UL vs. WVU: Inaugural Live Blog

Sports bloggers do this all the time. Am pretty sure it's already cliched. But I'm new to this, so I expect one free pass.

7:24: ESPN Sportscenter leads into the game w/ the countdown clock (5:22 to go). Countdown of Top 10 Big East games features 2 UL losses. How 70-7 over the Cincy Birdstompers didn't make it is beyond me.

7:25: Rodriguez wants WVU to "execute", "be poised", & "play football". He expects Louisville to "make plays". He couldn't've said anything less meaningful if he'd just said the whole thing in Portuguese.

7:28: Have a bad feeling about this game. My prediction: WVU 28, UL 24.

7:29: Majority of ESPN.com voters say an undefeated BEast teams deserved a shot at the championship. Agreed.

7:30: Oh wait. ESPN2 has trick shot pool. Ahh ... probably one live blog is enough.

7:31: If we hurt Pat White, do they have a better QB on the bench again? I'd take it easy on him, just in case.

7:33: I just hope this game's as good as that 23-0 Virginia / UNC game two Thursdays ago.

7:35: Wow. It's official now. That Schellenberger quote ("we're on a collision course w/ a national championship") just passed JFK's "Ask not what your country ..." quote for 4th on the all time most oft-quoted list.

7:39: Holtz says the way to win games is to be the windshield, not the bug, but he picks Louisville, w/ the proviso that they make the field smaller. Probably too late for that now.

7:40: What a ripoff. Now there's a kickoff clock. Boy, if NASA tried to pull this, there'd be Congressional hearings.

7:42: Now there's an interview ...

Erin Andrews: How's Brian Brohm's thumb?
Bobby Petrino: (a little over-enthusiastically IMO) It's great!

7:44: What's the over/under on the Oscar Brohm shot? I have 7:59. Also, I think, given the magnitude of the game, there's a shot ESPN dusts off that LeFors parents spot from a few years ago.

7:45: KMD (she's feeling better today) asked me & I don't know the answer. Who coined "the Ville"? Was that Wiley Brown?

7:47: We're unveiling a new defensive scheme? Never used since 2001 at Illinois? Nothing about that sounds good.

7:48: Finally started. Lucky WVU kick into end zone.

7:49: Both the run and the pass were open on that play action. Douglas for about 20.

7:50: Does anybody have a better straightarm than Mario?

7:51: 5 positive plays in a row! Rodriguez was right.

7:55: Then 3 unsuccessful plays in a row.

7:56: You can't make a field goal by less than that w/o hitting the goalpost. 3-0 Cards.

7:57: Any chance this new defensive scheme involves water cannons?

7:58: WVU doesn't have a single offensive starter from WV?

7:59: UL has only one def howngrown.

8:01: FUMBLE!!!! New scheme. New scheme.

8:03: Brohm is crossing his thumbs at the snap. That doesn't seem like the action of a completely healed player ... or someone who's thumb is "Grrreat".

8:04: Can't do anything w/ the short field. WVU rush is having an impact early.

8:08: WVU fumbled again, but for a 1st down that time.

8:10: UL looked lost on that 2nd and 10, but White airmailed his receiver.

8:11: WVU gets away w/ a hold IMO, then next play 42 yards for a TD. 7-3 WVU.

8:15: At least we made them trail for 6 minutes.

8:16: Mario drops one then Kolby trips halfway way to a 50 yd run. What's going on?!?

8:18: I doubt when Pitino signed up for the booth, he thought he'd get jabbed for barely beating Georgetown College.

8:19: Can we get Bernadini into the booth? C'mon ESPN it's called cross-promotion!

8:21: Big 3rd down conversion: Brohm to Douglas.

8:23: I lost on my Oscar Brohm bet. Wonder if he's jealous losing time to his son's thumb?

8:24: Hey #6, get out of Kolby's way. For your own sake.

8:25: An illegal shift. The most uninformative penalty name of all time.

8:30: Strange not to go for the end zone on 3rd & 13 from the 14.

8:31: FG Cards. 7-6 WVU.

8:35: 2nd personal foul. Is John L. back?

8:38: Corso by phone? Maybe they're planning on tying in Barbaro to promote the BCup.

8:41: Attaway William Gay! A WVU punt.

8:42: 3 straight WVU penalties after Petrino's tirade at refs.

8:43: Near disaster on the pooch punt. Not sure how that ref early signalled UL ... hope WVU gets a call at some point in the game where the league can apologize to them next week about it.

8:46: Hard to moan about a 40 yd gain, but can we get a cleat change at the half?!?

8:48: I like Anthony Allen in the red zone.

8:49: Amend that. I REALLY like Anthony Allen in the red zone. TD Cards!!!!! 13-7 lead.

8:53: Reynaud goes for a big gain. They are too fast.

8:54: There can't be better backs than Slaton. How can a run offense be so explosive?

8:55: WVU doesn't like being behind. 14-13 WVU. I think the only way we win is if WVU makes mistakes. When they made some early, we needed to put 7 on 'em.

8:59: Brohm shows some elusiveness. Big play to Mario. Then Kolby flare gets 10 more.

8:59: Hank Goldberg is IN THE BOOTH!!! The trend is downward to say the least.

9:01: Great pass & catch: Brohm/Douglas on 2nd & 10.

9:02: Anthony Allen time. Now they're going to offsetting personal fouls. I went to a UL-WVU game & a Trinity - St. X. game has broken out.

9:07: Better spot on the 3rd & short. First & goal from the 4.

9:08: WVU smart to call timeout there. Save some time for their offense (which doesn't need much).

9:10: Yes. Could use Michael Bush here. 3rd down time for a pass.

9:13: APD says go. KMD & Dolberry say kick.

9:14: Carmody squeaks another one in. 16-14 Cards, but it doesn't feel good.

9:17: One of the WVU fumbles has to bounce away from them. Rodriguez says WVU needs to "execute" better. Dynamic, dynamic speaker.

9:18: WVU obviously feel the need to work a 2 minute drill. Thankfully. Halftime bloggin break to read the Hobbit w/ APD.

9:42: Back to another 20 yd Slaton run up the middle. I did like how they spelled Rutgers "Rugers" during halftime. Yeah, you have to winning seasons more than once every other decade before we bother to learn to spell you.

9:44: FUMBLE!!! New Scheme. New Scheme! (The new scheme is to let them run until they get tired & fumble.)

9:45: Lights go (half) out?

9:46: No more throwing to Riley. Oh, no wonder he's from Youngstown.

9:47: Classic. Petrino's yelling at the booth official.

9:49: Another fumble. (New scheme!) TD Louisville!!!! If the video ref overrules this, Petrino won't be the only one going after him.

9:50: 23-14 Cards. Now what? Another flag. On the PAT. This is weird. ESPN talked over penalty, but was decined so I guess well never know.

9:55: Doesn't look dark at all on TV. Slaton's arm being worked on. They can't have someone better, can they? Not again.

9:56: Illegal shift on WVU. Shot of Rodriguez cursing on sideline. Something about #$%&#$ execute!"

9:57: Harris explodes the big fullback!

9:58: WVU punt. White limping now.

9:59: TD CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 30-14. I haven't seen a turnaround like this since, uh, last year's game.

10:00 White is really limping. This could be over.

10:03: White looks ok (9yd run). Slaton is getting closer to field.

10:04: Sans Slaton ... WVU seems to have ... one play. White up the middle. At least, for them, it's a good play.

10:06: Big missed face mask on UL. Saves Cards 15.

10:07: White gains 15 on next play.

10:08: Key on White. Backup RBs are nothing.

10:10: Pat White is pretty good. Vickish. The good Vick.

10:11: At least this WVU drive is taking up time.

10:12: WVU scored TD. Going for two? Nope. 30-21.

10:13: Time of possession has turned around in this half, to say the least.

10:14: Oscar must've sold his tix on e-Bay.

10:15: Herbstreit wonders (rightly) why Slaton can stand there & hold the ball & have people hack at it, but he can't come in. This isn't helping his Heisman chances for next year. His PR people / handlers / whatever need to get going & spin this better.

10:19: Great catch by Douglas for a quick 25.

10:20: Sweet checkoff by Brohm. Youngstown dude does better. A quick seven here would be nice.

10:25: 37-21 Urrutia!

10:28: Slaton? I say Slacker. He just didn't feel like playing for a quarter ... then catches that pass?

10:30: Nobody gets up by 16 on Steve Slaton! He won't stand for it. "We're down by 16? Let me in." If they'd've stayed down by 9, would he have kept resting?

10:31: Unreal. Another blitzkrieg TD drive by the Mountaineers.

10:32: Somebody apparently explained ... I mean executed ... the math to Rodriguez, but the conversion fails despite UL plying a man down.

10:33: Whoa this blogging is exhausting. The infrequency of posts between 10:20 and 10:28 was due to a call from SC. When do real bloggers take pee breaks?

10:35: I believe Herbstreit just said Petrino is normally mild mannered on the sidelines. Huh? Over 800 yds of offense. I was wrong on the no shootout.

10:36: That's what we're taking about. No conservative playcalling. Let's get 20 right out of the gate.

10:37: Brohm's had a quiet, awesome game.

10:38: WVU D defines bend, bend, bend, try not to break. You can have that 15 yard pass if you want, apparently. OK, first & goal from the 4, again. This could be the game.

10:39: DOUBLE-A is OK. Allen plows thru a tired looking WVU defense. 44-27 Cards! Start working on that onside kick defense.

10:42: Next guest in the booth. Tom Jackson. We're cool w/ that. Called this THE biggest game in UL history. Agreed.

10:45: Slaton tackled for BIG loss.

10:46: This is a long way from the days of sitting in the bleachers at Cardinal Stadium & being down 35 at halftime.

10:47: Good thing UL got a timeout there, given the WR was ... uncovered ... to be charitable.

10:49: Scroll says WKU is going to 1-A in 2009. Bad news for the KittiCats & their stranglehold on 2nd best team in the state.

10:49: 4 & 10, down 17, 7:20 left. Check.

10:50: Stopped 'em short! Weird WVU playcalling all of a sudden. I think Tom Jackson may be responsible.

10:52: Time to finish.

10:53: 16 in a row at home? What's it like going to a game for 2.5 straight years w/o a loss. I think my folks may be up to .500 after those games in the 70s & 80s.

10:56: Is Rutgers, er Rugers an ambush. Originally, I thought so. Now I'm hoping the momentum from this will be a boost.

10:57: Where will UL be ranked? Gimme a break. Clearly #3.

10:59: Fowler was right. Best UL special teams showing of the year. Helped that WVU had a dyslexic punter, apparently.

11:01: Um, memo to UL defense. Watch #10. Pretty good player. Might want to cover him.

11:02: I'm having seriously Elway vs. Browns flashbacks here. White cannot be tackled behind the line of scrimmage apparently.

11:04: Over 1000 yards now as White scrambles for score. 44-34 Cards. (If they counted the yards White ran sideways, the two teams would have over 2000 yards.)

11:06: UL installed collapsible goalposts? They must have misunderstood Holtz' directive to shorten the field.

11:07: Nice. Highlights of the 2002 FSU game.

11:08: Bring on RUGERS!

11:10: Who had 11:10 for the first Pittsnogle reference?

11:10:30: Who had the past 10 seconds for the 2nd & 3rd Pittsnogle references?

11:11: Bernardini the best horse since Secretariat? These guys are ready for this game to end.

11:13: Students appear to be edging closer to field ...

11:15: WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! GmD holding the phone up at the end brought a little tear to my eyes. Feel really good for all longtime Cards football fans (GpD, GmD, SC, Nathan, Gleischners, TKMo, Rachel, CSue, everyone else I'm forgetting, & me).

11:20: Wiped out. But since it was good luck, might have to break out the live blog next week ... vs. Rugers.

11:21: Which ESPN has the clock countdown for next week's game? (Remember to add about 8 minutes to it for actual kickoff.)

11:24: Classy post-game interview from Brohm. As befits a THS grad. Though, he mispronounced "Rugers".

11:36: Newscheme!