Monday Musings

After a semi-washed out Spring Game and a windy and chilly Thunder, I'm starting to fear an earthquake or something for the Derby. Nevertheless, one of the red-letter days in this community was a great success; I had a blast hanging around the Great Lawn all afternoon, taking in the air show and quoting Top Gun relentlessly before the sensory-overload that is the fireworks display.

Thunder is yet another one of the times I feel lucky to live where I do. Last week on a podcast Bill Simmons and his buddy were talking about Patriots Day in Boston, which is a much bigger deal in the northeast than it is here. It's an unofficial holiday up there, one of those days it's acceptable to start A.M. drinking. He was commenting on how not all places have "that", those watershed events like Thunder or Derby that become part of the fabric of a community.

So even if you aren't into fireworks or planes, I can't imagine not enjoying Thunder. It's not about the "show" really, it's just the excuse to make a bunch of plans, coordinate with groups of friends, eat, drink and people-watch amongst the throngs.

It's a fun time around here; I'm starting to feel a little Derby feverish.

Other goings on...

In further evidence of UofL's commitment to across the board athletic excellence, the men's tennis team captured their third straight Big East title after knocking off South Florida yesterday in Tampa. In tennis lingo, that's called a Three Pete Sampras. Well done, fellas.

Tom Jurich's gave some quotes last Friday at the UofL Sports Administration Summit, the most interesting of which on the prospect of retaining Coach Strong, Jurich said, "Money is no object. I will keep him here".

I'm never one to de-sensationalize anything, so of course I think there' a fair amount to be read in the comments. One, he reinforces something I've always said about retaining Charlie, if/when he leaves, it won't be because of money. UofL athletics is experiencing unprecedented athletic success right now. If Strong continues to succeed, if we end up in Big 12 and want to make some noise there when the move is made, I have no doubt that Jurich will dig deep to make Strong a very competitive offer. Of course, the issue is that money may not be what Strong seeks, but a more "tradition-rich" program.

Two, I don't believe Jurich would make such a forceful statement if he wasn't extremely confident in Strong's future here based on some personal conversations. There were about a dozen ways he could have deflected that question but instead went ahead with a fairly bold declaration. Jurich's candidness is legendary, so I'm assuming his confidence is based on private moments with Charlie where they've discussed this very subject.

It's the biggest bugaboo for Louisville football; overcoming the anxiety our successes bring by becoming more than a stepping stone for dynamic coaches. I believe Jurich feels like he has a coach that shares his vision for UofL football.

The Cards host the hated Wildcats at Jim Patterson tomorrow at 6:00pm. It's a Red Out, so dress accordingly. Reserved seats are sold out, but sideline seats are available for $5. The Cats are fresh off taking a three-game series over #1 LSU; defeating them twice in the same season would be a major statement.

Speaking of the hardball, the Bats broke out of their slump in dramatic fashion yesterday with a pinch-hit walk-off homerun to defeat Indianapolis 3-2. The Bats were in desperate need of a shot in the arm, as they needed that W to avoid the worst start in franchise history. Let's hope that's the moment they were looking for to fulcrum them back on the winning track. There's a lot of talent on the roster.

If you're wondering what Rick Pitino & Co. are up to these days, this longggg list of recruiting targets for the class of '13 and '14 will give you an indication. Some years are more important than others in recruiting, and these are two biggies. The post-Siva Era, combined with the undoubted NBA rumors that I suspect will pop up for Gorgui and Chane ups the ante. Cards can't afford many misses in these groups if we want to maintain this level of success.