I never thought I’d see the day when a former Duke basketball player becomes one of the biggest Kentucky Wildcat homers on the planet, but that is what has happened with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. Bilas’s recent love affair with John Calipari’s latest NBA training camp rivals that of former SEC analyst Jimmy Dykes who always sounded like a giddy school girl when doing UK games.

Bilas’s love affair with the Wildcats even led him to go on a personal crusade against a former Louisville player for flopping during the annual Battle of the Bluegrass game. Bilas who is paid to call games in an objective manner didn’t hold back during the television broadcast and let his disgust for the flop be heard across the country. He even took to twitter to acknowledge his disgust.

Bilas’s rant sparked up a series of attacks from all over social media and he had everyone bashing this flop. National media swarmed to the story like flies to dung, and the UK fan base had a field day. They even got their kids in the mix with a Claymation version of the flop. Even it made its way around the national rags.

For about two weeks all we heard is about that horrible, disgusting flop. I mean how, why, it was a crime against college basketball and Jay Bilas created an angry mob over it.

On Tuesday night I decided against my better judgment to actually sit through a UK SEC basketball game. I have to admit that it was a very entertaining game and Georgia put up a gutsy effort even though the deck was clearly stacked in the Cats favor. It would have been better had it not been for the incessant rambling about UK’s greatness by Jay Bilas.

The most perplexing moment for me was when Andrew Harrison pulled off what was perhaps one of the best flops of the college basketball season. It was a flop that would rival that of a former Louisville player back in December. I was expecting Jay Bilas to have another meltdown and announce his utter disgust for flopping. But that didn’t happen and in fact Bilas found the Harrison flop to be amusing. That’s right he chuckled as if it was one of the funniest things he’d ever seen. It was quite the opposite reaction from the outrage he displayed back in December.

Did Jay Bilas take an anger management class to deal with his rage against the flop? Where was the outrage?

Folks it’s very obvious that Jay has turned into that guy. Who knows where it all went wrong. Jay used to be one of the best basketball guys on TV. He knows the game better than any of those other ESPN talking heads and yet he chooses to be a blind homer for the Kentucky Wildcats. Seriously how does this happen?

Guess we can just add Jay Bilas’s name to the list of things John Calipari has ruined in College basketball. Jay Bilas once a great player and analyst now will be known as Jay BIAS. Sad indeed… Guess it won’t be long until he’s writing articles for KSR.

Chances are that if you are a sports fan then there are moments in your life where sports have transcended the competition on the field of play and provided defining moments in your life. Sports have healed relationships, created long lasting bonds, brought nations together, brought communities together, and sports have inspired people for generations. In some way or other sports will impact a person in some way in their life’s journey.

I remember the first time my father took me to Riverfront Stadium for a Reds baseball game and the ride home having an actual conversation with him. Being able to relate to my father for the first time on that level was a very special moment for me. It’s a moment that I can’t wait to have with my own son someday.

I will always cherish those moments shared with my friends over the years going to basketball and football games. The high fives, the hugs, and the chest bump when our favorite player made the big play. All of those laughs I’ve shared before and after the games have been great times indeed.

My son is only three years old and I have already had immeasurable joy taking him to his first Cardinal basketball game, and watching that big smile come on his face when he seen the mascot for the first time. I’m certain that the feelings a father has at that moment can only come from that experience.

These are only moments in my life experienced as an observer of sports. The defining times I’ve had during my involvement in sports have been just as impactful. That coach who inspired me to reach further, that game where I got my moment and that comradery shared with a team. Learning what it means to win and lose and the appropriate way to deal with both.

With all of the positive moments that sports brings to our lives there are times that they bring a dose of reality. Yes sometimes sports serve as a sobering reminder that we are only human and humans are capable of doing horrible things. I don’t think anyone could have said it better than the voice of the Louisville Cardinals Paul Rodgers did yesterday.

Sports have reminded Cardinal fans this week just how much it can relate to real life. And while it’s happened before I’ll never get used to watching human failure. Just like all of you I’m ready to get back to those happy moments and ready to see more achievement. I’m ready to share that next awesome experience with someone.

In a few weeks we will be heading into spring. Spring is a time of the year that brings life back to nature. The time moves forward and new beginnings are abound. As we head into the new basketball season that is March Madness and as we head into the spring football practices I hope the Louisville athletic program can move forward and put this latest negative behind us. Go Cards!

Tonight will be the very first appearance on a Big Monday ESPN telecast for the Cardinals. And this will also be a big night for this Cardinals team to move forward. I’m glad they are out of town and hopefully have been able to escape all of the negative vibes floating around the Cardinal universe. Tonight it’s time to circle the wagons as a team and a fan-base and move forward as this season approaches its finale.

I expect with the loss of point guard Chris Jones that Coach Pitino will adjust his offense around the three other guys on this team who have been the statistical leaders throughout. Terry Rozier is averaging 17.6 points a game, Montrezl Harrell is averaging 15.6 points and 9.5 rebounds a game, while Wayne Blackshear is averaging 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds… These guys will be counted on to carry the bulk of the load as they have done for most of the season, but we really need these younger guys to also step up.

For Quentin Snider who dreamed of someday being a hometown hero and starring in front of the Yum Center crowd this is his time to start that journey. He played 38 minutes last week against Syracuse and ran the team with poise and control. The guys seemed to really feed off his positive energy.

Shaqquan Aaron was called out by Coach Pitino last week and was challenged to put his team first and to be a Louisville man. This is his opportunity to show his coach and his peers that he is ready to get past the me-ball and ready to put in the work it takes to get to that next level as a college athlete. The minutes are going to be there now.

Chinanu Onuaku is oozing with potential. He has the god given size and athletic ability to really be a premiere Center in college basketball. Coach Pitino has called him one of the best passing big men he’s ever seen. Word is that he’s been working with another one of those great passing big men assistant coach David Padgett. If Onuaku can decide he wants to listen he could also be a valuable asset for a team that is going to need some points from the five spot.

Let’s face it folks there is going to be a huge opportunity for these guys including Anton Gill who will also get the opportunity at the guard spot, while Jaylen Johnson, Mango Mathiang and Anas Mahmoud will get their chance at minutes at the five spot.

I think Coach Pitino needs to roll the ball out and really start to simplify some of the things he tries on the defensive end of the floor. That is what has been holding a lot of these guys back. Just let them get out there and make their mistakes and play basketball. These guys need to start having fun in these games instead of worrying about making a mistake and being in the wrong spot on defense. Coach Pitino doesn’t have a veteran team and just dismissed his best defensive player. In my opinion it’s time to relax and tell these guys to guard their man and do their best. Maybe this will also let them play looser on the offensive side of the ball leading to more production.

I love new beginnings. It’s a big reason why I love the NCAA tournament. It’s like a season all of its own and as long as you get there it doesn’t matter what happened along the way. Anyone can ask last year’s UCONN team about that. As far as I’m concerned tonight starts the new University of Louisville basketball season. I think and hope we’ll see a revived group of Cardinals ready to face the challenges that lie ahead. Go Cards!

It’s been less than 24 hours since our beloved Louisville Cardinals lost another disappointing game. It has been a while since we have had to deal with back-to-back losses and some might be taking it a bit hard. I run through my Cardinal Stages of grief pretty quick these days and have already reached the acceptance phase. What stage are you in?

-The Five Stages of Cardinal Grief

-Denial: It is a normal reaction to rationalize overwhelming emotions. It is a defense mechanism that buffers the immediate shock. We block out the words and hide from the facts. This is a temporary response that carries us through the first wave of pain.

“The Cards lost a lot of key guys the last couple of seasons. They needed Blackshear to realize his talent, Jones to NOT be a knucklehead, Mathiang to take that next step, and at least 2 freshmen to contribute regularly. None of these things happened.”

“I love seeing these freshmen get playing time.”

“The 2012 team lost to USF and Syracuse back-to-back games just before the conference tournament and Pitino still took them to the Final Four.”

“I was encouraged by the play of Q, Nanu and Anas though. On the flip side the Aaron comments are IMO out of line for the general public and I am a bit concerned about some of the recruiting choices over the last couple of years.”

-Anger: As the masking effects of denial and isolation begin to wear, reality and its pain re-emerge. We are not ready. The intense emotion is deflected from our vulnerable core, redirected and expressed instead as anger. The anger may be aimed at inanimate objects, complete strangers, friends or family.

“Our front court screwed us in this game. Those guys are not ready for the season. I refuse to believe that Blackshear is a competitor.”

“We have lost back to back to two teams that are on the bubble (or would be if Cuse didn’t take themselves out) we are going to lose to them by nine and ten points. We have one win over a team that might make the sweet 16. I had questions about us with Jones, but there is no excuse for the total lack of talent on this team. We have two players that will play in the NBA.”

“That is the problem with Rick Pitino’s system. His teams need you to turn the ball over at a relatively high rate to be successful. Undoubtedly, Louisville will run into a team in the NCAA tournament that takes care of the ball, and then the Cardinals are done.”

“Play smart? Keep in mind that this is a Rick Pitino coached team. He simply can’t coach his way out of a box when it comes to strategy in the final minutes of a tight game.”

“Harrell is good for a few poster dunks, but is never a factor in most games and disappears at crunch time. Blackshear better have a good major.”

“Remember when Denny couldn’t adjust to the 3 pointer? Rick can’t adjust to the one and done.”

-Bargaining: The normal reaction to feelings of vulnerability is often a need to regain control.

“No, this Louisville team is not terrible, but it is a mediocre team. This team is a far cry from the overly hyped team that started the season.”

“This was a product of the fact that Cuse simply didn’t turn the ball over enough. Louisville can only shoot a decent percentage when the opposing team turns the ball over, because obviously, this creates high percentage shots.”

-Depression: May be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods after the Cards lose. It’s usually what we feel before the reality of the situation becomes more clear.

“This is the most poorly prepared team ever under Pitino. Time to retire if you can’t get them to work harder to be prepared.”

“Sad to see that Louisville’s chance of winning it all is actually not that good though.”

“I am extremely disappointed in this Louisville team.”

“Most disappointing loss I have seen in a long time, we could have beat Syracuse and should have played better.”

“I don’t know why but the game felt terrible. They started out great moving the ball and Trez hit a couple shots early. We were getting the ball inside and Nanu and Mahamoud even took a couple shots. I started having high hopes for the team minus Chris Jones at the start of the Cuse game. Christmas killed us. Absolutely destroyed it. Hats off to him for the game he had.”

-Acceptance: Not everyone is capable of reaching this stage. It is that moment when you can put the entire season in perspective and realize that one loss isn’t the end of the world. It is also when you realize why the Cardinals actually lost the game.

“Calm down Card Fans. Today was our first real test playing the freshman and playing Cuse can only help as the season progresses. After all it’s not like we got beat by Little Sisters of the Poor. Cuse is one of the elite programs in the country and they are playing every game like they are in the NCAA Tournament already due to their self-imposed sanctions. And even though they may not be quite as good this year they are still Cuse. We have one of the best back-courts in the country especially if Jones gets it together and a Hall of Fame coach. He will get it fixed. I am confident that by the end of the year our Cards can play with any team in the country. Go Cards!”

“This is going to be one heck of a year in college b-ball! Who needs to wait until March it’s already crazy!!!! Congrats Cuse and keep you heads up Cards fans.”

“My expectations for this team haven’t changed. This team looks about as good as it was projected to be in the preseason. We have Sweet 16 ability and can hopefully realize that potential. With any luck, we’ll make the Elite Eight. And if many of the bounces go our way, a Final Four is possible.”

“This year is wide open for the hottest teams come March. Should be fun.”

“A lot to learn from this game. We had way worse losses last season. Pitino is a March-Master. And he’d better work some of that magic. Time to figure out how to make the Louisville front-court be effective”

There you have it Cards fans some real examples of other members of Card Nation going through some of the same emotions as you are. And as I said at the beginning I am in the acceptance stage of my Cardinal grief. I don’t think the last two losses will factor into the big picture of this season.

I was impressed with the play of Quentin Snider last night and he was very level headed in crunch time and the team appeared to feed off of his patience. He just had a cool demeanor and his team-mates benefited from that greatly. Chris Jones may find his way back to this team if he decides that he wants to put his team-mates first and he has the ability to be a great point guard, but simply doesn’t have some of those on the court intangibles that a team like this needs.

The Cardinals have really missed a good defensive big man, a great rim protector, shot-blocker, and a presence down low that allowed the guards to take chances with the knowledge that the 7-footer could make up for their miscues. I thought that once Montrezl settled into the season and Mangok got used to his role that they would be able to make up for some of this loss, but like the situation at point guard there are just certain intangibles that these guys don’t have that this team needs. I was impressed with the play of Onuaku tonight and maybe he will start putting complete games together on offense and defense.

This program has lost a lot of great players and great young men over the last couple of years. We lost four seniors last year that were the winningest in program history. Wayne Blackshear is a great young man, great student and a quality athlete. He just isn’t a guy that’s going to lead you to a National Title. Terry and Montrezl are great players who are just going to play their game and do their part. Neither of them seem like they want any part of trying to motivate these younger guys. We needed Chris to be something he’s never been. It was probably unfair to place such high expectations on this guy. He had some pretty big shoes to fill. We really needed a few of these freshman to come in and play like upperclassmen, but again probably unfair to expect that. We are also seeing for the first time in a long time a Louisville team who is struggling to play elite defense.

I’m not trying to make excuses here folks. This is the reality of the situation and these things just can’t be ignored. Our Cards are 20-6 and this team is a 20-6 team right now. Coach Pitino has come down pretty hard on these guys. We as fans expect a lot but he expects perfection. In the last few weeks he has laid it all out on the table. It will be the Louisville way or the highway. Let’s hope these guys buy into that.

Every loss our Cards have is very tough to deal with but when you go through your Cardinal stages of grief you can understand and accept that those losses eventually mean nothing. All that matters is how you perform under the bright lights of March. We have seen things fall apart during this time of the year before and seen teams come back to perform well in the post season. We’ve got some guys on this team that can make that happen again.

It’s been a week ago today since our Cardinals played the best twelve minutes of basketball this season in a comeback win against Pitt. And it’s been a week since I witnessed one of the most heated exchanges of the season between Coach Pitino and Chris Jones.

With 12:15 left in that Pitt game Chris was pulled after he had missed a lay-up. As he was walking towards his spot at the end of the bench you could see the frustration on his face and see him saying things under his breath with Coach Pitino right behind. Once Chris sit down Coach kneeled down in front of him and let him know just what he was thinking. The tension between coach and player was very obvious and I cringed watching this interaction.

Coach Pitino made it very clear in his post-game press conference that night how upset he was with Jones. And there was no sign of Chris in the post-game locker room. I was sure that we would see the fallout from this before the game against NC State but Chris did start and played in the loss to the WolfPack. Ironically it was the worst game the Cardinals have played all season. Chris led all scorers with 20 points in the loss and it didn’t seem like there was any hangover from his bad game against Pitt. But maybe there were issues and we just didn’t see it.

Chris Jones has been given many chances in his life and in his basketball career. We could be watching his last chance play out in front of us. Will he let his past continue to dictate his future or will he make the best of the time he has left here at Louisville. Coach Pitino said on Tuesday night “we move on without him”. The Louisville program has always been bigger than the player. Louisville First… Let’s hope it’s not Chris Jones last

On Monday Jason Anderson of ESPN680 broke the news that Montrezl Harrell had advised him that he was no longer a team captain on this year’s squad. On Tuesday Coach Pitino confirmed that news to Jeff Greer. “Absolutely no big deal,” he said in a message to The Courier-Journal. “Totally nothing. He is still the leader of our team.”

You can imagine the speculation into this has run wild. In the midst of some tough losses and poor offensive output now the news that one of the more dominate members of this team is no longer a captain. Are things going on inside the Louisville program? Is the season headed for a complete tailspin? I don’t believe that for one second, and I think this latest news about Harrell is just him jumping on a grenade for his team.

We have all watched a shy kid from rural North Carolina grow up before our eyes. We have watched him make a name for himself on the basketball court. He’s helped Louisville win conference titles, he had a breakout performance during the Cardinals Title run and he helped lead the U-19 USA Team to a World Championship.

He could have left in the off season for the NBA but chose to come back to Louisville to take another step in his basketball evolution. This time he wanted to have his moment. Not just a footnote in Louisville Basketball history but as a guy who we talked about as having made a significant impact on this program. The shy, introverted Harrell has taken it upon himself to be the leader of this team and is finding out that is a huge burden to bear.

This guy has all of the qualities of being a great leader, and a great Captain. He leads by example, has determination, drive and the willingness to put his team first. And I’m sure in some of those classes at Hargrave Military Academy they discussed guys who were willing to throw themselves on a grenade to save the rest of the troops. It’s one thing to be a leader but something really special to be that leader.

Montrezl Harrell has always been his toughest critic always quick to tell the media huddled around him in the post-game locker room what he could have done better in a win or a loss. This guy gets it. Right now his young team is struggling to find their identity, struggling to get the ball in the basket and have lost some tough games. There is a big grenade flying towards this 2014-15 group of Cardinals from the fans, and media. This latest news about Montrezl not being a Captain anymore means that he has made that ultimate sacrifice and has jumped on that grenade.

Montrezl Harrell may no longer be the Captain but he is the ultimate leader.

Montrezl Talks about his role as a leader on this 2014-15 team at Media Days

A few weeks ago the McDonald’s All-American Game committee released its initial list of 492 boys nominated for the annual showcase and gave Louisville men’s basketball fans something to smile about. Three of the Cardinals class of 2015 signees – Deng Adel, Raymond Spalding, and Donovan Mitchell made the first cut. They will now be eligible to make the final team of 24 boys selected to play in the 2015 Game. The final teams will be announced during the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Show on ESPNU tomorrow night Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. ET.

The Cardinals coaching staff were ahead of the curve in identifying and landing three of the biggest stock risers in the class of 2015. In the ESPN rankings Deng Adel went from No. 81 to No. 30, Donovan Mitchell rose from No. 72 to No. 37, and Raymond Spalding, a local kid was identified by the Cardinals’ staff early in the process, before he went from unranked to No. 52.

(Photo Cred SourceHoops)

Deng Adel is ranked #57 by Future150, #32 by 247Sports, #18 by Scout, #30 by ESPN, and #50 by Rivals. Defensively he plays with strength, length and lateral quickness. Offensively, he scores with spot-up 3-pointers and straight-line attacks off the dribble with athletic finishes. He is a player who competes hard, plays with energy and is still on the rise.

“We know that Wayne is leaving and we had to have an impact player who could physically play right away. Deng is a highly ranked basketball player and he’s good at all phases of the game, he can flat out defend you on one end, then turn around make a great pass, make a great shot and then get to the offensive glass. He’s an outstanding basketball player with size and the physical ability to play right away” –Coach Pitino

(Photo Cred 247Sports)

Donovan Mitchell is ranked #31 by Future150, #29 by 247Sports, #21 by Scout, #38 by ESPN, and #31 by Rivals. He emerged as one of the biggest summer stock-risers in the country last year. According to those who have followed that progression closely his shooting and ball handing has made progress, but it’s his physical tools that have allowed him to begin separating from his peers. An excellent defender he uses his broad shoulders, long arms, and a chiseled frame to oppose his will. Offensively he has a tremendous first step and he has the strength to make plays in the tightest of situations.

“Immediately In the first five minutes I absolutely fell in love with the way he played, his game, everything about him, the way he carried himself. I watched another game, then another game and just fell in love with his game athletically, the way he leads. Then after speaking with him on the phone I realized I had another person with the character of Peyton Siva. On his visit he reconfirmed all of my thoughts, the way he treats his family, the way he carries himself, this is a special young man on and off the basketball court.” –Coach Pitino

(Photo Cred VerbalCommits)

Raymond Spalding is ranked #49 by Future150, #39 by 247Sports, #41 by Scout, #52 by ESPN, and #39 by Rivals. Defensively he is a good rebounder and contest, alters and blocks shots on the ball and from the weak side to aid a teammate that has been beat. Offensively his length and mobility allow him to run the floor very well where he is an above the rim finisher. Spalding has hands and shooting touch that allow him to be a good shooter in and round the lane. He also can face and straight line drives down the lane. Just last night twitter was buzzing about Spalding’s big game against St. X, where he took over scoring 26 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. He also had 5 monster dunks. This kid is a great local talent and the Cards were lucky to get him.

“I have not seen too many people improve like him. I knew we had to nail this one down and we couldn’t let him get away from Louisville, he’s too good of a basketball player, one of the best to come out since Rondo. When he gets to the point that he says I’m gonna impact every play on the court offensively and defensively, when he reaches that point then look out because we’ll have one of the best players in the country.”-Coach Pitino

These three guys obviously have the talent, background and off the court integrity to be McDonalds All-Americans. All three are worthy of one of those final 24 spots. It never works out like that but still it doesn’t take away from the fact that these guys are very worthy. I read one guy at MAXPREPS today that doesn’t have any of the Louisville guys on his list. I really hope one of them gets to represent the Cardinals in this game but if not it is still a great honor to just be mentioned with the other great athletes in the country on that first list. I know that their supporters and families are very proud of this achievement and I know Cardinal Nation is very proud of these guys.

Louisville has had 19 McDonald All-Americans since 1978.

We will find out tomorrow if one of the 2015 guys will join this list. I want to congratulate each of them on making the first list and wish them good luck in making the final cut. GO CARDS!

Now that there have been a couple of days to process Louisville’s loss to Georgia in the Belk Bowl, it seems like a good time to start taking a look back at the Cardinals 2014 football season. The Cardinals would start the 2014 season after losing 3 first round NFL draft picks and their entire coaching staff. The gamble to bring back a proven winner to the program paid off and Coach Bobby Petrino was able to lead this team to 9 wins and a trip to a bowl game in his first season back. What makes his first year back even more impressive is that he did it with a roster full of players that were recruited to play in a different system, three inexperienced QBs and in the Cardinals first season in the ACC.

When Charlie Strong decided to leave the program Tom Jurich and other members of the Louisville administration were faced with a difficult decision. They had the choice to find a coach who was an up and coming unproven in the college ranks or go with the guy who had won here before. The second choice would bring a splattering of skepticism. The program had come too far since the last failed experiment of an unproven coach and Tom Jurich knew what he had to do to maintain the level of excellence that had been established. He did face a ton of backlash from the skeptics, but after watching his program win 9 games while facing their toughest schedule in years and becoming bowl eligible for a 5th straight season he had the last laugh. I think he made the right choice and the excitement for Louisville football is at an all-time high. We have a lot of momentum heading into year number two of the Bobby Petrino sequel. We will sign a top 25 recruiting class in February and should march another top 25 team on the field in April. I can’t wait to attend the signing day party and can’t wait to attend the first day of spring football practice. GO CARDS!

My father once told me that a person can do a thousand things right, even ten thousand things right, but you do one thing wrong, just one, that’s all people will ever remember, and you don’t want to be that guy. Throughout my life I have watched this old cliché play out many times. I think it’s even more relevant now during the age of instant news and social media. People in the world today can’t wait to jump on their moral high horse and take someone to task. It is a hobby for some.

Saturday during a basketball game against Western Kentucky Montrezl Harrell was poked, prodded, pushed and at one point ganged up on by five of the Hilltopper players. When that happened Montrezl lost control of himself and came very close to throwing a punch during a scuffle at the end of the first half. Montrezl was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul. After watching the video for several minutes the referees in charge of the game determined that while Montrezl came very close he did not throw a punch. And it was also ruled that he did not fight. So this should be the end of this right?

While watching the game I was very critical of Montrezl’s behavior and even made my sentiment known via my twitter account. But after watching video and looking at several photos of the incident after the game was over it is clear that Montrezl was just defending himself from a mobbing by the Hilltoppers. And it was also very clear to me that the incident would have never happened if the referees had intervened effectively. It is their responsibility to make sure the players feel safe and protected while on the court. So why aren’t they being scrutinized?

Montrezl Harrell has been the epitome of class. He has always carried himself with dignity and set the right example academically, socially and spiritually. He has respect for the game of basketball and plays it with more passion, desire and enthusiasm than most of us have ever seen. When he was winning a gold medal for this country a few summers ago the announcers made comments during the game that they had never seen a player go harder. They called him “Enthusiasm Personified”. One could say that during his basketball career Montrezl Harrell has done a thousand things right.

After the game today Montrezl took ownership of his behavior during the incident. He didn’t blame anyone, he didn’t make excuses and he owned it. One of my readers shared a story of what Montrezl did after he left the locker room and it is what should be remembered.

After the game on Saturday Montrezl spent 20 minutes signing autographs for kids and making a little time for each of them. As the reader wrote “He signed autographs until they made him get on the bus”