Author Archive for Charlie Springer
Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, as well as a public affairs consultant and a UofL grad and longtime fan.
Junior wants to be there, too.
The observer needs one ticket for the Louisville-Kentucky football game. If you have one at a reasonable price, call 244-9581.
Jurich turns another dream into reality for Louisville football fans
Saturday will be a special day for Tom Jurich.
By the time all the heads get counted at the Louisville-Kentucky football game in the expanded Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, attendance could be between 55,000 and 57,000, eclipsing the old attendance record by at least 10,000-plus fans.
Tom Jurich
To be sure, Jurich had the original expansion vision at a time when Bobby Petrino had the Louisville program among the nation’s top 10 football teams twice in three seasons. The future was bright at the time. His confidence enabled him to sell the idea to the administration. His credibility with the movers and shakers made it possible to raise more than $70 million.
There would be couple of bumps in the road, however. The hiring of a football coach unable to build on Bobby Petrino’s momentum and an inept Kentucky Legislature procrastinating a year before approving the expansion would not deter him. Though attendance fell sharply in the last three years and the program slipped, Jurich has never second-guessed his decision to expand the stadium.
“I never looked back once,” he said. “I didn’t build it for this year or next year, I built it for the next 50 years.”
What fans will enjoy Saturday is a state of the art stadium, complete with all the bells and whistles.
Jurich has been deeply involved, micromanaging every aspect of the planning, from the new video scoreboards and the streaming electronic advertising ribbons to the plush new stadium lounges and the shrubbery in the north end zone. Every day there’s a new banner, additional touches, including a new tunnel for the players. Who know what else he will unveil at game time.
This is his baby, and he should enjoy a victory cigar Saturday, smoking ban or no smoking ban.
Attrition continues for Louisville women’s BB, but outlook improving
Dez Byrd is gone. Laura Terry gone. Chauntise Wright is but a distant memory.
In fact, only eight members of the University of Louisville’s women’s basketball team from last season will have returned when U of L tips off against Tennessee in the new KFC Yum Center on Nov. 12.
Coach Jeff Walz announced Thursday that Terry will be a student assistant coach after having extensive surgery on a knee over the past two seasons. Byrd, also injured last year, is off the team for personal reasons.
With the top five recruiting class Walz has landed, the reality is that both players would have faced stiff competition for playing time without injuries or personal challenges.
As will most of the other returnees.
* * *
In case you missed it, Leonid Yelin’s volleyball team lost to Kentucky Wednesday for the first time in his 15 years at Louisville, losing the fifth of five sets and the match 3-2. U of L led 5-1 early in the final set.
No, it’s not a bad omen for Saturday.
Ready for tailgating
The menu will be the usual. Requiring minimal preparation.
Extra crispy fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, cold pork and beans, potato chips, brownies and Coca-Cola. Comfort food. You know the delicacies associated with good times.
Ms. Observer will probably throw in some carrots, celery and broccoli, along with a fruity dip. Just because she can.
If not for tailgating, picnicking would be a thing of the past.
Bring it on. Tailgating and football.
At last.
Charlie Strong needs to keep the lid on Cobb and Locke
Charlie Strong, the new University of Louisville football coach, has a great deal of respect for wide receiver Randall Cobb and tailback Derrick Locke, the lightning-quick breakaway threats from Kentucky.
They are feared throughout the Southeastern Conference.
However, neither of them ever scored against his team when Strong was the defensive coordinator at the University of Florida where he had considerable talent and depth at his disposal.
Here’s how the two performed against U of L and UF last season:
Cobb:
- Against Louisville, six receptions for 71 yards, including one for the winning touchdown. One pass attempt for zero yards.
- Against Florida, five receptions for 24 yards, no touchdowns. One pass attempt for zero yards.
Locke:
- Against Louisville, 15 carries for 72 yards, four receptions for 47 yards, four kickoff returns for 191 yards and one touchdown, a 100-yard return.
- Against Florida, 13 carries for 36 yards, zero receptions for zero yards, four kickoff returns for 84 yards, no touchdowns.
Of course, a Strong defense never lost a game to UK either.
Finishing touches at Papa John’s Stadium
Click to ENLARGE - Worth it
Finishing touches this week, capping the expansion of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in preparation for the University of Louisville football team’s opening game against Kentucky. They include:
- New block letters on the UPS Flight Deck heralding the new look for U of L’s expanded stadium for all 100,000-plus vehicles passing by on I-65 daily. Now if only the state will tear down Fairgrounds Stadium, there would be no confusion about the quality of facilities.
- New signage dedicated to 14 bowl games in which U of L has competed, from the Sun Bowl in 1958 to the BCS Orange Bowl in January 2007.
- All the ad slots have been sold for the interior of the new video board — Rally’s, PNC, Jeff Wyler, Ford, Jewish Hospital, adidas, Taco Bell and Porter Paints. Additional advertising is going up on the exterior side.
- The new adidas store is open for business, with a wide variety of apparel. Don’t be like the observer, forgetting to mention he’s a season ticket holder and not getting his 10% discount.
- The new advertising ribbon has been completed at field level, ridding the stadium of the Little League look signs, replacing them with high quality exposure for sponsors.
Powell the back to watch for Louisville against Kentucky
By Paul Sykes
The real question about Louisville’s running game is which Bilal Powell is going to show up for the Kentucky football game Saturday.
Will it be the player who displayed dazzling speed and elusiveness as a freshman punt returner, the one who had U of L fans salivating for more of him, pleading that he be used as a primary running back.
Will he be the Bilal Powell who, during his sophomore and junior seasons, was only a shadow of himself, slow, injury prone, methodical, predictable and easily stopped most of the time?
Or will it be the Bilal Powell who, during spring and fall practice, has greatly impressed Charlie Strong’s new coaching staff, pushing Victor Anderson, a former freshman of the year, to a backup role?
Plenty of experience in the backfields of both U of L and Kentucky:
Louisville – Charlie Strong has sung the praises of Powell since arriving nine months ago. The slimmed down Powell still has the strength and power of a fullback and should be faster without the extra weight. Anderson says has recovered from his shoulder injury. If he is back to freshman form, the Cards have one of the most explosive players in the Big East. Blayne Donnell has looked promising, but Jeremy Wright is recovering from an injury.
Kentucky — Absolutely loaded, no question. Derrick Locke can shame any defense if he gets outside the containment using his world class speed. Donald Russell waits in the wings if Locke should tire. Moncell Allen and Greg Meisner are big and powerful runners who will try to fill the shoes of the departed John Conner. Randall Cobb and Morgan Newton can carry effectively if the Cats go to the Wildcat formation.
Advantage – Slight edge to Kentucky because of the question marks with U of L’s running backs. Derrick Locke’s career numbers are better than Powell and Anderson’s combined totals.
-
Wear What The
Coaches Wear -
-
SBG Global is your sportsbook for NFL Betting this 2010-2011 season! SBG Global offers live NFL odds, unique sports betting options like NFL futures, numerous prop wagers and much more.
