Cardinals in Week 8

S Kerry Rhodes had 9 tackles and 1 sack for the Jets as they beat the Chiefs 28-24.

DE Dewayne White had 6 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Lions in their 17-25 loss to the Redskins.

RB Kolby Smith ran the ball 11 times for 15 yards in the Chiefs 24-28 loss to the Jets.

K David Akers hit 2 field goals and he had 3 extra points for the Eagles in their 27-14 win over the Falcons.

LB Brandon Harris had 6 tackles for the Bengals in their 6-35 loss to the Texans.

WR Harry Douglas carried the ball twice for the Falcons for 10 yds in the Falcons 14-27 loss to the Eagles.

RB Michael Bush had 5 carries for 8 yds as the Raiders lost 10-29 to the Ravens.

That's for L Yes! Report, right?

I usually stick to news pertaining to the teams, but I couldn't pass this up...

Leonardo DiCaprio and Eric "E" Murphy from Entourage enjoyed last night's Lakers season opener against Portland. If I'm not mistaken, Leo is reppin' the Cards. I seriously doubt that he is actually a Louisville fan (probably something to do with his name) but it is cool none the less. Lets' hope this is added to he regular rotation of gear. What's next, the cover of US Weekly? Maybe a 5-page spread in People? Hell, he might even be a loyal reader of The L Yes! Report. DiCaprio was in my favorite (The Departed) and least favorite (Titanic) movies of all-time so I never really knew what to think of him. After this, he is cool in my book. By the way, how cool would it be to hit the bars with these two? Even Trevor Kelsey could get lucky hanging with that group (sorry Trev).

Mad props to Leo for putting the Cards on the TV last night, even if it was for reasons other than being a fan.

Official Word on Long

From University of Louisville Sports Information Department...

WR Long Out for Season With Knee Injury

University of Louisville junior wide receiver Scott Long tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee in practice on Tuesday and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season. He will have surgery to repair the knee within the next two weeks.

"I'm very disappointed for Scott," said U of L head football coach Steve Kragthorpe. "He's worked so hard this year to get into shape. It (the injury) occurred during a non-contact drill in practice. We have to move on from this situation and get ready to play a good Syracuse football team."

Long missed the first four games of the season while recovering from a broken bone in his left foot, which he suffered during preseason practice in August. He produced 11 catches for 201 yards in his three games this season, including a career-best 134 yards on five catches with two touchdowns against USF last Saturday.

Scott Long Injures Knee

The rumors were floating around early tonight around the message boards and after a little research it can be confirmed that Scott Long injured his knee at practice today, but to what extent I don't know (for sure). Until we hear official word from the team in the next couple days, all the Cardinal Nation can hope for is something similar to what happened to T-Will. By that I mean something that looked like it was going to be devastating turning out to be manageable. All preliminary indications are that it's not good.

As we all know, Long just had the game of his career at Louisville and his loss would be extremely harmful, but not devastating to a team that seems to have made the turn. Long is the only receiver with the combination of speed, strength AND size. At the press conference on Saturday he was glowing with pride and accomplishment. Let's hope this MRI turns up negative.

photo from Courier-Journal.com

Random Links

-Louisville's opponent in football this week is Syracuse. If you ever think Coach K gets a raw deal from fans - myself included - you should see how Orange fans and administrators torch head coach Greg Robinson. A recent article in the New York Times suggests the university has already hired a search committee for a new coach, with UCONN coach Randy Edsall, a Syracuse alum, having allegedly been contacted already. I have also heard former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr's name thrown around.

- If you don't know about it, bookmark it. Former C-J writer Brian Bennett's Big East blog is a must-read for anyone wanting the insider view. The weekly power poll has Louisville 4th this week and Scott Long was one of Bennett's top players of last week.

-For anyone that missed the Red/White scrimmage, the video king Jerb has the whole video on the 'net. Before you watch the video, check out shawnbowen.net. Jerb is turning into a legend around the internet amongst Louisville fans with the way he keeps churning out videos. VIDEO OF SCRIMMAGE

- Earl Clark and Terrance Williams made a list of the Top 5 Pro Prospects in the Big East on one of the more underrated sites on the web, draftexpress.com. The site currently has Clark projected as the #9 pick and Williams the 26th.

-Blogger Brent Axe wrote a good article about how his Syracuse Orange are getting the ol' scroogie because of how hard the Big East is. He makes a good point. Of the 16 teams in the Big East, 12 are tournament caliber and would get a bid if they played in a different conference. Realistically, 8 teams will make the big dance, which would already be a record. Axe also seems to think the Orange could surprise some people this year. Johnny Flynn is one hell of a point guard.

Samuels, Clark Shine in Scrimmage

Samardo Samuels scored 36 points and grabbed 16 boards in his Freedom Hall debut last night in the annual Red/White scrimmage in front of an estimated 11,600 fans. Mardo, as the team calls him, had by my count 9 dunks as he owned the painted area. His red team was victorious 97-80.

Earl Clark led the white team in scoring and rebounding with 30 and 15 showing off his mid-range game and displaying a number of ways he can get to the bucket. Clark didn't even seem like he was trying that hard but did show that he might be the most unguardable player in the Big East. His rare combination of both size and skill makes it difficult for anyone to man up with him. He can shoot over top smaller guys or drive around bigger ones. As long as he limits his mistakes (ie: walks, bad passes) E5 is due for a monster year.

The winning red squad was led by Samuels, however 2 newcomers had a big role in the victory. Jared Swopshire, showing off his new 210 pound frame, scored 21 points. The frosh from St. Louis via the IMG Academy in Florida showed he could play both inside and outside, hitting a couple threes and taking the ball to the rim with vengeance. There were at least 3 times he tried to go up and dunk over Clark or fellow frosh Terrance Jennings. Although he was unsuccessful for the most part, he drew the foul and made most of his free throws. It will be good for Swop to get some in-game action in the absence of T-Will early in the season. He will be very useful spelling the 3 spot come Big East play.

Mississippi State transfer Reggie Delk scored only 11 points but displayed intensity and athleticism for the red team. He can do anything that is asked of him whether it be handling the ball on the press or locking down the opposing 2 guard on defense. Tony's cousin is also a very smart player who doesn't make mistakes. He might have even been a step slow after spraining his ankle early after landing on someones foot after a three point attempt. The way my man Jerry Smith has played the two times I have seen him this year (Thursday practice & yesterday's game) don't be surprised to see Delk and Preston Knowles steal minutes at the loaded shooting guard slot.

Smith is struggling to say the least. The usually surefire junior missed all 10 of his attempts from long range yesterday and was sent to the track to run laps for the rest of practice on Thursday after falling asleep on defense. Every shooter goes through a slump now and then, however Jerry usually makes up for it with in-your-face, tenacious defense which was absent on both occasions. I have very high expectations, as does Coach Pitino, for Smith this year and even though the year is very young, I am disappointed in what I'm seeing. It could be the frantic pace or the pick-up type atmosphere that has taken Raindrops off his game, but I hope he turns it around quickly without dragging this slump into regular season play. I, like most Card fans, think Jerry has the potential to be great and his intensity is a crucial cog in the team's overall potential.An assistant even told me he was the most-improved player on the team, which is very exciting if true. The silver lining for Smith is that no one particularly shot the ball well at all.

At point guard, Edgar Sosa and Andre McGee were asked to get the ball over half court in 4 seconds, most of the time against a press. Both did a good job with McGee playing a little better in my opinion. McGee limits his mistakes, gets everyone involved and will take the open shot in the flow of the offense all the while playing under control. Sosa showed some razzle-dazzle moves, hit a few shots and made a few nifty passes. However, he was wild at times. Shooting contested shots (a Pitino no-no) and having to get Earl to bail him out taking the ball up the floor. That is what we are used to getting from Sosa though. He's a Feast or famine, high risk/high reward type of player. As fans, you just have to live with the good and the bad and hope the former outweighs the latter. I like how the two floor generals compliment each other. McGee looks quicker and more polished after losing some weight and getting his body fat percentage down to around 6%. Sosa finishes better around the basket, but sometimes he doesn't belong there. I think the competition. For the starting slot will help both improve. I'm just afraid Sosa might take it the wrong way if he is forced to come off the bench. Time will tell which guy steps up to the challenge.

Here are some other things I noticed...

-Preston Knowles hasn't lost a step and the sophomore slump that plagues most players will miss him. He is a fireball who seems to never get tired. I saw him handle the ball more than usual last night which might foreshadow a stint at point if Sosa and/or McGee are hurt or in foul trouble. PK just adds to the back court depth that is essential for a deep run in the tournament.

-George Goode doesn't seem quite game ready but he could step in when the Cards are in foul trouble. He is very raw and athletic, gets after it on both ends, and can knock down an open 15 footer if need be. He needs to add muscle so he can bang around with the beasts of the Big East, however it doesn't look like we lose much when he's in the game.

-Terrance Jennings looked a step slow as he is battling a nagging turf-toe injury. He gives the squad front court depth. TJ is a monster of an athlete which will help mask his unpolished post game. I envision him having a few huge games this season.

-Kyle Kuric has a great motor. He gets after it on both ends of the floor. At one point he knocked down a shot, then stole a pass at the other end and finished off with a nice assist. I have trouble thinking he's going to get much time this year (redshirt?) but again like the others I have mentioned, he adds to an already deep team.

-T-Will was playing the cheerleader role on the sidelines. He was dressed in a red team uniform but did not see any action. Coach Pitino first said he would be out 4-6 weeks, then on Sports Night it went to 2-4 weeks, and now I'm starting to think he will be back by the opening game against Morehead State.

Louisville Wins 24-20; Postgame Audio

I am going to celebrate the biggest win of the Kragthorpe era tonight so a more in-depth synopsis will come sometime tomorrow along with some pics from basketball media day. The defense played amazing and Hunter Cantwell had his best game as a starter. Here is the postgame press conference audio...

Coach Kragthorpe


Eric Wood and Earl Heyman


Hunter Cantwell and Scott Long

Pitino Speaks at Media Day

I was fortunate enough to attend Media Day at the state-of-the-art Yum! Center today to meet the 08-09 Cards for a meet and greet. The team is as advertised. A big, in-your-face, fast-paced battalion that had the swagger of a team with one goal, a Final 4 and possibly a national championship. Coach Pitino spoke for about 30 minutes first in the media room. Here is most of the sound....



A few thing stuck out further than others to me. First, the quickening of the pace will be fun to watch. The Red/White scrimmage on Sunday will have a Pitino-instituted rule that they must get the ball past half court in 4 seconds or less. This type of play might throw some teams in the Big esat for a loop. Pitino didn't mention it, but I see them pressing 30-35 minutes a game as well. Because of the depth we have at every position, Pitino finally can play the type of ball he would like. A team that plays intense pressing defense and fast-paced offense causing the opposition to wear down. Coach added Edgar Sosa has done the best job (fittingly) of dictating this pace. Despite all the great teams in the Big East, Louisville's depth is unmatched which gives us a huge advantage in the best conference in America.

Second, Pitino stated that freshman big man Terrence Jennings is the key to the team. He explained by saying that fellow freshman Samardo Samuels will have a tough time avoiding fouls in Big East play. "Our players don't flop against him in practice like other teams will" Pitino went on to say. Jennings participated in his second practice today after missing some time with turf-toe. He looked very raw, but showed he is a great finisher around the hoop and a potential presence inside on defense. He has the body and athletic ability, it is just a matter of Pitino molding him into a savvy player. Jennings will see significant minutes backing up Samuels.I think Pitino hit this dead on. If he plays well it adds a whole new dimension to the team.

I was able to watch close to an hour of practice today and individual player breakdowns, quotes and pictures tomorrow....

Also, video savant Justin "Jerb" Bowen has a new addition to his unparalleled collection with a montage of all the newscast reports on media day. Show him your support by donating money to his son's charity @ shawnbowen.net. Shawn is fighting leukemia and can use your help.

5 Positives (and a Negative) Going into So. Florida

Sorry about the absence the last few days. We will be coming hard the next 6 months, starting with basketball media day tomorrow and a absolutely huge game against South Florida on Saturday. Hopefully I will have all the sights and sounds up by this weekend for your viewing and listening pleasure.

Great win against MTSU on Saturday. The defense was sound, the offense got the job done and special teams didn't shoot themselves in the foot. Here are five positives and five negatives from last week going into the pivotal Big East game with South Florida this weekend. I'll start with the positives...

1 - The Running of Victor Anderson
Anderson could be numbers 1 through 5 on this list for the way he is running the ball the last 4-5 games. His rare combination of both speed and strength surprises me for a guy his size. He has the ability to make tacklers miss and look stupid in the process. His 88 yard TD run against the Blue Raiders ignited the Cards after they faced an early 14-0 deficit. Victor has the ability to break that kind of run at any time. The more he gets the ball the better the Cards perform. The coaches are doing there best to try and conserve him so he is fresh the whole season by giving Bolen and Powell the carries in the first few series and then letting VA take over the brunt of the work after that. However, we still have an outside shot at winning the conference and the only way that happens is if Victor gets the ball, pass or carry, 25-30 times a game. Although, I can't fault the coaches for trying to keep him healthy. Anderson is a beast and the best part about him is he's only a freshman.

2- The Return of Scott Long
Long had only 3 catches for 49 yards against Middle, his second game back from a broken foot, but his impact was evident. During the Memphis and UCONN games, go-to receiver Doug Beaumont was being shaded by at least 2 people sometimes 3 because the opposition knew he was about the only option. Josh Chichester was having trouble catching well thrown passes and Trent Guy was just coming into form. Long will help free up other playmakers as well as adding a new dimension to the offense. Long is able to get space and separation because of his size, something that Beaumont, Guy and even Chichester have problems with. This will in turn help Cantwell's ability to take a 3-step drop and have a big target (that will catch it) to throw to quickly. Expect Long's numbers to grow as he continues to get re-acclimated with real game action.

3- Offensive Line Taking Care of Business
Eric Wood and company opened up gaping holes for both Brock Bolen and Victor Anderson on Saturday and have done a hell of a job aside from the UK game. They have not allowed a sack since the Memphis game and the Cards have rushed for an average of an amazing 242 yards per game since the UK debacle. We currently sit 18th in the NCAA in rushing yards/game with an average of 210 ypg. Teams know that Cantwell has a tough time under pressure and the line is stepping up to the challenge and giving our gun-slinger enough time to make what should be smart decisions. Eric Wood has to be the MVP of the team so far this season even considering the play of Beaumont and Anderson. His contribution to the team can't be explained by stats. This isn't an experienced line and Wood is leading by example and getting the most out of the line he anchors. Louisville's hogs will be tested this week by a USF D that is considerably better than UCONN, Memphis and/or MTSU.

4- Brandon Heath Making Most of Little Playing Time
The reserve linebacker came into the program with sky-high hopes and has not performed up to standards to date. A switch from safety to LB could be a reason for the early struggles however, the last two games have been a different story. Heath had the fumble return for a TD to go along with 7 (2 solo) tackles against Memphis, by far his best game as a Card. Heath has a reputation for being a freakish athlete and big hitter and the coaching staff has had trouble finding the right spot for him. LB seems to be the best spot because it is the most shallow of all the defensive units. The sophomore has been battling injuries for 2 years, but is a highlight waiting to happen when healthy. Heath is a playmaker that adds a different facet to an already intimidating Ron English defense. I haven't noticed what warrants him not starting. We'll see if his play the last two weeks doesn't help him get some more well-deserved playing time.

5- James Bryant
The man from the U who joined the team as a transfer before last year has been MIA (no pun) ever since. No talk from coaches, beat writers, or announcers even after a garbage time INT against Tennessee Tech that was frankly meaningless. On Saturday, Bryant got it done on special teams with a blocked field goal and offense by crushing two men with one hit as a goal line fullback on Brock Bolen's third TD. It was rumored that the reason Bryant left Miami was because he refused to play offense. I have no idea why. He opened up a hole that would make Carwell Garner or Mike Alstott proud. Just like Heath, the Coach Krag and crew need to find a good fit for Bryant. If off the field problems are affecting his playing time, I understand. However, it would be a waste to not use a beast like that. Especially with how much subbing is going on throughout the whole defense.

Only ONE negative this week, but it's a pretty big one:

1- Hunter Cantwell's Decision Making
I hate critisizing our frog-giggin', noodlin', rocket-arm carryin' QB, but Cantwell has 8 TDs and 8 picks. These are not the numbers either Cantwell or the fans expected from someone who was waiting eagerly to get HIS shot for 3 years. His INT against UCONN basically cost us the game. Two early INTs against Middle could have been deadly if the rest of the team didn't step up. He is getting plenty of time to throw and in most cases, the checkdown receiver is available. He seems only comfortable throwing out of play-action and his delivery is longer than Hideo Nomo's. Hunter's gun-slinger mentality is backfiring. He has to understand that throwing it out of bounds can be a good thing. Completing a sure-fire 3 yarder is better than gambling on an 8-10 yarder. To Cantwell's credit, some of his receivers are adding to the problem by dropping balls and running half-assed routes but the majority of the blame has to go on the senior Qbs shoulders. My suggestion would be to run more quick throws like slants and screens that will help Cantwell get into a rhythm and make quicker decisions. Until Hunter figures it out, fans will have to hole their collective breath every time he drops back to pass. Cantwell has the tools and brains to get it done. If he didn't, expectations would be lower. He needs to be more like a skillful tactician (Trent Dilfer) and not a fledgling bomber (Jeff George).

More previews on South Florida tomorrow....

Cardinals in Week 7

DE Dewayne White made 10 tackles including 1 sack and a forced fumble for the Lions in their 21-28 loss to the Texans.

S Kerry Rhodes had 9 tackles for the Jets in their 13-16 OT loss to the Raiders.

LB Brandon Johnson had 7 tackles as the Bengals lost 10-38 to the Steelers.

DE Elvis Dumervil had 5 tackles including 2 sacks in the Broncos 7-41 loss to the Patriots.

RB Kolby Smith ran for 20 yards on 10 carries, and he caught 2 passes for 5 yards for the Chiefs in their 10-34 loss to the Titans.

CB William Gay recorded 2 tackles for the Steelers in their 38-10 win over the Bengals.

DT Amobi Okoye made 1 tackle in the Texans 28-21 win against the Lions.

Pitino Interview

Coach Rick Pitino appeared on Sports Night Thursday. Here is the audio

Pitino On Sports Night TONIGHT

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino will appear on Sports Night on 93.9FM The Ticket a little after 6 PM Thursday with hosts Jody Demling, Matt Jones and L Yes'! own Trevor Kelsey. The Don will preview the recent Williams injury, upcoming season and his new book The Art of Success 2.0 with Pat Forde. If your stuck somewhere with a computer, the show streams online at 939theticket.com. I will post the interview as soon as I can after the show tomorrow.

Click here for The Ticket's streaming audio

Who Is It?

After Middle Tennessee’s 21-31 loss to FIU last Saturday the Blue Raiders are going to mix it up at quarterback. Senior quarterback Joe Craddock is on a record setting pace that will make him the premier passer of Middle Tennessee State football. So far this season Craddock has completed 65.4 percent of his passes, and he has thrown for 1,369 yards. The Middle Tennessee passing record is held by Clint Marks who threw for 2,749 yards in 2004. If Craddock continues on his current pace he would wind up just short of that record.

Then came the FIU game, and Craddock looked like a completely different player. In his first three games he threw only 3 interceptions, and he threw two in the FIU game. He ended up 7 for 12 and he only threw for 25 yards. That’s when Coach Rick Stockstill decided it was time to act, and he inserted Soph. Dwight Dasher into the lineup. Dasher completed 7 of 15 passes for 47 yards, and he added 78 yards rushing on 13 carries. He led the Blue Raiders on three scoring drives out of the six he was in the game. Dasher can pull the ball down and run like Craddock can’t, and when Craddock is in he can stretch the field like Dasher can’t.

So it only makes sense to start mixing Dasher into the game and make defenses take note. Louisville has had a hard time keeping track of scrambling quarterbacks in the past. The Cardinals will have an idea what each quarterback is going try to do when they come in the game. Stockstill is looking for any kind of edge to get a win against a power conference team. Middle Tennessee is 4-27 against power conference teams since making the jump to the BCS division.

Cardinals in Week 6

WR Harry Douglas had is best day as a pro Sunday with 5 receptions and 96 yds and the Falcons beat the Bears 22-20.

S Kerry Rhodes had 8 tackles in the Jets 29-28 win over the Bengals.

DE Dewayne White had four 7 tackles and 1 sack as the Lions lost to the Vikings 10-12.

K David Akers had a big day going 4-4 on field goals and 4-4 on extra points giving him 16 total points as the Eagles beat the 49’rs 40-26.

RB Michael Bush ran the ball 3 times for 9 yds, and he was reported by the The San Diego Union-Tribune to be in a proposed trade to the Chargers. But the Raiders pulled out at the last minute.

DE Elvis Dumervil had one tackle and a fumble recovery in the Broncos 17-24 loss to the Jaguars.

LB Brandon Johnson had 3 tackles for the Bengals in their 16-24 loss to the Jets.

DT Amobi Okoye recorded 1 tackle in the Texans 29-28 victory over the Dolphins.

Williams Out For At Least 4 Weeks

It wouldn't be a Louisville basketball season under the Don without a preseason injury to a key player. Last year it was Palacios before that Taquan Dean. This year it is our team leader, Terrence Williams.

T-Will heard what he thought was a pop during a pick-up game today at the Yum! Center and according to Pitino, the worst was feared. He was taken to Jewish Hospital and a torn meniscus was revealed. Williams will be out 4-6 weeks. Louisville regular season opener is against Morehead St. in the Billy Minardi Classic on November 22. Willimas could miss the So. Alabama and Western games, both which the Cards could lose on an off-night. With the way premier trainer Fred Hina and Dr.Scott (Will's dad) took care of Padgett last year, it seems that T-Will is in good hands.

"I'm ecstatic that it's not an ACL tear as was first feared. He'll be out only a short period of time and we know he'll come back as good as new. We're totally relieved." Coach Pitino said in a statement from the university. He told Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com, "We were positive it was going to be an ACL. He landed on it the wrong way. The good news is he’ll be back in four weeks.”

So I guess as fans we should be relieved it wasn't worse. I don't want to downplay any of the games early in the season, however we don't play anyone that scares me personally until Mississippi on December 18th in Cincinnati (and they don't really scare me at all). What we should be scared about is T-Will losing his spring that makes him who he is. Terrence is an athlete who depends on his leaping ability more than your average player. I would rather he take more time and come back 100% than come back too early and risk injury. The team would lose is symmetry early on that is going to be necessary going into Big East play. We have enough talent to get through the first 4-6 weeks.

Patrick named Big East Defensive Player of the Week

From the University of Louisville Sports Department....

University of Louisville cornerback Johnny Patrick was named the BIGEAST Defensive Player of the Week, while West Virginia running back Noel Devine and Cincinnati punter Kevin Huber have also been named recipients of the BIG EAST Conference's weekly football accolades following games of Oct. 12.
Patrick was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week after scoredthe go-ahead touchdown on a 19-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter of Louisville's 35-28 win at Memphis. He finished the game with six tackles and figured in a potential 10-point swing to close the first half when he blocked a Memphis field goal attempt that was returned for a Cardinal touchdown.
Devine was chosen as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed for a game- and career-high 188 yards on just 18 carries,including a 92-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, to spark West Virginia's 17-6 win against Syracuse, keeping the Mountaineers unbeaten in BIG EAST play. It was his third 100-yard game of the season.
Huber is the BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week after he averaged 46.4 yards on a career-high nine punts and dropped five inside the 12-yard line in Cincinnati's 13-10 win against Rutgers. Huber pinned the Scarlet Knights on their 3-, 11- and 12-yard lines on Rutgers' three fourth-quarter drives and forced the Scarlet Knights to an average starting field position of their own 17-yard line for the game.

Jeremy Tyler on Sports Night

2010 Louisville basketball commitment Jeremy Tyler will be on Sport Night with Jody Demling, Matt Jones, and The L Yes! Report's own Trevor Kelsey tonight. The show airs from 6-8 pm on the best sports talk station the 'ville has to offer, 93.9FM The Ticket and can be heard streaming on 939theticket.com.

Expect to hear about his recruitment and what led to his HUGE commitment over the weekend. He's turned from the recruited to a recruited, so we'll hear what his plans are for the next 2 years as he prepares to become a Card. He will be on in the second part of the 6 o'clock hour.

Sports Night from 6-8 on ESPN Radio's 93.9 The Ticket and 939theticket.com

Tyler Commits to Cards

According to Scout.com, San Diego PF/C Jeremy Tyler has given the Cardinals a commitment after visiting recently. He would join Josh Langford as the second member of the 2010 class. Tyler is currently the 15th ranked player overall in his class by Scout and the #3 center. Rivals has him ranked as the 4th best PF and 9th best overall. Rivals has his listed at 6-8 220 and as Jay Bilas would say, "he is very loooong". ESPN scouts say he is the best big man to come out of California since Tyson Chandler who just got back from winning a gold medal in China. Tyler is a "true" post player on both ends of the floor and doesn't try to be what he is not: a guard. He has a solid face-up jumper and finishes with authority. He is already a state-wide phenomenon in Cali, as is evidence in the video linked at the bottom.

This commitment comes as a surprise because it seemed like it would be harder than it was to get Tyler to come all the way from San Diego to Louisville when schools closer to home like UCLA, Arizona, Stanford and USC were extremely high on him. He told the various recruiting sites that he was amazed by what he saw while here. Jeremy averaged 23 points and over 15 boards and 8 blocks as a sophomore starting every game. He had a high of 37 points and didn't pull down less than 10 rebounds any game the whole season. This is truly a HUGE pull for the Cardinal coaching staff. I'm sure fellow Californian Ellis Myles and Walter "The Closer" McCarty had a strong influence on his decision.

This leaves the question as to what's next with the 2010 class? Rivals #1 Josh Smith was very high on Louisville due the the newfound "Seattle Pipeline" and hopefully this doesn't change his mind. Same goes for fellow California product Tobias Harris who had a good visit a few weeks back. If Pitino can find a way to get both Smith and Tyler it could be scary. Along with Harris and Smith, the Pitino recruiting war room is also looking at C Adreiean Payne, combo guard Daron Lamb (my pick) and Flavien Davis (cousin of Jerry Smith) just to name a few. Don't be surprised to see an offer to J'town guard Aaron Cosby if he shows in-game improvement after missing last season because of transfer. It would be silly to let a talent like Cosby slip through the cracks ala Chris Lofton, but at this rate there might not be any room. Cosby has the talent to play here. It's just a matter of time until the coaches see the light. That's a new story for a new day. Today, we welcome Jeremy Tyler to the fam. Here's a little video action. keep in mind he hasn't played his JUNIOR season in high school yet.

Cards Squeek Past Memphis

After a couple of years worth of getting the raw end of close games, the Cards got past Memphis unconventionally with defensive and special teams touchdowns, 25-28.

I made the trip down to enemy territory, getting lost in western KY in the process (MapQuest sucks!). On one stretch in Leichfield, we were held up by an Amish Family trotting along the highway on their horse-and-carriage (no joke). We reached the stadium with little time to spare and were greeted with some delicious Memphis-style BBQ up in press row (view LEFT). Made the 7 1/2 hour that should have been 6 worth the while.

What also made the trip worthwhile was seeing the Cards catch a couple of breaks and get the win. Not to say we were outplayed, but Memphis ran 31 more plays for 182 more total yards and 220 more passing yards. The Tigers scored 4 of 5 times in the red zone and converted 4 more third downs. Memphis QB Arkelon hall outpassed hunter cantwell 351 to 133. Add in a few big plays and a few that DE Rodney Gnat called "grade school" and on paper it seems that they won by 20. Usually that would be the case, but not last night. All the big plays the Cards needed over the last year seemed to happen all at once. Nevertheless, Cantwell got the most important stat of all, the W.

Trent Guy runs back a kick on his first official return after Memphis had seemed to take the momentum from the Cards. Johnny Patrick knew this week's game plan said Memphis K Vinny Zaccario' boot had a low-release and got a block after "guaranteeing" he would block it to the coaching staff. Brandon Heath (RIGHT), who has been waiting for some action for 3 years, finally got his shot and returned the block to the house. Gnat gave the squad a much-needed insurance score when his forced fumble was returned by Patrick for what ended up being the GW score. I'm sure Krag didn't draw it up that way. I'm also sure he doesn't care. A local Memphis reporter asked Krag how it felt to "steal" a victory. Coach looked at the guy and said " We didn't steal it we earned it". A bold question from a guy covering a team that scored TDs on a fake timeout/direct-snap run and a HB Toss-Throwback. Who's trying to steal the game here?

Trent Guy said after the game with a smirk that he still wasn't 100%. It sure didn't seem that way as his big play ability shined with a 90-yard kickoff return and 43 yard reception for touchdowns. The Cards have been lacking "big play" capability before last night. Now that Krag has confidence that Guy is in good enough playing shape to absorb a possible big hit, I would expect the Cards to stretch the field a little more. Even TE pete Nochta got in the mix with a TD on broken coverage where no one was within 15 yards of him on his way to the end zone.

On the defensive side, Ron English was subbing players in-and-out regularly in order to keep them fresh. With the 3 TDs on special teams or defense, the unit did not get much rest. this let players like Gnat (1 sack, 1.5 TFL and 1 FF) and Daniel Covington (14 tackles) show they could be depended on to lead the defense at times. 19 different players made at least 1 tackle for the Cards and that doesn't include special teams. Unless Jeff Brohm's offense is going to be mistake free, the defense must force turnovers which they did last night. If they hadn't the outcome of the game would have been different.

It wasn't pretty. It was a much-needed win to regain momentum coming home for tough games against Middle Tennessee and South Florida the next two weeks. The big plays will be essential to win those games. let's hope they all weren't left in Memphis.

photos courtesy of my phone and the Courier-Journal

Padgett & Cisco

Francisco Garcia and David Padgett are starting their NBA preseason games this week. Cisco just signed a new deal that will make him a staple of the Kings for years to come. If coach and former Pitino assistant Reggie Theus can learn how to use Kevin Martin and Cisco at the same time, the Kings could contend for that 8th spot in the West. Let's face it, they aren't going to do much better in such a loaded conference. Go to the Kings home page and you'll see our boy Cisco looking like the face of the franchise already. The Kings' only option at PG is the man, the myth, the legend Beno Udrih so I won't be at all surprised if Garcia takes on a healthy amount of the point guard duties this season.

David Padgett has a great shot at making the Miami Heat squad. One of the worst teams in the league last year, the Heat have Dwayne Wade returning from a season full of injuries. Michael Beasley joins as the scoring option on the inside to help free up the former Marquette star. However, the Heat only have 38 year-old Alonzo Mourning, Jamaal "Proof that a 7 footer with ANY kind of talent can spend 8-10 years in the league" Magloire, and 2nd year player Joel Anthony from UNLV (never heard of him) along with Padgett as the only options at center so far this preseason. This gives Padgett a far better chance to make the team, maybe even by default. He earned his shot, now he might get lucky and land a job after all the injuries. Look, even when they get to the pros the Cards still own the Bearcats. Jason Maxiell got posterized, literally.

KINGS.COM (Cisco Videos, Interviews, ect.)

HEAT.COM

P.S. Thanks to those who told me Ron Artest no longer plays for the Kings. I deleted it, but my point remains the same...GET GARCIA IN THE GAME!!!

Cardinals in Week 5

WR Deion Branch had 3 catches for 31 yds as the Seahawks were blown out by the Giants 6-44.

K David Akers was 1-2 on field goals Sunday, missing a 50 yarder and make a 23 yd fg. He also had to extra points in the Eagles’ 17-23 loss to the Redskins.

DE Elvis Dumervil had 1 tackle and his first sack of the year in the Broncos 16-13 win over the Bucaneers.

WR Harry Douglas got 18 yds rushing on one reverse play for the Falcons in their 27-24 win over the Packers.

DE Dewayne White had 3 tackles against the Bears in the Lions 0-34 loss.

LB Brandon Johnson recorded 2 tackles for the Bengals on Sunday in their 22-31 loss to the Cowboys.

DT Amobi Okoye had 1 tackle versus the Colts as they lost 27-31.

RB Kolby Smith had 5 yds receiving on 1 catch in the Chiefs 0-34 loss to the Panthers.

Dougherty Back on Team; Suspended 2 Games

This might be a retraction, but I think at the time I posted that K Tim Dougherty had received the boot from Coach K, he was actually kicked off the team for conduct detrimental to the team. This was Friday night. Later in the weekend, Dougherty had a meeting with Coach Kragthorpe in which he was allowed back on the team after he serves a 2 game suspension. It is all speculation as to what he actually did (the rumors are flying around) but I have been told it doesn't involve drugs or alcohol. The final verdict finally came out at Kragthorpe's Monday news conference. Coach said once he is reinstated, he will be able to vie for the starting job in an "open competition".

Good to see him back on the team and hopefully he learns from whatever mistake he made. For once, I'm glad the information I was given was premature and Krag showed some leniency. Maybe he thought he was kicked off and was wrong. Maybe he talked himself back on. Maybe I'm totally wrong. All I know is that he will miss the Memphis and MTSU games and return for the ever important So. Florida game on October 25th.

Kragthorpe Missing Out on Local Talent

Watching the St. X/Trinity game on Friday, I saw about 5 guys that could help many D-1 programs, including our beloved Louisville Cardinals. After doing a little research and asking around, I found out that the Cards are only really going after one of those players: St. X RB Deuce Finch (left, no commitment, but does have Louisville on his list). I'm sure they were after Trinity LB Jordan Whiting (right), but he is gone to Ohio St., something that with the right recruiting tactics should never happen. Coach Kragthorpe preaches about getting good-guys that take pride in wearing the Red Rage uniform. Yet there were 3-4 guys on the field from two classy programs that would fit the criteria and commit immediately after an offer, that Krag is leaving blowing in the wind. Trinity's RB Tim Phillips and DE Brock Messina along with St. X's DB DJ Hall, DE Trevor Foy (Purdue) all play at a high level and would likely be humbled by a scholly offer from Coach K. Nevertheless, Kragthorpe has less than 10 commitments (compared to 20+ for the Mildcats) and he has what I believe to be a wealth of talent right under his nose.

I'll be the first to admit Kentucky is not the hot-bed for football recruits that Texas or Florida is. However, there are 5-10 guys every year that can compete well in big-time BCS football. Plus, I can spend all day talking about local kids who stayed and went on to lead us to bowl wins. Mike Bush and Brian Brohm helped the Cards to our most successful years ever. Not saying any of the local talent compares, but guys like Ibn Green, Earl Heyman, and Miguel Montano (who weren't as sought after) all stayed home and had awesome careers with the Cards. The transition to college is much easier when you can still go to Mom's house to get a good meal or do laundry, making it much easier to focus on the transition from HS to D-1 football. If I had to pick our most valuable players currently I'd say Beaumont, Anderson, Cantwell and Heyman. All are from Kentucky. I will give Kragthorpe credit for landing Dexter Heyman, Victor Anderson and Doug Beaumont, which should prove the point since they joined the starting lineup immediately.

One would think that might start a domino effect, yet it doesn't seem that way. Whiting and Male's Justin Green have already said they are going to Ohio St. I know it's hard to compete with the Buckeyes, yet in years past we have been able to get the top talent to stay home even though they were being recruited by the perennial juggernauts Trinity's Tim Phillips, a national champion power lifter who's only downfall is his 5'6 height, committed to Central Michigan after hearing nothing from the team he roots for. I hate bringing it up, but Bobby Petrino would not have let any of these 3 guys go anywhere. Whiting and Phillips play on the same team as Kragthorpe's son, Brad, at Trinity. Phillips wasn't offered, but says he would have second thoughts about the Chippewas if UL offered. How these guys got away completely baffles me. It seems like they are right there for the taking.

The best evaluator of prep talent around here, the Courier-Journal and 93.9 The Ticket host Jody Demling, wrote a blog post just yesterday about St. X safety D.J. Hall (left) , who had a big INT in Friday's win, would LOVE to stay home and play for Louisville, but hasn't been offered. St. X coach Mike Glaser went on to to say: "I can't believe the University of Louisville hasn't offered him a scholarship yet, but if they want a great one, he is a great one." I can tell you by watching him on Friday first hand, Hall is just as good as anyone in our secondary that isn't named Johnny Patrick or maybe Lattarius Thomas. Again, extremely baffling that a stud that wants to come might get away because our coach doesn't think he's good enough. Given the current state of the defensive backfield, we need all the help we can get. Hall doesn't have the NFL "me first" attitude, he would take pride in wearing the jersey and play hard as a result.


Going by the Rivals Top 10, Louisville has a total of ZERO commits from this year's class compared to 4 for UK, 2 for Ohio St. and 1 for Purdue. This does not bode well for the Cards. Even if it's a down year, we should at least have one. This could ripple into the next couple of years. Just like you or me, most kids follow guys they know and have played with. For example, UK's Myron Pryor (Louisville Central) is tearing up in Lexington which had to help lead to commitments from current Central standout LB Ridge Wilson and lineman Mister Cobble. The same can be said for Louisville, who rode the Louisville Male pipeline for close to 10 years from Chris Redman to Beaumont. It is imperative we do not lose these guys to UK or anyone else. I understand a couple might slip away, but not all of them.

Kragthorpe could build the foundation of his team with Kentucky players and still go out and get a Harry Douglas or Amobi Okoye from out of state. This 10+ JUCOs a year business has to stop. About 1 out of 10 work out successfully. Local/In-State talent has a much better production rate, all the while helping develop relationships with local coaches and youngsters. I see us getting away from something that helped put us in national prominence in the first place. The combination of the unattractive product on the field and failure to land the top local talent could make the hole we are in already get deeper. Warren East's LB/RB Shernard Holton is currently the only in-state player the Cards have landed.

DJ Hall needs an offer soon. Phone calls need to be made to Deuce Finch at every legal time. Tim Phillips needs to be asked to rethink his commitment. Coaches Kragthorpe, Brohm and English need to show there faces at games. The golden goose of local talent can not be lost. If it is, it might be hard for the Cards to regain the luster that has been gone for the last 18 months. A Deuce Finch/DJ Hall combo commitment would be a good start.

All photos from Courier-Journal...thanks

K Tim Dougherty Kicked Off Team

I'm watching my alma mater St X beat Trinity 7-0 right before halftime and just got some good or bad news, however you want to look at it. K Tim Dougherty, who has had a suspect year to say the least, has been kicked off the football team for undisclosed reasons. This leaves us with true freshman Chris Philpot, who has also had a subpar year, as our only option at the position that has killed us all year. More on this as I figure it out. I suspect he violated the new curfew rule preventing players from being out past 11 or 12 at night. I believe that makes 25 players who have left the program or been kicked off under Steve Kragthorpe. Pretty bad when the kicker can't even behave himself. Louisville's kicking woes continue.

Coach Pitino on Jim Rome

For your viewing pleasure......




The sound from his radio interview with Jim requires a premium membership and can be found here: JIMROME.COM

Pitino Appears on 93.9 The Ticket

Louisville coach Rick Pitino appeared on The Front Row on 93.9FM The Ticket with Courier-Journal columnist Rick Bozich and the Big EZ Zach McCrite. If you can't listen to the show from 1-3 PM weekdays, you are missing out on some very good stuff from two knowledgeable and insightful personalities. If you can sneak it past the boss, check it out streaming live at 939theticket.com.

Coach Pitino came on to promote his book Rebound Rules: The Art of Success 2.0 that he wrote with help from former C-J columnist Pat Forde. the book talks about ways to deal with adversity, such as what the Don of Louisville basketball went through after losing his best friend in the 9/11 attacks. Coach doesn't go into his team too much, but it's great to hear his voice after an off-season that always seems too long. Check out the book and the interview.

Official Website of Rick Pitino
BUY at amazon.com