I can't take an entire year of this

by Mike Rutherford on Jan 13, 2009 9:52 AM EST in Basketball Comment 23 comments

When Rick Pitino comes off as almost giddy after a game, it's a pretty solid indication that something pretty cool just took place.

Last night was pretty cool.

There hasn't been a more entertaining game played in Freedom Hall in quite some time. Earl's dunk, Harangody, McAlarney and Ayers refusing to miss, T-Will doing T-Will things; it was really terrific theater, especially since the protagonists got the job done in a big way at the end.

I'm back in town late this morning and will have a full recap up sometime later today.

Saturday feels about three months away.

Oh, and little Patrick O'Flannery, here's your new Luke Harangody poster:

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I was really expecting to see a "That Just Happened"

post after I got back in from the Hall. It was an amazing game. The fans were amazing and they, amazingly, stayed until the end of the game!

by Dais on Jan 13, 2009 10:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm still shaking my head at that game

yes, amazing

by frankpos on Jan 13, 2009 10:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

its true

Pitino was giddy. I can’t say I’ve ever heard a post-game wrapup quite like that one. He and the players have to be psyched for the future. I pray we see this kind of defense the rest of the year. Pitt doesn’t have shooters like that.

That’s what we’ve been waiting for this year.
Us =

DocCardsFan
The 'Ville, KY

by DocCardsFan on Jan 13, 2009 10:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Dunking Marques

I think we all know who the real hero is.

by dlpfis79 on Jan 13, 2009 10:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

the man is on a run...what is that ...7 or 8 in a row for him?

by frankpos on Jan 13, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can't take a whole year like this?

Sure you can. We defensed the pants off a really good team at crunch time. We played smart with the ball during critical possessions. And we won a really tight game played at a very high level. My ticker ain’t what it used to be, but I’ll take a whole season of efforts like the one our guys gave last night. You bet.

theoldman

by theoldman on Jan 13, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

By the way, frankpos

Was McGee’s pressure on the ball even more impressive in person than it was on the tube? It’s difficult to measure intensity over the airwaves, but his hands, his body control, his attitude and position seemed to be perfect during the last seven or eight minutes. It was something to behold from the comfort of my family room. I’m guessing it was even more remarkable up close.

theoldman

by theoldman on Jan 13, 2009 11:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

it was crazy good

you could tell in person that mcgee wasn’t just inside the guy’s jersey, he was inside his head.

by davidson07 on Jan 13, 2009 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly....

Apparently I was the only one around that noticed McGee’s awesomeness. I would be jumping up and down when he was harrassing those ND guards while everybody else around me stared at me like I was high.
And I was high. High on McGee’s vibes. And acid.

DocCardsFan
The 'Ville, KY

by DocCardsFan on Jan 13, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yea

Go Cards!

by Red Rage on Jan 13, 2009 11:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, McGee was as animated --or more--than you usually see with Preston

his hands were everywhere, and ND’s Tory Jackson turtle crawl-dribbled his way up against that pressure and still turned it over 7 times, mostly with swipes from Andre’s hands or diving body

But the combination…Andre…Preston face fronting McAlarney into no touches…TJ swatting Harangody’s hooks and fallaways…

and ND had shot 50% from 2 and 60% from 3 , up to those last 6 min, in a fearsome display of smooth discplined offense machinery and skill against what had been very good pressure D by us even before the 6 min mark!

by frankpos on Jan 13, 2009 12:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it was rediculously

joyful… even in person!

Clifford

by JimmyClifford on Jan 13, 2009 9:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Luke...

I am your father.

by Zakem2002 on Jan 13, 2009 12:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Posterization

by BR7 on Jan 13, 2009 1:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

just remember in our all revelry....

FEB 12 ……………….mark it on your calendars…….for now though, I’ll just revel in last night…and await Saturday against PITT. Go CARDS!

by Linda on Jan 13, 2009 1:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That was about the worst

officiated game I’ve ever seen. Those ref’s must have been paid not to call fouls by the NBA scouts. Luke could have had at least 4 fouls in the first half. I know we got away with a lot too but come on. Luke got MJ type of love from the refs. He’s no MJ.

"You win some, You lose some but you never stop trying to do your best" Denny Crum

by DANCARD on Jan 13, 2009 3:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You're right

But I have never seen the crowd so happy to see someone foul. When he fouled someone it was a mixture of booing, cheering and laughing. What a game, what a team. Go Cards

by Irememberwheat! on Jan 13, 2009 4:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

The crowd was kind of quiet last night until the refs no calls got them going. Once the crowd got into the game the atmosphere was electric.

"You win some, You lose some but you never stop trying to do your best" Denny Crum

by DANCARD on Jan 13, 2009 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to the Big East

I don’t think it was poorly officiated. It was strange that they allowed so much contact in the beginning, and then called some ticky-tack stuff at the end. Knowing how long you’ve been watching basketball (I’m assuming from your posts anyway) that couldn’t have been the worst officiating you’ve ever seen. There was a lot of contact from both teams.

by Dais on Jan 13, 2009 4:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

It was poorly officiated, for exactly the reason you gave… inconsistency. The McGee handcheck followed by Samuels getting his third foul when Harangody bumped into him was really terrible, and a big momentum swing. Even worse was when Samuels got a foul after Harangody elbowed him in the chest, just because they were both tied up after Gody stripped the ball away from him on a rebound. If I remember correctly, that was also his fourth, and was huge.

As much as I respect Harangody (because he’s much less of a douche than Hansbrough, IMO), he deserved to have been fouled out of that game early in the 2nd half, but this is the Big East. However, the fact that Samuels played on and off for the last 12 minutes of the game with 4 fouls while Harangody continued with 3 until a few minutes left was just a travesty.

Although, to be fair, it looked like McAlarney was fouled at least once on a three that wasn’t called. So while not the worst ever, I still hold that it was poor calling, especially down the stretch. Overall, the no calls on Dante Cunningham were probably worse, though.

by CARD_G6 on Jan 13, 2009 5:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was bad

It may not have been the worst but it was one of the worst officiated games I’ve ever see. The officials dictated the pace of the game not the players. I think Mr. Harangody got word that the officials were going to play it loose and took full advantage. I was at the game and the things (dirty plays) he was getting away with was ridiculous. Holding people under the basket, bowling people over for loose balls. I was beside myself. The Officials then did start calling it closer, as far as UofL was concerned. Notre Dame only had 4 fouls in the first half and none on Luke. What, he got his third foul with 5 minutes left in the game? Just because the Big East officials suck doesn’t make it right.

"You win some, You lose some but you never stop trying to do your best" Denny Crum

by DANCARD on Jan 13, 2009 9:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs