Thank Goodness Bilal Powell is around.

I like the smackdown Kragthorpe is puting on the Cardinals team.  I like Stripling and am sad to hear this news, but if he did something worthy of dismissal, I'm glad it was done.  I would like to know what the offense was. 

That being said, Bilal Powell is ready to breakout in a major way this year.  the Cardinals have a few soldi RBs on the team, but I feel like Powell is a future NFL player.

I hope it works out for Stripling somewhere else.

now i do go to wvu so of course i find an interest in what louisville does in the offseason and even though we hate eachother. i do respect them as a team. however what i dont get is there is not a doubt in my mind that had this been a wvu player, wvu would of gotten plenty of replies saying how we have no class and hicks and incest type jokes. its almost obvious that stripling violated a team given drug test...well most likely. alot of football players at all schools smoke. i was just curious why no one says anyhting bad about louisville but if this was a wvu player like noel devine fans of all schools would jump down wvu's throat. (side note: noels time for this sort of article is coming) its almost inevitable with the type of stuff iv seen his crew get away with down here.

Actually- you can look at the negative posts aimed at WVU in two ways:  first, you can take it as a compliment that with WVU's success over the years they have become a target for negative reactions from opposing fans.  Louisville doesn't see as much negativity because we are not seen as a threat nationally (we were heading in that direction until the abrupt departure of Bobby Petrino).  It is no different from the treatment you see towards the Florida schools from opposing fans or the joy non-Notre Dame fans are getting from that school's recent struggles.  Or you can look at it another way- I don't know how you feel/felt about Rich Rodriguez but to me, as a Louisville grad/fan, he seemed like an arrogant pr*ck and the way in which he left WVU only seems to back that up.  I love when we play WVU because in recent years it has been one of, if not the biggest game played in the Big East.  Plus, I couldn't stand Rodriguez so any chance we could get to put that sideline pouting look on his face was great.  Of course, that didn't happen often enough!

As for Stripling- I hate to see him go- because he has been a spark the last two seasons but I'm glad that Kragthorpe isn't making exceptions for anyone.    

Stripling did not do that much for UofL last year so no big loss IMHO.  Kregs has this year to have a winning season or he is gone.  The BE is weaker this year and the offense should not take much of a dip.  

I can understand why a WVU fan would wonder as to the 'why' a Louisville player might not get the 'hick' treatment that would typically be put onto a similarly dismissed player from the Mountaneer state.  True, the very name 'Kentucky' does emote a connoctation of redneck et al; however those living within the greater state consider the city of Louisville to be an island in itself; as opposed to an actual part of Kentucky.  Louisville is a city of fine arts; and high-brow types which isn't very congruous with the lion's share of the rest of the state.  Louisville is more of a true 'urban' center ala, Cincinnati or Atlanta, whereas the 2nd largest city, Lexington, is more to the tune of a Charleston WV with a more country music, red-neckish perception.  This is why the University of Louisville has a difficult time increasing its fan base beyond the metro Louisville area.  BTW, I saw 'We are Marshall' the other day; and thought that McConaughy and company did a very good job of NOT making West Virginians appear to be nothing more than tobacco-spitting hicks!  Eddie