Meanwhile, Louisville has the most profitable mens hoops program, by a lot

[theman123]

Simple explanation is UL does not own the bball arena, the city does and pays UL basically $40mil a year to play there. The city is losing a huge amount on the deal even with naming rights. The need a NBA team in there soon or the city might end up taking a major hit with it or breaking the existing contract with UL that pays that much.

 

Didn't know that, but that arena is absolutely beautiful.

[Brad]

Louisville was a great and respected program before Rick Pitino.

[Mission9]

Louisville was a great and respected program before Rick Pitino.

Yes.  I am glad someone else remembers.

 

They were good whether they were in the Missouri Valley, Metro, or CUSA.  Pitino has never won it all with UL.  They won a lot under Crum and won it all in 1980 and 1986.  That '80 team was very good.  Younger people in the "BCS era" are so obsessed with the big time football conferences that they do not realize that there have been great basketball teams from the other conferences.  Another example would be the 1990 UNLV team which was like a running NBA team and could beat anyone in the field starting today.  Louisville was routinely in the tournament before Pitino or the Big East and was always one of the favorites entering the tournament since the early 70's.   

[Markeymark]

I am in my forties and Louisville has always been good in basketball.  Not sure how much more "tradition" you need.

 +1

[DELdaBull]

Sometimes simple statements such as Mission9's says it all.

[charsibb]

Louisville was a great and respected program before Rick Pitino.

Yes.  I am glad someone else remembers.

 

They were good whether they were in the Missouri Valley, Metro, or CUSA.  Pitino has never won it all with UL.  They won a lot under Crum and won it all in 1980 and 1986.  That '80 team was very good.  Younger people in the "BCS era" are so obsessed with the big time football conferences that they do not realize that there have been great basketball teams from the other conferences.  Another example would be the 1990 UNLV team which was like a running NBA team and could beat anyone in the field starting today.  Louisville was routinely in the tournament before Pitino or the Big East and was always one of the favorites entering the tournament since the early 70's.   

 

That Runnin' Rebels team was FUN to watch!

 

Now I know why - THREE 1st-rounders AND a 2nd-rounder! Tarkanian was amazing.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989%E2%80%9390_UNLV_Runnin%27_Rebels_men%27s_basketball_team

[BullFan98]

Remember the Denny Crumb days.

Remember getting him bumped out of the Sun Dome.

[Triple B]

Simple explanation is UL does not own the bball arena, the city does and pays UL basically $40mil a year to play there. The city is losing a huge amount on the deal even with naming rights. The need a NBA team in there soon or the city might end up taking a major hit with it or breaking the existing contract with UL that pays that much.

Are you saying that paying $40 million a year for a place to play basketball is a bargain??

[Triple B]

Louisville was a great and respected program before Rick Pitino.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisville_Cardinals_men%27s_basketball

 

 

[Mission9]

 

Louisville was a great and respected program before Rick Pitino.

Yes.  I am glad someone else remembers.

 

They were good whether they were in the Missouri Valley, Metro, or CUSA.  Pitino has never won it all with UL.  They won a lot under Crum and won it all in 1980 and 1986.  That '80 team was very good.  Younger people in the "BCS era" are so obsessed with the big time football conferences that they do not realize that there have been great basketball teams from the other conferences.  Another example would be the 1990 UNLV team which was like a running NBA team and could beat anyone in the field starting today.  Louisville was routinely in the tournament before Pitino or the Big East and was always one of the favorites entering the tournament since the early 70's.   

 

That Runnin' Rebels team was FUN to watch!

 

Now I know why - THREE 1st-rounders AND a 2nd-rounder! Tarkanian was amazing.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989%E2%80%9390_UNLV_Runnin%27_Rebels_men%27s_basketball_team

I do not think most people today could fathom a team from the Big West like UNLV beating an ACC team like Duke by 30 and it not really being a surprise.  My brother predicted that the BCS era was going to hurt the basketball powers from the non-football power conferences and he has been right.