All Entries Tagged With: "Louisville Cardinals"
NCAA Ruling On Wright Possible By Friday
By Sonja Sykes
Bonus points for you if you noticed that Chauntise Wright was in street clothes during the University of Louisville women’s basketball team’s win over Providence Sunday. The reason, though, is not injury or discipline related. The NCAA is deciding whether Tise has used up her college eligibility.
Chauntise Wright
Wright came to Louisville in the fall semester of 2005 but wasn’t eligible to play until the second semester, seeing action in 16 games as a backup center. Still playing backup center in the 2006-07 season, Tise played in all 33 games, leading the team in field goal percentage while averaging about seven points a game.
Then Jeff Walz came to Louisville, inserting her into the starting lineup. She responded with 11.4 points a game and led the Big East in field goal percentage. It looked she was headed toward a banner senior year. But fate stepped in. She was hit by a car crossing Floyd Street in the summer of 2008. Although she recovered in time for fall practice, she blew out her knee in preseason practice. Out for the year, missing the 2008-09 season.
She returned this season but the NCAA made it clear that, in their eyes, she had only one semester of eligibility. The Cards petitioned for the entire year and submitted almost 200 pages of documentation and precedents, seeking one more semester for Wright.
Regardless of what happens, Tise will get her degree and will have some great memories. One would hope the NCAA gives her the chance to end her career on the court and not on the bench.
Big East Week One: Everybody Happy But Rutgers
By Paul Sykes
Unless you are Rutgers or a segment of University of Louisville football fans, the majority of people who follow Big East football have to be content with their season openers.
- In a Labor Day game, Rutgers seemed willing to let Cincinnati do all the work, falling behind 31-7 in the first half en route to a 47-15 drubbing to the defending league champ. UC’s passing attack looked awfully good with QB Tony Pike and about six or seven receivers.
- Pittsburgh rolled out of the fall practice mode and thumped Youngstown State 38-3. Running back Dion Lewis had three touchdowns and 129 yards.
- West Virginia took Liberty to the couches 33-20, with Noel Devine scampering for 112 yards. New quarterback Jarrett Brown tossed for 243 yds and ran for another 69. Looks like the option is still alive in Morgantown. Allowing 299 yards of offense to Liberty raises some eyebrows, though.
- UConn held off Ohio 23-16 Looks like they have another top-flight running back there, with Jordan Todman rushing for 154 yards.
- South Florida wasted Wofford 40-7. Matt Grothe tossed for a couple of touchdown.
- Syracuse took Minnesota to overtime before losing 23-20. That one features only six total points in the second half. Former Duke basketball guard Greg Paulus debuted as the Orange quarterback and went 19-31 for 167 yards, including a touchdown and one costly pick that cost the Orange dearly.
You can fill in your own review of Louisville’s 30-10 win over Indiana State in the comments section. Just know that, at least for now, Louisville in a six-team tie for second place in the conference.
Card Fan Captive In ACC Country
By Steve Kottak
Jumping to your feet and cheering for the University of Louisville comes easily when you’re among thousands all screaming C-A-R-D-S at Papa John’s or Freedom Hall! But what’s it like when you’re 500 miles away living in ACC country?
Not so easy. Think about being surrounded by UK fans 24 hours a day and you get the idea.
Steve Kottak stuck in ACC country.
Shortly after relocating from Louisville with several Brown & Williamson employees to Winston-Salem in 2007, the local newspaper did an article about the upcoming U of L-Wake Forest game in the Orange Bowl. The focus was how transplanted Louisvillians felt about seeing their former home town team play their new “home town” team on the national stage.
Many transplants just wanted it to be a close game. Others were happy both teams were in the Orange Bowl. Not me. I told the reporter I was a Cards’ fan and always would be – no matter where I live. The reporter would subsequently write: “And Steve Kottak said he’d like to see the Louisville Cardinals hang 50 or more points on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.”
I got a lot of flack from my co-workers for that one. I couldn’t resist reminding them that Louisville not only won, but they also covered the point spread.
'I am often asked to defend what is going wrong with our football team. People also want to know what Rick Pitino was thinking – and if I’ve ever been to Porcini’s.'
I am often asked to defend what is going wrong with our football team. People also want to know what Rick Pitino was thinking – and if I’ve ever been to Porcini’s. And it is always a spirited conversation when they starting gabbing about how great the ACC is – that it is the ONLY basketball conference – and how much better it is than the Big East. It helped tremendously when U of L got the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
I wear my Louisville gear proudly, attempting to represent the passion we all have for the Cards and take the high road as much as possible. I don’t want to do anything that would paint Cards’ fans as anything other than good sports.
Ali Has Special Interest In Louisville Baseball
Dan McDonnell has been busy …
Asaad Ali, the son of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, is committed to play baseball for the University of Louisville. The youngest of nine children in the Ali family, he was adopted by Ali and his wife, Lonnie, in 1992.
Asaad Ali doesn't box.
A 5-foot-10, 224-pound catcher, Asaad led Niles (Mich.) High School to a conference championship last season, batting .367 with four doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs in 25 games.
He also played football as a running back and ran for 50 yards and a touchdown in his team’s final game.
From the IMG Baseball Academy web site:
“At one college, I show up for a visit and the coach is wearing a shirt with my dad on it, and that’s all they talked about the whole time,” Asaad said. “At Louisville, they said if I’m good enough, I’ll play. If not, I’ll sit the bench. I appreciated the honesty.
“I respect everything my dad did, but I’ve got to make my own way,” he said. “I’m trying to get out of his shadow. I try to be as regular as I can.”
* * *
Ryan Seitz, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound slugger from Christopher Dock High School in Lansdale, Penn. has told the Louisville coach that he wants to play at U of L, starting in 2011.
Ryan Seitz
The switch-hitting catcher spent most of his junior season playing in front of college and professional scouts, batting .440 with an area-best 12 home runs and 35 RBIs for a team that won the district championship and made the state tourney a second straight year.
From PhillyBlurbs.com
“I met the coaches down in Georgia. I was playing in a tournament down there in the middle of July. I was down there for a week and I had a really good week. Louisville liked me and offered me an athletic scholarship and I went down there for a visit. I met the head coach and the assistants. It was a good fit for me.”
Seitz has heard from Auburn, North Carolina, Texas Christian University, James Madison, and Coastal Carolina.
