David Oku Opens Recruitment Back Up

David Oku is a bad, bad man (5'10-185-4.49 40). He hails from Midwest City, Oklahoma and is currently ranked as Rivals #1 all-purpose back in the 2009 class. Just this past week Oku rushed for198 yards (184 in the first half) and 3 TDs in a Carl Albert High School victory. The Cards were in his short final list along with Florida State, Michigan, Nebraska, Clemson and the school he eventually picked, the then Philip Fullmer led Tennessee Vols. Needless to say, Oku has re-opened his recruitment by saying:

“I don’t think Tennessee will get the right coach for me, I’m going to send tape out to 15 different schools that don’t run spread. I’m just not really buying into Tennessee’s coaching search."

I know what you're thinking: "Hey, we don't run the spread, Why not us?" I asked myself the same thing after reading that but then the inevitable kicker came:

"I’m looking at (coaches’) job security for my next school”

Damn. I don't know if we fit that criteria unless the only people Oku gets his Louisville info from are Tom Jurich and Krag. At least we got him to come visit and check out our new facilities all while watching the Cards crush some opponent, right? Not exactly. Oku's visit occurred the very first week of the season, a humid late summer day. The Cards blundered their way to a 27-2 loss to their blue-blooded arch rival, looking completely embarrassing in the process.

This is the type of guy we need to get to somehow salvage what Coach, John L. and Petrino built this program into. An exciting product that was respected nationally and successful. I understand we have Victor Anderson and Bilal Powell, but Oku is the type of guy that will open up the door to many other top-notch players in his class and others. He is from the area that was "allegedly" Krag's recruiting base and could re-open the pipelines to Krag's old stomping grounds and quite possibly save his job. Landing a top recruit like this would somewhat re-energize a fan base that both Krag and Jurich have completely lost. Think of him as Peanut Whitehead, a 5-star recruit that brings national attention and makes a suspect class that much better.

Where you at Krag?!? You have the week off so take some of that million dollar salary (theft) we pay for, take English with you and throw the kitchen sink at this kid. You do understand that we have 20 seniors leaving and only 7 recruits coming in right? David Oku should be the Cards #1 option right now. If we mange to get him, the dominoes should start falling and maybe the Cards could redeem a regretful recruiting class.

Allow Me to Introduce Myself...My Name is Crash

To all the readers and fans of the L Yes! Report, I will be the newest contributor to the site, and my name is Crash Craddock. I hope to provide plenty of entertainment and deep thoughts (like Jack Handy) for the fans of the best website for Cardinal sports. As a life-long Cards fan, I have endured all the ups and downs that accompany following U of L. I know it is a rough time to be a U of L football fan right now, and that we're in the middle of a recession, but through it all I will be here to give you the scoop on the Cards' opponents and some of "Crash's Can't Lose Picks" on other games from around the country. Coming up, the preview of the football game against Rutgers and the basketball game vs. Western Kentucky.

Samuels Named Big East Frosh of Week

From the University of Louisville Athletic Department....

University of Louisville freshman forward/center Samardo Samuels has been named the season's first BIG EAST Conference Rookie of the Week.

In helping the Cardinals win the Billy Minardi Classic, Samuels averaged 21 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots while making 77.3 percent of his shots from the field (17-of-22).

In the championship game against South Alabama, he totalled 24 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots, hitting 9-of-10 shots from the field and 6-of-7 free throws. His team-leading 18 points against Morehead State in just 23 minutes of action was the third highest ever for a U of L freshman career debut. He was a member of the five-person all-tournament team for the Minardi Classic.

Harry Just Blew Up

“He had a very nice game. He had a big pass reception to get us down there on the goal line. He had a beautiful punt return. He’s one of these young guys that we drafted. this past draft class. He’s doing a heck of a job for us. He’s maturing, like a lot of our guys, beyond his years. That’s a tribute to Thomas (Dimitroff) and the personnel staff. They get players in here that can come and compete early.”

- Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith on Harry Douglas

One of my all-time favorite Cards, HDTV Harry Douglas had a monster game for the now 7-4 Falcons Sunday against the Panthers. The Real Ocho Cinco had 188 all-purpose yards including a 7 yard reverse and 61 yard punt return, both for touchdowns. Harry has the heart and ability to make it on the next level and he proved that today. He and Roddy White spoke with reporters after the game about his breakout performance.

HARRY DOUGLAS

Q: How do you feel, after playing such a big part of this win for the Falcons?

A: “I’m feeling good. I’m a little exhausted right now, but I’m feeling really good. I’m just happy to get the victory. After last week’s game, we wanted to get back on track. Throughout all of our practices and meetings, we were really focused on winning this game. I really want to commend my teammates for all their hard work and dedication. I love being around these guys."

Q: In past games, some of the throws were sporadic and it seemed as if you didn’t get the ball as much. What were your thoughts on Matt’s trust in you to make plays throughout this game?

A: “You just have to stay humble and no matter what, you have to run your routes full speed. You can never give up. If you don’t get the ball, you have to expect to get it on the next play. You can never say you’re not going to get the ball. Matt’s a great quarter back and he’s going to distribute the ball. He placed me in a good position to make some plays and I didn’t want to disappoint him or my team.”

Q: What were your thoughts on the punt return for a touchdown?

A: “When I caught it, I was going half speed to the left, but I knew what I was doing. The guys up front did a great job of giving me a block to follow. So, I made a quick cut back, and the middle was wide open.”

Q: What are you thoughts on scoring your first touchdowns in the NFL?

A: “It felt really good, especially in a game of this magnitude. Carolina was 8-2, and it was a home game against a division rival. It doesn’t get much bigger than that. It felt really good to get my first two touchdowns in this game."

RODDY WHITE
Q: What were your thoughts on the game and on Harry Douglas’ performance?

A: “We really wanted to get on the board early against these guys. We wanted to put them behind the eight-ball. Overall, we came out and did a great job today. Harry came out there, and gave us a great spark. His returns gave us great field position throughout the game and overall, he really helped the offense.”

Q: Did the first game against Carolina affect Harry’s performance in the second game?

A: “In the first game, I told him not to worry. We all drop balls. I drop balls almost every game. I told him, once you drop a ball, you have to put it behind you and get back into the mix. You’re always going to be out there and Matt will always put you into a position to make plays. Harry is a play maker.”

Thank You Letter From Padgetts

Courier-Journal writer "The Silver Fox" Rick Bozich posted a letter from the parents of David Padgett that they wanted to be passed along to the Cardinal Nation. David Padgett has found a home on a team in the Canary Islands, but will always have a home in Louisville. I'm sure he's drop-stepping and hooking the big guys over there just like he was here. Let's hope he stays healthy and gets a fair shot at the league.

Cardinal Fans.

November is here, the month when basketball is fully underway - always a favorite month for David Padgett's family. With the Cardinals' first regular season games fast approaching, a reality has finally set in - our chapter of Louisville Basketball is truly at an end. We have no airline tickets and no reservations at our favorite Louisville hotels. Our memories of a pre-game meal at Penn Station or celebrating a Cardinal victory at some very special local establishment will be just that, a memory. We miss the excitement already. However, even though we won't be in Freedom Hall on game days this year, we will be cheering loudly for the Cards as we watch or listen to the games out here in Reno. Our family would like to express our sincere appreciation to the citizens of Louisville for the kindness and support you all showed David during his four years at U of L. He couldn't have been in a better place! As parents, it was comforting to see our son treated so kindly everywhere he went and we are very grateful that David has a very special home right in the heart of Kentucky. So, thank you Louisville!We would also like to thank the wonderful people involved in U of L athletics. There so many we can't list them all, but we'd like to thank Athletic Director Tom Jurich for hiring a brilliant basketball coach, Stephanie Diebold for answering all of our questions, Tim Sypher for his east coast humor and endless supply of basketball socks, Coach Ganong for helping David stay strong, Matt Morris for his endless nights in the film room, Vinnie Tatum for being David's best friend, and all of the assistant coaches, past and present, who were there to give David encouragement and share a laugh with. To David's teammates, we thank you for taking such good care of him after his surgery and for always having his back on the court, just as he had yours. And to the fans in the stands, you're the best in college basketball! A very special thank-you goes to two extraordinary people involved in David's U of L career. Dr. Norman Scott, you gave David new knees and the chance to continue his playing career. We can never thank you enough for your exceptional talent and excellent care. Fred Hina, you were David's salvation after surgery and provided more than rehabilitation care, you were, and are, one of David's closest friends. We thank you for helping David achieve his college basketball dreams and caring for him as you would one of your own.And lastly, there is no way to sufficiently express the gratitude and respect we have for Rick Pitino. Sometimes you have to take the long road to get to the right place, and that certainly is the case with David's journey to U of L. But Coach Pitino was waiting patiently at the end of that road and led David on an excellent four-year adventure culminating in last year's trip to the Elite Eight. Along the way, he coached David, not only in the game of basketball, but also in the game of life displaying the same compassion and care someone would share with his own children. As parents living 2,000 miles away, we couldn't have asked for more. Coach Pitino, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you've done for David. We will be forever grateful to you and will always be your biggest fans.Now, it's on to a new basketball season. Good luck to the team and, as always, GO CARDS!!!


With our gratitude,


Debbie and Pete Padgett

Will Jennings Ever Play??

Before the season started, Coach Pitino made a bold statement at media day. Coach said, "He will be the key to this team" when referring the 6'9 freshman with a world of potential, Terrence Jennings.

In two exhibitions and 2 regular season games, Jennings has failed to play. I ask, why is someone who supposed to be a key to the team riding the pine and not even taking off his warmups? Pitino is saying it is the coach's decision, but something seems fishy. There are rumors that Jennings is in the middle (or end) of a suspension for violating team rules with it more than likely due to a curfew violation. The rumor continues to say the suspension has been shortened due to good behavior.

This rumor, I repeat rumor, is nothing more than that as of now and hasn't been confirmed by anyone within the athletic department or coaching staff to my knowledge. I hope its not true, never looks good for the program. Also, Jennings is eligible to play, so academic status problems can be ruled out. However, such a highly-touted player not seeing the court even in blowout wins, begs for more explaination than just a plain - DNP Coach's Decision.

Pitino has compared his maturation process to that of Earl Clark, so this tough love is just another example of Coach P's ability to get the players to buy in to his system. If him not playing now turns him into a major contributor in a month, it all works out.

I expect Jennings to play sooner than later. I hate using player comparisons, but TJ has been compared to Amare Stoudamire, the freakishly athletic All-NBA power forward, on multiple occasions by multiple analysts. Pitino is trying to whip him into shape and get the most out of him. Jennings will play soon. How soon? I don't know.

All I know is the two times I have seen Jennings practice he was the only player that can give Samardo any sort of matchup on defense and he even has boatloads of trouble. Pitino has said so much at a Yum! Center (Cards new practice facility) practice saying, "This isn't a very old building, but you have let [Samardo] set the new record for most point at 10000" Pitino is tough on Jennings because he expects a certain attitude and work ethic from his players and he's not getting it from Jennings. To me, TJ looks a little confused with some of the schemes and subtlties of the Pitino playbook. Until he gets a good grasp of the offensive and defensive sets, I don't see Pitino budging. Good news is, Lee Steiden has a new best friend.


I'm with Pitino on this one. It worked with Ellis Myles and Earl Clark. Will it work for Terrence Jennings? It remains to be seen.

Louisville Man Handles South Alabama

The Cards look as impressive in the second game of the Billy Minardi Classic as they could, rolling to a 81-54 victory over South Alabama. A Jaguars team that was coming off a tournament appearance last season.

"The first I'd like to say is that, for you people that are from here, you may be looking at the national champions. Coach Pitino has assembled a group of guys that can go at least 10 or 11 deep and not miss a beat. I was reading his book last week and he said you've got to be positive, and with a team like that, it's easy to be positive." Jaguars Coach Ronnie Arrow had to say after facing the Cards.

The Cards were as crisp as I've seen them this season, showing great ball movement on the offensive end, while smothering the Jags with full court pressure from the guards of Louisville and in the half court.

"That was excellent defense two nights in a row. I was really pleased with the 40 minutes and the way we defended." Pitino stated after the game.

South Alabama spent the entire game struggling just to find a decent shot, mostly settling for bad look or Dominic Tilford toss up from anywhere. South Alabama turned the ball over 24 time with only five assists, while the Cards on the other hand produced twenty-four assists with only nine turnovers.

"It's outstanding because you want the defense with our schedule to be right where it's at, at this point of the season. We know we're going to get better with our freshman. We still obviously have to rebound better but that will come, we have to continue to work on it." Pitino said afterwards regarding the Cards position in the early season.

Louisville used an eleven man rotation , where every player played more then ten minutes each and no matter who was in there it seemed that the Cards never missed a beat. Holding the Jags to only five assists, while Louisville was making passes and running their offense so smooth, the Globe Trotters would have been proud.

Freshman Samardo Samuels was again a beast in the middle., scoring 24 points (9 of 10 from the field) and doing a great job of recognizing double teams coming, while finding the open man in the corner. He (Samuels) controlled the painted area every minute he was in the game, commanding the ball and running the floor.

"I think he's one of the best freshmen I've ever coached." Pitino said

As pointed out by Coach Pitino though, that Samuels has trouble rebounding did continue. Samuels had just four rebounds in the game and still has tendency's to not box out properly but he showed a mass improvement on the defensive end as well as showing a softer touch around the basket, including hitting a baby hook shot at one point.

"He doesn't rebound, he doesn't play great defense. You must rebound play, better defense, and block shots if you want get to where you want to go some day. He's very talented but he must learn how to rebound, block shots, and play better defense. That's what we're here for and I'm not going to let up on that." Pitino added about Samuels.

"He's a man. He's got my vote to go hardship." said South Alabama Coach Ronnie Arrow after the game about Samuels.

Terrence Williams is only his second game of the season, looks as impressive as ever. Putting up 12 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists but the things he brings to this team are not just numbers, they don't keep stats for the leadership Williams gives the Cards.

"I'm watching the total game and he's one of 11 out there. He's an outstanding player, but I would have enjoyed watching them play another team, just not my team. They bring to the table what a coach likes - full intensity with depth. Terrence just keeps coming at you and coming at you." Coach Arrow commented on Williams performance.

"There is a Youngman who just does it all just really understands the game; three steals, seven assists, seven rebounds, and makes people better. He is a very talented basketball player, very deserving of that MVP." Added Pitino on Williams impact.

The Cards will now have a few days off before heading south to play another Sun Belt team in Western Kentucky on November 30th.

One Down, One to Go in the Minardi Classic

The Cardinals got their first of the season Saturday, and are looking for their second on Sunday. Louisville was too much for a 0-3 Morehead State team, clipping the wings of the Eagles in the second half. In the beginning, fans were thinking here we go again when the Cards let the Eagles hang around for the first 15 minutes of the game. A 17-6 run at the end of the half showed a little bit of spark, and the Cards took a 29-23 lead at halftime.

In the second half, it was all Louisville and there were a variety of contributors. There four Cardinals who had double-digits in scoring, 18 Samuels, 13 Clark, 12 Smith and 10 Knowles. Louisville scored 50 points in the second half starting a pace that will hopefully continue for the rest of the year. Louisville had their largest lead of the game at the end as they won 79-41.

Samardo Samuels finished with 18 points and five rebounds, but there still is room for improvment. Coach Pitino was him to finish stronger when he gets fouled, and work to become a better rebounder. As expected his best shots of the game were back-to-back dunks that made the medical staff check his hands for orange paint.

Terrence Willimas didn't get his first points until he made a dunk in the final minutes. That doesn't scar his perfomance though, since he led the team with 11 rebounds. He showed a maturity that Coach Pitino had been raving about, and he is on his way to being the leader the Cards need on the floor.

There were a few other welcomed sights in the stat sheet. George Goode played an overall game in the post and he finished with 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The redshirt freshman was recruited to be a wing player, but Goode has made the most of the lack of depth down low. Granted he was facing the bigs of Morehead State, he was still impressive defending in the low post.

Another brightspot was Edgar Sosa's 10 assists who might have transformed into an actual point guard. What was more impressive was the fact that he had only one turnover. Sosa wasn't scared of the new three point line though, and all of his 5 shots were behind the arc. Pitino pulled from the game after one ill-advised shot, but he came back on the court passing the ball. Sosa looked best leading the team down the floor on fast breaks distributing the ball to the other flying Cardinals.

Louisville will get a bigger test today from South Alabama, who defeated Florida A&M convincingly last night. They are highlighted by a local standout Dominic Tilford who transferred out of Cincinatti. But don't go to the trouble of figuring out where South Alabama is, they won't make name for themselves today.

Spanning The Cardinal Football Globe

I can't really put into words how mad I am about the football team right now, hence me not posting about the two devastating losses to PITT and Cincinnati. I'm assuming the majority of you have seen the games and probably do not want to relive them, so I'll spare you and myself the heartache. Anyway, I'm going to borrow something from Colin Cowherd and span the Cardinal Globe to tell you what some of the people that are unbiased (allegedly) are saying about the goings-on with the Cards and of course add my two cents on some topics that occurred in the last week...

The Handshake Incident

If you haven't heard already, Coach Krag and Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly got into an "alleged" argument before the game. The words resulted from Kelly's Bearcat squad conducting a pregame prayer around midfield. Krag, a deeply religious man, took offense and words were exchanged. After the game, the postgame handshake was a bit chippy. The Sporting News put it in their The Alphabetical : Week 12. Go to the 7:45 mark and see for yourself.....

YouTube - End of Cincinnati/Louisville game

Brian Bennett talks about the alleged incident in his blog on ESPN.com, a day after mind you. He says it's much ado about nothing, but did post this picture showing what the Cincy players. Have we gotten to the point where teams don't stomp on the bird, they just pray that they don't screw up against such a soft team? They were praying. Get mad that they embarrassed you, not that they prayed on your field. If he did object, Coack Krag is your perfect example of the pot and the kettle. At least the team is showing fire.

Jurich & His Expectations

Another incident this week that occurred off the field is Tom Jurich telling the aforementioned Bennett about the current state of the football team:

"My expectations were not high this year because I knew the reality,"
Jurich said on Wednesday. "One thing I didn't want to do to the fans was lie to
them."When I said we'd spend the next two years rebuilding, there was a lot of
flack that came with it. Nobody wants to hear that. [But] it's a long haul and I
knew that and I buckled up for it.
"It's hard for some people to hear that
when one year you're going to the Orange Bowl and now you're not. Our fans are
so new at this, they thought we'd be going to the Orange Bowl every week, but
it's not like that."

You can't go to the Orange Bowl every week? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Should we expect to go .500 every year? What about when he said, "It was very important for me to continue to build on this momentum we have in this program and the continuity that is going on right now" when Krag was hired? Is that now a myth? I expect hard, smart, and sound football and I haven't been getting that. I expect to see improvement from the players, not departure. I expect to see an offense that is complex and tough to defend, not chaotic and vanilla. I expect my team not to give up (PITT game - we all saw it). I don't expect the Orange Bowl every year, but I do expect at least mediocrity from a team that I know has the talent to achieve more than they are currently.

There were 20,000 empty seats at the Cincy game the weekend after this article was posted - coincidence? The fans think that Jurich should be able to admit when he makes a mistake, but it's not like that. Jurich is setting the bar so low, he expects us to be ecstatic with a win and indifferent with a loss. My expectations will remain high, multiple coaches have shown that it's possible to succeed here even after poorly ran regimes. Jurich goes on to blame Bobby Petrino and injuries. In other news - the sky is blue, the sun will come up tomorrow, and Krag will use cliches. For the record - Jurich has blamed Petrino's wandering eyes, lack of talent, fans expectations, and assistant coaching just in the last year for the program's woes. When is he finally going to say it's poor coaching?

I understand the supposed "bad hand" Krag was dealt when he took the job with the Cards. I understand he had to do a little house cleaning to the tune of 20+ players leaving the program since his hire. I understand the parallels to the blue-bloods wanting to run Old Man Brooks out of town a couple years ago. I'm just having a tough time coming to grips with the fact that Krag is going to be our coach for the foreseeable future. It's not a brand of football that I enjoy watching. There is no risk-taking, no passion.

I don't know if it was the weather, Friday night high school games or a combination of both, but it is ridiculous that fans can't fill up a 42,000 seat stadium that has hopes of expanding in the near future. I am pissed, but I still go to the games. It is imperative that Jurich, Krag and the team have the fans support. However, losing with regularity is intolerable and the Card faithful need to let their voice be known in other ways than not attending games. When you don't come to the football games, it doesn't even effect the football team. It effects the non-revenue sports like soccer, track and volleyball - all teams who are putting a far better product on the field.

The ineptitude of our football team is frustrating. Guys like Eric Wood, Joe Tronzo, and Daniel Covington deserve better than to be categorized like this after all the hard work they have given. As bad as it is, we can win our last 2 games, go 7-5, maybe to a bowl and everything will look like it's fine and on the up-and-up. The question is: Is it really getting better or are we just falling into a few more years of the obscurity fans went through during Schnellenberger's first years?

Oh my God, Did I just compare Krag to Schnelly?

Weekly World of College Hoop

I wrote this for KentuckySportsRadio.com. They needed someone who knows something about college basketball to preview each upcoming week this season. Remember, like Vito Corleone said, "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer". Here I am, sleeping with the enemy....

We've waited long enough. It's time to embark on a new college basketball season. Every week, I'll be here every week to drop some knowledge on the masses about the week that was and the week that will be in college hoops. Since there weren't very many games the last week, this edition will be more on the preview side of things.

After a whole summer of listening to all the recruiting buzz, reading the rankings like scripture, and working with some people that know what they're talking about I have come to the realization that this year's crop of freshman is nowhere near the caliber of last year's class. However, the NBA age-limit has created a new phenomenon in the NCAA. Freshman who usually would be sitting at the end of some NBA team's bench as a "project" are now thrown onto the national stage as contributors to good (sometimes great) teams. Two years ago there never would have been a Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose leading their teams to the postseason. Regardless of how much weaker this year's class is, to paraphrase Yogurt from Spaceballs, "never underestimate the power of the freshman". This week I will focus on freshman debuts across the country. Whether or not these kids pan out could be the difference between a team finishing with a losing record or making a Final 4 run.

Friday
I know all the UK fans will be busy watching the Cats playing the run-and-gun with VMI, but almost half of the Top 25 will be in action against the typical early season cupcakes.

UCONN is one of the teams poised to make a run at consensus #1 UNC will open up with Western Carolina. The Huskies are coming off a disappointing loss to San Diego on last year's tournament and bring every core player back. The addition of Burger Boy Kemba Walker and former UK recruit Ater Majok to an already deep team is enough to get the Huskies ranked in every Top 5 I have seen. Hasheem Thabeet is as imposing of a shot-blocker as there is and his frontcourt mate Jeff Adrien might be one of the more underrated players in the country. It will be interesting to see how All-Big East selection G A.J Price will return from ACL surgery resulting from an injury in last year's tourney. UCONN's

depth matches up with any one's in the country. However, their first true test won't be until 12/20 against Gonzaga.

The Stephen Curry Show starts up a new season against perennial powerhouse Guilford. The Davidson guard with the former NBA sharp-shooter dad and smokin' hot mom won over the hearts of fans with his high scoring NCAA tourney performance. Is Curry going to live up to all this hype or was the shooting display he put on in he tournament just a flash in the pan? It's hard to improve when you average 26 points during the regular season and dropped 40 in the big dance.

Wake Forest debuts their triple threat of freshman studs against NC Central. Al-Farooq Aminu is an electric wing who was a Top 5 player last year and more than likely would have jumped ship to the league if not for the age-limit. He is your prototypical hybrid forward. A 6'9 215 SF who can score off the dribble, shoot threes and basically wreck havoc on smaller wings. Aminu is joined by a pair of 7-footers in Ty Walker and Tony Woods. Wake has all of their top contributors returning and will be extremely exciting to watch

Other Friday tidbits...

- Travis Ford starts at T.Boone Pickens University against TX- San Antonio
- The ugliest player in college hoops, Nick Calathes, will continue to scare people away from guarding him for a second season as Florida takes on Toledo.
- Buzz Williams takes over at Marquette for Tom "Fake Dwight Schrute" Crean. He better hope he fairs better than Buzz Peterson did at Tennessee. He doesn't have the "I was Michael Jordan's roommate in college" story to fall back on.

Yancey Gates

Top 5 Freshman I'd Want on My Team...not necessarily the best

1. F Emmanuel Negadu - Tennessee - Origionally going to Zona. This guy is a mean looking SOB, built like an NFL wideout, athletic and a hard worker. Can't ask for much more. Will fit in well in Ladies Man Bruce Pearl's high octance offense.

2. PF/C Yancy Gates - Cincinnati - Think former Bearcat Danny Fotson, but bigger. Gates is agile for a man his size and was born to play Big East style basketball.

3. SG Jrue Holliday - UCLA - #2 overall in this clas, DREW is a silky smooth combo guard who can create his own shot and use both hands equally well. The best part about this guy is how much pride he has on defense, something rare among youngsters these days.

4. SF Aminu - Wake Forest - Made fellow freshman Greg Monroe of Georgetown look silly in a match-up on ESPN last year. Reminds me a lot of Carmelo Anthony.

5. G/F Willie Warren - Oklahoma - Warren was going to about 206 different colleges last year, finally decided on the Sooners, and is percieved as a risk. The freakish athlete with his Vince Carter impersionations could just be misunderstood. Plus, he has a propensity to deliver facial dunks

Saturday
The Psycho-T-less Tar Heels take on Penn at 4 pm on Fox Sports. This will be a blowout. The Heels await Kentucky on Tuesday with the big question being whether Hansbrough will play against the Cats or not. I have heard conflicting reports both ways. I think he will sit out just due to the fact that Carolina shouldn't have a problem with UK even without a healthy Hansbrough. UNC runs a fast-break system in which the non-stop big man thrives. However, the Heels do not lose a step without him and in some cases play even faster and more up tempo. Ty Lawson is the best PG in the nation as well as the fastest. He is what makes UNC click.
The psychodelic mushroom loving PF/C Josh Heytvelt returns to action for Gonzaga a year removed from a suspension for possession of the fungus he loves so dearly. I remember him being very good before he decided to quit basketball and become a full-time hippie. G Jeremy Pargo is well-deservingly being named to All-America teams across print and the web. Super-soph F/C Austin Daye is entering what might be his last year in college as the player in his class with the most NBA upside. The Zags are as dangerous as ever, only this time they won't sneak under the radar. They open up with almighty Mt. St. Billings

Sherron Collins

Sunday
Defending champ Kansas opens up with Missouri-KC looking completely different than last year. Out are Mario Chalmers, Sasha KAHN!!!, Darrell Arthur and co. In are Travis Releford, Tyshawn Taylor and Tyrone Appleton. The only two players that contributed on last year's national title team are PF Cole Aldrich, a big, bruising, corn-fed country boy who fits right into the Kansas mold, and one of my favorite players in college, Sharron Collins. Collins looks like he could play linebacker for the Chiefs at the point guard position, but is as quick as he is strong. The Jayhawks may have some growing pains early on in the seson and Bill Self didn't play around with the schedule (Tennessee, 'Bama, Washington, and at Michigan St. non-conference). By no means is Kansas going to repeat, but they will be the same old Kansas despite the losses. However, that does not mean they will not compete and surprise some people.

The Dukies face Rhode Island at Cameron. Everybody's favorite flopper Greg Paulus has lost his starting PG job to sophomore Nolan Smith. The Devils took care of Georgia Southern by 43 on opening night and it looks like Coach K might have a contender again. Kyle Singler is a great player who should have an even better year than most expect.

Monday

Purdue comes into this season ranked as high as they've been since the Big Dog Robinson era. Matt Painter is building this team into a perennial favorite in the Big Ten with his superb first recruiting class maturing into sophomores this year. F Robbie Hummel is an old school player who looks like a born leader voted preseason Big Ten player of the year. His classmates E'Twaun Moore and JuJuan Johnson along with junior G Keaton Grant will all attempt to knock Izzo's Spartans off their preseason pedistal.

A team that is possibly relying on the almighty freshman more than any other is sleazy, greasy Calipari's Memphis Tigers, who host former employer UMASS. Tyreke Evans was a national phenomenon as a high school senior and will be asked to shoulder a lot of the scoring load for the defending runner-ups. Like Kansas, the guys Cal is bringing in are no joke, it just might take a bit to mesh. Big Men and Top 50 recruits Wesley Witherspoon and Angel Garcia will help fill the shoes of the punishing Joey Dorsey and even though I like his game, Willie Kemp will fail miserably trying to replace #1 pick Derrick Rose.

Other Sunday tidbits...

- Projected #1 NBA Draft pick Blake Griffin will join Willie Warren as Oklahoma takes on lifelong 15 seed Mississippi Valley St. I reall don't know what all the hype is surrounding Griffin. I personally saw Earl Clark abuse him in the NCAAs last year, but he is a perfect 18-18 from the field so far this year so I will give it time before I count him out.

All-American Teams

First - G Ty Lawson (UNC) G Stephen Curry (Davidson) F Robbie Hummel (Purdue) F Tyler

Robbie Hummel

Hansbrough (UNC) C Hasheem Thabeet (UCONN)

Second - G Jonny Flynn (Syracuse) G Darren Collison (UCLA) F Kyle Singler (Duke) F Patrick Patterson (UK) C Luke Harangody (Notre Dame)

Third - G James Harden (Arizona State) G Sherron Collins (Kansas) F Earl Clark (UL) F Samardo Samuels (UL) Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)

Honorable Mention (10 players) : F Sam Young (PITT), Tyler Smith (Tennessee), Chase Budinger (Arizona), Tyrese Rice (BC), A.J Price (UCONN), Wayne Ellington (UNC), Patrick Mills (St. Mary's), Jack McClinton (Miami), DaJuan Summers (Georgetown), Devan Downey (So. Carolina)

Tuesday

Most of the country's eyes will be on two marquee programs in college basketball going at it in Chapel Hill. If Hansbrough plays, you might want to watch the other channel to stop the bleeding. My second sleeper, Syracuse plays before the UNC/UK game against Richmond. This team has the best potential for a Ewing Theory season. Donte Green was good, but he was a tremendous ballhog on a team with no shortage of talent. Gerry McNamara's protege Eric Devendorf returns after blowing out his knee and missing all of last year. Paul Harris is a scrappy pit-bull at 6-4 playing like he's 6-10 and PG Jonny Flynn is a master distributor with a jumper that keeps defenses honest. It might be addition by subtraction this year for the 'Cuse.

In Knoxville, Bruce Pearl unveils his recruiting class against Tenn-Martin. No word yet on if Bobby Maze has finished his diss record directed towards other SEC teams. Pearl has all sorts of talent including Maze, Negadu, Tyler Smith, Univeristy Heights product Scotty Hopson and Wayne "I wear my headband like an idiot" Chism. As we have learned before, sometimes even if the ingredients are quality the finished product might not mix well. It will be interesting to see all these characters playing on the same team plays out over the season.

10 Shooters - Wayne Ellington (UNC), Stephen Curry (Davidson), Jon Scheyer (Duke), Kyle McAlarney (Notre Dame), Jodie Meeks (UK), Jerry Smith (UL), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), Robert Vaden (UAB), Lee Cummard (BYU), Stefon Jackson (UTEP)

10 Unsung Inside Studs - DeJuan Blair (PITT), Jeff Adrien (UCONN), Jarvis Vernardo (Mississippi St), Wink Adams (UNLV), Raymar Morgan (Michigan St.), Taj Gibson (USC), Austin Daye (Gonzaga), A.J Ogilvy (Vandy), Alfred Aboya (UCLA), Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech)

Wednesday

Michigan State has reloaded their talent after losing Drew Neitzel to graduation. Kalin Lucas runs the show with F Raymar Morgan taking the brunt of scoring from the departing Drew. Delvon Roe was a highly touted recruit coming into last year and injuries kept him out his entire senior year in high school. Izzo has recently fought with who will start, which usually isn't too bad of a problem. Marquise Gray, Durrell Summers and Goran Suton all give the Spartans the makings of a Final 4 team. Hey, if KSR punching-bag Jeff Goodman says it you have to take it as the Bible truth and he REALLY likes Michigan St., almost in a creepy stalkerish way.

Scottie Reynolds

Scottie Reynolds makes his season debut for Villanova. Jay Wright's team is getting lost in the shuffle of the Big East when in reality they pose the biggest matchup problem to any of the bruising teams at the top. Their smail ball has worked for 5 years and the guards are starting to mature just like the Foye, Ray, Lowry team that made a run 2 years ago.

Sleeper Teams : Wake Forest, Syracuse, Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia Commonwealth

Overrated Teams : Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, Miami, Gonzaga

National Signing Day

Today is National Signing Day. What used to be an absolutely huge day has been turned into just a big day due to the year round coverage by scouting sites and bloggers. Also, players are committing earlier and earlier every year (case in point - UK's Michael Avery) so today turns out to be somewhat anticlimactic just because we already know who we're getting. Mike Marra, Rakeem Buckles, Peyton Siva, and Stephan Van Treese (pictured l-r) will all be inking with Coach Pitino and the Cards today at their respective schools.

The balance in this class is what excites me the most. You have your versatile point guard (Siva) sharp-shooting guard (Marra), athletic forward (Buckles) and token white center (Van Treese). All have separate roles and won't ever steal playing time from one another. Plus, they all are 4 year players that all the recruiting gurus claim have the sacred "upside" which hopefully in this case means the Cards got good value and a deep class that filled needs. However, you never know who is going to stay or leave from the team next year, so it's too early to say who will fill in for whom.

All 4 players joined the Sports Night crew on the Recruiting Bonanza Tuesday night. Here are the interviews...

Recruiting Bonanza on Sports Night

National signing day for basketball is tomorrow, so Sports Night will have a Recruiting Bonanza tonight starting at 6 featuring nearly every player set to sign with the 3 local powerhouses. All 4 Louisville signees are set to join Trevor, Matt Jones and resident recruiting guru Jody Demling at some point during the 2 hour show.
This will give Card fans a sneak-peek at the guys that will be leading us into the future. Seattle's Peyton Siva, Miami's Rakeem Buckles, Indianapolis' Steve Van Treese and New England area sharp-shooter Mike Marra will talk about how they feel going into tomorrow's big day and what plans they have for their future as Cards. If you can't catch it, I will try and have the sound up here as soon as possible.
Also joining the Sports Night crew will be guys like John Hood from Kentucky and Christian Watford who will sign with Tom Crean's first class at Indiana.
That's Recruiting Bonanza with the Sports Night crew. Tonight from 6-8 pm on 93.9 FM the Ticket and also can be heard streaming at 939theticket.com. Be there!!!

Wrapping Up N.K.U

The Cards fought off a little bit of a scare tonight, beating Northern Kentucky 84-69. It was an improvement from the Georgetown game, however the team still has a lot of growing up to do. I thought Caoch Pitino was going to be dissatisfied with his team's performance, but it was really the total opposite. He was pleased with how the squad handled he pressure and came out on top. The potential is there for something great everything meshes together correctly. The offense will be first to come, as it did tonight. Defense and rebounding should come together sooner than later.

Samardo Samuels led the Cards with 29 points in 30 minutes on 10-11 shooting. He's a monster, no doubt. Be that as it may, he hasn't been very active on the glass grabbing only 3 boards the whole game, all being on the offensive end on put-backs. I know he's not always telling us the God's honest truth at press conferences, but Coach said..

"You look at it on paper tonight and think [Samardo] had a great game, he played a terrible game...he had 15 points scored on him because he can't guard the perimeter"

Samuels is the best recruit of the Pitino era and already an unstoppable force on offense. For the Cards to succeed, the big frosh needs to learn how to box-out. With his NBA physique and wing span, Samuels should be a sensational rebounder, however his lack of fundamentals on the boards softens his potential. The defense will come. The rebounding can be learned. The scary thing is, I think we have only scratched the surface of his ability.

St. Louis transfer Dustin Maguire from Taylor County might have outperformed Louisville's freshman phenom. He was unconscious like no player since Trevor Ruffin (Hawaii) or Teddy Dupay (EA Sports) has been against the Cards. 9-12 from 3-point range, 33 points, 32 minutes. Maguire even banked in a bomb as the shot clock expired during a run that gave NKU a 4-point 2nd half lead. His outburst might turn out to have been a valuable lesson to the Cards. Now they have experience in dealing with someone that just can't miss. Coach Pitino was proud of how they persevered through the onslaught, kept their cool, and ran the offense. Great tune-up for a possible 1st or 2nd round matchup with a team that loves to shoot and shoot well.

The guards began to play well, led by Edgar Sosa and his 18 points 3 assists and only one turnover. He gave us the feast or reward, not famine or risk. Jerry Smith let the game come to him on offense (3-5, 7pts), was back to playing great on-the-ball defense and rebounded well (7). Preston Knowles looked like someone put icy-hot in his pants the way he was getting after it on both ends. I love how no matter the magnitude of the game, Knowles is giving his all. Delk played only 10 minutes as the surprising Will Scott played 21 great minutes, earning the praises of Coach Pitino after the game.

Earl Clark had 8 points and 10 boards. I have yet to see him actually get mad and play with that chip on his shoulder we came to know and love at the end of last year. He is trying to show his perimeter game when he knows his bread-and-butter is inside. His face up and post moves can be unstoppable. He did a great job with the short inside passing game with Samuels, getting his teammate a few open dunks. Once the season wears on and the games become more important, I expect Earl will get that mean-streak back.

Terrance Jennings didn't play because Coach Pitino said "I can't play everybody... Swop only played 10 minutes" He went on to say "If you think Samardo played bad defense, you can't imagine how Jenning's would have played". This sounds fishy and true. We'll wait and see if something comes up in the next couple of weeks with Jennings, who's participation is essential to the success of the team.

All in all, a decent performance that could have been better. I think the team learned some valuable lessons that can be taken and used once regular season play starts. Two weeks off and then Morehead State comes to town. Terrence Williams will be back most likely starting after returning to practice this week. Can't wait to see what kind of wrinkle our senior leader brings to a team that is slowly showing signs of living up to it's potential.

There was a football game today. I need to sleep on what I'm about to write on this team, so expect something tomorrow. Apologize for the cheesey camera phone pics in the live blog, thanks to the C-J for the pics above...peace

Live from THE BANK, its Exhibition Madness

7:50 pm- I'm here at Northern Kentucky University, home of the Norse and a beautiful new arena known as The Bank. Imagine a smaller, less corporate version of Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. About 10 minutes until gametime where the Cards will try and look a little more polished and sound than they did last Saturday. Its the Norse and the Cards in exhibition madness.
T-Will is joking with the officials in street clothes which means there is obviously no chance of him seeing action. The team entered the court to a mixture of boos from the NKU student section and cheers from the good amount of Cardinal faithful in attendance.
This NKU team looks small and under matched as expected but after last week I'm not thinking blow out. Back in a few...

15:37 left in the First Half - Louisville leads 6-5. A couple nice post moves by Samardo and a layup by Sosa puts the Cards on the board. NKU is having their way with the press, leaking out for a layup and hitting a wide open 3. Louisville needs to do a better job executing on offense and not relying on individual moves. More after the next TO.

12:31- Don Pitino is donning the casual gear today with the blazer and khakis sans tie. In the game the Cards are sloppy on offense, relying on Samuels to clean up errant shots and taking contested shots, a Pitino no-no. Cards lead 17-10 however and are looking a lot smoother in both phases. Samardo leads the Cards with 8 and Sosa has 6.

7:24 - Dustin Maguire is helping the Norse stay in the game match Samardo's game high with 16 points. NKU just has no answer for Samuels, who just stepped back and hit an 18 footer, just to keep them honest. Preston Knowles has come in and lit a fire under the defense. The Cards need to guard the three as NKU is hanging in there only down by 6.

HALF - Its the Samardo Samuels show here tonight as the beast of a frosh is leading the way with 18 points. The Cards lead but NKU has used 7 threes to make it respectable. Pitino is trying different lineup with Clark and Samuels with an array of different players. The offense looks out of sync and the defense is still allowing way too many threes. NKU is overloading one side and spotting someone up on the opposite side, usually being wide open. Samardo is having his way in the painted area and hasn't missed a shot.

14:33 and relying too much on E5 and - Here we go again. NKU has taken the lead 46-42. Dustin Maguire is unconscious hitting 6 of 7 threes including a ridiculous prayer at the end of the shot clock. We are getting outhustledMardo on the offensive end. In both exhibition games the Cards have just plain out been outworked. As someone respectable just told me here on press row, I wouldn't want to be on this hour and a half long bus ride home with Coach Pitino.

5:33 - Louisville is back on top 67-61 after hitting a few threes and playing considerably better on the defensive end. Maguire is still on fire and has hit 9 of 11 3s for a total of 31 points. The Cards are spacing there offense better, getting open looks in turn. Samardo Samuels can not be stopped scoring 27 points with his only misses being from the foul line. NKU is getting tire but I am impressed with their work ethic and shooting ability. Rumor around press row is that they are pushing for an OVC spot in D-1 by building this new arena and putting an excellent product on the floor. Give them a couple years and I'm sure they will be competing for an NCAA tournament slot. Next update will be a game wrap up with quotes from Coach Pitino.

Clark, Williams Named as Preseason Wooden Award Candidates

From University of Louisville Sports Information Office....

University of Louisville forwards Earl Clark and Terrence Williams have been named as preseason candidates for the 2008-09 John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy. The list is composed of 50 student athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for the honor.

In helping the Cardinals to a 27-9 record and second-place BIG EAST Conference finish, Clark averaged a team-high 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots and added 11.1 points per game. During the Cardinals' NCAA Elite Eight tournament run, the 6-9 Clark averaged a team-leading 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and blocked seven shots while hitting 62.2 percent of his shots (23-of-37). An NCAA East Region All-Tournament selection, Clark produced a 10 double-doubles last season.

Williams averaged 11.1 points last season and was among the BIG EAST Conference leaders in assists (4.5), rebounding (7.2), assists-turnovers ratio (1.54) and minutes played (35.9). A two-time All-BIG EAST Conference and NABC All-District 7 second team selection, Williams produced two triple-doubles as a junior - only the third and fourth triple-doubles in U of L history. The team co-captain enters his senior year No. 48 in career scoring at U of L with 1,102 career points.

Louisville is one of seven universities with at least two players among the candidates for the award.

Justin Martin on Sports Night

Most recent Louisville commitment, Justin Martin from Lawrence North, IN, joined L Yes! contributor Trevor Kelsey, C-J recruiting guru Jody Demling and YewKay blogger Matt Jones on Sports Night on 93.9 The Ticket (6-8pm weeknights) this week. Sounds like the kid has a great head on his shoulders and is ready to showcase his skills on the varsity level for the next 2 years before he makes the short trip south to join the Cards. Make sure you listen to Sports Night on Tuesday (11/11) for the Signing Day Bonanza where Peyton Siva and Mike Marra are scheduled to appear the night before the are due to sign on the dotted line with Louisville. Just a heads up, here's 2010 commit, 6'7 200 G/F Justin Martin.

Basketball Recruiting Update

The basketball team received a commitment Monday from Lawrence North IN junior Justin Martin late in the afternoon on Monday. The 6'6 200 pound Martin has yet to play a game of varsity ball at North due to how loaded their roster is, not lack of talent. The recruiting experts say he is great with the ball, can create his own shot pretty well and has great slashing moves to the basket as well as being a formidable outside shooter. He is ranked somewhere in the 30s by every big service. However this number could fluctuate over the next couple of seasons based upon how his skinny, wiry frame fills out and how he improves on the defensive end. Martin's rank is solely based on potential and his performance in AAU ball. He comes from the same high school that has produced studs like Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Eric Montross and currently is home to UL 09 commit Steve Van Treese and UK bound Dominique Feguson. Martin will join PF Jeremy Tyler and G/F Josh Langford in an already impressive looking class of 2010.

Josh Smith (left, 6'9 280) from Kentwood HS in Seattle is said to be the #1 target for Pitino and his staff to complete out the 2010 class. Courier-Journal writer Jody Demling wrote in his blog that Walter McCarty was scheduled to visit Smith this past Wednesday in Seattle as the majority, if not all of the '10 attention will be focused on the big man. If the staff lands Smith, the Cards will have a sure-fire Top 5 class on the low end. Smith and fellow recruit Jeremy Tyler are said to be 1-2 in their class. Langford and Martin are Top 30-40 overall players. Pair those guys with PG Peyton Siva of the '09 class and the Cards would maintain national prominence for at least the next 5 years subject to jumping to the pros and under-performance. Nothing will ever compare to Michigan's Fab 5 again (first off, Jurich doesn't have 350 grand to give players) but this potential class would be close.

The only problem I see is lack of depth at the point guard position in that class. Andre McGee graduates this year and Sosa next. That leaves us with '09 PG recruit Peyton Siva (right), a senior Preston Knowles (we saw what happened when they tried Taquan Dean at point) and possibly Kyle Kuric as options at the point. If poor play at the point leads to misfortune this year, I expect Pitino to figure out a way to get another player in there. Whether it be taking a scholly from somebody or taking in a transfer, someone needs to be paired with Siva going into the 2010-11 season at the point.

The point guard thing may be nit-picking, but we all know guard play is essential in achieving our ultimate goal, the national title. If a back-up PG is all we're going to need I'm not too worried.

Here are some various links about the guys....

ESPN RISE - Peyton Siva continuing Franklin Tradition

Jody Demling - Langford starts strong

Justin Martin Interview on Sports Night available within the hour.....

Another One in the Nest

The basketball team got a new commitment from a familiar place on Monday night. Justin Martin a 6-7 200 lb. forward picked the Cards over the Xavier Musketeers for the class of 2010. He is ranked as the 36th junior prospect by Scout.com and 38th by Rivals.com. Martin comes from Indianapolis Lawrence North which is where ’09 commit Stephan Van Treese goes to school. Martin joins the 2010 class of five star prospect Jeremy Tyler and four star forward Josh Langford.

Cardinals in Week 9

RB Kolby Smith carried the ball 10 times for 46 yards and 1 touchdown for the Chiefs 27-30 loss to the Buccaneers. The Kansas City Star reports that Smith will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, according to head coach Herman Edwards. Smith was carted off the field with a sprained knee in the second quarter.

K David Akers hit 4 fgs with a long of 42 yds and 2 extra points in the Eagles 26-7 win over the Seahawks.

LB Brandon Johnson had 5 tackles in the Bengals first win of the season against the Jaguars 21-19.

DB William Gay recorded 5 tackles for the Steelers and they won 23-6 over the Redskins.

DE Dewayne White got his first interception to go with 4 tackles in the Lions 23-27 loss to the Bears.

RB Michael Bush ran the ball 3 times for -2 yards, and he caught 3 passes for 15 yards as the Raiders 0-24 loss to the Falcons.

DE Elvis Dumervil had 3 tackles and the Broncos lost 17-26 to the Dolphins.

CB Sam Madison had 2 tackles for the Giants in their 35-14 win over the Cowboys.

DT Amobi Okoye had 2 tackles for the Texas as they lost 21-28 to the Vikings.

WR Harry Douglas had 1 catch for 12 yards, and 1 run for 2 yards as the Falcons beat the Raiders 24-0.

S Kerry Rhodes had 1 tackle for the Jets in their 26-17 win over the Bills.

Syracuse Delivers Crushing Blow

Is playing two good games in a row too much to ask?

A week after what was called "Coach Krag's signature win at Louisville" against nationally ranked South Florida, the team showed why they haven't had more similar victories. A 28-21 loss to Big East doormat Syracuse puts the Cards at 5-3 with games against teams a lot better than the Orange left on the schedule. Another couple performances like this and the Kragthorpe-era will have it's own bowl streak. 2 years with no appearances after 9 straight.

The Cards lost another game they should have won Saturday at Syracuse. The same Syracuse team that has beaten a total of 3 D-1 teams in the last 2 years, 2 being against Kragthorpe led teams. The other - Buffalo. This was the same Syracuse team that is last in the Big East in total and scoring offense. And yes, the same Syracuse team that ruined our bowl streak last year at home. Only this time the Cards were only 14 point favorites, not 36.

It's hard to put a finger on what exactly went wrong. Orange RB Curtis Brickley ran for 166 yards and a TD on 33 carries. The defensive line of Louisville was dominated play after play. Turnovers killed the Cards against UK, but in their losses to UCONN and Syracuse the D has given up an average of 180 yards. Linebacker's were getting caught with their pants down. Woodny Turenne's gambles didn't pay off and he got beaten like a drum on multiple occasions. Cardinal wide-out Troy Paschley dropped a sure fire TD which would have tied the game in the fourth quarter.

The list could go on, but it's too depressing to write.

The Cardinal offense looked vanilla as ever with the exception of Victor Anderson, who continued is tear with 112 yards on 23 excitement-filled carries. For some reason, Kragthorpe decided to abandon feeding the ball to Anderson in favor of dump off passes and TE outs. Johnnie Burns...that's right back-up TE Johnnie Burns led the Cards with 4 catches. If Anderson wasn't in the game, the team looked dull. Dropped passes, stupid penalties, and inept decisions - added to the bland play calling - led to the Cards scoring 21 points on a team that gave up close to 35 a game.

"Obviously we didn't make plays. We had a great start and then we sputtered. We have to make plays and that we didn't is on me." Coach Krag said i his post-game news conference.

How are they supposed to make plays when they aren't put in the proper position to be successful? The only creativity used were a couple of reverses to Trent Guy and Doug Beaumont that yielded first downs. Throwing a 2-yard out on 3rd and long to a guy (Burns) who has played TE for 8 games his whole career and runs like Bernie Kosar isn't really favorable towards "play-making". The Cards converted less than half of their 3rd downs again (7-15) and a main reason is the inability to run plays capable of getting first downs. Call me crazy, but I think if you have a 3rd and 8, you might want to throw the ball at least 8 yards. Seems like the logical thing. However, for whatever reason, our play-calling begs to differ. It all boils down to the offense's failure to convert in crucial times, whether it be play-calling or lack of play-making.

"Coming off a big win against South Florida, you have to refocus in and that's something that can be hard. To be honest with you, I think it's good for our team. We got a wake-up call."

That was SENIOR LEADER EARL HEYMAN saying that he needed to refocus after a big win? Why would he need to do that? Shouldn't the coaching staff prepare the players for this very instance? This makes no sense. No wonder we gave up over 200 yards rushing. Our defensive captain and starting DT is saying that the team needed a wake-up call. That's bogus. They beat a decent USF team, not USC. Under previous coaches this was not an issue. It really concerns me that a supposed team leader is having trouble getting up for games. I'm just not sure whether it's a bad refection on Heyman or the coaching staff.

The defense had it's poorest performance of the year. The gambling nature of the English-led unit backfired. Blitzes were unsuccessful putting our DBs in single coverage with no safety help and also giving their QB all day to throw. Linebackers couldn't fill the running lanes. The Syracuse offense was one of the worst in the country and they ran at will on our improved yet shaky defensive line. 28 points is a lot to give up to such a terrible team, but it was manageable. The defense played well. Especially against such a lowly team, the offense needs to put up enough points to win.

The inadequacy of the offense to convert is what is burned into my memory for the time being. This loss isn't the end of the world, I just hope we don't continue this boring play that doesn't allow creative freedom for the athletes on the team. It's embarrassing to get excited about what was called the turning-point of the season last week and then see the same team get pushed around by possibly the worst team of any BCS conference. We'll see if this loss "wakes us up" and causes "play-makers" to make plays.