I know that there is a group of people on here that really don't like the fact that Louisville's job.....is a very, very good job....and that the program is on a meteoric rise......I kind of relish that.

 

As you wish, I just think it is silly to believe those words. Look, Louisville is a solid program, and they are headed in the right direction. But in the past ten years 5-5 against UK, 1 BCS bowl win, and 4-3 in bowl games does not warrant a "top ten football program". I'm not arguing that the UK football program is better, I'm just saying in the grand scheme of things it's not at the level your AD thinks it is. The list I posted before are the kind of programs I would consider.

 

I think the best programs thrive off of the long standing traditions that have been going on for years. Most of the programs I mentioned, if not all, are in towns where that school's football team is all there is, and that may be why they have such big followings and long lasting traditions. I just don't see UL there yet.

There's a lot I could say about the arena, but why waste my time when Eric Crawford has already done an excellent job?

 

Well, my own problems with the arena have nothing to do with who is in it because the simple truth is that cities and states shouldn't build sports arenas... ever. The city is saddled with a debt burden because UofL is reaping a big benefit while someone else paid to have the thing built.

 

It's absolutely correct that UofL has delivered on attendance, but until the finances are more stable, the city needs to be drawing more money from the arena to keep the value of those bonds up.

Well, my own problems with the arena have nothing to do with who is in it because the simple truth is that cities and states shouldn't build sports arenas... ever. The city is saddled with a debt burden because UofL is reaping a big benefit while someone else paid to have the thing built.

 

It's absolutely correct that UofL has delivered on attendance, but until the finances are more stable, the city needs to be drawing more money from the arena to keep the value of those bonds up.

If you want to see a deal that is putting the screws to the public, look a little south to 4th St...

If you want to see a deal that is putting the screws to the public, look a little south to 4th St...

 

Don't even get me started on the Mayor For Life selling the city to the Cordish Company for a song. The things our city and state government get into with property developers... the strip clubs on Seventh Street aren't as seedy as those meetings.

If you want to see a deal that is putting the screws to the public, look a little south to 4th St...

 

I'm sure my indignation over the arena deal would be a lot more interesting if I didn't love EVERY SINGLE MOMENT of a night spent on Main Street before and after a Cardinals game.

There's a lot I could say about the arena, but why waste my time when Eric Crawford has already done an excellent job?

Good take on it, thanks for posting. I spend alot of time in Louisville so I hear a lot of the NBA debate on talk radio. Funny that UofL outdrew so many NBA teams.

Another factor is that the area around and near the arena is still growing. When those projections were first done, the economy was pretty strong, bit the area where the arena is hand only a handful of restaurants/nightlife. The economy tanking the year it opened didn't help. Main Street is adding new establishments at a good clip, and the surrounding areas such as NuLu are growing as well. The city isn't losing out. It's just taking a little longer than projected and maybe taking shape a little differently than imagined.

Another factor is that the area around and near the arena is still growing. When those projections were first done' date=' the economy was pretty strong, bit the area where the arena is hand only a handful of restaurants/nightlife. The economy tanking the year it opened didn't help. Main Street is adding new establishments at a good clip, and the surrounding areas such as NuLu are growing as well. The city isn't losing out. It's just taking a little longer than projected and maybe taking shape a little differently than imagined.[/quote']

 

I'm not saying you are wrong. But how is the NuLu growth tied to the Yum! Center?

Brilliant move by Chuck went and got SEC money without getting beat up by the SEC. He's a cool cat sitting at home laughing right now.

Louisville was on their way to being the next Miami under Petrino weren't they? Another good year or two and Strong is history then it is back to the drawing board. Just reality for a program that averages 50k at home games. Don't confuse this with UK anything, I would love to have the program that Louisville does right now, but if we are going to talk about Top 10 this or Top 5 that, I simply do not think Louisville is anywhere close to that. Great job by TJ holding on to Strong, hopefully Stoops can make UK competitive again and both teams will be "good" at the same time.

Brilliant move by Chuck went and got SEC money without getting beat up by the SEC. He's a cool cat sitting at home laughing right now.

 

I don't think he's laughing. I think he's having a panic attack wondering how not to get BLASTED by Florida on national television in four weeks.

 

I'm not saying you are wrong. But how is the NuLu growth tied to the Yum! Center?

 

The stretch of Market between 65 and downtown is beginning a revival. And the development on Main has helped create the demand for more things to do/shop/live. That has helped NuLu business be successful as well.

Don't even get me started on the Mayor For Life selling the city to the Cordish Company for a song. The things our city and state government get into with property developers... the strip clubs on Seventh Street aren't as seedy as those meetings.

 

Well, the LEO (or perhaps more appropriately, Standard & Poor's) decided to pile on to our discussion here by throwing out this release from S&P just now:

 

"We are revising the outlook to negative from stable and affirming the ‘BBB-’ rating on the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority’s project revenue bonds issued for Louisville Arena Authority Inc. (LAA).

 

The outlook revision reflects our view of LAA’s continued reliance on potentially volatile tax increment financing (TIF) revenue and uncertainty about stabilized operating costs and direct arena revenue under the new operator.

 

Although the 2011 amendment to TIF calculations and the recent replacement of the arena operator have strengthened the project, we anticipate that U.S. multi-use arena operator LAA’s debt service coverage will remain low through the next two years."

 

It is expected that Louisville Metro --ugh, I hate that name -- will have to pony up about $3.3 million to stabilize the finances in the short-term.

 

I don't think he's laughing. I think he's having a panic attack wondering how not to get BLASTED by Florida on national television in four weeks.

 

It's one game and UL is just happy to be there. He will go home and count his money afterward.

As you wish, I just think it is silly to believe those words. Look, Louisville is a solid program, and they are headed in the right direction. But in the past ten years 5-5 against UK, 1 BCS bowl win, and 4-3 in bowl games does not warrant a "top ten football program". I'm not arguing that the UK football program is better, I'm just saying in the grand scheme of things it's not at the level your AD thinks it is. The list I posted before are the kind of programs I would consider.

 

I think the best programs thrive off of the long standing traditions that have been going on for years. Most of the programs I mentioned, if not all, are in towns where that school's football team is all there is, and that may be why they have such big followings and long lasting traditions. I just don't see UL there yet.

Big difference between Top Ten program and Top Ten job.