Strong finish not enough: Cards fall to UK 16-23

was UK penalties. Defense looked MUCH better in the 2nd half, offense still has a long way to go. Powell was definitely a bright spot in the running game though.

About Coach Strong’s clock management in the 4th quarter. No hurry-up on the FG drive that pulled us within 7? We should have been in hurry-up from the 6:00 mark on. We were way too slow and lackadaisical out there.

The choice not to kick onsides with 3:30 to go is a little off-putting but I guess you put confidence in your defense. If it’s me playing Madden I go onsides there.

And I really have no idea why he didn’t use his timeouts sooner on UK’s run-out-the-clock drive. It’s like he didn’t even care to get the ball back.

So I know this sounds rumor-millish, but oh well. I just got off the phone with my friend who was in the front row of section 109 (student section. he was the C in a C-A-R-D-S body paint deal) who happened to be standing with a certain Quincy Miller and Deuce Bello for about 15 minutes. He said Quincy came up and put his arm around him because he saw they were going crazy and wanted to be a part of the action. Of course, my friend asked him how he liked it and insisted he come here. His response was that he loved it and was going to sign this week. Take it or leave it, but the man said it.

My friend said Deuce Bello wasn’t that into things, but maybe he just didn’t like football.

Either way, it was a fun game, the crowd was surprisingly great (I’ve never seen the crowd stand that much at a game). Strong is going to take us places. Give him time.

The only truely awful part of this game was finding out Calipari was there trying to poach our visiting recruits

I think I counted 4 freshmen play on defense. Sometime they were in there at the same time.

Really dropped the ball today. Literally and figuratively. Dude has stone hands.

Hey, we were lined up in the right places and overall looked kinda like we were coached and knew what we were doing out there. I’d call that improvement. We can move on and try and get as many wins as we can and UK can move on to their nonconference cupcakes and all their SEC homecoming games.

SOS doesn’t matter when you play each other. Why is this even an argument?

I’ve never seen so much vitriol as I experienced today in the PJ’s. I’m sure it’s the little brother complex, but get a grip. Taunts of “Music City Bowl” and “7-4 season” (newsflash: D1 teams play a 12 game season) make you look stupid. Taunting a 70 year old couple in Wendy’s make you look pathetic.

kentucky wild is very insightful, and very informative….but why is he/her on card chronicle? Is it because there are’nt enough educated cats fans to chat with. No disrespect, just asking.

Anyone who has watched Florida, Miami, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, etc., where the coaches came from, knows Louisville does not have that kind of talent. Coach Strong and the others obviously need to put on a positive face and keep looking forward. But fans should know that the old talent is not there. If you understand the kind of defense Strong and Bedford brought, which Slade may not, you realize that the old players did not execute it. They panicked and executed the old defense.This is an understandable response from kids, but they will be much more successful when they can ditch old habits and buy into what they’re being taught. The new guys come by this more easily and may contribute more quickly, because of that. Bellamy is in a class by himself as a receiver on this team. Beaumont has great hands and can run routes, but is simply not fast. Hope he scores his touchdown, but the lack of speed will keep him from being a consistent TD threat. It is hard for even Groh to overcome a less than Big East caliber quarterbacking corps. There is essentially no connection except gear worn between these guys and the Greg McElroys of the world. Those guys have character and desire, but not talent. If Campbell ever gets to play, we will all see someone who is a totally diferent caliber of player. Heath is a real football player and deserves every accolade he gets, but Campbell has played in a different football world. Players like Demar Dorsey and Michaelee Harris are so far above the talent that was here when the new coaches came that there is almost no comparison. Bottom line – coaching staff is as good as advertised, maybe better. The players already here were as bad as advertised, maybe much worse.

The Cards need some help. They need media help. They need more from the Courier Journal. They need more from alumni all over the country. There are recruiting hotbeds everywhere. South Florida is definitely one, but so is Hotlanta. Check out Hoover,Prattville, and Mobile, AL . Check out the players in P’Cola. The players need a reason to come to Louisville – an atmosphere that reeks of football in the same way that Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Austin, Clemson, and Tallahassee do. Grantland Rice said that football is a religion in the South. If Louisville wants to be big time, the entire populace needs to be as rabid about football as about basketball. One of the biggest needs is an upgrade of Kentucky high school football. If you don’t know what I mean, check out Hoover High School or the big schools in South Florida. Pay quality coaches. Support youth football. Build good facilities. Give them big time press. Turn Kentucky into the same kind of football breeding ground you find in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.