Contrary to reports just yesterday, apparently the Big XII has voted this morning to accept WVU– and no others.

Bad news….but as the post below on the SEC indicates, the college conference realignment game is far from over.

http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/29532522/32980106

The short term vision for U of L fans is focused squarely on the Big XII opening right now.

But the big dog dragging this whole sled stated clearly through its commissioner today that it plans to go to 14 members ultimately.

And this does not even include any potential plans by the ACC, which has been quiet now after its dramatic raid of Syracuse and Pitt.

What does this all mean?  Don’t hold your breath, or necessarily die if we are not taken by the Big XII in this round.  Until the big dogs are done, nothing will be totally settled.  And that frankly may take another year or two of this twisting in the wind bu schools like U of L, who are simply on the fringe because of their supposed smaller football footprint nationally.

http://eye-on-collegefootball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/32961199

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier on conference realignment…

Several national sources today  stunned the  college sports world with news that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell–and staunch U of L alum–has apparently halted the assumed imminent crowning of WVU as the next member of the Big XII conference, with a  last -minute  intervention with Oklahoma President David Boren, who was a U.S. senator from 1979 to 1994.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7152071/west-virginia-mountaineers-move-big-12-hold-reports-say

Late today, both Senators from West Virginia fired back, one with threats of a Senate investigation:

“If the story that we have been told has any merit to it, I’ve been very clear,” Sen. Joe Manchin said. “If somebody, a U.S. Senator would intervene after the process took place, that’s wrong and it’s unacceptable. And at that point in time if that happened, I will ask for a Senate investigation…”

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/10/west-virginia-jay-rockefeller-joe-manchin-big-12-louisville/1

Sports Illustrated now reports that the issue will not be resolved before next week….

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/10/26/big-12-expansion.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a4

Meanwhile, there has been not a peep out of U of L AD Tom Jurich for days now…..that usually means TJ is working hard.  Apparently, he had to call in reinforcements.

Now…

Will we see Mitch and Joe tangle on the Senate floor ala Hatfields and McCoys?

Will the Big XII (IX?)  add just that last  one more coveted spot…or more.

What for God’s sake must be done to just get this seemingly never-ending soap opera to end??!!

Stay tuned….you have no choice….

A room can get real quiet–and edgy –real quick

when a large, powerful man–  his face contorted with anger and disgust–strides quickly into the room and YELLS that he IS EMBARRASSED,  small sprays of spittle peppering the first row of press in the rushing torrent of his words and emotion.

Thank god I was in row two.

QB Teddy Bridgewater dives for the end zone in what was the highlight of an off game by the Cards.

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And  the video 

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As the press near him shifted a bit uncomfortably in their seats, Charlie Strong spoke as loudly and forcefully as I have ever heard him.  It caught us all a bit off guard, even given the  upset by the 11 pt underdog Herd.

To his credit he called out both the coaches and the players–because truly the coaches failed to motivate the players past the fleeting glory of last week’s rival victory over a truly pitiful UK team.  And the Cards just aren’t good enough to give less than their all to win ANY game.

(BTW-  Sam Hunter took pics for Hell in the Hall,  and here is the link to his full set of over 200 pics of the game .http://www.flickr.com/photos/fpos/sets/72157627796016450/detail/      )

Here's our other highlight: Vic Anderson scampers in for a TD.

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Be sure of this: Marshall is not a good football team.  It was 1-3 coming into this game for a reason.  It ranked abysmally low nationally  in both offensive and defensive categories.

But also be sure of this:  Marshall was better than the Cards today. The Herd manhandled us in the second half 11-0.

It was disquietingly like the FIU loss.  Just plain beaten soundly AT HOME by  supposedly lesser opponents, definitely ones that Vegas sharpies saw us winning.

Don't worry...The Ladybirds are here to cheer you up--again...

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In this game, Louisville really only “won” one quarter–the second.  Marshall won the others statistically.

You can talk about stats, but frankly the whole team stunk.

Now, it must be said:  I lived in the Huntington, WV area for several years and I can tell you they take their football VERY seriously–as the movie on that tragic plane crash of their football team in the past attests to .

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And I can tell you Marshall had beaten us the last 3 times we have played–and that they fully expected to beat us today– or at least give us a game.  That I knew.

And I also knew it was a natural “trap” game– one where the Cards were coming off an emotional victory over a rival and likely to take a lightly -regarded, but gritty, proud foe lightly.  In fact, I can personally assure you that this  foe looked upon us as a bit of a  rival!  While we did not view them as such….

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I knew all that…but I thought we’d win …at least.

But that tells you what I–and Charlie– know during this “roller-coaster” season.