Shot Clock Shenanigans

Coach Keno Davis and several Providence media outlets are commenting on the tip-in by Preston Knowles with 13 minutes left, reviewed by the refs for a shot clock violation, as a clear error by the zebras that of course spurred the Cards to the 22-point victory. Here's Coach Davis on that play after the game...

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that it did (come late), but don’t get me wrong. I’m not using any excuse of a delay to say that’s why Louisville won. I keep going back to the youth of our team. I think it was clearly a violation, and we stand around, stand around. Then we don’t get going again. That can be a factor.”

I'm no expert, but I remember the play (of course, they spent 15 minutes reviewing it). It seemed to me that the refs and the commentators were focusing on the wrong thing. The clock was winding down to :3, Swop shot and airballed, TJ corralled the rebound and put up a shot that rattled the rim and was tipped in by Knowles. The issue (to me) wasn't whether Knowles beat the clock, but whether it was out of Jennings' hands by the time the clock expired. If so, once it hit the rim, a new clock should have started, and Knowles tip-in was a non-issue. Am I missing something here?

P.S. Reread that Keno Davis quote. What is it about post-game interviews that turns all coaches into Sarah Palin?

The missing piece?

George Goode is the sort of player you don't miss until he's gone. For most of this season he's been gone, nursing a knee bruise and the aftereffects of a concussion. And for my part, he's been sorely missed. Solid on defense, good energy on offense, a physical presence down low to bang around the boards, Goode would supply much of what ails the Cards in the paint. Pitino has hesitated in playing the Jennings-Samuels duo, claiming its not a good combination for our lineup. But I believe it has more to do with the fact that we have no real depth in the post should one of the those two, or (gulp) both, get into early foul trouble. Swopshire is playing fine basketball at the moment, but is not strong enough to battle the natural bruisers down low. Buckles flashes his promise and athleticism at times, but is still too raw to rely on from night to night. I have no word on when, or if, George Goode will return to the floor this season. But if he does, I think his presence could supply the missing ingredient for a team yet to catalyze.  

Last night's dunks at Dunkin' Donut Arena

Thanks to roochuckyroo.

Deep Fryin' the Friars

Sorry for the belated post. Just further proof that everything in Louisville does indeed shut down with 3 inches of snow. This team is still figuring out its identity, and it's not always pretty. But more importantly, it's learning how to win (as cliche as that is) and there are a variety of ways and a variety of players that can put the Cards on top when the clock reads :00. Some people are feeling uneasy after blowing the 14-point lead, but I'm not all that concerned. Teams make runs, that's just a part of basketball. What is a concern is a lack of offensive execution. Many of our possessions were bailed out, if you will, by Sosa drilling a long range 3. There's still some confusion on our squad in what we're trying to accomplish in a half-court set, and what the role each needs to play to bring it about. But I'm being nitpicky. A 22-point road win in the Big East. Say no more. Other thoughts...

* This team can rebound. It takes a collective effort, and great focus on positioning, but my concerns about getting boarded out of the Big East are ebbing just a tad.

* Sosa was at his most scintillating last night. He can truly do it all, including rebound and defend, when he's dialed in. That alleyoop to himself was loin-stirring.

* Knowles, and especially Siva, are still hurt. Neither is playing at the level he was a month ago.

* Pitino shrewdly played Mike Marra some minutes in front of his home fans, and the kid responded by displaying that dormant range of his. How pretty do those long shots look going down? Just a beautiful arc, and a solid da-thunk sound as it goes through the net. Too bad there's more variables at play than Chinese algebra for him to feel comfortable on the court. And how annoying was the ESPNU commenter who clearly hasn't watched a UofL game this year, who kept raving about how Marra was the deadliest weapon on the team?

* Kyle? Kyle?!? Anyone seen Kyle Kuric?

* Keep plugging, Samardo. Go Cards.

Dirty river towns and dag-gone fans

Kudos to the young UK student/Louisville fan who wrote to the CJ about her disapproval of fan behavior at Rupp Arena. It's difficult to contemplate why some Kentucky fans, I suppose with their passions spilling over, choose to denigrate the city of Louisville, described by one Wildcat as "that dirty river town." Although the greater number of Louisvillians see the light and choose the University of Louisville over UK (snap!), our city nonetheless contributes students to UK at greater rates than most any other part of Kentucky (I don't have the numbers, but I would expect that Louisville actually leads in that statistic). Charlie Springer at Card Game made some intriguing points last week as to why some Kentucky fans turn against the Derby City with such fervor and animosity.

As for the profane language that the writer experienced in Rupp, I would submit that the differences between the Louisville and Kentucky fan bases are not so different. From where Mr. Red and I watched the game, surrounded by an all-Card crowd, there was lots of yelling, shouting, and oh yeah, obscenities and profanity -- peaking at about, oh... I'd say the 45 second mark in the first half. However, I am proud to report that we quit the cursing almost cold turkey when a friend showed up with his baby girl (A lot of last-second catching ourselves and "fu...dging" ensued, but I like to think we're just clutch performers). Others weren't so lucky... A relative reported to me that she had to ask a Cards fan at Hoops to tone down the language during the game due to the number of children around them. And, of course, faithful readers of this web site will be familiar with Mr. Red's profanity-laced tirades following Louisville losses (he tries not to do it, folks, but his court-appointed shrink assures him it's therapeutic).

Besides raising the obvious question of who would bring their kids to Hoops, the anecdotes above suggest that both fan bases get worked up, and in their excitement partake in varying levels of what we would call "questionable behavior." My point is not to defend it or to condemn it (save for the outrageous levels that can lead to someone getting hurt... that should not be tolerated), but to be realistic that it happens, on both sides. I have no doubt that when it comes to energetic fan bases, there are both positives and negatives. The only general guidance I can offer on this subject, while still being honest with myself and how "into it" I get when rooting for the Cards, is that fans should take into account their surroundings. What goes for passable behavior in the student section at Freedom Hall probably doesn't cut it in the family section at Papa John's. Based on that tenet, it sounds like the letter-writer to the CJ found herself seated among the less respectful of Rupp's runts. My sincere expectation is that next season, when the Cats come a callin' in our new downtown arena, we won't repay the favor.

The Samardo situation

I wrote last week that Samardo Samuels' recent positive play was the difference in blowouts against Louisiana Lafayette and Radford. On Saturday, we saw the flip side of that argument, Louisville's inabilities when he struggles. Samardo's numbers weren't dreadful: 9 points, 9 boards including three offensive (by comparison, TJ earned 4 rebounds including 2 offensive, to go with 5 points). But anyone who watched the game will attest that Samardo never really asserted himself in the game or made his presence felt. Part of that was Kentucky's game plan to deny him the ball, but even when he got it, his post moves were uninspiring. Until (and if) he develops a more reliable post game, Samardo must focus more intently on positioning himself for offensive rebounds and putbacks. The big guy's gotta make sure he runs the floor too... easy buckets that Samardo made in transition last week were nonexistent in Lexington. Samardo must play better, and fast: Providence six-foot-six forward Jamine Peterson is averaging a double-double.

Random fact? Huge Pat Benatar fan...

Meet Pat Moorer, hired recently by Charlie Strong as our new strength and conditioning coach. He was a longstanding conditioning coach for the USC Gamecocks, where he received the highest honor for such strength coaches in 2006.

White Out January 8th

One game at a time, but FYI, Kenny Kline Klein has informed via a rare Twitter that the January 8th 11th game against Villanova is going to be a White Out. If you're like me, you may be bummed because your lucky UofL thong bleeds through your white sweatpants. But that's life.

Hey, here's how to waste the rest of your work day!

In the spirit of Avatar, UofL has unveiled a 3D imaging of the new Downtown Arena, where you can see the view from any seat in the building. Does anyone know if they are planning on using the same "Denny Crum Court" downtown?

Detente? Dey Crazy

There's been some misgiving expressed over the amount of passion, indeed hatred, that seems to have overtaken the UofL-UK rivalry. Perhaps it's so, but I'm sick of being the adult in this relationship. UK is always entitled to the leeway despite its pettiness and bullshit. In fact, their petulance is often lauded as "supreme passion". The moment UofL responds with matching animosity and it's supposed to be hands across Kentucky lest the rivalry be canceled. Nah, not for me.

Their coach is a punk. Cousins is a punk. Bledsoe is a punk. This much is clear to any objective viewer, so forgive me for not extending an olive branch. After months of purposefully baiting Louisville by attempting to schedule practices in our arena, stomping on logos "in good fun", promising a hellish arena of Rupp-hatred, and having Calipari get in on the action by threatening Reginald Delk, something may indeed have to give. But not from our side. Not from this blogger (I don't want to speak for the site, Mr. Black's his own fan).

But that's UK for you, kinda-sorta gracious in victory as always. Do what you want with your own fan-hate. But I'm stockpiling mine.

We are a football school, after all...

Hey Cards fans. If it's possible to step away for a moment from the DeMarcus Cousins seminar series on how to throw a covert tolerated cheap shot, Charlie Springer at Card Game has posted new video footage of the Papa John's stadium expansion, including the beginning of construction on the walkway above the Crunch Zone. Make sure you check them out... With Charlie Strong revitalizing the fan base and working overnight miracles in recruiting, the expansion has become something that we no longer have to fear, but can now eagerly anticipate. A top-tier football coach bringing in top-tier recruits to play in a top-tier stadium? Welcome to the University of Louisville.

One Last Look

My last thought on the forearm heard round the Commonwealth. Several sources at the game said that it was clear that UofL had a pregame strategy of taunting the Wildcats, particularly Cousins, to get into his head. If that's indeed the case, I'd say mission accomplished. He picked up an ejection-worthy technical in the first minute; he certainly could have gotten the heave. If he had, and he and his 18 points and 18 boards disappeared with him into the locker room...well, who knows? Add it to the tome of "what ifs" that helps tell the history of this rivalry.

OK. Deep breath. It's time to move on. From a basketball standpoint, here's what we learned about our team on Saturday...

* Samardo isn't an elite player. He can be an effective player, and a key component of whatever success this team hopes to achieve, but we need to stop pretending he's a big mismatch in our favor. Samardo seems to wear the pressure of being our primary weapon, and regularly puts himself in bad spots and tries to do too much. There are other weapons on this team. It's time for someone to step up from role player to key player, because continuing to just force it to Samuels in the post and seeing what happens is a recipe for disaster.

* Kuric is a calming presence on the court. He seemed the only player that had his mind on basketball and only basketball during the game. He shouldn't start, but needs more PT.

* Our guards can play with anybody. And they didn't even play that well against UK, but their quickness and aggression are top of the line. There's no team on the rest on our schedule that we should fear being outclassed at the guard position.

* Our freshman aren't ready. Siva, battling an illness or nervousness, probably both, was a nonfactor. Buckles looked woefully overmatched during his brief time on the floor. Marra, still jittery playing at Freedom Hall, was wisely kept on the bench.

* Swopshire is not a power forward. He's going to get beat up if we continue to send him out there as such. But he's an athletic perimeter player, a capable rebounder, and he can do a lot of good things for this team provided he's put in situations to succeed.

* Our offense needs a ton of work, but our defense can keep us in every game.

Mr. Black has already covered these sentiments ably, but I'm verbose, so I'll go ahead and repeat a tad. The Cards can take a measure of pride from entering hostile environs, starting atrociously, and clawing their way back into contention almost by sheer will.

But let's not be too proud. We lost. And this team displays a worrying trend towards awful starts, (UNLV, Charlotte, UK) where a comeback is possible, yet the effort expended saps our energy to complete the W. The Cards showed toughness on Saturday, but not poise. A poised performance would have included maintaining a shooting touch during the adrenaline-filled first 10 minutes, finishing 3-footers, wanting the basketball at the start instead of playing hot potato with it. This team will not back down, but whether it will step up is another question.

I can't recall at this time

Asked in his press conference today what, if anything, he was yelling at Reginald Delk in this video, Coach Cal replied:

"I don't know. The game was so emotional."

Plausible deniablitity has gone a long way for Cal. You can't expect anything but more of the same at this point.

"Welcome to the party, pal!"...

...so said John McClane in the Die Hard movies, but it can also describe my own late arrival commenting on Saturday's melee following Mr. Red's intensive focus. This particular movie metaphor is useful in a few other respects. The Cards certainly died hard, fighting back from a double-digit deficit after missing their first 13 shots to claim the lead at 42-41 with around ten minutes to play. It was a game in which Louisville had no earthly business being in contention, following its most atrocious offensive start to a basketball game I can remember. The fact that the Cards muddled through, refused to quit, fought back and took the lead -- despite no one gaining a hot hand, no single player taking over -- is a source of pride. It is also a reason for concern... moving ahead of the Cats 42-41, we had a real opportunity to take control of the game, but no one stepped up. Who, if anyone, will take the reins of this young team?

Like most Cards fans, I also take satisfaction in the fact that Kentucky -- a supposed powerhouse whose fans believe they are on a collision course with history as they openly talk about going undefeated and winning the national championship -- could not find a way to knock out Louisville down to the very end. Perhaps even more satisfying is that our guys seemed mentally tougher than theirs -- in certain respects. Defending their own foul, the Cats cried "foul" on Louisville for somehow "goading" Cousins during pregame warmups. It's difficult to buy pregame jawing as being especially out of the ordinary in a rivalry game, and exponentially harder to accept it as a legitimate excuse for losing your mind and thrashing your elbow and forearm into another player's head. If the Cards were culpable for goading Cousins early, Cousins nonetheless demonstrated on national television his own mental weakness -- and by extension his team's -- by taking the bait.

.

Alas, the game was two days ago, and reality has in... The above are the sympathies we tell ourselves to soften the blow;and yet, Cards fans know there are no moral victories in this rivalry. The Cards died hard, alright, but they perished all the same. As a result, we must now endure the loss until next year, unless the basketball gods will it otherwise during tournament season. Until then, the only saving grace will be how this game makes our guys better, tougher, more formidable... during the postgame conference, the red-scarf clad Pitino was downright chipper when describing how this game will improve his team. Being a fan, I'm less giddy than the coach, but I see his point. So yeah, yippee ki yay...

Bizarro World

I don't want to be a baby about this thing, but read the relavant media in the last 24 hours and you may think you've stepped into a strange dimension. Up is down, black is white, Cards are thugs, Cousins had no choice. Here's Coach Cal on his big man's performance:

I think Louisville did everything that they could to get his goat...We told him they were going to do that.… The kid never budged. He said, ‘It is not going to bother me. I am just going to play.' He is growing up and really maturing.

"Growing up and really maturing"? Your player that should have been thrown out of the game for an intentional forearem? WHAT. THE. HELL. IS. GOING. ON?

I'm sorry, I have no delusions that UofL's squad is comprised of a bunch of Boy Scouts. But I don't care if they were jawing at the Cats in the tunnel, I don't care if they were rude to them during warmups. There's an enormous gulf of difference between common trash talk that accompanies a rivalry and a team resorting to physical violence. AND A HEAD COACH ENCOURAGING IT! Sometimes, it is that simple. A villain is a villain is a villain. Eric Crawford expressed dismay towards guys like me in his late night thoughts on the subject, expounding his theory of relativity that "one man's thug is another man's enforcer".

I'm sorry, but no. This is not a gray area. An enforcer is a physical player that keeps the other team in check during the game. A thug takes a cheap shot after the whistle is blown towards an opposing player lying prone and on the ground. It ain't rocket science, and though it may be appealing for a reporter searching for a situation of moral ambiguity, it's not one. Here's what we know...

Eric Bledsoe to Reginald Delk: "You're fucking dead!" Said over and over, as he was being talked down (unsuccessfully) by his Captain.

Coach Cal to Reginald Delk: "He'll kick your ass after the game! You picked the wrong guy!"

And, of course, Cousins' forearm (and no, Swop did not intentionally knee him). Say what you want about Coach Pitino, but he was the only class in this act on Saturday. Without crying about it or making excuses, he casually expressed dismay during his post-game press conference that Delk and Swop were the ones receiving techinicals, because they are two of the most mild-mannered players on the squad.

A heated rivalry. But one team stepped over the line, and no amount of media-posturing can alter what every freethinking person saw with his or her own eyes.

Classless Cal

Read Coach Cal's lips at the :18 second mark in this video. After Bledsoe fouled Reginald Delk, Cal clearly yells something to Delk, to the effect of, "He'll kick your ass after the game! You picked the wrong guy!"

It's no wonder things got out of hand when their head coach can't even refrain from threatening players. This'll be overshadowed, but to me it's the most unbelievable part of the entire melee.

Code Red

People say "it's just a game", but we all know differently. If it was just a game it wouldn't hurt this bad, you wouldn't feel as much hatred as you do for Demarcus Cousins right now, and your hand wouldn't still hurt from smacking high fives when the Cards took the lead. I think it was Eric Crawford that made the point recently, but the social significance of the game has completely eclipsed the contest from a basketball standpoint. It's more about the fans than the forwards, the respective cities than the respective centers.

The common meme is that anything that stirs animosity is "good for the rivalry". But is it? If a good rivalry includes mutual respect and sportsmanship, this one has waved "buh bye" to all that. I haven't had the slightest urge to extend a hand and say, "good game" or "good win". Does that make me a sore loser? Maybe, but it also stems from having never received a reciprocal hint of grace from the other side after defeat. The polarization of the fans, and the state, is running hot, and will only get hotter.

We took a loss yesterday. And perhaps the only good thing to come from it is the reinforced conviction amongst fans in our resistance to the Evil Empire. We lost a big battle, but it's a war, and we're in it for the long haul. I'll be wearing my UofL hat today with pride. Go Cards.

***UPDATE***
You'll be hearing a lot of talk today about the jawing back and forth between the UofL and UK players during warmups to explain away Cousins cheap shot with a "both sides were doing it!" defense. I don't buy it. Talk happens all the time, and isn't a justification for swinging a forearm at a prone player. I wasn't there so I can only go by what I saw, and believe it or not I'm trying to be as objective as possible here. Swop fell, Cousins forearmed him while he was on the ground (word is Swop's sporting a black eye) and Delk came in and shoved Cousins in his defense. Take from it what you wish, but any conclusion other than Cousins is a thuggish player will take some verbal gymnastics.

First things first...

Fuck Demarcus Cousins. Fuck him. And fuck Cal for playing his innocent card, his go-to, WHAT ME? What am I supposed to do, I'm only the head coach? Bledsoe too, did you catch the backtalk he was giving Cal after his whatever number foul? Real class act you're running there, Cal.

Okay, rant over. We need to eat it. We lost. Got killed, for the most part. We played an abortion of an offensive game. In some respect, I'm surprised we posted as many points as we did. Nothing was clicking. Nothing. Samardo got owned, to be sure, and I'm a little confused if we even had a half-court offense. Ya know, one where players move around and such? But other than that, I'm still not ready to genuflect. This hurts, though.

Careful king of kings, first you need the victory

You know you've reached another stage in your life when you start cleaning before your friends come over. When I used to host games my cleaning was limited to checking to see if the toilet had been flushed recently. Now, I'm washing baseboards, lighting candles, and viewing my fiance with suspicion. Somethings never change, though, and I. STILL. HATE. THE. WILDCATS.

As author Rick Bragg would say, "It's all over but the shoutin'." I'm ready to tip this thing off. These games are rarely fun to watch, they're just too stressful, too much at stake. There's no real news to report other than Siva's illness, and that UK's boastfulness has reached Agamemmnon from the movie Troy levels (yes I know, another Troy reference). We know what we're up against. We know what we have to do. "The 'Ville is mother to us all! Fight for her!" 66-61 UofL. Go Cards.

He ain't heavy, he's my center!

It's no secret that I've been hard on Samardo Samuels this season. But hearing some of the abuse he's taken in the last 36 hours has got me defending him like he's my...I would say little brother, but it's a loaded term. But you get the point, it's okay for Cardinal fans to express frustration, but when outsiders start chiming in, it's a different story.

What's more, while the term "below the rim" player seems to have stuck to Samardo like glue, he's gone from being an overrated athlete to an underrated one in the span of 10 games. He runs the floor extremely well, and as he's shown over the past couple games, can get up there for rebounds, blocks, and slam dunks as well as anyone when he wants to. I expect a strong performance today.

Peyton Siva doubtbul for UK game

It's been reported that Siva is battling the stomach flu, will make the trip to Lexington, but may not play. Certainly discouraging news, but not as devastating as Samuels, Sosa, or Knowles missing action. The show must go on...

The lieutenants

In college basketball, when your team is heading into a big tourney game or a game against its arch-nemesis, and your team's roster is, at least on paper, overmatched by your opponent's, coaches and fans alike often envision the best route to victory as a superior game plan -- implementation of some clever and original tactic, a superbly drawn scouting report, a stroke of coaching genius. The Cards experienced both sides in last year's tournament, when they blew out Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen thanks to a near perfect scouting report from asst. coach Richard Pitino, only to be befuddled in the Elite Eight by Tom Izzo's less talented Michigan State Spartans. And so it is with the Cards' showdown against the Cats tomorrow, for which Mr. Red already has offered some critical insights and suggestions, and for which CardsFan922 over at Card Chronicle has provided strong defensive analysis.

What I'm interested to find out is what Louisville's assistant coaches, with whom Pitino in years past has entrusted significant responsibilities like game scouting and team strategy, might have cooked up this past week to serve to Kentucky. Will this be the game that Ralph Willard demonstrates the deepest length of his legendary basketball acumen? With a key insight or suggestion, will Walter McCarty help the Cards frustrate his alma mater in their own house? Does Steve Masiello similarly find some way to burn his former team? To be sure, the game's played on the court, not from the bench, and even the perfect game plan will not guarantee victory against UK's semi-pro team. Nonetheless, I'm always intrigued by a game filled with a little "strategery," and I anxiously await the unveiling of what strategery Pitino & staff might have devised.

Our new defensive coordinator

Welcome to Louisville, Mr. Bedford. Sorry we can't give you a proper introduction at the moment, but you see, it's kind of a bad time. Big game tomorrow. Cal's insufferable, Patrick Sparks walked, logo stomp, look...we'll fill you in on the details later. Nice to have you aboard, though. For now, back to the roundball. Love the 'stache though.

Keys to the Kingdom

It's amazing what some Chicken 'n Stars soup and a gallon of orange Gatorade can do for a person. Let's do this thing. The matchup is about to go through the analysis-wringer, but for my two cents, here's the keys to a Cardinal victory...

* Cousins Smells Foul

Though he certainly doesn't believe it, Demarcus Cousins has a penchant for hackery. Samardo Samuels has a penchant for being hacked. The best way for Samardo to neutralize Cousins' athleticism is to wave at him on the bench. A quick two on Cousins changes the course of the contest.

* To press, or not to press

That is the question. Pitino called John Wall "unpressable" earlier this week, but at the same time, Wall has shown some carelessness with the basketball, and Pitino is usually loath to change his game plan based on other's strengths. Expect the Cards to apply pressure early, but I hope Pitino will adjust if it's burning the Cards too badly.

* Decode the Sypher

I'm 75% curious to see how UofL handles an arena full of blonde wigs and Por-Ci-Ni's chants. I'm 25% curious to see how the CBS analysts handle the same.

* Frustrate Patterson

Patrick Patterson hasn't much success against the Cards, struggling to get his offense going against Earl Clark's length. This year, Jared Swopshire needs to continue the trend by getting that long skinny arm in Patterson's face. Though he's played well this season, I still don't believe Patterson is a natural face-to-the-basket player. Swop has better lateral quickness and needs to be a gnat on D.

* Point-Counterpoint

Get over being starstruck. The Cards need to recognize John Wall's talent without being overawed by it. Sosa takes the lead in that respect. Any "ooooh" and "awwww" play by Wall, and the Cards should push back down the floor quickly to get it right back.

* Finish, finish, finish

Because it's a Pitino-team, most everyone assumes the Cards are an up-tempo, fast break squad. I'm still skeptical; the Cards have shown some inability to finish on the break. That needs to change in order to have a chance tomorrow, we need to capitalize on every turnover.

* 75% from the line

This one's pretty self-explanatory. The Cards cannot afford to give away any points.

* Killer Instinct

Common knowledge suggests the Cats punch first, and that the contest hinges on whether the Cards can handle the initial flurry. I kinda suspect the opposite. I think it's likely the Cards start hot, jumping to a 10-2 lead or something. If so, and throughout the game, the Cards need to play like a veteran team. Eat clock. Smart possessions. I think the crowd, and the Cats, will get nervous the longer it takes to deal the Cards a knockout blow.

Ughhh

I'd say Happy New Years again, but frankly, I couldn't care less at the moment. I feel like death on a Triscuit. Watch this clip on a loop, I'll be with you in a bit...

(Click here to read, or re-read, our New Year's resolution)