Greatest Dickie V story ever told. A local hoops fan — she happens to be, irony of ironies, a Dookie — swears this story is true about her father’s last words. The gent was a major sports fan. He’d been comatose for a while. Family was gathered. TV was tuned to ESPN. A Dickie V-called game came on. Hearing the voice, he broke out of the coma. screaming, “Turn that son of a bitch off.” He fell back in the coma, passing away within the hour.
Where the coaching carousel didn’t stop. A member of the U of L football administration at the time reveals a phone call he received the day after Ron Cooper was axed. The caller wanted a shot at the Cardinal head coaching position, which went to John L. Smith. On the line: Current West Virginia mentor Rich Rodriguez.
The good, the bad & the ugly. The good: Hunter Cantwell stepped up big-time against UConn, and the Cards’ black pants/white jerseys combo is far and away their best uni look. The bad: Louisville’s secondary continued to underperform. The ugly: Big East officials blew it again. Both ways. They missed an obvious motion penalty allowing the Cards to score, and the reversal of Montrell Jones’ TD catch was felonious.
Leonard Pynth Garnell Bad Announcing Award. This week’s trophy goes to Bob Davies. The sports world would be a better place if he were drawn and quartered.
Best pigskin fans in the land? UConn Huskie fans not only filled the stadium at kickoff on a single-digit wind chill night, they tailgated before the game. My man Bettin’ Billy, a native from the Frozen Tundra, was there. He confirms the heartiness factor was cranked to 11.
Where the playing carousel might stop. If U of L’s hoopsters play Bellarmine again next year in an exhi, don’t be surprised if current Card Terrance Farley is wearing Knights’ colors for the game.
Huggy Bear Watch. Schools mentioned this week as possible destinations for former Cincy mentor Bob Huggins include Mizzou, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Seton Hall and South Florida. Of those, only the latter is a real possibility. The surprising favorite right now could be, might be, is … LSU. Current coach John Brady recruits but can’t coach. His personality irritates even stalwart Tiger fans. Ne’er-do-well Huggy would fit right in in Cajun country.