also know that misdemeanor resisting arrest is a very "police-friendly" offense. It can be something very serious, like physically threatening an officer, or something ludicrously minor, like not showing the officer the level of respect the officer believes he or she is entitled to. My thoughts right now are that this is definitely not the headline you want to read about two key players, one a team captain, the week before practice begins. I also don't expect UofL basketball to be winning any "good citizen" awards any time soon. But it's not the end of the world; no one should rush to judgement about Jerry Smith or Terrence Jennings until more is known. Jerry Smith has been a personal favorite of mine the moment he put on a Cardinal uniform; this incident won't change that.

The Ugly

I must have missed the memo that instructed the Louisville media to drive a wedge between the fans and our beloved Cards. In his post-game Trent Guy piece, CJ writer Michael Grant implies that Trent Guy was a subject of riducle amongst the historically-loyal-to-a-player-like-Guy Cardinal fanbase. In Grant's la-la land...

"Some UofL fans might have felt disgruntled, but Guy never lost faith.

Please Michael, name one source, just one, for those disguntled fans. Just give me the name of that fan that "turned on" Trent Guy. Otherwise I'm afraid you're just making shit up.

The Bad

We are a well-covered kick return from being 1-4. Their backup QB completed 22-30 passes. Their game-changer, Damion Fletcher, was absent for most of the 4th quarter with an injury. We beat a middle of the road C-USA team, a conference we left for the "big time", and were a breath away from making their season. And we just gave the Human Turd a smidge more job security. I need a drink. (see here for "The Good").

UK Hyposcrisy Watch

Thomas Beisner at KSR is becoming a regular on this feature. Expressing dismay over the Smith-Jennings arrest, Beisner writes:

"No word yet on what punishment, if any, they will receive, but it will likely be rescinded by Rick Pitino well before it is fully served."

That got me wondering what the rigid disciplinarian Beisner's take was on UK point guard John Wall's arrest a little over 5 months ago. Notice, what's it called, a double-standard perhaps?

"Some of you, like me, think that what Wall did was against the law but not criminal (make sense?) and is deserving of nothing more than a slap on the hand."

No, Mr. Beisner, not a whole lot of sense. Oh wait. UK moron? Yea, makes sense.

The Good

A win. Forgot what it feels like didn't we? Against an old rival, backs against the wall, the Cards displayed their character. This time we came out on top; our playmakers got the ball...

--Scott Long, 5 receptions, 146 yards, 1 TD
--Vic Anderson, 14 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD
--Bilal Powell, 10 carries, 58 yards, 1 TD
--Trent Guy, play of the season thus far...

If we can continue placing the ball in those 4 fellas hands, there is no reason why we should not be competitive, perhaps in a position to win, the rest of our Big East matchups. Adam Froman looks like a leader. Our defense has proven itself resilent, resourceful. Our coach (say what you will) is willing to open up the offense and take some chances with trick plays. We had 37,000 plus turn out to watch a 1-3 team with a vilified coach. And a stud committment to boot. Don't think about it too much. Be stupid, be naive; there's football yet to play. Go Cards.

Sad News

Peter Wilkes, 18, the backup punter for USM that suffered a gunshot wound on Thursday night, passed away on Saturday. Once again, our thoughts go out to his family and his teammates.

Jerry and Terrence

Lesson. No good things happen in southern Indiana. Senior guard Jerry Smith and sophomore forward Terrence Jennings were arrested after a scuffle outside Kye's in southern Indiana Saturday night. Both have been released and face misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest. Sounds relatively minor, but not the kind of thing needed for a program struggling to remake its image.

Cards win!

Louisville pulled out a final-minute victory against Southern Miss last night on the strength of a Trent Guy kick return late in the game for 64 yards, Cards over Eagles, 25-23. I'm not sure if it will be a pivotal moment in the season, but winning our homecoming game is an achievement nonetheless. Check back on Monday for full coverage.