Should be okay for University of Louisville fans to get out in public now, with the loss to Kentucky a couple of days in the rear view mirror. Not a fun rivalry.
The worst part about losing to UK in any sport is that Wildcats fans, a large segment of them anyway, are unable to give the University of Louisville credit for what it has achieved, even following a third national championship in 2013.
The less interaction UofL partisans have with UK fans the better in the days immediately following a game, whether the outcome was a win or a loss.
One need not look any farther than John Calipari, their head basketball coach, as a prime example. Rather than give the Cardinals’ defense credit during a halftime interview, the UK coach predictably alludes to the physical play. Sorry, coach, but UofL is never going to roll over for Kentucky.
Calipari is used to having calls go his way, especially at Rupp, and when they don’t, he gets that slack-jawed, whiny look on his face. That familiar expression of someone who looks guilty of something, knowing he’s gotten away with it, and making one wonder he’s done lately. Not one mention of the way UofL played, focusing exclusively on his own team in the post-game press conference.
Meanwhile, UofL Coach Rick Pitino is complimenting UK of having one of the best defensive teams he’s seen in 40 years of coaching, expressing admiration for Calipari’s ability to keep the Kentucky players happy with their limited playing time.
Pitino should know a good defense when he sees one, with defense being his major emphasis at UofL and offense almost an afterthought. The coach’s “offensively-challenged” basketball team desperately needs more attention, starting with the point guard play.
* * *
Pitino said on his post-game radio show that “Louisville fans may not like it, but Kentucky has better players than we do.”
It was an unintended reminder from Pitino that Calipari has not only outcoached Pitino, winning six of the seven games between the two schools and has never lost a recruit to Pitino. UofL fans will never be happy with that equation.
Interesting that William Wesley, also known as World Wide Wes, again managed to find a front row seat, even at the KFC Yum! Center. The individual who has made most of Calipari’s success possible at UK, Memphis and, probably, at Massachusetts
Front row seats on the floor are not the best place to watch a basketball game, providing a poor perspective of the overall action. Those seats are generally for people who want to be seen, often having bigger interests than the outcome of a particular game.
Wesley is a mover and shaker, actually the kingpin, in the college basketball recruiting. As long as Calipari and Wesley remain on good terms, UK will have first pick of emerging high school talent. Small wonder the UofL roster includes a growing number of foreign-born players.
why is any uk fan on this blog 3 days after the game still ranting about Louisville we lost move on go play in the big bad sec basketball conf. NO team in top 25 just uk
We blog because Charlie Springer had to blame someone for Calipari winning seven of eight.
This year it wasn’t the officials.
And BTW how many top 25 teams has u of L played ?
More lumps to come.
World Wide Wes, the Great Keyser Soze of the Basketball World. The legend and nemesis in every loser’s mind. lol
You guys kill me with all of that nonsense.
Show me a coach who doesn’t have ties to a Sonny Vacaro or Wesley Williams or some other mover in the world of recruiting and I’ll show you a guy who has never and will never make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Let’s take a look at the GLORY of Rick Pitino:
http://www.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/rick-pitino-louisville-cardinals-sad-truth-winning-fixes-sinning-tiger-woods-nike-032813
http://deadspin.com/5335356/rick-pitino-is-no-choir-boy
Oh…that’s right. No one in Louisville wants to talk about any of that. lol
Not in the days immediately following a rivalry loss, no.
It was a hard fought game. Great defensive game by two really great defensive teams. If UK weren’t so good defensively this year, UofL would be in the headlines as THE great defensive team of the year.
I do not buy into the “fan base” nonsense that you are selling. Every fan base has idiots and buttmunches. UK has them. UL has them. Duke, UNC, UCLA and even Little Sister’s of the Poor has have them. Each fan base also has a majority of fans who are great folks. All of this whining about “being safe to leave the house” because you are scared of a little ribbing from another fanbase is pathetic.
Anyone who takes the rivalry serious enough such that one hides from a bit of ribbing or even the random “loudmouthed fan” is a bit of a loser.
Come out of the dark and stop being ridiculous.
So it has to be something nefarious, ties to organized crime, deceit or corruption. It couldn’t be the freedom of Cal’s offense, (lob city) the string of first round draft pics, the success of the storied program, the 5th Avenue facilities, or the massive interest and following of the program. No, he must be cheating. Never mind the fact that he’s never been found guilty of anything after being thoroughly scrutinized. Yeah, you’re right. He’s probably cheating. The best kids who don’t have an offer from Kentucky are probably bribed to lobby Cal on social media for an offer. That makes sense.
You know what the worst part is? He’s just getting started. You’re sick of him now?
Lee, just imagine what you would be saying if Calipari was at Louisville right now. Tom Jurich never interviewed him when the job was open.
Your right Charlie. He just threw Denny Crum under the bus and went after Pitino. Then Ramsey or himself didn’t have the moral fortitude to do anything with the Pitino Sypher tryst.
Just imagine what the cardinal fans were saying about Pitino when he was at Kentucky.
Same old song and dance.
Vicious cycle.
Looks to me like this article is the ultimate in WHINING! We’ll gladly welcome you into the BBN. Come join the fun!
No thanks, WF. Individuals are measured somewhat by the company they keep. They tried to brainwash me where I grew up in Versailles but it didn’t take.
See here’s the difference between UK and UL. We(UK)are done with you(UL)for the year. But you can’t seem to let it go. Games over UK won move on. Your nice shade of green envy is showing.
No envy, but losing to Kentucky is painful.
Apparently, being “done with you(UL)for the year” for a UK fan means trolling U of L sites and leaving word that you are not interested in what you went out of your way to look into.
It was the most epic defensive battle I’ve ever witnessed in College Basketball.
Louisville put up a valiant effort against a superior foe. I give them kudos for that. Louisville fans have no reason to be ashamed.
Having said that, this article by Charlie Springer serves as an example of yellow journalism in its purest form. If Louisville has anything of which to be ashamed, it’s Charlie’s hack piece of unsubstantiated rubbish.
Just some observations, Dave. Any mention of William Wesley apparently upsets some UK fans. Try some of those UK sites for further unsubstantiation.
Who’s really doing the whining here? UofL plays the ugliest, slow style of grabbing basketball I’ve ever seen. No wonder top recruits don’t want to play there.
And if you have evidence of Cal cheatingg, let’s hear it. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. Amazing how many line beards *know* Cal is cheating but there has not even been a sniff of impropriety. Your whining about UOfL being COMPLETELY inferior to UK makes you sound like an IU fan. Man up and stop your crying. Take your little brother medicine like a man.
why does wes give you the creeps? because you know some where in the back of your mind it’s happened before not once but twice. OBTW 15 seconds is a bit of an exxeration don’t you think?
No need to “roll over” when you can flop like a fish, and swing them elbows.
Coach cal wasnt whining he was stating the facts louisville is a very physical team uk has to learn to play threw the bumps. How about some respect for the uk layers and staff two different styles of basketball were on display. Dont mention schools or location. Just say a blue/white team played a red/white team one physical and one not so physical re watch the game the better team won