This year's Louisville team has really put the "dirty" back into "dirty Cards" (as illustrated in both the UK game and their game tonight against Villanova).  Although I have great memories of Pitino's UK days, I was a bit on the young side, and therefore a bit oblivious to the finer points of the style/strategies being played.  My question is, were Pitino's Kentucky teams known for playing as dirty as we have seen the Cardinals play this year, or is it just a by-product of the fact that they are so soft and desperate that they have no choice but to resort to these tactics in order to even keep games close?  I understand that most of the responses will be tinted by blue-colored glasses, but I'd still like to know the "older crowd's" take on it. 

On his official website, Coach Cal has a "Golden Spike" section where he discusses the spikes in the floor @ Memorial Coliseum and mentions possibly driving a few into the floor at Rupp. 

The name "Golden Spike" is derived from the legendary nails, or "spikes," that were part of the old floors at Alumni Gym and Memorial Coliseum. The spikes represented significant shots in UK history...Some day I would like to see a GOLDEN SPIKE driven into the floor at Rupp Arena for something fantastic that one of our Wildcats accomplishes on the floor in our storied building.

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Does anyone know what numbers the freshmen will be wearing?  When is this usually reported?  Anybody giving up their number to an incoming kid?  Do the freshmen usually want to keep their HS or AAU number and, if so, who doesn't have theirs available?  I know Wall has worn 23, but not really sure about the rest.  And will Dodson be keeping his JC number?  Ok, I'll stop rambling on now.  Thanks in advance for your answers!

I'm sure most of us here have read Vitale's take on the Calipari-Memphis-SAT-Rose saga (if not, it's here) where he contends that Calipari is getting unfair treatment by the media.  While I know that Dicky V. is a legendary bandwagon jumper and has said some pretty hurtful things towards UK basketball in general- and the fans specifically- in the past, and very well may do it again, I think that articles such as this should prevent us for dismissing him out of hand.  We NEED a voice- a BIG voice- to counter the Fordes and Tiptons of the world.  Sure, we know they are biased and can't be trusted, but we need a standard bearer to defend our Coach at this time, and he has voluntarily taken up that mantle.  Others write negative UK articles because they know they will get hits.  Let's show that those who "get it" (ie-Vitale) stand to gain just as much (and more) by supporting us.  For all the things he may have said, Vitale has ALWAYS referred to UK as a legendary program and I think that he has hit the nail on the head with this article.