U of L looked like a team to be reckoned with in the Marquette win. Persistence on defense. Patience on offense. Brimming with confidence, surely headed back to the top 25.

The Cards didn’t play that badly in the loss to Seton Hall, at least not until the final four minutes. From that point on, they suddenly couldn’t pass, shoot or play defense. Ran out of gas, lost their poise, rolled over and died.

Seton Hall, meanwhile, was playing the game of its life, buoyed by the prospect of beating what their coach described as a “legendary program.” The Pirate fans were pumped, on the verge of hysteria, at the prospect of pulling off the big upset. The players and fans were feeding off on each other. Hazell who? Just throw the ball up from anywhere, that’s who. Crazy stuff.

It’s a game U of L players and fans won’t soon forget. A letdown was inevitable after Marquette, even though it didn’t become obvious until the fatal four minute mark. May be fortunate that such a loss comes early in conference competition. Need to get a chip on the shoulder, and keep it there. Can’t take anything for granted when every game against the Cards means so much to every opponent.

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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.

2 thoughts on “View From The Valley”
  1. South Florida people are crazy because so many UK nuts have moved down there for the winter. Keep that in mind.

  2. Let’s hope to hell South Florida isn’t as fired up as Seton Hall was. What the U of L players don’t realize is that team’s play 10 times as hard against them as anyone else for two reasons:
    1. The coach in the U of L huddle.
    2. The name on the front of the uniforms
    They also need to burn those black uniforms and get back to being the team in red. No tradition behind those black uniforms, except in Cincinnati. Go Cards!

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