LOUISVILLE CARDINAL BASKETBALL.......FREEDOM Hall.....Denny CRUM.......Rick PITINO.....YUM CENTER......Rich TRADITION

On the Banks of the OHIO River lies a city that is known for One Thing.....well 2 if you count the Biggest ANNUAL Horse Race in the WORLD...the KENTUCKY Derby and the LOUISVILLE CARDINAL BASKETBALL Program.

In the Tradition Rich Sport of Division 1-A Men's College Basketball.....the CARDS bring it like no other. With a ranking in the TOP 20 All-Time in WINS, having been to the BIG DANCE 37 times, and 62 Tourney wins.......the CARDINALS are one of the TOP PROGRAMS in the nation.

The Man who started all the MAYHEM was the Face of LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL.....former Head Coach DENNY CRUM. A 1994 Naismith Hall Of Fame Inductee, CRUM guided the CARDS to unchartered territory under his watch. The CARDS had 6 Final Four appearances and 2 national Titles in 1980 and 1986. Those Teams were led by Darrell GRIFFTH aka DR DUNKENSTEIN and the Freshman Sensation out of the STATE of Georgia.....NEVER NERVOUS Pervis ELLISON.

The CRUM Coaching Era lasted some 30 years from 1971-2001...and then he was replaced by Rick PITINO who is currently the head coach at the 'VILLE and has the CARDS once again back on the NATIONAL LEVEL as an ELITE Program. The CARDS have also moved into the BIG EAST. When Coach CRUM Coached at Louisville the CARDS were in the METRO Conference and its Rival was the MEMPHIS STATE TIGERS now known as the MEMPHIS TIGERS. Now under Pitino they have BIG EAST Rivals.

What Coach PITINO has maintained in the Program is keeping LOUISVILLE Kids Home and then has recruited BIG TIME on the NATIONAL LEVEL. What also has helped in his most recent recruiting the CARDS have moved into their new home.....the KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN YUM CENTER....called the KFC YUM! CENTER. A State-of-the-ART Arena and I have said this before.....YOU THINK THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE JUST BUILT THAT FOR THE CARDS........NO. Look for the City of LOUISVILLE to be Major Players once the NBA Expands again......the YUM CENTER is that NBA READY.

Now we have talkied about the Coaches and facilities......let's get to the Good Part. Meet and Greet the HOOPERS that played under Denny Crum and 2 National Championships:

NOTE: the'VILLE means that player was from LOUISVILLE

Butch BEARD joined UNSELD at the 'VILLE
Junior BRIDGEMAN played for Great MIL. BUCKS TEAMS
Darrell GRIFFTH aka DR. DUNKENSTEIN from the 'VILLE
Lancaster GORDON
Jeff HALL
Tony KIMBRO
Rodney and Scooter McCRAY from MT. VERNON NY
Billy THOMPSON and Milt WAGNER Camden NJ DUO
Kenny PAYNE currently Coach CALIPARI lead Assistant at UK CATS
Greg MINOR
DeJuan WHEAT the 'VILLE
Dwayne MORTON from the 'VILLE
Clifford ROZIER transfer from UNC CHAPEL HILL
Wes UNSELD a fixture in the CAP CENTRE for the BULLETTS from the 'VILLE
Samaki WALKER
Derek SMITH late Father of DUKE G NOALN SMITH n one of Johnny DAWKINS Best Friend Head Coach at STANFORD
LaBradford SMITH also a 1st rounder in the AMATUER BASEBALL DRAFT Pitcher Bay City TEXAS
jason OSBORNE the 'VILLE

Now let's meet some of the players under Coach PITINO

Earl CLARK SUNS Plainfield NJ
Terrence WILLIAMS Seattle RAINIER BEACH HS ROCKETS
Reece GAINES Madison WIS
Francisco GARCIA KINGS NYC
Samardo,SAMUELS CAVS ST PATS NJ
Derek CARACTER LAKESHOW ST PATS NJ
Wayne BLACKSHEAR current Freshman CHICAGO Morgan PARK
Peyton SIVA Seattle FRANKLIN HS also HS of Aaron BROOKS SUNS PG and Jason JET 2 TERRY MAVS 2G

The PLAYERS and the Tradition at the 'VILLE is of a storied past and the Current CARDS are loaded and will keep that tradition going as long as they are under COACH PITINO's Watch.

Ands no matter who is coaching the CARDS...they will alway have one rival.....and their biggest.....the CATS of the UNIVERSITY of KENTUCKY Lexington......if you haven't noticed.....the STATE of KENTUCKY is either RED or BLUE...and nothing else.