It keeps getting worse for the Cards

In further proof that God is a spiteful god with a mean sense of humor, things have gotten worse for the Cards.

Sure, their season is going down the drain. We all know that. But now, former blue chip 3 star linebacker and career criminal Willie Williams has been dismissed from the team (ht: EDSBS). We briefly chronicled Willie during recruiting season. Williams had contributed 5 solo tackles, 4 ast. tackles, and 1 solo for loss, which is enough for 10th on the team this season.


And the Card Chronicle, who's having a rough time this year, reports that "Louisville lost a pair of top basketball recruits late Wednesday evening as Olek Czyz committed to Duke and Eloy Vargas announced that he's taking his game to Florida."

I guess at a certain point, you have to start feeling bad for them. Fortunately, we're not yet to that point.

Dynasty Saving Halftime Difficulty Level Adjustment (a/k/a the damn game cheats on Heisman level)

Steve Fraggle Rock Kragthorpe enjoyed his first taste of EA's NCAA 2008 by pummeling the opponent, Murray St., 73-10. He scored on every possession. So coming into this week's game he thought, hey, maybe I should up the difficulty level.

Sitting down before his PS3 and selecting another relatively easy opponent, Middle Tennessee, he slides the difficulty level up to Heisman. Might as well give it a try, he thinks. But I think someone needs a little more practice with the hit stick.

At the half, it is somewhat ugly. Kragthrope is winning, sure, but the stats exemplify the uphill battle he is facing. The Blue Raiders have amassed 322 yards and 35 points. But thanks to a fumbled kick return providing an extra possession, Louisville has the lead at the half 38-35. Looking slowly around him and finding no one paying attention, Kragthorpe opens the settings panel and slides that difficulty back down to "All-American".

The adjustment proves the difference as Louisville holds on to win 58-42. The teams combined for 1,284 yards. Brohm continues a decent Colt Brennan impression (minus the alleged dorm room rape assignment misunderstanding) by throwing 25/39 for 401 yards and 4 touchdowns. More impressively, Anthony Allen rushed 35 times for 275 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Depending upon your perspective (for instance, from our perspective), there was some good news as Mario Urrutia, despite a team leading 7 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns, looked sloppy dropping a few key passes including one in the end zone. Additionally, Louisville's rush defense looked as solid as our pass defense. Middle Tennessee rushed for 265 yards on 29 carries. Furthermore, Louisville liked to mix it up on pass defense with the very confusing "don't cover the wide out" formation.

The single game record for combined total yardage was set in 2001. In a matchup between San Jose State and Nevada, the teams combined for 1,640 yards (pdf). I expect that record to be challenged on November 8th. If you haven't already taken the over on the WVU-LU matchup, get your money in and tease it up to 300.

If you missed the game, be sure to catch LSU-VT and imagine the exact opposite of what you're watching. Speaking of VT, I want to thank the WWL for making it easy to hate the Hokies again. After the tragedy, there was... uh... admittedly... maybe a little... um.. empathy. But after hearing "its an emotional weekend in Blacksburg" 3,405 times last weekend, its back to hate. Strike Zones and End Zones speculates upon what they have in store for this weekend.

Wha' Happened?

Reading up on recruiting is kind of like reading up on how hot dogs are made. You know it's going to be bad, but snouts. Really? Is that necessary? An interesting story has been developing in Louisville regarding signing day. According to a Jacksonville paper Chris Summers, a 6'5'' WR prospect from Florida, had his scholarship offer pulled on signing day. Summers high school coach believes this was done intentionally to keep him from other schools. Rivals had his list down three school in the Big East: Cincinatti, USF, and UL.

Ribault coach Arthur Mallory said he was stunned when a Cardinals assistant coach left a message on his answering machine indicating that Summers would not be sent scholarship papers.

Summers, a receiver, committed to Louisville under former coach Bobby Petrino's staff, but according to Mallory, the staff under new head coach Steve Kragthorpe contacted Summers regularly and never indicated his commitment was no longer wanted.

"The message said he didn't ever commit to the old staff, so they weren't going to honor it," Mallory said. "But I was in the room when he committed over the phone. I was there. And I had the USF [South Florida] staff all mad at me because I encouraged him to do it. Basically, the new staff is trying to pass the buck to the old staff, and it's unprofessional as it can be."

Summers is qualified academically. Mallory said Summers would have had other options had Louisville rescinded his offer sooner, but the timing has left Summers with no place to sign because other interested schools have filled their available spots.

From Monday on the Louisville Courier blog, www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html

It does look like U of L won’t sign Jacksonville (Fla.) Ribault wide receiver Chris Summers, who told several media outlets that he had pretty much eliminated the Cardinals. Summers had originally committed to U of L before coach Bobby Petrino left.

Another source states that Summers was favoring Miami after Petrino left, only Miami never offered the young man and he was never listed as a verbal commit there. The same article stated that Summers was going to go back to Louisville if Miami wasn't interested.

So either there was some confusion and Louisville thought Summers was going elsewhere or they screwed over a kid worse than Gary Glitter because there had to be some communication between the parties. If so, Kragthorpe possibly knew that Summers wanted back in and waited until signing day as revenge for Summers re-opening his recruiting after Petrino left. History has proven that being the head coach of Louisville requires a loose sense of loyalty, but even Bobby Petrino thinks this may be over the line.

Cardinals steal WVU commit then hide wallets

Former WVU commitment Victor Anderson has changed his commitment from WVU to UL. The Louisville native was one of two highly touted running backs in this years recruiting class for WVU. Anderson was apparently not a friend of Bobby Petrino and Kragrthorpe took little time to persuade him to stay at home. WVU still has commitments from Terence Kerns of Frederick, MD and Jock Sanders of Saint Petersburg, FL at the RB position. But nothing will be final for another week and a half.

After having gotten a taste of the BCS this year it appears Louisville is doing whatever it takes to keep drinking that sweet nectar. That includes potentially bringing in Willie Williams. As reported at other sites last week Willie, the now 11 times arrested and ex-Miami Hurricane, has been recruited by Louisville. It appears as though Willie will sign with Louisville as property values have been plummeting around the practice facilities for a week now. Willie left Miami after disputes over playing time. At one point he declared he would be coming to WVU before meeting with Rodriguez.

Um, like, this is hard.

Would it be a blog crime to start out with a test entry? Or should we jump right into the downward spiral of the Louisville Cardinals?

Booby Petrino, in his regular douchbaggery ways, ditched his beloved Cardinals and headed off to the tainted green fields of Atlanta to coach a team with a really good wide receiver playing QB and a really good QB playing assistant coach. One additional clause on his NFL contract included unlimited Valtrex prescriptions for him and his family, you know, just in case.





He is the first of what will soon resemble rats fleeing a sinking ship. Brohm, a junior, expected to go in the first round if he declares, will most likely leave as he is sick of getting yelled at by his older, less talented brother. Okoye or whatever his name is is gone. Bush, despite getting the medical red shirt clearance to play his fifteenth year at Louisville will also leave. EEEEruuuuttiiicaaaa, as a redshirt sophomore and phenomenal wide receiver should leave this year instead of next considering how flooded next year's draft class will be with junior's leaving early.

Point is, Louisville will be down next year. Early predicted finish: 1) WVU, 2) Rutgers, 3) USF, 4) Louisville.