Go Cards

Aly Khalifa and Kobe Rodgers?

Heard some people saying it's wasting two scholarships and they should've gotten another young guard to play this season.

Not sure why but here I am. At least for a while.

Say it louder for the people in the back.

now is when the real fun begins and the lawyers will really get involved but you're actually going to see a reversion back to the way it was with players staying longer and not transferring every year, if schools are smart. they should all be working on iron clad payment contracts with buy out clauses and you'll see schools force players to sign multi-year contracts to ensure they don't skip out, or if they do the school gets reimbursed. every player will be signing one year contracts but then schools will be offering multiple to keep players and i'm sure potentially even preventing them from entering the draft early without a buyout clause. but all kinds of stipulations are going to be forced on the players and as the saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. kids will be paid more but will end up with much less movement from school to school as their contracts with tie them down. some schools will be forceful with their contracts, others will be willy nilly. there's going to be a lot of bargaining of money, years and buyouts in the future and colleges will design courses just to handle this for the students. yippee kay-yay mubber-flubber

Down to two digits

ACC sets revenue record​

again — despite turmoil, lawsuits surrounding conference BY ANDREW CARTER MAY 24, 2024 12:33 PM

Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article288711600.html#storylink=cpy

The ACC generated a record amount of revenue, again, during the 2022-23 fiscal year, despite the conference’s ominous circumstances and the continued narrative that it is fighting for its long term survival. If anything, the league’s latest tax return, released Thursday, suggests the conference won’t have trouble funding its legal defense against Clemson and Florida State. Both of those schools have sued the ACC, and are seeking an escape from the league’s Grant of Rights agreement. The conference, meanwhile, continues to set revenue records. It reported total revenue of $706.6 million last year — an increase of about $90 million from the 2021-22 fiscal year. The league paid out an average of $44.8 million to its 14 full-time members.

The 2022-23 fiscal year represented a couple of milestones for the ACC. It was the first time the conference generated more than $700 million. It was also the first time the conference distributed an annual full-share payout of more than $40 million to member schools. The problem, for the league, is that its two wealthiest rivals — the Big Ten and SEC — surpassed those milestones years ago. Mid-to-late May has become something of “990 season” in college athletics — the time of year when conferences release their tax forms from the previous fiscal year. The numbers routinely reflect the obscene financial growth throughout major college athletics. It has been no different in the ACC, despite the growing public perception that the league faces a money problem.

It is not so much a money problem as it is a problem of having enough money — as judged by conference commissioners and everyone from school presidents and administrators to boosters and fans. And if there’s one thing college sports has underscored again and again it’s that more is never enough. The ACC has become Exhibit A of that reality, amid the lawsuits threatening its future. ACC revenue has increased more than 50% over the past five years. It’s up more than 200% over the past 10 years, more than 330% over the past 15 years and almost 550% over the past 20. And yet in their lawsuits, both Florida State and Clemson have essentially accused the conference of financial mismanagement; of failing its members as television money has become more and more lucrative. Indeed, the ACC has fallen behind in a financial sense. The SEC during the 2022-23 fiscal year reported $852.6 million in revenue, according to tax documents it released earlier this year. The Big Ten reported $880 million in revenue, Sportico reported earlier this week. Both of those conferences, bolstered by strong football followings and mostly made up of large schools with robust alumni bases, are soon likely to cross the billion-dollar mark in revenue.

On a per-member distribution basis, the Big Ten last year paid out an average of more than $60 million to its member schools. The SEC last year paid more than $50 million to its members. As recently as 2006, the ACC paid out more than both the Big Ten and SEC — but that was the year before the Big Ten Network launched, and before the SEC signed a landmark TV deal before the 2009 football season. Conference payouts to schools represent a significant chunk of individual athletic department budgets, but league TV money is hardly the only source of income for schools. They also make money from booster contributions, ticket and merchandise sales and individual multimedia deals (like radio broadcast contracts, for instance), among other sources.

Television money, though, has become a singular point of focus, with everyone from university trustees to message-board-addled fans obsessing over the dollars in recent years. The ACC won nine NCAA championships during the 2022-23 academic year, and has won 21 over the past two and a half years, and yet because of TV money the conference has continued to fight a narrative that it’s in decline. The Big Ten and SEC will continue to distance themselves, in a financial sense, given both leagues will soon enter into new television rights agreements that will make them even wealthier. The ACC’s contract with ESPN, meanwhile, runs through 2036. The length of that deal has caused consternation, but every league member signed off on it — and also agreed to the Grant of Rights. At the time the ACC signed that deal, in 2016, a long term agreement with ESPN was seen as a stabilizing move. The length of the contract also incentivized ESPN to agree to launch the ACC Network, which came on the air in 2019.

Florida State in its legal filings has claimed that the ACC’s TV deal actually expires in 2027, with ESPN needing to agree to an extension. Jim Phillips, the ACC Commissioner, refuted that last week during the ACC’s annual spring meetings. “The contract runs through ‘36,” Phillips said, “and we’re working internally with them on a piece of the contract. I can’t go into the details on it, but the partnership’s not going away or going to be affected in a negative light at all, or a negative way at all.”

This year, the release of conference revenue figures comes amid a heightened focus — even more than usual — on money in college sports. The NCAA and the nation’s four most powerful college athletics conferences, along with the remnants of the Pac-12, agreed to settle three antitrust cases against the NCAA. Among those cases, the most commonly-known is House vs. NCAA. The settlement for the first time will allow schools to offer direct payment to athletes. The NCAA agreed to pay more than $2.7 billion in damages to former and current athletes, according to ESPN.com, which also reported that a proposed revenue-sharing plan would allow schools to share about $20 million annually with athletes. Many of the details of how the settlement will work remain unclear. There are Title IX implications to work through, for one. And it’s unknown how much certain athletes in certain sports might receive, or how their compensation would be calculated. College sports leaders have also remained adamant that athletes not be considered employees.

Still, the settlement has only fueled the money-driven hysteria that surrounds college athletics. Already, there are cries of needing more, or not having enough. Meanwhile, conference 990s tell a story of an industry flush with more and more cash — even in the beleaguered ACC. The conference’s 14.5% year-to-year revenue growth was its second-largest of the past 10 years. The league’s TV revenue increased 9%, to $481.7 million. The league spent at least $3.6 million on legal services, a figure that will undoubtedly rise this year. Phillips, with a total compensation of $2.8 million, was the league’s highest-paid employee. The ACC also paid John Swofford, its former commissioner who retired in June 2021, $2.6 million. Five other current employees received at least $300,000 in compensation, including base salary and bonuses. None of the numbers suggested an organization in any kind of financial plight, and yet its fight for survival, the fight to generate more and more, continues.

Louisville odds on making the CFB Playoffs is +470 on FanDuel. The question that I have is, if I bet $100, how much would I get if they were to make it?

"You don't put your shoes on, lace them up unless you're anticipating competing for a championship," Kelsey said. "That's it. I'm never going to go into a season like, 'Hey, this season will be a success if —.' I'm just not that way."

From the interview with Jon Rothstein.

The Baltimore Ravens entered organized team activities with two mobile quarterbacks who came from Louisville. Now, they only have one. With Lamar Jackson cemented atop the depth chart, the team has officially converted backup Malik Cunningham to wide receiver, according to Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink.
Cunningham, 25, originally joined the Ravens last December, when Baltimore claimed the rookie off the New England Patriots' practice squad. He had taken some practice reps at receiver in New England after a few moves on and off the scout team and a preseason in which he ran for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Now, Cunningham is transitioning out of the quarterback room in Baltimore, where 38-year-old Josh Johnson appears entrenched as Jackson's No. 2. His first official reps at receiver came in Thursday's practice, and he's set to compete for a reserve role behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor.
The position change comes years after Jackson, a fellow Louisville product, notably refused a move from quarterback when some analysts suggested his athleticism would be better utilized out wide. Jackson, of course, has gone on to win two NFL MVP awards as the signal-caller of the Ravens offense.
Cunningham, like Jackson, was a prolific rushing quarterback coming out of college, topping 450 yards on the ground in five straight seasons at Louisville. He hit a career-high 1,034 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in 2021.

Till we tee it up.

Men’s doubles has achieved a program-first, advancing to the national semi finals!

1) G- Reyne Smith, 6'2", senior

2) F/C- James Scott, 6'11", soph

3) G/F- Terrence Edwards, 6'6", senior

4) G/F- J'Vonne Hadley, 6'6", senior

5) G- Koren Johnson, 6'2", junior

6) F- Aboubacar Traore, 6'5", senior

7) PG- Chucky Hepburn, 6'2", senior

8) PF- Kasean Pryor, 6'10", senior

9) F/PF- Khani Rooths, 6'8", freshman

10) PF- Noah Waterman, 6'10", senior

11) C- Frank Anselem-Ibe, 6'10", senior

12) G- Kobe Rodgers, 6'3", senior, redshirt

13) C- Aly Khalifa, 6'11", senior, redshirt


Possible Starting Lineup:

PG- Hepburn
SG- Edwards
SF- Hadley
PF- Pryor
C- Waterman

Bench:

PG- Johnson
SG- Smith
SF- Traore
PF- Rooths
C- Scott

C- Frank Anselem-Ibe

Redshirts:

Aly Khalifa
Kobe Rodgers

That's kinda bad ass, it's already got the trophy like a rivalry game and now honoring a Miami kid during the game. That's what I'm talking about f**k em! Lol

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https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...all-acc-tournament-2024-pairings/73647403007/

Alexis Cubit
Louisville Courier Journal

Louisville baseball will be part of Pool B with second-seeded Clemson and 11th-seeded Miami during the ACC Tournament, the conference announced Saturday.

The schedule will be revealed Sunday. Pool play begins at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Cardinals, who are seeded seventh, ended the regular season 32-22 overall and fourth in the ACC’s Atlantic Division at 16-14. That included a regular season-ending sweep over Notre Dame for the team’s fourth conference series win. Eddie King Jr. led U of L in the series, going 6 for 10 with five home runs and eight RBIs. He enters the tournament hitting .324, fourth best on the team.

If I see something I'll post it here just so we have an idea what caliber player CPK will initially go after. We already know about Rooths, Magwood Jasper Johnson, Sisley and Moreno I'll leave them out.

Ranking the 10 biggest WR transfers of the offseason​

5. CAULLIN LACY, Louisville​

Lost in some of these bigger names in the transfer portal is Lacy, the most productive receiver. He had a huge career at South Alabama. with 207 receptions for 2,517 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career. With leading receiver Jamari Thrash gone, Lacy could be an integral part of the Cardinals’ offense as they’ve brought in through the portal other talented players as well.

Ranking the five biggest TE transfers of the offseason​

4. JALEEL SKINNER, Louisville​

Earlier in his recruitment, Skinner was under five-star consideration based on his projection and athletic ability, but he has not performed up to even his four-star level to this point. After flipping from Alabama to Miami late in his recruitment, Skinner had not made much of an impact for two seasons with the Hurricanes. Now at Louisville, Skinner has the size and speed to be elite but needs to put it all together on the field.

Trio of programs standing tall for Fla. DB Jonathan Carter​

Teddy Bridgewater returns to HS alma mater as its new head coach​

Recruiting Rumor Mill: College coaches hitting the road​

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Now with more than 40 offers, the four-star running back from Delray Beach (Fla.) Atlantic Community has a lot to consider (including a new offer from Alabama) but there is a select group of programs that has made the biggest impression so far. Colorado, Texas, West Virginia, Ole Miss, Penn State and Louisville are standing out most to Desinor as his recruitment stays very busy.

Rivals Camp Series Indianapolis: Recruiting Rumor Mill surrounding RBs​

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One of the top prospects in Kentucky made his way to Indianapolis and left with a Gold Ball. Rated as a three-star, Stone has a number of offers to his name. Stone says NC State, Georgia Tech , Louisville, Tennessee State and Cincinnati have been the primary programs on contact in recent weeks. Ohio, Miami (OH), Western Kentucky and Toledo have also been involved. The Cincinnati offer is one that could be intriguing moving forward. His primary recruiter left for a new program this offseason, but he said the communication is picking back up and the Bearcats are in the thick of things. The 2025 prospect has not yet scheduled official visits.

Smith's Takeaways: Linemen, quarterbacks impress in Indianapolis​

THE BEEF WAS IN TOWN​

The prospects in the trenches passed the eye test on Sunday. There were several comments from other people at the camp about how many good looking linemen there were at the camp. When you come to the Midwest there should be some beef up front and Indianapolis showed out there. There were several good matchups during one-on-ones. Louisiana 2026 defensive tackle Dylan Berymon against 2025 Louisville offensive line commit Jake Cook was terrific.