Tuesday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

—The NCAA has trademarked “Battle in the Bubble,” which provides some insight into the current vision for college basketball/March Madness in 2020-21.

—The post positions and morning line odds for Bizarro Derby are out:

Absolutely nuts that the three favorites drew the three outside posts.

Also, this will be the first time since 2003 that the Derby will have fewer than 20 entrants. Barclay Tagg — the trainer of heavy favorite Tiz the Law — won that year with Funny Cide. If Tiz the Law does repeat history, he’ll be the first horse to ever earn the roses from post 17. Post 17 starters are 0-for-41 in the Derby.

—The Foley family of Louisville has waited 40 years to have a horse in the Derby. Now they have one with Major Fed.

—TNIAAM announces its preseason All-ACC squads.

—BetOnline odds and props for Louisville football in 2020:

—Pat Forde’s first Forde Yard Dash of the 2020 college football season is here.

—After a strong offseason, Cole Bentley is ready to take the lead at center for the Cardinal offense.

—Eric Wood is the guest on the latest episode of Larry O’Bannon’s podcast.

—David Hale picks the Cards to finish fifth in the ACC.

—This Liz Clarke piece for The Washington Post is the best of the many John Thompson tributes that have been published over the last 24 hours.

—Jim Boeheim, once Thompson’s arch-enemy, also shared his thoughts on the passing of the legend.

—Gamers have already made “Madden ‘21” one of the lowest-rated video games ever.

—Javian Hawkins checks in at No. 10 in the ACC Digital Network’s countdown the league’s 30 best returning players.

—Eric Crawford writes about the odd sounds of silence at Churchill Downs this week.

—The Collegiate Bowl identifies Dez Fitzpatrick as one of “three wide receivers to watch” on its big board.

Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville:

Dez Fitzpatrick does a lot of things very well. The two-plus-year starter entering 2020 hasn’t put up gaudy receiving stats in his college career, but he’s been very productive for the Cardinals as a pass catcher, blocker, decoy and unselfish teammate. At 6-2 and over 200 pounds, the Waterford Mott High School product – who scored a remarkable 23 receiving touchdowns his senior season – has prototypical X-receiver size, good toughness to catch underneath in traffic, solid speed to stretch the defense on vertical routes, and natural hands to catch the ball away from his body. NFL coaches will particularly appreciate his physicality as a blocker in both the run and the pass game, and his awareness to break off his route to get back in the quarterback’s vision in scramble situations.

—Bryan Brown makes The Athletic’s list of 15 coordinators to keep an eye on this fall.

—Renato Brown is ready to step into a starting spot on the U of L offensive line.

—I have wholeheartedly enjoyed watching the rest of the world discover what a massive human being Mekhi Becton is.

—Pro Football Focus does not have Louisville in its preseason college football top 25.

—Louisville is No. 4 in ESPN’s “Quarterback U” rankings.

—The rivalry never rests ... even when it’s not going to be played for a year.

—Louisville fans “should be more excited than most” ACC fan bases heading into the 2020 season.

—EKU basketball coach A.W Hamilton has already beaten cancer. Now he’s turning the Colonels into a major player in the OVC.

—This seems very wrong.

—No Louisville players made the First or Second preseason AP All-America squads.

—BetOnline has set Louisville’s new over/under win total for 2020 at 7.

—To understand college football, especially this year, is to feel like you’re losing your mind.

—New number assignments for the 2020-2021 U of L men’s basketball team are out.

—U of L commit Jaraye Williams has been named as one of the 99 best players in the class of 2021 by Sports Illustrated.

—BetOnline has Louisville as an early 13.5-point favorite for its Sept. 12 season-opener against WKU.

—Pretty terrific recruiting vid.

—Cardinal Authority is out with its weekly Louisville football notebook.

—Five Cardinal football records that could fall in 2020.

—Even though Miami hammered Louisville a year ago, the folks over at State of the U are concerned about the ‘Canes’ week two trip to the Derby City.

—And finally, I was out last week when the news broke that Sean Moth would be stepping down from his job as PA announcer for Cardinal football and basketball.

Few people in college athletics have walked into a tougher spot than Moth did when he was picked as the man who would replace the legendary John Tong. Not only did he prove himself to be a more than suitable next man up, he succeeded in making the job his own. In short time, his personal spin became as synonymous with Cardinal hoops, football and baseball as “steps called” or “time is OUT on the floor” had become with Freedom Hall in the decades that preceded him.

More important than any of that is the fact that Sean is simply one of the best humans I’ve had the privilege of getting to know since starting this site over a decade ago. I’m glad he’s hanging around to continue his baseball calls on the radio, and I wish him well with whatever else is on the horizon. Go Avs.