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Steve Kragthorpe says goodbye

I may not have agreed with much what he did while he was the head coach here, but Kudos to Steve Kragthorpe, who took the high road and praised just about anyone and everyone associated with the University of Louisville during his farewell press conference Monday afternoon.

I wasn't able to catch the whole thing, but here are a few highlights of what I did see.

--"I don't leave here bitter, I leave her better" was the statement quote.

--Kragthorpe referenced his faith early and often, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

--He said he has already been offered three coaching positions, one being an offensive coordinator gig at a BCS conference school.

--The Kragthorpe family plans to move back to Tulsa on Sunday. His son is the starting quarterback for Trinity and will play St. X for the 6A state title in Bowling Green this weekend.

--Mrs. Kragthorpe is ill and that played a large role in the decision to move back closer to family and trusted doctors.

--Kragthorpe says the '07 and '09 Kentucky losses will haunt him to the grave.

--His best memories at U of L are the South Florida win in '08 and then the practices and interactions with individual players. Says he wishes there had been more great on-the-field memories, but that unfortunately that wasn't the case.

--Lachlan McClean asked him if he thought he deserved the $2.2 million buyout Louisville is giving him, to which he replied, "I deserve every penny." He cited the fact that he left so much behind at Tulsa as the rationale behind the statement.

--The oddest moment came when he talked about being booed in his first game here (fans jokingly booed because he wouldn't let Hunter Cantwell throw up 73-10 on Murray State) and stated that during that same game his wife was heckled and an insult was directed at her that involved "female body parts." It was very strange.

--He believes that Louisville is very close to winning and that with the players they have coming back and the recruiting class they have coming in the Cards could win eight or nine games in 2010.

Overall, it was a pretty classy goodbye. Very strange, albeit pleasant, to see him standing in front of the U of L press conference screen not wearing Cardinal garb.

Time to move on.

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What he said about the Murrary State game was kinda hard to follow.

But I think what really happened is that someone told his wife at the game that Steve was a pussy. Probably for not letting Hunter Cantwell pass.

by CARD_G6 on Nov 30, 2009 7:01 PM EST reply actions  

That was my understanding as well.

I think the whole booing in the first game is blown out of porportion, but if the other incident happened at the same game, I can see where one affects the perception of the other.

Here’s hoping to good times soon, starting with the first game next year.

by dlpfis79 on Nov 30, 2009 7:12 PM EST up reply actions  

I didn't know...

that his wife is ill. I missed the first few minutes of his presser; do you know what’s wrong with her? That’s sad because she’s been through a lot since she’s been in Louisville.

by Linda on Nov 30, 2009 7:32 PM EST reply actions  

It's Cancer

She was diagnosed in August, and apparently it’s pretty serious. They are moving back to Tulsa to be closer to their chosen treatment center in Oklahoma City and family support.

by Remote Cardinal on Dec 1, 2009 9:57 AM EST up reply actions  

Classy with a hint of sour grapes

Kragthorpe joked today with ease that instead of revealing the issues that surrounded his inability to win more games, he would eventually write a book and make even more $$ off of the program that he helped tank…that kind of comment really makes it difficult for me to feel bad about a couple of smart-ass boo-birds at the Murray State game. For Kragthorpe to dwell on that was beyond laughable to me and the same for Jurich.

by UL is my hot hot sex on Nov 30, 2009 7:45 PM EST reply actions  

Same here

And who the f*ck is calling offering him a job, especially as offensive coordinator, the Buccaneers? Were they off-planet for the last 3 years, or just in a coma?

“See what you’re going to miss, I’m a valuable asset, if only you’d have let me stay 1 more year”.

Man, go sell that sh*t somewhere else, Captain Crayon, you’ve doubly overstayed your welcome

ThreadKiller

by mclade01 on Nov 30, 2009 8:49 PM EST up reply actions  

My question...

Why would Redman be in the loop?

by CardinalDude on Nov 30, 2009 9:35 PM EST up reply actions  

That's why I don't believe it

thought maybe someone might have heard the same rumor

by sam34gtr on Nov 30, 2009 9:43 PM EST up reply actions  

Redman co-hosted a golf tournament with Cowgill

Cowgill has been a reporter for years. One would think that he has ties to the program. Someone told him, and he gabbed to his bff Chris Redman as he was congratulating Chris on beating Tampa. For something I made up because I remembered the billboard that was on 65 for like 6 months, it sounds 4% plausible.

by cardscott5 on Nov 30, 2009 10:50 PM EST up reply actions  

Redman's dad...

Isn’t he still the coach at Male? Maybe Strong has kids that are highschoolers and that’s where they are going to enroll…so his dad would be in the know…?

by *G* on Dec 1, 2009 9:53 AM EST up reply actions  

Ties with UL boosters or coaching staff?

I been wondering the same question though. Why would he openly say this when when there has been so much silence on this.

-Dustin

by Civicman86 on Nov 30, 2009 10:47 PM EST up reply actions  

Because

He knows somebody that knows somebody who’s sister’s bff is a teacher is at Tom Jurich’s brothers school who told him Strong’s kids enrolled in school here. Duh.

by Jason G on Dec 1, 2009 7:10 AM EST up reply actions  

I heard...

That one of Strong’s kids passed out at 31 flavors last night. They say its pretty serious.

by tnatburks on Dec 1, 2009 8:14 AM EST up reply actions  

Him and Billy G can cry on each other's shoulders

First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...

by btcoop71 on Dec 1, 2009 8:25 AM EST reply actions  

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