Louisville's 'Core 4' Are Basically The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

In the last few years, we've made several comparisons around these parts that have taken on a life of their own. Who could forget the Woody and Buzz backcourt, the D-2 Mighty Cardinals, Russ on the Shelf, or Pitino's Chipmunks?

This year's team, however, has been noticeably lacking in the comparable personalities department. That is, until now.

It was this tweet from noted Internet genius Trevor Joelson that got the wheels spinning.

Core 4 just chillin' before GameDay, tryna get some of Fat Wayne's za pic.twitter.com/ahZpEeI2J2

— Trevor Joelson (@MountTrevorest) February 11, 2015

While the designation described in the tweet is a misrepresentation, the answer is still right there: The "Core 4" are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Montrezl Harrell -- Leonardo

It's an obvious jump given Harrell's standing as the most accomplished and recognizable persona on the team, but it goes even deeper than that.

Leonardo is the group leader, the most courageous, the most conscientious, and the most devout to his sensei (Master Splinter/Rick Pitino). Still, he isn't always perfect, and there are often times where his leadership is challenged, most commonly be Raphael.

Need more? Look at this description from the animated series:

When the cartoon series starts out, he is shown with having a very level head, akin to his leadership qualities in the comic. However, as the series carried on, he became more reactionary and at times would screech in the very high pitched voice, which was very different from the original, deeper pitch in the first season. This presumably may have been the result of the writers downplaying Leonardo as a hero in favor of Michelangelo and Raphael, who were more popular with audiences.

At the end of the animated series, Leo even STEPS DOWN as leader to let the others understand how difficult it is. He's eventually convinced to resume his responsibilities, he finds his lost brothers, and together they save earth.

Chris Jones -- Raphael

Easily the most emotional, unpredictable, and rebellious of the four, CJ as Raphael is another almost too perfect match.

No one really knows the origins of Raphael's anger, but the most common thought is that it has something to do with his origins or the period before we get to know the turtles ("Chris could do whatever he wanted to growing up and when he was at JUCO" -- Rick Pitino). In the heat of the moment he sometimes appears to have a turbulent relationship with Leonardo, but that never keeps the pair from ultimately getting the job done.

In the cartoon, Raphael is described as "cool, but rude," but his "attitude" mostly consists of light-hearted joking, most often with his closest companion, Michelangelo.

Terry Rozier -- Michelangelo

An easy-going, free-spirited "party dude" who is likely the most popular of the quartet.

If you're a casual fan who's only tuned into the Turtles/Cards a handful of times, there's about a 90 percent chance that this is the guy who made the biggest impression on you. He gets along with everybody, but his relationship with Raphael seems to be especially close. Despite being the jokester of the group ("but loosen the rims, Kenny"), he's still immensely talented and completely up to the task when the time for action comes ("the professional").

Wayne Blackshear -- Donatello

Another no-brainer. Donatello is the smartest and the second in command. He doesn't demand the same type of respect that Leonardo does, but he's the most level-headed, a characteristic that rescues the quartet on a handful of occasions. His contributions to the group and its entertainment value aren't as pronounced as the other three, often leading to under-appreciation and complaints that he's too "boring."

Pitino is obviously Splinter, and a number of other comparisons like Cal as Shredder and the Harrisons as Bebop and Rocksteady have also been made. I'm sure there are plenty more, but for now, I'm just happy to embrace the Cardinal Turtles.