Who hates Louisville? Week of Aug. 1
by Mike Rutherford on Aug 1, 2008 3:04 PM EDT
in Football
10 comments
There is a part of me - the same one which can't understand the attraction of expensive cars and tolerates the pace of Jim Jarmusch films - that loathes the Internet.
On multiple occasions, people outside of my mom have described me as "fun," but that doesn't mean I'm not in the marker for some serious, semi-intelligent banter every now and again. When I go in search of it online, I generally end up feeling the same way I did after I saw John Tucker Must Die: confused, scared and willing to try just about anything to dull the pain.
On the Internet, everything sucks, everyone else is a moron, and people unable to properly use whose or who's lambast other people for their inability to properly use your or you're. It's all very unsettling if you're not in the right frame of mind.
But what probably bothers me the most about the sports continent of the world wide web is the widely held belief that any negative thing written or said about your favorite team or program is the product of an indisputable raging bias.
TCU loses to Utah by 40 and the columnist in Fort Worth calls the performance "embarrassing?" I'm not surprised, I heard his wife grew up in Ogden. Five Mississippi State players stab an opposing coach during a nationally televised game and Rece Davis says the program has a "discipline problem?" He's been trying to bring down MSU since he worked at WJRT in Flint.
I'm so tired of fighting it that I'm buying in.
The entire world outside of Jefferson County works round the clock to bring down the U of L athletic program (or make it look stupid), and I will not stand for it any longer.
Starting today, we're going to take a weekly look at the mustache-twiddlers doing their damnedest to tear down something we love, and call them out one-by-one.
Let's count these sons of bitches down.
3. BRIAN BROHM
I know, he's like the white Lando Calrissian.
So I was perusing the play-by-play from the first Green Bay Packers practice earlier this week, and something immediately jumped out and slapped me where it hurts (behind my left ear).
Brohm complete to Taj Smith for 7 yards;
Really, Brian? Taj Smith? This Taj Smith?
If you can't get that little bastard laid out then you better not even think about chucking the ball in his direction.
Louisville's golden boy, please. You're going to need to back a winning Derby horse or outlast Joe Frazier in the Philippines if you want to live this one down.
2. THE BIG EAST
First, the Big East media vote Louisville seventh in its preseason poll, and then the league makes the following "Best of 2007" games available to watch on its official website.
June 16: USF upsets Auburn in overtime, 23-20
June 23: Pittsburgh ends West Virginia's national title hopes, 13-9 in Morgantown
June 30: Syracuse stuns Louisville, 38-35 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
July 7: Connecticut stops USF in the rain, 22-15
July 14: Cincinnati scores 31 first quarter points, hangs on for 38-33 win over USF
July 21: Pat White helps WVU run away from Louisville, 38-31, on ESPN's showcase Thursday night game
July 28: Interim head coach Bill Stewart and West Virginia blow out Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, 48-28
So I guess the U.S. Reed game was a last second cut.
You're flirting with disaster here, folks. Don't think this ship won't change its course and head for the pristine waters of the Sun Belt, because it's about one correct pass interference call against us away from happening.
1. ESPN
No surprise here. Everyone knows ESPN loves every professional and college sports team besides Louisville.
The latest example? How about Mark Schlabach's new Big East blog.
In preparation for this week's Big East media day, Schlabach offered up seven big questions hanging over the league as we approach the beginning of the season.
Those questions were:
--How much will Pat White throw the football this season?
--Will Ben Mauk be eligible to play quarterback for Cincinnati?
--Will Greg Robinson survive another season at Syracuse?
--Is Pitt ready to contend for the Big East title?
--Can Mike Teel carry the Rutgers offense?
--How will South Florida rebuild its defense?
--Is it time for Rutgers fans to start getting nervous about keeping coach Greg Schiano?
Hmm, so let's see, we've got eight teams in this league, and I want to make sure I have all my bases covered...yep, seven questions is perfect.
Your bias is showing. Oh god is it showing.
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Paranoia
That’s REAL or imagined fears, right?
by Roz on Aug 1, 2008 3:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
No no
There’s no paranoia. Mike’s just feeling it right now.
I’ve always thought that ESPN has been fair to us, but I think you could probably make a case that there is anti-Big East bias present on the network crew which extends to Louisville.
Guys, I’m telling you, we are going to surprise some people this year. No BCS caliber surprises mind you, but I just think that there is going to be parity the likes of which we haven’t seen in the conference in the past couple of years, and our schedule sets up as one of the better slates in the BE.
Petrino approach – Season One – beat the blue school. It doesn’t matter how, it doesn’t matter by how much, just do it.
Petrino approach – Season Two – win non-conference games at home and re-establish home play (K-State included), then slap UConn around and beat them. If these are achieved, a respectable conference record along with a win of any type over Memphis on the road nets a very decent bowl, etc.
Mike, maybe a little ‘us against the world’ sentiment is what the football team needs right now anyway.
by BR7 on Aug 1, 2008 4:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
OK BR7
Nothing wrong with Mike’s sentiment. Nothing at all. Again, it brings to mind when Michael manufactured slanderous comments from LA Smith (directed apparently toward the virtue of Jordan’s mother) in his own mind, just to beat the Bay City, Texas native into basketball submission the next time they played.
But, there really is no Big East bias from the media for hoops.
And any perceived bias toward Big East grid iron play will probably vanish, or be greatly diminished, when a Big East team wins a big game. A Big Game.
And up to now, that really hasn’t happened.
If we had only beaten Rutgers…
But, nice post.
Roz
by Roz on Aug 1, 2008 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd say
the last three BCS games have all been pretty big. The only thing bigger is the national title game.
by big east champs on Aug 1, 2008 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You go guy....
I love your optimism and your feeling that we may surprise some people this year. I hear you when you say, no BCS caliber and agree with that too but man, we have the talent to surprise some people this year. Love the analogy of Petrino Season One and Season Two approach. I think you’re on to something. I can see Mike’s point though and I too get the feeling Louisville doesn’t get their due respect….I remember Terry Bradshaw saying …”if Louisville gets in the Title Game, I won’t watch it”....he can kiss my grits !!!!! It IS us against the world and I say – let’s ROLL !
by Linda on Aug 1, 2008 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"The Only Thing Bigger Is The National Title Game"
Exactly. Bingo.
The SEC already has four BCS championship wins. It’s a football ghetto.
We’ll be less thought of as a backwater when we get our first.
by Roz on Aug 1, 2008 7:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I sense F bombs in the wings
Mike’s jets are flyin’
by frankpos on Aug 2, 2008 9:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Anti-Big East bias?
I don’t think ESPN has an Anti-Big East bias…they were founded as a network to promote and cover the Big East. What I think is…they just dislike Louisville.
by ddh1969 on Aug 2, 2008 9:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The WWL...
....blogs all have a serious bias. It’s ridiculous. The Pac-10 blog is written by a guy who lives in Scottsdale but only writes about Oregon and USC. The Big 11 blog is all Ohio State all the time. You’d think that getting people to write these blogs would also mean impartial writers.
I love the smell of commerce in the morning
by Red Reign on Aug 3, 2008 11:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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