Here that sound?

[HarveyGlass]

I still don't quite get the whole level of program thing. The program is as "big" as the latest team on the field is good, IMO. Last year the football team got tons of respect and coverage, both local and national, and after a bad year both have dropped off. That's the way it goes, for everyone. When the hoops team went to the NIT two years ago and stunk up the BE, respect and coverage, both locally and nationally, dropped.

When you win, you're on top, when you lose, you're not.

And once again, how many people show up for a practice means nothing at all when it comes to winning ball games and being a top program.

[wkuCardinal]

There will be a lot of people at the spring game. And a lot of people DO care what's happening in the football program right now... just because it's not in the media doesn't mean people don't care.

And I wasn't singling you out, CFIP. I'm just saying that last season was a disappointment, lots of changes are made, and I don't think it's fair to go ahead and start poking and prodding the football team before the season even starts, just because last season was disappointing.


If Louisville rattles off 8 straight wins this year, we'll be right back int he hype machine and national spotlight once again. We lose, and we won't.. simple as that.

Teams endure setbacks. It doesn't matter if your program has tradition or not.. setbacks take you off the national radar. Look at Notre Dame this past year.. they sucked.. absolutely sucked. The only thing the media said about them was "when will they win their first game?". But a year removed, or 2 years removed, or 5.. I don't think anyone will debate that Notre Dame stands a chance at still being a top program. And so does Louisville.

Louisville is a legit football program. The fans care about the sport, the fans are intelligent, and the Athletic Department pumps money into it. We have world class facilities and play in a tough football conference. We can have a down year. Does it hurt? Yes. But every game from this point forward is a chance to win, and it's not like our reputation as a football program is now on par with Temple because of one bad season.

[Empire Lindy]

I don't think CFIP was talking about national perception. He was talking in very local terms and - IMO - in a manner which more accurately reflects the fan pulse on the team. That there aren't any stories in the CJ is telling. That the school's athletic website isn't posting news about spring practice schedules, scrimmage results, or spring game events is telling. That LSR and ITV have very few articles from last season and fewer people talking about them in the boards is telling.

And I reiterate that basketball has almost nothing to do with it. We have only played for 4 more days this season than last. That didn't stop folks from talking about football to a much greater extent at this time last season than now.

With a 6-6 season, no more Bush & Brohm, and no supre recruits, buzz is justifiably tempered.

[CardinalJunky]

Last years results took some steam out of the program. It was probably inevitable. We had been building towards a BCS game, and with all the changes that came about in the coaching staff, I think it was probably unrealistic for us to think we were going to roll right on with no disruption.

Honestly, I know that there are some hard core football fans. But, I feel like football is our party sport. When things are going well we get excited. When things are going poor, we get pissed off. But, when football isn't being played, we REALLY don't care that much. I like going to football games more than basketball, but I'm more of a basketball fan.

For us to become a football school....it's going to take a long time and a lot of winning. Freddy

[wkuCardinal]

Originally Posted by Empire Lindy

I don't think CFIP was talking about national perception. He was talking in very local terms and - IMO - in a manner which more accurately reflects the fan pulse on the team. That there aren't any stories in the CJ is telling. That the school's athletic website isn't posting news about spring practice schedules, scrimmage results, or spring game events is telling. That LSR and ITV have very few articles from last season and fewer people talking about them in the boards is telling.

And I reiterate that basketball has almost nothing to do with it. We have only played for 4 more days this season than last. That didn't stop folks from talking about football to a much greater extent at this time last season than now.

With a 6-6 season, no more Bush & Brohm, and no supre recruits, buzz is justifiably tempered.

And in local terms, with a basketball team that this year actually stands a chance at going to the final four (and just maybe winning the whole thing), versus an early round exit last year at the beginning of Brian Brohm's final football season with a new and highly anticipated coaching staff - of course there is less buzz! Everyone is buzzing about basketball right now. If we had've lost to Boise St. you think people would be talking basketball? Hell no! They'd be talking football, football, and more football. Basketball chat would all but taper off and disappear over the next 5 months. I'm not sure what your saying we've only played 4 more days this year than last has to do with it.

The CJ absolutely is not representative of the Louisville fan base. They are writing more about basketball and less about football precisely because THEY predict they will sell more papers by writing about basketball right now. And why wouldn't they? Louisville is in the Sweet 16 against a hyped up TN team containing homegrown Chris Lofton who was spurned by all the state universities.

And the fact that spring schedules, events, and scrimmage results isn't being reported is a sharp turn from last year and has nothing to do with fan perception or excitement about the program. This is Kragthorpe's team now, and it's pretty apparent the staff is content being out of the spotlight when there's work to be done.

[cardfaninpittsburgh]

[quote=wkuCardinal;19038]And in local terms, with a basketball team that this year actually stands a chance at going to the final four (and just maybe winning the whole thing), versus an early round exit last year at the beginning of Brian Brohm's final football season with a new and highly anticipated coaching staff - of course there is less buzz! Everyone is buzzing about basketball right now. If we had've lost to Boise St. you think people would be talking basketball? Hell no! They'd be talking football, football, and more football. Basketball chat would all but taper off and disappear over the next 5 months. I'm not sure what your saying we've only played 4 more days this year than last has to do with it.

QUOTE]

thanks for helping me make my point. louisville football generates buzz when there is nothing else to talk about. not the case in ann arbor, columbus, gainesville, los angeles, etc., exactly what i was saying.
yes, there are some hardcore fans (bling among them), but mostly, unless louisville is coming off a huge year or heading into what local fans think will be a huge year, there's just not the interest...not from fans, local media, etc. and naturally, not nationally.
which is one reason why louisville is not a national powerhouse in football.

[wkuCardinal]

What's the difference between Louisville and most of these schools? Ah, yes, they all have either non-existant or (at best) inconsistent basketball programs.

Success in basketball at Florida is a recent development. Michigan sucks at hoops pretty much every year. Ohio State is consistently bad more than they are consistently good. And USC sucks every year they don't have OJ Mayo.

Louisville probably is not a national powerhouse in football - yet. But the difference between the buzz of those programs and our program, is that their football programs have little competition - and if they have any (like Florida basketball) that competition is immature. Their basketball programs serve as a past time in typical years, just like some say our football program does for us.

[bling49]

thanks for helping me make my point. louisville football generates buzz when there is nothing else to talk about. not the case in ann arbor, columbus, gainesville, los angeles, etc., exactly what i was saying.
yes, there are some hardcore fans (bling among them), but mostly, unless louisville is coming off a huge year or heading into what local fans think will be a huge year, there's just not the interest...not from fans, local media, etc. and naturally, not nationally.
which is one reason why louisville is not a national powerhouse in football.

Concistancy and longevity will make the Card a National powerhouse, I hope.

We had a nice run under Petrino, I will hand it to Petrino and his staff if you had ever went to a Cards football practcie you would know, I thought it was pretty impressive.

Practice was so organized it would be hard as a player to not get better. There was no loafing, as soon as a play ended position coaches would rush the field correcting players about their mistakes.

The pace of practice was so intense there would be no chance to loaf & not work hard.

I didnt get to see a practice last year but I plan on making some this year. Petrino had made a name for himself by the time he left Louisville, hopefully Kragthorpe will too.

[wkuCardinal]

One day after the basketball team exits the tournament.. we start hearing about football.

Two articles today alone.. with a report on the spring session's first scrimmage which took place yesterday.

Told you so.