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Archive for the category “Correspondents”

17 Mar 2013
3 Comments

In 2013, Louisville Again Proves Its Worth

#L1C4(Credits: www.gocards.com)

#L1C4
(Credits: http://www.gocards.com)

If any doubt still existed as to whether the University of Louisville was the right choice for membership into the Atlantic Coast Conference, those doubts were dashed on Saturday, March 16, 2013.

As I watched my beloved Cardinals struggle, persevere and then triumph against the Syracuse Orange in the last Big East Championship title game of the modern era, I couldn’t help but think about all the naysayers and detractors of Belknap’s athletic department as the ACC made its decision in 2012.

Louisville basketball has come a long way, to be sure. We were always the known unknown who entered and left conferences. From the Metro Conference to Conference USA to the Big East Conference, the pride of Louisville proved and proved and proved themselves to fans, outsiders and future conference brass by winning national titles and battling our way into Final Fours. When Rick Pitino was hired as head coach after legend Denny Crum wrapped up his career, fans instantly knew the future was bright and we would give our new coach as much time as he needed.

What we have accomplished as members of the Big East is still unfathomable in my eyes. I’m sure the Villanovas and Syracuses and Georgetowns and Connecticuts chided the decision to add us and others to their ranks and assumed they would continue to dominate the league. No one could have written the memorable storyline the Cardinals have produced since 2005.

Louisville became the winningest program since the realignment of 2005 and has now won its third conference basketball championship. As finalists of the tournament in four of the last five years, the Cardinals have continued to prove their worth on the hardwood.

2013 Big East Champions(Credits: www.bigeast.org)

2013 Big East Champions
(Credits: http://www.bigeast.org)

In football, Louisville has always faced an uphill challenge. Scheduling juggernauts like Alabama, Georgia and Notre Dame had been a difficult feat to claim, and recruiting the best players from around the country has never been our trademark. However, the football Cardinals made it their mission to always be satisfied with the progression of the program and to constantly improve from within.

Having won our two Bowl Championship Series matchups (2006 FedEx Orange Bowl and 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl), we put everything on the field when we are placed on the stage and told to perform.

When Coach Charlie Strong chose to extend his contract at Louisville rather than take the Tennessee job with the Southeastern Conference, fans surrounding the university knew what he thought about his current job and the institution. The sigh of relief throughout the River City came from fans who realized that our time had finally come to keep our coach and strive to maintain and surpass our accomplishments.

Although elevated, it is clear head coach Charlie Strong is not satisfied with the heights of the program under his tutelage. The invitation to the ACC combined with the fashion in which Louisville dealt the Gators the loss in the Sugar Bowl sent the city into overdrive.

Coach Charlie Strong celebrates after the 2013 Sugar Bowl victory(Credits: Getty Images)

Coach Charlie Strong celebrates after the 2013 Sugar Bowl victory
(Credits: Getty Images)

All we ask is for a chance to prove our worth. That is all we have ever wanted, and it appears we will soon get our chance once again in the prestigious ACC in 2014.

Posted by MBenjAdams in Basketball, Conference Realignment, Football, Louisville Correspondent, March Madness, Orange Bowl and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
16 Mar 2013
2 Comments

Louisville to Face Rival Syracuse for Big East Title

Louisville unleashes its inner Cardinal(Credits: Madeline Hack)

Louisville unleashes its inner Cardinal
(Credits: Madeline Hack)

If someone had told me at the beginning of this season that our Louisville Cardinals would contend for back-to-back Big East Championship titles against a historic conference juggernaut in a matchup marking the storied history of the conference as it enters its waning days of existence, I would have thought that person had a great imagination.

Given the preseason hype surrounding this year’s squad, it’s not surprising we find ourselves right where we belong in the title chase.  Nor am I surprised our opponent comes in the form of our rival Syracuse.  However, no one could have predicted the changes the conference will undergo in the next year and that the final tournament would consist of a model foe versus a new foe.

Here’s how we got to the tournament final:

2013 Big East Championship(Credits: www.bigeast.org)

2013 Big East Championship
(Credits: http://www.bigeast.org)

Since joining the league in 2005, Louisville has continued traditional conference rivalries and acquired new ones.  Aside from the annual Cincinnati showdown, no other rivalry has meant so much or garnered as much attention as the yearly conflicts with the Syracuse Orange.  There is no doubt this rivalry will continue once both programs enter the Atlantic Coast Conference.

It is only fitting that this epic tournament final would be fought between a classic powerhouse and our Cardinals, the winningest Big East team since we entered the conference.  Both programs have built lasting legacies as Big East programs and the combination of wins and losses and coaching staffs have allowed us to stand out among other teams.

As preseason favorites to contend for the conference title, Rick Pitino and the Cardinals have not disappointed.  This conference final will be epic – I couldn’t ask for a better way to end an era than with a face-off between two great programs on the national stage.

Having split the first two meetings earlier this season in conference play, the Cardinals and Orange will settle the score under the lights of Madison Square Garden at 9 p.m. on Saturday.

#L1C4 – Louisville First, Cards Forever

Posted by MBenjAdams in Basketball, Conference Realignment, Louisville Correspondent and tagged , , , , , , ,
12 Mar 2013

State of the Pack: What has gone before…

So we, the Wolfpack nation, were reduced to this:  pulling for the Maryland Quitterpins vs the favored Virginia Cavaliers.  To make matter worse, the Terps teased us, at times controlling the game before falling short by only four points.  So that was that; no first-round bye in the Acc Tournament, instead a meeting with Virginia Tech on Thursday afternoon.

But how did we get to this point? Time for a (not very) nostalgic look back at the 2013 season…

It started with rampant optimism.  Many prognosticators had NCSU winning the conference, with at least one preaseason magazine picking the Pack to make the Final Four.  The first sign that this might be inacurate came on the sunny isle of Puerto Rico, where State came out flat and lost to Oklahoma State 76-56 in a rout that may not have been as close as the score indicated.  While the Cowboys would prove better than expected, the Pack would not meet their lofty expectations at all.

Still, the ship seemed to be righted on January 12th when State dominated then-number-one Duke 84-76.  Standing at 14-2 and 3-0 in conference play, the Pack looked like they could handle anybody.

At least until the following Wednesday, when the game that perhaps defined this maddening rollercoaster ride occured:  the 51-50 loss at Maryland.  That’s when we all had to admit that despite the great recruiting class, despite the preseason predictions, despite last season’s surprise Sweet 16 appearance, this was no Final Four candidate.

There would be other peaks and valleys this year, beating North Carolina in Raleigh, losing to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, but the Pack slid slowly down the ratings from a preseason #6  to the current position of a team unranked but at least certain of an NCAA bid.

If force to give this team a letter grade based solely on the regular season, I would go B-.  C+ if not for the split with both Duke and Carolina, B+ if not for the losses to Wake and Maryland, and to FSU when the bye was still ours to lose.

I am a bit disturbed as I check out State message boards around the net.  Some are already howling for Mark Gottfried’s head.  While much did go wrong this year, I urge patience.  We are pretty much guaranteed a second straight trip to the Dance, and as all State fans know, once you get there, who knows?  Our lack of depth is all that is holding us back at this point.

As for the upcoming ACC tournament, we open, as mentioned above, on Thursday vs Virginia Tech at 2 pm.  We should expect to win that one.  Then it will be Virginia on Friday, and I am smelling a Pack victory there as well, although it would be something of an upset.  If so, Miami will likely be waiting in the semifinals, and that should be that.  But if, and I cannot see it happening, we somehow stun the Canes, either Duke or Carolina will be waiting.  I think Carolina; Duke tends to look ahead to the NCAAs and sometimes stumble in the conference tourney.

Anyway, the winner of State/Miami would then face the winner of Duke/UNC.  Any matchup of these four teams will be a final for the ages.  I think Miami vs UNC, and all bets are off.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, NC State Correspondent, Opinion, Predictions, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , ,
12 Mar 2013
7 Comments

Expansion-Related Exaggerations- The Farce of Big 10 Academic Superiority

Even though the rumors of the ACC’s demise have quieted down somewhat (which just goes to prove the absurdity of their existence to begin with), I want to continue with my planned series on conference realignment. So today I’m going to tackle the most often mentioned reason to join the Big 10. No, it’s not television money…it’s research money.

It’s true that the Big 10 is a great academic conference. But the benefits of its research organization, the CIC, are greatly overblown. Universities can, in fact, collaborate on research with anyone they want to. They can work together. They can raise funds together. They can do all of the things that the CIC offers without ever even stepping foot in the Midwest. And they do- ACC universities already do this with great success. For example, the University of North Carolina has become the nationally recognized leader in concussion research. They’re working on it on their own terms, with the schools that they want to. Yet, they’re not in the CIC. And Virginia Tech is pushing the boundaries of renewable energy. Their solar house has become a nationally recognized award winner, but they’re not members of the CIC either.  It’s not the organization that innovates. And it’s not the amount of money that it has that changes the world. It’s the people, and ACC universities are home to some of the top research talent available.

But you might say that money DOES matter and that the CIC will provide this to prospective members like UVA and GT. Okay, so how do ACC schools stack up when comparing research dollars? A quick glance at The Center for Measuring University Performance’s “Top American Research Rankings” list, shows ACC schools like Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, NC State and Pittsburgh alongside Michigan and Wisconsin. That’s the Big Ten alongside the ACC- there’s virtually no difference. ACC schools benefit from their association with each other just like the Big Ten schools do. Research dollar rankings prove this.

And that’s without even touching academic rankings. The ACC far exceeds the Big Ten as a whole in the often mentioned US News and World Report findings. The ACC boasts 11 universities in the Top 60 (including Maryland), while the Big Ten only has 6. Even with Maryland gone, the ACC will have a remarkable 66.6% of its members in this top group, compared to the Big Ten’s 50%. Again, facts not bias.

Many Big Ten fans point to membership in the Association of American Universities. Since an impressive 11 of 12 Big Ten schools hold a spot in this organization, it’s no wonder that they cite this as evidence of their superiority. Who wouldn’t? Yet, while it’s true that the AAU boasts a truly elite group of universities, having an exclusive membership like a collegiate fraternity does not mean that its members are more academically advanced than their peers. Highly regarded universities such as Dartmouth (#10), Notre Dame (#17), Georgetown (#21), Wake Forest (#27) and Boston College (#31) do not hold membership in the AAU, but are all, rightfully so, considered to be among the top schools in the country (US News and World Report ranking in parentheses). Membership in the AAU is not a necessary part of, or even a precursor to academic success. It looks good to have a title beside a school’s name, but what the school accomplishes is much more important. ACC schools prove this everyday.

This article is by no means an outlet to demean the Big Ten, but to start a discussion. The Big Ten is an impressive collection of schools with great academic programs and a rich history- this can’t be denied. But it’s great for them, NOT us. We appreciate our history. We celebrate our success. And we’re proud of our top-notch academic programs. The facts speak for themselves.

Posted by Mr. Tar Heel in Conference Realignment, Opinion, UNC Correspondent, Uncategorized
11 Mar 2013
2 Comments

While Fans Honeymoon, Louisville Releases 2013 Football Schedule

Louisville Football has only one more year of [insert conference name here] competition before entering the Atlantic Coast Conference.  While many fans would rather hit the fast forward button and quickly arrive to fall 2014 than sit through another lackluster conference season, the Confidential cautions those future seekers not to overlook the opportunity at hand.

Times of great change can be very exciting.  Remember back to the days of constantly surfing the internet for any update on UofL’s chances of getting into the Big 12?  Perhaps you were busy burning up the computer looking for a way into the ACC?  No doubt some of you were also keeping an eye out for SEC expansion news.  The last several years have been filled with a barrage of intensity, not to mention enthusiasm.

But don’t forget about the present just yet, my friends.  UofL athletics is still on its ACC honeymoon.  I don’t know about you, but at no point of my honeymoon did I ever wish for it be over.  The exhilaration of accomplishment can quickly transition back to mundane existence.  While memories of extravagant honeymoons can be easily summoned after the fact, we will never live in this existence again.

On Wednesday, the University of Louisville released its 2013 football schedule.  Most interestingly, the Cardinals have three bye weeks sprinkled throughout.  The most important bye appears in just the right place – the week before the season finale against rival Cincinnati.

8/31 Saturday Ohio PJCS
9/7 Saturday Eastern Kentucky PJCS
9/14 Saturday Kentucky Lexington
9/21 Saturday Florida International PJCS
9/28 Saturday Bye
10/5 Saturday Temple Philadelphia
10/10 Thursday Rutgers PJCS
10/18 Friday Central Florida PJCS
10/26 Saturday South Florida Tampa
11/2 Saturday Bye
11/8 Friday Connecticut East Hartford
11/16 Saturday Houston PJCS
11/23 Saturday Memphis PJCS
11/30 Saturday Bye
12/5 Thursday Cincinnati Cincinnati

If you’re looking at the schedule and letting out a huge sigh, you’re not alone.  The marquee games per se on the schedule are Kentucky, Rutgers and Cincinnati.  While Ohio, UCF, USF and Houston are no pushovers, there just isn’t too much substance for fans to celebrate in the 2013 season.

Alas, there will be no conference championship game as previously planned.  A ten-team league was formed when Boise State and San Diego State committed to the Big East, but their change of heart cost the league a season finale.

There has to be some good news about this schedule, right?  Well, if you consider the weak schedule as proper impetus to win every game and defend our BCS win, then yes.  If for no other reason, true fans should support the Cardinals as they attempt to end the pre-ACC days on a positive note.

I would love to wake up tomorrow to find Louisville and its athletic programs already members of the ACC and having kissed their shaky Big East days goodbye.  However, if that were the case, the honeymoon would be over and would soon become a distant memory.

It is only fitting that we fans wait for our future – it allows us time to reflect on our university’s rich history, athletic successes and academic trajectory.  Being wanted and feeling valued gives fans pride and a sense of being on cloud nine.  Frankly, I’m too comfortable for that sensation to pass.

May the honeymoon never end, UofL.

Posted by MBenjAdams in Conference Realignment, Football, Louisville Correspondent, Schedule and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
06 Mar 2013
8 Comments

Fast Forward: The ACC in 2016?

It’s 2016 and conference realignment has slowed down.  Again.  As most expected, the Atlantic Coast Conference has survived another round of unsubstantiated rumors and quasi-sourced reports from university big wigs and industry executives.  Overall, the past few years have proven quite productive in terms of membership and revenue.

A combination of ESPN affirming its financial commitment to the conference and the additions of Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Cincinnati and Connecticut have made way for a 16-team league which boasts a great amount of competitive talent, geographic diversity and athletic tradition.

The ACC now has eight teams competing in men’s lacrosse with Cincinnati, Louisville and UConn adding the niche sport to their athletic departments.  Six of the league’s baseball teams are firmly in the Top 25 and seven teams are regulars in the women’s basketball Top 25.

College football has gradually improved over the past two years.  The Seminoles and Tigers have continued their top-tier presence in the rankings and Virginia Tech, Louisville, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh add some needed depth to the conference schedule.  NC State, Connecticut and Syracuse are steadily improving, the Tar Heels are sanction-free and competitive and Georgia Tech has awoken from its talent slumber.

College basketball is absolutely phenomenal.  Along with the annual Tobacco Road matchup, Syracuse-UNC has become epic in its short existence and Pitt has become quite the foe of Duke, NC State and Virginia.  Much anticipated matchups between Duke and Louisville and Connecticut and North Carolina have also given way to intense conference-wide games with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  The conference now boasts seven teams with national championship histories.

Although there is much competition among the field in both basketball and football, there is a great amount of talent at the top.  Many believe multiple ACC representatives will punch cards to the Final Four and there is guarded optimism a team will soon vie for the Coaches’ Trophy at Cowboys Stadium.

As with anything, it takes vision, determination and patience to see a great idea through to fruition.  The ACC is no different.  Fantasies often begin with unrealistic expectations while goals are accomplished through steady hard work and practical ambitions.

Congratulations, ACC!  You had the nerve and foresight to persevere and maintain your athletic tradition while maintaining and promoting solid academics.  The Confidential looks forward to many more years of ACC excellence.

**Is this article fantasy or realistic? Join the discussion below and let the Confidential know your opinion.

Posted by MBenjAdams in ACC only, Baseball, Basketball, Conference Realignment, Football, Lacrosse, Louisville Correspondent, Predictions and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
05 Mar 2013
11 Comments

Louisville’s pre-ACC Options: Bring Back the Metro Conference

With all the focus on whether Notre Dame will follow the Catholic 7 into the new Big East for a year or be allowed to enter the ACC a year early, this observer turns his attention to what the University of Louisville will do (or be allowed to do) in light of the latest conference realignment development.

The worst-case scenario befell the Louisville, Cincinnati and Connecticut athletic programs. While each school was vying for the ACC’s glance in 2012, no one expected the possibility that there would be no home to return to if not selected.

While Louisville must come up with and be satisfied with a short-term solution, the Bearcats and Huskies are in a much worse position with no real future on any horizon.

Originally scheduled to officially enter the prestigious ACC in 2014, Louisville and its fans are quite content with that still being the case. However, the news that the Catholic 7 will compete in fall 2013 and take the Big East name with them arouses some understandable doubts about where the Cardinals will land in the interim.

This Confidential correspondent has pondered the many options available to all parties involved and believes one solution is tenable. A void will exist when/after the Catholic 7 take the Big East name and this means that the current member schools will need to either attach to another conference or come up with one of their own.

In my humble opinion, I believe the remaining schools should resurrect an idea whose time has come once again. Even though Louisville and Rutgers will be leaving for the ACC and Big Ten in 2014, I feel a viable option could be for them to help formulate a new version of the Metro Conference (Metro Collegiate Athletic Conference) for all sports.

At various points in time over the twenty year history of the Metro Conference from 1975 to 1995, Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis, South Florida and Tulane were member schools. The league revolved around schools in metropolitan areas and eventually merged with the Great Midwest Conference to form Conference USA.

Although it disbanded, the conference had become a household name and boasted some other well-known member schools over the years, including Georgia Tech, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Saint Louis and South Carolina.

Let’s be clear: no one wants to go backwards in terms of tradition and program evolution. However, unless other conferences are open to cherry picking the residual Big East schools, there are really very few options and I suspect no one wants to go back to C-USA.

If the remaining schools were to band together and form a new conference, I believe one option on the table should be to revive the Metro league. It has name recognition, although a bit dated, and it fits the geographic locations of its would-be member schools and gives the beleaguered schools a new start with which to enter the future.

Assuming the schools agree to submit all of their athletic programs, Cincinnati, Central Florida, East Carolina, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Rutgers, South Florida, Southern Methodist and Temple would make a 10-team conference for the 2013-14 season. In addition to compiling some household names, each member school would boast large metropolitan populations that could entice large media rights deals and revenues for the universities.

When Louisville and Rutgers leave, the new conference can then seek out new programs. The actions of Mike Aresco and the Big East brass in the past year have shown there is not a shortage of programs looking to realign themselves in this era of athletic musical chairs.

One thing is for sure: the time has come for some proactive decision-making by these schools. Although the Big East did its best to recruit new schools to join, the situation is what it is and the wrench the Catholic 7 have thrown into the conference’s future plans lends itself to some creative thinking.

If there are no other viable options, this option would enjoin dejected, outlying athletic programs into one conference with a goal of moving forward and finding common ground. Louisville and Rutgers can use their resources to help these programs before they leave for their new conferences. Although it will still appear like they are running out on them, they will nonetheless garner the attention and respect as two big-time programs that provided leadership to help everyone affected.

Feel free to comment and let me know what you think. At this point, only discussion and bold ideas can solve this problem. What are your ideas for the remaining schools?

**Mr. Cardinal is a new correspondent around the Atlantic Coast Confidential office. He graduated from the University of Louisville and is currently the Senior Editor of Empress World Publishing in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Posted by MBenjAdams in Conference Realignment, Louisville Correspondent and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
23 Feb 2013
1 Comment

UNC Dominates!!!

Break a three-way tie for third in the ACC standings? Check!

Defend your homecourt and defeat your 2nd-biggest conference rival in the process? Check!

The Tar Heels left little doubt that they are back to form with their 76-65 rout  of NC State. Reggie Bullock, who was injured when these teams met in Raleigh, led all scorers with 22 and added 13 rebounds as Roy Williams’ Heels remained unbeaten against the Wolfpack in Chapel Hill.  James Michael McAdoo could do no wrong, with 14 points and 7 rebounds of his own.

The game itself was a bit ugly for a while.  Despite early turnover troubles, State hung in and were only down 34-28 at half. After a run of their own, the Pack led by four a couple of times.  But at about the six minute mark in the final segment, things changed dramatically.

Suddenly the Heels could do no wrong.  Even on the rare occasion in which they turned the ball over, the Pack could not finish and either missed or gave the possesion back.  To say that Carolina looked like the Harlem Globetrotters vs the Washington Generals is a profound insult to the Generals.

Not to say that the win was the result of Pack ineptitude.  Roy Williams obviously had his squad ready and when the game was on the line, the Heels were able to turn up the heat and secure the win.  That’s what champions do.

It’s probably too late for the Heels to make a run at the regular-season crown.  But I would be very nervous if I were a Duke or Miami fan going into Greensboro…very nervous indeed.

Disclaimer:

Fellow State fans, I am deeply sorry.  However, a bet’s a bet, and to be honest, it was kind of interesting to try and view this from another perspective.  And very, very painful.

Mr. Tar Heel, thanks for agreeing to this and I will (probably) never suggest it again. Congrats on the victory.

Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, NC State Correspondent, Uncategorized and tagged , , ,
23 Feb 2013
7 Comments

Syracuse-Georgetown Day!

Syracuse fans are thrilled to be going to the ACC next year.  But one of the downsides is the end to a rivalry like this.  Over the years this has been THE game for both Syracuse and Georgetown fans.  Today at 4pm on CBS the last ever Big East game at the Carrier Dome between these two storied programs.

Football rules college athletic decision making – but don’t tell that to the 34,000 fans that will pack the Carrier Dome today. With the nation’s longest home winning streak on the line, what Syracuse fan doesn’t remember the last game at Manley Field House when John Thompson concluded with saying Manley Field House was officially closed?  How about the Classic 1990 game where JT was ejected?

This ranks up there with NC-Duke.  All Big East fans will miss this rivalry.  Today will be college basketball at its best.  I hope all the ACC fans get a chance to take a look at this game today and see the Carrier Dome experience as new rivalaries get set to begin next year.

Anyone with other great SU-Georgetown moments they remember?

 

 

Posted by tjcuseacc in ACC only, Basketball, Syracuse correspondent and tagged , , , , ,
22 Feb 2013
4 Comments

State of the Pa…Tar Heels??

What? Here is the deal:

Last time State and UNC met, in a game that went the Wolfpack’s way but not by much, I gave you stats about the rivalry in my preview. This time, I have a slightly different idea.

Last time, ACC Confidential did not have a UNC correspondent. Now we do, in the guise of Mr. Tar Heel, whose posts have been consistently informative and engrossing, as have the posts from my other correspondent colleagues as well as our moderator’s.

So, on the eve of the rematch, I have a proposal for Mr. Tar Heel. Although I am not a betting man, I offer a friendly wager as follows:

If UNC wins, a distinct possibility since we are going to to their place and since this is being billed as a battle for 4th and a bye in the ACC tournament, then I will write a post praising the Heel’s performance. If State wins, then Mr. Tar Heel would write one praising the way the Pack took UNC to task. Simple. Elegant.

I haven’t brought this up via email or any other medium with Mr. Heel, so it may be that he will reject the idea faster than Richard Howell blocking a James Michael McAdoo layup. And that would be fair enough, since I am kind of putting him on the spot.

So, what say you, Mr. Tar Heel? Up for this?


Posted by mikemab2000 in ACC only, Basketball, NC State Correspondent, UNC Correspondent and tagged , ,

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