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Love letter from UofL to its beleaguered fan base

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One day after the University of Louisville fired Tom Jurich, the athletics department sent this letter to all fans via social media. Although new acting AD Vince Tyra (above) didn’t sign the note, it’s from him.

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To our fans,

Thank you!

You are our heartbeat and our spirit. Your passion provides our student-athletes with an intangible strength to dream without limits and achieve the loftiest of goals. You lift them up — to give their best on the field, in the community and in the classroom. Your gift of loyalty, emotion and appreciation drives us and we wanted to reach out to simply express our gratitude.

This is certainly a challenging time in our program’s history, but your unwavering support empowers all of us to push forward in the face of adversity. We are working diligently to shore up our men’s basketball program and are confident that David Padgett and his staff will represent you and our university well this season.

You rejoiced in good times and have been stalwart in the tough moments. Our student-athletes have never needed your support more than they do right now.

True to form, as Louisville Cardinals, we will persevere. We will stand on the extraordinary foundation that has been laid and we will meet the goals set for our program: maintain the highest level of ethics, achieve superior results athletically and academically, provide best-in-class facilities and continue our path of success as a proud member of the ACC.

We are devout in our commitment to right our wrongs and make you proud. This is our imperative. It is our top priority to ensure that we drive this university forward and provide the very best for our entire community, especially our student-athletes.

It is our honor and privilege to serve you and to have you with us on this journey. We sincerely appreciate your continued support. It is our mission to represent the Louisville Cardinals in a manner that is emblematic of this great city.

Sincerely,
University of Louisville Athletics Department

GO CARDS!

Asia Durr

We, the hazy future of Louisville

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Tom Jurich and Rick Pitino have both been fired with cause. Pitino’s sixteen year term was burdened by multiple scandals. That’s cause. More litigation to come as Pitino’s lawyer promised “a bare knuckle fight.”

Earlier today, Jurich was offered a relatively miniscule buyout if he resigned before the University of Louisville board of trustees voted to fire him. He declined the offer and was then told the school is considering filing a lawsuit against him. No other details were given.

Legal teams for both Pitino and Jurich were given very short appearances before the boards. Pitino lawyer Steve Pence said he had “a well prepared and solid one hour presentation” at Monday’s hearing yet there wasn’t “a single question from the board.”

After just 9 minutes before the board today, Jurich’s legal team remained outside Grawemeyer Hall for hours until the final decision was rendered. By a vote of 10-3, Jurich’s services were terminated with cause.

The Jurich legal team issued a gracious statement that offers thanks to all supporters but ends:

“With that said, Tom has instructed us to vigorously defend his rights and reputation under his long-standing contract with the University of Louisville.”

Meanwhile, the board of trustees moves ahead with well-loved David Padgett as acting coach, and successful businessman Vince Tyra as acting athletics director.

David Padgett

Both great guys, both with yeoman’s work ahead of them serving the administration and fan base.

UofL long ago gained peer status with the University of Kentucky. Just as Florida has to recognize the strength of Florida State, Oklahoma with Oklahoma State, and Alabama with Auburn, the worry today is that Louisville shrinks to a city school like Cincinnati compared to Ohio State.

And that’s not really about athletics, it’s about state funding, research grants, and alum donations. To borrow a football phrase, feed the studs.

Why oust Jurich over repeat problems with one coach out of 23 major teams? Because he refused to fire Pitino when directed to do so multiple times this summer. This was long before the FBI’s shoe company money investigation was revealed.

I talked about it on ESPN’s Outside the Lines in late September.

Who pushed the agenda? Gov. Matt Bevin recently told me that he does not direct his university board appointees in any way. “I appoint competent, successful people on those boards…I do not tell them how to vote on any issue.”

The guy directing these UofL personnel decisions is board chair David Grissom, 82, taking over the post last January. His “clean the house” strategy has set the university on a path of financial struggles that will likely linger long after his death.

Dr Greg Postel and board chairman David Grissom, October 18, 2017 (photo: Howie Lindsey)

He began mopping up multiple money messes in the foundation and academic departments. Fragging the athletics department gained steam as the year wore on.

Jurich ran a surging athletics department that exponentially grew the value and prominence of University of Louisville athletics. A school that used to play conference foes Drake, North Texas State, and St. Louis now enjoys ACC rivalries with Duke, North Carolina, and Florida State.

Previous UofL administrators were impressed by Jurich’s success and used it to shine light on the rest of the university. Presidents John Shumaker, James Ramsey, Neville Pinto, and current interim President Greg Postel also threw shade at Jurich. Most were miffed that Jurich ran what he considered an autonomous athletics department.

At the August celebration for the $160 million deal with Adidas, the head table featured Jurich, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Governor Bevin, business superstar Junior Bridgeman, and two executives from the shoe company. Interim President Greg Postel was three tables away in relative obscurity.

Oh, there’ll be no more seating smackdowns going forward.

What happens now? City pride dives even further. Attention wanes. Hey look! There’s a soccer stadium going up over there!

UofL’s administration is in full control again but devaluation of Cardinal athletics is sure to follow just as LouCity FC’s stock rises.

Jurich successfully corralled more advertising dollars and sponsorships tied to UofL athletics than ever before. Arena and stadium personal seat licenses, ticket prices, and adjacency sponsorships are at bloated rates. Think Dow 25,000.

David Padgett, Kenny Klein, Vince Tyra, and CJ sports writer Jeff Greer (photo: Sam Upshaw Jr Courier-Journal)

Job 1 for Vince Tyra is convincing fans, advertisers, school donors, and boosters to keep paying the current rates.

But will that happen with an elongated step down in performance? Why would an advertiser who was pushed to pay $50,000 for an arena sign + program ad + stadium announcement of sponsorship pay that now? How about $8,000 instead? How about $5,000?

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And there is this: In 2010, Yum Brands signed a bargain priced 10 year arena naming rights deal that is not expected to be renewed. Leadership at Yum Brands continues shipping its top management and muscle to Dallas as its investment in Louisville slips.

Taxpayers were originally promised that naming rights would fetch $40 million. Yum got it for $13.5 million. Plus, the TIF is a stiff.

John Schnatter salutes at today’s UofL board of trustees meeting (photo by Matt Stone, The Courier-Journal)

When available in 2020, Papa John’s founder John Schnatter is the most likely candidate to rename the arena for his pizza company. Schnatter craftily waited for a fire sale price on naming rights for the football stadium back in 1998.

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If the NCAA comes to strike down the 2013 UofL championship banner and even kill off men’s basketball for a season, imagine the economic impact on both the school and the city. Downtown restaurants and boutiques are choked out. Bars get a lot less traffic.

The arena debt issue has been patched for the short term but payments will soon double when the loan principle comes due. Vastly reduced revenues mean vastly increased pressure on the taxpayers.

Get ready to hitch your belt. No matter how you feel about the power swap at UofL, we will all feel its pinch soon enough.

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One last thought on the board of trustees. Shouldn’t all of them have some skin in the game?

AUDIO – Gov. Matt Bevin on UofL chaos, Tom Jurich’s future, and who controls the board of trustees

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Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin popped by the WHAS Radio studios today. I was expecting him on the phone but he said he was speaking nearby and decided to make it a studio visit.

He stayed for three segments (a total of 45 minutes) as I ran through a litany of topics: the chaos at U of L, whether he controls decisions of its board of trustees, the future for suspended athletics director Tom Jurich, since Jurich raised $300 million and was paid $19m – how is that not a great ROI, snaring Amazon HQ2, coal vs EPA, casino gambling or marijuana to rescue pension collapse, Lil Andy Beshear, and a Twitter question from my son Simon.

I appreciate the governor hanging in for an extended chat.

THE SHOE DROP — FBI sez u r gr8 2 b n r sting

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u 2 dum 2 no u n trubble

Imagine how many FBI agents were monitoring rampant text messaging on the morning of September 26 just as U.S. Attorney Joon Kim was releasing shocking details of shoe company fraud and corruption schemes tied to college basketball.

Joon Kim, acting U.S. Attorney for southern New York state details criminal complaints in a pay-for-play scheme

Guilty thumbs were flying on phone screens as suspected coaches, premium recruits, family members, agents, financial managers, et al. furiously texted vital evidence displaying their guilt, knowledge of, or innocent shock over the announcement.

FBI agents were high-fiving as thousands of solid leads dropped right into their electronic laps. Federal law enforcement don’t need no stinkin’ badges to gather intel on active indictments.

This rancid scheme of shoe pimps and greedy college coaches selling teenage talent is growing exponentially. The snared texts, hotline tips, flip-flopping coaches cutting deals will all be known soon.

I know why the cager bird sings. He’s a shoe pimp. Sing, bird, sing!

Most of the coaches about to be revealed will keep their jobs as college sports goes through a major realignment. Ultimately the NCAA dies. Schools develop a pay-for-play system for athletes who perform on profitable teams.

College golfers, wrestlers, swimmers, volleyball, tennis, and softball athletes will get free education and no more. Marquee moneymaking sports will find a pay scale that is commensurate with both individual talent and team accomplishments.

That must be the hope of the three “student-athletes” who instantly decommitted to the University of Louisville’s 2018 and 2019 classes. Otherwise they risk future fallout as their next coaches are dragged down the same shoe pimp rat hole as UofL.

Rick Pitino, Dr. Greg Postel, and Tom Jurich meet with the media after receiving harsh NCAA penalties.

JURICH AND PITINO ARE LONG GONE

Rick Pitino is obviously out for good and there won’t be another public spectacle. He won’t show on October 16 for what amounts to another perp walk in front of cameras just to pitch an ambiguous defense to deaf ears. A streaming video defense is possible but will translate as weak sauce. Coach P is out of the game for good.

With no severance pay from U of L, Pitino will find work as a TV analyst for NBA programming.

There’s no way to resuscitate Tom Jurich’s career at U of L either. Once the scabs were ripped off from the FBI investigation, Jurich and his pseudo boss David Grissom went into opposing foxholes. No peace treaty is possible because bullheaded men don’t know how to retreat.

J David Grissom

Grissom’s favorite quote is “I’m old so I don’t care who I piss off.” The board of trustees chairman was angered by Jurich’s refusal to fire Pitino earlier this year.

Jurich, who raised hundreds of millions of dollars for Louisville, will get a nice UofL severance package and a new high profile athletics director job within a year.

MARKET VALUE PLUNGE

I’ve lost count of how many people have said they will not renew their basketball or football tickets next season. Many say they will simply buy single game tickets when the mood strikes. No reason to invest in season tickets chained to exorbitant seat licenses. Stub Hub and other secondary vendors can scratch the itch when a fan decides to see a game.

Scandal-laden U of L coffers are already empty from fiscal misappropriation, devalued ducats, and very little motivation for alums to continue donating to the foundation. School kids avoid wearing Cardinals gear to dodge playground derision. It’s baaaaaaaad, brother. BAD!

Acting basketball coach David Padgett has a very good team this year and fans want to support them but to what end? Once the NCAA death penalty arrives, all familiarity with players will evaporate. The Cards will be The Great Unknowns.

Add to that a flurry of forthcoming exits by prominent Cardinal coaches in most of the other major sports, then U of L athletics is as detached from the city as Southern Indiana. Yeah, we know it’s there but we aren’t that interested.

But at least David Grissom is getting what he wants…

Lionel Barrymore and James Stewart “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1939)

…the same kind of control that Mr. Potter salivated over in the holiday film It’s a Wonderful Life. Interim President Greg Postel’s lips may be moving but Grissom is the ventriloquist.

This instant downsizing of the University of Louisville’s athletics department is not like the withering-over-decades of GE’s Appliance Park. It’s like a hurricane just wiped out the prominence, prestige, and profitability of our most recognizable point of pride.

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE: PROJECTIONS FOR 2020

In spite of the best efforts of affable athletics director Vince Tyra, most of the Jurich era coaches are gone, replaced with untested leaders who promise big results in 5 years. Maybe seven. Maybe never.

Think Metro Conference. A few thousand fans stretch out in rows of empty seats while once prominent Louisville teams struggle to beat smallish foes. UofL is constantly invited to be the homecoming opponent for other schools.

An athletics department that once raised hundreds of millions of dollars now hopes to raise hundreds of thousands. It’s all part of the shifting landscape of power. The bigs get bigger. The mediums get smaller.

Chuck Smrt keeps billing schools millions while delivering zero results.

Chuck Smrt – worst crisis manager ever?

In 2020, University of Miami athletics director Tom Jurich eagerly awaits the arrival of the Hurricanes’ opponent, the Louisville Cardinals football team coached by Jeff Brohm. (Grissom can’t allow Bobby Petrino to survive – he’s a sinner, too!).

Jurich and his new head football coach Charlie Strong, who rarely lost at South Florida, have long awaited this ACC matchup for a revenge beatdown of their old school.

It’s a 55-7 Miami thumping of the overmatched Cards who are teetering on dismissal from the ACC, which by now is scouting Cincinnati and UConn as upgrade replacements for hapless Louisville. And Jurich is the #1 advocate for bouncing Louisville from the ACC for a more competitive member.

The Grissom house cleaning has pulled U of L back to 1963 competitive levels, but with the financial demands of 2020. U of L fan support is half of what it once was while media darling Lou City FC announces stadium expansion in preparation of upgrading to the MSL. The city embraces soccer as Cardinal love continues to wane.

With the loan principle now due, Yum Center mortgage payments just doubled and U of L’s maximum contribution is more than $13 million short of need. All taxpayers, even Kentucky fans still reeling from having Nike shoe pimp John Calipari replaced by Ashley Judd, have to pay the Louisville debt.

Welcome to Possibility City. Very strong possibility, in fact.

ADDENDUM

In defense of David Grissom, Greg Postel, and Vince Tyra, the University of Louisville is fighting financial battles on multiple fronts. Grissom and Postel must sift through a minefield of administrative malfeasance across campus while staffers keep dispensing education, research, outreach, collegiality, employment, and community prestige.

My projections for 2020 are for athletics only, once considered the gold standard by peers. Mssrs. Grissom, Postel, and Tyra must take what was perceived as a rare sports car and repackage it for fans, donors, and advertisers who are aware that the car has been through a hurricane, tornado, and cliff dive.

It’s still an operating vehicle, just nowhere near its previous value. Vince Tyra is the architect of the rebuilding process with Grissom and Postel as overseers. It’s a long climb back but UofL was knocked back to base camp, not the bottom of the mountain.

The 2013 NCAA championship banner is coming down but that Heisman Trophy is ours forever.

Even O.J. retains that honor.

Lamar Jackson and his Heisman Trophy, December 10, 2016

There’s gold in them there Cards, at least there was…

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The Sunday, October 8th Courier Journal will blast out a series of pieces all surrounding the money flow at the University of Louisville, most of which has gone to a few prominent leaders even as athletics shows an annual net loss.

Here’s Tom Jurich’s earnings sheet for 2016:

Tom Jurich 2016 earnings associated with U of L

With all of the reverberating tremors from the U of L’s various scandals, perhaps the most eye-opening revelation is just how much money was being sopped up by Tom Jurich, Rick Pitino, former president James Ramsey, and their associates.

The Courier-Journal has done exhaustive pieces on Pitino’s 98% grab of previous Adidas money intended for the basketball program, and Jurich’s extremely healthy revenue stream.

Pitino is out and with very little chance of getting much severance or endorsement deals.

With Jurich’s fate yet to be determined, this series appears to be the newspaper’s not-so-impartial statement for the board of trustees to oust him and retain acting athletics director Vince Tyra.

Dr. Ricky Jones compares U of L to Vito Corleone‘s money laundering Genco Olive Oil Co. in the Godfather films.

Professors complain about beleaguered academic funding and rightfully so. Students fees rise while people who buy tickets to athletics events get zinged year after year.

It’s all a jam but nothing changes the base reality that the market pays what demand allows. Jurich and Pitino, and to a lesser degree football coach Bobby Petrino, have earned millions because the fan base has been willing to accept the pricing of tickets and seat licenses.

Now with a scandal-laden athletics department, U of L will have to lower prices like Walmart to reenergize a disappointed, embarrassed, and increasingly disinterested fan base.

If you’re a day trader, just wait a few months and be ready to jump back into the market and buy seats on the cheap. If U of L gets an NCAA death penalty, the bottom will fall out of the market until a young, brash coach comes along to reignite interest.

The problem for college basketball and especially football is that kids aren’t as interested in them as previous generations.

Soccer owns the future and Louisville leaders are making way for a stadium that could make millions of discretionary dollars shift away from U of L to LouCity FC.

For your entertainment dollar and peace of mind, the soccer stadium is the new gold rush.

The Louisville meltdown – bare knuckle fights, sleepless nights

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Could Tom Jurich retain a position of authority at the University of Louisville? Yes. Don’t believe the denials. There is backstage maneuvering to examine that possibility.

More on that in a moment. First, let’s deal with the nuclear meltdown that rocked our world.

Since the University of Louisville’s ties to a funneled shoe money scandal rocked the basketball world, the commonwealth of Kentucky is soaking in schadenfreude – taking pleasure in the misery of others.

Rick Pitino is out. Tom Jurich is out (for now) after once again refusing to fire Pitino.

That’s the Jurich loyalty factor. “If he goes, I go.”

Well, Pitino is definitely gone after the FBI sting illustrates Louisville’s involvement in a pay-for-play scheme to benefit the family of recruit Brian Bowen. He told me that he is crushed by “being treated like a criminal” when door locks were changed “before I could get my personal belongings.” Pitino’s attorney says his client was not given the contracted 10 days notice to be heard before any action could be taken.

Powerful people do rub some people the wrong way. More than a few national writers are euphoric over the firings.

The acerbic segment of college basketball zealots and some Kentucky Wildcat fans are cautiously giddy enjoying Louisville’s agony while wondering if the FBI investigation will eventually crush Big Blue Nation and other power programs.

It was a shocking week that could lead to a complete reboot of college sports as we’ve known it. The NCAA allowed coaches, schools, pimps and thieves to use shoe company deals for exploiting athletes.

Hall of Fame Coach Pitino says he has no knowledge of any money being paid to any of his recruits or their families. “I miss my players so much,” he wrote in a text.

Now the ever popular David Padgett has been named as acting head coach just as practice begins for the new season. Padgett is a terrific person so nary a discouraging word arose with the announcement. Hang on, Kentucky Sports radio had to throw down some snark.

Joon Kim, acting U.S. Attorney for southern New York state details criminal complaints in a pay-for-play scheme

UofL will attempt to avoid paying any further monies to Pitino while attorney Steve Pence promises a “bare knuckle fight” over the coach’s $44 million buyout. Pence will likely file a lawsuit this week declaring that Pitino’s dismissal was done without the required advance notice.

Various Louisville executives are lobbying the interim President Greg Postel and Board of Trustees Chairman David Grissom to retain Jurich. Frosty relations between the three make that a long shot scenario.

Greg Fischer and Tom Jurich have a strained relationship from the mayor’s long running exploration of adding NBA basketball in Louisville.

Sources tell me that Gov. Matt Bevin is not a driving factor in any of this week’s maneuvers, but that it’s Grissom putting pressure on Postel to prove that he deserves the presidency.

J David Grissom

Grissom claimed to have polled the board of trustees by phone to assess their support for firing Pitino and Jurich, thought to be a violation of sunshine laws. Now he’s thrown together an impromptu October 2nd board of trustees meeting to update board members.

Here’s Grissom’s top problem: how to keep money flowing into the University of Louisville’s nearly empty coffers.

Jurich’s transformation of a sleepy metro conference UofL into an ACC powerhouse is the stuff of legend. And don’t kid yourself. College athletic departments are massive businesses that bolster cities in employment, tax revenue, and growth of nearby businesses (many of which are near death from the lack of a convention center).

Reduced interest in UofL basketball crushes values of TV/radio deals, seat licenses, tickets, and arena signage. The mortgage payments for the arena will soon double. At least red ink matches the school color scheme.

Jurich is a fierce competitor who demands loyalty but he is also a charming salesman who has raised hundreds of millions of dollars during his tenure.

Good luck to the man or woman who replaces him. Louisville, both the city and university, are dog paddling to make ends meet. So now Grissom wants to cut the throat of the best fundraiser and infrastructure builder in the city’s history?

Preposterous. Grissom and Jurich are both bulldozers but the stoic Grissom is no match for Jurich’s ability to generate revenue from local businesses and well-heeled constituents.

If Grissom can dial his ego back many notches, cooler heads will prevail and Jurich will stay on as athletics director or chief fundraiser for the school.

UofL has already pushed Denny Crum and Darrell Griffith over the cliff. Don’t make the same mistake with Jurich. City schools rarely outperform giant state universities but this one has.

iHeart Media VP Earl Jones, WHAS’ Terry Meiners, WDRB GM Bill Lamb, and UofL VP Tom Jurich (2017)

It’s been a slippery tightrope walk for me as a media person delivering news and opinion all while watching my friends Pitino and Jurich have their lives torn apart.

They ran what amounts to a Fortune 500 company that benefits the city of Louisville and taxpayers statewide. Nonetheless, the cumulative effect of three major scandals over the past few years can’t be ignored. It hurts the city’s image beyond measure.

My sleepless nights are rooted in pain for my buddies, sadness over UofL’s diminished ability to attract the best and brightest researchers and students, and the financial bloodbath.

Let’s get to work. Ls up. Heads held high. Never ever turn away from your friends in difficult times.

Great Day Live, October 2014

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I appreciate all of the people who sent me texts and emails thanking me for representing our city well on ESPN and national publications. All we can do is move forward and work to improve our place in this world.

Once Shining Moment: UofL’s rock bottom is at hand

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The University of Louisville athletics department is imploding over the massive FBI sting that rocked much of the college basketball world today.

The best college sports town in America is tone deaf. As UofL awaits an NCAA decision that could wipe out years of glory, two more Cardinal coaches cry out “Hold my beer. We can make it worse with fraud and corruption to enrich agents and financial leeches.”

Federal law enforcement documents reveal references to one, maybe two, University of Louisville assistant coaches negotiating with shoe company Adidas on the landing spot for one or more prized recruits.

A side note: those connected to assistant coach David Padgett say he was shocked to learn of today’s indictments and has zero knowledge of any connection to UofL.

That leaves assistants Jordan Fair and Kenny Johnson in the speculative deep fryer.

There’s no wiggle room at the top for the bosses.

There is a real possibility that Rick Pitino and Tom Jurich will both step aside on Wednesday or by the end of the week. Jurich has been at odds with interim President Greg Postel since his appointment last winter after Dr. Neville Pinto bolted for squeaky clean Cincinnati.

In July, Dr. Postel presented Mr. Jurich with a list of tasks. Point #1 was to fire Rick Pitino over the stripper scandal that led to a program beatdown from the NCAA.

Jurich refused Postel’s directive.

Meeting at Vincenzo’s restaurant just prior to Postel’s announcement that the school had reached a new lease agreement with the KFC Yum Center, Jurich was stiff armed from participating in the negotiation. Postel had tightened his grip on a seemingly autonomous athletics program.

Today’s confirmation of Louisville’s involvement in the FBI sting came from Postel, not the athletics department.

Many of the schools affected today are first timers to the scandal walk of shame. UofL’s prior dumpster fire of misbehavior is turning into a potential nuclear blast.

Rick Pitino’s attorney Steve Pence promises that UofL “won’t fire Pitino without a bare knuckle fight.” Pence predicts that Pitino would prevail in a legal struggle over his reported $44 million buyout.

Email within UofL dated September 22, 2017 noted media inquiries about Pitino’s personal service contracts and annual payments from Adidas. At least one media outlet was asking for records dating back to 2001.

Pitino told me today that his Adidas deals go back to his days at the University of Kentucky and that all of that information is public.

Someone obviously tipped off the media to a simmering investigation involving Adidas and coaches at least five days prior to this morning’s FBI arrests.

Can Rick Pitino survive. It’s hard to imagine but he has fought his way through seemingly hopeless battles before.

An answer to the school’s appeal to salvage its 2013 NCAA Championship and 2012 Final Four appearance is expected any day.

Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) walks off the court as confetti falls on Louisville players, including Russ Smith (2), Luke Hancock (11), Stephan Van Treese (44) and Zach Price (25), after the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game, Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville won 82-76. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)

Tom Jurich has steadfastly stood by Rick Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach whose last several recruiting classes have been his best since his Kentucky days in the 90s.

If Jurich goes, a mass exodus of Cardinals coaches could start sending out resumes. Tonight, two other high value UofL head coaches tell me that they have not been contacted by the Postel people to test their interest in staying on board if they suddenly get a new boss.

That’s the only ray of light I can find at this hour.

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AUDIO FROM JUNE 5, 2017: Rick Pitino on the surprise commitment of Brian Bowen

GIDDY CITY – The Beasman & Cat fans bask in UofL’s misery

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For University of Louisville fans and the city that benefits from its revenue and research, today’s announcement of an FBI sting involving coaches and multiple recruits was as tough as it gets.

UK superman The Beasman didn’t miss an opportunity to revel in schadenfreude.

The wide ranging probe could involve many more schools. Let’s just see where all the overpriced shoes drop.

The Beasman can’t stop laughing about Clemson trouncing UofL

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THE BEASMAN cats on fire as cards fold
(unaired portion of script) THEY DISSED US, LARRY! THEY DINT SHAKE OUR HANDS SO THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS HAD TO CRUSH THEIR SOUTH CARAMALINER SOULS FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN A ROW! WE ARE UK! WE ARE BIG BLUE! KENTUCKY PROUD! STOOPS TROOPS! AWWWWWW C-A-T-S CATS! CATS! CATS! WE LOVE US SOME KENTUCKY WILDCATS! BENNY SNELL SAID IT BEST: WE BE 3 AND OH! WE BE 3! WE BE 3! WE BE 3! I ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT! I ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT.

photos: UK athletics

GOOOOO BIG BLUE! BUT THE STOOPID TOP 25 PO STILL DON’T GOT NO U UH KAY IN IT. WHAT IN THE SAM HILL IS WRONG WITH THEM LUNKHEADS WHO VOTE? IS THEY ALL ON DRUGS? WELL ONCE WE BEAT UP THEM FLORIDER GATORS COME SAIRDEE NIGHT THEN WE WILL SEE WHO BLONGS IN THE TOP 25 AND WHO IS A FRAUD! WHAT A WEEKEND! CATS WIN! CATS WIN! CATS WIN! AND GAME DAY AINT NEVER COMIN BACK TO Y’ALL’S GHETTO TOWN CUZ YOU CAINT GIVE EM A GOOD GAME. CARDINALS GOT BLOWED OUT AND US GOOD AND CLASSY CAT FANS WAS LOVIN EVER MINUTE OF IT! FIRE HONEST BOBBY! FIRE HONEST BOBBY! HIRE JEFF BROHM! HIRE JEFF BROHM! (laffs) I LOVE STIRRIN THE POT, LARRY.

Y’ALL PATHETIC U OF SMELL FANS GOT TO TAKE YOUR LUMPS AND ADMIT THAT U UH KAY IS YOUR MASTER IN FOOTBAW AND BASKETBAW! WE BEAT YOU LAST FALL AND WE BEEN ON A ROAD WINNING STREAK EVER SINCE! Y’ALL SNAGGLE TOOTH CARDINAL FANS LAUGHED AT US WHEN WE SAID BEATIN U OF SMELL IN THE PIZZA OVEN WAS THE TURNAROUND FOR U UH KAY FOOTBAW. WELL LOOK AT BOTH OF US NOW, YOU FRUIT LOOP! THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS IS AMERICA’S TEAM AND U OF SMELL JUST GOT ANOTHER BEATDOWN ON NATIONAL TELLERBISION.

OL LEE CORSO PUT ON THAT CARDINAL HEAD AND THE CLEMZER DINT TAKE TOO KIND TO IT. LEE CORSO MUST BE SEE-NILE! BETTER GIT HIM A FULLTIME NURSE CUZ HE’S OUTTA HIS MIND. THE ONLY THING Y’ALL DID RIGHT WAS WEAR BLACK CLOTHES BECAUSE IT WAS A CARDINAL FUNERAL! (laffs) AND POOR OL SLICK RICK PUT ON LAY-MAR JACKSON’S TIGHT JERSEY LIKE HE THUNK HE WAS A NEW YARK FASHION MODEL. WHAT A JOKE! THE ONLY PASS SLICK RICK KNOWS HOW TO THROW IS TO SOME STRUMPET TO SNEAK IN THE DARM AND COMMIT SINS WITH HIS PLAYERS.

ADMIT IT, LARRY! IT IS ALL OVER FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND SLICK RICK AND HIS SINFUL SIDEKICK BOBBY PETRINKO. Y’ALL JUST NEED TO PIRE WARSH ALL THEM CRIMINAL COACHES OUTTA YOUR GHETTO TOWN AND START OVER. I BETCHA THE STATUE OF JOHNNY UNITAS WOULDA PLAYED BETTER THAN ANYBODY ON YOUR TEAM! MEANTIME U UH KAY IS THE TOAST OF AMERICA. WE GOT US COACH CAL – HE GOES TO MASS EVER DAY. AND WE GOT US MARK STOOPS, WHO USED TO BE STOOPID BUT NOW THAT HE’S WINNIN WE ALL LOVE HIM. KENTUCKY IS THE GOLD STANDARD AND LOSERVILLE IS THE MOLD STANDARD. Y’ALL IS CRUSTY, MOLDY, TIRED HAS BEENS THAT IS THE LAUGHING STOCK OF AMERICA.

photo: UofL athletics

PUT ME ON HODE FOR THE MARK STOOPS CALL-IN SHOW. HE TAWKS TO HIS FANS WHILE BOBBY PETRINKO DON’T TAKE NO CALLS AND GITS AST QUESTIONS THAT HIS STAFF MEMBERS WRITE IN ADVANCE. LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL! U UH KAY GONNA FINALLY WHOOP FLARIDER AND ALL THE CURSES WILL BE AS DEAD AS LOSERVILLE’S 2013 BANNER! TAKE IT DOWN! TAKE IT DOWN! TAKE IT DOWN! YOU SAGGY PANTS, RAP MUSIC, WHISKEY FOR BREAKFAST, FOULMOUTH, STINKBREATH, MAKIN BABIES OUT OF WEDLOCK, UNCHRISTIAN, UNHINGED, UNAMERICAN SCUMBAG U OF SMELL THUGS IS FINALLY GITTIN WHAT’S COMIN TO YOU….A BIG, FAT TRIP TO NOBODYLAND.

GAME DAY AINT COMIN BACK. BOWL BIDS AINT COMIN BACK. MARCH MADNESS AINT COMIN BACK. THE ONLY THING COMIN BACK TO LOSERVILLE IS NC2A INVESTERGATORS BRINGIN A BIG TALL LADDER TO CLIMB UP IN THE DEADBEAT YUM YUM ARENER TO CUT DOWN THAT FAKE NEWS BANNER, AND THEN THEY GONNA REPO THAT FRAUD HEISMAN TROPHY! BETTER SET YOUR GPS FOR BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, LARRY.

YOU AND YOUR TIGHT JERSEY WEARIN BOYFRIEND SLICK RICK ABOUT TO GIT RUN OUTTA TOWN WORSE THAN CLEMZER DONE TO YOUR OVERRATED FOOTBAW TEAM. BETTER PUT SOME FRESH LIGHTBULBS IN YOUR SCOREBOARD FOR NEXT SAIRDEE WHEN Y’ALL GIT TROUNCED BY CUPCAKE STATE! AWWWWWWW C-A-T-S CATS! CATS! CATS! FARDY & OH! FARDY & OH! FARDY & OH!

Every CEO knows that you don’t mess with the profit center

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front page of The Courier-Journal, August 26, 2017

The obvious tension among University of Louisville officials is no secret. Mounting pressures from a myriad of financial, legal, and NCAA entanglements have left the school’s leaders singing out of different hymnals.

The Courier-Journal’s Tim Sullivan projects that VP of athletics Tom Jurich’s massive new deal with adidas will break the wall of silence between the administration and the athletics department.

Here is my previous blog post referenced in Sullivan’s CJ column.

What’s next?

UofL Foundation Chairman David Grissom won’t say whether he has asked interim President Dr. Greg Postel to fire head basketball coach Rick Pitino for a “fresh start” following the NCAA scandal. Lots of sources say that’s exactly what happened in July around the time of the new Yum Center deal that Postel steered around Jurich.

Jurich has repeatedly said he will not consider such a move and would leave UofL if Pitino is fired.

Pitino’s buyout is around $44 million. Yeah, ain’t gonna happen. UofL is in no financial position to push out its most successful (and marquee) employee.

Wait…Grissom urged Postel to fire Pitino? Who’s running this nuthouse anyway?

I know this. Coaches in every sport are loyal to Jurich. If Jurich goes, a mass exodus of nearly the entire cupboard of Louisville’s ACC competitive coaches will follow. An abandoned UofL would have to host a coaching job fair with some poorly qualified newbie choosing the replacements.

November 26, 2016

Jurich and Pitino are UofL’s Fortune 500 company. The adidas deal was announced the other night at the Fifty Yard Line dinner where Jurich commanded the stage while the interim president sat quietly three tables off to the side.

Jurich hosted Gov. Matt Bevin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, business icon Junior Bridgeman, and two adidas executives. Postel was noticeably relegated to secondary status.

Let’s hope all of these UofL leaders can work out their discomfort and come together as a team to face rough waters ahead for all higher education.

Universities all across America are dealing with free falling government dollars, cultural meltdowns that turn off alums, and sparse alumni donations. Newer generations of graduates just don’t send money to the ‘ol alma mater like mom and dad did.

Pitino and Jurich are locks for UofL’s all-time Mount Rushmore. Plus, Bobby Petrino, Jeff Walz, Ken Lolla, and Dan McDonnell are generating their own national buzz and financial success.

Every CEO knows you don’t mess with the profit center. Jurich’s twenty year run has generated an unprecedented BOOM TIME that is the envy of even gigantic schools.

iHeart Media VP Earl Jones, WHAS’ Terry Meiners, WDRB GM Bill Lamb, and UofL VP Tom Zurich (photo: Voice-Tribune 2017)

Yes, Pitino and Jurich are my friends. They’ve got tons of supporters, incredible competitive achievements, and they raise incredible amounts of local charitable dollars.

Even the most ardent UofL haters understand that Jurich is the most sought after athletics director in America and Pitino is a Top 5 coach.

Neither could be replaced without sending the university spiraling back into its nadir just before Denny Crum was hired and started UofL’s run to national prominence nearly 50 years ago.

Even a guy with a skimpy resume understands that.

Great Day Live, October 2014