21 weeks

Did all of you see this study? Well, you're welcome.

U of L sure has been fun to watch of late. At the Pomeroy Ratings site, they're ranked 10th in the country, but what is interesting is that they are rated #1 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Basically, it's a measure of how many points you give up per opponent's possession. They have the best rating of any team over the past 5 years in that category. Last year Kansas was #1 in that category and the season ended pretty well for them. Of course, Kansas was #2 last year in offensive efficiency and this year's Louisville squad is 92nd. I'm just afraid at some point in the tournament they'll have one of those 18-67 shooting nights and no amount of defense is going to overcome that. We'll see.

SLU hasn't been as fun to watch. Interesting SLU fact. They are 3rd worst in the country in FT% allowed (76%). For whatever reason, it's easy to make free throws against the Billikens. Probably because you're well rested.

Did you see that the ratings for the inauguration were the highest since Reagan? Did you also see which market had the highest percentage of viewers tuned in at 51%? Raleigh! Seattle was lowest at 19%. Apathetic coffee-drinking Nirvana slackers. It was dubbed the "Snobama Effect" here.

APD turned 12 today. What a great kid! I hope the next 12 go slower than the first 12 did.

Dolberry's Law

The order of the world is established through a system of laws. Without the controlling influence of laws, it is easy to speculate that humanity would rapidly disintegrate into a chaotic mess. Laws can originate from many sources. The first ones were divine, they've been embedded in our psyches for generations. ("Love your God. Love your neighbor.") Some come through a legislative or deliberative process and their wisdom is borne out over decades. ("Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.") Some laws might be needed for a time, but circumstances eventually relegate it to obsolescence. According to dumblaws.com, in the State of Kentucky one may not dye a duckling blue and offer it for sale unless more than six are for sale at once.

Dolberry has always liked that category of "laws" that naturally spring from human observation and persist because of their truth. The most famous of these types of laws is the rather pessimistic Murphy's Law. Another famous one is Moore's Law. I've spent the last month ruminating over another law that I think could radically reshape the way sports fans watch and communicate about their passion. In typical Dolberry modesty, I propose it be called Dolberry's Law.

Dolberry's Law reads as follows: "As a sports fan, you may only claim credit for championships that were won during your lifetime and during a period in which you actively rooted for that team."

As we move into the Final Four and Opening Day of baseball season, it is perhaps fitting that we now gently admonish the two groups that I think will be most affected by Dolberry's Law, i.e., New York Yankees fans and U of K basketball fans.

When we were in Sarasota watching the Reds spank the Yankees, I overheard the following snippet from a conversation between a group of grumpy (& prolifically profane) 20-something Yankees fans ... "talk to me when you've won 26 World Series instead of four." (Actually, the Reds have won five, but I wasn't going to interject.) According to Dolberry's Law these guys are actually only entitled to take credit for four WS wins (96, 98, 99, 00). As a 41-yr old Reds fan, I'm entitled to gloat about 3 WS wins (75, 76, 90). Four vs. three is not a huge advantage, certainly not one worth boasting about.

The biggest category of fans misleadingly padding their championship stats are Wildcat basketball fans who continuously trumpet their seven titles. Unless you were born before 1950, you are not eligible to take credit for the titles in 48, 49, 51, & 58. So UK fans of my age can legitimately take credit for only three. (U of L has two over the same period.) So the next time you run across a UK fan, watch out for them drooling chewing tobacco on your shoes and admonish them with Dolberry's Law if they try to take credit for championships won when a whole race of Americans weren't even allowed to participate in the sport.

And just so Dolberry is not accused of making the law for his own use, please realize that I'm losing credit for Saint Louis University's all-time leading 10 soccer titles between 1959 and 1973. Using the "actively rooted" section of Dolberry's Law, I would only be eligible for any titles that the glorious Billikens won that one Saturday night I rode a bus out to some crazily far away western St. Louis suburb to watch a 0-0 tie. (Actually, Dolberry was probably only eligible for maybe 10 minutes of the 90 minutes of gameplay.)

C-A-R-D-S!

Random sports and weather thoughts

Hope all are doing well.


Pat Forde on the Disingenuous Drifter (Bobby P) ... one of the most excoriating articles I've read in a long time.

The Mitchell Report comes out tomorrow. Early leaks (less than w/ most reports) indicate over 80 names are listed as having used steroids/HGH. I may be wearing rose-colored glasses, but I doubt more than 1-2 Reds are on the list. I figure Freel/Farney has probably ingested almost every substance known to man ... but other than that no Reds seem to fit the mold (at least the mold in my mind ... yes I have a moldy mind).


It looks like it's going to snow in Louisville (& Evansville) this weekend, once you get past your potentially flooding rains of tonight/tomorrow. Looks like Louisville will be right on the rain/snow line. Here's where the NWS thinks the heaviest snow will be laid down.

Best Louisville game of the year

That's What I'm Talking About!!!!

One quarter of passionate football (all season) is better than none.

Hey, the sun did come up today!

A few observations on the game last night:

1) Was impressed w/ Rutgers in every way. I think the final margin was closer than the game really was. And I thought they played w/ real class (helping people up from the pile, no over-the-top gesturing, no personal fouls (except the roughing the punter)). Schiano seemed like a really decent guy as well. And they were able to get their fans off the field after they rushed it w/ one second left. After seeing the way some of the SEC fans & coaches behaved this week, I wonder if how much class a program has is proportional to how long you've been a major player on the CFB scene. I'll be cheering for Rutgers the rest of the way (unless there's still some way UL can get into a BCS game). I think they deserve to be in the argument for the NC game & if they beat WVU in Morgantown, would argue that they should get a chance.

2) Am interested in Petrino's breakdown after looking at film. His early statements seemed to place the blame on Brohm, but it seemed to me that there was NO time to throw. The playcalling seemed odd to me. No plays to the TE for the 2nd game. The only play that seemed to have any traction was the "power sweep" looking play to Kolby Smith, but it didn't work as a deep pitch, which we tried three times. Obviously, getting 2nd and 16 every possession screws up the playbook. I've never seem UL take so many careless penalties (motion, offsides).

3) Excuses: Every team in every sport can make excuses after every loss. It doesn't take away from the Rutgers win, but the WV (home) / RU (away) combo seven days later made for great TV, but it would have been tough for anyone to sweep that DH. And how heartbreaking was it to watch Bush leaving the field as Rutgers drove down for the winning score. Ahhh, what could've been had he not gotten hurt ....

Anyway, am off work, it's supposed to get to 78 degrees here in full sun today, and the glorious Billikens have beaten their two D2 preseason opponents by a combined 81 points, so life goes on.

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!