I'll be keeping alive my annual tradition of only watching the BCS title game through passing glances, but feel free to use this thread to discuss the rematch.

It's also the return of Big Monday, so...

Token.

We've got WVU/UConn at 7 and then Cincinnati/Georgetown at 9. Not a bad pair of second options.

Enjoy the evening.

After more than 48 hours of voting, we have a tie.

Charlie Strong and Preston Knowles each garnered 34% of the votes cast for the 2011 Card Chronicle Man of the Year and (almost unbelievably) finished with an identical number of individual votes. Teddy Bridgewater was your third choice with 17%.

That being the case, I present to you the first ever Card Chronicle "Men of the Year":

PRESTON KNOWLES

CHARLIE STRONG

Thanks to all who voted and congratulations to the honorees.

Here are your 2011 nominees (in no particular order), as selected by you.

CHARLIE STRONG

Resume:

--2010 Card Chronicle Man of the Year.

--Led one of the youngest teams in the country to an improbable share of the Big East title, Louisville's first since 2006.

--Crowd-surfed in the locker room following U of L's upset victory at West Virginia, the Cards' first in Morgantown since 1990.

--Led Louisville to its first win over Kentucky since 2006.

--Established a new reputation as a die-hard Cardinal basketball fan.

PRESTON KNOWLES

Resume:

--Was the leader as well the heart and soul of a Louisville basketball team that drastically overachieved and became one of the most beloved squads in recent memory.

--Led the Cards to an undefeated home mark in Big East play, a runner-up finish in the Big East Tournament and a four-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

--Could be identified simply with an exclamation point.

--Gave one of the more remarkable individual performances in Cardinal basketball history during U of L's improbable comeback win over Marquette.

--Spawned his own top ten.

ANTHONY CONNER

Resume:

--Was having a tremendous senior season as Louisville's No. 1 cornerback before breaking his neck on Oct. 21 against Rutgers.

--Served as inspiration for a Cardinal team that went 5-1 and won a share of the Big East title following his injury.

--Finished the season with 21 tackled, one interception and one forced fumble.

CHICKEN KNOWLES

Resume:

--Was the basis for the "Bring Chicken to the Bucket" campaign which attracted national attention from various outlets (including Sports Illustrated and MSNC) during the summer months.

--Could very well be the only player in the history of college basketball to be recruited entirely by a fan base.

--Inspired "Saved by the Chicken Express," a short film combining one of his highlight videos and the Saved by the Bell wedding song.

--Called me after his commitment to Houston to "make sure I was OK."

--Still supports U of L athletics and loves the Cardinal fans.

"THE TRAIN"

Resume:

--Created out of U of L defensive coordinator Vance Bedford's media address, in which he went into an impassioned spiel about the future of Cardinal football that included the line: "The train is rolling. Get on board or get out of the way."

--Became a battle cry for Louisville fans and players alike.

TEDDY BRIDGEWATER

Resume:

--Has earned just about every freshman award possible after leading Louisville to a 7-5 record and its first share of the Big East title since 2006.

--Replaced injured junior Will Stein in the first half of Louisville's Sept. 17 game at Kentucky and led the Cardinals to their first victory over the Wildcats in five years.

--Will politely hold your baby and pose for a picture if requested at home basketball games.

--Is incredibly cool.

All right, so now it's all in your hands. Voting begins now (obviously) and will end Thursday morning at 8 a.m.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, just know that I love you.

As for my gift, it's the ultimate Cardinal baby picture:

Yep, that's baby Jesus flashing the L from Midnight Mass at the Vatican last night. He even got the hand right.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

We are now taking your nominees for 2011 Card Chronicle Man of the Year.

Please remember that the man of the year does not have to be an actual man, or even an actual human ("No Pants" was once a finalist). I just refuse to go politically correct with the title because, well, because I do. It's tradition.

Your past CC Men of the Year:

2010 - Charlie Strong
2009 - Vacant (I like to think it was Billy Gillispie)
2008 - David Padgett
2007 - Tom Jurich

The final list of nominees will be unveiled next week, and voting will follow.

Make your voice heard in the comments section below.

Here's your full schedule of events followed by what will take place should each contest go Louisville's way.

Friday

5:30 p.m. - VOLLEYBALL: Louisville vs. Ball State (NCAA Tournament, First Round)

My belt's unbuckled and I'm a little bit tipsy.

9:00 p.m. - MEN'S BASKETBALL: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 20 Vanderbilt (ESPN)

Hammered. Pants are at my ankles and I'm waddling around the arena constantly making that arm motion you make when you want a truck to honk.

Saturday

Noon - FOOTBALL: Connecticut at Cincinnati (A Husky win sends Louisville to the BCS) (ESPN)

I didn't sleep last night. This is a fact I'm completely unaware of. I've been attempting to start a "We Want 'Bama" chant at a near-empty Moby Dick for the past 25 minutes. I haven't seen my pants in 13 hours.

7:00 p.m. - MEN'S SOCCER: Louisville vs. UCLA (NCAA Tournament Elite Eight)

I have no idea who dressed or drove me, but I made it to the game and now I'm celebrating on the field. Colin Rolfe seeks me out and tells me we have to hang sometime. A number exchange takes place at some point. I'm wearing someone else's pants. They fit well.

Just as I decide it's probably time to get some sleep, someone tells me that the volleyball team upset No. 5 Purdue in the second round. All of us are heading to an establishment that serves. I'm not positive but I think I can hear my Chase card crying.

Sunday

1:00 p.m. - WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: No. 10 Louisville at No. 12 Kentucky

I wake up in my own bed and I'm completely sober. I check the lap top and apparently I penned the greatest post in the history of the Internet at some point between 3 and 6 a.m. My email alerts me to the fact that I've offered the positions of Louisville Mayor and President of ESPN. Not an issue. Multi-tasking has always been a strength. Check the resume.

I watch Louisville beat Kentucky by 40 as I make plans for New Year's in Miami.

I can't even spell pants.

Good stuff below:

A weekend featuring one major Cardinal sporting event is always a blessing. A weekend featuring three major Cardinal sporting events and an abundance of storylines is...well, let's just say I'm tearing up a little bit, and it's not just because the last episode of The Wonder Years is on. Karen's baby looks just like Kevin...he looks just like Kevin.

Here's everything we should be looking forward to this weekend:

--The start of the 2011-2012 Louisville basketball season tonight at 7 p.m. against Tennessee-Martin.

--The Cardinals carrying a top ten (No.8/9) national ranking into the start of the season.

--Rick Pitino going for career win No. 600 tonight. If he does it, U of L will join North Carolina and Oklahoma State as the only programs to have two different coaches reach the mark while at their school.

--Gorgui.

--The Louisville football team taking the field against Pitt just 15 hours or so after the final horn sounds inside the Yum tonight.

--The temperature rising back into the '60s for the final tailgate of the year.

--The Cardinals coming into the game sitting alone in second place in the Big East and just a game behind Cincinnati.

--The Bearcats facing West Virginia at the same time as the U of L game.

--Senior Day festivities as 16 seniors - including Dexter Heyman, Greg Scruggs and Josh Chichester - play their final game inside Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

--Another home basketball game against Lamar Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.

It's an embarrassment of riches, really. Enjoy it all, guys and gals.