I've never been the type of guy who enjoys broadcasting his talents, but over the years I have developed the reputation of a man who possesses an almost eerily accurate memory. I can tell you how many points I scored in my 10-year-old youth league championship game (eight...go Sonics), how I broke my first bone when I was four (ran into a swingset while chasing after a bubble), and the name of the first kid I ever beat up (Fakey McNotaliverson).

But, as I found out this morning, even the most seemingly faultless of memories can let you down.

Since I found out several months ago that Louisville would be playing Purdue in the 2007 edition of the John Wooden Tradition, I've spoken openly about a "Wooden Tradition Hex" that was based on the rock-hard fact that the Cards have played in 17 Wooden Traditions, losing ten to Iowa and seven to Purdue. Well I did a little internet searching this morning, called a few people I trust, and met some shady but informative characters in various dimly lit parking garages around town, and I'm now ready to confirm that Louisville has played in the Wooden Tradition only twice, losing once to Purdue and once to Iowa.

For the last few hours I've been trying to figure out how my brain could have been so off on this one. Perhaps it was the fact that the games were played in back-to-back seasons, or that the losses were both so excruciating, I'm not sure.

But I do know this: The Wooden Tradition Hex is as real as Roger Clemens' physique. How else can you explain the injuries, the inescapable mental funk gripping our guards, or Derrick Caracter being suspended a mere five days before game time? The only question remaining is whether or not Josh Chichester is some sort of Keanu Reeves-like hero, or merely yet another tool of the Hex sent to make sure the job gets done. It's really anyone's guess at this point.

While I'm waiting on some calls on the Chichester situation, let's take a look at the brief - albeit terrifying - history of the Wooden Tradition Hex.

2002: Purdue 86, Louisville 84

The lead changed hands early and often in this hard-to-watch game that featured a total of 78 free-throws.

The Boilermakers, led by guard Kenny Lowe, scored on eight straight possessions late in the second half to claim an 86-79 lead. But with just over a minute remaining, Purdue headcase Darmetreis Kilgore was whistled for a foul and then a technical foul which allowed Louisville to make four straight free-throws and pull to within three. Ellis Myles would make a free-throw on the Cards next possession to make the score 86-84.

Kenny Lowe drives past a mortified Francisco Garcia

After Purdue's David Teague missed a three-pointer, the shot clock was turned off and Louisville had a chance to send the game to overtime or win it with a three-pointer. Reece Gaines made his move to the bucket with under ten seconds remaining and found a wide-open Luke Whitehead on the left baseline. With no one within five feet of him, Whitehead's game-tying attempt clanked off the back iron as time expired.

A frustrated Myles and Purdue's Brett Buscher then got into it, eventually having to be separated by officials as Rick Pitino hurried his team into the locker room.

It was the second Wooden Tradition win in three appearances for the Boiler Makers, who improved to 2-0 on the young season. Louisville fell to 1-1, and got its first real taste of the Wooden Tradition Hex.

Whitehead led all scorers with 21, Gaines dropped 18, and young Francisco Garcia added 11. The Cards' subpar (and Hex-induced) free-throw shooting (28-of-40) proved to be the difference.

2003: Iowa 70, Louisville 69 (OT)

Another firm belief I've held for the last couple of years is that Iowa beat us in every season opener from 1993-2004. This, I'm told, is also incorrect.

But it was correct in 2003 when a promising Cardinal club (ranked No. 16 by the coaches and No. 17 by the AP) tempted fate once again by opening its '03-'04 campaign against the 2-0 Hawkeyes in the Wooden Tradition.

Iowa, led by 45-year-old sophomore Greg Brunner, dominated the Cards on the inside, earning a final rebounding advantage of 45-27. Brunner punished the Cards in the paint and from the outside, hitting 10-of-14 shots and finishing with a game-high 26 points.

The hex controls the body of Greg Brunner and tries to kill Otis George

The Hawkeyes held a 62-56 advantage with three minutes to play, but poor free-throw shooting (13-for-24) allowed the Cards to stay in it. Taquan Dean's three-pointer with under a minute to play tied the game at 63, and then U of L's inability to grab a rebound allowed Iowa to have several shots at winning the game in regulation, but the Hawkeyes couldn't get the job done.

Louisville fell behind by six quickly in the overtime, but a pair of Larry O'Bannon treys knotted the score back up at 69. The Cards had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 39 seconds left, but Luke Whitehead - doing his patented hide in the first row of the stands move - stepped on the baseline before finishing an uncontested dunk.

Iowa got the ball back, and after a foul call, the soon-to-be dismissed Pierre Pierce (and his shiny neon yellow sneakers) hit one of two free-throws to make the score 70-69. The Cards hurried the ball up the floor and got a decent look, but the ultra-disappointing Nate Daniels' 15-footer clanged off the front of the rim at the buzzer. Daniels would never get over the lasting effects of the Hex, and left the program a short while later.  

Whitehead again led the Cards with 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Dean added 15 points on five three-pointers.

For the next three years, the powers that be at the University of Louisville wisely decided to steer as clear as possible from the John Wooden Tradition, and the now impossible to deny Wooden Tradition Hex. But given Louisville's ties to The Wizard of Westwood himself, simply avoiding the event was unacceptable, meaning a penance was required. So for the last three years one special teams reserve from the football team has been sacrificed to the Hex in late August, and the basketball team has been allowed to dodge the event.

Now, a mere 48 months after falling to Iowa, Tom Jurich and Rick Pitino have decided to roll the dice and tempt fate yet again. The Hex was sending a message with the Juan Palacios injury, and I think it's safe to say that any doubt about just how serious this situation is was cleared up when David Padgett went down. This thing is angry, and I shutter to think about what exactly is going to go down inside Conseco Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.

My advice: live these next two days as Cardinal fans like they're your last, because in a way, they may very well be.