Louisville basketball: Cardinals as characters from Stranger Things

Hopper | Chris Mack

Chief of Police Jim Hopper is one of the more cynical characters in the series, but fans have grown to love him all the same. We see throughout the first couple of seasons how Hopper has grown a bit desensitized to emotion and operates more on instinct and logic than any other character, save maybe Billy.

Hopper lost his child to cancer and his wife to divorce before the series began, and that along with his experience in the military and as a police officer hardened his heart a bit. Still, we see him act as a tough leader who displays a dry sense of humor and a sense of confidence as a tough ass-kicking corruption-fighting government employee.

Hopper is a dead ringer for Chris Mack and his influence on the Louisville basketball team and program as a whole. Mack leads by example, and his bravado is helping Louisville build it’s swagger back more quickly than anyone could have imagined.

Like Hopper, we see that Mack prefers to operate as a straight-laced guy who enjoys just throwing down some good food while saving the world/ university. Still, as we’ve grown to see their character unfold in front of the public eye, one can be sure that they still act with compassion and empathy. Just as Hopper’s life is changed by Eleven, Mack loves on his players like they are his family- which is a freaking awesome thing based on what we see on social media.

What we learn from Mack and Hopper is that there is more to life than just what you do. It’s who you do it for. Compassion always wins the long game.