I'm pulling like crazy for Louisville on Saturday. Granted, I'm no die-hard like some of these Cardinal fans around town, but in the grand scheme of things in terms of life around here the next four months, I think it'd be a good thing.

I've had the good fortune to be living in Indianapolis for two Colts trips to the AFC finals and four Pacers trips to the Eastern Conference finals (plus one trip to the NBA Finals). I was living in Louisville during Final Four runs in basketball in 1983 and 1986. My one year going to school at IU was in 1992-93, when the Hoosiers were ranked #1 in the country most of the season behind Calbert Cheaney. And in every instance, the level of (to use a cliche) electricity in the air and the way it inspires a greater pride in community is hard to describe.

So I want the Cards to beat Miami this weekend, want to see them tear into West Virginia in early November, and then sit back and enjoy the delirium as UofL makes a serious first-ever run at a national football championship. Sure, it'd be a whole lot more realistic task if Heisman candidate Michael Bush hadn't broken his leg, but the running back by committee approach since then and the brilliance of Brian Brohm still gives them a shot.