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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Where are they now? Watson looks at the UofL Womens' Basketball runner up team from 2009.


( David takes on the task of tracking down the players on the 2009 National Runner-Up UofL women's basketball team. As far as we know, no laws were broken or animals injured in his attempts..)

I was rummaging the other day. You do that from time to time when you reach my age. This search was for a box of drill bits that I remember purchasing a few years ago at a yard sale and had "stored" somewhere. The search led from my garage to my basement. While looking, I came across a DVD marked UL v.Okla Final Four 2009.


Yes, I recorded that game. Any accounts of it  or rebroadcast are expressly forbidden by -- whatever. Come get me, officer. Put the cuffs on me. Louisville won the game. 


You probably knew that.


What it did was get me thinking about the players on that Louisville team. Later that night I started thinking about where they were these days. 


I thought it might make a good column for my Monday writings. I called Paul and asked if he had pictures somewhere of those players and he said he'd be glad to add them to my article.


So, where are they now? Some of these are chip shots, gimmies -- easy to track. Some weren't so easy. Some I had to ask Paul about. 


-- Angel McCoughtry

OK, this is an easy one for 99% of you. She's currently in Washington, practicing and preparing to play in the Summer Olympics for the United States women's basketball team. She's in the WNBA, playing for Atlanta. She's pretty good, huh?


To the 1%...Welcome out of your coma. Barack Obama's our president and they took House off the air. West Virginia's in the BIG 12 and Pittsburgh headed to the ACC. Traitors.  


-- Candyce Bingham

Candyce is now the head women's basketball coach at (Louisville) Fern Creek High School. She started there last year after spending a few years playing international basketball and working assorted jobs at UofL. It's rumored she still works out with some of the former and current UofL players. 


I wonder if she's still got that power move to the hoop that always seemed to produce a basket or a trip to the line? And if she's teaching it to any of her players. 


-- Deseree Byrd


Dez's whereabouts were a mystery to me, so I asked Paul about her. He told me that he had asked Coach Walz about her a few weeks back and that Dez was doing well and working. Coach talks to her from time to time. 

She was one that I figured might have had a good shot at overseas or professional ball if she hadn't got injured.


Paul told me a story about her. The women's basketball team had made an impromptu visit to the Parrish House during a Saturday afternoon of football tailgaiting. There were troops there from Fort Knox visiting as well. Dez challenged one of them to a push-up contest and won. The winner got a cold bottle of water from Paul. 


Monty Hall he isn't.


-- Keisha Hines

You'll probably remember that Keisha came on strong at center for the team near the end of the year, inspired by her sick grandmother. I never heard how the grandma turned out but I hope she, and Keisha are OK. Keisha returned the next year and played in the post for two more seasons at UofL. She's graduated and working. 


I asked Paul if he knew anymore about her. He said he thought either he or Sonja were friends with her on Facebook. Maybe she'll read this and catch us up with her. 


-- Gwen Rucker

When Keisha wasn't in the paint, Gwen usually was. She was a freshman on that team and played one more season while also playing volleyball for UofL. She's a red-shirt senior on the UofL Volleyball team now and was competing for a spot on the A2 National Red team earlier this month.


Who could ever forget "the staredown" with Kia Vaughn? 


Here's hoping she's 100% healed from the injury that had her sidelined for part of the 2011 season and she can help lead the Volleyball Cards to BIG EAST supremacy again.


-- Brandie Radde

Brandie played part of that season before taking some time off to concentrate on academics. Not that she was doing poorly, she was focused on getting into medical school. She did return for the last part of the following season when the depth roster on the team dropped to dangerous levels. 


She now part of the labratory personnel in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Louisville. 

I'm guessing the academic thing turned out pretty well for her. She looks pretty happy (she's the one on the right) in the picture Paul found of her. 


-- Laura Terry

The last I heard about Laura was that she was a Spring 2012 graduate from UofL and had been a student assistant on the basketball team the last couple of years. She's probably taking a little time to enjoy her graduation. CARDINAL COUPLE reader Mike D. says she going to join up with Michelle Clark-Heard's staff at WKU.


I'm glad she's staying in basketball. I don't know if she reads CARDINAL COUPLE or not, but it'd be great to get an update from her from time-to-time.


She was a tough-as-nails post player that had some bad breaks with her knees. She also had a pretty good three, if I remember right. 


-- Monique Reid

Sonja did a pretty good write-up on her in the Sunday edition of Cardinal Couple. In case you missed it, she'll be a red-shirt senior on the 2012-13 team and will hopefully be fully recovered from the knee injury that kept her out of most of the 2011-12 season.


Who else thinks that if Mo and Tia would have been available last year that the Cards would have reached another Final Four? 


-- Janae Howard

She played for NAIA St. Catherine last season after leaving Louisville after her freshman year and transferring to Western Kentucky. A good spot-up three point shooter, I'll always wonder how her career would have turned out if she had stayed at Louisville. She's got one season remaining for St. Catherine College. I hope she scores a lot. 


-- Tiera Stephen

Another reserve that transferred after her freshman year, Stephen went to Wisconsin and joined the basketball team there. A reserve guard for the Badgers, she'll be a senior for them this fall. 


With the rash of guard injuries that UofL had in the 2009-10 season, I wonder if she would have seen considerable time for Louisville? 


-- Mary Jackson

Left Louisville after her freshman year and went back to Memphis, where she played her high school ball. She was a member of the Tigers basketball team before leaving to play for NAIA Lee University last year. 


I couldn't determine whether she still has another year of eligibility left or not. 


Lee University is in Cleveland, TN.


-- Becky Burke

I saved my favorite player for last. Becky completed her senior season in the spring and also graduated. She's on her way to play over in Poland in the Euro-Leagues this summer.


She also played for the US Women's All-Stars during their recent tour of China. Is she the best "three" shooter in Cardinal history? I know Paul will argue for Kristin Mattox. He's been in love with her since the early nineties. Give me "Big Shot" Becky on the square-up and release anyday. 


I hope this helps get you caught up on the girls that were part of that special season in Louisville women's basketball history. Thanks to Paul for adding the pictures. 

I'm going to have to take some time in the near future and watch that DVD again. I remember it was an exciting game. I think Candyce hit a free throw to put UofL up 61-59 with a few seconds left and Oklahoma missed a three at the buzzer that could have won it for them. Take that, Courtney Paris. 


( Editor's note : We have attached the promo clip for this game. )


Courtney guarantees title shot for OU 


Guaranteeing a victory is risky business. I know. It was me who bravely predicted that I'd beat my son in bean bag toss at a 4th of July picnic. I have grass-cutting duties for the rest of July because of that inept wager. I'm glad it's been dry lately. 


Maybe I'll do a report like this in 3-4 years on where the ladies are now that were part of the 2012-13 Louisville Cardinals NCAA Women's Basketball Championship team are. If you dream it, you can achieve it. Who else besides me would love to go to New Orleans next spring and watch Louisville's ladies in another Final Four? 


I still haven't found the drill bits yet. 


( Thanks for all the hard work on today's column, David. And the phone calls. I wasn't really trying to take a Sunday afternoon nap all that seriously. The phone kept waking me up.) 
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WE look back....BIG EAST WBB prepares for Christmas Break

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-We look back...Lady Cards vs. Vermont

-BIG EAST review

-HAPPY FESTIVUS!!

(With the Lady Cards off for a week, WE take this opportunity to look back at the past Lady Cards seasons...hop in the time machine with us and travel back to December 21st., 2008. WE set the dial for Freedom Hall...)

The Lady Cards were 9-1 going into the game against Vermont and ready for their Christmas break. Maybe a little too ready, as Dez Byrd mentioned after the game...

"Some of us had our bags packed in the locker room."

The foe was the Vermont Catamounts (5-4) and a festive holiday crowd of over 5,000 had showed up at Freedom Hall (remember, this is 2008) to watch the Lady Cards play and probably romp the America East conference foe. After all, it was Vermont...right?

"It was a lack of focus. I thought we were going too fast. We were more anxious than they were." senior Candyce Bingham commented after the game...a contest Louisville eventually ended up winning 67-55.

Byrd and Bingham led the Cards to the 12 point win, surviving an off night by Louisville star Angel McCoughtry..who totaled just 12 points and played only 24 minutes...saddled with foul trouble.

Second year Lady Cards coach Jeff Walz took the high road when discussing the game after the win.

"It's very encouraging. Dez, for the progress she's made from our exhibition game to now is remarkable. I'd put her up there with anybody in our league at point guard. She's still got some things to learn...but for a kid who's never played the point...I'm really pleased with how far she's come."

Louisville took the early lead against Vermont and held on to it, despite sloppy play and McCoughtry only getting two points in 13 minutes. It was 27-18 and the Lady Cards were beginning to realize that the Catamounts weren't going gently into that good night.

The Catamounts made an early second half charge at Louisville, using a second half run of 9-4 to cut the Cardinal advantage to 31-27 with 16:38 left
in the game. The Cards knew they had to pick the defense up and responded with a 12-1 run over the next four minutes to lead 43-28 with 12:36 remaining. The previously quiet McCoughtry was aiding Bingham and Byrd and Louisville's lead never dropped below ten points the rest of the way.

Louisville forced Vermont into 32 turnovers while committing 22 miscues. Byrd led Louisville with a game high 15 points and Candyce added 14. A freshman from Fern Creek High School added nine points for Louisville in 19 minutes - Monique Reid. McCoughtry had 10 second half points and was non-commital after the game.

"Shots weren't falling, I was pressing too hard, it wasn't a great game for me but we won and that's the objective."

Do you remember the Cardinal roster from back then? Reid and Becky Burke were on the team and are seniors this year. So was Gwen Rucker, who traded in her hoops jersey eventually to play volleyball. We've mentioned Byrd, Bingham and McCoughtry...here are the other players...

Keisha Hines was a sophomore center...seeing extended playing time due to the injury to Chauntise Wright.

Sharpshooting junior Brandie Radde was still on the squad...she would leave the team later in the season to concentrate on academics...but return midway through the next season to help out the roster depleted Lady Cards.

Janae Howard was a freshman on the squad. She left Louisville after her freshman year and embarked on a journey that would take her to Western Kentucky and eventually to St. Catherine College, where she currently plays.

Mary Jackson...a talented wing from Memphis...would also depart after that Final Four year and return to Memphis to play for the Tigers. She was on the roster last season and a some-time starter...but we've found no mention of her at Memphis in the 2011-12 season. A little help here, CARDINAL COUPLE readers?

Tiera Stephen was a freshman guard for Jeff Walz on the 2008-09 squad. She, too, transferred at the end of the year and is at Wisconsin...playing for the Badgers.

Angel McCoughtry...well whatever happened to her? Rumors are she's some kind of big-shot in the WNBA. (Ask anyone in Atlanta...).

Candyce Bingham was also drafted that year but failed to make the San Antonio squad. She's the head women's basketball coach at Fern Creek High School now. In her first year, her Tigers are currently 2-4. (Wonder if Mo Reid hobbles over there to coach from the bleachers...?)

Dez Byrd was injured in the NCAA Tournament that season, attempted a comeback after hip surgery, but left the Cardinal roster in the 2009-10 season. She's another one we've lost track of. Once again, help us out here CARDINAL COUPLE readers...if you have an update on her.

That 2008-09 squad would go on to win their next nine games before losing a BIG EAST match against #1 UConn. They'd finish 14-2 in the BIG EAST, losing only to West Virginia before entering BIG EAST play. UConn would defeat them in the BIG EAST TOURNAMENT finals and also in the NCAA Tournament National Championship game. They finished 34-5 and were ranked #2 in the nation in the final polls.

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Catching up on a little BIG EAST action...

From Wednesday:

PITT handled Michigan State 64-54 in Cancun
MARQUETTE downed Vermont 71-60 in Milwaukee
SETON HALL defends the home court by defeating William and Mary 71-60.
GEORGETOWN spanks visiting Miami (FL) 71-46.
CONNECTICUT visits and rolls past College of Charleston 72-24

Tonight

PROVIDENCE hosts Clemson
ST. JOHN travels to Harvard
VILLANOVA and Temple battle for Philadelphia supremacy
CINCINNATI welcomes Longwood
DEPAUL gets a visit from Southern Illinois.

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Serenity NOW!!!

HAPPY FESTIVUS! to Cardinal Couple Readers! Is your aluminum pole in the front yard? Are you ready to air your grievances around the table at the Festivus Dinner of meat loaf or spaghetti? Who will participate in the Feats of Strength after dinner? Will there be a Festivus miracle this year?

I hope you've been good this year, because Constanza is watching...
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Bingham takes Fern Creek job...Atlanta Dream gets jobbed by Minnesota Lynx

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE COMIN' AT YA !!!

-Bingham to lead Tigers in girls' basketball

-Despite Angel's record breaking effort...Dream loses 101-95

-Any given Sunday

Former Lady Card great Candyce Bingham has been named the girls' basketball coach
at Fern Creek High School. She was instrumental, along with Angel McCoughtry, in leading
the 2009 Lady Cards to the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament final game. Up to a
couple of weeks ago, Bingham was having a spectacular season for the San German team
in Puerto Rican basketball...third in the league in scoring and rebounding.

Candyce graduated from DuPont Manual High School in 2004 and started her college
hoops at Xavier University. After two years, though, and limited playing time...she transferred to the University of Louisville and teamed up with Angel McCoughtry to
become the best duo in the history of UofL women's basketball. Bingham averaged


C.B. in Puerto Rico

 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds on the 2008-09 Cardinal team that faced Connecticut in the NCAA Championship in St.Louis.

Bingham was drafted in the third round of the 2009 WNBA Draft by San Antonio but was the final cut by the Silver Stars. She has played for various teams overseas since then...in addition to working with UofL's Fastbreak Club and the UofL Marketing department.

She replaces Michelle Fries, who posted a 94-76 record in six seasons at Fern Creek.


Bingham's knowledge of the game and her special ability to relate to and teach younger basketball players will serve her well in her new position. Doesn't hurt to have her mentor and UofL head coach Jeff Walz twenty minutes away, either.

Jeff Walz weighs in on the announcement:

"I am very excited for Candyce and Fern Creek High School. They are not only getting a very good basketball coach, they are getting an even better person. This is an outstanding opportunity for her. I have no doubt you will see Fern Creek at the top of their district and region soon."

Good luck, Candyce. Make the Tigers roar.

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Different night, same result for the Atlanta Dream in their quest to capture the WNBA title. Great first half, big night from Angel McCoughtry and then...boom! Here come the Lynx... In the 4th quarter, the Minnesota Lynx went on a 20-10 run to end the game... overcoming a 85-81 deficit with five minutes remaining to bury Atlanta and take a 101-95 win to go up 2-0 in the best out of five series.

Angel and Seimone Augustus battle it out.

Once again, McCoughtry was brilliant in defeat. Her 38 points set a new record for points in a WNBA finals game - a record Angel had set last year. She had 24 points at halftime but was visibly upset at the foul disparity. The Dream was whistled for 33 infractions, compared to 23 for the Lynx.

"Let us battle it out. Let us scratch and claw to the end. It's entertainment. That's what people want to see." McCoughtry pleaded after the contest.

"I just don't really understand a lot of the things being called." Atlanta head coach Marynell Meadows added.

Hitting their free throws would have helped Atlanta. They went 21 for 32 at the line. Seimone Augustus turned in a big effort for the Lynx...with 36 points on 11 of 14 shooting from the floor and 13 for 16 from the line. Despite the commanding series lead, Augustus wasn't taking anything for granted:

"The legacy isn't complete until you're holding the trophy." she insisted.

Augustus shouldered the load for Minnesota late, with center Taj McWilliams-Franklin on the bench with a sprained knee and Maya Moore saddled with foul trouble for most the game. Jessica Adair came off the bench to help spark the Lynx with 13 points.

The teams head to Atlanta for game three...which will tip Friday night and be shown on ESPN 2.
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Congratulations to the UofL men's soccer team...a 3-2 winner in overtime against Indiana University. Kenney Walker had two goals for the Cards, including the winner.

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Cards still lead the tally over UK when it comes to current players in the NFL. 19 to 12...advantage Cardinals. 16 teams represented...not bad.

UOFL



Brock Bolen still bowling over people.



Brock Bolen           Jacksonville

Michael Bush          Oakland

Deion Branch         New England

Harry Douglas         Atlanta

David Akers           San Francisco
Breno Giacomini    Seattle
Chris Redman        Atlanta
Hunter Cantwell     Baltimore
Elvis Dumervil       Denver
Amobi Okoye        Chicago
Brandon Johnson    Cincinnati


Michael Bush running through the Wildcats



William Gay          Pittsburgh

Chris Johnson        Oakland

Kerry Rhodes        Arizona

Jason Spitz           Jacksonville

Eric Wood            Buffalo

Bilal Powell           New York Jets

Cameron Graham   Tennessee

Gary Barnidge        Carolina

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Volleyball in YUM!...Field Hockey hosts BIG teams...Soccer takes a road trip...Softball scrimmages

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CARDINAL COUPLE THURSDAY:

-Big weekend ahead for UofL women's sports

-We look back at:

The action will be fast and furious for four Cardinal women's sports teams this weekend. Let's look at what lies ahead...

Louisville goalie Chloe Kiefer

Women's Soccer goes on the road to face two BIG EAST opponents...starting with Connecticut on Friday at 7 p.m. and finishing up at Providence with a 1 p.m. Sunday match. The Soccer Cards are coming off a tie against DePaul and win over Notre Dame last week...which boosted their record to 3-4-2 overall and 1-0-1 in the BIG EAST. Louisville will look to the leadership of Christine Exeter and play of freshman Erin Yenney to produce points and goal tending skills of Chloe Kiefer to sweep the journey east. Providence has been shut out in their last five games and sits at 3-3-5 overall...the Huskies are 4-4-0 and 1-1-0 in BIG EAST action. Both are winnable for Karen Ferguson-Dayes squad.

The Jurich twins will lead the
Field Hockey Cards into battle.

Field Hockey returns to Trager Stadium for Friday and Sunday games. The Justine Sowry led Flock shut out Georgetown and American on the road last weekend and Cardinal stars Elizabeth Vance and Erin Conrad received BIG EAST Player of the Week honors for their efforts. The weekend games against Syracuse and New Hampshire will be tough ones...both are ranked in the top ten. Syracuse - 5-2-0 on the season and #5 in the nation - is first...with a 3 p.m. Friday face off. UofL students should show up in big numbers for the one....free Papa John's pizza for them during the afternoon tilt. Louisville is an impressive 6-2-0 on the season and have shot out their last four opponents.

Lola leads the Cards

Volleyball heads to the KFC YUM! Center for their weekend matches...first ever for the UofL program in the downtown arena. They'll host St.John's on Friday 7 p.m. and Connecticut visits Sunday for a 2 p.m. match. The Cards faced two top 25 opponents last weekend in the BIG EAST vs. BIG 10 Challenge in Illinois and Purdue and took both opponents to five games before falling. Lola Arslanbekova has been scorching the nets lately for Anne Kordes' squad...with 20 kills against the Boilermakers and a career-high 30 kills in the Illinois contest. There are still six game packages for the YUM! Center contests available for only $30. Regular admission is $8.



Bemis doesn't know why this
roustabout is asking her questions..

Softball welcomes Murray State to Ulmer Stadium for a double header scrimmage on Saturday afternoon. The Cards got great pitching last weekend from Caralisa Connell and Tori Collins...limiting the Bellarmine Knights to just three hits in a double header sweep. Cardinal coach Sandy Pearsall is faced with the task of replacing the left side of her infield this spring...losing Colby Wherry and Chelsea Bemis to graduation...but several freshmen contributed to last weekend's wins and the Cards do return key components in Kristin Austin, Jordan Trimble, Maggie Ruckenbrod, Taner Fowler and Hannah Kiyohara...just to name a few. Since football is on a bye week, why not head over to Ulmer and get a sneak peek on what Pearsall's 2012 fence swingers have in store for Cardinal fans. Morehead State will complete the busy pitch-and-catch weekend with a visit to "play two" on Sunday. First pitch is 2 p.m against the Racers on Saturday and 1 p.m. against the Eagles on Sunday.

Good luck to all Cardinal teams headed into play this weekend!

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Angel's double-double led
Louisville past the Terps.

Louisville headed into the Raleigh regionals final with a chance to do something no Cardinal women's basketball team had ever accomplished before - reach the NCAA Final Four. The task would not be easy, however. Ahead lay Maryland, the #1 seed in the region. A bittersweet reunion for Cardinal head coach Jeff Walz, a former assistant coach at Maryland and recruiter of Maryland star Marissa Coleman.

March 30th, 2009 would be a day Cardinal fans would remember for a long time.

The Cards, survivors of a tough Baton Rouge first and second round opener, had earned the right to be in Raleigh...defeating LSU on their home court to advance. Two nights earlier, Louisville had dispatched of Kim Mulkey and Baylor 56-39 in the opening round of the Raleigh Regional. It was showdown time.

Louisville came out strong to start the game, shutting down Coleman and sensational freshman Kristy Tolliver and jumped to an early lead. The Cards went on a 13-3 run, capped by a Monique Reid layup to lead 24-14 with eight minutes remaining. 

Then, the ball ran out of air for the Cards. A nearly six minute scoreless streak saw the Terps climb back into the contest. Angel with eight straight misses before hitting a buzzer-beating jumper to give the Cards a tenuous 30-25 lead at halftime. 

Louisville had work to do and it was time to for Angel to put on the hard hat. 

The Cards held on...keeping Maryland at bay and increasing on the lead for most of the second half...but Coleman drained a difficult three with five minutes remaining to cut the Cardinal advantage to eight at 54-46. Candyce Bingham responded with a layup, though, and the UofL squad took off on a 13-6 run that put the game out of reach. An Angel three and Bingham inside putback set the score at 67-52 and the Turtles were on their backs and helpless. As the clock ticked to zero...Louisville celebrated on the sidelines with a 77-60 win.

"I told them it's one of the toughest games I've ever had to coach. It's different if you're playing them in a regular season game because everybody's career carries on. This was a game where we came out on the top side, though and their (Maryland's) senior's careers are over." Jeff Walz commented after the win.

McCoughtry led the Louisville assault with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Dez Byrd finished with 17 and Bingham added 15. Freshman Becky Burke completed the Cards double figure efforts with 10 points. 

"I'm dreaming right now...pinch me Dez." McCoughtry laughed after the game. "It's time to go to Disney World...oh, wait..we have two more games." 

The Cards would advance to St. Louis...to face the winner of the Oklahoma vs. Purdue game. Mom (Bingham) and the crazy aunt (McCoughtry) were headed to the Arch.

Because of business related travel, Paul had to watch the game from a hotel bar/restaurant in Evansville, IN. By the time the game ended, all 14 patrons and employees remaining were UofL fans. Ironically, several Purdue fans were in the place and chipped in cheering for the Cards. Being a good sport...Paul stayed and rooted on the Boilermakers...but their efforts fell short against Oklahoma. He relates:

"My cell phone started ringing non-stop with about three minutes to go in the UofL game and way into the rest of the night. Finally turned it off around 1 a.m. and had seven voice mails the next morning when I woke up....including one from a Kentucky fan I had met several months back and given a business card to. He assured me the Cards would make it to the finals. That night was truly one of the greatest moments in UofL women's sports ever. CARDINAL COUPLE wasn't even created yet...we were writing for Charlie Springer over at Card Game and he even called a few times. And, Sonja was going ballistic at work that night, calling me every few minutes while listening to the game on the radio."
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Women's Gold finishes fourth in Wild Eggs...We look at C.B....Assumption one of nation's best...Who will replace the Orange and Panthers?

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WEDNESDAY WITH THE COUPLE:

-Women's Golf finishes fourth in Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup

-Hurricane Candyce rips through Puerto Rico

-Assumption Volleyball one of nation's best?

-Who replaces Pitt and 'Cuse?

Anna continues her
hot streak on the links

The University of Louisville women's golf team ended the two day Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup tournament with a fourth place finish at the Cardinal Club gold course in Simpsonville, KY. Led by Anna-Karin Ljungstrom, the Cards fired a 301 in the second day of competition to finish with a total score of 608. North Carolina won the event with a two-day total of 596. 

Ljungstrom finished tied for second with a closing round 74...one stroke off the leader - East Carolina's Julia Strandenberg. Her total for two days was 146. Other Cardinal finishes:

-Emily Haas - tied for 12th. with a 151
-Tara Lyons-  tied for 30th. with a 154
                             -Maria Castellanos - tied for 49th. with a 158
                             -Katie Petrino - tied for 69th. with a 164

Also shooting in the event as individuals and not associated with the team score were Cardinals Candice Wiley (161), Sara Karlsson (162) and Maike Klein (164).

Louisville returns to action on Oct. 7th.-9th. at the Tar Heel Invitational.

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Former UofL great Candyce Bingham is ripping through the Puerto Rican basketball leagues like a Category 5 hurricane. She recently received the Latinbasketball.com Week 4 Player of the Week award. She scored 26 points and 14 rebounds for her San German team...which is second in the standings.



C.B tearing up Rican hoops



Bingham has had an impressive stay in Puerto Rico...she's third in the league in points per game (21.0) and first in rebounds (12.9) per game. She also is the 6th. leading assist producer (4.7 per game). Can't say we're overwhelmed by the San German basketball logo (pictured right) but we do stand in awe of Candyce's stats so far. San German is 6-3 on the season. WE'RE glad to see #13 playing a little closer to the USA...she's been Euroball the last couple of seasons and done well...but statistics are kind of hit-and-miss on those leagues. Rumors floating around a couple of weeks ago that Bingham was in town and getting ready to take over the head coaching job for Fern Creek girls' basketball are obviously just that...looks like to us that C.B. is doing fine in the Commonwealth (of Puerto Rico)

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Louisville Assumption Volleyball is ranked one of the top ten high school girls' team's in the nation and they did nothing to damage the position against Holy Cross last night. The Rockets took a straight set win over Holy Cross.....25-13, 25-11 and 25-21.

Coach Kordes turns out winners.

Assumption also won the highly competitive Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, NV over the weekend. The Rockets are 23-1 on the season and coached by Ron Kordes. In case the name sounds familiar, Kordes is considered a legend in local high school and club volleyball and his daughter Anne coaches the University of Louisville squad....

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Goodbye Pitt and Syracuse, hello Army and Navy? How will the service academies fit into the new BIG EAST lineup...if, in fact..the BIG EAST survives the recent topsy-turvy shake up occuring on the college sports landscape?

Dress Louie in fatigues
and give him a rifle?

A lot to be said about the storied history of both potential BIG EAST members...but are they the right choice for a staggering conference? Other options do exist for John Marinatto, the university presidents and athletic directors. Do East Carolina and Memphis deserve a look? If the BIG 12 disbands...which schools from there could be candidates for the league?

A lot of questions remain and the final shakeup is far from being settled...... In Jurich We Trust.

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My wallet is fat and I like that, folks.

Truth be told, WE'RE tired of all the drama and innuendo that is going on about league affiliations and defections. Especially because it is all football driven and oriented. Don't get us wrong, WE enjoy the thrill and excitement of college football quite a bit. Season ticket holders for a very long time and make several road trips a year. WE were there when Schnelly won in Arizona and Bobby took the Orange Bowl. But, WE'RE not fans of how the $$$$ are driving the college landscape these days. ESPN is the main culprit here. The trickle down flow to women's sports is a nearly dried-up stream. IF it wasn't for women's college basketball, it would be a dust bowl. It's time for the university presidents and athletic directors to gain back control of the sports they participate in and tell "big money" to listen to them for awhile. Of course, that won't happen. Notre Dame telling NBC that they don't want the nation-wide coverage? It'll never happen. It's a pig-trough and even Louisville has got slop and mud caked on the Cardinal Bird. Bring us the head of Brent Musberger...

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Sara-Maude Juneau All-American golfer, Dream looks to defend title, Catching up with Candyce

TUESDAY TOPICS at CARDINAL COUPLE:

Sara-Maude Juneau graduates as one of
the best UofL women's golfers of all time.

-Sara-Maude Juneau selected as NGCA Honorable
Mention All-America golfer.

-Atlanta Dream looks for repeat.

-Catching up with Candyce Bingham

Louisville senior golfer Sara-Maude Juneau has been selected as a honorable mention All-American by the NGCA. This is the second straight year she has been honored with this award. Juneau, who was also selected BIG EAST golfer of the year two time in a row, led the team and the BIG EAST with a 73.2 scoring average. She finished in the top 20 in all of her matches this season and was in the top five finishers five times this year. She recently finished 20th in the NCAA East Regional.

Juneau won the William K. Warren Irish Invitational earlier this season and finished sixth in the BIG EAST Gold Tournament.

Congratulations to Sara and all of her UofL women's golf teammates for an outstanding season. Sad that the season has to end just when it's getting to be great golf season around the Louisville area...but we know Sara will be out there chipping for birdies and sinking long putts as a UofL graduate somewhere...who knows, maybe on the LPGA?

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Harding was the #1 pick in the WNBA draft in 2007
and is considered one of the top defensive guards
in the WNBA, She's a Dream now.

The Atlanta Dream goes in search of back-to-back Eastern Division titles this WNBA season...but will spend a little time in England before the league begins. Angel and crew are headed over to Manchester, England to face the British National team. It will be the first time that an WNBA team has gone over there for competition and it will be the only preseason game the Dream plays before the regular season begins. (Are you listening NFL?).

To enhance their chances of scoring a repeat, the Dream has signed former Duke and Washington Mystics guard Lindsey Harding to the roster.

Harding lands with the Dream in exchange for guard Kelly Miller and Dream draft pick Ta'Shia Phillips from Xavier. She is a speedy guard that can fill up the hoop...averaging
12.1 for the Mystics last season. She'll fit in well with the Dream's frantic up-and-down-the court, fast break style of play. Her steady point guard play will give the Dream a dimension they were missing at times last year and along with Iziane Castro Marquez in the back court...the Dream will have one of the best guard combos in the league.

This hasn't gone unnoticed by Dream superstar Angel McCoughtry. When asked about the addition of Harding to the roster and her transition from being a Mystic to a Dream, McCoughtry was frank and to the point:

"Transition was easy for her. She's already done that." McCoughtry replied.

Both Harding and McCoughtry are among the group of players being considered for the U.S. Olympic team.

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Candyce Bingham plays professional
basketball in Europe

CARDINAL COUPLE ran into former UofL great Candyce Bingham at the recent NCAA Softball Louisville Regional over last weekend. Bingham, who recently finished a season of European basketball in Luxembourg, plans on going back to the continent later this year and playing again. She'll be a fixture around campus until then and when asked about future WNBA possibilities, she just smiled and said:

"Maybe next year."

Bingham averaged 29.2 ppg for Amicale, second highest player point total in the league. No one could find her way to the basket for the close-in scores and put-backs like C.B. at UofL and, apparently in Europe as well....

Bingham is one of several former UofL players that toil in the European leagues...Angel McCoughtry and Jazz Covington also travel overseas to hoop it up for several months each year. Bingham, McCoughtry and Covington....sounds like a pretty solid front line to us....the three never played on the court at the same time, though...as Cardinals. Covington played two years with Angel, McCoughtry and Bingham were both on the court together for two years...but Covington had already graduated when Bingham arrived as a transfer from Xavier.
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Angel and Dream take 1-0 advantage

THURSDAY AT CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Angel key in 95-90 Dream win

-"worst joke I have heard lately"

-another chance to spend your paycheck

Former UofL great Angel McCoughtry refused to lose last night and the visiting Atlanta Dream took a 1-0 lead in the WNBA Eastern Conference semifinals...defeating the Washington Mystics 95-90 in the Verizon Center. McCoughtry led all scorers with 28 points as Atlanta broke a two game losing streak.

The Dream began the game with a vengeance...jumping out to an early 10-1 lead...largely due to the efforts of Iziane Castro-Marquez. Washington clawed their way back into the contest, though and led 19-17 as first quarter action finished.

The Dream regained the lead early in the second quarter and put on an excellent shooting and fast break display...going 16 for 19 from the floor in the second stanza and taking a 48-33 advantage into the locker room at halftime. McCoughtry totaled 17 first half points and guard Coco Miller added 10. The Dream couldn't catch a break on fouls, though...and several players had 3 whistled on them in first half action.

Atlanta managed to sustain the double digit lead through the 3rd quarter. A late Mystic run cut the margin to 10 at 68-58 to end the 3rd quarter. McCoughtry was silenced most of the period...but still had 21 points on the scoreboard.

What followed was a wild and wacky 4th quarter. Washington methodically narrowed the Atlanta advantage and had whittled the margin to 68-63 with 8:59 remaining. They would climb within 2 at 77-75 and Atlanta looked to be on the ropes with 4:30 left in the game. Angel and Miller found some spare gas, though and the Dream went on a 9-0 run to hold a 84-75 lead with 2:54 to go. Washington would manage to cut the deficit to four several times in the final minutes but clutch free throw shooting by Miller and McCoughtry preserved the 5 point win.

The teams travel to Atlanta for game 2 on Friday in the best of three playoff format. If the Mystics win...game three returns to Washington on Sunday.

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The other playoff game last night featured the Seattle Storm hosting the L.A. Sparks. Seattle took the contest 79-66...getting 20 points from Swin Cash and 17 from Lauren Jackson. Two games on tap for Thursday night...New York and Indiana go to battle in the East and Phoenix and San Antonio square off in the West.

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I watched the Dream victory last night on WNBA All-Access from my laptop. Good picture, only one freeze up but the play by play and commentary was horrendous. Beside being blatant Mystics "homers"...the inept crew kept mispronouncing half the Dream's players names and was offering moronic advice like "if you allow Atlanta wide open shots in the paint...they'll score" and "if Atlanta could make more free throws...they'd have a bigger lead."

Really? I have no idea where they find these bozos...but wherever it is...it's a source they need to drop. Two hobos by a shanty near a railroad track could have provided better analysis and play by play.

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OK...this one is horrible but it had me going until the final sentence:

'Charlie Strong, UofL football coach has been replacing Rick Pitino in television commercials in the Louisville area market as of late. As we all know, most television commercials are 30 seconds in length. Pitino can only last 15.'

It's only going to get worse as basketball season gets closer and closer. Hang in there, Rick...maybe Calipari will do something stupid to take the pressure off you.

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Changes on tap for the football season and the goings on at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The ticket office and Cardinal apparel store is now open next to the east entrance and offers 10% off any purchase if you are a season ticket holder. There is now a no-smoking policy in force inside the stadium (good luck on that one) and food and drink specials will be offered before the game on the new south side observation deck overlooking the Crunch Zone and end zone.

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Good luck to former Cardinal great Candyce Bingham who is leaving today to go play Euro hoops. Never felt that she got a fair break to make the WNBA after graduation...but she's probably making more money overseas...so go to the hoop and block out, C.B.