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Tuesday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

Kennedy Stevens has never experienced a Louisville football loss, and she doesn't plan on that changing any time soon.

By Mike Rutherford

I_medium Spread check: Louisville by 13.5.

I_medium Sports Illustrated's new college hoops ranking system ranks every team in Division-I and has Louisville at No. 22 and a six seed in the NCAA Tournament. DePaul is No. 143.

I_medium Attorney Larry Wilder criticized the Louisville media on Monday for "slut-shaming" Katina Powell, a comment which got him thoroughly and justifiably eviscerated by Eric Crawford.

After ignoring most of its requests to speak to his client — a former Louisville escort who penned what she billed as a tell-all book about providing strippers and escorts for Louisville basketball recruits and players — while at the same time sending her on a tour of national media, Wilder spoke out Monday and criticized the Louisville media for "slut-shaming" his client.

I use the words in quotation marks because they are his words. They have not been used by the local media. Not on TV stations. Not by The Courier-Journal. Not that I have heard on local radio, though I haven't heard every second, I confess. If you Google his client's name, and the words "slut-shaming," the only results that appear are from Wilder's own mouth. If you Google her name and the word, "slut," the only results are Wilder's remarks from Monday, and a quote from his client in her own publisher's newspaper on Oct. 3, when she said, "I think people will think that my daughters are sluts and I'm a bad mom and that I prostituted my kids." Her words. Not the media's.

Nonetheless, there Wilder was Monday, trying to direct the local media: "Rather than chasing my client through the city of Louisville, slut shaming her and making her the only bad guy in this deal -- if you believe what she wrote -- then you need to start changing your focus. You need to ask some of the people on high, who are protected by the media, protected by those folks who are on high with them, you need to ask them some questions."

Wilder must not read the papers, watch TV or listen to radio. Let's think about what kind of questions we might ask Tom Jurich.

Things like: What was your initial reaction? Have you ever seen this woman on campus? Have you fielded any calls from recruits or parents about this? How aware are you of what goes on with recruits or parents on their visits? Have you spoken to Andre McGee? Is the NCAA investigating? Have there been results or progress in the investigation and what do you know? Is there video surveillance in Minardi Hall? Has it been reviewed in the time period in question? Do you know enough to know if there is substance to these allegations? What have your conversations with Rick Pitino been on this subject? How closely are expense reports of basketball coaches reviewed? Have you seen any irregularities in those? Besides surveillance, are there log books for entry to Minardi Hall? Do you have a timetable on the investigation? Do you have a sense for how many people have been interviewed, players or coaches? Have you or coach Pitino had any conversations with the team about prostitutes or escorts? Has surveillance video been turned over to the investigators? How could something like this happen in an environment like this without someone knowing? If the allegations are false, why would someone write a book about this? Was Chuck Smrt on retainer with the university prior to the allegations? What was your emotional reaction when you first heard the allegations? Does this have any connection at all to the Chris Jones case?

Or, how about Rick Pitino? What kind of things could we ask him? Maybe something like: Did you speak to Andre McGee? Did he deny the allegations to you? Do you think the allegations have any substance? How did you first find out about this? How closely do you monitor recruiting activities and what goes on in the players' dorm? In addition to logs and video, you have graduate assistants who live in that dorm, correct? Have you seen any of the alleged text messages or photos in the book? Have you talked to many of your former players and asked them about any of this? Who do recruits stay with on official visits? Is that monitored after hours by anyone on the coaching staff, that interaction? What goes through your mind with Andre McGee's alleged role in all this? I mean, these allegations, from a parent's perspective, these are their children, can you imagine what is going through their minds when they hear these allegations? How do you think these allegations will affect the vibe of the team and its season? What would've been the extent of McGee's responsibilities in recruiting? How was he evaluated by you? How do you feel about the substance of this, you've described yourself as heartbroken, are you viewing this as being potentially true? How does this reflect on the program, and on the university and on you? Are you concerned about the effects of this on the 2013 title? Have you seen a list of players who were named? What can you say to future recruits and their parents? Are you heartbroken that these allegations have come up, or that you believe they are true?

I'm assuming Wilder is saying that those kinds of specific, detailed questions need to be asked of these "folks on high."

Oh, wait. That's right. Those questions WERE asked of Pitino and Jurich on the night of Oct. 2, when each took media questions for 20 minutes.

I_medium Vote for Teddy Bridgewater as the NFL's Clutch Performer of the Week.

I_medium Cardinal freshman goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran has been named the ACC's field hockey Defensive Player of the Week.

I_medium This dude knows college hoops about as well as anyone, so this makes me feel good.

I_medium Once expected to debut in 2017, the ACC Network has been delayed yet again by executives at ESPN

I_medium CBS' Sam Vecenie names Quentin Snider as one of college basketball's 20 breakout players for 2015-16.

Quentin Snider, Louisville

Snider did a tremendous job of simplifying things offensively for the Cardinals once Chris Jones left last season. He averaged 9.5 points and 2.6 assists per game in his final eight games of the year, and will be responsible for a much bigger piece of the offense this season as the Cardinal integrate new pieces. He won't be the team's leading scorer with Damion Lee and Trey Lewis in the mix, but he should be its maestro in the backcourt, and I'd imagine that 11 points and four assists isn't out of the question for a team that will be battling all year for a Tourney spot.

I_medium The U of L ice hockey team is ranked No. 9 in the Southeast, the highest ranking in program history.

I_medium We enjoy the sports.

I_medium The U of L men's soccer team is going to need a deep run in the ACC Tournament to avoid missing the big dance for the first time in a decade. The first step in achieving that goal comes Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Duke.

I_medium Via Kelly Dickey, Louisville Basketball's streak of 60 straight AP poll appearances ended with the release of the preseason top 25 yesterday. The program record is 67 straight poll appearances from 1976-77 through the first poll of 1980-81.

I_medium Some mutual respect between childhood friends Montrezl Harrell and Todd Gurley.

I_medium Waggener standout De'Von Cooper has transferred to national power Findlay Prep (Las Vegas) for his junior season.

I_medium Damion Lee is the 63rd best player in college basketball according to ESPN.

I_medium And finally, it's Twitter Tuesday on Ramsey & Rutherford this afternoon/evening from 3-6 on 93.9 The Ville. Someone will ask John how much he can squat and John will refuse to answer because the man knows how to tease. You can listen live online right here.

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