Gorgui Dieng Ruled Ineligible

The only thing being blocked this season is Dieng's eligibility. ZING!

The Cardchroicle is reporting that Louisville freshman center Gorgui Dieng is ruled ineligible to play this season by the powers that be in the NCAA. It seems that the news about why is hard to come by. Whatever the reason is behind this, I am not sure how it will bode for other foreign players that we will not mention at this time. From what I am reading online, it is unfair that Dieng is not going to be able to play, although it is difficult to say this with any certainty since there are no details being released. It must be the ole Rick Pitino gag (order) trick.

This is another HUGE blow to the Cardinals basketball team. With the loss of Dieng, it hurts a team already depleted by players ruled ineligible. Louisville players Roburt Sallie and Justin Coleman were ruled ineligible for academic reasons. I think this is hilarious since Louisville fans like to harp on Eric Bledsoe (ruled eligible) and Enes Kanter (decision still pending).

What's the difference between John Calipari going after a foreign player that may have eligibility issues and Pitino doing it? What's the difference between a UK player having academic issues and two UofL players having academic issues? There is no difference in either situation. Louisville fans like to ride the high horse and pretend that their program has never had any such issues while they LOVE to lob stones at UK and call it a dirty program but the fact is that Louisville has experienced very similar issues. Not saying one is better than the other, just calling it like it is.

And now it seems as if the Sky is Falling on the UofL fan message boards and the message boards on the Courier Journal. There are Cardinal fans calling for Rick's head on a platter for having only one eligible recruit for 2010. And here are some of the choice phrases: "No other coach would get this kind of cushion without the fans shoving them out the door"; "Nice job landing players that would make it to campus"; "Really getting tired of this Slick Rick next year crap. Well this IS next year and ONE recruit?"; "I agree with the Sick-of-Rick gang. What benefit is this guy to the Cardinals? The last bastion was his reputation, and well... that's been blown if you know what I'm sayin'."

But that kind of stuff only happens with Kentucky fans and their coaches. The sun shines on a dog's ass sometimes but it sure ain't shining on Louisville basketball.

2010 Big East Basketball Predictions

USA Today has released their predictions about how the Big East Conference will look at the end of the year. All the way at the top is Pittsburgh while last year's best teams, Syracuse and West Virginia, are #3 and #4 respectively. But that is not what is on your mind. You want to know where the Dirty Birds are predicted to finish. And the answer is...#8 ahead of UConn and Cincinnati.

The Cards are predicted to finish 2 spots down from last year. They made the tournament after finishing 6th. Now with the expanded NCAA tournament, the Cards could still get in, even if they finish at 8. But I have a sneaking suspicion that 8 might be too high. I am thinking more like the 10-12 range. They are depleated in the size department and the in the talent department. It might be a long year for the Cards.

Lexington- Herald Leader News and Notes

Many of you may be asking why I am dedicating this post to the Lexington-Herald Leader. Well, all I can tell you is keep asking because the answer won't be coming until later. The suspense is killing you, I know. Until the big unveiling, here is what is going on in the world of sports.

• Say what you want about LeBron James and his arrogance, the fact of the matter is that when in comes to arrogance nobody can top Kobe Bryant. In an interview Kobe stated that he could beat James in a one-on-one game "in his sleep". This I doubt. If the two went head to head I would say LeBron gets the better of him 6 out of 10 times. His size, speed and strength would be too much for Kobe to handle. I have no problem with Bryant saying he can beat LeBron. What else is he supposed to say? My problem is what my problem with Kobe always is: I hate his cocky, everyone sucks but me, I'm the greatest ever attitude.


• Can anybody beat Alabama? Seriously. That's really all I have to say about that. Oh, the SEC might be getting their 100th BCS title in a row.


• Michael Vick hurt his ribs in a loss against the Redskins this Sunday. He says he may miss a week, maybe two weeks. The fact is Kevin Kolb is the starter and they will lose however many games he starts. I can't wait to see the Philly fan reactions to Kolb the next time they play at home. He might not make it out alive.


• Tony Worten Jr. tweeted John Calipari asking the coach why he stopped recruiting him. Well Tony, let me answer that for coach Cal: You are the #6 ranked point guard. Marquis Teague is the #1 ranked point guard. We got Teague therefore we don't need or want you. Louisville fans and Rick Pitino: That's two leftovers we gave you. The other is Chane Behanan since the higher ranked power forward Kyle Wiltjer committed to the Cats. You are welcome. Always and forever, Big Brother.


• Josh Selby is still not eligible and it is still not being talked about on the level of Enes Kanter.


• Everybody is back on the Jets bandwagon. This NFL power ranking has the Jets above the Ravens even though they have the same record and the Ravens beat the Jets. The author gives the old "if they played again" excuse. Are you serious pal? Are you in the third grade? News Flash: They played, the Jets lost. IF they played again you can't tell me for sure the Jets would win just like I can't tell you for sure the Ravens would win. We have no idea. Some people amaze me.

That's all for now kids. Stay tuned for some fun stuff later on today.

UK Football Review: From the Horses Mouth

A couple of UofL fans posted their reviews of UK football these last couple of days. One of them hit the nail on the head in a few aspects and the other resorted to calling out the basketball team for some strange reason. The "perceived" prestige and "arrogance" comments kind of puzzled me. When Louisville, or any other program not named UCLA, Duke or North Carolina reaches 7 national titles, over 2,000 wins, a slew of Final Four appearances, tournament appearances, conference titles, then we can talk. Until then, focus on the matter at hand.

That being said, I will now get back to football. It's time to be honest and not kid ourselves here. The people calling for Joker's job are being absolutely ridiculous. Is UK in any different of a position than if Rich Brooks was still coaching the team? Probably not. They MIGHT be 4-1 instead of 3-2, but they still would not have defeated Florida.

Another couple of reasons to lay off of Joker: 1). Joker did not fumble the ball or throw an interception; 2). Joker is not the one calling the defense or missing tackles; 3). Joker is not making boneheaded penalties costing the game. In my opinion it's the players lack of focus. Is the coach to blame? Maybe for some of it but not all of it.

Ole Miss had one thing going against Kentucky in that game, besides Jeremiah "Armed Robbery is My Hobby" Masoli, and that is the hitting. They were laying some wicked licks on the UK offensive players. The Ole Miss players seemed ready to take off the head of a UK player.

Where do we go from here? many were billing this, including myself, as a game that may determine the rest of UK's season and I am going to stand by that until they show me and the fans otherwise. Everyone is expecting an undefeated top 10 team coming out of Auburn and into Lexington to demolish the Cats. Now it's about pride. No amount of play calling or substitutions can take the place of heart, desire and focus. Kentucky can put up points but they produce a win?

It looks like another 7-5 season may be at hand. It really seemed like this year was going to be the one. UK has, in the past 4 years, beaten number 1 and eventual National Champion LSU, beaten Georgia and Auburn in consecutive nights and have gone to 4 straight bowl games. Many thought we were on the cusp but now it just seems we are hanging in limbo.

P.S. Monster Mash is correct. BIG NEWS COMING. Stay Tuned. #Free Enes

A case of the Monday's News and Weekend Review

This weekend was cold, rainy, and windy. As a Kentucky fan, the land of sports didn't make things any better. Coming off a thumping to Florida a week earlier, Kentucky was hanging onto the thought of having high bowl game expectations and possibilities. The first drive of the game looked promising with Derrick Locke gaining 60 yards on the 60 yard drive to a 7-0 lead. But quickly, we learned that the Cats' turnover woes against Florida would not be the last verse of the turnover woe-is-me song. The Wildcats dropped 3 balls on the ground in the first half alone and ultimately lost 42-35.

Gone are those pipe dreams of a BCS bowl. Goodbye Outback Bowl. Sianara Gator. But before a 3-0 start, no one expected an Orange Bowl, no one expected a National Championship, no one expected a Florida vacation in January. However, every fan expected a 3-0 start.

Why the high expectations after an expected start? Well, it is like the pole vault. Once you make it past one level, you have to raise the bar. When you clear that bar, you set it higher. Why would you possibly settle for a 3-0 start when you have the chance at 4-0? Why do you think 3-1 is the best it can get when there's a chance at 11-1?  Why would you want to go to a bowl in Tennessee when you can go to Florida?... so the Kentucky fans raise the bar.

Those people that will jump on the hatred against the Cats are just that, haters. Have your little low bar, don't hold your team to high expectations, get excited when your team barely beats Arkansas State on ESPN 3 and in Arkansas, then throw some jabs at Kentucky for losing to an SEC team. It's all good. Get excited and say things like "we are getting better" because our league is in a down year... but please be sure to point out when your league's "up year" occurs. I'll be sure to retort with the SEC's number of National Championships and BCS Bowl games... and then put yours own display. Raise the bar for your team... and for your league.

Enough being bitter, Auburn is this week and we need the news:

•  Enes Kanter has been told by the NCAA that he must quit practicing until his eligibility has been resolved. This includes the sold out Midnight Madness. The Wildcats can apply for a waiver which would grant Kanter 45 more days to practice, but as of now, he has to go solo.

• Midnight Madness tickets went on sale Saturday and sold out in under one hour. The tent city is quickly becoming a tradition and grew to an estimated 520 campers this year.

• Tickets to Kentucky's matchup against Notre Dame in the SEC-Big East invitational being held in Freedom Hall, went on sale this morning. With a large Kentucky contingent in Louisville, the games Kentucky plays in Louisville are always a great opportunity to expand the brand and showcase the talent to the second largest Kentucky fan population in the state.

• This news is like hearing that an NFL team has the best run defense in the nation, just meaning that their passing defense is horrible so other teams don't bother running it. But looking positively, Ryan Tydlacka was named the National Punter of the Week... ugh, I'm not going to look at this as a slight against the Kentucky offense. I guess this just means that some possessions didn't end in turnovers.

• SportsThat has some awesome news that should come out later this week. Stay tuned for a HUGE announcement.

#FreeEnes

The sky is falling!

Favre4Ever touched on this a little yesterday, but I'll add my two cents. Another year, same result. You can substitute Ole Miss/Miss St/So. Carolina/Georgia/UT every year, and UK just can't beat them. Games like this are a dime a dozen if you're a Cat fan.

The interesting thing to me is that after 5 weeks, the perceptions of both U of L and UK have changed slightly. Cards fan remain optimistic after getting back to .500 on the season. We understand that this is a work in progress, but the Cards are getting better in certain areas each and every week. The potential for this team once the Big East season starts is exciting, due to the fact that they are getting better, and the strength of the conference is down this year.

On the flip side, a quick check of UK message boards, and you would think that the sky is falling. Two weeks ago, there was a large % of Cat fans who realistically thought that they could beat Florida AT the Swamp. After another disappointing loss to a very average Ole Miss team, Cat fans are starting to question everything from benching Hartline for Newton, why can't they stop anybody from running the ball, and whether Joker is the right man for the job.

Ultimately, the underlying issue with UK football is this: Every other school in the SEC puts Football ahead of Basketball except for Kentucky. And the big money guys at UK are fine with that, as long as they keep the perceived Basketball prestige where it's at. In fact, if you look at the Athletic Department budget for UK versus some of the other SEC schools (and U of L), they have more money to spend on facilities, coaches, and personnel. Why do they pay such high $$$ for Calipari but not get just as equal a successful football coach?

The last thing I'll mention is that the high level of arrogance that exudes from the Basketball program has trickled over to the Football team. This has helped contribute to the heightened (too high) expectations of the football Cats. Sure, the sun shines on a dog's ass every once in awhile (see LSU in 07, Georgia in 09), but the Cats shouldn't expect anything more than 7 wins in football, if even that.

Gap Closes on Cards and Cats records this season...UK fans claiming they've been "Kragthorped"

In another great weekend of football for me, my Packers and Louisville Cardinals both eeked out wins over lesser opponents, and at the moment (3rd qtr in Bears/Giants game, Giants up 3-0) my hated teams have all lost, as the Wildcats dropped a heart-breaker to "elite SEC" giants Ole Miss. While it's still very possible the Bears pull out this one against the Giants, I'm going on the premise that my teams won, and my teams rivals lost...it gives me joy, get off my back.

Louisville went into the game at Arkansas State a whopping 4.5 point favorite...hey, it's the era we are in thanks to one Steve Kragthorpe. Not only are we playing AT a small, terrible team's venue, but we are barely favored...and the team coached by SK last season barely beat this same team at HOME last year. Fast forward to this year and if you watched the first half of the game (online) then you were feeling pretty great about the capabilities of the team, even if they are playing a (should be) lesser opponent (nevermind they are the 5th ranked offensive team in the country).

In the end the Cards got up big by the half, and don't seem to possess the "killer instinct" necessary to put someone away in the second half. They let the Red Wolves back into it before kicking a field goal and getting an interception to seal the game with a 34-24 victory.

The Packers did virtually the same thing against a Shaun Hill led Detroit Lions team today. They had a decent lead, and then couldn't stop Detroit in the 3rd or 4th quarters. Statistically, the Lions beat the Packers in almost every category. If the game had gone on for a couple more minutes, the Lions could have pulled it out.

On to Kentucky/Ole Miss. As Boogiewoogie pointed out in an earlier column, the Rebels had 2 just daunting losses, one being to FCS school Jacksonville State. They aren't a very good team, even playing in the SEC. Kentucky was hungry coming off a stinging loss to Florida, and needed this win badly to get to that "next level" as a team that they and the fanbase desire. That just didn't happen.

I didn't see one second of the game, so I can't say what the issue was, but I will say that I did notice the Cats were down by 22 points in the early part of the 4th quarter and cut it to 7 by the end...maybe that's some sort of "moral victory" they can take with them...although it has been brought to my attention that "UK doesn't celebrate 'moral victories'" so take that for what it's worth.

Some UK fans are already claiming they've been "Kragthorped" by the hiring of Joker...I guess the honeymoon is already over. Others aren't so quick to jump the gun, but are however saying they may have been "Tubby'd" again, this time in football. As a fan of a team who coined the term of being "Kragthorped" I'd like to tell the Cat fans, that they definitely haven't been decimated to the level that he did U of L, so they haven't been Kragged at all...instead they look to be pretty much what I (and a lot of people UK fans also) said when Joker was hired...pretty much the same team.

I get that the fanbase is hungry, and desires to jump to the "next level" as a team....but why was Rich Brooks celebrated and lauded over as the head coach with a LOSING record, both overall (39-46) and even worse in conference play (16-39), and Joker isn't even given much of a chance after only 5 games? Brooks routinely lost to Florida AND Ole Miss in these fashions, and the fans could overlook them and just wait to take down lesser SEC teams such as Vandy or Mississippi State, while knocking off their 3-4 (depending if UL was coached by Petrino or Kragthorpe) nonconference teams to get to 6-6 or 7-5 and make a Tennessee Bowl Game. They LOVED it...but all of a sudden once Brooks is gone, it isn't good enough anymore.

Wildcat fans LOVE to point out the fact that they play "big boy ball in the SEC" anytime they compared UK and Louisville over the last few years as to why their record wasn't as good; and all of a sudden now they want to take down the likes of Florida and Alabama? That is a lofty task for any coach. I guess that is sports nowadays though, Joker came in riding a decent team with high expectations, and is doing about the job I predicted he would. I think he is a good coach and given time, can improve the Wildcats...but I just don't see the Cats ever getting an 11-1 season and a BCS game.

Strong seems to be meeting my expectations as well...I predicted a victory over Kentucky, but that was just mere hopefulness, and other than that, I had the Cards winning the other games we have won, and in my mind getting pounded by #25 Oregon State. They actually almost (and SHOULD HAVE) pullled out the Oregon State game, so maybe by the end of the season, Charlie will have exceeded my expectations...let's hope so.