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Sport February 19, 2011

Siva’s Steals Help Louisville Shut Down Connecticut

Peyton Siva’s 16 point effort and Gorgui Dieng’s first career double-double helped Louisville put the stamp on its invitation to the NCAA tourney. Thanks to another signature win, the Cardinals will undoubtebly be in the big dance. The Cardinals (20-7) secured their ninth straight twenty win season, and their fourth straight against the Huskies (20-6.) The win came after a double overtime thriller in Connecticut three weeks ago that fired up the Louisville faifthful. UofL put on a show for the 22,776 at the KFC Yum! Center. UConn only led once for 23 seconds and the Cards won it 71-58. Defense was…

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Crime, Media, Rick, Sport February 18, 2011

The Sypher Circus is Underway

Today at 1:30, Karen Sypher is supposed to get her medicine. The circus, I’m told, has already begun down by the courthouse. And the big question is – will local TV stations cut in to local progamming to reveal the sentence? WAVE-TV news director Kathy Hostetter says it depends on what happens. She’s certainly got a crew down there. “We will cut in if needed, depending on what happens,” she said. “More than likely we will cut in. ” Sorry soap opera fans. A real-life drama may be pre-empting today’s show. More than two hours before the sentencing is scheduled,…

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Crime, Education, Media, Politics, Rick, Sport February 17, 2011

Adjusting to a City Without Strippers

U of L’s Wednesday game got top billing on ESPN last night, and the Cards showed future opponents how to beat them — denying the three and playing intense, hand-in-your-face defense.  Check out Gabe’s piece.  Not mentioned during the game broadcast: Karen Sypher, who seems, maybe, to have run out of rope and will be sentenced tomorrow.  Experts say she goes to the pokey for 5 years, minimum. Unhappy in Overalls: Fox41 found some farmers willing to go on camera to complain about Louisville’s new no-nudity ordinance.  300,000 people here for the Farm Machinery Show. Quote from a guy in…

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Sport February 17, 2011

Slow Start Dooms Cardinals in Cincinatti

After the Cardinals pulled off their stylish win over Syracuse on Saturday, fans in the ‘Ville had been buzzing about the incredible team effort of late. What U of L hadn’t encountered yet was a team playing for its life. The teams entered the game with identical 19-6 records, but U of L was ranked 16th and Cincy was in a more desperate position. The final was 63-54 as Cincy dominated much of the game before a sparse house of 11,511 at Fifth Third Arena. Cincinnati came into the game battling for post-season positioning.  It needed a win to bring…

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Business, Culture, Education, Media, Rick, Sport February 16, 2011

New Slogan: Kentucky, the Charlie Sheen of Commonwealths

Thanks, Shelly: On Monday, Sheldon Berman spared us all some drama by telling the school board to save its breath on saving his job, he’s ready to move on. So that’s that.  Note to those who pushed him out – be careful what you wish for. The diversity vs. student achievement problem won’t be solved by a new chief. Kentucky Greedy Festival: Last night Mike Berry pulled out the best he had in his P.R. basket to try to justify charging people to watch a free fireworks show in a public park. And the media ate it up. Berry whined…

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Sport February 15, 2011

Pitino Likes Cards’ Spirit and Attitude

Rick Pitino is talking about why this year’s Cards are so good. “They are so willing to play for the name on the front of the jersey and not the one on the back,” he said after the win against Syracuse. Pitino compared this bunch affectionately with his 1987 Providence Final Four team. Remember that this was widely expected to be a rebuilding year. In the preseason, Pitino called it a bridge year. The Cards were predicted to be in the lower half of the Big East standings, but with six regular-season games left, U of L sits in fourth…

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Events, Sport February 14, 2011

Get on the Bellarmine bandwagon

Eric Crawford’s story in the Courier-Journal this morning was a nice piece about Bellarmine basketball. Scotty Davenport’s job as head coach, however, is more impressive. After several years of mediocrity, Davenport has not only lifted the image of Bellarmine basketball, but the school as a whole.   I’ve been on those early-morning bus rides Crawford spoke of. Traveling anywhere in the Great Lakes Valley Conference is so different than when I played Division I at St. Louis University. There are no planes. There are no nice hotels. There are no manager’s grabbing your bags and taking them to your room. A…

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Culture, Media, Politics, Rick, Sport February 14, 2011

Make it Special, Louisville

OK, the pressure is on. Valentine’s Day.  Get busy, cuz there’s a lot of other stuff going on. I’m with Claudia Coffey on this one — the electronic messaging is fine, for what it is. But alone it’s not getting you anywhere. Live from Whitley City!: Tomorrow night, Karen Sypher will be on the air from the McCreary County Courthouse in Whitley City (Pop. 1,111, SAAA-LUTE). On a local radio station. Wonder what the time cost? She’s going to jail Friday, and this is the oddest, latest, lame attempt to avoid the orange jumpsuit. She says she’s finally going to…