Let’s have an honest discussion about Louisville basketball

Put this season into perspective

This season has been one of the least enjoyable I can remember in a long time, simply because of one reason: expectations.

I understand the difficulty of being a fan of a team with a recent vacation of a national title. Louisville has always had a blue-collar, underdog mentality as it is, so to feel slighted means there is going to be a push back.

Louisville basketball, culturally, has a profound impact on this town. This is the largest city in the country without a major professional sports team, so there is no other option- The fabric of this city is going to be intertwined with our teams.

There is a stain on the program, and so, in turn, expectations have ramped up. We want so badly to get the bad taste out of our mouths that often times, common sense and logic go out the window. I get it. When it comes to life, I think logically. But, when it comes to sports, I wear my heart on my sleeve.

The scandals hurt us. The allegations, the NCAA and legal deliberations, they scarred us.

This was supposed to be the team that saved us. It has everything: the superstar, the hometown kids, the fifth-year seniors, the stud recruits. All the stuff that made you feel gross and tested your fanhood over the last five years was supposed to be wiped clean by this team.

But that’s not fair.

That’s not fair to a group of players that could have chosen to be elsewhere, literally, anywhere else, and they chose to be here.

It’s not fair to a coaching staff that chose to walk into a complete mess of a situation with the shadow of impending notices of allegations still hanging over the program.

And it’s not fair to us as fans, parents, family, boosters, and other supporters. It’s not fair to come into this season with those expectations.

Sure, this team has talent, charisma, and togetherness. It was built, at least partially, by a hall of fame coach who had things rolling before his departure. And it is absolutely the staff’s job to get the best out of these players.

But don’t let expectations cloud your judgment. Don’t allow grandiose dreams of final fours and beyond bring you crashing to earth because of a few close losses.

This team, the coaching staff, and anyone involved with the program deserves our unwavering admiration for the way that they have battled.

The Cardinals still finished with 24 regular-season wins. They still finished only a half-game out of first in the ACC. They still boast wins over No. 4 Michigan and Duke in Cameron Indoor. They still hung eighty on the best defense in the country and defending national champs. They had multiple 10-game winning streaks. They won 17 games at home. And they still aren’t done.

Have some perspective and use your best judgment entering this postseason. This team deserves it, and so do you.