11-15-2008, 02:24 PM
Another flap over the Cardinal logo
Posted by BKoch at 11/15/2008 2:14 PM EST on Cincinnati.com
Four years ago, the Louisville coaching staff accused the University of Cincinnati players of disrespecting the Cardinal logo at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium but jumping up and down on the logo before the game.
Fast forward to Friday night, with different coaching staffs and different players, and the logo is still the focus of controversy between the two long-time rivals.
This time it was Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe and several of his players who were offended because the Bearcats gathered at midfield, held hands in a circle around the logo and said a pre-game prayer, as they do at midfield before every road game.
Brian Kelly said today that Kragthorpe “confronted” him about it before the game.
“It turned into a situation where a couple of their players came down onto the field and had to be restrained by some of their players,” Kelly said. “Steve and I talked about it before the game. We disagreed about the manner in which it was handled but kept it professional and moved on.
“The kids played the game with a lot of emotion, but you had no taunting, no personal fouls, none of that baloney.”
Asked what he said to Kragthorpe after the Louisville coach confronted him, Kelly said,
“Let’s just put it that we disagreed on what happened.”
Kelly and Kragthorpe did shake hands after the game.
“I think the sportsmanship thing to do was to shake hands,” Kelly said. “I can’t tell you it was the warmest of handshakes, but I think we have to set a good example for our players. Our disagreement had nothing to do with how our kids play and how it should go at the end of the day. The game was much more important than the pre-game.”
Kelly said he was aware of the controversy over the Cardinal logo that took place before the 2004 game, which was won by Louisville, 70-7. But he said that had nothing to do with UC’s gathering at mid-field before the game Friday night.
The pre-game prayer is a ritual that UC has been following for two years. After the team bus pulls up to the stadium, the players and coaches get off the bus, walk onto the field and the players say a prayer at mid-field.
“Everything that we do, every day we talk about respecting our opponent,” Kelly said. “We’re not going to taunt. I’m not going to tolerate that kind of behavior from our football team. It’s talked about every day. It’s just unfortunate the way it was perceived.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com
Posted by BKoch at 11/15/2008 2:14 PM EST on Cincinnati.com
Four years ago, the Louisville coaching staff accused the University of Cincinnati players of disrespecting the Cardinal logo at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium but jumping up and down on the logo before the game.
Fast forward to Friday night, with different coaching staffs and different players, and the logo is still the focus of controversy between the two long-time rivals.
This time it was Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe and several of his players who were offended because the Bearcats gathered at midfield, held hands in a circle around the logo and said a pre-game prayer, as they do at midfield before every road game.
Brian Kelly said today that Kragthorpe “confronted” him about it before the game.
“It turned into a situation where a couple of their players came down onto the field and had to be restrained by some of their players,” Kelly said. “Steve and I talked about it before the game. We disagreed about the manner in which it was handled but kept it professional and moved on.
“The kids played the game with a lot of emotion, but you had no taunting, no personal fouls, none of that baloney.”
Asked what he said to Kragthorpe after the Louisville coach confronted him, Kelly said,
“Let’s just put it that we disagreed on what happened.”
Kelly and Kragthorpe did shake hands after the game.
“I think the sportsmanship thing to do was to shake hands,” Kelly said. “I can’t tell you it was the warmest of handshakes, but I think we have to set a good example for our players. Our disagreement had nothing to do with how our kids play and how it should go at the end of the day. The game was much more important than the pre-game.”
Kelly said he was aware of the controversy over the Cardinal logo that took place before the 2004 game, which was won by Louisville, 70-7. But he said that had nothing to do with UC’s gathering at mid-field before the game Friday night.
The pre-game prayer is a ritual that UC has been following for two years. After the team bus pulls up to the stadium, the players and coaches get off the bus, walk onto the field and the players say a prayer at mid-field.
“Everything that we do, every day we talk about respecting our opponent,” Kelly said. “We’re not going to taunt. I’m not going to tolerate that kind of behavior from our football team. It’s talked about every day. It’s just unfortunate the way it was perceived.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com
