State of the Cardinals address - countryboy's Blog

countryboy's Blog

State of the Cardinals address

Posted on December 6, 2008 at 11:28 AM.

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The season has come to an end for Louisville, as they were absolutely embarrassed on national television in Piscataway, NJ as Rutgers pounded us into a 63-14 defeat. Last year, we were ending the season with momentum and with motivation for next year after beating Rutgers.

Louisville finished the season 5-7, after sitting at 5-2. The Cards finished with their first losing season since 1997. The Cards also missed out on a bowl game for the second straight season after going to a bowl game 9 straight years. The atmosphere surrounding UofL football right now is the lowest its been since Ron Cooper dismantled a program that was slowly starting to build.

As the season ended, thoughts turned to Kragthorpe and how he needs to go. How he has taken a program, that was one game away from potentally playing for a National Championship, a program that had just come off its best season ever(12-1 Orange Bowl victory), and a program that was considered one of the top programs in the country, and dismantled all and every success the program had before he had gotten here.

But as I listened to myself and fellow fans call for his job after 2 seasons, I began thinking, is this right? Does he deserve to be fired or forced to resign? We all know that he walked into a mess that Petrino had so thoughtfully left behind as he scampered off to the Falcons only to not complete a full season before returning to the college ranks. Had we gotten so spoiled by the success we had under Petrino that we will not accept "rebuilding" that we should only "reload"?

The Cardinal faithful hold Petrino on such a high pedastal because of what he brought and did for this program. But have we forgotten all the secret meetings, the lies, the two-faced coach that he actually was? Petrino never wanted to be here. It was evident from his secret meetings on airplanes to his denying rumors. Before he left, he signed a 10 year contract, told the fans this is where he wanted to be and a few short months later he left for the Falcons so that he could get to a different college job. Thats right CardNation, Petrino didn't want to coach the Falcons, he went there as a way to "get out of jail free" so that he could go to a different school to coach. We all know that Petrino wanted to be in the SEC, most notably Auburn, but he would basically take any job he could get. And now he's at Arkansas, but wants, once again, to be at Auburn after one year in Fayetteville.

On the other hand, here's Kragthorpe, in the midst of all this pressure and hatred. He could've easily, easily, taken the easy way out and left the program. He could've held that press conference yesterday and said I'm done. After 2 years, I'm walking away. But he didn't. Why? Because he wants to be here. Petrino was loved here and he didn't want to stay. He took the first easy way, under the shadows route he could find to leave UofL. He did the same in Atlanta, and I'm sure he'll do the same at Arkansas. Thats who Petrino is, a self center egotistical, snake in the grass.

I understand that Kragthorpe isn't liked. I don't like him much right now. In fact, I wish that he would've walked away yesterday. But lets say he had. Who would we get? To tell you the truth it wouldn't matter, because no matter who the coach for UofL is over the next year or two, they are going to have some major work ahead of them. Its going to take several recruiting classes to get this program back to where Petrino built it, before he destroyed it.

And if Kragthorpe had left and we'd hired in someone else, would we hold them to the same level of expectation that we held Krathorpe? Would the new coach be compared to Petrino or Kragthorpe? Would he have to be as good as Petrino for us to support him or just better than Kragthorpe? My heart wants to believe that we'd hold any coach to the same level of expectation, but my brain tells me otherwise. If a new coach came in and went 6-6 but to a bowl game, we'd be praising him in the same manner as Petrino and saying he's a lot better coach than Kragthorpe. How's that fair?

I'd like to thank the CardNation is a better group of fans than we've shown over the last 20 months or so. I'd like to think that we are understanding and supportive of whomever is coaching our beloved Cards, but recently we're not. We're no better right now than the fans we strive not to be that live down in and around Lexington and belong to the Big Blue Nation. We all mocked them, how they wanted Rich Brooks to leave after his first season or two. We acted as if we were better than them, but truth be told, we're not. At least right now we're not. I mean, I'm hearing people on the local radio airwaves are auctioning off their season tickets because they will no longer support the team. And that pisses me off. A fan is a fan rain or shine, good and bad. A fan supports the players first and the coaches second. If you're one of these fans, then I don't want to ever see you in PJCS again. I don't want to see you wearing red and black when the team gets things back on track. You sell your season tickets you sell your loyalty.

We all know, including Kragthorpe, that things must change and now. And that next year will be his last if he doesn't improve. Do we root for the team to lose so that he'll leave? Do we not fill the seats and hurt the chances of a stadium expansion that could hurt the replacement of Kragthorpe? I sure hope not. We're better than that CardNation, a hell of a lot better.

Two things before I go. One, I'm embarrassed to be a Cards fan right now and even more embarassed that I acted like a fool and forgot that the players matter more than the coaches.

And two, I am pissed that I let Petrino do this to myself and CardNation. He spoiled us. But he did more than that. He stole our dedication and our passion for Louisville. We seem to only be passionate now when were winning. Thats got to change. And what pisses me off even more is that we're more supportive of a guy who wouldn't think twice to stab us in the back, and he did, than of a guy who really wants to be here and is under incredible pressure and enduring incredible hate right now. He could've left. But he didn't. That should speak volumes about his character.

So as the season ends and the recruiting begins for UofL football, I am ready and willing to say, come on Kragthorpe. Recruit your but off coach. Have a great spring camp, and I'll see you next fall.

Oh, and one more thing coach. Thank you for your dedication to the program, even if some of the fans have ended theirs.

Comments

# 1 fishepa @ Dec 6

I salute Krags for not being a quitter. Here's to bball season!

# 2 peteykirch @ Dec 6

Tell you D-Cord English to man up and not be a baby chasing after Schiano through the tunnels of the stadium. We shouldn't have to kneel down for your defense in the 2nd Quarter.

# 3 countryboy @ Dec 6

lol..not sure what that has to do with the topic at hand, but the next time I run into him, I'll pass that note along.