“ALL RISE!!! Court is now in session. The honorable Bucket Hat King LJ tha Fiasco presiding. Please be seated and come to order”

 

As I wait for the bucket hat to dry and the feeling to come back to my fingers. As we exit the stadium for the final time this season realizing that next time we see it the capacity will be 65,000 seats. As we all braved the walk back to our cars in our rain soaked clothes, fighting through cold 40 mph wind.  Let us remember what we saw for the last few hours of the 2017 home slate.  If this is our lasting memory of this team, it was a good one.

I don’t know what will happen in our next two games.  I am not sure if we will have a new head coach next year based on the fact Bobby didn’t really give a glowing confirmation when asked about other jobs earlier this week.  Not sure if our defensive coordinator will return either or if he has done enough to get another year here.  One thing I do know is that the past two weeks have been a lot of fun to watch, and I am just glad  the fans were treated to some fun, exciting, football.  I am containing myself because I know who is up next and I want to save all my profanity for them, win or lose.

Saturday was for the die-hards.   After a year where we saw more ups and downs than the stock market, it was fitting that the last home game was marred by a 45 minute rain delay. I dedicate this BucketHatism to the fans that toughed it out from start to finish.  Let’s get to the notes:

 

Any outbursts from the court and you will be removed by @8bitbojackson who not only throws kids under the bus for being UK fans at a Louisville game but he also faces his Twitter critics  and then drinks a beer after.  Cheers sir, you heartless bastard.

 

  • I ask again, what happened to reading??  All week long you were told to prepare for the rain and the cold to follow.  I have told you where to get your ponchos at, and how to prepare for rain games.   Still, on Saturday fans were dressed like they were going to play at Sky Zone.  Do you guys not own a smart phone?  Did the heavy, dark clouds and increase in wind not give it away?  I just don’t get how people are not prepared for rain when attending a football game.   Also, I saw Kevin Harned in the parking lot standing beside his weather van.  After I booed him, I noticed he had a huge screen showing you the hourly forecast. There was no excuse.

 

  • Speaking of no excuses, take a gander at this…..

https://twitter.com/LJthaFiasc0/status/931996144456040448

Ya know, the BHK recently got his engagement photos taken and leading up to the date our photographer, Kennisha Fisher at “Once Upon a Flash” photography (look her up, its worth it), checked the forecast every day and provided us reports leading up to the event. I say that to say……..dude, what the entire f***?!?!  As a photographer who is shooting an outdoor sporting event, how do you not know that rain is coming and THEN how do you only pack rain gear for your camera? I have heard of “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” but in this case you should not only dress for the job you have but also dress like there is a raging storm heading your way.   I felt no sympathy for you when the temps dropped 30 degrees and the wind picked up.  Do better in 2018…

 

  • Man, for the past two games we have got a chance to see what a difference Jaire Alexander makes when healthy and on the field.  Alexander got an interception on the first defensive series,  and was disruptive the entire game. He also shut down leading Syracuse’s leading receiver Steve Ishmael and limited him to 2 receptions for the game.  Although I hope I am wrong,  I think that was Jaire’s last home game on Saturday as well.

 

  • Speaking of players I wish had stayed healthy all year,  shout out to senior Malik Williams.  9 carries, 180 yards,  and two long touchdown runs (should have been three).  After that nasty injury in the NC State game I thought his season was over but I am glad that proved to be false. I wish we had his services for another year. Would love to see him and Colin Wilson tear it up next year while Dae Williams runs over more people.  But hey, at least we get two of the three back.

 

  • Saturday was Senior Day in more ways than one.  All of the seniors made big plays.  Trumaine Washington and Chucky Williams both got interceptions.  James Hearns and Trevon Young created havoc in the backfield. Stacey Thomas caused issues all day long.  Just glad those guys went out on an extremely high note.

 

  • Shout out to some fans in my section whom I wish would just give up their season tickets and not come back.  There is a fan who sits in front of me who has not been to any games since the Clemson game but he showed up and stayed a quarter and then after the first drop of rain fell he hauled ass outta there. Also, it’s no secret that I have really good seats, but this guy uses binoculars every game and we don’t understand what he could possibly need them for. There was also the UK fan who shows up to all of our games in Louisville gear and then asks me about every penalty flag thrown. Dude, not only are you four rows from the field but you can also watch the game for yourself.  I have no sympathy for a 50 year old who doesn’t understand what “ball will be placed at the spot of the foul” means.  Binocular guy also made a comment that got a ton of facepalms.  He said, and I quote.. “I like the new helmets the Cards are wearing this game”.  Dude……..

 

  • Reggie Bonnafon deserved all the praise he received and then some.  So happy for that guy.  He has never once complained about being moved each year, losing the QB job, not finding a true home in the offense, etc.  Instead he went out and played football.   Reggie is not a running back, nor is he a QB or wide receiver. Reggie is an athlete, and I don’t think we will understand what he meant to this team once his career at UofL is over.

 

  • Sooooooo you’re telling me we honor one of the greatest QB’s in Louisville football history, and one of the greatest baseball players in Louisville baseball history, and no one can get either a umbrella?  I find it hard to believe that no one on the PJCS staff could provide Stefan Lefors or Brendan McKay with some rain gear.  I said it a few weeks ago and I will reiterate it here,  the people who made the hype videos and the people who are in charge of honoring former players mailed it in a few weeks ago.  Again, do better in 2018….

 

  • Syracuse’s defense must now refer to Lamar as “Dad”.   For the past two years he has treated them like stepchildren.  Highlight reel touchdowns, check.   Throwing the ball over their heads, check.  Long runs where he went virtually untouched, check.   Over 700 yards of offense, check.  I think it’s safe to say Lamar owns them and will continue to do so in the afterlife.  Also, thanks to the offensive line for this masterpiece…….

  • I really hope that when we open up the home slate next year, whomever does the intro video reads this.  The fans are begging to get pumped up for this game, the intro video this year is something that I put on when I am trying to fall asleep in under two minutes.  I just don’t get it, how can UofL not make a video that encourages the fans to get pumped up?  Don’t get me wrong, the Ali tribute was good last year but that was last year.   If Miami can have the white smoke, Florida State can have Chief Osceola and the war chant, Virginia Tech can have Enter Sandman, and South Carolina can have 2001 Space Odyssey and Sandstorm then damn it Louisville can have a intro song that can pump up the crowd year in and year out.   You can do it Louisville, just stop overthinking this.

 

  • Big shout out to the offensive line.   Last year around this time they were catching more hell than Steve Bartman at a Cubs game.  This year, they have protected Lamar and also opened up lanes to run through, and they don’t get the credit they deserve.  Give a ton of credit to Mike Summers, the offensive line whisperer for once again working his magic.

 

  • Shout out to the guy in the Pass, Punt, and Kick challenge who attempted a 75 yard FG.   Alcohol makes us think we can do the unthinkable at times.  Just take your signed football and have a seat.

 

  • Folks, a weather delay means there is some bad sh*t rolling in and you should probably take cover.  It doesn’t mean sit in your seat trying to understand if the game was over and it damn sure doesn’t mean asking everyone around you how long the delay will last.  Get your ass up, lets go to the concourse, and I will answer all of your questions when we are no longer in danger of being struck by lightning.

 

  • If Reggie Bonnafon was the feel good story on offense then Trevon Young was the feel good story on defense.  Certain guys may not have re-wrote the record books while here at UofL but there stories will live on for years to come.  Remember Reggie leading us to a win at Notre Dame?  Remember Trevon before the hip injury and what it took for him to make it back to the field.   Both are extremely humble guys who I hope at least get a shot in the NFL at some capacity.

 

And in closing, thus begins hate week.  We have had a weird season. It started in Indianapolis, and ends in a freezing monsoon.  Now we play that team down the road on Saturday, backed by a fanbase that gets an erection each time someone mentions Lamar and fumble in the same sentence.

A fanbase that loves to mention that Lamar fumbled after striking a Heisman pose but refuses to admit that he actually won the damn Heisman weeks later.  A fanbase that makes t-shirts each time their b-ball team has a bowel movement.

Both teams are 7-4, both teams have lost games in heartbreaking fashion,  both teams have playmakers on offense and have faced issues on defense.   Only one team has Lamar Jackson though, and based on his comments after the Syracuse game, he has not forgot about his fumble.

At the beginning of the year all we heard was how Louisville finished the 2016 season on a three game losing streak.   How fitting would it be if they closed 2017 with three game winning streak…….or four, may as well win the bowl game too while we’re at it.

Beat UK.

 

Be cool in this hot city.

 

Court adjourned. (bangs gavel)

 

 

 

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LJ Nesbitt

The BHK. Writer for thecrunchzone.com , 1/2 of the TCZ Podcast. Surviving in the great city of Louisville, in the not so great state of KY. Loui$ville KY thecrunchzone.com

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