Lady Cards have much respect

[TheRealVille]

Despite losing their first two games to unranked teams, the ladies are still ranked #22. No way the men's team would ever get that kind of respect. They would have fell like a rock out of the top 25. Just look at it now. The men are 3-0 in rather convincing fashion with a hall of fame coach coming off a four year run of pure greatness, and they still can't get ranked in the top 25.

I've said it for years. There just is a reluctance to accept Louisville as one of college hoops royalty. We see it during the regular season by the Cards only ever being ranked #1 just one time. We see it in March Madness where the Cards are constantly under seeded. It's only when the Cards dominate by winning the regular season and post season conference that they receive a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

There was a ESPN show a few weeks before the season started with Jay BIlas and they were talking about the teams of the 80's. And don't you know it was North Carolina, Georgetown and Indiana that got all the coverage. Louisville's two titles and four final 4's were hardly mentioned and that was mostly by Bilas making jokes how he was the reason Duke lost to the Cards. Hell, even Houston was being considered as team of that decade without winning anything.

It is what it is and I have learned to expect it. I don't know why it is but I don't see it changing. I went on this rant because I thought it was funny how the Lady Cards have garnered this respect. They have earned it no doubt, but hopefully they start winning or they may lose that respect.

 

[KerryRhodes]

The Lady Cards might have read their own press clippings. They cant play a 40
minute game.

As far as the media love-dont care.

All i care about is titles. Let the media slobber over duke, unc, ks, whoever.
Cards will tie IU for all time wins, with a victory against SFB.

Go Cards !

 

[nccardfan]

Women's BB is a totally different animal. No disrespect to the Ladies but there are just not that many good programs yet. All the top recruits go to the same schools over and over. With tennessee's setback when summit retired opened some opportunities for U of L and other schools even UK

 

[thecycle21]

There is a significant amount of east coast bias at ESPN. The other factor is, which shouldn't be surprising, Louisville hasn't had a bunch of NBA stars over the years. All the teams you mentioned had NBA hall of fame players, Jordan, Ewing, Worth, Mourning, Dexler, Hakeem etc. Louisville doesn't have any so when people reflect back they look at the rosters. The audience can relate to those names therefore they had to be great.

The nature of the beast they will promote anybody/anything that boosts ratings. Simmons is a great example and by they way he is a terrific player. Were the headlines about Marquette beating LSU? Nope it is all about Simmons. His individual night was more significant than his team losing. ESPN recruiting nation props up these players during the off season then they make sure they showcase their games during the season. For Louisville to be on TV a bunch they need to land ESPN ranked top 10 players. LSU has been on ESPN or sister station 4 times and they haven't played anybody.

Louisville not being ranked is really strange. The most obvious answer is the people in the poll have no clue who is good at this point. especially the coaches poll. The ESPN power ranking poll doesn't include Louisville. Usually a brand name like Louisville with a Hall of Fame coach, 3 highly rated freshman, several returning players and 2 really good fifth year seniors would get the benefit of the doubt. There just aren't many programs with those qualities that wouldn't be ranked. With that said who cares if they are ranked as a matter of fact I hope they continue to be left out of the power rankings. It doesn't matter and their opinions don't matter. It not like Louisville has received recruits or won games because of ESPN.

 

[KerryRhodes]

UofL is 27th in the coaches poll.
UofL is 31st in the AP poll.