My head hurts

I gotta be honest, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this new paradigm. If I understand it, UK fans loathe UofL so much, they've now embraced Edgar Sosa alongside with Denny Crum, for the upcoming game.

I don't get it. It seems to be some iteration of: "We hate you soooooo much that we're embracing your former players and coaches. How's that feel? Huh? Huh??".

Weird I guess. Twisted. Warped. But, umm, thanks maybe? I dunno, I'm confused.

Bahamanian Rhapsody

As of today, I have seen no visual evidence that suggests this year's Cardinal team isn't the greatest basketball team of all time. Last night was a laugher in so many ways: the Giant's coach wearing some sort of baseball uniform, the court with 4 three point lines that made it look like Saturn, Rick Pitino coaching in shorts, the Bahamas player in the mismatched red shorts, UofL flying in their own refs who promptly called a technical on the Giant's when they were down by 40 points, and Bahamanian players that double as bell hops in the Cards' hotel. It was a perfect night to sit back in a buddies basement, have a few beers, cut up all night, and enjoy some early August basketball.

But did we learn anything? Umm, no not really. But anyone that knows, knows that these exhibitions aren't really the point of the trip. It's about the extra practices, the down time at the beach, the team building chemistry, and being able to show the next crop of recruits pictures of the team jet-skiing on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Fun game though. Here's a few basketball related things, such as they are...

* Get yourself some, Russ. Russ Smith has been the revelation of the trip thus far. And it's also proven that Pitino isn't the rigid taskmasker many try to make him out to be, at least not in this instance. Rather than trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, Russ Smith has made the move to shooting guard with the prime duty of putting the round ball in the round hole.

Thus far, he's shown himself fully capable in his new position.

* Not the best outing for Elisha Justice, raising my doubts on how much we can expect from him, and making Kevin Ware's arrival and rapid development even more important. The Bullet's a great kid, great to push everyone in practice, great body, wait what???, but I'm not so certain we can expect him to be a great contributor this season.

* Gorgui Gorgui Gorgui. In the first two minutes of the game he displayed more post moves than Terrence Jennings ever learned. There's little doubt that had TJ not gone pro, he would have been backing up Gorgui. Still, having him would have been nice, as Dieng will inevitably get into foul trouble, but I'm starting to think TJ might have seen the writing on the walls when he decided to keep his name in the NBA draft.

* Behanan is every bit as advertised, so much so that he leads to borderline creepy discussions from the announcers about his girth. He needs to keep practicing those free throws though, as it's clear he's going to be hacked a lot this year the way he gets his hands on everything that falls around the rim. He's got a good stroke, the ball just comes down too hard at the rim. He needs to take some lessons from Gorgui, who has a beautiful feather soft free throw motion. Gorgui may be taking our technical foul shots next season.

* Marra's first couple of missed 3s caused some consternation amongst our viewing party.

* The little girl that never held her sign up at the right time for the cameras caused some consternation amongst our viewing party.

* If the lockout doesn't end, T-Will needs to do color commentary all the time. He's hilarious. Anyone that was upset with his remarks is taking Louisville basketball, themselves, and T-Will, waayyy too seriously.

Instead of the typical glowing and cliche remarks most former players say about their team, you never know what's going to come out of T-Will's mouth. Calling Siva "annoying", like he was as a freshman. Saying his teams would beat the current Cardinals by 30 or 40 points, not knowing who Russ Smith is but saying that he "needs to slow down", it was all gold.

But then in another moment he can turn serious, saying how he blames himself for losing in the Elite Eight against Michigan State, how he felt deep down that was the year, and how the loss haunts him to this day. He's a fascinating individual. Of course I'd never wish injury upon him, but I'd be really curious what would happen if he blew out his knee tomorrow and had to find something else to do in this world. I think he'd wind up in SoHo or something as some kind of avante-guard performance artist.

*Kuric, Siva, and Chris Smith all looked rock solid and reliable.

* Something about the Pitino breaking/stubbing his toe in his hotel room story tickled me for some reason. If only because I can picture him talking about it as his next presser, calling it the most serious toe injury he's experienced in his 25 years of coaching.

* When we get all the guys on campus and back from injury, this team is going to be pretty good.

* Part two tonight, and I couldn't be happier.

Greg Scruggs is killllllin' it

I can't think of a single football player in Cardinal history that's left his mark just by the force of his off-field personality. Scruggs plays the social media like a harp.

Click HERE for Bozich's blog, where Scruggs busts out an impeccable Charlie Strong impersonation.

Quote of the Day Take 2 (The Vance Speech)

Get on the train right now, cause Coach Strong's got it coming.... We expect that stadium to be 55,000 standing room only, people out the gates going, "Let me in! Let me in!" The train is rolling. Anybody out there, I can't tell you what's going to happen right now, but it's coming. Get on board, or get out of the way.

-- Vance Bedford

I know it's redundant since Red posted the full quote below, but this, rather than the earlier post, truly stands as Cardinal Laws' Quote of the Day. I only caught the tail-end of the CJ's online video feed as it was happening live, but the final three minutes turned out to be the best part, and I was pumped after little more than a few moments. Vance Bedford was revved up! And that kind of enthusiasm and inspiration is infectious.

Seriously, do yourself a favor and watch the video below, beginning at the 14:55 mark. The whole video is worth watching in full (the guy is entertaining), but check out those final three minutes for The Vance Speech, also known as The Train is Coming Speech, also known as This Means You, UK, Big East, Planet Earth.

Vance Bedford steals the show

At Louisville media day. After expressing how great the coaching staff gets along (they work, socialize, laugh and fart with one another) the fiery Bedford left the podium with a goosebump-raising flourish. Eric Crawford provides the transcript...

I’m excited about the future here. I don’t know what’s going to happen this season, I’ve got to be honest with you. You can flip a coin. It can go either way. But I think the future here is bright. Some of the guys we’ve brought in here, some of the young kids, not ready to play right now, B.J. Dubose came in here at 240, he’s 270 pounds right now he’s a five-technique. He has so much ability. I had a chance to recruit him, go watch him play basketball. Big fella can move and he’s 270 pounds right now. Wait till (strength coach) P Moorer has him for two years. Oh, he’s gonna be pretty. Brandon Dunn, he’s put on some weight, oh my goodness. I wish I could say right now those guys could play. I’d be up here turning somersaults. I’d be saying, "We coming after you. Anybody out there." We can’t say that right now. But in time, when those guys develop, look out now. We rolling. We got it rolling.

"It’s like I tell people. Get on the train right now, ’cause coach Strong got it coming. Right now, the light at the end of the tunnel? It’s not safe. It’s not safe. The future is coming, and if you’re in the way we’re going to roll right through you. So get on the train now. All you people on the side, you on the side, it’s coming. Coach Strong has got the train rolling. We’ve got some great recruits, coaches on the staff, we get the right people here, we’ll get it back to where it’s supposed to be. We expect that stadium to be 55,000, standing room only, people out the gates going, ‘Let me in! Let me in!’ The train is rolling. Anybody out there, I can’t tell you what’s going to happen right now, but it’s coming. Get on board, or get out of the way."

Goosebumps. Something special is happening. Have I said that before?

Offensive coordinator Mike Sandford had the unfortante task of taking the podium next, and began his session with a great line: "I didn't know I would be asked to follow Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.".

Quote of the Day

"I got so mad in practice yesterday... I had to get out there and show them how it's done."

-- Football Defensive Coordinator Vance Bedford, who according to Eric Crawford's twitter feed, has the hoarse voice to prove that the man's been a-yellin'.

Cards football practice, served medium rare

This is 11 minutes of straight RAW footage, complete with fan chatter in the background and cell phones going off. Jump to the 2:50 mark and watch Will Stein and company practicing their drop-backs. The drills seem to make clear that Stein has the best mobility and quickest feet among the quarterbacks, but one should be hesitant to base too much on practice drills. But the real fun starts at the 9:30 mark when the defense begins more intensive drilling ending right near the camera, causing a kid to declare, "do that again, that was cool!"

Mrs. Red's new wallpaper

Full Bahamas beach fun gallery HERE.

Elvis knocks Tebow down the depth chart

NFL-lovers know that the Denver Broncos mortgaged a lot of their future to move up in the draft and select Tim Tebow. Recall, the Broncs gave up 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks for the Chosen One. That's a king's ransom in the eyes of a NFL GM.

So I think it's safe to say that Denver's brain trust was hoping that by now in his second season Tebow would be able to beat out journeyman QB Kyle Orton for the starting role.

But he hasn't. And former Louisville sack machine Elvis Duuuuuuuuumervil has had a lot to do with that. Elvis, coming off a torn pectoral muscle that derailed him after a stunning rookie year, sacked Tebow twice in their last scrimmage and was a factor in a third. In only 9 snaps, Tebow went 1-3 and was sacked thrice.

When asked about his performance, Tebow said: "“Elvis made things interesting. Elvis makes things very difficult. He’s a great player.”

Keep huntin' those QBs Elvis. Sorry you team's QB situation is such a mess. Not really though, I hate the Broncos.

Find Dominique Brown a spot!

There's so much going on in this picture it's tough to know where to start. The disturbingly snug unis, of course. But also, why is everyone so sad? Who dropped that football? Stein looks short, sure, but maybe not as freakishly diminutive as he's described. If Bridgewater is legit 6'2'', then Stein is a healthy 5'10''. Add another half-inch in playing cleats, and ya know, it's not unheard of. Drew Brees isn't any taller than 5'11''.

But mostly I look at this photo and think that finding a spot on the field for Dominique Brown should be a large priority for the coaching staff. When you look like you might be wearing shoulder pads even when you're not, it's a pretty good sign you're meant to be playing football. Somewhere. Anywhere.

He's too gifted an athlete to be shoehorned into 3rd string QB and occassional return duties. I don't know how, I don't know where, but UofL needs to get him on the field for as many snaps as possible. A switch to wideout, perhaps? Or a wideout/tight end hybrid in the Jermichael Finley mold? Too big for cornerbacks but too fast for linebackers sort of deal?

I don't know. But I hope Strong & Company do.

Entrapment

A wrecked car. The stench of booze. Sirens fast approaching. A nearby Port-O-John. This sounds like my kind of client.

Football football football

Tip o' the cap to the 1K+ UofL fans that came out to the Cards open practices on Friday and Saturday. I confess I wasn't able to make it, as my agoraphobia is worsening. But I did have spies there, and from all accounts it was the best attendance (by far) for such practices and was a great atmosphere in the stands. Greg Scruggs and Charlie Strong twittered their admiration for the support afterwards. I'm glad Coach was reminded that there are Cardinal fans out there talking about something other than 74-year old ex-basketball coaches participating in an exhibition game, three weeks before the football season kicks off. That's important. I'm not being sarcastic, showing Strong the support, that we're more than just a bball hamlet, is a huge deal.

But, talk of retaining Charlie is for another day. There's immediate excitement at hand, and after talking to my "sources" in attendance, absorbing all articles and videos from the CJ and blogosphere, here's some thoughts on the fresh and fastly approaching season.

* I honestly believe we have the best skill players in the Big East. And better than anyone on our non-conference schedule. The list is mindnumbing in its explosive potential. Josh Bellamy, Andrell Smith, Eli Rogers, Michaelee Harris, DeVante Parker, Vic Anderson, Jeremy Wright, Josh Chichester. That's a lot of fast, a lot of strong, a lot of, gulp, potential.

* I gulp because having high-octane gasoline doesn't matter if you can't start the Ferrari. I'm worried about the unproven offensive line, of course, but mostly I worry about whether we have the QB to get the job done. One of my guys told me after practice he has officially labeled Bridgewater with the dreaded P word: project.

Which is fine, I guess, we need to tamp down our expectations for any true freshman QB (again, this ain't basketball folks). But I heard some doubts over Will Stein as well, particularly his downfield accuracy. This was one of my more pessimistic friends, mind you, so I don't want to overreact to the Eeyore analysis. But I did begin to have flashbacks to some of Stein's lesser performances from last season, and then had a moment of panic. I won't be able to stomach a season of watching open receivers go un-hit from the UPS FLIGHT DECK.

* I think Andrell Smith could be the best player on the team. The most NFL-worthy, anywho. He's not as fast as Bellamy, but he's damn fast, and he's stronger, a better route runner, and is harder to tackle. He plays with a fierceness I just love.

* Everyone, and I mean everyone I've talked to and read remarks that this team just "looks the part" more than any other in recent years. Under Kragthorge, every season the team grew slightly but noticeably smaller season after season. So if we take another step forward this season, Cardinal Laws is spending part of the fortune we've made off our Google Ads to take strength coach Pat Moorer out for a steak dinner.

* The new jerseys can be described in two words: disturbingly snug. I trust they'll look better when the pads come on, but in the meantime, I can't support any clothing that has me immediately and unwillingly trying to locate Bulge City on a player's map.

* CL Brown of the CJ made the unfortunately true point while expressing admiration for UofL's wideouts, describing them as nigh uncoverable. Until the season starts, you never really know if you're just watching your abysmal secondary on display.

* But I'm strangely pacific when it comes to our defense. Namely, because of one Vance Bedford. Watching what he was able to accomplish with last year's unit, how they improved from week to week, and by season's end were dialing up havoc, forcing turnovers, and swarming to the ball like hyenas, I'm confident he's confident in what can be achieved this year. This season, when his unit has another year of experience, conditioning, and learning the system under its belt, along with a new crop of quality athletes to shape and inculcate.

They won't be flawless, of course, but I think they'll be fierce and opportunistic. And by the end of the season, I believe our defense will be our strength. I'm so confident I suddenly fear, like Mr. Black mentioned before, that it won't be long before other programs come a callin' on Mr. Bedford. In fact, Vance Bedford is the new Charlie Strong in that regard. You heard it hear first.

GO. FOOTBALL. CARDS.

Earl Clark charity game = pretty damn cool

By every measure, Earl Clark's charity game was a great success. Dwight Howard made a surprise appearance, dunked, and threw up the Cardinal L. But T-Will reminded me why he's the greatest dunker I'll likely ever see in person, and the proceeds went to a nice charity. A great night.

Some UKers were snickering over the game being played in a high school gym, but I think that's stupid. All games like this need to be played either outside on a streetball court or in a small high school gym. It adds way more intimacy to the event, the players appear even larger than larger than life, the energy is more palpable and it just begs for the crowd to react in unison with an exaggerated "OOOOOOhhhhhh" after the last highlight.

But for me the best part of the night was the closure it provided. The last 3 seasons have ended unceremoniously for the Cards, with the legacies of many players left up in the air. The last game T-Will played he argued with his head coach on the bench, and last year he tweeted some ill-advised words about Louisville's loss to Morehead State when emotions were raw. Jerry Smith ended his remarkable Louisville career unremarkably, struggling to find his shooting stroke and his confidence for much of a curious senior season. Even Earl Clark, the event organizer, left UofL with many wondering why he never reached his full potential as a Cardinal.

None of that mattered on Friday. It was just good to see all the guys again, cutting up together, putting on a show and flashing their old game. It was fun. Which, after all, is supposed to be the whole point.

If you couldn't make it out, uploaded clips are leaking out of some of the best moments...

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Half Justin Tuck, half Ken Burns

What a packed weekend for Cardinal athletics. First things first though, if you haven't already done so, do yourself a favor and watch this "documentary" produced by Greg Scruggs, chronicling his, and teammates Josh Chichester, Vic Anderson, and Chris Philpott's, ill-fated travels to the Big East Media Day in Washington DC. Wonderful...


Media Day Travels from Greg on Vimeo.