Bad karma for Bobby Petrino.

The former University of Louisville football coach will be in familiar surroundings when he returns to Memphis for the 51st Liberty Bowl renewal. His Arkansas team will play the winner of this Saturday’s Conference USA game between East Carolina and Houston.

Not a candidate, nah, no way.
Not a candidate, nah, no way, never, not him.

Another big bowl appearance for the Bobby, for sure. One of the reasons he left Louisville, to get to the big stage, name in lights. You know he’s really looking forward to getting back to Beale Street, him being the life of the party and all.

The last time he coached a game there, his Louisville team defeated a good Boise State team 44-40 in 2004, finishing the season ranked seventh in the Associated Press poll. But, as usual, he was more interested in other job openings. Remember the LSU turndown? And the cold shoulder from Notre Dame?

His Arkansas team this season is 7-5 overall and 3-5 in the SEC West, and nowhere near the top 25 in either of the major polls.

Think he’s aware of a job opening in Louisville?

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

11 thoughts on “Petrino Makes It Back To Liberty Bowl”
  1. LOL. Paul will be most tickled that he’s being in such high esteem with the prognosticating and comprehensive gurus over at ITV. I’m sure the “my boy” reference was jocular in nature and just one of his attempts to be “street”. I hate it when he does that…but i miss him, nevertheless.

  2. My boy? Come on, Paul, you’re sounding like some of those nitwits on ITV. I appreciate what happened when he was here but beyond that, I have little regard for Petrino. Glad Kragthorpe is gone, too. You can flush both of them out of the system.

  3. Never forget that Petrino got us to the Gator and Orange Bowls. Maybe one of his few saving graces while here, but your “do it right” boy Kragthorpe couldn’t even get UofL to Executive Bowl on Phillips Lane.

  4. I had a friend whose frat brother was on an athletic committee at LSU. Dave told me when Petrino interviewed with Bertlesman, the LSU AD, in Nashville on the way to Memphis he spent so much time telling Bertlesman what LSU was doing wrong that Bertlesman got so pissed he walked out of the interview and let his assistant handle it. Great PR skills shown by Bobby.

    1. That approach can be actually be very effective. If I’m hiring someone, I appreciate new ideas especially if my company/program/whatever is looking to go in a new direction.

      1. Three minutes into the interview? Without being asked what can we do to improve? After they just completed a great season?

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