Like my father, I was born in Louisville. Though he went to UL to catch up on a degree while I was a toddler, I grew up uninterested in any sports programs. I left for the Army after high school in 1978 and became a UL fan in California during its first championship year of 1980. Mostly because all my Army buddies knew I was from Louisville, and would whoop it up with me. They were fans of Dr Dunkenstein.

Years later when Pervis lead the Cards to a second title, I was screaming at the top of my lungs in Munich, Germany. I won a case of local German beer and a day off from my section sergeant over that win.

After leaving the service and settling in Louisville again, I finally got to see the Cards in the Hall. I can still remember the daze it put me in. The loud crowd, the excitement, the smoke filled smoker's room on the corner, the huge beers, lots of gorgeous southern belles wearing Cardinal red; it was quite an experience after seeing it on TV for so long!

 Yet more years later (I qualified for AARP this year), I had to settle in Indiana after meeting my wife and starting a family. We had 3 kids, and I got to take the first one, my son, to the Hall to see Samuels and Knowles' debut in scrimmage. I have a picture of him sitting with the mascot. He, and his younger sisters are big Cards fans.

Religious people say their body is only a shell in which their soul temporarily resides. Freedom Hall is that shell to the Cardinal basketball program. Our Cardinal spirit is ready to move on to a more glorious stage. I say farewell to the Hall with many fond memories, but no regrets. The Louisville Cardinals are a fine and storied basketball program, and will continue building on its history by adding a third national title banner to hang in April, 2012.