1. Lots of rumors circulating that Roburt Sallie may not have taken care of everything he needed to at Memphis and that he may end up never playing a game in a Louisville uniform. If true, Sallie would join Justin Coleman in the category of ineligible players who would have helped fill a major void on next year's roster; Sallie as a shooter and Coleman as an athletic wing.
2. Absolutely no news on the Demar Dorsey front, which is both troubling and odd considering that class at U of L started on Monday. I'm not sure whose court the proverbial ball is in right now, but I am told that all hope is not lost. As for him playing in the Kentucky game, well, all hope is probably lost.
For what it's worth (your call), the following is Dorsey's latest Facebook status:
THE TIME IS TICKING ALL I CAN DO IS COUNT THE HOURS THE QUEST TO THE JOURNEY IS ALMOST OVER THE COUNT DOWN TO HISTORY IS COMING SOONER THEN WHAT YOU THINK TIME IS UP FOR ALOT OF PEOPLE ITS TIME TO MOVE ON DONT THINK ME NOW THINK ME LATER!!!!!!!ON THE CLOCK TICK TOCK TICK TOCK!!!!!!
Could mean he's eagerly anticipating hearing about the status of his eligibility, could mean he has a strange and sudden urge to watch Maid in Manhattan on VHS. Your guess is as good as mine.
3. Charlie Strong's two major Louisville-area recruits started their 2010 seasons in style as DaMarcus Smith and Seneca bettered Central, 47-32, while DeVante Parker and Ballard destroyed PRP, 59-7.
Smith, the heralded quarterback of the future, connected on 11-of-22 passes for 204 yards in his first live action in two years, and by most accounts looked the part of a big-time college quarterback to be. Also looking the part was Parker, who hauled in six passes for 79 yards and a score. He's exactly the type of stretch-the-field receiver that U of L is going to be lacking this season.
He can also jump decently high.
4. JEFF GOODMAN PRIZE UPDATE, 8/24/10: Still not received.
And now he's resorting to mind games.
It was a 93% joke when it started, but I'm not going to lie and say there isn't some genuine dislike forming. You know what class I had this morning, Jeff? CONTRACTS. You know what class I have tomorrow morning, Jeff? TWITTER CONTEST WELCHERS AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
5. According to a Rob Jones tweet, Deuce Bello recently told Inside the Ville's Mike Hughes that he will commit to Louisville if all goes well during his official visit on Sept. 4. Also visiting that weekend will be the uber-athletic Bello's friend and teammate, Quincy Miller, who is ranked as the second best player in the class of 2011 according to the latest Scout.com Hot 100.
Good, good news.
6. So you're saying this guy's available.
7. Joker Phillips countered Charlie Strong's Tuesday QB One announcement by naming Mike Hartline as his starting signal caller just hours later.
My question is this: are you glad that it's Hartline and not Morgan Newton? I'll say it, I am.
I understand that Hartline is a heady player and that he's already beaten Louisville twice, but he possesses nowhere near the skill set that Newton does, and in situations like these I'll always take the option of facing the less-talented quarterback. The lack of size on U of L's defensive line has received a lot of attention this offseason, but its secondary isn't exactly 2001 Miami-esque. Knowing that Kentucky isn't going to start the guy who's most capable of hitting an open receiver in stride 45 yards down the field gives me at least a semblance of piece of mind.
I'm not saying that Hartline was the wrong call or even that Louisville necessarily has a better chance to win with him behind center (Froman throws two pick-sixes in the first quarter and I'd much rather have Newton running the show), I'm just saying that he doesn't scare me nearly as much as Morgan Newton does.
8. I'm aware that things have slowed down a bit since I've started school, but look for a healthy amount of reading material once rivalry week rolls around. U of L/UK trumps my desire to not be humiliated in a public setting...every time.