By: Raashaan Myers / Host Main Event Sports
There is an old
saying: Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it. Most times
this old proverb is utilized as a warning of getting more than what you
bargained for. Well in the case of The University of Louisville’s athletic
assault on the Atlantic Coast Conference those words could not be truer. The
one time small Midwestern commuter school known for upsetting the apple cart in
collegiate athletics for years is now taking things to whole new level.
UofL for the
better part of the last 25 years has been known as not only a powerhouse on the
basketball court, but thanks to the efforts of homegrown football icon Howard
Schnellenburger the Cards began their ascent on the football field as well
starting with their eye opening domination of powerhouse Alabama in the 1990
Fiesta Bowl. This commitment to success of the entire athletic department was
given even more life with the hiring of Tom Jurich in October of 1997.
Under the
leadership of Mr. Jurich UofL’s athletic department would begin to reach unforeseen
heights for all its sports programs over the next 15+ years. Cardinal athletics
would celebrate National Championships in Basketball, Track and Field, as well
as previously unseen success in their other sports such as 2 BCS Bowl victories
in football and 2 title game appearances for women’s basketball. On the
baseball field the Cardinals would make 3 trips to college world series as well.
And with all this
athletic success of course came a great deal of visibility, popularity, and
revenue growth also. This heightened profile coincided perfectly with the
changing landscape of college athletics as what I considered to be an athletic
arms race. Fast forward to November 29th
2012 (after overtures but ultimately being snubbed by the Big 12) UofL
president James Ramsey would receive the official invitation from the ACC to
join their prestigious league.
Once the
jubilation subsided then came the discussions about how well UofL would fare in
the much more highly thought of athletic balance of the ACC. While the
Cardinals had dominated most of the last 6 or 7 seasons in both the Big East
and AAC it was thought that the step up in competition across all sports would
much more difficult than what the program had ever dealt with previously. The
Atlantic Coast Conference is a haven for the best talent in all sports from
football and basketball to the Olympic sports as well. For a “nice little
program” like UofL it was thought that time would be needed before they could
compete game in and game out vs much consistently tougher competition.
Well apparently
the Cardinal athletes didn’t get the memo as from the start of the athletic
calendar UofL made a name for themselves in their new home. Coach Bobby Petrino took over a team from
former head man Charlie Strong a team extremely talented defensively but with
some question marks on defense but turned questions with exclamation points
with a very successful 9-4 season good for 4th best in the ACC and a
top 25 ranking to finish the season despite a litany of injuries and other
internal issues.
On the hardwood
UofL was a team in transition after most of what had been an exceptional 3 year
run no many knew what to expect from this season’s edition of the UofL program.
Well the Cards responded with another outstanding season in which they were ranked
in the top 15 all year and finished in the top 4 in the ACC standings and received
a double bye in the conference tournament. The Cards would go on to make a run
to the Elite 8 and agonizingly close to a 4th Final Four for Hall of
Fame Coach Rick Pitino at UofL but it was not meant to be. All in all the Cards
had an extremely successful season with a top 10 finish in their first go on
Tobacco Road.
For Coach Jeff
Walz and the UofL women’s basketball team they were facing similar challenges
to their male counterparts losing several key pieces to their success including
replacing superstar Shoni Schimmel and several key players. Well not to be
outdone by the men the Lady Cards would go on to be a force to be reckoned with
in the ACC finishing 3rd in the ACC and another Sweet 16 trip and a
top 10 finish overall.
In Olympic sport
action UofL men’s soccer team represented well their athletic department with a
highly successful season in brand new Lynn Stadium culminating in an appearance
in the ACC title game as well as a run to the 3rd round of the NCAA
tournament. On the women’s side UofL field hockey would finish with an
excellent 15-6 record and top 10 ranking as well. Not to be out done UofL
swimming and diving would deliver the biggest prize of the season to date as
women’s swimmer Kelsi Worrell would set an American record in the 100 freestyle
as well as earning another gold in the 100 Fly as well. The women would bring
home 5 gold medals overall.
This spring the
UofL athletic department has continued to flex their muscles and arguably the
best team of the all the Cardinal 9 baseball team is looking like a National
Championship favorite. Coach Dan McDonnell has his No. 3 Cardinals playing at
an all-time high level sitting at 30-9 overall and 19-2 in ACC play. This type
of dominance on the diamond was not expected as other than basketball the ACC
baseball conference may be the best in the country. The hopes are high around
campus that not only will the Cards make another trip to Omaha, but they will
bring the trophy back with them.
And yet with all
the excitement and waves this upstart athletic department is making in their maiden
voyage in the ACC one thing is true. All of these teams at UofL will benefit
from the visibility and reputation of their new conference to bring even more
talented and gifted athletes to campus. That means that while it was completely
false that UofL would not be ready for what the ACC would bring the fact of the
matter is that UofL’s sports programs stand to get much much better. And
depending what side of the conversation you are on that may or may not be an
exciting proposition. All I can say is
CardNation enjoy the fruits of a season that was 25 years in the making.
The best is yet to come for Louisville Athletics. Revenue will rise, facilities will grow and ratings will increase. As a program located in a major city without an NBA, MLB or NFL team, Louisville athletics is in a great position to take advantage of the wealth of attention and financial support that the city of Louisville has to offer. Other than the University of Louisville, only the University of Texas in Austin and Ohio State University in Columbus can boast about such an advantage.
ReplyDeleteThe Flutie effect is taking hold in the city of Louisville. The wild success of Louisville athletics is making prospective students excited about matriculating at the University of Louisville. The University will keep the best and brightest high school students from the city of Louisville in the city of Louisville, and it will capture the greatest students throughout the state and across the country. The quantity and quality of students a U of L is growing, in part, because Louisville athletics is attracting them. Those students, in turn, will attract better jobs to the city as employers are looking to offer and relocate jobs to areas that provide skilled, educated work forces. Better jobs in the city will raise tax revenue and stimulate the economy of the city as its residents will have more money to spend because of their improved employment. All of this will result in an economic, cultural and infrastructural boom in the city of Louisville. This city will develop like never before. The future of the city and the University of Louisville is exciting.