Friday Afternoon Cardinal News And Notes

Bye week spread check: Don Russell by 3.5.

CBS attempts to right the wrongs of USA Today by making Russ Smith a first team preseason All-American.

Russ Smith G | 6-0 | SR | Louisville

Smith nearly turned pro after helping the Cardinals win last season's national title. But where would he have gone? The sometimes erratic scorer would've probably ended up as a second-round pick. So he wisely decided to return to Louisville, stack honors and take a shot at winning back-to-back championships.

Montrezl Harrell checks in at No. 10 on Sports Illustrated's latest NBA Draft big board. Not a small feat considering the draft is described by the publication as "the deepest in years."

The 2013-14 Louisville basketball media guide is now available for online viewing. Be careful or you'll lose your entire weekend in it.

Here's the cover:

Can you imagine having a conversation with your Nov. 2010 self about the fact that Russ Smith, Stephan Van Treese and a guy who was playing for George Mason at the time would be on the cover of U of L's media guide the year after the Cards won a national title...and that they would be starting that next season ranked in the top three? Eyes would roll, laughs would be had, "Bottoms Up" by Trey Songz would play.

Your full college football TV schedule for tonight and tomorrow. Hashtag, go Knights.

Gabe Duverge weaves Louisville football, the schedule, the move to the ACC and "Breaking Bad" together all in one post for LouisvilleKY.com.

Speaking of which...

When the skull cap comes on, Teddy doesn't care if you were his high school friend and co-creator of the GUMP nickname.

Forbes says Louisville is the 8th-most compassionate city in America. F--koffville, Arkansas was named the least compassionate for a fifth-straight year.

Chinanu Onuaku's college decision will now be announced at 5 p.m. next Friday. Onuaku had reportedly been down to Louisville and Miami, but scheduled a last-second visit to Georgetown for this weekend. U of L still appears to be the favorite.

Pretty cool story from UC.

Making good on a recommendation by President Santa J. Ono, the University of Cincinnati has sold its presidential residence and established the Niehoff Presidential Scholarship Endowment (NPSE) to benefit students.

The NPSE, launched with funds generated by the sale of the University House at Edgecliff Point Condominiums in combination with resources redirected from the home's operating budget, will generate scholarship dollars in an amount equivalent to a $3 million endowment, or approximately $160,000 a year for student financial assistance.

In April, President Santa J. Ono suggested to the university's Board of Trustees that the residence be put up for sale. Dr. Ono, who has been president since August 2012, has never lived in the condo. His recommendation to sell it came at the same time he informed the board that he would not accept a salary increase or bonus payment for the next two years, and he asked that the board not increase UC's undergraduate tuition for the 2013-14 academic year.

"College affordability is a top priority for families and students. I want us to think in new ways to do whatever we can to help students achieve their dream of a college education," says Dr. Ono.

More of that, please.

Today is the last day you can purchase ducks for the Ken-Ducky Derby benefitting Harbor House. Adopt a duck (or 40) here.

Nearly four months after he was originally charged with assault for allegedly pulling a gun on the mother of his son, a King County (WA) prosecutor has dropped the charges against Terrence Williams.

Of course he is.

Russ Smith is the stage director for Charlie Strong's TV Show pic.twitter.com/5yX3s46gB6

— LouisvilleFootball (@UofLFootball) September 27, 2013

It's like Russ made a deal with the city that he'll play one more season for the Cards, but only if he gets to do whatever he wants for the year. I think the deal is working out swimmingly for all parties concerned.

Louisville isn't the only school dealing with dwindling student section attendance.

More national love for U of L commit L.J. Scott, who makes USA Today's top five high school plays of the week.

Cardinal fan Jeff Ames' Bluegrass Barrels company recently got some national love, as his barrels were named a "top 8 groomsman gift" by Maxim Magazine. The gift just got even better, as now you can purchase barrels with official NCAA logos on them.

Check it out at BluegrassBarrels.com.

It's an AAC soccer weekend inside Cardinal Park. First, the women will take on Memphis tonight at 7 p.m., then on Saturday the men will take on Temple at the same time.

The U of L basketball team will begin practice on Saturday. Louisville Sports Live lists five things to watch between now and the start of the season.

A six-minute reminder that people are pretty awesome sometimes:

Sports Illustrated says Kansas is the best current program in college basketball, topping Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan State and Louisville, in that order.

ESPN is referring to the 2013-14 season as "The Year of the Freshmen."

Eleven years ago yesterday, this happened. I will celebrate by showering myself in beer and tearing down one of the goalposts at the first grade school football field I can find.

Get ready for the magic that's coming next Saturday.

@CardChronicle If "AAC TV Game of the Week" doesn't scream "we're gonna show Ron Dugans and say it's Charlie Strong," then nothing does.

— Chadwick M. Fischer (@Fischwick) September 23, 2013

Check out the fantastic social work that Cards like Kevin Ware and Jamon Brown have been doing with PURP.me.

Guys, the Waynesboro Record Herald in Waynesboro, PA doesn't think Louisville belongs in the national title discussion.

Well I guess that's it then. We've lost Waynesboro. Time to start thinking about 2014 and the ACC.

Mitchell boys dreaming big:

Louisville is no longer in contact with hoops recruit Kelly Oubre.

USA Today says that if UCF beats South Carolina on Saturday, they could bypass Louisville as the favorite in the AAC.

Central Florida: The Knights are 3-0 for the first time since 1988 - when the three wins came against Bethune-Cookman, West Georgia and Troy. Though Louisville has earned headlines as the undisputed American Athletic Conference favorite, Central Florida has staked claim to being the Cardinals' biggest challenge on the road to the BCS. Better yet, the Knights can vastly alter the American's pecking order by beating No. 13 South Carolina at home. How could things change? A win Saturday could make UCF the American favorite, knocking Louisville down a peg.

I mean, I'm more Go Knights than anyone right now, but let's pump the brakes a little bit.

What is USA Today's deal this month?

Led by Angel McCoughtry, the Atlanta Dream have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals of the WNBA Playoffs, where they'll face the Indiana Fever for the second time in three years.

Carlton Bragg, one of the top players in the class of 2015, will be joining JuCo star Sam Cassell Jr. as visitors on Louisville's campus this weekend.

And finally, beat Bye Week.